Public Service Week 2013 – Serving the Nation and proud of it

Date: 20 May 2013

Public Service Week 2013
Serving the Nation and proud of it

Public Service Week 2013 will take place from 20 to 23 May for more than 136,000 public officers working in 16 Ministries and more than 50 Statutory Boards.

Started in 2008 as an annual event to build in public officers a sense of pride and belonging to the Public Service, Public Service Week reminds officers of the important role they play in nation building, and the need to serve with dedication and commitment. Public Service Week is also a time to recognise the good work of public officers and agencies, as well as members of the public who have helped and made significant contributions as customers.

Themed “Serving the nation and proud of it”, Public Service Week 2013 will be marked with a series of activities for public officers, including observance ceremonies, learning journeys, a tea reception at Istana and an awards ceremony.

This year’s Public Service Week Message from Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, who is also Minister in charge of the Civil Service, will be delivered via a video to be screened at the observance ceremonies, where officers will also renew their commitment to serve Singapore and Singaporeans through the Public Service pledge (refer to the Annexes for the transcript of DPM Teo’s message and the Public Service pledge).

The Istana Tea Reception will be held this evening. President Tony Tan Keng Yam will host about 680 public officers from across the Singapore Public Service, including some 20 Long Service Medallists and 75 PS21 Star Service Awardees.

The annual Excellence in Public Service Awards Ceremony will be held on 29 May with DPM Teo as the Guest of Honour. He will present 161 awards to public officers and agencies in recognition of their service and organisational excellence respectively, as well as to members of the public who have made significant contributions as customers.

Annexe A

Public Service Week Message from Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, Minister in charge of the Civil Service, Coordinating Minister for National Security & Minister for Home Affairs

Our Purpose

As public officers, all of us have a role to play in making Singapore a better home for Singaporeans.

This overriding mission is what unites all of us as Public Officers.

I would say that the single, most important motivating factor for Public Officers is that they get satisfaction and happiness from seeing other peoples’ well-being and satisfaction and happiness. And I have met many public officers in the course of my visits and work, and I know that many of you do derive satisfaction and happiness from seeing Singaporeans lives get better.

Nurses and doctors who tend to their patients and also to their patients’ families, show compassion and care for them; the teachers who do their best for their students, especially the ones from disadvantaged backgrounds; and SCDF officers, policemen, SAF servicemen who work long hours and often put themselves at risk to make sure that we all are safe and secure. Our enforcement officers, they often have a very difficult task, but they help also to provide the sense of order, safety, security and cleanliness that is a hallmark of Singapore which all of us appreciate. And I want to say a big thank you to all of you.

Engaging and Partnering Our People

Today, Singaporeans are better educated. They also have higher aspirations and more varied needs. We also have the social media which has enabled quicker flows of information and ideas.

This new environment provides a new opportunity to work with the public.

There is much to be gained, listening carefully to alternative views. And we can get better ideas in this way. Through such meaningful dialogues, we also build a shared vision, and we can work towards it together in the spirit of mutual trust and respect.

All of us must see frontline work as a key part of the work of our agencies. And we must provide our front-line officers with support, training, resources so that they can serve the public in the spirit of mutual respect and courtesy. All agencies should maintain these good standards of service, and at the same time, we should support our officers should they be subject to unfair accusations or to abuse.

Working together as one Public Service

Service to our nation and to the people of Singapore must always be at the heart of everything we do. And we should always be guided by our core values of integrity, service and excellence.

When we face a crisis together, we instinctively pull together. I still remember 10 years ago when we faced the threat of SARS. Public officers stepped up to tackle this urgent threat together, regardless of which agency or which ministry we came from. And by working together, we as one Public Service, came through this very difficult period stronger as a nation, and also as a people. And we must always try to carry out our duties with the same spirit as One Public Service.

As we mark Public Service Week, I hope that you will continue to do our best in serving the nation, and continue to be proud of the work that we do - to create a better tomorrow for Singapore and for all Singaporeans.

Thank you

Annexe B

PUBLIC SERVICE PLEDGE

We, members of the Singapore Public Service, 
pledge to serve our nation and our people, 
to build a peaceful, progressive and vibrant society.

To this cause, we shall always carry out our duties
guided by the values of integrity, service and excellence, 
to be a first class Public Service, worthy of Singapore.