PDF (7.80MB) - Challenge Online

ToDisplayGreaterSensitivity
My three wishes for a better Public
Service are:
1) That we display sensitivity towards the
wider organisation’s objectives, and to the
concerns of our key customers – the public.
Many of us specialise in a specifi c role
within our ministries and agencies, be it in
policy, enforcement, audit or dissemination.
As a result, in carrying out our day-to-day
jobs, we are sometimes blinded to the
needs of other key stakeholders. We
should always remain aware and sensitive
of the broader context in which we operate,
and bear this in mind when formulating our
decisions and actions.
2) That we cooperate across ministries and
agencies. There are many statutory boards
in this country, each taking care of a
specifi c area. Hence, it is inevitable that
we’d have to work together to solve the
many issues that confront the Public
Service from time to time. We should
transcend our individual job scopes and
embrace the concept of One Government,
and always bear in mind that whatever the
outcome, it should be one that is in the
interests of our key customers.
3) That the Public Service continues to be
nimble and responsive in dealing with
present and future concerns and diffi culties.
The Public Service can operate very
differently from the private sector, with the
need for accountability in our actions and
decisions requiring a certain degree of
checks and balances. Yet, even with this
constraint, we must strive to be quick and
effective in responding to an ever-changing
environment, and in meeting the high
expectations of the public.
Ko Zhihong
SPRING Singapore
THE
LETTER OF THE
MONTH WILL WIN
A A GOODWOOD
PARK HOTEL DINING
VOUCHER WORTH $100.
ALL OTHER PUBLISHED
LETTERS WILL WIN
SHOPPING
VOUCHERS WORTH
$30 EACH.
ToTrulyEncourage
Upgrading
My three wishes for a better Public
Service are:
1) That we can truly become a “paperless”
Civil Service. For example, documents
submitted through electronic platforms like
Pac@Gov, Training Adminstration System
On Intranet (TRAISI) and PRAISE no longer
need to be printed out and fi led in hard copy.
Approvals for payments and such, obtained
through offi cial e-mails, should not have to
be printed and attached to forms for fi ling.
2) That civil servants can be more
conscious of the benefi ts of energy and
water conservation. More can be done to
educate offi cers on how to help save
electricity and water for their organisations.
For example, turning off electrical
equipment at the mains when they are not
in use, as well as lights when we leave
offi ces, meeting rooms and pantries,
especially for the weekends. Every drop
makes an ocean, and every little bit saved
would help the ministry keep operating
costs down in the long run.
3) That the Civil Service would be more
willing to fi rst look inwards to their existing
offi cers – who have gone for upgrading
courses and obtained certifi cates of higher
learning – to fi ll leadership or supervisory
posts, before advertising for fresh
graduates to come in and take up these
positions. This would certainly be a greater
“pull” factor in encouraging offi cers to go
for upgrading, knowing that it would help
them move up the ladder.
Ms Fiona Tan Su-Queen
Ministry of Education
ToAchieveWorld-
ClassServiceStandards
My three wishes for a better Public
Service would be:
1) To improve service quality so that we
can attain world-class service standards,
which will put us in a stronger position to
take on future challenges.
2) To encourage all public offi cers to
cultivate a passion in their daily work,
and to create an awareness that Public
Service is not just a job but an
honourable duty to serve the citizens of
Singapore. This will help create a strong
identity and a sense of commitment
among all public offi cers.
3) Being in the Public Service, we must
always be cautious and aware of the
impact that we have on the environment
around us. We can create an eco-friendly
environment, and practice the 3Rs (reuse,
renew and recycle) daily throughout
the Public Service. By doing this, we
can reduce our spending, cut down on
waste and, at the same time, do our part
for the environment.
Gary Lim Wei Lun
Singapore Customs
HAVE YOUR SAY...
Take part in any of the offi cial activities organised for Public
Service Week 2009, and tell us about your most memorable
moments or interesting lessons learnt and why!
E-mail “I Say” at psd_challenge@psd.gov.sg. Please limit your
comments to 300 words and include your name, e-mail, agency and
telephone numbers. All entries should reach us by May 25, 2009.
You can also discuss this at forum.challenge.gov.sg.