The Singapore Public Service and National Development

4. Recognizing that people matter. The Government has consciously followed
a policy aimed at cultivating public servants. It has understood the importance of
training, of providing officers with challenging assignments, of inspiring them to
show results; all aimed at ensuring that the best talent is nurtured to drive the
country forward.
5. A pragmatic approach to decentralization, to strengthening institutional
capacity to deliver results. Singapore’s approach to decentralization in the public
sector was to create Autonomous Agencies, and then transfer almost all authority
for recruitment, promotion and expenditure to them. They are given a block
budget, and held accountable for mandated outcomes.
6. Results-based budgeting. The Programme and Performance Budgeting
System introduced in Singapore as early as 1978 allowed ministries to focus on
longer- term results rather than year-to- year expenditure objectives. The purpose
of these budgetary reforms was to make managers more invested in the actual
results of their public programmes, in terms of quantity, quality and social impact,
while also ensuring more efficient use of resources.
7. E-Governance. Singapore has established itself as a leading practitioner of
e-governance and seen clear results in terms of improved productivity, greater
transparency and accountability, improvements in the quality of services, and thus
client satisfaction. ICT also helps the public service disseminate certain types of
information and receive valuable feedback quickly and transparently.
These are just some of the lessons that can be learned from the Singapore public
service experience. Dr Saxena will discuss these and other lessons in more detail.
As with all social, political and institutional systems, Singapore’s public service has
received some criticisms. It will need to continuously respond to the changing
needs and aspirations of the people and to evolve in order to meet new and
increasing complex challenges, and perhaps even to reinvigorate principles such
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