Press Release LGP2010 - Civil Service College

30 MARCH 2010Press Release I FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEGOVERNANCE PROGRAMME AT CIVIL SERVICE COLLEGE DREW HIGH LEVELFOREIGN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS FOR THE THIRD CONSECUTIVE YEARThe Leaders in Governance Programme organised by the Civil Service College,Singapore from 22 March to 30 March 2010, saw continued strong turnout from toppublic service officials across the globe for the third consecutive year. The 2010programme attracted participation from high ranking officials which included Secretary-Generals, Permanent Secretaries and Chief Executive equivalents of various local andforeign government agencies. They were eager to learn about best practices from theSingapore public sector and discuss the importance of good public sector leadership andsound institutions in a well functioning model of governance.Drawn from 13 nations, the 28 programme participants included: Sheik Abdulla Al Hamed, Chairman of the Western Region Development Council,Abu Dhabi Mr Henda Esandiu Nicolau da Silva Ingles, National Director, EconomicDevelopment Support, Angola Dr Saeed Adel Al Alfy, Chairman of the Consumer Protection Agency (CPA) andSecretary of the Finance and Administration, General Secretariat, NationalDemocratic Party (NDP), Egypt Dr Adil Al-Wugayan, Secretary-General, Supreme Council for Planning, Kuwait Haji Mohd Abdoh Bin Dato Seri Sertia Haji Abdul Salam, Permanent Secretary,Ministry of Home Affairs, Brunei Mr Nguyen Huu Thanh, Assistant (Director-General level) to DPM Hoang TrungHai, Vietnam1

Dato Sri Dr Mohd Nasir Mohd Ashraf, Secretary General, Ministry of Health,MalaysiaThe Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) also participated for the secondconsecutive year.In this eight-day programme that ended today with a graduation ceremony, the officialswere offered unique opportunities to engage in dialogues with Ministers and PermanentSecretaries and other public sector leaders like Minister Teo Chee Hean, Mr GeorgeYeo, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Peter Ho, Head of Civil Service and PermanentSecretary for Foreign Affairs, and Ms Lim Soo Hoon, Permanent Secretary of the PublicService Division, Prime Minister’s Office. Learning journeys to a variety of governmentagencies and facilities like Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star),Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS), Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA),Housing Development Board (HDB), National University Hospital (NUH), Jurong PrimarySchool and Marina Barrage were organised. Apart from the practical experiences, theexchanges and sharing of public policy and governance experiences betweenparticipants from Singapore and other countries were also keenly anticipated by theparticipants.“Civil Service College set high standards in this programme. The level of support andparticipation by top government officials is truly unprecedented and distinct to thiscourse,” said Sheik Abdulla Al Hamed, Chairman of the Western Region DevelopmentCouncil, Abu Dhabi.2

“I enjoy the stimulating dialogues and exchanges among your public sector leaders andthe participating international regulators on topics like urban planning, social security,fiscal policy and economic development. The course offered a broad perspective ofSingapore’s system of governance and greater appreciation of good governance inbuilding a strong nation. The program is not only rich in content but also rich in diversity,with participants from many countries sharing their experiences and insights. One majorlesson to take away: there is no sacred solution, but flexible solutions that addressesrelevant issues for the sake of prosperity and social cohesion.” said Dr Adel Al-Wugayan,Secretary-General, Supreme Council for Planning, Kuwait.Dato Sri Dr Hj. Mohd Nasir Mohd Ashraf, Secretary-General, Ministry of Health,Malaysia said that an international mix of foreign and local officials created a usefulplatform to facilitate open conversations to find better and more innovative solutions togovernance challenges.3

About The Civil Service CollegeA statutory board under the Public Service Division, Prime Minister's Office, the CivilService College seeks to develop the capacity of the Public Service in leadership, policyand governance, and public administration. Playing a pivotal role in developing peoplefor a first-class Public Service, the College aims to forge a common ethos and sharedperspectives among public agencies and public servants for a one government approach.The Civil Service College endeavours to be the heart of learning excellence anddevelopment for the Singapore Public Service.Please visit www.cscollege.gov.sg for more information.Media ContactsMs Jessie TayDID: 68741869Mb: 98466489Email: Jessie_tay@cscollege.gov.sgMs Leeann ChengDID: 68741768Mb: 90918698Email: leeann_cheng@cscollege.gov.sg4