HIDDEN_ADDENDA, PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE (PUBLIC SERVICE DIVISION)

PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE (PUBLIC SERVICE DIVISION): MR TEO CHEE HEAN

Minister for Defence

Singaporeans and investors have come to count on a Public Service in Singapore that has integrity, is efficient and effective, and committed to the national interest.

The Public Service Division (PSD) plays a key role in ensuring we have a First Class Public Service that works effectively for a vibrant and successful Singapore. We do this by:

a. Building the Capacity to be in Time for the Future

b. Developing Human Capital for an Excellent Public Service

c. Strengthening the Capacity for Whole-of-Government Issues

d. Seizing New Opportunities for Growth.

Building the capacity to be in time for the future

The environment around us is changing rapidly. The Public Service must be able to anticipate the future, spot emerging opportunities and deal with discontinuities. This requires a Public Service with a strong external orientation, a capacity for long term strategic thinking as well as the ability to implement change in good time. PSD will continue to use scenario planning to identify future challenges and opportunities, and work with agencies to develop appropriate policy responses across the whole of government.

At the same time, the Public Service must be open to ideas, and have the capability to execute changes confidently and boldly. A rapidly changing environment will also require public officers to operate with speed, flexibility and a greater sense of urgency. PSD will continue to drive the PS21 movement, as the key lever to build service-wide capacity and equip Public Officers with the mindsets and skills to be in time for the future.

Developing human capital for an excellent Public Service

Human capital remains the key to an excellent Public Service. To attract and retain our fair share of talent in an increasingly competitive labour market, PSD will ensure that public service salaries and terms remain competitive. PSD will also intensify efforts at green-harvesting top university undergraduates for civil service careers. We will work with the Public Service Commission to offer mid-term scholarships and offer bright young people challenging internship placements. We will put greater emphasis on developing superior leadership for the public sector, strengthen the governance of public agencies and work with them to develop their human resource management and development capabilities.

To meet these challenges, the Civil Service College (CSC), the primary training arm of the Public Service, will build core public sector competencies and the shared ethos necessary to sustain excellence in policy formulation and service delivery. A critical focus will be to develop leaders at all levels through its suite of milestone training programmes.

Strengthening the capacity for whole-of-government issues

Increasingly, the Public Service faces challenges and opportunities that do not fall neatly within the traditional boundaries of our agencies, eg, helping low-wage workers, addressing the widening income gap, developing new areas of comparative advantage for our economy. Dealing with many of the threats that we face, eg, terrorism and new diseases, will also require a far higher level of inter-agency collaboration and cooperation. A whole-of-government approach is critical in ensuring that these cross-cutting issues are addressed coherently.

We need to pull together as one government, rather than operate as separate agencies. We will strengthen the capabilities of our Government in responding to inter-agency issues. Many senior public officers are already involved in cross-Ministry action teams on issues that cut across agency lines, in addition to their core Ministry jobs. These cross-agency action teams will give Singapore greater flexibility and capacity to deal with new challenges and exploit new opportunities. We will also continue to exploit advances in information technology to foster a more networked Government.

CSC plays a key role in building the needed capacities. CSC will develop shared strategic perspectives by bringing public officers from different agencies together in training programmes. It will also do more in developing training programmes that are aligned with our national strategic objectives.

Seizing new opportunities for growth

The Public Service must also play an active role in creating and facilitating new opportunities for growth. A key thrust of the PS21 movement will be to encourage officers to see opportunities, not just challenges; to think globally, not just locally; to work for whole of government outcomes, not just agency-specific outcomes; and to be enterprising and innovative, not just efficient and effective. PSD will foster a culture of leadership that can mobilise public officers to work across boundaries, and translate new opportunities into strategies, plans and actions which will benefit Singapore.

One such opportunity is the public sector’s capabilities and expertise in areas such as governance, urban planning, regulation, fiscal and monetary policies, social security, infrastructure development, environmental management and home-front security. These are exportable capabilities. Exporting them not only allows us to generate economic value but also builds up goodwill towards Singapore. PSD will look into a framework that will enable public officers to take on this new role.

CSC is already supporting this endeavour by providing training for many foreign civil servants. CSC will forge networks with leading thinkers in public governance and establish itself as a leading institution in the areas of public sector leadership, public administration, management and organisational excellence. It will also actively seek to be a focal point for international exchanges that provide thought leadership on public policy and governance.