Greetings Listening Audience.
Today we celebrate the United Nations’ International Public Service Day. International Public Service Day, which recognises that democracy and successful governance are built on the foundation of a competent civil service, is celebrated on 23rd June each year. The day is a global observance of public life, which aims to celebrate the value and virtue of service to the community. International Public Service Day is not a public holiday.
How did Public Service Day come into being? On 20 December 2002, the United Nations General Assembly, designated 23 June of each year as United Nations’ Public Service Day. Member states were encouraged to organise special events on Public Service Day as a means of highlighting the contribution of the public service in the developmental process. It is expected to also serve to encourage young people to pursue careers in the public sector.
As far as I am aware this year, 2013, is the first year that the United Nations’ International Public Service Day is being celebrated in Anguilla. On this day throughout the world, public service organisations and departments celebrate, by holding various events intended to recognise the valuable role that public servants play in making improvements in society. It is expected that in future years the Department of Public Administration will organise events to heighten awareness of the United Nations’ International Public Service Day and its aspirations.
The Department of Public Administration is committed to the development and modernisation of the Anguilla Public Service. I will continue to work with the Department to ensure that the Anguilla Public Service is more effective, cost efficient and responsive when serving the needs of the public. In the current economic context the public service is expected to achieve better performance using fewer resources, while providing higher quality service to the Anguillian community. These elements clearly require a more responsive Public Service. Steps have been and are being taken to build the capacity of frontline officers to respond effectively to internal and external customers, while offering optimum service.
We are also concerned to capture customer feedback as this provides valuable learning opportunities. Members of the public are therefore encouraged to share with us their experiences as they utilize the various services available in the Anguilla Public Service.
Greater efficiency, effectiveness and responsiveness when performing the various services offered by the Anguilla Public Service, can be realised in a public service where officers are acutely aware of their role in the accomplishment of the goals of the nation, the government, a ministry, a department or a unit. This awareness will generate recognition of each officer’s potential to influence decisions and to effect improvements. The result will be an Anguilla Public Service, which will be proactive, responsive and dynamic.
The Anguilla Public Service in the future must be one where we each accept our responsibility to positively influence our national and individual destiny. We must all accept that we not only execute policy but must also influence and instigate improvements in policy. Those who are seen as the primary policy makers must display attitudes, which heighten staff participation in the policy development process.
Members of the public must in turn recognise and accept that improvements in services and professionalism require that systems and services be regulated and audited. We will not be able to rely on our familiarity with each other to facilitate our transactions but must comply with reasonable and acceptable requirements, which should be clearly explained to persons utilising available services.
Clearly there is a role for all of us, if the aspirations expressed herein are to be realised. It is my hope that we (public officers, political leaders and members of the public) will all work together to realise improved services for all persons who reside in Anguilla. This will allow us to say annually, as we celebrate International Public Service Day, that the level of service offered by the Anguilla Public Service continues to improve.
Thank you for listening.
Stanley E. Reid
Deputy Governor
