PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION MINISTER: “THE DIAMOND STANDARD AND GOLD TO DIAMOND INITIATIVES SHOW HOW PUBLIC SERVICE REFORM CAN WORK…”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

22 January, 2015

 

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION MINISTER: “THE DIAMOND STANDARD AND GOLD TO DIAMOND INITIATIVES SHOW HOW PUBLIC SERVICE REFORM CAN WORK…”

 

PORT OF SPAIN, JANUARY 22, 2012: Public Administration Minister Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan, says the success of the First Cohort of the Diamond Standard Certification Programme, for improvement in service delivery in the Public Service, is a clear demonstration that she and her Ministry have hit upon the right formula for Public Service reform, transformation and modernisation.

In a special Awards Ceremony on Wednesday 21 January, eleven (11) Government bodies were awarded the Diamond Standard for Excellence in Delivery of Government Services to the public. Their achievement comes after roughly 18 months of rigorous assessment, review and re-engineering of their work processes, to create a more customer-friendly, efficient and effective service agency for citizens to access.

Minister Seepersad-Bachan says in this incarnation of Public Service reform, the emphasis is on tackling it in bite-sized chunks and building to a critical mass over time, rather than attempting an immediate overhaul of global proportions. The approach has been commended and endorsed by some in the private sector, who had served on the Independent Advisory Panel to the Programme headed by Unilever Chairman, Gary Voss. According to the Minister, this is why this attempt at Public Service transformation would succeed where others had failed:

“The design of the Gold to Diamond Journey and its flagship project, the Diamond Standard Certification Programme, is based on the Bottom Up and Micro Approaches, in order to ensure they are doable, implementable and achievable by public officers, in collaboration with stakeholders and members of the public. Indeed, I am very optimistic PAGE 2 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | JANUARY 22, 2015 that through this flagship Diamond Standard Certification Programme, and our G2D Journey, we are laying a solid foundation in the Public Service with our new breed of officers, with the capability to execute transformation themselves, and with the steady hands necessary for guiding our economy through the challenges of the 21st century…”

The Minister asserts that every Ministry or Agency responsible for delivering Government services to the public must work towards achieving the Diamond Standard in Service Delivery, for the transformation of the Public Service to be complete.

During her Feature Address at the Inaugural Diamond Standard Awards, the Public Administration Minister also announced that 45 agencies responsible for dispensing Government services to the public, already have signed up for Cohort Two of the Diamond Standard Certification Programme. This marks an increase over the original 34 bodies which participated in the pioneer pilots of the Programme back in 2013. Diamond Standard Certificates awarded to successful Government Service Agencies would be valid for three years, after which, the Agencies are required to re-apply for recertification. Should a Service Agency fail to maintain the required standards of service delivery, certification can be withdrawn at any time. 

For further information, please contact:

Rae Ann Harper-Walters Head, Corporate Communications

623-4724 ext. 2076, 688-2068 or email: harper-waltersr@mpa.gov.tt