Make public service efficient and reliable: Public Administration Minister

Trinidad & Tobago's Public Administration Minister reminded public sector workers on tuesday that citizens expect efficient, reliable and excellent customer service because they pay for such service through taxes and direct fees.

Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan made the point when she addressed participatnts at a Leadership and Management Development Programme at the Trinidad Hilton.

Participants include directors and emerging leaders of the Public Service. She told them that their style of leadership and management will determine whether value is added or diminished in the services they offer to the public.

“Your approach to team leadership and people management can either motivate employees or restrict their growth and contribution," she said.

“The decisions you make can either create value, or incur costs. Your ability to manage and resolve, rather than sidestep and ignore conflict, can either propel the organisation, or restrict its advancement and the personal development of people," the minister warned.

"The strategic support you give to Permanent Secretaries and Deputy Permanent Secretaries can either lend to strong and sound decisions, strategies and implementation programmes, or frustrate the process of Government Service delivery.”

The Minister said the public service in the 21st century must be driven “by excellence in service delivery, supported by strong monitoring and evaluation mechanisms with quality and timely decision making”.

The minister said the most critical aspects in building the forward movement for modernization is Human Resource Management systems, and promoting leadership and management development.

She urged participants to “entrench a citizen-centric, value for money culture of service delivery which involves appropriate financial management, value creation and audits, bolstered by sound communications systems”.