UN World Public Service Day on June 23:

Towards a dynamic public service

Without an effective public administration, democracy and prosperity are virtually unattainable - UN :

By Pramod DE SILVA

We have all heard about the virtues of the private sector, but even the most staunchly capitalist countries do have a Government service, commonly known as the public sector or public service.

A good public service is the bedrock on which a country functions. Civil servants are the people who run the day to day affairs of a country and their services are essential at all times.

Fashion

It has become a fashion to hurl brickbats at the public service for the merest hint of a shortcoming, but these men and women rarely receive accolades for what they do with dedication and commitment. In any country, not all public servants are corrupt and inefficient, which is how the entire civil service is unfortunately perceived by most people.

There are many public servants who go out of their way to serve the public. They are courteous, efficient and knowledgeable. We should appreciate their contribution to society, democracy and governance.

This is exactly the aim of the United Nations Public Service Day, which falls on June 23 every year. It is an international occasion to commend and encourage exemplary public service.

The UN Public Service Day intends to celebrate the value and virtue of public service to the community; highlight the contribution of public service in the development process; recognise the work of public servants, and encourage young people to pursue careers in the public sector. It is vital to recognize the role and professionalism of public servants.

The day recognises that democracy and successful governance are built on the foundation of a competent civil service, says Guido Bertucci, director of the UN's division for public administration and development management.

"The ability of a society to maintain safety and essential public services, protect human rights, maintain an efficient framework for market activities and to hold free and fair elections draws on the skills and sense of purpose of public servants working as a team. Without an effective civil administration, democracy and prosperity are virtually unattainable," Bertucci says.

The public service covers a vast gamut of services. In any country, the State is one of the biggest employers and Sri Lanka is no exception. With nearly one million public servants, we know the value of their services to society.

From teachers to members of the Police and the Security Forces, they perform an invaluable service.

It is therefore pathetic that most Government servants do not get the recognition they deserve.

The UN is determined to put that right. Its annual Public Service Awards recognise outstanding Government servants around the world. This year's will be presented on June 23 at UN headquarters in New York to the government departments of 14 countries from all regions.

Representatives from six of these countries will be present. The awards recognise the values of teamwork, innovation and responsiveness to the public. Since the first Awards Ceremony in 2003, the United Nations has received an increasing number of submissions from all around the world.

Explaining the rationale behind the Awards, the UN says recognition of the importance of public administration has grown rapidly in the last decade.

Challenge

"The establishment of sound civil administration was a central challenge in the transition from centralized to market-based economies that took place in the 1990s," the UN says.

"Aid policies during that decade shifted dramatically away from the provision of physical infrastructure to capacity building in the public sector - and transparent administration adhering to democratic values became a precondition for many assistance programs."

The idea of an international day to commend public service became a reality in 2002 when the UN General Assembly passed a formal resolution recognising the occasion. The UN General Assembly, in its Resolution 57/277, designated June 23 as Public Service Day.

A robust public service is conducive to development. The UN and Member States will be discussing this under the theme "The Role of Public Service in Achieving the Millennium Development Goals: Challenges and Best Practices" in Barcelona, Spain from June 21 to 23. This will be especially valuable for developing countries where the public service has a greater say.

Indeed, Sri Lanka would not have come this far without a vibrant public service. For example, our education and health indices are often on par with those of the developed world, thanks to free education and healthcare systems. Our teachers and health workers have been rendering a yeoman service to make that happen.

But reforms are essential to make our public service an efficient, competent, professional, responsive and highly dedicated one. Some public institutions are bloated, with too many employees. Sri Lanka no longer practices privatisation, with the Government instead focusing on better management of State institutions. Indeed, it is possible for Government bodies to compete head to head with the private sector if the employees do an honest job.

With many people regarding the public service as 'inefficient' a change in attitudes among public servants is called for. They have to compete with the private sector in today's commercialised environment and efficiency is the key. They should shed negative thoughts such as "I get a monthly salary any way, why should I work harder ?". Their goal should be fulfilling the requirements of members of the public who seek their assistance in the shortest possible time.

It is thus encouraging to note that according to a recent survey, more youth were willing to join the public service in Sri Lanka. The UN has also stressed the importance of youth joining the public service to make it more dynamic.

The former Secretary-General, in his speech at the World Youth Forum in 1998, stressed the importance of public service by encouraging the world's youth to enter this field. He said, "In this changing world of new challenges, we need, more than ever before, dedicated and talented individuals to enter public service. More than ever before, we need people like you sitting here today, to make the choice of service to humankind."

Key objectives

The Public Service Day is also an occasion to remind ourselves of the key objectives of the public service - public interest, national development, eradication of poverty, equity, individual rights, transparency, accountability and efficiency.

In this context, Governments must also strive to raise the image and prestige of public servants and revitalise public administration as a noble discipline.

Action must be taken to enhance professionalism in the public service by rewarding the successful experiences in innovations and excellence in the public service. This will in turn enhance the public trust in the Government service and in the Government itself.