'Govt must build HR capacity in the public sector'

The Government should invest sufficiently to build HR capacity in the public sector, because it is the public service that helps the government of the day to develop and deliver its policies as effectively as possible, Chairman, National Human Resource Development Council Dinesh Weerakkody told the Public Forum of the Department of Pensions recently. The Public Service covers a wide range of areas touching on everyone's day-to-day lives, such as education, health and policing. They deal with so many different aspects of government and they work in various roles, he said.

Weerakkody said that the public Service has to continue to develop and adapt to new challenges, this means responding to increasing demand, complexity and diversity - all within the context of providing greater value for money.

The government needs to invest much more to develop Public Service ability by providing quality learning and development that gives good value for money and supports the delivery of an excellent public service, he said.

Currently the government does not invest sufficiently and effectively to facilitate easy access to high quality learning and development, Weerakkody said. He said that public servants need to get secondments in all branches of the government and the private sector to broaden their scope and knowledge.