Prime Minister Joseph Muscat told public service workers today that an efficient service is not something that can only be provided by the private sector.

Dr Muscat was speaking at a conference for senior civil servants, which was organized as part of the Public Service Week.

The mentality in the public service is changing, he said, but there is still much to do. "I have noticed improvements and I know there is good will to move in the right direction. I also understand that the mentality ingrained over the years cannot change in a single day. This culture change can only be brought about through a collective effort. "

Dr Muscat said civil servants should be empowered to take decisions and give leadership. He said it was unacceptable for public officials to stall the decision process with the excuse of waiting for directions from above. "It is normal for people to hesitate in a free society where they are continuously scrutinised, including by the media, but we have to find a mechanism through which public officials do not fear any backlash when faced with certain decisions."

The Prime Minster gave a few examples of how things could be changed to benefit people if there was the will to do so. He spoke about an email sent to him by a single mother shortly after he became Prime Minister. "She told me that if she received her children's allowance payment before school started, rather than after, she would manage to buy all the scholastic material without resorting to great sacrifices." Dr Muscat said the first reaction by those he forwarded the proposal to was to find several excuses why it would not work. "I told them that they had to find a solution and they did, within a few hours. The change was implemented in just a few weeks. It did not cost the government a single cent but it made a big difference to families."

The Prime Minister also said online services have been made more accessible. Before, one had to have an e-ID to be able to pay the Valletta parking bills. However, one had to go to Valletta to register for an e-ID. The system was changed and people can pay their bills online without having an e-ID.

"There are three main principles we have to keep in mind. We have to listen to what people are telling us. We should never accept the idea that we cannot change things, and we should not be interested in problems, only in solutions."

The Prime Minster said civil servants are should not be servile but they should implement the government's policies with professionalism. By reducing bureaucracy, he said, the public service would become more transparent and accountable. He also reiterated that he wanted to see more women in decision-making roles, in every level of government.

It was also unacceptable for certain government agencies to think they do not form part of the public service, with some even giving contracts in breach of precarious employment conditions.

 

Report unnecessary bureaucracy

Earlier, the Principal Permanent Secretary, Mario Cutajar, said online government services will be revamped because use is very low. These services, he said, need to be more user-friendly than the current system using the e-ID. A number of one-stop shops will also be opened later on this year.

Mr Cutajar announced that courses in public management will be launched at the University and MCAST as from next October. These include a course in Masters in Public Management. Students will be embedded in the public service. The aim is to raise better civil servants.

He announced that the Management Toolkit will be obligatory for those who wish to apply for a management position in the public service. "All our efforts have to be addressed towards our clients. We want a quality service that can be measured, because what can be measured can be managed.  People deserve a quality service and that is what we have to give them."

Mr Cutajar said Repeals Day - the process to remove irrelevant laws - will become an annual thing. Last year the government embarked on a whole round of simplifications measures, some 200 in all. 70% have already been implemented; the others are still works in progress. These included the removal of application forms for children's allowance and pensions, which are now being given automatically. "Bureaucracy in itself is not wrong, excess bureaucracy is," said Mr Cutajar.

The Principal Permanent Secretary said deadlines have to be respected. Discipline has to be served fasted and the disciplinary code will be simplified, focusing more on fixing problems and issues rather than punishing workers.

He also announced the launch of an add-on to the Servizz.gov.mt website which encourages the general public, including public officers to report unnecessary bureaucracy.

Emanuel Puisais-Jauvin, a Conseiller on Foreign Affairs and Head of the Department of Internal Politics and Industrial Relations in France, as well as Nick Thijs, a renowned trainer and consultant on the implementation of quality management systems in public service, also addressed the conference.