A Public Administration Sector Plan for Samoa, 2007 - 2011
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© Government of Samoa 2006 COPYRIGHT INFORMATION Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1998, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission from the Government of Samoa. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to: The Chief Executive Officer, Office of the Public Service Commission P.O. Box 73 Apia Samoa or by fax: 685 24215, Tel: 685 22123, email: [email protected] i ii Abbreviations ACEO Assistant Chief Executive Officer AG Office of the Attorney General AU Audit Office CDC Cabinet Development Committee CEO Chief Executive Officer PBs Public Bodies GoS Government of Samoa HRMIS Human Resource Management Information System IAD Internal Affairs Division LA Legislative Assembly Department M&E Monitoring & Evaluation MCIL Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour MJCA Ministry of Justice and Court Administration MOF Ministry of Finance MPMC Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet MWCSD Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development NPM New Public Management OB Ombudsman Office PDC Professional Development Centre PMS Performance Management System PSC Office of the Public Service Commission PSIF Public Sector Improvement Facility PAS Public Administration Sector PASP Public Administration Sector Plan PIMU Policy Implementation and Monitoring Unit SDS Strategy for the Development of Samoa SOEMD State Owned Enterprises Monitoring Division STA Short Term Adviser TOR Term of Reference WTO World Trade Organisation iii Table of Content Foreword ……………..………………………………………………………………….i Word from the Steering Committee …………………………………………………..ii Abbreviations ……..…………………………………………………………………….ii Table of Content …..………………………………………………………...……........iii Introduction ……..……………………………………………………………………..1 Structure of the Plan …………………………………………………………………...2 Part 1.Framework of the Plan ...……………………………………………………….3 1.1. Principles Underlying the Plan …..………………………………………...4 1.2. Characteristics of the Samoa Public Administration Sector & Emerging Issues …...…………………………………………..………....6 1.3. Scope of the Plan ……...…………………………………………………...12 1.4. Methodological Framework for the Plan ………………………………..17 1.5. Monitoring & Evaluating the Plan .…………………………………..….20 Part 2. Sector Analysis and Strategies ……………………………………………...22 Part 3. Resourcing Logframe ………………………………………………………..48 Part 4. Sector Reform Programme …….………………………..……………….….61 Bibliography ...………………………………………………………………………...66 Attachment 1. Working Party Members & Meetings ………………………..72 Attachment 2. Term of Reference for Initial Consultation …..……………....75 Attachment 3. Initial Consultations with Ministries & Other Sectors ...……78 Attachment 4. Consultation on the Draft Sector Plan ………………………..81 Attachment 5. Public Management - Governance Model…………………….88 iv Navigating Potential for Excellence in Service – A Public Administration Sector Plan for Samoa, 2007 - 2011 Introduction The Government of Samoa has defined the direction of its national reforms over many years through a series of policy documents with various names but currently known as the Strategy for the Development of Samoa (SDS). From these documents, government ministries and public bodies formulate their corporate plans and performance targets. However, while this process established a strategic approach to developing the direction the government wanted to follow, there was a gap between the Government strategies at the national level, and the ministries’ plans at the organisational level. As a response to this situation, sector planning was introduced and a framework was established. The Samoan economy has been sub-divided into 14 sectors, of which Public Administration is one. The Strategy for the Development of Samoa 2005 – 2007 intends to continue building on the achievements of past reforms. Under one of its strategies to ‘create employment opportunities’ it has included the aim for ‘improving the efficiency and effectiveness of public administration’. To guide this improvement, there is to be strengthened planning at the Public Administration Sector level as well as at ministerial levels. This document is the Public Administration Sector Plan for Samoa, 2007 -2011. Because it is based upon a reading of the current pressures and contextual issues obtained through an extensive consultative process, this Plan addresses the results of a realistic assessment of existing gaps or weaknesses in the way the Sector is currently operating, obtained through an extensive consultative process. It is not a theoretical or abstract document that tries to impose conceptual models from other contexts directly into the Samoan public administration as an ideal to which we all have to strive. The Plan addresses those strategic issues that provide a link between the national targets and the individual institutional targets, and thus provides a wider perspective to whole-of-sector directions than currently exists. Given the current status of development in public administration in Samoa and the timeframe for this plan, it is not one that introduces radical new directions. Rather it consolidates and builds upon the current path of reform. 1 Structure of the Plan This Plan is presented in four parts: 1. Framework of the Plan which outlines the Principles, Context, Scope and Methodology 2. Sector Analysis and Strategies which identifies and analyses the Gaps between the Vision, Goals, and Objectives of where we want the Sector to be by 2011, compared to the Current situation and then proposes Strategies to strengthen those Gaps. 3. Resourcing Logframe which takes each Strategy and identifies the Responsible Ministry, Resources required, Timeframes and Deliverables to be achieved. 4. Sector Reform Programme which summarises the strategies and identifies the core activities for the next 5 years into the overall Plan. 2 Part 1. Framework of the Plan 3 1.1. Principles Underlying the Plan This Plan must be an extension of all previous reform work, at least for the next 5 – 10 years. Samoa has made significant progress in refining many of its practices within the government sector and has adopted many effective ways of operating. However, there is a need to continue on in this direction for a sufficient period to ensure all reforms are institutionalised and sustainable. Therefore this Plan defines the principles and values that have been fundamental to all past reforms and that will remain the core of future activities: • Better Serving the needs of the Samoan people. This principle underpins the Plan’s intention to emphasise that this Sector has to have the trust of the people and thus it must consistently focus on them as beneficiaries of public services. It looks at the notions of public value from the perspective of all Samoans as the primary stakeholder in government activities, rather than planning what is most expedient for just the public servants. • Community Service Obligations is one of the two major responsibilities of all governments and their administrative agencies – the other is Accountability. The principle ensures that although some services may be difficult or expensive to deliver, all citizens are entitled to a certain standard of living, natural justice and the expectation of a safe future. The Government of Samoa is committed to ensure that its citizens are not deprived of the basic good and services, hence its adoption of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. • Accountability is the other half of the dual role of government. Governments are responsible for demonstrating that they have managed and used the nation’s resources effectively and efficiently in delivering services on behalf of the citizens of Samoa. Further, there is a need to ensure that all citizens are entitled to a share of these services equally and consistently. Thus there are certain standards that must be observed and ruled complied with to ensure that the collective interests are served. Governments and their administrative arm must be accountable for sound governance. • Efficient Government. This principle ensures that the government continues to move away from rigid and controlling bureaucratic practices toward a performance-based and results-focused approach. This principle seeks to eliminate waste and inefficiency in the public service. However, this must be balanced with flexible responsiveness to provide a quality service. For the purposes of this Plan the notion of efficiency focuses on but is not restricted to, improved systems and procedures, and the strengthened capability of employees of the Public Administration Sector. 4 • Ethical Public Administration. Underpinning all of the reforms in the public service of Samoa has been the principle of responsible, transparent and professional approaches in the implementation of government directions. Ethical practice applies to all levels of the Sector, from the most senior leaders to the most junior clerks. The citizens of a country can only respect and trust their elected government and its administrators when they see consistent behaviours and decisions that serve all interests equally and fairly. • Samoanisation. Historically the Samoan Public Administration has operated under the imported values and principles known as The Westminster System. Traditionally Samoa has a well developed and entrenched system of values and principles known as faaSamoa. The philosophy of all of the reforms and this current Plan is to continue the integration of these two value systems in the development of a pluralist approach to public administration that