Civil Service not only must have HIGH HIGH pay but also must understand people ?

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An honorable member of the Coffee Shop Has Just Posted the Following:

SINGAPORE: The Civil Service needs to keep its ears close to the ground to understand the moods and sentiments of Singaporeans in order to craft the right policies that benefit citizens.

Mr Peter Ong, head of the Civil Service, said this at a dinner and promotion ceremony for the administrative service on Wednesday.

He said a key focus for the public service is the need for smooth implementation and policies as the operating environment evolves at a more rapid pace than before.

There is also greater diversity of aspirations among citizens, greater plurality of voices on issues and greater uncertainty of policy impact.

Mr Ong said to tackle this new environment, civil servants not only have to have a wide range of skills, they also need to keep their ears close to the ground.

He said how details and feedback by citizens on policies are handled can either allow the successful rollout of policies, or stymie their progress.

This culture of "mastery over details" in the service was well known, as he cited the example of the late Mr Sim Kee Boon, who used to walk the ground and even slept at Changi Airport before its opening, to ensure that everything was in place.

Mr Ong emphasised it was important for civil servants to understand Singaporeans' moods and sentiments and see the impact of policies on their lives.

He said this would allow them to craft the right features into policies to benefit all Singaporeans.

- CNA/deit


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