Photo: Keith Micallef

There should be better systems in the public service to empower civil servants to take decisions and give leadership, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said today.

Addressing a seminar for senior civil servants as part of the public service week, he urged participants to be the agents of change for the civil service to take a leadership role.

Dr Muscat said it was unacceptable for public officials to stall the decision process with the excuse of waiting for a direction from above.  

On the other hand, he acknowledged that civil servants were increasingly becoming under scrutiny, and so might hesitate even more to take decisions, "as in any case the reward of deciding would be zilch".

In this respect, he said the government was bound to find a mechanism through which public officials would not fear any backlash when faced by certain decisions.

Commenting on the first two years of the Labour administration, the Prime Minister said there were positive signs, but admitted that there was still a long way to go.

He recounted receiving an email from a single mother soon after he became Prime Minister, who had suggested sending children's allowance ahead of the start of the scholastic year due to the high expenses to buy educational material. 

"Her idea was taken on board and a solution was found within hours. This was one of the most positive measures, which was implemented at no cost,'' Dr Muscat remarked.

The Prime Minister also spoke on the need for the public service to deliver the government's vision with professionalism.

As for the notoriously bureaucratic processes within the civil service, he said that reducing red tape would also make civil servants more accountable as the would not hide behind volumes of paper work.

The Prime Minister vented his frustration on certain government agencies which he claimed pretended to be autonomous, to the point that they were giving contracts in breach of precarious employment regulations. 

Photo: Mark Zammit Cordina

Earlier, Principal Permanent Secretary Mario Cutajar announced that this year the government's online service would be revamped as take up was very low.

"Online services need to be more user friendly than the current system using the electronic-id. Though we have a lot of services, usage is very low. This year online services have to become more accessible," Mr Cutajar said.

The civil service head also announced that a number of regional one-stop shops would be opened later this year. This would enable the public to be better served, and these centres would be located to reach the most vulnerable, he said.

Mr Cutajar remarked that the civil service had to be flexible and respond to emerging trends quickly. He recounted how last year he had openly complained that the civil service lacked leadership, decisions were not being taken on time,  and discussions were never ending.

In this respect, he said that tailor-made courses at the University and MCAST on public policy, project managers and administration would be launched next October.

The ultimate aim was to create an accredited institution to provide better qualified civil servants, he said. 

Another measure which came into force this year was that any decision which would be left pending indefinitely due to a lack of feedback, would automatically be implemented. This was placing the onus on those expected to shoulder responsibility to take decisions.

"We need to change from administrators to managers and from managers to leaders without necessarily taking the front seat," he added. Mr Cutajar also spoke on the need to be bold and change plans midway through if things were not unfolding in the desired manner.

He acknowledged that the perception on the civil service was that of an entity where everyone passed the buck at the public's expense.

However, he pointed out that due credit needed to be given to the fact that the civil service was delivering in areas like social benefits, the safeguarding of the heritage and water generation. 

The Principal Permanent Secretary expressed himself disappointed that quality service charters in various departments were abandoned and left to die.