Institutional Strengthening of the State Chancellery and the Civil Service Bureau

The project supported the institutional development of the Civil Service Bureau (CSB) and the State Chancellery (SC).

The project entailed the following components:
– Development of an action plan to strengthen the CSB and enable it to develop a medium-term strategic focus.
– Identification of training needs and development of a training program for the CSB
– Development of a scheme of secondment of the most effective and professional civil servants to CSB to strengthen its capacity.
– Review of the status and autonomy of the CSB and suggest measures for enhancing the independence of the CSB, such as through improved reporting to the legislature and the to the public
– Analysing the role of the SC or its successor in the processes of budget formulation, coordination and monitoring execution and make recommendations on these issues.
– Identifying the scope for simplification of business processes in the SC or its successor and optimising the size and skill-mix of SC staff
– Improving information management for high-level decision-making.

The services also had to take into account the possibility that an Administration of the President would be created and replace the State Chancellory. This was done by:
– Clarifying the role and function of the SC or its successor, i e the potential role and functions vis-à-vis the Prime Ministerial, Cabinet and Ministerial functions.
– Review the existing policies and practices relating to coordination between the SC, State departments and Ministries and suggest measures for more effective integration of the role and functions of the SC with broader policy coordination between Ministries.

The project presented four reports dealing with the State Chancellery and the Civil Service Bureau and three working papers as well as a proposal for re-drafting of the Law on Public Service.