16 October 2009
editorial
Nairobi — A public service exhibition ended on Thursday with clear indicators that the institution has changed a great deal.
Negative sobriquets have in the past been applied to the service due to appalling performance. But things are changing for the better these days.
In the first place, the mere fact that the public service as an institution dedicates one week every year to showcase what it does is a reflection of a new mindset and a departure from the past when it thrived on secrecy.
Notably, civil servants have become fairly responsive and gentle in handling the public. Arrogance and a patronising attitude have given way to a sober and customer-oriented service.
For example, a number of government ministries have established websites by which they not only provide vital information, but also offer e-transactions. More are now hooked up to the mobile telephony services, which they use to send vital information to subscribers.
Despite these, however, there are some practices that slow down the public service. For example, government offices are still stuck with the tradition of eight-hours-a-day, five-days-a-week operations.
Yet there are those offering essential services like Immigration, Trade or Lands, which should have flexible schedules such as opening their doors over the lunch hour and extending services in the evenings or on weekends.
At this point in time, when private businesses operate 24 hours a day, government offices that provide regulatory and other core services, like licences, permits and title deeds, ought to adopt the same modus operandi.
It does not make sense to close shop during the lunch hour yet that is the time many customers have the time to seek and pay for the services.
Besides, there are bureaucratic practices that stifle business -- such as the long procedures of registering companies or many licences required before setting up shop.
The public service may have travelled some miles, but there is quite some distance that still need to be covered to transform the institution into a business and people-friendly outfit.
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