PUBLIC SERVICE WEEK: PRESS CONFERENCE BY PERMANENT SECRETARIES

On 19 June 2001 a press conference was held by Permanent Secretaries as part of the programme of events of Public Service Week.

The Permanent Secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister opened the press conference by referring to the quiet revolution had taken place within the Public Service, which was now a very different organisation from that of only ten years ago. Radical changes included the introduction of new organisational structures, new regulations, and contractual appointments for senior positions. Information technology was being used extensively. The Service’s commitment to better service quality could be seen in the launch of thirty Quality Service Charters, all of which guaranteed specific standards of service quality.

Other Permanent Secretaries subsequently spoke in more detail about the service quality improvement initiatives under way in four major Ministries. The speakers were:

Mr Joseph Ebejer, Permanent Secretary, Ministry for Social Policy

Mr Emanuel Micallef, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health

Mr Paul Mifsud, Permanent Secretary, Ministry for the Environment

Mr Paul Attard, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education.

A public exhibition is currently being held about the impressive array of achievements of these Ministries at the Centre for Creativity, St James Cavalier, Valletta. The exhibition is open daily to Friday 22 June between 10 am and 8 pm.