Personal perspective

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Governance, a personal perspective

Opening remarks of Mr. Lim A Po at the ceremonial start of the Master of Public Administration Program in Governance 2005-2006

Honorable Minister,
Professor Robinson
Distinguished guesets,
Participants in the Program,
Ladies and Gentlemen

I will first say a few words about the program we are about to launch tonight, about its objective, organization and content.
I will then make some general observations about the underlying concept of governance, the coordination of state, market and civil society for the production of public goods.
Finally, I will discuss how personal governance of the students can benefit from the program.

The program is about capacity building, generally recognized as the most critical issue, developing countries need to address in their development efforts.

The program is organized by FHR and ISS. Over the last couple of years these two institutions have successfully worked together in conducting two post graduate diploma courses in international relations and development. Just over 60 students have successfully completed these courses.

Based on this experience, and not the least on the very good results achieved, FHR and ISS have decided to upgrade the course to a Masters Degree Program. We also broadened the content of the curriculum to ensure that the envelope of subjects covers the full spectrum of issues relevant for governing developing countries towards a higher standard of living.

The underlying concept of the program is the responsibility for the production of public goods, being the subject of governance. This responsibility is exercised through action and interaction of the coordinating mechanisms of society. These mechanisms are regulations issued by the state, the market mechanism driven by businesses and the associative relationships of civil society. State, market and civil society have distinguishable end-responsibilities but in many domains of society their responsibilities are shared.

Democracy, social justice and the rule of law are essential public goods. They constitute basic elements of the regulatory framework in which society is governed.

Apart from management of political and legal processes, management of the various domains of the economy and the social dimensions of society are key responsibilities of government, business and NGO’s. These are exercised in the context of a world characterized by an increasing degree of political and economic interdependence.

All these aspects of the wider concept of governance as well as specifically management of the public sector - the more limited concept of government- and its core processes like Public Finance and Planning and its standards, the standards of good governance, will be addressed in detail in the program.

But what does all this mean for each of the students personally? What should you get out of the expected hard work in the program?

The first objective is of course the enhancement of your skills and knowledge required to manage the production and distribution of public goods in the most productive, efficient and equitable way. Achieving this should enhance your professional effectiveness and career prospects. I have no doubt that the content of the course and the teaching methods which will be applied will generate sufficient challenge and commitment for you to realize this objective.

But there is another benefit which the program should deliver for each of you. And that is ‘reform as a person’, adaptation to other norms than probably most of you currently are accustomed to. At the centre of the institutional culture of the program will be your motivation to do more and better than the minimum expected from you. This norm does not come naturally in any institution. It is the result of education and training, but most of all of a socialization process which fosters personal effectiveness. This change process is ‘a purple tread’ that runs through the entire program. It will contribute to the reform of you as a person, a transformation on which I think each of us should embark if the public and private sector reforms which we seek in the pursuit of good governance are to succeed. When internalized during the program, the ‘new norm’ will lead to substitution of social capital for monitoring and accountability and it will enrich you with leadership qualities for continuously improving workplace performance.

I will end with two final remarks. This program would probably not have been launched today if it was not for the support of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Planning and Development Cooperation. We are very proud that this Program is conducted under their auspices.

We also owe a debt of gratitude to those organizations and businesses which have provided scholarships for students on the program.

My last remark is an expression of my confidence in the success of this program. You, who will be admitted to the program tonight, went through a rigorous screening process and I am sure that you all have the capabilities and stamina to complete the program successfully. ISS will guarantee the quality standards to ensure accreditation of the program as an international Masters Degree. And we of FHR, dedicated to the success of each of our students, pledge to give each of you our fullest support.

HRL

19-03-05