We Need More Substance than Form

Yesterday’s Star headlined the re-vamps in the Public Complaints Bureau. While this may help the delivery of government services, they should have made a more radical upgrade of the PCB to the Office of the Ombudsman that is widely used in the UK.

Somehow the enlarged PC Bureau sounds like a place where you just file your complaints and they file them in a bureau. Only now they have a larger bureau. The word Ombudsman definitely sounds more action oriented.

Now no need to fly all the way there to do another study tour. There is much that can be learned here. They even offer language help if you are not proficient in the local language and even Braille.

If you study the web-site carefully, they will take action/s on your behalf so that you can even be compensated for losses caused by unjust action or inaction of the authorities.

The Ombudsman’s role has been so effective that more countries are establishing such an office.

That’s the way we should be headed to ensure a more effective civil service.



photo: http://www.amishpride.com/images/furniture/bedroom/SW%20Bureau.jpg