30 semi-finalists have been chosen for the first CAPAM International
Innovations Awards Programme. In total, Commonwealth Association for Public
Administration and Management (CAPAM) members from 24 countries made 121 submissions to
the Innovations Awards Programme, with representation from countries small and
large, both developing and developed. The submissions were received from members in the
following countries:
SUBMISSIONS RECEIVED from THE FOLLOWING COUNTRIES:
Australia
Jamaica
Singapore
Bangladesh
Malaysia
South Africa
Barbados
Malta
Trinidad and Tobago
Canada
Mauritius
Uganda
Cyprus
Namibia
United Kingdom
India
New Zealand
United States
Iran
Philippines
Vanuatu
Italy
Seychelles
Zimbabwe
From among the 121 submissions, 30 semi-finalists were chosen by the pre-screening team to
go forward to the International Innovations Awards Jury for final judging. From among
these semi-finalists, ten finalists will be chosen in late June and announced at the CAPAM
Biennial Conference in Malaysia 6-9 September 1998.
The 30 semi-finalists are listed below. The country, project
title and submitting department or organization are also described.
Australia
Centrelink -- Linking Australian Government Services
* Centrelink aims to apply world's best practices in service delivery to 5
million customers. It has innovative governance arrangements including
private sector input. [See description of Centrelink by its chief executive officer in
the Articles section of The Innovation Journal]
Redesign, Automation and Integration of the Victoria Government, Department of the
Premier and Cabinet, Victoria
* Re-engineering electronic work flows for Cabinet, Executive Council, Legislative and
Parliamentary processes.
The Victoria Solution, Department of Justice Victoria
* The Victoria Solution, Victoria's Civic Compliance System; world's most
powerful integrated road safety and infringement enforcement package;
leading edge Road Safety and Courts technology.
Bangladesh Village Pay Phone, Grameen Bank
* Grameen Telecom aims to provide digital cellular telephone and related value added
services in the rural areas of Bangladesh.
Canada
Canada's SchoolNet, Canada's Information Highway Application Branch, Industry Canada
* SchoolNet is designed to promote the effective use of information technology
amongst young Canadians by facilitating the connection of all 20,000 schools and
libraries to the lnternet by the end of 1998- 1999.
Stategis, Industry Canada
* A major initiative to fill strategic information gaps for small and medium
sized businesses, to broaden the departments reach at a lower cost, and to help
re-engineer the internal workings of the departments.
Export Source, Department of Foreign Affairs & International Trade and
Agriculture and AgriFood Canada
A pioneering Internet business tool for Canadians seeking competitive advantage
in world markets.
Canadian Business Service Centres Network, Treasury Board of Canada
* A tri-party group of public and private sector organisations providing
accurate and current information in response to over 1 million inquiries
from potential entrepreneurs and new or existing businesses.
The Service Delivery Network, Human Resources Development Canada
* HRDC has flattened its structure. Executive level managers in field offices
now have full autonomy to use appropriate technology and community partnerships
to provide the best service.
Special Operating Agencies, Province of Manitoba
* SOA's are the principal means of alternative service delivery. They are "getting
the structure and incentives right and leveraging reforms that are transforming
government.
The Audit Protocol: A new Approach to Large Business Audit, Revenue Canada
* The Audit Protocol enhances the compliance relationship with large
corporations by developing an individualized audit protocol. This increases
the efficiency of the audit process for both parties through a co-operative,
open and transparent relationship.
Beyond Partnerships: Empowering Clients to Improve Services to the Public, Ontario
Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs
* OMAFRA has developed an innovative approach to customer service that puts its
clients and stakeholders at the centre of program planning and delivery.
Ontario Delivers: Improving the Delivery of Public Services in Ontario, OPS
Restructuring Secretariat Ontario
* The Ontario Government is moving towards an "outside-in' approach to
service delivery. By creating a 'One Window" service option we are
meeting the needs and expectations to have faster, more convenient ways to
access government services of today and for the future.
India
The Surat Experience, Municipal Corporation, Surat
* Transform the City into becoming the cleanest in the country, tackling
garbage, sewage, congested roads and unauthorised construction problems,
imparting dignity and self-respect to 20 Lakh people.
Education Guarantee Scheme, Rajiv Gandhi Shiksha Mission
* Provide universal access to primary education. Government provides within 90
days, a trained teacher and teaching-learning materials to 25 learners (tribal) or 40
(non-tribal) for a learning facility, enrolling 500,000 children within one year.
The Divisional Experiment, North Division, Delhi, Government of Delhi
* An experiment of providing a single window for public interface with various
departments, taking transparency and service delivery to their door steps.
Malaysia
Towards a World Class Fire Rescue Organisation, Fire and Rescue Department
* Focus on visionary leadership and planned changes to achieve World Class Standard
in their profession and shifting the mind set of the people. It focussed on recognising
talents and investment in people.
Namibia
Public Sector Reform, Office of the Prime Minister
* To replace the inherited fragmented colonial civil service with a unified
Public Service required major restructuring. A detailed strategy was
designed to achieve this with focus on 'customer service'.
New Zealand
Protect Drinking Water Quality, Ministry ofHealth
* Developed and implemented a strategy for managing the public health safety
of drinking-water supplies. Uses a set of regulatory and non-regulatory tools to reinforce
one another and to promote self-management by the water industry.
Seychelles
U-First Programme, Ministry of Tourism and Transport
* The aim of the U-first Campaign and competition is to recognise and reward
individuals and establishments who have excelled in their role of maintaining
the Seychelles service edge as a premier visitor destination.
Singapore
Singapore Education Administrative Services over the lnternet,
PS 21 OFFICE
* A virtual one-stop 24-hour counter over the Internet for the central
registration of national examinations and admissions to post-secondary
institutions, and the delivery of these results.
The Expeditious Discharge of Bankrupts, PS 21 OFFICE
* Significantly reducing the number of bankruptcies and the cost of bankruptcy
administration while increasing public service efficiency and payments to creditors.
Discharge from bankruptcy by Certificate of the Official Assignee.
South Africa
Renewal of Staff Establishments, Department of Health, Free
State
* Make recommendations on the hospital structure and staffing, the creating of
new structures and staff and the development of an implementation strategy.
The Maputo Development Corridor, Department ofTransport
* To rehabilitate the core infrastructure of the corridor (development axis)
from Johannesburg to Maputo through public private partnerships.
New Pension Delivery System, Free State Department of Social Welfare
* New delivery systems harnessing the latest technology have been designed and
successfully implemented thereby dramatically improving the effectiveness and
efficiency of service delivery.
Trinidad and Tobago
National Public Service Week Ministry of Public Administration
and Information
* An event that facilitated concentrated attentions on customer information and
feedback; demonstrated value for customers; launched the utilisation of state
of the art technology to provide easy access to information, and conveyed to
internal customers/employees you count.
Uganda
Commencement of Private Programmes, Makerere University Business
School
* The programmes were for those who were not sponsored by government. The idea
was novel because it was previously unacceptable. It has generated revenue, enabled
improvement in staff salaries, purchasing teaching aides and repair facilities.
United Kingdom
The Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency, Armed Forces
Personnel Administration Agency
* The outsourcing of military personnel administration function under a private
finance partnership; contracted to develop a new tri-service system.
UK Public Sector Benchmarking Project, Office of Public Service
* The project demonstrated that the Business Excellence Model can help public
sector bodies improve their service to the public, by measuring performance in
key areas and spreading management best practices.
Vanuatu
Ombudsman-Vanuatu, Office ofthe Ombudsman
* To investigate complaints of government wrongdoing, and recommend follow up action.
The International Jury for the Awards Programme will interview each of the 10 finalists in
Malaysia immediately prior to the Biennial Conference in September 1998. Each of the 10
will then make a presentation to the Conference delegates. At the President's Banquet on
the closing night of the Conference the gold, silver and bronze award winners will be
announced.The post-conference issue of Commonwealth Innovations,
published by CAPAM, will provide full information on the final award winners. All
submissions will be profiled in that issue of the newsletter. Watch this space for the
award winners.
This information was originally published in Commonwealth
Innovations, Vol. 4, No. 2, 1998
