IIt is our earnest hope and confidence that the Government will move forward with the long overdue overhauling of some of the most intractable elements of the country's public administration. It is also our firm belief that administration is the master key for all the aspects of good governance. This paper proposes to look at the recent changes in the public administration in Britain, which should be of special interest to Bangladesh. Some comments and assessment of the Bangladesh scenario in this context are also provided.

I.

Though the British Civil Service has been undergoing continuous changes over the last century, the radical transformation from 1979 has been the outcome of a clear strategy and of pragmatic incrementalism, as some critics note it, pursued with vigour and determination during the Conservative governments under prime Minister Margaret Thatcher between 1979 and 1997. It is also equally note-worthy that the Labour Government continued with these charges, modernising the system further in tune with the party's own approach to governance.

Conservative government's reform programme commenced with the efficient initiative directed at reducing public expenditure, making civil servants cost conscious, implementing managerial ideas and practices and encouraging the enabling environment and infrastructure for managerialism culture to develop. Every Department had to examine its area of work and bring about "efficiency saving", although the real saving was disputed; self-discipline helped create a climate of management change and encouraged a 'value for money' administration culture.

The next step taken was the restructuring of the civil service to enhance its flexibility to ensure performance management (PM) and incorporate a new people management approach. PM is an approach to management, in which goals and objectives for the organisation as a whole and for each constituent element within it are clearly defined in a strategy framework. Performance measures are specified and targets are set, against which performance can be assessed. Performance Indicators (Pis) are used as tools for management control and cost reduction.

Post-1991 years witnessed a new public service orientation that warranted responsiveness to service-users, along with quality standards, public accountability and restraints on public servants' power and control. Government reviewed the process in the mid-1990s and decided to pursue the revised strategy for 'continuity and change'. This sent out a powerful signal of reaffirmation of the government policies and of its determination to move forward in promoting higher levels of awareness and efficiency through internal reforms in the civil service structure and personnel selection, and through external competition with the ever-increasing ambit of markets and non-governmental entities. Perhaps one of the most crucial in energizing the system was to bring in the cutting edge competition and comparison of performance. Total quality Management (TQM) as a technique practised by entrepreneurs soon became a mantra in the administrative corridors. "Corridors" is used here advisedly as such techniques were not much in favour with the traditional establishment for understandable reasons.

Government launched the 'Citizen's Charter' (1991) with the commitment to responsive and high-quality public services, and interestingly, privatisaticn and competition were considered to be the means of achieving these goals. Along with the white paper "Competing for Quality" (1991), this laid out the government's continuing initiative: the strengthening of high-quality and responsive public services. The charter defined standards for each of the public sectors and these were widely publicised to allow the public to judge performance against these expectations. "Competing for Quality" set out three imperatives for the Departments: 1) to concentrate on the core activities, 2) to introduce greater competition and 3) to improve the standards of quality provision. Government's strategy spelt out in "The Civil Service: Continuity and Change" (1994) highlighted the further scope for greater efficiency and quality in the provision of civil services. Efficiency Plans and Market Testing techniques followed earlier were aimed at Value for Money (VfM) outcome for all public sector activities.

All these with other private sector techniques like "business process reengineering" (BPR), benchmarking and TQM were being utilised to galvanise the public administration system into a VfM mode, while there was a continued, strong commitment to sustaining the key principles on which the British Civil Service is based-integrity, political impartiality, objectivity, selection and promotion on merit and accountability (Continuity and Change). A new Senior Civil Service (SCS) of around 3000 professionals, from administration and outside, including retired officials with strong career record, was set up in a new pay and contractual arrangement. A pool of committed and efficient specialists was created as a support mechanism to have the new vision of public service translated into reality.

With Parliamentary Select Committee's almost total support of the changes, Government responded in "Taking Forward Continuity and Change" (1995) by introducing a Civil Service Code (CSC) and strengthened Civil Service Commission's powers to ensure unbiased recruitment. Further steps to increase civil service efficiency included containing the recurrent costs, undertaking of fundamental expenditure reviews and so on. In essence, a profound impact of this process of transformation was visible,-first, in the significant changes in the Civil Service composition, with a staggering 35 per cent reduction in the permanent staff. There was, however, an increase in the part-time and temporary staff. Secondly, a significant change in the approach to people management has taken place with a new staff-appraisal system linked to performance evaluation against predetermined objectives and targets. It is of special importance to note that poor performance up to a point resulted in training, closer review or transfer, but continued poor performance could end up in dismissal. Training was

given high priority, especially in new management and its SKILLS. Personnel administration has been given a new meaning as human resources management (HRM), with staff being considered as key resources in the organisations and as assets rather than costs.

It is most significant that the Labour Government went on strengthening the new civil service with its policy paper "Service First" (1998) with added dimensions of greater emphasis on I) participation by citizens and II) accountability to service-users. Prime Minister Tony Blair, addressing a civil service conference in 1998, described civil service as "a priceless asset", but one that still is in need of reform. His government's broad direction in this context was hinted at, as he said, "The civil service is good at preparing legislation and managing policy. It is less good at focusing on outcome or ensuring effective implementation... Many parts of the civil service culture are still too hierarchical and inward-looking and it is too short-termist. Above all the Civil Service is too risk averse." The second point highlighted the need for initiative, bold ideas and for avoiding the culture of playing safe and passing the buck in terms of decisions and actions. 'Modernising Government', 1999 White Paper, set out a long-term programme of change with a vision of a future with better government "to make life better for people and business." The identifiable hallmarks of 'inclusive populism', 'open government', 'joined-up government', and 'quality public services', are essentially restatement of the strategy defined in the earlier official documents. Public services are clearly identified as key agents of change in forging new partnerships with the private and voluntary sectors and deliver to the people on the promises of the government.

Successful people management (modified HRM) is the 'X-factor '. 'X-factor' basically refers to the way people (or personnel) are organised, motivated, supported and looked after, which is critical to how well the organisation or company performs.

London's Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has been of late using it fairly frequently. Several elements in this factor are usually missing in administration framework elsewhere, making it perform way below its potential capacity. An organisation, especially the one working in the public/government sector, should not be seen as something of a machine that is controlled by order from the top, but it should be developed rather as human and knowledge capital, able to adapt, learn, improvise and self-commit to goals and growing demands. This has been duly recognised and a high powered corporate development and human resources (HR) unit has been set up in the Cabinet Office-in effect, to oversee the HR function for the civil administration as a whole, winged, so to speak, on the powerful Cabinet Office. CIPD adviser on employee relations, a former civil servant himself, makes an interesting observation in "not doubting the Cabinet Office's intentions or the intelligence of its analysis. But that does not necessarily translate into satisfactory outcomes," he is quoted in a recent article. The thesis covers a wide range of issues relating to the government commitment to developing public service and the rules and regulations that stifle responsiveness, initiative and imaginative leadership in the public service (Simon Caulkin).

The civil Service privileges cleverness above all, but good management is about quite different qualities: "courage, humility, empathy, terrific communications, self-belief."

One of the most crucial lessons, however, one could profitably glean from Britain's experience and modernisation process of its Civil Services relates to the gradual but firm climb to the reform ladder-reforms themselves have been allowed to grow and take firm roots over time. And that political changes in the Government have not affected the reforms already achieved; rather the process has been strengthened and is being taken forward. Such political wisdom obviously is in the greater interest of the people and the nation.

II.

It will be appropriate to recall that the emergence of Bangladesh was based on a sensitive perception that Bangladeshis were not being allowed to have their legitimate share in the public services, armed forces and the like, apart from finally being denied their lawful claim to the overall governance of the country itself. It was envisioned at that time that Bangladesh should design a warfare-oriented, pro-people system of administration in a democratic framework of governance.

To ensure an efficient public administration and its strengthening over time to enhance its capacity to uphold the overall objectives of public welfare are the reflection of good governance. In Bangladesh, a structure was in place from the previous periods modelled somewhat strongly on the line of colonial days. It was, however, realised that Bangladesh, which faces the range of challenges, issues, and problems similar to that faced by any other developing nation, needs to implement basic reforms in public administration and a process has to be

spearheaded for reengineered and reoriented structure and contents. In this process, some of the major features of a good government like accountability, transparency, efficiency, incorruptibility, and above all, non-discriminatory and welfare-oriented application of the laws, rules and regulations of the land are to be effectively introduced and reinforced.

Bangladesh government, "in pursuance of its constitutional obligations, is committed to the nation to ensure good governance". The Government's Fifth Five-Year Plan (1997-2002) document stated that 'it will also require redefining the role of the state and reorienting the mindset of the bureaucracy". It is necessary to keep in view that a nation's administrative system and its institutional. organisational bases and structures are in the milieu of the nations' political framework, its socio-economic aspirations and its tradition, mores and ethical values.

The vision of such a framework in Bangladesh, and perhaps elsewhere, is to enable the society to meet "the basic needs of the people in an exploitation-free, informed environment, encompassing social, economic and opportunistic equality". The Parliament serves as the apex deliberative baud to reflect the

will of the people. Wisdom of the intellectuals, activists, thinkers and others whose deliberations and thoughts, views and suggestions can contribute to the public good and the welfare of the nation, need to be taken into account. In fact, reports, analytical write-ups, thought-provoking editorials in the media also could provide valuable inputs for improving the countrywide administration and delivery systems. Institutional and procedural arrangements to utilise the best of these continuous flows shall indeed enrich the administration process and make it more responsive and people-oriented.

The success of an administrative system is very much a function of its enabling environment. In the initial years, Bangladesh had to set up a number of training institutes like Civil Officers Training Academy (COTA), National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA) and several Staff Training Institutes (STls), with Bangladesh Administrative Staff college (BASC) for training of the senior officers at the policy level. Later, policy dimensions on training were revised and consolidation, rather than proliferation, guided the amalgamation of the training institutions. An umbrella public Administration Training Centre (PATC) was established combining all these establishments at a large complex and with all possible facilities. However, to emphasise the professional competence and specialisation, several other institutions were also set up.

In 1982, several major steps were taken to decentralise administration with adequate powers and financial allocations at the field level. In 1996, Administrative Reform Committee (ARC) was constituted to further streamline the administration. Several reforms in fiscal and monetary management, budgetary and expenditure control system and in the nation's financial institutions including Banks, Insurance and Investment companies in public and private sectors, have also been effected. Though, not much has been made public about the ARC's work during the years since its inception, its reports and recommendations should be taken into serious consideration for appropriate review and perhaps phased implementation.

A modern Bangladesh, like many other developing countries, has undertaken a process of acting on and responding to fundamental changes sweeping across the globe. Market economy and private sector dynamics characterise the new international economic management scenario. The trend for globalisation and phenomenal strides in communication technology have brought in an array of new horizons. Demand for undertaking a whole regime of changes has also come upon Bangladesh. Secondly, an intensive thrust for civil society and good governance has led the administration to seek a greater degree of transparency, accountability and welfare-oriented approach in the management of State affairs, be that in public or in private spheres. Thirdly, in the global village, information flows freely and isolation and unilateral imposition of unacceptable administrative fiat in any face of the life and living of the citizens are no longer sustainable. For a global system, a regime of global values and norms is becoming operational. Hence, every developing nation's administration and its delivery system and mechanism need to reflect such realities and compulsions for ensuring the welfare of its citizens.

Bangladesh clearly laid down the principal objectives that seek to underpin "the development of efficient public administration commensurate with the socio-economic policies" of a democratic government. In that context, ten major elements were rightly identified in the Plan. These were lofty ideals and standard targets that have always been honoured in their non-fulfilment. It is not known whether an evaluation as to what could so far be achieved has been undertaken by the authorities concerned. In order to be effective, one presupposes well-thought out implementation plans are to be mapped out taking into account the changes at the global, regional and national levels. These ought to cover organisational development, personnel management and correction of weaknesses and lacuna. Bangladesh is also seeking to be in tune with the fast pace of changes in computerisation and electronic communications. It is also necessary to put in place, and strengthen over time a sound and comprehensive statistical and data processing system with adequate support mechanism and network.

In this context, it is essential to deal with a new phenomenon. As with all system, Bangladesh faces a divisive duality in development administration and policy contents of governance: A process tending to engulf the entire government machinery is the phenomenal increase in consultancy services. Almost all Ministries have now their elaborate consultancy arrangements. Previously these related to specific, technologically-complex new projects; currently these services come in massive packages for every conceivable scheme.

Even the proposal itself to seek consultancy services and the documents for inviting tenders/ quotations/ offers are being prepared by the Consultants. Furthermore, the processing of these offers, negotiations with contractors, evaluation of their technical and financial proposals are also assigned to the Consultants. A natural question arises: what do the huge number of so-called qualified Secretaries, Additional Secretaries and the whole retinue of public officials down below, do? What do the Chief Engineers, Additional CEs and the whole lot of engineers, experts and technical people in the Ministries/ Departments do?

This explosion of total ignorance in the Government as well as a reportedly massive, built-in system of payoffs at every stage needs immediate and thorough investigation and public inquiry in the Parliament and in other forums. It is indeed a matter of great irony that Public Administration Reforms Commission itself (which in the olden days did their own work, prepared their own report) had asked for consultancy services to determine the nature of reforms the Commission should be recommending to the nation!

The other phenomenon is the fast-expanding non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Both these-one a service and the other a structured growth-are gradually usurping the decision-making authority of the government as well as its policy and programme implementation capability. The consultants are laying bare the lack of expertise and knowledge in the line Ministries/ agencies, and, in effect, in the whole of the Government itself. And the NGOs are putting to shame the field administration in almost all the sectors in terms of efficiency, target achievements, performance record and so on. These two control-monitoring mechanisms, unfortunately, are donor-driven forces put in place to keep the national government in line for obvious reasons and for reasons that are not so readily obvious.

Syed Muhammad Hussain is a retired Ambassador and Secretary to the Government.