‘Government forum’ confidence booster: AlQaed

This year’s ‘Government Forum’ injected a new vigour into the Kingdom’s burgeoning public sector, which is ‘forward-looking’ in line with the highest standards set by Bahraini leadership’s vision, said iGA Chief Executive. Government policies introduced are capable of bolstering productivity, service quality and boosting public sector confidence, said Mohammed Ali AlQaed of the Information & eGovernment Authority.

The forum, now in its fourth edition, was held under the patronage of HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the Prime Minister, at the initiative of HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister. Highlighting the outcomes of the forum, AlQaed said the forum was instrumental in creating a healthy competition among government centres.

Centres were quick in responding to recommendations which also paved the way for reengineering their internal procedures, enhancing cooperation and implementing technical transformations effectively. More optimal geographic distribution of the centres was one amongst them, said AlQaed. The forum, AlQaed said, also evaluated the success of initiatives and projects like the Government Service Centre Evaluation (Taqyeem) and National Suggestions & Complaints System (Tawasul). These projects handled crucial roles in supporting innovation and service excellence, AlQaed stressed.

Thanks to Team Bahrain’s resources to implement the Government’s Programme 2019- 2022, all government entities strived to optimise their services, he added. A panel discussion on Enhancing the Quality of Government Services discussed the government’s significant accomplishments in record time. Sheikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for International Affairs and Vice Chairman of the Taqyeem Evaluation Committee, Dr Jawaher Shaheen Al-Mudhahki, Chief Executive of the Education and Training Quality Authority and Jamal Abdul Aziz Al Alawi, Director General of Organisation and Budgeting at the Civil Service Bureau took part.

AlQaed also praised the success of last year’s forum in which HRH the Crown Prince awarded 10 government entities with the Gold classification. The first edition of the Taqyeem Committee, he said, prepared a standard guide for government service centres to transform them into smarter and more innovative organisations. It conducted tens of workshops, providing training to hundreds of employees from over 19 government entities, as well as evaluated 89 centres in two phases.

Tawasul system currently has 37 government entities, said AlQaed adding that more will enter the platform soon. iGA was one of the entities honoured at the Government Forum 2019, receiving the Excellence in Communication with Beneficiaries Award.