March  3, 2011 -- "I am aware that many public officers are committed and work hard to give of their best, and that customers can also be very demanding.  But for me even one complaint is one too many, and no complaint should be left unanswered."

President James Michel was speaking at the Chief Executives Forum" this morning, where he called on the public service to ensure efficiency and service delivery by improving standards through training, as well as communicating more effectively with the public in order to ensure good governance.

The President announced that Government has set aside SR10 million over the next five years for public service training at the Seychelles Institute of Management.

The President said that structural reform alone cannot guarantee good governance unless the people who run our public institutions are 'competent, dedicated, hardworking, results-oriented, and most importantly, immersed in a culture of service to all its clients, especially the public.'

"I want every chief executive to be personally committed to staff development in his or her organisation, including a commitment to professional self-development and excellence at all levels," said President Michel.

The President noted that research undertaken in the United States showed that 89% of employers thought that staff left their organisations for reasons related to money but really that 80% to 90% of the employees left organisations for reasons related to their job, their manager, or the work environment.

"It is the responsibility of leaders to provide enabling environments in which their staff are not only productive but also enjoy job satisfaction.  Everyone needs to feel that his or her contribution is recognised and counts to the success of the organisation."

The President said that the public service needs to communicate more often to the public through publications and the media as  good public relations are important for customer satisfaction.  He also encouraged them to give feedback more regularly.

"I always welcome your feedback, your suggestions and criticisms, with regard to matters of your specific areas of responsibility, and on national development in general.  Our Government is a listening Government.  We should all be good listeners, sensitive to the needs of our clients and the public.  We should not be irritated by criticism we receive; on the other hand, let us use the feedback to improve our services.  Never forget - our customers and our clients are the reason we are here," said the President.