First Diamond Standard Assessors Graduate

MEDIA RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

23 January, 2014

 

First Diamond Standard Assessors Graduate

 

The assessment phase of the new Diamond Standard certification process for Trinidad and Tobago’s public services is on track to start in March. The first 10 professional Assessors successfully completed their training last week.

The 10 graduates went through a rigorous three week course in November 25 - December 6, 2013 and January 13 – 17, 2014. It was facilitated by Consultants experienced in the UK’s Customer Service Excellence scheme and its predecessor the Charter Mark programme.

The course comprised a mix of classroom activities and practical field experience. Case studies, visits to public services which have enrolled in the Diamond Standard Pilot programme, as well as role-play exercises were used to expose participants to the reality of assessment on the ground.

The trainee Assessors carried out mock assessments of public services in both Trinidad and Tobago. Services visited included hospitals, schools, government training and business licensing offices. The work prepared them to cope with the reality of a formal assessment visit, and provided an opportunity for the different pilot services to know exactly what is expected of them and what they must do to reach the Diamond Standard.

Commenting on the graduation ceremony for the Assessors which took place on Friday 17th January 2014, Minister of Public Administration, The Honourable Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan, said that the new Diamond Standard programme was an important step in modernising public services for Trinidad and Tobago citizens and changing their focus and emphasis away from bureaucracy and old fashioned practices to the needs of a modern society. Assessors had a serious and significant role in making that change happen. She added “An Assessor’s role is a positive one - to help services understand what they are getting right and to identify those things that they need to do in order to deliver the best possible service to our present and future citizens.”

The new Assessors expressed their determination to improve public services through assisting services to gain the Diamond Standard. “I feel very privileged to be one of the pioneers in the programme,” said Leela Kissun. Her colleague Renee Boucaud added, “The Assessor training programme was insightful. The practical experience provided me with the confidence I need to assess fairly and objectively whether a public service meets the Diamond Standard.

Some 34 different Public Services in Trinidad and Tobago have enrolled in the Diamond Standard Pilot Programme. The first assessments are planned to start in late March this year, with the first Diamond Standards awarded in June.

 

Note for Editors:

The Trinidad and Tobago Diamond Standard is a new public service quality certification scheme that seeks to significantly improve the quality and delivery of public services by Government Agencies; make Government Agencies more responsive to the needs and concerns of citizens and other client groups; and improve the ease of doing business with Government Agencies.

Public services participating in the programme are judged against 8 criteria which are Service Environment, Customer Involvement, Communications, Promoting a Customer Service Culture, Responsiveness, Innovation and Creativity, Technology and Partnerships.

Assessments will be conducted on an annual basis and certification will be valid for three (3) years. Upon expiry of the certification, agencies will be required to re-apply for certification of their service. Certification can be withdrawn at any time, should an Agency fail to maintain the required standards of service delivery.

Agencies participating in the programme include among others Family Court, Judiciary of Trinidad and Tobago, Belmont Police Station, Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, Immigration Division, Ministry of National Security, South West Regional Health Authority (Medical Records Department), Ministry of the People and Social Development (Conditional Cash Transfer Programme), Outpatients’ Clinic Scarborough General Hospital (Signal Hill), Medical Records Department, Port of Spain General Hospital (NWRHA), Accident and Emergency Department, St. James Hospital, TT BizLink, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Investment, Trade Licenses Unit, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Investment, Inland Revenue Division, Ministry of Finance , Ministry of Housing, Land and Marine Affairs – Neighbourhood Up Grade Programme, National Archives, Scholarship and Advance Training Division, Ministry of Public Administration, Water Taxi, NIDCO, Public Service Transportation Corp. (PTSC),Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (T&TEC),Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA), Tobago House of Assembly, Eastern Regional Health Authority , Naparima College, Ministry of Education, Port of Spain City Corporation, Tobago Information and Technology Centre, Tobago House of Assembly, Ministry of Legal Affairs, Civil Registry, Ministry of Legal Affairs, Companies Registry.

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For further information, please contact:

Rae Ann Harper-Walters Head, Corporate Communications

623-4724 ext. 2076, 688-2068 or email: harper-waltersr@mpa.gov.tt