This is an archive of news stories and research from the National Union of Public and General Employees. Please see our new site - https://nupge.ca - for the most current information.
'Without an effective civil administration, democracy and prosperity are virtually unattainable.' - Guido Bertucci.
Ottawa (17 June 2010) - June 23 is United Nations Public Service Day, an international occasion to commend and encourage exemplary public service.
“The day recognizes that democracy and successful governance are built on the foundation of a competent civil service,” says Guido Bertucci, director of the UN's division for public administration and development management. The division is part of the world body's department of economic and social affairs.
“The ability of a society to maintain safety and essential public services, protect human rights, maintain an efficient framework for market activities and to hold free and fair elections draws on the skills and sense of purpose of public servants working as a team. Without an effective civil administration, democracy and prosperity are virtually unattainable,” Bertucci says.
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is pleased to join in recognizing this official day on behalf of the more than 340,000 public sector workers it represents in Components across Canada.
UN Public Service Awards will be presented on 23 June at UN headquarters in New York to the government departments of 14 countries from all regions of the world. Representatives from six of these countries will be present. The awards recognize the values of teamwork, innovation and responsiveness to the public.
Public administration at policy crossroads
The UN says recognition of the importance of public administration has grown rapidly in the last decade.
"The establishment of sound civil administration was a central challenge in the transition from centralized to market-based economies that took place in the 1990s," the UN says.
"Aid policies during that decade shifted dramatically away from the provision of physical infrastructure to capacity building in the public sector – and transparent administration adhering to democratic values became a precondition for many assistance programs," it notes.
"A basic level of public administration has been recognized as a prerequisite to rebuilding or installing democracy for the first time in conflict-torn countries as diverse as El Salvador and Guatemala, Cambodia, Mozambique, Kosovo, Timor L’este, Afghanistan and Iraq."
The idea of an international day to commend public service became a reality in 2002 when the UN General Assembly passed a formal resolution recognizing the occasion.
NUPGE
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE