Consultative Workshop on Public Sector Reform Opens

A one and a half-day consultative workshop focusing on the Public Sector Reform Bill was launched, this morning, by the Minister of Public Service and Administrative Reforms, Mr Lutchmanah Pentiah, at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Public Service and Innovation in Côte d'Or Technopole in Réduit. The workshop gathered key stakeholders to build consensus on the key reform principles that would form part of the concept paper for the proposed Public Sector Reform Bill.

In his keynote address, Minister Pentiah underscored that the upcoming Public Sector Reform Bill represented far more than a mere legislative text but instead served as the foundational blueprint for a modern public service, tailored to the legitimate expectations of Mauritians.

“Our ambition is to build a public service that is modern, efficient, transparent, accountable, agile, resilient, innovative, and deeply citizen-centred,” Minister Pentiah stated. He emphasised that the core focus must rest entirely on adopting the most effective modern service-delivery methods available today.

Underlining that the elaboration of the Bill had established a clear strategic direction for national reform, the Minister pointed out that true success would hinge on institutional synergy and a deep-rooted culture of continuous improvement. According to him, the workshop marked a pivotal milestone in this journey, uniting diverse perspectives to contribute openly, constructively, and with a shared sense of responsibility.

Minister Pentiah also stressed the urgency of challenging obsolete processes, identifying new opportunities for innovation, and strengthening institutional accountability while vigorously protecting fairness. He reiterated his core focus for reform, which included ensuring the health, safety and welfare of public officers, reviewing the disciplinary system, implementing mandatory capacity-building programmes to foster professional growth and further empower all public officers.

Concluding his address, the Minister called for the responsible deployment of digitalisation and emerging technologies. He reaffirmed that every administrative reform must ultimately bring the nation closer to a simpler, faster, more transparent, and highly responsive public service that would effectively meet the needs of the Mauritian people.

For his part, the Secretary to Cabinet and Head of the Civil Service, Mr Suresh Chundre Seeballuck, highlighted the core purpose of the workshop which was to discuss the architecture through which the service landscape would serve citizens, support economic and social development, and respond to the changes of a rapidly changing world. He affirmed that the Bill would underpin crucial reform initiatives centred on good governance, transparency, accountability, and an open government culture.

Describing the public sector as a vital national asset, Mr Seeballuck praised its ongoing contributions to economic growth, national resilience, and social stability. However, he emphasised that legislation alone could not transform the public sector; the active contribution of public officers remained instrumental. "Reform succeeds when people understand it, participate in shaping it, and directly experience its benefits," he stated.

07 September 2026

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Topics: Civil Service