President Gokhool urges public officers to become innovators and agents of change

“The future does not belong to institutions that react to change but to those who anticipate it and shape it, and the public servant of tomorrow cannot be merely an administrator of procedures, but must also become an innovator, a problem solver, a facilitator of change, and a guardian of public trust.”

This was the gist of the message of the President of the Republic of Mauritius, Mr Dharambeer Gokhool, yesterday, at the Public Service Excellence Award Ceremony for Editions 2023 and 2025. The event was organised by the Ministry of Public Service and Administrative Reforms at the Auditorium of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Public Service and Innovation in Réduit. The Minister of Public Service and Administrative Reforms, Mr Lutchmanah Raj Pentiah; the Minister of Local Government, Mr Ranjiv Woochit, the Minister of Arts and Culture, Mr Mahendra Gondeea; the Junior Minister of Local Government, Mr Mohammad Fawzi Allymun; the Member of Parliament, Dr Farhad Ismaël Aumeer; and other personalities were present at the event.

The Award aims at recognising and rewarding outstanding and innovative initiatives undertaken by public sector organisations to enhance service delivery and strengthen excellence within the public service.

In his address for the occasion, President Gokhool underlined that the theme chosen for the 2025 Edition, ‘Delivering results and building trust through an innovative, sustainable and people-centric public service’, reflects an important national imperative, since without results, trust weakens and without trust, even the most ambitious policies struggle to inspire confidence. “Trust must be earned through action, integrity, and consistency in the delivery of public services,” he added.

The President recalled that citizens increasingly expect institutions to be responsive, transparent and efficient, and that services should be timely, accessible, and centred around human needs, and delivered with a smile. He pointed out that modern public service is no longer measured solely by procedures or systems but by the positive experience of citizens.

According to Mr Gokhool, across the world successful institutions are moving towards models that are more connected, data driven, responsive, people-centric and customer-friendly. He thus called on the public sector to leverage innovation which can simplify lives, strengthen trust, and place human dignity at the heart of governance. The President further advocated the use of technology which, he believed, could become a powerful tool for inclusion, efficiency and national progress when guided by human values.

For his part, Minister Pentiah emphasised that public service is about moral commitment and a conscious decision to place the common good above personal convenience. “It is an understanding that behind every file processed, every policy drafted, every citizen assisted, there lies a human story and expectation,” he stated. He reiterated that the works of the public service officer should alleviate hardships, create dignity, restore trust, and sustain the fabric of society, emphasising that the enduring strength of a nation depends on the integrity and competence of its public institutions.

The Minister further underscored that excellence is not an abstract concept but a daily discipline. According to him, the Public Service Excellence Award is not only a celebration of achievement, purpose, performance and service, but also a tribute to those who have chosen the path of public service. “Tonight, we are honouring men and women whose dedication often falls far from the spotlight but yet whose work change the daily lives of citizens in profound and enduring ways,” he said.

Winners and Prizes

The Public Service Excellence Award is open to four categories: Ministries/Departments, Disciplined Forces, Local Authorities, and Parastatal Bodies. Winning institutions receive trophies, certificates and cash prizes. The grand winner in each category is awarded Rs 60,000, while silver and bronze awardees receive Rs 45,000 and Rs 30,000 respectively.

The ex aequo Gold Award winners for the 2025 edition in the Ministries/Departments category were the Cardiac Unit of Victoria Hospital and the Haemodialysis Unit of Sir Anerood Jugnauth Hospital. The Cardiac Unit was recognised for introducing device pace therapies that significantly streamlined processes and improved service delivery for heart-failure patients. The Haemodialysis Unit was rewarded for its holistic health-promotion initiatives, which fostered a more therapeutic environment and encouraged greater participation by diabetes patients in their own care.

In the Disciplined Forces category, the Mauritius Prison Service received the Gold Award for its chicken meat production project at Petit Verger Prison, implemented as part of its rehabilitation and skills development programme for detainees. The Mauritius Research and Innovation Council secured first place in the Parastatal Bodies category for its National and Regional Innovation Challenges initiative, aimed at fostering innovation, transparent governance and customer-centric public service delivery.

The winners of the 2023 edition were also announced. The Centre for Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Dr Abdool Gaffoor Jeetoo Hospital won first prize in the Ministries/Departments category; the Mauritius Prison Service topped the Disciplined Forces category; the City Council of Port Louis won in the Local Authorities section; and the Open University of Mauritius received the award in the Parastatal Bodies category.

23 May 2026

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Topics: Technology, Civil Service, Innovation