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SPEECH BY MR DAVID T E LIM, ACTING MINISTER FOR INFORMATION, COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS AT THE PR ACADEMY LAUNCH CONFERENCE BEYOND COMMUNICATION: STRATEGIC ROLE OF COMMUNICATION IN GOVERNMENT ON FRIDAY, 28 JUNE 2002 AT 9.00 AM AT RAFFLES CITY CONVENTION CENTRE

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The setting up of the PR Academy is an important milestone in the public service because it signifies the government’s commitment and resolve to raise the standard of public communications within the government.

This is because we believe that clear and effective communications is an important part of good governance.

An issue that has been raised many times is that the government is bureaucratic in the way it responds to public concerns and complaints. Even good policies, when poorly explained, can cause confusion and consternation. And if feedback and criticisms are inadequately addressed, this can lead to cynicism and erosion of support for government policies.

For these and other reasons, the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts (MITA) has decided to set up the Public Relations Academy (PR Academy). The PR Academy will aim to raise the standards of communications in public service. It will provide training for the professional officers in government agencies handling public communications, and also for government officials and others who need to explain policies to the public.

Now, let me take this opportunity to make two observations about what good communications is and isn’t.

  For the government, good communications is not about putting a "spin" on a story, to make the policy or the policy-maker look good. Rather, good communications is about ensuring that the people who are affected by the actions or policies of the government understand why that action or policy is necessary and right for our society, how it would affect them, and what they can do in response.

The experts at the PR Academy, and amongst our speakers today, will tell us how this can be done. They will help to develop a good sense of the news in our PR officers and our policy makers, and teach them how to develop strategies and pick news angles and storylines that will connect with each audience.

Having said this, good communications is, however, not just about getting the message "out there". Good communications also means that we should give the public the opportunity to raise their concerns, and to offer their suggestions.

The government recognizes that communication is a process, not an event. It is desirable that the public has time and opportunity to develop a broad and deep understanding of an issue, to consider the pros and cons, the whys and ifs.

However, time is not always a resource that we have in abundance. But wherever possible, the government will strive to get feedback and suggestions before policies are settled. Some current examples of such efforts are the Economic Review Committee, the Re-making Singapore Committee, and the Censorship Review Committee. Such a consultative approach will continue beyond these committees.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Communications is not a perfect science. Because it involves emotions and senses, it evokes different reactions in different people. Personally, I favour a direct approach, to "tell it like it is". But in a world of sound-bites, and downloadable video clips, and SMS, where attention spans vary from hours to minutes to seconds, we need to use every available means to get our message across, and to get feedback. We will still "tell it like it is", only the way we do it will require more skill, deeper understanding of the public, and a greater appreciation of media and communications technologies.

That is what the PR Academy is being set up for. I congratulate the officers who have worked hard to set it up, and wish them success in their quest. Now, it is my pleasure to declare the launch conference open.