The Social Service Sector Landscape

Sir, I would touch on two areas which the Ministry oversees – the charity sector and the Enabling Masterplan for the Disabled.

In the aftermath of the NKF incident, the charity sector is swamped by a wave of control measures to ensure charities do not get out of line. This included the launch of the Code of Governance for Charities and IPCs, the Charity Council, and transfer of the Commissioner of Charities from the Ministry of Finance to MCYS, and numerous governance training workshops and audits. Three levels of governance checklists now apply to a wide diversity of registered charities, churches, temples, homes for the aged, philanthropic foundations, special schools, community hospitals, and special interest groups promoting animal welfare, environmental protection and the arts.

Sir, whilst I am all for accountability, we must not think that the magic pills of governance and audits will transform the charity sector. I have three suggestions for the Minister to consider:

One, distinguish the different types of charities and provide more tangible support for those deemed critical. Sir, some services like step-down hospital care, early interventions, special education are critical functions which in some countries are undertaken by the State. Board members and key staff face tough challenges. Quite a lot of them need to raise funds to close the gap where Government funds fall short, but, more importantly, attract competent, technical and leadership talents in the face of fierce competition from the private and public sectors which have deeper pockets to pay their people. The same leaders are now faced with doing even more.

I urge the Ministry to review the proposed terms of reference, spelling the deliverables members in each board committee in the board – in audit, programmes, fund raising, HR, finance, etc – are accountable for. Many of these deliverables cannot be realistically expected of part-time volunteers.

It is difficult enough to sign up good board members or even schedule board meetings convenient for everyone to attend. I suspect even the full-time Commissioner of Charities himself faces challenges in resources too because his last annual report in the charity portal is for the year 2005.

Sir, I urge the Minister to continue to seek ground feedback on the progress of the current governance system and simplify the Code further without compromising the need for accountability. I ask him to consider funding the cost of not just installing but maintaining the governance systems that were recommended and other tangible ways to add value to the charities.

Two, in conducting governance audits on the charities, sector administrators should stick to the basic principle of materiality, and beware of the excesses of the auditors' enthusiasm to surface every deviation. I received feedback from discouraged board members of several big charities which have recently undergone governance audits. I urge the auditors to treat the board members and staff respectfully and not assume that they are premeditating criminals where past lapses in governance are found. Those of us who have sat in boards of commercial firms know realistically that there is a limitation to what board members really know about the business or what they can do to prevent planned frauds.

Albert Einstein once said: "Ours is the generation that has seriously mistaken means with ends." The Charity Council, the Code of Governance, the training and audits are all means to the ends of serving the mission of the charities. We want to encourage and not deter good volunteers from serving, and for the target community to be helped. Let us keep a balance and not mistake the means for the end.

Three, I propose that the Ministry and its agencies take on some duties directly instead of resorting to the default mode of outsourcing to a VWO each time a need arises. This is a special regard to the essential services I have mentioned. I applaud the recent decision by the police force and the NCSS to directly set up a Police SMS hotline for the deaf community, knowing that security is an essential state service even for the deaf.

Sir, my next point focuses on the Enabling Masterplan for the Disabled. The Masterplan was released more than one year ago. It covered 30 main recommendations with many sub-recommendations. When I accessed the Ministry's homepage, the Masterplan was nowhere to be found. I found it only after I used the search function.

Sir, if I may use an analogy – the person with disabilities is like a diner eating at a restaurant. He had come in response to an advertisement showing the Masterplan or menu of food items he could look forward to. The appetiser arrived in the form of some assurances. Desserts were sometimes served in the form of awards, but the chef had too much to do and was busy with the casinos and the Youth Olympic celebrations just down the street, and the diner was still waiting for his main course.

Sir, I urge the Minister to appoint a focus team to eyeball the implementation of the Enabling Masterplan, refine the Plan, track and communicate its progress.

I also ask the Minister to re-examine the way the proposal for a National Office on Disabilities is implemented. I hear the office has been formed and populated by top civil servants, some of whom may not have seen or heard directly from the ground. I recommend Patricia Seybold's book "Outside Innovation – How your customers will co-design your company's future", which recommends the engagement of key users to co-develop successful products and services.

Sir, more than one year has passed since the releasing of the Masterplan and we are waiting for the main course to be served.