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| Why HiPPO is faster than the Duck |
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| Mr Lee Yi Shyan, Minister of State for Trade and
Industry and Minister in charge of Entrepreneurship
(left), presenting Mr Heng with a token of
appreciation for sharing at the ACE BlueSky Evening. |
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As Mr James Heng, Chief
Duckie of DUCKtours, recounted at the recent Action
Community for Entrepreneurship (ACE) BlueSky Evening,
it took two years to get the now familiar amphibious
Duck going in Singapore. To hit the Kallang waters from
Suntec City — a journey of only 200 metres — the Duck
needed the blessings of at least six agencies as it
traversed public roads, drains, state land, park land
and the beachfront.
When the same company tried to introduce the HiPPO (the
bus without the top) it had to navigate a no less formidable
list of regulators. Fortunately, it was not left to
deal with all the different agencies on its own. Singapore
Tourism Board (STB) stepped in as the lead agency and
champion to help DUCKtours get all the approvals, and
the HiPPO carried its first passengers within six months.
Now other businesses can enjoy the same benefits DUCKtours
had with a new proposal from the Pro-Enterprise Panel
(PEP). Currently, many businesses settle cross-agency
matters on their own, shuttling back and forth between
agencies to discover the links between different regulations
and to put up separate requests. Interacting with a
host of different organisations translates into higher
costs and frustration for businesses.
The PEP has addressed this problem directly by proposing
that lead agencies be identified at an early stage,
soon after a customer comes forward with its issues.
This proposal has been approved by the Committee of
Permanent Secretaries.
Lead agencies are typically:
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owners of the largest or most critical part
of the process involved, and have the
most direct interface with the customer; |
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invested with the authority to make
changes; or |
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equipped with the necessary technical
expertise. |
They are responsible for coordinating with
other agencies, acting as a point of contact
for customers and taking the lead in devising
solutions to meet customers’ needs. They are
aided by supporting agencies.
Fundamentally, lead agencies enable the
Public Service to function as an integrated
body with the agility needed to meet
customers’ expectations.
Said Mr Peter Ho, Head of the Civil Service
and PEP Chairman: “A more flexible, agile and
networked government will create a new
competitive advantage for Singapore.”
Mr James Heng has plans to introduce new business ideas
following the successes with Duck, HiPPO, Aerophile Balloon
and the more recent Rhino
(a multi-media city tour). With the lead agency initiative,
the Public Service is better positioned to resolve multi-agency
issues effectively and better serve
Mr Heng and other customers. |
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by Pro-Enterprise Panel
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