Deconcentrated public services need serious reforms

CMP Consulting Group from Latvia and Business Consulting Institute have carried out a study within the Joint Integrated Local Development Program, which shows that serious reforms are needed in the sphere of deconcentrated public services, Info-Prim Neo reports. Valeria Ieseanu, PCDLI manager, said the study would be used in finalizing the Decentralization Strategy. “It includes data obtained through profound analysis of these services, of their accessibility, especially for vulnerable categories, and of State Chancellery’s managing capacity”, she said. Mariad Sprindzuks and Maris Pukis of CPM Consulting Group from Latvia, two of study’s authors, mentioned most of the deconcentrated structures had limited autonomy. Territorially, they are distributed unequally and their connection to the local administration is weak. Sometimes, some of these institutions overlap. Moreover, people have a bad opinion about the quality of deconcentrated services, either because their low accessibility or because they don’t correspond to people’s needs. The authors recommend the reorganization of the deconcentrated services system according to people’s needs and quality standards. The area of their availability must be extended and people must be informed better and should have their say in establishing the program of these institutions. Vulnerable categories should benefit of special care. Besides, new technologies, such as online or phone services, must implemented. This would reduce corruption and human error risks. Gheorghe Focsa, mayor of Leova and member of the Commission responsible for the elaboration and implementation of the Decentralization Strategy, said deconcentrated structures must be better coordinated with local authorities. “If we have a good local government, then we’ll have a good government in the whole country and people will be satisfied. That’s why the reform and upgrade of deconcentrated services must be one the main goals of Decentralization Strategy”, he said. Focsa added that his must be done through the use of informational technologies as well. “If people will be able to obtain a certificate online, there will be no need for a Town Hall in a village with 10 houses. We won’t need 4 additional clerks”, he explained. The Joint Integrated Local Development Program helps the Moldovan government to develop the political frame, the administrative system and to carry out the decentralization. It implemented by UNDP Moldova in cooperation with UNIFEM and with the financial support of the Swedish government.