The three pillars for government agencies to follow when implementing policies are principles and strategy, teamwork and execution, and publicity and communication, Premier Jiang Yi-huah said at a special forum convened Sunday for Cabinet members.
With respect to principles and strategy, Premier Jiang said all government agency leaders must have a thorough understanding of the national policies outlined in President Ma Ying-jeou's 2008 policy white paper and 2012 "Golden Decade National Vision" plan. Aside from administering policies of the president and the Executive Yuan, agency heads must also craft their own policy plans each year and allocate the manpower and resources needed to carry out those plans. Major policies must also be communicated to the public beforehand, and the opinions of different sectors should be gathered during the implementation phase.
Public support is vital for the success of government policies, Jiang said, adding that opinion polls can be used to gauge citizens' views. Even if public enthusiasm starts out low, the government can strategically build support by polling people and determining which areas require more communication. The cross-strait service trade agreement, for instance, gained more traction after the government enhanced communication with the public.
As for teamwork and execution, Jiang said inter-agency relations are very important as the Cabinet is a team. Where jurisdictions are unclear, agencies should work together and address the issue rather than wait for a minister without portfolio to step in as coordinator. Agencies should always maintain direct communications with each other and coordinate the work among themselves.
The premier reminded Cabinet members to stay in touch with the grassroots and be mindful of managing risks. When preparing for official business trips, they should invite legislators to come along because lawmakers can provide valuable feedback, assistance or contacts that are helpful for pushing policies. Cabinet members should also maintain good working relationships with legislators by promptly fulfilling any commitments made and giving an account of results afterward.
In the area of publicity and communication, Jiang stressed the importance of clear communications within agencies, across agencies, with central or local governments, with implementation units, as well as with legislators, party headquarters and media outlets. Communication is especially important when certain groups or segments of society are expected to be affected by new laws. For major policies, government agencies must step up publicity and prepare position papers to defend the issues. Media interviews should also be arranged to give agency heads an opportunity to explain the policies in detail.
Furthermore, agencies should ensure that their press releases are clear, concise, easy to read, and relevant to the people. In the event of a controversial case or high-profile event, agencies should respond quickly by having an articulate deputy minister or high-ranking official go on media programs to discuss or clarify the situation. All crises must be handled in a swift, precise and steadfast manner to avert any further misunderstanding by the public.
After the Cabinet forum, Executive Yuan Spokesperson Sun Lih-chyun conveyed Premier Jiang's remarks on a recent statement by the president that agency heads should go on media programs to explain and defend government policies. The premier said this did not mean every Cabinet member should appear on political talk shows but that they should be prepared to give a complete explanation of their policies if they are interviewed by radio or television programs or online media.
Sun also stressed that Premier Jiang attaches great value to communication within the Cabinet team. The Cabinet's topic-oriented meetings held each week has always served as an important communication platform between agencies. Sunday's forum also allowed government leaders to exchange ideas, share experiences in policy implementation, provide suggestions on enhancing administrative efficiency, and build consensuses.