Inside Indonesia's Big Bang - by Mark Gilbert (Paperback)

About the Book

Mark Gilbert, PhD, was part of a Canadian team that built and maintained a partnership between Canada and Indonesia to improve public services in Indonesia despite financial crisis, political unrest and natural disaster.

Book Synopsis

What is a BIG BANG in governance? How could two countries as different as Canada and Indonesia start and maintain a twenty-year partnership to improve public services in Indonesia? Inside Indonesia's Big Bang by Mark Gilbert, PhD, is a first-hand account as he reflects back to 1994 when he became part of a Canadian team representing the Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC) that made their first appearance at the main office of the Indonesian Ministry of Home Affairs. Initially, it was all about timing. Indonesia wanted to grow its economy by speeding up its government regulation approvals and Canada wanted to share knowledge and build relationships with nations aspiring to improve the lives of their citizenry. They began with a focus on decentralization but it evolved quickly as crises and roadblocks hit; from the 1998 fallout from the Asian financial crisis to political unrest, and natural disasters, but the reforms moved forward.

Review Quotes

"In a very personal account of "Big Bang" initiatives and travel in Indonesia, Mark Gilbert highlights the significance of meaningful international relationships in global development. Focusing on a Nova Scotia - Indonesia government to government twinning project, Mark highlights how best practices are shared, innovative approaches are sought, developed and implemented and how results, networks and relationships can be sustained."

• Ann Masson, IPAC Director of International Programs 2001-2016

"This book is a rare example of writing on international development assistance programs in which the technical story is skillfully interwoven with the parallel story of the author's personal encounter with a very different culture, history, and system of governance. Mutual learning and benefit between Canadians and Indonesian colleagues is a major theme, allowing readers to feel they are right there on the ground with the author, sharing his enthusiasm for the challenges and achievements, both technical and personal, of the work described."

• Tim G. Babcock, Ph.D., institutional development worker, Indonesia 1976-2017

"This book is a testimony on how Canadian expertise can be leveraged at low cost to assist other jurisdictions wanting to improve their government services delivery. IPAC's peer-to-peer model of collaboration should interest only those partners truly committed to do the work. Dr. Gilbert writes about the personal enrichment and at times uneasiness when interacting in different environments, languages, customs, attitudes, religions, and habits. And in the process of getting to understand and appreciate the differences, we get to know more about Mark Gilbert."

• Arnold Kearney, Director of International Relations, Department of Intergovernmental Affairs, Province of New Brunswick (retired)

"I'm impressed by how insightfully and meticulously Dr. Gilbert's book describes the best practices in international development projects on governance. It demonstrates a collaborative partnership approach with both partners committed to working together to strengthen governance, putting value in a solid cross-cultural foundation based on trust, respect and integrity; with a mutual long-term vision of goals to be achieved. In essence, this is a valuable case study and resource for current practitioners in governance and international development."

• Lynn A. Minja, Ph.D., Former Manager Canada-South Africa Provincial Twinning Project