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Many negative elements in today’s public service
Dear Editor,
Some years ago when I was working on a project, one of my team members said to me that the only skill public servants had was the ability to harass people. At the time I thought it was a harsh comment, because I knew public servants who were helpful, humble and eager to learn. Not all public servants harass people. However, I understood where he was coming from. We were, at that time, dealing with challenges that stemmed from the vindictiveness within that group.
When people are not properly equipped, not appropriately trained, or lack the confidence to follow their dreams, they remain in place and build resentment against whom they perceive to be progressive. From remaining in one place they begin to feel entitled: the workplace and the things therein are their oyster, new people are their subjects, to be tormented, to feed their egos.
Today’s public service I would say has more elements of what my former team member was talking about so long ago. Today, many people with skills have left this country for perceived greener pastures; for better work environments abroad. Those with skills who remain, do so at their own peril. The past twenty-something years were not good for the professional development of the public service. Those years fostered a cadre of young people, among whom integrity is not so important to their thinking and their actions; and whose character did not necessarily benefit from appropriate parental guidance and nurturing, which was more needed in an extremely corrupt society. This group sees what it wants to see and does not see what it does not want to see, creating drama for cheap points, turning a blind eye to things that should be highlighted, in order to enhance themselves and their egos. Members of this cadre are most likely not properly trained (forget the paper qualifications) and are therefore obliged to resort to subterfuge to promote themselves, usually involving discrediting others to advance.
They get away with it for the most part because the situation developed over a number of years and the country is devoid of sufficient, experienced people with the ability to research the information they use to make decisions, and who lack the ability to discern the agenda of the tricksters they promote above their levels of competence.
Rosemarie Terborg Davis
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