When things aren’t going fast enough in the eyes of us
Coalition types, we are tempted to take things away from the locals and execute
it ourselves. We call it “Taking it off
Budget” which works well for getting some things done, but does nothing for
building local capacity for the day we have to leave here. We have taken many things off budget, some
for good reason (technical complexity or to stop likely corruption) and some
just because. Mr. George, is there any
way we can stop this from going Off-Budget? The General’s staff asks. Well, you
can’t award this contract in time and the coalition thinks it can do it faster
somewhere else, I say confidently. So,
if you take this off-budget, can the money still stay in our account? As the wheels turn in their heads. No! that is the purpose of off-budgeting,
otherwise it’s just another way of giving you more money, I say. Silence, as they smile. My office has since made up T-shirts to wear.
Of course it says "Budget" on the back. I would be violating General Order 1 if it didn't.
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