Expensive Faces for a few Spaces
Sustainability and Affordability are part of the mantra civilians were given when we trained to come here, but too often it is
expediency at whatever cost which drives many of the military here. It’s a constant tug of war, and no more so
than with the consultants we (and the other Donor’s) fund. There are at least
five programs that fund Afghans to work the Ministries and they are all
substantially better paid (5-15X) than the Civil Service Corps leaders and
more is requested of us every day. So
much so, that when we decide to cut the support for any of them (because of
patronage, corruption, inefficiency or down right fraud), the proverbial howls
come. Sound familiar? Back home, the mechanics of Government trump
the faces of the people who work it.
Over here it’s the opposite. “Mr.
George, don’t these fine people deserve to be employed?” Well yes I say, but
the money you are using is for payroll management and they are photographers. “Yes, but good photographers with Master’s
Degrees”, comes the retort. “Well if
they are doing such a wonderful job, then the Government should have no problem
picking up their salary’, I say confidently.
“Oh no, there is no money for that Mr. George”, they respond equally confident. Unfortunately many of the howls come from
folks in our camp who have equated their success with making Ministers happy
and not making waves during their tour. It’s
a constant tug of war that I will win, or they will wait me out.
No comments:
Post a Comment