I have always wondered why you hear of more people being employed to do a specific job, yet the quality of service or standards never seem to change. This happens frequently, especially in governmental services.
The state is always expected to employ more personel, on the basis that the jobs that needs to be done never seem to have enough persons to get it done effectively.
So, based on advice — especially from technocrats and academics, more money and equipment and offices are added or created on that basis of hope.
But for the new employees it sometimes becomes more about the pay, and the compfort, not necessarily better results or workmanship.
Take for instance our police force. Plenty has been spent of late on improving office space, new headquarters, new equipment, marine jet-ski, more training, and protected gear, placement etc, but if you add the additional cost vis a vis the results, things seem to have gotten worse rather than improve.
Our murder rate keeps climbing and the usual suspects are multiplying daily and the blame shifts to the judicial system.
The same in the health services: New hospitals, paid training, improved working conditions, upgrade in equipment, yet, at the end of it all, what you hear on the ground is fewer doctors, and a larger number of trained nurses going overseer as soon as they get a chance, and things remain the same, or worsen.
In government circles you hear about new portfolios, added ministries, special branches, more qualified personnel, better salaries, especially after an election and yet the quality of service and commitment is never better.
In my opinion, there is a national mindset that seems to unfold: take the job, get the pay and try your best to gain plenty and do the basics to retain your job, because the system is designed to give the impression of growth, but not monitored for improving quality or standards.
Outside the civil service it’s no different; in the private sector so to speak, keeping your employees, especially the young off their cell phones during work time, is an uphill battle.
In the past when there was less distraction, and the goal was to sacrifice to obtain your home and care for your family, there was commitment and purpose. But everything seems to come more freely these days, more is available and at a better pay, because the system pays for failure. We have become lawless, knowing full well nobody monitors or enforces policy.
The administrators and the managers and supervisors are all looking for their pound of flesh and from top to bottom the attitudes remain the same.
And if by chance you hear of a shake up or different strategy put in place every employee shouts ‘discrimination’ and will become rebellious against any meaningful changes. This is today’s culture, the system is put in place to be exploited, not for the betterment of our growing society.
St. Lucians are not fools, they know all that is going on at home and abroad, so they are well informed and intelligent enough to know good from bad, cause and effect, but rather go with the flow because such behaviour has become the norm.
Life is about shortcuts and scamming, stealing and lying, covering up and bluffing — all for the pay, but not for the purpose of growth. Yet you hear complaints daily about all that should he done and what is needed to be done, what is missing, but no solutions because we are what we are and why change for anything that will demand more of us?
Yet when we migrate we do as we are told to, follow all the guidelines and rules, obey the laws of our new countries, and in most cases, give our very best.
But this does not seem to apply at home.
I wonder why?