Political Perspective
By: GWEN LISTERWE can say what we will, and blame whom we want, but Namibians seriously need to develop a work ethic if we want to advance socially and economically.
I hate to buy into generalisations, but we will quickly develop a
reputation for incompetence and laziness if there's not a change
for the better.
There are of course many Namibians who are exceptionally
hard-working, but the complaints about inefficiencies and
disinterest continue to escalate.
WHETHER it is Government service or private sector, there is
room for considerable improvement across the board.
One of the most frequently targeted institutions in this regard
is none other than the Home Affairs Ministry, and there is scant
indication that they've even attempted to clean up their act
because most groan openly at the prospect of having to do business
there, and it's perhaps small wonder there are thousands of
unclaimed identity documents under the circumstances! If there's a
Namibian who hasn't suffered a bad experience at the hands of this
Ministry, I would be surprised, judging from the range of
complaints received.
It is undoubtedly one of the busiest government departments, but
all the more reason to get things right.
Complaints range from queuing for hours; to disinterested and/or
surly staff spending a lot of time on their cellphones on personal
calls while people have been waiting in line for extended periods;
to the reported absolute mess with regard documentation waiting to
be processed.
Perhaps our Prime Minister could do a tour, and tell us if it is
true that there is a floor with folders and applications and
passports and other documents scattered all over.
No alphabetical or other ordering of documentation, let alone a
filing system.
So again, no surprise that documentation is regularly lost,
causing applicants to have to go to the expense of collating a new
set.
What will it take to get someone with organisational capacity to
institute a proper system? Other ministries, perhaps not as
high-profile as this one, are problematic too, and there are
constant complaints of telephones not being answered; employees
busy with personal phone calls; people out-of-office for long
periods of time; and lunches that merge into dinners, with hardly
anyone on duty at all.
Fridays are a no-no to even try and attempt to work with
Government departments, and officials have usually left for farms
or home or shopping well before the end of the business day.
The Public Service Charter is hardly worth the paper it is
written on, unfortunately, and there is an urgent need for
Government to consider rules for employees, that could, for
example, prevent those serving the public from using their
cellphones while on the job, among others, and promote speedy and
efficient service.
But it is not only Government that suffers from this
malaise.
The private sector is also often remiss when it comes to
service.
Again, there are always exceptions, but they are all too few and
far between, and in most cases it comes across to the consumer that
these employees are bored stiff with the jobs that are hard to come
by in the first place, and couldn't be bothered to crack a smile or
offer a greeting and who don't know the meaning of the phrase
'satisfied customer'! Perhaps some of these companies could
institute 'employee of the month' awards or something similar to
act as an incentive to give pleasant and efficient service.
The public could play a role too, in encouraging a good service
sector.
I tip car guards as a matter of principle, and when I come
across helpful attendants who greet you and try to assist as best
they can, I give them more.
There's a parking garage attendant in a kiosk in town, for
example, that I usually give a small chocolate to after shopping,
because she is always so pleasant.
For the rest, the hand emerges abruptly from the kiosk without
greeting or acknowledgement, and one is then disinclined to be
pleasant in return.
Where queues form in supermarkets for example, the alert and
attentive employee would surely note who was in line first, and try
and serve people in order of their arrival, but you seldom find
this kind of employee.
They simply couldn't be bothered.
And if Namibians themselves are irritated, then imagine the
impressions of the visitor or tourist who almost always meets an
unfriendly and uncommunicative face? Namibia, the smile on the face
of Africa? I think not.
Across the board we need to get our house in order to earn this
praise.
There are of course many Namibians who are exceptionally
hard-working, but the complaints about inefficiencies and
disinterest continue to escalate.WHETHER it is Government service
or private sector, there is room for considerable improvement
across the board.One of the most frequently targeted institutions
in this regard is none other than the Home Affairs Ministry, and
there is scant indication that they've even attempted to clean up
their act because most groan openly at the prospect of having to do
business there, and it's perhaps small wonder there are thousands
of unclaimed identity documents under the circumstances! If there's
a Namibian who hasn't suffered a bad experience at the hands of
this Ministry, I would be surprised, judging from the range of
complaints received.It is undoubtedly one of the busiest government
departments, but all the more reason to get things right.Complaints
range from queuing for hours; to disinterested and/or surly staff
spending a lot of time on their cellphones on personal calls while
people have been waiting in line for extended periods; to the
reported absolute mess with regard documentation waiting to be
processed.Perhaps our Prime Minister could do a tour, and tell us
if it is true that there is a floor with folders and applications
and passports and other documents scattered all over.No
alphabetical or other ordering of documentation, let alone a filing
system.So again, no surprise that documentation is regularly lost,
causing applicants to have to go to the expense of collating a new
set.What will it take to get someone with organisational capacity
to institute a proper system? Other ministries, perhaps not as
high-profile as this one, are problematic too, and there are
constant complaints of telephones not being answered; employees
busy with personal phone calls; people out-of-office for long
periods of time; and lunches that merge into dinners, with hardly
anyone on duty at all.Fridays are a no-no to even try and attempt
to work with Government departments, and officials have usually
left for farms or home or shopping well before the end of the
business day.The Public Service Charter is hardly worth the paper
it is written on, unfortunately, and there is an urgent need for
Government to consider rules for employees, that could, for
example, prevent those serving the public from using their
cellphones while on the job, among others, and promote speedy and
efficient service.But it is not only Government that suffers from
this malaise.The private sector is also often remiss when it comes
to service.Again, there are always exceptions, but they are all too
few and far between, and in most cases it comes across to the
consumer that these employees are bored stiff with the jobs that
are hard to come by in the first place, and couldn't be bothered to
crack a smile or offer a greeting and who don't know the meaning of
the phrase 'satisfied customer'! Perhaps some of these companies
could institute 'employee of the month' awards or something similar
to act as an incentive to give pleasant and efficient service.The
public could play a role too, in encouraging a good service
sector.I tip car guards as a matter of principle, and when I come
across helpful attendants who greet you and try to assist as best
they can, I give them more.There's a parking garage attendant in a
kiosk in town, for example, that I usually give a small chocolate
to after shopping, because she is always so pleasant.For the rest,
the hand emerges abruptly from the kiosk without greeting or
acknowledgement, and one is then disinclined to be pleasant in
return.Where queues form in supermarkets for example, the alert and
attentive employee would surely note who was in line first, and try
and serve people in order of their arrival, but you seldom find
this kind of employee.They simply couldn't be bothered.And if
Namibians themselves are irritated, then imagine the impressions of
the visitor or tourist who almost always meets an unfriendly and
uncommunicative face? Namibia, the smile on the face of Africa? I
think not.Across the board we need to get our house in order to
earn this praise.