Checking civil servants' accountability
Accountability test: To further promote operational efficiencies, there will be greater delegation of authority with clear designation of accountability.Picture: The Brunei Times
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
WHEN the cats are away, the mice come out to play. That is what it seems after speaking with some members of the civil service who have voiced their concerns regarding reportedly poor staff accountability.
Of the accounts retold there are several which blow the mind, including the abandonment of tasks by a staffer who chose instead to go to the opening of Giant Hypermart.
"I was photocopying materials for a presentation when my staffer stopped me, saying it was his job to do so and I thanked him and left," said a disgruntled civil servant, He said that he would have the copies ready at my table by the end of the day.
However at 5pm, the copies were not on hand, and the officer decided to carry on with the work he had begun with in the first place. The next day, he came up to me and apologised, saying he had forgotten all about it since he had left to join the crowd in Rimba.
Another example was relayed by another civil servant at another government agency. A few months after settling in and starting my job at my office, I noticed a member of staff who I had not seen before.
I checked with another colleague who said that he's rarely around and is also an officer, said the second officer who later admitted that the only other time his office mate had been seen in the office was to register attendance.
What I find ironic is how other processes (related to the absent officer) are adhered in their absolute entirety, leave applications and permission to leave the country.
For the disgruntled officers it would seem that some of their colleagues have eschewed responsibilities.
Yet with any real way to reprimand the truant officers revolving around meetings to address such behaviour that are usually unattended by the individuals called into question, their officers hands are proverbially tied in respects to preventing them from repeating the acts.
In the Brunei Darussalam Long Term Development Plan, Chapter 18, Section III in the Prospects and Programmes under the Administrative Role, point number 15, it is said that To further promote operational efficiencies, there will be greater delegation of authority with clear designation of accountability.
Something that many officers feel should be instigated so as to help cut down on complacency and inefficiency.
In the past it was not rare to hear stories of government staff leaving their offices early to pick up their school children, and whilst no one in Brunei would begrudge others from looking after their family, things which most would like to see addressed are matters such as civil servants outside of the office during work hours.
The tiresome inquests into such minor acts are often shunned by older office bearers, who have previously transferred troublesome staff to other departments to be dealt with. While it is possible to get dismissed from working under the government there are a multitude of reasons why it never turns out that way.
I understand that the procedure is to ensure that the decisions are fair and just, but accountability should not be taken for granted, said one of the disillusioned officers.
From what was gathered from the talks with the officers within the civil service, the lack of responsibility shown by the truant members of staff has left them feeling jaded and disillusioned.
The blatant disregard and poor professionalism shown by those staffers is surprising, but the challenge would be in checking whether the truancy was a rare exception or was actually an accepted norm?
The Brunei Times
Of the accounts retold there are several which blow the mind, including the abandonment of tasks by a staffer who chose instead to go to the opening of Giant Hypermart.
"I was photocopying materials for a presentation when my staffer stopped me, saying it was his job to do so and I thanked him and left," said a disgruntled civil servant, He said that he would have the copies ready at my table by the end of the day.
However at 5pm, the copies were not on hand, and the officer decided to carry on with the work he had begun with in the first place. The next day, he came up to me and apologised, saying he had forgotten all about it since he had left to join the crowd in Rimba.
Another example was relayed by another civil servant at another government agency. A few months after settling in and starting my job at my office, I noticed a member of staff who I had not seen before.
I checked with another colleague who said that he's rarely around and is also an officer, said the second officer who later admitted that the only other time his office mate had been seen in the office was to register attendance.
What I find ironic is how other processes (related to the absent officer) are adhered in their absolute entirety, leave applications and permission to leave the country.
For the disgruntled officers it would seem that some of their colleagues have eschewed responsibilities.
Yet with any real way to reprimand the truant officers revolving around meetings to address such behaviour that are usually unattended by the individuals called into question, their officers hands are proverbially tied in respects to preventing them from repeating the acts.
In the Brunei Darussalam Long Term Development Plan, Chapter 18, Section III in the Prospects and Programmes under the Administrative Role, point number 15, it is said that To further promote operational efficiencies, there will be greater delegation of authority with clear designation of accountability.
Something that many officers feel should be instigated so as to help cut down on complacency and inefficiency.
In the past it was not rare to hear stories of government staff leaving their offices early to pick up their school children, and whilst no one in Brunei would begrudge others from looking after their family, things which most would like to see addressed are matters such as civil servants outside of the office during work hours.
The tiresome inquests into such minor acts are often shunned by older office bearers, who have previously transferred troublesome staff to other departments to be dealt with. While it is possible to get dismissed from working under the government there are a multitude of reasons why it never turns out that way.
I understand that the procedure is to ensure that the decisions are fair and just, but accountability should not be taken for granted, said one of the disillusioned officers.
From what was gathered from the talks with the officers within the civil service, the lack of responsibility shown by the truant members of staff has left them feeling jaded and disillusioned.
The blatant disregard and poor professionalism shown by those staffers is surprising, but the challenge would be in checking whether the truancy was a rare exception or was actually an accepted norm?
The Brunei Times
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