Dear Editor,
It was former banker William "Bill" Clarke who a few years ago argued that Jamaica was a failed state. There might have been many merits to his utterance. If Clarke's pronouncement was inaccurate, what we cannot deny is that this island is not far from a failing state.
It is preposterous that motorists, having paid their traffic fines at the courts and at the tax collectorates, have discovered through this traffic ticket amnesty that their names have not been deleted from the system data bank of offenders. How on earth can public servants who are not that badly paid failed to perform their tasks? Where is the supervision in the civil service? Who are in charge of control, organisation and co-ordination? Just where is the leadership? All the elements of functions of management seems to be alien to State practices.
At a time when teachers, doctors and nurses are sweating tirelessly, bearing the burden of servicing students and patients, indeed the society at large, at a disadvantage in terms of remuneration, other stakeholders in the national service are miserably defaulting.
Another big concern is the fauilure by both political parties forming the government to go after tax dodgers. There is so many professionals evading taxes. Only a percentage of revenue by those self-employed are registered as legal. The country is cheated as self- employed artisans, accountants, doctors, lawyers, cosmetologists and merchants hide significant earnings and revenues. What agency checks on the system of collection from private surgeons or dentists? Who can verify that a day's takings or income are accurately recorded? A country which flourishes on corruption like ours , cannot and will not pay its fair due to Caesar. But what do we expect? If the state machinery is ineffective and indifferent, then the country will continue to be a net borrower or worse, a beggar nation.
Winston Donald
icildaal@yahoo.com
A failing and nearly failed state
-->
It was former banker William "Bill" Clarke who a few years ago argued that Jamaica was a failed state. There might have been many merits to his utterance. If Clarke's pronouncement was inaccurate, what we cannot deny is that this island is not far from a failing state.
It is preposterous that motorists, having paid their traffic fines at the courts and at the tax collectorates, have discovered through this traffic ticket amnesty that their names have not been deleted from the system data bank of offenders. How on earth can public servants who are not that badly paid failed to perform their tasks? Where is the supervision in the civil service? Who are in charge of control, organisation and co-ordination? Just where is the leadership? All the elements of functions of management seems to be alien to State practices.
At a time when teachers, doctors and nurses are sweating tirelessly, bearing the burden of servicing students and patients, indeed the society at large, at a disadvantage in terms of remuneration, other stakeholders in the national service are miserably defaulting.
Another big concern is the fauilure by both political parties forming the government to go after tax dodgers. There is so many professionals evading taxes. Only a percentage of revenue by those self-employed are registered as legal. The country is cheated as self- employed artisans, accountants, doctors, lawyers, cosmetologists and merchants hide significant earnings and revenues. What agency checks on the system of collection from private surgeons or dentists? Who can verify that a day's takings or income are accurately recorded? A country which flourishes on corruption like ours , cannot and will not pay its fair due to Caesar. But what do we expect? If the state machinery is ineffective and indifferent, then the country will continue to be a net borrower or worse, a beggar nation.
Winston Donald
icildaal@yahoo.com
A failing and nearly failed state
-->