Thread: Namibia's ministry of health end of year 2007 conference

We know this finger-wagging stuff, don't we. Sure, there are probably many staff members in the public health services who are not very professional, and who abuse public property, and who give a rats ar%&*%$ about their job and who should not be paid for the meagre jobs they perform.

Then there are also those who work hard on relatively small wages, who conduct themselves professionally, who are doing an important public service under enormous pressures. They are not many, but they deserve to be recognised.

But I ask: Who is in charge? The situation prevailing in many public health institutions is no doubt due,in part, to a failure of management right up to the minister's own front door. It doesn't help complaining about your staff when you obviously don't reign them in, Mr Minister.

And since when is it not the job of the Permanent Secretary to manage the affairs of our public health institutions in a prudent and professional manner? This includes ensuring staff perform to standard and conduct themselves professionally. Where is the Public Servioce Commission to ensure standards are met? Are they also sleeping?

See, the problem we have is this: People simply get away with sub-standard work and conduct and intolerable behaviour; nobody, not least the Honourable Minister or his Permanent Secretary are ever held to account and even less have to take responsibility for the mess they are overseeing.

It's easy to wag your finger at staff; its another matter to start cleaning up from the top, and leading from it, too.