Managing the State affairs (Part 3)
By Hyppolite Pierre
Aside from all the other recent distractions of Haitian politics (the December 17, 2001 attack of the National Palace), probably the most important theme is the issue of administering the affairs of the State. How does the State's apparatus create confidence through its handling of the res publica? Is this a feasible proposition, or are we once again wasting our breath?
The fact of the matter is that corruption has always been the biggest problem of Haiti and there are reasonable explanations to that problem. On the one hand, Haiti is a small and poor country. On the other hand, the homegrown private sector has never been dynamic enough so as to create viable employment for the qualified lot.
Consequently, better educated Haitians have only and always had a single recourse, which is to fight and hope for a governmental job. Such kind of employment usually brings two things, or so the myth goes: wealth and respect from society at large. The issue of how that wealth is acquired has been historically irrelevant: what is usually important is the acquisition of such. This in truth may be where the culture of corruption starts in Haiti. How then can Haiti ever enjoy responsible and non-corrupt leadership and Government?
Strengthening the private sector
Perhaps the most important way for Government to become more transparent, manageable, and trustworthy, is first through encouraging the private sector to become more dynamic in terms of creating decent jobs with future prospects. The greater a number of qualified people who can find decent and steady employment in the private sector, the less attractive politics become to them. In such an environment, politics would be attractive to those who are genuinely interested in this field, rather than out of economic necessity. The display for instance, of current Haitian "talking-heads" or "radio-voices", from all sides, demonstrates that the majority of those politicians or politician-wannabe are either not qualified, or do not have the talent, training, and understanding of politics. This is so, regardless of political affiliation. Many of them also tend to try to amass as much wealth as possible in the shortest period of time, since they know that their time is limited. This is what explains the "ôte-toi-que-je-m'y-mette" (get off the chair so I can sit on it) mentality that people talk about, when referring to Haiti's political culture.
Thus, the role of Government in such an environment becomes crucial, but only from the point of view that Government must find ways to encourage private industries to invest in Haiti, and give them particular incentives to create good, livable wages for qualified middle class individuals. This can be done through tax breaks, long-term deals that are advantageous to those industries, and other approaches that good economists can advise Government on. It is fair to say for example, that had Haiti's middle class been larger and more significant, that had the private sector been stronger and also more relevant, they would have long ago forced the two political forces at odds to find a comprehensive negotiated solution to their problems, regardless of "foreigners" points of view like some conspiracy-driven political thinkers point out so often.
Strengthening Government
Resolving the issue of corruption in Government must also come from Government itself. Government must assume its role of leadership in creating the condition for a truly rational society. As this was discussed in the text regarding Financial Responsibility for Public Officials, the watchdog institution against corruption in Haiti, the CSCCA (Cour Supérieure des Comptes et du Contentieux Administratif), must be strengthened through the legislative chamber. Other steps must be taken as well. Many administrative positions in Haiti are obtained through political connection, not because of qualification. That creates some obvious political problems, including the difficulty for managers who are mostly focused on making the administrative machine work. In the mid 1990's for example when the management team at DGI (the equivalent to the IRS in the United States) was trying to implement some administrative reforms, the biggest difficulty encountered was the periodic demonstrations that seemed political at times, or related to labor issues and salaries at others. In virtually every case however, the real issue was labor confronting management over administrative reforms, not what the demonstrations suggested made it all out to be. Granted, all governments have the right and even obligation to reward some of their partisans with positions. In most instances however, those employees need to have a minimum qualification to fill these posts. Otherwise, they become a burden to the State and therefore, the taxpayers. Integrating a political supporter with a degree and interests in Economics as an "economics data analyst" at the Ministry of Finance is laudable. Hiring someone else with no understanding of that field in the same position at that same ministry for political reasons is certainly not a rational decision.
In fact, the State needs an inventory of all of its resources so they can more appropriately distribute them. As an example, how many agronomists at the Ministry of Agriculture are working behind a desk when their knowledge could be better used working on the field with farmers? This would make better economic sense when considered from any angle, considering that this agronomist could have better and more appropriately use his/her knowledge to help improve the country's agriculture.
Management is surely an issue at large, and many middle and even upper-level managers get too often worried over taking the right kind of administrative decisions for fear of political reprisals. No one knows how many otherwise competent and honest managers have lost their job for having taken the appropriate managerial decision. Are managers in any way shielded from such potential or real reprisals that result in their loss of employment?
Managers thus need protection, in terms of procedures to go by before their dismissal. Such protection can best come from the legislature, as they can decide which laws to adopt and implement after hearings from different sides with some interest in the debate.
The more organized and better structured the State's administrative machine is, the easier it becomes for each agency to function with greater transparency. With the different layers of Government more coherent and well in place, it thus becomes easier to control corruption, to appoint parties to specific functions that are well-defined, to avoid overlap, and to do a host of other things that are advantageous to the country in the short and long run. In fact if anything is true of Haiti's administrative machine, it is the stories of not necessarily corruption, but lack of clearly defined administrative structure which either impedes or discourages foreign investors in most cases from even considering investment there.
The benefits
The benefits are simply numerous. For one thing, as departmental divisions have managers who are hired on the basis of talent and knowledge rather than their political affiliation or connection, they will feel more at ease to accomplish their tasks. Since their administrative responsibilities are better defined and they are better protected legally, they should be expected to make the kinds of decisions that can help the State remain solvent. They may identify employees whose talent is not being used in the right environment and thus help the State better strengthen its machine and focus. Being less pressured, they will feel less compelled to hire someone because of politics rather than their training. That would discourage disqualified people from trying to enter into the field of politics when they can only perturb, rather than produce or help produce. As the biggest employer in the country, the State's administrative machine if well-managed, can and should even be a model for private industry to follow.
Right now as it stands, virtually no one has enough confidence in the State's administrative machine because of all its cumbersomeness, and even irrational managerial system. If Government wishes to acquire the confidence of those governed, the service offered must also have a rational and competent stature.
All of those managerial difficulties are tied into the matter of corruption. As long as the State does not or cannot resolve these historical difficulties, in no way can or will we move forward towards a less corrupt society. Politician-wannabe's will keep appearing on the stage and never discuss issues but simply focus on personalities.
These are just some of the issues that have always plagued Haiti and we must learn to confron them head on.
