The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Normally we are used to reading the big RAA or ACC reports on irregularities and corruption and following those cases.
However, a closer look at the less glamorous RAA reports on various government agencies, Dzongkhags and projects really captures the level and extent of problem in our system.
From these reports, what is clear that is that there seems to be no agency where public servants are not trying to make a quick buck, either in outright corruption or engaging in fictional and shady TA/DA claims.
There also seems to be almost no project or activity where there is not some delay, some work not completed, overpayments and overall poor implementation.
For example, there are so many expensive water projects that do not carry water or even more expensive farm roads that are not useable most of the year.
The problem is not just the individual civil servants or projects, but the reports gave you a sense of a rotten culture of brazenness and lack of accountability going to the very core.
Every government that comes in is in a rush to send money for activities and they pat themselves on the back, but who really follows up to see what is the impact on the ground or the lack of it.
What is also apparent in the annual, agency and project audit reports is how the same issues and observations pop up again and again year after year or project after project showing that the agencies do not take course correction.
We Bhutanese think that our worst problem is mediocrity but in fact it is far worse. Our national problem present in our system is incompetence, lack of commitment, failure to learn from mistakes and a massive lack of accountability.
In that sense the Civil Service reforms inspired by His Majesty could not have come at a more critical time. The time to change is now or never.
Our intention creates our reality.
Wayne Dyer