Opinion: Who is really the “Empty Suit”? Who might it be the Empty Suit in the Ministry of Health Care or KCCA? As the recent unfolded operations of maladministration in the public view… henceforth somebody who is just nodding to the Executive for the brown envelope.

McNULTY: “West Baltimore is dying and you empty suits are running around to pin some politician’s pelt to the wall. Thought you was real police, brother” (The Wire Season 2, Episode 13).

There is in this day and age lots of appointed government officials, they work supposed to be diligent and with honour of the codes of their work, not work directly for the ones that appointed them. That cannot always be easy as the station and the position would not been opened or given to the person if the appointee didn’t give that extended hand or blessing for the job. When you have that situation you need a strong state and strict regulatory regime that counter the possible backhand and kickbacks to the ones that appointed them.

Why do I discuss this at this point? Because it is a vital part of our government regimes and is a question that can be asked in nearly all parts of the globe. As all jobs in the branches of government does not automatically goes to the most educated, relied on or the one person who has the most integrity in the position. Instead the man or woman who gets appointed is an “empty suit”.

What some of them might do?

“What typically saves the empty suit is the tenuous relation between what he or she does and any actual business results. This may be a function of the job he’s in: a staff post, with lots of power to nix others’ initiatives but no responsibility to make or sell anything. Or a pocket of avoirdupois in a still-too-fat corporate bureaucracy, the kind of position that causes underlings to scratch their heads and wonder, ”Gee, do we really need all these vice presidents?” Or the empty suit may have come up through a system that rotates fast- trackers through a new job every 18 months, even though the effects of his tenure don’t become evident for two to three years. He hardly had time to get any grounding in the work his people do, and he may have royally screwed up the few decisions he was compelled to make, but when the chickens come home to roost, he has flown. If somebody has the bad taste to try to assign responsibility, the suit can easily fuzz the matter over by suggesting that the blame rests with his successor or former subordinates” (Kiechel, 1989).

There certainly similar like the ones described in our time in every department, every corporation and every single institution we know of. This might be the Electoral Commission of Uganda and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission of Kenya. As much as the regulatory chairs of the banking industry of Kenya must feel like empty suits these days as the confidence at that is low-key as well. The Chase Bank, The Imperial Bank and National Bank of Kenya have fallen from grace. The most likely selling of the Barclays Bank African Group might also make the fragile banking sector into more disarray as the leading regulators seems like the extra board-members instead of people who uses their position and chair with care and uses the mandate to make a difference and even square.

The situations are different when the appointed is not hired for their knowledge of their field, but the loyalty of the regime or government that is running in the country. The likes of Ministry of Health in Uganda for the moment where the hospitals are creaking and the machines are criss-crossing between life and death. Electricity and other cases of depleted. As the missing extra blood for surgery, the copy-medication and the loss of necessary equipment; that shows the lack of management and reasons for empty suits. The highest empty suit for the moment must be State Minister for Health Hon. Dr. Chris Baryomunsi who seems to be more concern with catching checks then doing his job at this point. This point comes with the correlation of Minster of Health Hon. Elioda Tumwesige and the State Minister for Primary Health Hon. Sarah Opendi Ochieng. One of the three must generate a valued pay-check and makes sure that the NMS delivers the Global Funded projects and the other government funded health care, but either Chris, Elioda or Sarah, one of them or more must be a hired “empty suit” as the three of them are put into ministerial position working for initially the same thing.

It is just like the same mess with the KCCA where you have KCCA Executive Director of Jennifer Musisi. You have Frank Tumbewaze who is both Minister of the Presidency and Kampala Affairs. Then you have the third person who got a mandate the Presidential Advisor for Kampala affairs Mr. Singh Katongole what he does is surely only him and the Executive of Uganda who knows, since his appointment in December 2015 his silence must mean a envelope and letting Hon. Tumbewaze and Hon. Musisi does what they like. To make it more hectic you have the actual people’s elected through the ballot who supposed to run the Kampala Capital City Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago. So you have hon. Musisi, Hon. Tumbewazi, Hon. Katongole and Lord Mayor Lukwago. All of them are supposed to central people in the running of administration and regulate the divisions of Kampala politically and create policies that builds and secure the functions of KCCA. That must be hectic one of these men and woman must be a empty suit. Unless Hon. Katongole who I haven’t heard a word from since appointment is an ear-to-the ground and talking or addressing letters directly to the Executive or Head of State as his role has still not been served. As the accountability of the NRM-Regime is not strong they prefer keeping people in the dark.  Hon. Tumbewaze seems more to be the ones who was appointed to turn opposition Lord Mayor on his knees and therefore also gotten a permanent Executive Director in Musisi to shut down the elected person. But the end-game is that one of them must be an “Empty Suit” as the basic needs cannot be that big, and one of them is catching the brown envelopes without doing anything.

There are certainly more empty suits in the system as I started with the appointed men who is not educated for the position, but are there for the loyalty not because of the office is needed or there for a general purpose. That is the same as extra board-members in a corporation who is hired to vote for the general consensus in the board, but not to generate profits in some sense. They are there because the Corporation and LLC need useful idiots to be paid to follow the remarks of the stakeholders and shareholders, not the common-sense of their position.

We can all question the value of these leaders and honourable men-or-woman in a representative or appointed position by the President for instance. The level of credible men and woman and the need for expertise in the government organisations, into the department and the civic care from the road-development to the health care facilities need men and woman who knows the trade. As long the men does what is needed for the President or for the Stakeholders. The ones that lose are the ordinary person, employee or civil servants as they will either work under them or have to pay them tax-money to keep them. As they have to be paid an envelope to be the empty-dress. The person who is an empty dress doesn’t become that for free. Somebody has to be charge to keep him there. Most likely it is me or you. We can just ask ourselves. Who of the appointed leaders in government is an empty suit? Who in the corporate world are the extras?

Lastly, why does the Minister Without Portfolio. Hon. Abraham Byandala gets away and is not questioned by the opposition or anybody else. Why is this man the free-man the invisible creature in the parliament that does not have scruples? This since this position is the epitome of a Empty Suit. He is a MINISTER, but does not have an OFFICE, Department or a MINISTRY to run. Hon. Byandala can do as he pleases and still get paid. You cannot check his ministry or running government portfolio as it is non-existence from the get-go. The Government Official without any oversight and anything to initial control or say in other words the official Minister of Nothing (MoN). Hon. Byandala is running the Ministry of Nothing. The Minister of Hot-Air and the checking the chapattis’ in parliament is fresh enough for Hon. Oulanyah’s taste.

Well, what do you think? Are the somebody you feels are an Empty suit? Somebody you question or wonder if really have anything more than pay-check from the Tax-Payers money, but does not use it’s office or even delivers anything. Then that person might be an empty suit who just nods the head to the Executive and the general leadership without exercising power or determine the future of the government institution, department or ministry. Even if the person is really doing anything in the boardroom or a needed voter for the stakeholders; if it is only the needed majority to follow procedure then the scheme need a check or reform.

There will certainly be more stories and the existence of similar men and woman who can be described as “Empty Suits” and be stooges needed by any administration and corporations as they viciously need structure to control the citizens and the policies without questions from the inner-circle. Even if that means not procurement of needed medicines, fuel, transformers or building bridges to easier access the missing Okor Bridge in Kumi District: “This project was intended to connect Nyero and Mukongoro sub-counties in Kumi district” (MoFED, March 2015). A bridge that does not exist or is built by now so the sub-counties is not yet connect because of the altered situation and have to run long roads around the area than crossing straight over the river. So a project like this says there some empty suits as in 2009 as company was hired to build the river, by December 2012 the works by the river had stopped. Even if the departments to UNRA gave reports of progress of the project was last monitored in 2014 and by 2016 there not been done more to build the bridge since the monopoly of the Chinese Contractor have stifled the progression and in the end wasted government funds into a building a bridge who does not exist. Just like the Ministry of Nothing Hon. Byandala.

Think that is enough for today! Peace.

Reference:

Kiechel, Walter – ‘HOW TO SPOT AN EMPTY SUIT This breed of modern manager looks good and gets along splendidly with the brass. But is he contributing anything?’ (20.11.1989) link: http://archive.fortune.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1989/11/20/72761/index.htm

Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development – ‘NATIONAL BUDGET FRAMEWORK PAPER FY 2015/16’ (March 2015).

How Marlo Stanfield from “The Wire” is Giving Back (Youtube-Clip)

“Jamie Hector, most famous for his role as Marlo Stanfield in HBO’s ‘The Wire,” talks candidly with Fusion’s Collier Meyerson about how theater changed his life and how his work on ‘The Wire’ inspired him to help change the lives of kids in his community” (Fusion, 2016).

#DearNextPresident: Gbenga Akinnagbe wants money out of politics

It’s an interesting and noble idea! What do you think? Peace!

Motsvar fra en som stemmer på ett Mikke Mus parti – Å ønsker at partiet hans gjør litt ‘Mickey Mousing’

I disse dager leser jeg og leser jeg enda mer om hvordan Venstre (V) og Kristlig Folkeparti (KrF) er Mikke Mus parti. Små dritt partier som bare ødelegger for Fremskrittspartiet (FrP) og Høyre (H).

Når jeg leser at Venstre herjer så lurer jeg på hva Tybring-Gjedde forventet av demokratiet vårt (Nettavisen, 2015). Har han glemt hvordan han gikk til angrep på Arbeiderpartiet og samarbeidspartnere Sosialistisk Venstreparti(SV) og Senterpartiet (SP). Der måtte innimellom AP godta økende bondeoppgjør og lokalpolitisk ideer fra Senterpartiet, å andre viktige kampsaker for SV.

Så når velgerne er nå sinte og frustrerte over Venstre og KrF så burde de klare ved neste valg å få flere representanter og kanskje flertall uten støtteparti. De trenger 84,5 representanter. For å ha 50% av stemmene og dette ville være totale på 169 representanter som velges ved valget til Stortinget.

Høyre har etter forrige valg: 48 representanter.

Fremskrittspartiet har etter forrige valg: 29 representanter.

Dette er tilsammen: 77 representanter.

Venstre har: 9 representanter.

Kristligfolkeparti: 10 representanter.

Totalt blir dette 19 representanter.

Noe som blir 77 for dagens regjering.

Støttepartiene er 19 idag.

Dette blir 96 representanter, noe som gir klart flertall noe en regjering trenger.

Så jeg blir provosert når jeg som en Mikke Muser blir kalt for ett dritt parti. Litt ønsker jeg at mine forbundsfeller gir misttillit til den mest udugelige ministeren siden Victor Norman(Høyre), husker dere han? Ja, jeg snakker om Anundsen(FrP) som ikke skammer seg over å bryte avtaler og holde tett. Som spiller egne spill og spiller konge på haugen. Ikke noe slags medmenneske en gang slik som Storberget (AP) i samme posisjon. Greit at Kristin Halvorsen(SV) var en forferdelig minister under forrige regjering, men ingenting mot Anundsen som står i full storm å klager på alle under en, enn å seg selv litt i speilet.

Men jeg er blitt godt skolert. Du skal elske dine fiender. Vise det andre kinnet til. Hvis fienden skyter og du skyter. Hvem er egentlig den gode? Å hvem er den onde? For den som blir truffet av streifskuddet har det ingenting å si. Du blir skutt av ei kule og skadet. I en slik sammenheng er det egentlig det samme hvem som skjøt!

Så hva er min ide. Istedenfor å felle denne regjeringen. Noe som egentlig støttepartiene har mulighet til. Støttepartiene kan løse dette på bedre måter enn det. For å lære noe til disse nye ved makten og vise hva en kan gjøre.

Det har seg slik at et handler ikke om hvordan kort man har på hånden, men hvordan man spiller dem.

Bondevik II regjeringen:

“Mindretallsregjeringers behov for å søke støtte hos andre på Stortinget kan gi mer langsiktighet? Det er en utradisjonell tanke. Maktutredningen (1998-2003) pekte på det stikk motsatte:

«Mindretallsparlamentarismen styrker Stortingets muligheter til å overstyre regjeringen og underminerer regjeringens evne til å sørge for langsiktig stabilitet i politikken. Den fører til at Stortinget griper inn med større tyngde i selve den utøvende makt»” (Kommunal-rapport 2014).

Derfor istedenfor å gjøre som KrF og Venstre har lovet i avtalen. Siden FrPs sine ministere ikke vil følge avtaler og regjerer på egenhånd. Bør Venstre og KrF la alle saker i perioder gå direkte inn til Stortinget og søker om ekstra støtte, uten å vite om støttepartiene vil godta lovene eller reformene, kamp-sakene eller saksgangen til regjeringen. For å la dem kjempe om gunst å jobbe på egenhånd. Uten støtte. La dem seile alene med sitt mindretall.

Siden vi er jo en del av Mikke Mus partier som ikke har regjert siden Jan Pettersen, Bondevik og Sponheim hadde makt med støtte fra FrPs Carl I. Hagen. Nå lærer FrP kanskje en lekse. De kan ikke leke med makt. Det lærte også Jens Stoltenberg nektet kongen å dele ut krigskorset i 2011. Da tok han for mye makt å lekte presidental regent og ikke statminister som regjerer i kongen i statsråd. Som vi skal være stolt over.

Dette bør FrP spesielt innse og også alle internett trollene på Nettavisen, VG og Dagbladet som karakterisere Venstre og KrF som malplasserte mini-partier som bør gå til helvete for å gjør livet vanskelig for FrP og Høyre. For sannheten er enkel. Vensre og Kristligfolkeparti kan om de vil. Gjøre livet deres enda mer vanskelig. De kan brenne broene og la FrP og Høyre bygge en ny bro over eleven Kwai.

Så om Venstre og Kristligefolkeparti er smarte. Så kan de torpedere regjeringen. Ikke gi mistillit til Anundsen uansett hvor ubegripelig lite flink han er og hvor lite skjønn han klarer å vise. Hvis dette hadde vært en avis-artikkel så hadde sikkert kastet denne også inn i flammene, fordi han er så sykt forståelse full om andres meninger.

Mikke Mus partiene kan om de vel. La ting gå sakte, få regjeringen til å oppleve at deres reformer og lovendringer ikke blir gjennomført. Sakke ned farten på arbeidet. Ikke at jeg ønsker regjeringskrise eller få Arbeiderpartiet sine 55 representanter sammen med SV sine 7 representanter og 10 representanter fra Senterpartiet. Som med sine 72 representanter ikke har nok til å kunne ha flertall heller.

Jeg har skrevet nok nå til disse trollene som har irritert med i dagesvis. Som en mann som hører til ett såkalt Mikke Mus parti la meg si dette til slutt: Mickey Mousing var betegnelsen i begynnelsen på sammenhengen mellom lyd og bilde – slik som de første tegne filmene til Walt Disney – der musikken vil reagerer til handlingen i selve klippet.

På tide at Erna Solbergs samarbeidsregjeringen mellom Høyre og Fremskrittspartiet, får smake sin egen medisin når man ikke følger spillereglene. Å klager på støttepartiene! Så bør de kanskje få en smekk. Selv om en er blitt lært å behandle og ta det andre kinnet til. Men kanskje vise disse trollene og lære dem hva ubetydelig i politisk sammenheng betyr for noe. Å være ett møkkaparti og jeg vil at de skal gjøre litt Mickey Mousing. Så mens regjeringspartiene spiller opp musikken. Da kan de endelig oppleve ingen handling fra sine støttepartier. Siden de er jo tross alt bare Mikke Mus partier.

Regner ikke med at mange vil like dette og like mange vil hate dette. For å si det slik: jeg har ikke likt hvordan det partiet jeg har stemt på hele mitt liv er blitt karakterisert. Jeg har ikke kanalisert hva jeg tenker om FrP og deres menneskesyn: det eneste jeg vil si nå på slutten. At jeg synes FrPs menneskesyn er forkastelig. Enn så lenge kan støttepartiene gjøre at Kongeriket Norge har Høyre og Fremskrittspartiet i regjering.

Får se hva de folkevalgte vil gjøre som representanter for folket. Hadde vært gøy om virkelig støttepartiene hadde gjort det enda vanskeligere for regjeringen. Slik at de ikke bare må forklare seg i ekstra høring, men må legge alt ut for høring og bli nedstemt. Det ville vært briljant! Ønsker dere alle troll ute på Nettavisen, Dagbladet og VG. Som bør ha større forståelse for Venstre og Kristeligfolkeparti, ikke kalle dem nedlatende for å bruke sin mulighet til å spille spillet. The Wires Omar Little sa «It’s all in the game» og det stemmer i denne sammenhengen. Så la oss kaste terningen, sende torpedoen og gi regjeringen litt mer arbeid. Slik at ministre ikke er like hoven og arrogant som Anundsen. Peace.

Lenker:

Kommunal Rapport: http://kommunal-rapport.no/blogg/mindretallet_styrer_best

Nettavisen: http://www.nettavisen.no/nyheter/tybring-gjedde—regjeringen-gar-av-hvis-venstre-fortsetter-a-herje/8539868.html

Corruption ahead…

I am back at telling tales from the last week. That involves corruption or allegetion of it. Some will be big news. Other will be quotes from people who knows their dirt. And for those who follow these people. Will have a little laughter today. But this all is all part of giving a little enlightenment on a subject which should be taken serious everywhere. Because if we believe trading and sharing goods in a certain way, then it has to be done right. So all the actors and benefiters from lowest level to highest part of the hierarchy. Should get their shares of the spoils and gains of a product that have been sold. Not just the mid-level or the ones that are giving opportunities to exploit the market. Like civil servants, corporate officials or daughters of presidents. Either I am sidelined by my ideals or completely wrong, but that is up to you! So here we go…

2 Cents on FIFA:  

The recent week we have read about the FIFA and Sepp Blatter. How they have made a fantastic fairytale report of the bids for 2018 and 2022 Football World Cup competition. That both Russia and Qatar won. Everybody knows by now the legitimacy of the international governing football body. FBI has even started to investigate the governing body to look into it. I will not talk about that today, other corruption cases that need a tiny view and perspective to prove that there other crooks out there… or people trying to earn legal tender on a pursuit to happiness without a real cost. And then get the fed some extra bucks for doing so.

Telenor in a Uzbekistan business issues:  

Telenor the Norwegian state-owned telecom company under fire again. Økokrim the Norwegian Special Police Unit on Economic Crimes has already had the director Baksaas in for questioning. This corruption issue is because of the deal between Vimpelcom and Telenor in Uzbekistan. Also the Council leader Svein Aaser and Commerce Minister Mæland has only been questioned by the Special Police Unit on Economic Crimes (Tv2.no, 2014).

 VS

The Real Baltimore:

This isn’t HBO’s ‘The Wire’. No Avon or Stanfield, but instead the gangster named Tavon White leader of the Black Guerrilla Family (BGF). White has made a plea deal where shaved off a few years on his time in the correction facility at Baltimore City Detention Center. Mr. White could tell stories where they got charged with racketeering. The number of defendants is 8 people – 5 of them correction officers and also a kitchen worker. And it was a wiretap that could also tell the stories for Mr White. Defense attorney could also tell that the administration of the correction facility was corrupted and therefore looked to the blind side of the business lead by inmates. Tavon White is the living Avon Barksdale (Fenton, 2014).

Romania:

The Chief Prosecutor Alina Bica has been taken into custody by anti-corruption agents. “The case is part of an investigation that so far extends to two of Bica’s former colleagues as well as at least one businessman and an ethnic Hungarian MP”. So this is just so wonderful the head that is heading the business of cracking the illegal business down. Is she into custody and has to answer for corruption… (Euronews, 2014) Wonderful world!

Uganda’s President Museveni talks:

“Corruption and maladministration are inconsistent with the rule of law for which we fought and the fundamental values of our constitution.  They undermine the constitutional commitment to human dignity, achievement of equality and the advancement of human right and freedoms. If corruption is allowed to go unchecked and unpunished, it will pose a serious threat to our country” (…)”Having independent offices will save auditors from sitting with people they audit every day, which risks compromising auditors and luring them into corruption” (…)”It is pleasing to note that Uganda is one of the few countries in Africa and the world which has fully complied with the UN resolution. This is not an accident, but our deliberate commitment to support institutions responsible for ensuring a corrupt free county” (Baguma, 2014).

In Ghana another story is happening:

Elizabeth Ohene the former Minister of State was attending a Occupy Corruption event at Christ the King Hall in Accra. She was saying at the event: “It seems to me that stealing is for little people, small people, and corruption is for the big people” (…)”When they say you’re corrupt, you’re invited to be chairman of the church harvest and when they say you’re a thief, you go to jail” (…)”Let’s call a spade a spade” (Ghanaweb, 2014).

Well, if those stories, events and quotes don’t give you a peace of mind or make your mind wonder where we going in this world. I don’t know. Telenor has a history of involving themselves into corrupted behavior so that they get a quick earned buck in a new market. FIFA has gotten the world running wild. So I will not at this moment address them. Avon Barksdale made a plea deal, sorry, my bad, Tavon White has told through a wiretap and also plea deal that he actually could lead 8 people in and also proves corruption at a Baltimore detention center. Museveni talks crap today – we all know the stories and recently are with the Oil industry and also the road building to Katosi Road Saga. Elizabeth Ohene tell us that in Ghana there is a difference between small peoples crimes and big peoples corruption. Mrs Ohene I can tell, its world wide, it’s just more obvious some places.

Peace!

Links:

Baguma, Raymond – ‘’Unpunished corruption a threat to the country’’ (21.11.2014) New Vision Uganda, Link: http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/662081–unpunished-corruption-a-threat-to-the-country.html

 

Euronews – ‘Irony as organised crime prosecutor arrested for corruption in Romania’ (21.11.2014) Link: http://www.euronews.com/2014/11/21/romania-organised-crime-prosecutor-arrested-for-corruption/

 

Fenton, Justin – ‘BGF leader at city jail to testify for government at corruption trial’ (19.11.2014), Baltimore Sun

Link: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/blog/bs-md-ci-bgf-trial-opening-statements-20141119-story.html#page=1

 

GhanaWeb – ‘No difference between corruption and thievery – Elizabeth Ohene’ (21.11.2014) Link: http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=335903

 

TV2.no/NTB – ‘Telenor-sjefen: – Vi har nulltoleranse mot korrupsjon’ (19.11.2014) Link: http://www.tv2.no/a/6252338

Streaming tjeneste fra HBO etc.

Nå som Viaplay, TV2 Sumo og alle de andre Norske kanalene har kastet seg på lasset med sine streamingtjenester. Det var vel på tide med en internasjonal aktør, en respektabel så dan. Alle Nordmenn(nesten alle) har sett eller liker en HBO serie. Fra The Wire, Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire eller Game of Thrones. Så er det noen som liker en av disse seriene. Fra i høst av eller kanskje oktober kommer HBO Nordic AB, de som SF Norge AB kommer til å ha en streaming tjeneste i Norge. Den komemr til å ligge på rundt 150 kr måneden eller kanskje mindre. For å se serier når det passer, så lenge du har internett i nærheten og fast sum penger å betale HBO. Vil du gå vekk fra NRK nett-tv og Tv2 Sumo, hvor du også får fotball, eller vil du se sikker kvalitetstv?

Det jeg lurer på, er ikke markedet mettet allerede eller trenger Norge HBO GO! ? Eller er det bare jeg som er gammeldags og ikke eier RIKsTV som er old-school. Å tenker at denne streaming tjenesten er litt over kanten. TV skal ikke det være på TV, ikke på PC’n på soverommet og alle andre plasser. Men så har internett kommet over alt også, i og med halve verden eier Ipad og Smart Phones med tilgang til nett. Slik som også jeg eier. En gammel Huawei som gir meg nyheter og Facebook. Så det er ikke slik at jeg er helt utkoblet og ikke liker teknologi. Sitter til tider halve dagen foran Playstation3 og spiller Fifa. Det jeg lurer på er om nordmenn trenger vel en streaming tjeneste til for å få nok tv-serier på fjortisrommene rundt omkring. Ryktes også at Canal + skifter navn til noe fancy greier. Noe som høres ut som ett dårlig Nintendo Spill. Hvis du husker det. Skriv det til meg som en kommentar. I mellomtiden så får jeg se på Boardwalk Empire på Playstation3 hjemme. Å fundere på om jeg noen gang kommer til å legge ut fast pris på Spotify, HBO Go eller annen streamingtjeneste. Noe jeg tviler. Inntil noen virkelig får meg overbevist! Inntil da, god helg.