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Fix bureaucracy to stifle corruption

Published:Tuesday | May 15, 2018 | 12:00 AM

THE EDITOR, Sir:

I would like to add my two cents to Martin Henry's outstanding article 'Bureaucracy and growth' (Sunday Gleaner, May 13, 2018).

I worked most of my life in the private sector (here and the US). I also did a stint in the public sector here. The bottom line is, we have too many silos and a legacy environment/system that worked many decades ago, but which has outlived its usefulness.

We have too many legacy policies, procedures, legislation, people (not prepared/trained for the so-called transformation), tools and information technology systems. We have introduced some information technologies (IT) and have not enhanced the legacy business models, policies, procedures and the skills of the people.

We have to fix the business models, policies and procedures, develop the people and then apply IT. The benefits expected from these IT systems have not been, and may never be, achieved.

What we have is a very complex public-sector system. With complexity, there are numerous opportunities for corruption.There is a very simple formula that I have been using. It is COMPLEXITY = CORRUPTION. Until we fix the complexity in the public sector, we will be saddled with corruption.

There are people who want this complexity to exist. They are making a lot of money at poor people's expense. Keep up the great job.

HERMAN ATHIAS

yardbiz@gmail.com