And Now We Want Good Government Officers

We all want good government officer. One who is honest, works sincerely and willing to sacrifice for the people without bothering much about his or her family or relatives. But what we generally makes out of a government officer often go like this; church building construction- donation from government officers, church fundraise or lottery sell or calendar sell- donation from government officers, church jubilee celebration- donation from government officers, church’s ministry financial crisis- donation from government officers, missionary sponsorship- donation from government officers, student union fundraise- donation from government officers, various village unions fundraise- donation from government officers, any sports event or any social or cultural event in a village or a town or sometimes even in thick jungle- donation from government officers, a beauty pageant contest anywhere in Nagaland- donors ticket for government officers, a buffet or a thanksgiving sell, free health camp or a revival or a youth camp- again donation from government officers, Naga national workers from A to Z groups financial problem- donation from government officers, NGOs or small self help groups work or program-donation from government officers, chief guest or guest of honour at any event- again government officers will be invited and expected to donate prize money, natural calamities- donation from government officers. From student union meetings to jubilee celebrations, from pity tithes to luxurious church guest house construction, from overground to underground, be it women or children or student, everything from top to bottom, in this small place called Nagaland the government officers gives out or are expected to give out the lion share. What does a government officer gets in return? If he or she is honest, upright and sincere in work- a transfer to a remote place as reward where their services cannot be optimally used. In some cases a government officer gets transferred even three to four times in a year when their kids are in school or give them an uncultured officer tag or a demotion after labeling unfounded charges against them for exercising their due rights for the welfare of the people. And then after all this, we the people want good government officers while we are busy running around for a backdoor appointment for our near and dear ones proudly protruding our chest for what they have done in previous election. Most preachers preaches and so does most leaders on how to serve in government jobs as a good public servant with both their hands stretching out far and wide for a coercive donation for their varied fantasies. Yes people, demand for a good and upright officer, scream out loud and cry, pray and fast. What’s wrong in it? Let us keep asking, demanding and complaining but let us not change our ways, have our hearts as crooked as it can possibly get. If incase we get good officers lets burden them to corruption. If the officers don’t bend to our tone then let him or her be made to pay the price with his own blood and flesh. God is watching from above. The corners and the roads we take, at the end, be it a minister or a government officer, we the people gets what we deserves. What we want and what we do seem to be as opposite as north and south poles. Our lips and hands seem to be far away from each other as east and west. Our expectations and what we actually deserve are as high and low as heaven and earth; they never meets. Hence the proof- government schools don’t perform well, our files don’t move up fast and often get rejected because of clerical error, police can’t perform to its full potential, government hospitals don’t perform up to the mark, roads and bridges are pathetic, water supplies, electricity, transport and communication are crippling, salaries are not paid on time, government aids do not reach the rightful people and most of all we produce spineless youngsters. Ultimately, who is paying the price? Ain’t we got what we deserve?

 Dr. Tialiba Longkumer