Fooling fools

By Gururaja Budhya

The world is full of people. What kind of people? Humans. Humans are ´social animals´, says one of my old colleagues in India. Social animals like humans are always doing certain things - are not the types who are quiet and remain silent. So people are the social animals.

Another old colleague explains - Human beings always engaged in doing something. The question is for what? One is for living, the other is for satisfaction. There is another who said more - there are people who are engaged in making profits. Nothing is more important than making fast bucks for these. At any cost!

Here fits the bunch of people that run the ADB, raising profits for ADB, dancing the tune of ´poverty´. The people in there talk sweet language, project a rosy world, convince the rest of the world and fill profits at the cost of poor.

Here are some expressions that you get to hear from them often,

¨The development helps everyone, so we are funding projects¨

¨There has to be a sacrifice by a few - as many will benefit¨

¨Of course, poor want to pay for services¨

¨You cannot tell everything to people, better you do it and they will appreciate it¨

¨People must welcome that we are making available money for their development, they should not oppose¨

¨No one is asking information about the project in their language, so why waste time and energy¨

¨We are getting project from ADB, so we are obligated to give them reports in English. We cannot give information in local language¨

¨What will people do with information¨

¨We are learning from our experiences, we will do better next time -We are a learning institution¨

The people in ADB (and also our own governments) are happy to interact with bureaucrats (as they are also on deputation from other governments) and are happy to avoid people all the time. They are comfortable to talk in air conditioned rooms (all the time) and are scared to meet people in project locations (in open air).

Often they avoid a process that can explain people, make people understand, plan things in the speed that fits the people. Instead, total secrecy, non communication and avoidance is followed. They think things will be easily pushed through because of ´dynamics of project implementation´. The people are only told in the last minute, they oppose as they have not been part of decision-making.

What is the result?

The planning and implementation is delayed. These further results in delays and cost over runs, which the ADB will be happy to raise the loan amount. All at the cost of people.

This is because of ´no learning attitude´. So, what do you call people who ´fool´all the time, and in turn being ´fooled´- Fooling fools!!

I am sure you are all familiar with some of such responses like above.

Why don’t you share what you have been hearing? Let us hear more!!!