GOSS Expansive and Expensive Cabinet, Service Delivery or Political Accommodation?

[John Penn]

Southern Sudan is imitating the communist system of governance where
the family members by all it costs share their WEALTH equitably, or
even HIV/AIDS by conjugal extension. This is revealed in the formation
of the Cabinet Ministers in GoSS and almost all the State governments.
Our nation needs working hands and minds, especially fresh blood who
have just learned the current systems of governance and service
delivery. But the way this government is composed reflects to the lay
man's understanding some sort of lousiness. For instance, when I hear
the sound of a Ministry Without Portfolio, I just laugh at such a
political accommodation techniques as a Minister Without Portfolio”.
On seeing the list of the new GOSS Cabinet, I rushed to my dictionary
and looked up this new term 'Portfolio', and I got this; "ministerial
responsibilities: the post or responsibilities of a cabinet minister,
minister of state, or ambassador." Now, imagine a minister without
that one! My question is that: Does this Minister without Assignment
(portfolio) have a deputy (undersecretary), the DG, Extensor Directors
(of which basis) and things to achieve. In other words, can I apply
for a position of an office manager or an IT technician in this
ministry?

Not only that but I also saw on the same list a Ministry of Labour and
Public Service versus Ministry of Human Resource Development, Ministry
of Education against Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science &
Technology, Ministry of Investment against Ministry of Commerce and
Industry or Ministry of Finance & Economic Planning, Ministry of
Culture & Heritage besides Ministry of Youth, Sports & Recreation,
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the list continues, but my
wonder is why so? Compare the cost with our 50% national income, and
do not forget to add some independent commissions of the similar
characteristics e.g. Public Grievances Commission or Employees Justice
Chamber, etc. What disgusts me is the copying of the Arabic styles
(verbosity) by our Arab-hating Southerners.

For example, Ministry of Roads & Transport (Roads, Air, River, Railway
are subsets of the bigger term 'Transport'. This is seen in 'Water &
Irrigation', Information & Broadcasting, Education, Science, Research
& Technology, etc. And all that repetition, duplication and so on. It
makes the new world doubts our depth of political capacity and
linguistic competence.
I am not trying to offend someone, but just endeavouring to remind us
that the Khartoum goons (NCP) split up the same ministries in an
attempt to fool us in the power-sharing deal or it is out of their
internationally renowned English language weakness. Could we afford to
copy that? No, not when we have professors and doctors who teach
English and politics.

In conclusion, we do appreciate the fact that we have at least a
government, and a hot team teeming up with referendum anxiety. If this
multiplication and duplication of the public offices was done for the
purpose of mobilization for referendum, then be it, but if it was done
in order to appease the losers and have tribal representation, then
every clan will claim a ministerial post in the next government. Just
wait and see.
.
Dhieu Abraham
zium...@gmail.com

NB: The editor is hereby clarifying that Minister (not Ministry)
Without Portfolio is a position created to stand in for an acting
minister to any ministry whereby a minister might have gone for other
commitments such as leave of trip out of the country. This will avoid
the situation of one minister running two ministries at the same time,
which makes it inefficient. For more about the Minister Without
Portfolio, watch this space for our interview with Her Excellency, Dr.
Priscilla Nyanyang, the Minister Without Portfolio, in the August
issue of this magazine.