The government makes great efforts to benefit from civil servants and use their skills in the best possible way in the light of plans that are in line with Qatar National Vision 2030. One of these plans is to offer these employees ambitious job opportunities. This, in turn, will help them contribute to implementing the comprehensive development plans adopted by our country in all fields.
These plans, however, face some obstacles that hinder the realisation of this development. One of these obstacles is that facing Qatari civil servants who are exposed to pressures that affect their performance negatively. These pressures are being put on them under the excuse that Qatari civil servants do not want to improve, do not abide with work regulations or working hours, or do not do their jobs as required.
The notable fact, however, is that these pressures are being put in front of their Qatari bosses. Sometimes the situation gets worse for employees in ways that force them to seek early retirement or resign in a humiliating manner. The increase in the number of advisors in state institutions and ministries has become phenomenal in our country. This bulge finds its fodder in the arrogance of some officials and bosses. The advisors had once been outstanding managers.
But the fact is that officials who were stripped of their professional integrity have fanned this trend, not knowing that by giving former managers advisory jobs they are ignoring the capacities of other Qatari nationals under the excuse that the former managers are part of the old guard.
Unfortunately, we have begun to suffer from the growing number of unwelcome advisers, although these advisers may be graduates of prestigious international universities with a lot of experience, and may outperform their bosses.
I hope some reformist measures are taken in order to curb this phenomenon. Those who discourage national competencies should be dealt with firmly so that they realise that there are people willing to extend their hand to help hard-working and diligent Qataris who want to serve their country.
In my view, the problem will get worse if we do not find a way to deal with people who discourage national talent. In addition, we will suffer in the future from the accumulation of a “discouraged” national workforce. Then we can have a ministry for discouraged Qatari workers! This will not be surprising then.
I say to every government official who contributes to putting stumbling blocks in the way of Qatari employees: “You should feel afraid of God. You should realise that your job will not last forever, because the only thing that lasts is how people remember you and your actions. So, try to be the person who gets praise behind his back. If the exact opposite happens, there will be no consolation for this person.
