Solving problems with government officials

N.N, 1996

In most government offices in this country, the business is to apply for some kind of document. To get it, you usually need photocopies of ID, an application letter from your sponsor, a form, and photocopies or originals of relevant documents.

How government offices work

Leadership is basically personal rather than according to written laws and guidelines. As laws do not normally cover all possible eventualities, officials normally have a great deal of discretionary power. In effect this means that they can determine when and how laws and official rulings will be put into practice; this includes the right to make their own rules, interpret the law, and make exceptions. Laws are often treated as ideals or guidelines rather than incontrovertible imperatives.

The arrangement of power is very hierarchical. Underlings are very concerned to show respect to superiors and to avoid their reprimands. Consequently, many take steps to cover themselves by making up extra "rules" or asking extra requirements. Discretionary power is also spread out so that underlings have small amounts according to their area of responsibility, and the Head has more, for the whole section or office. It follows that powerful people and office insiders have a fast-track on getting business done, and that money can speed up processes.

The government comprises a great number of different departments, each of which is accountable to a minister through its own bureaucracy and each of which has its own area of authority. Departments tend to compete with each other for power, so there are sometimes winners and losers.

Preventing problems

Before discussing problem-solving strategies, you need to know a little about how to prevent problems:

  1. Procedures change often, so get advice from people who have done business in that particular office and have done that kind of thing before. Sometimes there are perfectly legitimate fast-track ways of doing things, and there are often people and offices to avoid or who require extra caution.
  2. If you have exactly the right papers to hand in, they will tend to think that you know how to do the business and will be less likely to ask difficult questions. Having extra photocopies of relevant documents can solve simple problems very quickly-it can save you going to a photocopy shop and getting more photocopies, which can delay your business by a working day.
  3. Keep a photocopy of everything you can.
  4. Be careful not to ask for more than you need or they can really give; they tend to say no to be on the safe side.
  5. Beware of government officials whom you don't know personally who try to arrange with you to do the business at your home or his. Although they can be fairly ruthless is asking for money in the office, chances are that they will be worse outside.
  6. Be polite and patient. "The most polite and patient person wins the argument."

Kinds of problems

A "problem" can be either:

The normal way to resolve a problem, other than by simply paying money, is to explain yourself clearly, simply and non-confrontationally in a way that shows you were not wrong. Respect, mixed with as much friendliness as the situation allows, will resolve the difficulty.

Approach the topic slowly; first create an amenable atmosphere. Be friendly, polite and patient even if the official is grumpy. These attitudes will stand you in good stead in "interviews" that are set up primarily as opportunities for you to offer money. If you both have time and will work with the official often, get to know him a little by asking inoffensive questions. Avoid confrontation at all costs. Put off difficult topics until it feels right. If you can, delay discussions if you sense an approaching confrontation.

Ask advice; you are usually the inferior in the relationship. You may explain and request, but you should not demand rights, which would be confrontational. People sometimes get what they want by creating a fuss, but they can get long-term enemies who will make their business difficult in future.

Locals interpret problems in offices as difficult personalities to be got around rather than as procedural problems based on factual information. Individual officials have different personalities and will treat you differently. Find out who is friendly and helpful, but beware of backstabbing; some will be nice to your face but unhelpful behind your back. A few are just plain grumpy, dishonest, or greedy, but a few will go an extra mile to give good service.

Most government letters signify individual decisions, and this is what you need. They seldom explain general policy or procedures, and when they do, the officials that implement them (and other competing government offices) often add extra requirements. You will not get letters explaining policy or procedures, but most officials are willing to give those explanations orally. Of course, some officials don't really know the procedures, so they usually require lots of extra requisites (letters, photocopies, etc.) to save face.

You need to understand what letters for government business say and mean. Having the correct thing written on your letter can save a lot of bother on your part. In many cases, what legally happens is not the same as what actually happens. In this case, the legal version is usually the most useful and you can back up anything with photocopies of letters. For example, you can help a few friends with their English, but that does not mean you have legally become an English teacher before the government. Sometimes you might get an envelope of money as a thank you gift or to cover your transport costs. Do not consider it a wage.

Be willing to wait or to come back when they ask. It is seldom necessary to wait all day; you can ask the underling at the desk if you can came back tomorrow, or some other day. They will often ask you to wait when they know that there is no chance that you can meet the official that day; it is their way of saving face by refusing you. But it is quite acceptable to ask if the official is in and whether he will be available. A few officials will use the "Please wait" or "Come back tomorrow." methods of pressuring you for money under the table. In a few cases it can mean that they don't want to give you what you want, and are trying to save face. If you can meet them, they might be embarrassed but will probably explain.

Do not compare government services to those of your home country, as this would appear to criticize the local public service and advertise your ignorance of how things are done here.

See both sides of the issue; our locals are quite relativistic. It can be helpful to re-interpret the situation from another perspective, or introduce other relevant factors that influence the case.

Use your personal knowledge of the case. Having photocopies of the relevant letters can help greatly even though they are easy to falsify. You can also mention the verbal explanations of other officials "But Mr. S. said ... " (If you cheat, you'll probably have to pay a lot of money or that office will blacklist you either officially or unofficially.)

You can legitimately and honestly play departments off against each other. They will do it to you, usually to your disadvantage. Each office seldom knows more about the procedures of other offices than people who do regular business with them. For example, one office required a letter from another office that was not normally issued. In its place, I used a similar letter issued by that office. Sometimes you will need to explain the finer points of other departments.

If all else fails, the head of the office or section will act as the problem solver. The underlings only do what's safe so they won't get into trouble with him. This sometimes makes them overly cautious. The head has very considerable discretionary power in his jurisdiction to grant exceptions or make rulings on individual cases. Be sure not to offend the official you normally deal with by going over his head. It is usually best to give an acceptable reason and ask if it is okay with him.

Be aware of the jurisdiction of the office with which you are dealing. You should know what they can and cannot do, so that you only ask for what they can do. For example, someone who had overstayed their departure and could not possibly get a visa extension was able to get a "delay of departure". Another example, one group received visa extensions to which they weren't legally entitled. When the central government inspected the books, they all lost their visas. One group could have received permits very easily, but didn't know what prerequisites were necessary; they failed because they didn't know that the office couldn't possibly give them what they wanted.

Offices tend to collect far more information and documentation than they need, simply to form a basis for issuing their letter. Their main concern is to be able to show that they were justified in producing the letter. You can assume that officials can't be bothered reading anything but the essentials, and they seldom need to do so anyway. However, if there is a complaint lodged against you, they will go through it all in detail to find fault. In many cases, they will ask you in to try to trap you with questions. One person called in for questioning answered their questions wisely but honestly, but did not sign any statement without his sponsor present and approving. He used the excuse that his language wasn't good enough to be sure that it was correct.

Officials tend to prefer simple answers. To say that something is in process (if that is true) will often help when a letter is required. Officials know that it takes a long time for letters to be issued. You can say that something is in process if there is no substantial problem and the application has not been refused.