A model of inefficiency
11.05.2003When the concept of bureaucracy was invented, centuries ago, in India, it was the model of efficiency. Government tasks were organized & differentiated. Each task was categorized along a hierarchy of offices and secretaries. Each person had a specific task to do, in an quick & efficient manner.
That in no way describes the work that goes on in the Bolivian Ministry of Immigration.
I've spent several afternoons in the past month, hoping to find my passport and temporary residency visa. This should be a quick process; my visa's being processed through a special convention between the US & Bolivian governments for Fulbright scholars. And yet. No one seems to know where any of my paperwork is.
Let me explain how Immigration works, from my observation: I handed my passport and a host of other paperwork to a clerk, who filed everything very nicely in a folder (for which I had to pay, of course). From there, it went to the Directorate for a signature. It should be ready in 48 hours. Well, it's now been over a month. I arrive at least once a week (usually twice) when Immigration opens. I have a photocopy of the introductory letter (written by the US embassy) stamp & dated 3 Oct 2003. And I sit around and wait to go home empty handed.
Immigration only opens from 3:30 to 4:30pm. Yep, one hour. Few workers show up on time; most leave several minutes early. So Immigration really only works for about 40 minutes a day (of course, most workers spend that time chatting or playing w/ their cell phones). In that time, I stand in lines w/ my now-worn letter waiting for someone to look it over, then ask my name, then either make me wait directly, or send me on my merry way to another person.
Today, I stood waiting in front of secretary for a half hour while she talked to her husband/boyfriend on the phone. Then I was told the Director was in a meeting. Which, of course, lasted until 4:30. Said director was kind enough to speak w/ me for a minute after her meeting, then told me she passed my documents along to yet another director for "the final signature." Of course, he's not in right now. Could I come back tomorrow?
I never know whether to take these people seriously or not. Some of them, talk to me for a while, then search for the records in their notebooks (every desk has a computer, which seems to have no actual work purpose). Then I'm told they can't find any record of my documents. Meanwhile, I see stacks of Immigration folders scattered on shelves, on desks, on the floor. No organization. They're neither in alphabetical nor chronological order.
Sometimes, w/ only a brief glance, I'm told instantly that my documents have just been passed along ("by me personally") to some other desk. Huh. As if they knew exactly who I was and remembered just my packet of documents. Now that's customer service!
So I guess I'll go back tomorrow to see if this phantom "director" is in or if anyone can locate my documents. Meanwhile, I've only my driver's license as ID. Of course, no one here understands what that is. In a centralized country, the idea that each state would give out its own ID is completely foreign to most low-level bureaucrats, who skeptically & reluctantly receive my Michigan ID.
In the end? I've resigned myself to the fact that my passport's lost or stolen. If it shows up again, it'll be a miracle. But I'm assuming it's stolen, and taking steps in the next few days to operate under that very principle. Call it Plan B.
Posted by Miguel at 11:39 AM
Comments
Wow, bro that sucks. Did you at least get a certified copy from the embassy? You need a friend in a high place...
Posted by: Andres at November 5, 2003 07:43 PM
Its stolen for sure.
what is this about a coffee shop?
dan
Posted by: dan at November 5, 2003 08:13 PM
Do you know anyone or friends of somebody in "high places"? Either that, and/or the promise of cash will speed things along.
Posted by: Steph at November 5, 2003 11:19 PM
start the demands.
there's a place for diplomacy and politeness, but I think you've reach your limits with those ideas.
these folks obviously do not come from the school of customer service...
so...
are there armed or security guards around?
are any of the people in the office threatening looking?
if not, pick up something heavy and menacing and start tossing it around the room...
either that or grab some cellular phones out of people's hands and whip them across the room...
barge into the "directors" office...
you'll get some attention real quick.
Posted by: e_prime at November 6, 2003 08:58 AM
Miguel,
It sounds like you're living in some South American version of Kafka's "The Castle".
It's always depressing when the one institution that everyone has to use (the government), whose customers are also the same people who pay the salaries (the taxpayers)---has the worst service.
How about next time you go there just skipping the line and sitting down at one of the computers to see if you can find your paperwork--pretend you work there. By the time, anyone would notice, it'd be 40 minutes later and they'd be ready to go home.
Posted by: Patrick at November 6, 2003 09:17 AM
What problems!
Reminds me of an old joke in Spain. Outside the government office: "no trabajamos por las tardes"
No, es por las maņanas que no trabajan, por las tardes ni siquiera estan.
Or something like that. Read 'the castle' before bedtime. BTW I've just sent you a mail.
Posted by: Edward Hugh at November 6, 2003 09:17 AM
Two options:
Email either of your "distinguished" U.S. Senators, who both love democracy with a heavy dose of bureaucracy, and explain your troubles. See if they are willing to let one of their assistants offer some assistance through the Embassy.
Gather up some people and have a "protest." That seems to be the rage now isn't it?
Posted by: steve at November 6, 2003 11:47 AM
Well, I'm not going to even threaten force. Not just because there are guards, but also simply because it's not a good way to get things done. And I'm certainly NOT going to offer any money.
Oh, and I've read Kafka's The Castle and this is very much like that. What a hassle.
There's a reason though for this lack of costumer service. On the one hand, no one pays taxes in this country, so there's not much money around for improvements or training or anything. Secondly, Bolivia has one of the largest per capita bureaucracies in the region. There's a joke that for every desk, there's three people collecting salaries.
Posted by: miguel at November 6, 2003 12:22 PM
Sounds like a bad situation. I hope things work out for you. I've run into bureaucratic nightmares in the past, but I'll agree that nothing sucks more than being in a holding pattern where you don't know what's happening.
I wish you luck.
Posted by: Duane at November 11, 2003 01:14 PM