“Sir, I’ve an appointment for today.”
“Your name…”
You tell them your name. After some fumbling with the terribly disorganized table the guy doesn’t even look up when he tells you his verdict.
“Come back a week for today.
“But this is the third time I am told to come again!?”
“We can do nothing. Your case file is lost and we’re looking for it.”
What! What did the guy just say is I hear him saying that my case file is lost? Take it easy. yes, it gives you the shivers when you are told your case file was physically lost I a place where the most important task is keeping the case files of the public safe! Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? But don’t worry the issue of lost case files is becoming more common by the day. Some guys claiming some experiences would advise you to play it safe. Don’t make yourself some Rambo and try to confront them.
In fact if things had been normal that should have been what you’re supposed to do what you should do; confront them.
The irony of it all is that these things happen at a time where files are supposed to be loaded on computers and paper work has been …to the minimum many times you see only a couple of them with others unavailable.
Months back a fellow was told his case file was lost and they were looking for it. Mind you their archives might be the thinnest with not more than a couple of folders gracing the shelves and looking for particular files could have been the simplest of jobs. What’s more your case file being many pages thick it is difficult to miss it. But then the story of missing case files is many times than not really the story of ‘missing’ files. It could be irresponsibility of the foulest type. It could be about management which drastically fails in administering their staff. It could be the game of “…you know what I mean when I say your case file is lost; don’t you?”
“No, we don’t! What does it mean?” That, dear folks, might be ‘standing up for your rights’ as the reggae immortal could have told you. But these days not a very smart choice; if you expect for the medals an accolades to come flying your way then you’re too nice a guy to be amongst us wannabes. Those who claim experiences in such situations would advise you to take it easy and play the game. What game? Now, you aren’t really asking me that question are you? I remember a couple of years back who got himself stuck in the quagmire of ‘lost case file. Solution was no where nearer than it has been at the start of the whole thing. He had to knock every other door in search of a case solver who could have does it all with the raise of a finger. (Don’t you think there are such souls around who just have to lift their finger and the caves would be wide open? Well, considering what you hear, fact or fiction, and what you sometimes witness partially or in full, there must be quite a concentration of that particular breed!) Anyway after months of despair and aches all over the body this guy was told what he should do and he did! Alas once he did what he was told to do the case file appears out of the blue! The interesting aspect of this story was that all the time the case file was on one of the tables buried under heaps of paper.
Sometimes I wonder what the hell was wrong in these various offices where the public flocks day in, day out in search of services? Why so much inefficiency and even or sadly …… One problem is that despite talk of increased vigilance on the part of staff the real picture on the ground is that of empty tables the whereabouts of their occupants unclear. It is the peak of working hours and half of the tables which should have been occupied aren’t. “Where is everybody else?” Search me. Of course the most probable and ironically the most popular reason is that they were attending one meeting or another. (I’ve told you I was no fan of meetings, any kind of meetings.) Look, don’t tell this to anyone but I detest meetings! That’s it!? Why?? Well after years and years I’ve finally come to find out that most meetings don’t have any particular issue expect the last one having been held half a year back! Or for the most sumptuous food and after hour cocktails.
“Aha! Did you say cocktails?
I mean, all those people crowding the desks and mulling with their cell phones and PC games must have job descriptions, wouldn’t you say? I mean those job descriptions weigh very much on how much they will be paid! Hmmm…You might say that one was too innocent a thinking and I wouldn’t contest your argument. But how we’d have loved to use this line of thinking for all jobs and employees wherever they are. But the truth is far from what we’d like it be.
You know, about these lost case file issue, many believe they are done knowingly as we try to imply. Just to be nice to the ‘other side’ maybe, just maybe these employees who deal with case files are probably poorly paid. And when you’re poorly paid the conventional wisdom is you wouldn’t be as enthusiastic in your assigned jobs.
Well, the monthly pay of these guys has nothing to do with clients whose only interest is for their cases to be solved. They can’t go to the bosses and tell them… “Look, because you’re paying chickenfeed to these guys they aren’t serving us like they should have.”
“So what are you saying?”
“We’re saying you have to take a deeper look into what you’re paying them and make the records right.” I can tell you that at hearing this plea (or is it an ultimatum?) the bosses would enjoy their loudest laugh of the last year or two.
And while we are at it, who the hell took my case files?
Ephrem Endale
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SUNDAY EDITION 3 MARCH 2024