On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate the quality of public services in your area? With the introduction of a free market economy in the early 1990s, one would have thought that 20 years down the line public services would have seen even modest improvement after what may be interpreted as a ‘’transfer of the burden’’ from the public to the private sector. Wouldn’t it seem logical that sharing the duties of providing services with the private sector would have salvaged the then overburdened deadwood public sector?
At least from the consumer’s observatory stand point, those would seem to have been some of the fruits to reap from privatization. Unfortunately the opposite seems to be the case. Many will agree that public services are now worse than they were in the past. The crude graffiti that adorns certain public buildings have become normal scenes that greet our eyes on our way to town or back in our neighborhoods. Where is the local council? Pot holes are the unfortunate trademark of our localities and some services such as street lights seem to be more of a luxury than a right. Who should be blamed for the plague of inefficiency that compromises the much needed services of the consumer?
The public sector is a term used to identify the portion of a nation’s economy that is focused on providing basic services to citizens through the framework of a governmental organization. While the scope of services classified as being in the public sector will vary slightly from one country to another, and may include services that are freely available to all citizens, even those who do not contribute to the upkeep and maintenance of those services. This means that services considered within the public sector benefit virtually everyone, even those who do not directly make use of the service.
Why should the consumer be concerned? Whilst the concept of the consumer may vary by concept, it can be generally agreed that a consumer is a person or group of people that are the final users of products and or services generated within a social system. These services may be public or private.
The consumer therefore is entitled to a good service regardless of who provides it. Public services are an important component of public finance. This entails in most cases that a portion of these services are funded by the taxpayer and therefore the consumer has every right to receive quality uncompromised service. The unfortunate misconception that has pervaded the minds of public service providers and the recipients is that since it is Public or provided by the government it should be received ‘’ Freely and without complaint ‘’ as can be evidenced from the common Bemba slang phrase ‘’Fya gava’’ that is loosely translated as “ Freely given by the government”. Such mindsets adopted in colonial era welfare ideologies therefore need to be readjusted in order to improve on delivery of public services. Would that explain the attitudes of some public sector workers that are at times grossly unacceptable.
Isn’t it common to find rude or grumpy nurses at the local government hospital? What reasonable explanation is there for the poor water circulation problem that plagued the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) not so long ago? In the sphere of public service in Zambia areas such as healthcare, water and sanitation, electricity, public broadcast, law enforcement, water supply certain names come to mind. I would think of ZESCO, ZNBC and ZAMPOST. Untimely power cuts causing harm to electrical appliances, erratic water supply, late delivery of mail or even poor quality of broadcast are some issues that can be raised. The topic can therefore not be exhausted in a single article. What others can you think of? What are some of the major problems that arise to compromise the quality of service that the consumer well deserves? What has been done so far to correct these problems and how can consumers be part of the solution? These questions the consumer diaries team leaves to you….. The CONSUMER
Reuben Mulenga,
The author is part of the Consumer Diaries team
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