My work so far

The good: realizing that the horror stories told by MFA about Saudi Arabian men just aren’t true. For the past week, I was attached to a group of Saudi Arabian delegates, picking them up from the hotel to meeting venues, and back again. They treated me with respect, and spoke to me and talked to me about themselves, their families and their culture. I had a very enriching time (the meetings, though at times boring, were really an eye opener because it taught me so much about Singapore), and even though the scheduling and the job was demanding, I felt different at the end of the week. Like I have truly learnt something. And I was sad to say goodbye to the delegates – they really were very nice and understanding.

The bad: the constant ringing on my phone, even throughout the meetings. People just assumed because I was there as a “Liaison Officer” that I was always free, but in actual fact I was so frustrated because I could be in the middle of a call, and get another call coming in and have a text at the same time. It seemed as though everyone demanded my undivided attention, which by definition I could not give to all at the same time.

The ugly: the policy about gifts. Let me relate the whole story first. On the second last day of the trip, they went to Botanic Gardens. At the gift shop, the leader of the delegation stopped and was browsing. He beckoned me to join him, and asked me about a orchid necklace he had in his hand, if it was suitable for his daughter “about my age”. Well I thought since it was gold, and his daughter was my age it may not be appropriate as I pointed him to a silver one which I thought was more suitable for someone younger. I also asked about his daughter’s taste, and he said that she was like me, so I finally pointed to one and he chose it.

Surprise surprise (probably spoilt it already) he gives the necklace to me and said it’s on behalf of the entire delegation as a thank you. I am so incredibly shocked I don’t even have time to react before the gift’s in my hands. No matter, I go back to office after all the meetings have ended (so much integrity I have) and report it to my boss. He wanted me to keep it, but my tale was overheard and I was told to declare the gift instead because it’s for my own good. Today I get the form. On the form, not only do I have to fill in the gift and why I could not decline it, I was also asked to indicate if I wanted to buy the gift.

I’m sorry? Did I read correctly? The company wants me to pay for a gift I got, the money of which will go into the company’s coffers? If I do not want to buy the gift, the company will keep it. I’m told it might be used in family day events and the like. I don’t know but to me it was a little shocking to say the least. I understand the government’s concern about being clean and all, but surely it’s a little presumptuous to make one state that one has to buy the gift at the company’s valuation? Why can’t the system be that you state the gift that you have, and the company then decides whether or not to take further action? And again, what if the company values it above the gift price? My biggest query is, why is it in the end the company who benefits from it all, when the gift was supposed to be a thank you for the hard work that I put in, sort of a reward for hard work? No matter, one might say, afterall you are paid – that is enough reward for your hard work. However that is why it is tricky, I am not paid a single cent at all. But more than that I do not like in the end it is the company which benefits from whatever arrangement comes out of it, and the most I can keep of the gift is perhaps a snapshot. I would have no objections at all if the money was donated, because that is the very essence of a gift right? If your purpose is to maintain a clean graft free government, which I fully agree, isn’t there something strange about “selling” someone’s gift back to them, and keeping the money for yourself? How can you, in the first place, make money out of something that you do not own, that is in all respect another person’s? Shouldn’t you at the very least pass on the benefit to someone who needs it more, never mind any arguments about reward now?

Someone may say, think of the greater good. Such mechanisms are in place to ensure a graft-free environment, after all there can be no buying you off since you pay for your own gift. Sure, I agree, but then the question is not just you paying for your gift (even though to that I still have some reservations) but also where the money goes? I understand, correct me if I am wrong, that the money that the government collects as fines goes into the government’s coffers. I always wondered what about the fines that the government collects when someone is convicted, say of robbing someone. Do the fines go back to the victim, or is he seriously out of pocket?

Knowing my government and company however I know there is no use complaining, much as I feel hard done (it’s not the gift per se that irks me, it’s the fact that it was from a group of people who I will like to remember in years to come). I will just go home and take a snapshot. After all, this is merely a foretaste of the rewards I will get in future for my participation.