Friday, October 29, 2010

Regular day in a Governmental Dept…



2010 is about to end and many plans in mind ,one the most important things I had to do is issuing a passport, as many of my friends may know , that I can’t find time even to treat myself, so dedeicating some time for such thing was something to remember!

Before taking off I was persuading Dad to come and help me getting a new passport , he was convinced that I’ll –Definitely need- a masculine power to cover my back in this small-but irritated- experience ,we got ready at 8:30 a.m. And here we go Thursday! the journey to get a new passport has already began !

Arriving the Department of Civil status and Passports(in Sweilieh) there were about 6 employees ,,2 of them were setting behind 2 separated windows to receive peoples’different papers  that include different requests , I took my place in the line and waited my turn , till now regular things were going around , late employees, people rushing others to get their stuff done , Now it’s my turn I was happy whispering to Dad that maybe within the next half an hour I’ll have my new passport since everything is going smoothly ,,,, But ,,it was a dream that has never become true!! the employee asked me Do you have a yellow card I was like ( kart asfar l sho?) he replied: "to transport to Palestine"  I was like : (what kind of records you’ve saved in your PC ,,does it show that I have such kinda thing??) , he replied back : "you have to pass by the (Services Department and the follow-up audit.) ( قسم المتابعة و التفتيش) in order to APPROVE your request to issue a passport!". And the first bomb was exploded by then,,

Jordan considered to be one of the most developed countries compared to other Arab ones and having us to have such a reputation it was made through TECHNLOGY, the thing that’s obviously has failed to reach such crucial departments to make peoples’ lives a bit easier ,,, No one has bothered him/herself to give us the directions where this dept. is located, the thing that made us moving in circles for more than half an hour till we reached that place! Speaking of which ,,I was picturing myself with no car and with no any kind of help ,,, it would be damn hard to arrive such place with no CLEAR signs where it’s located and with pretty narrow road that was hard for one car to cross , it’s located in area that No one can get there using the public transportations,, it’s either a car or a cab!

We walked in the place looking for a help , nice people they are yet again another failure to have ALL THE EMPLOYEES reporting on time , the place that is supposed to help people has no employees !! forcing us to pass by different offices and ask where to go , Oh finally someone helped us ,, they seated us in places based on our turn ( which something really helpful) yet useless because once there’s an empty place they come to sit first taking your turn, so That’s why I decided to stand Up and wait , after reaching my turn I tried to Initiate a quick chat with employee asking if Such information should be saved within servers belong to one place instead of having people running from one place to another to get their Stuff done , he rolled his eyes replying: "These are the Rules !! " Rules of making our life a piece of hell,,, I really doubt it,,, Rules were put not to be broken but to align with what we need! However , I let him signed the papers then have them stamped ,,moving back to the first dept , I was telling Dad now we can give it to the accounting Dept and they can proceed! Dinngggg ,,wrong answer! I was knocking on the first employee’s window saying that I  have my papers signed and stamped ,,where to go now ,, he was laughing out loud saying that I have to go through the turn AGAIN and take a place in it , I was HUH?? You said to get them signed and come back why am I supposed to go through this again!??!! He was ( Soffi 3la door a7san) Now I was THAT mad that I was nearly to SHOUT on him ,but I hold my temper going back to the turn all over again it’s around 10:30 AND YET NOT ALL THE EMPLOYEEES are there....

Suddenly this employee was sneaking, taking other requests rather from the ones in their turn and stamp their request! NOO,, Now this is a bull S***,,, what a crap! I told my Dad to just stand in the line instead of me and went to the manager of the Dept, I was telling him the story and he was getting a rid of me saying he has nothing to do with it and that’s NOT HIS business to ask the employee not to SNEAK and CHEAT! I stopped talking watching him getting stuff IN PERSON for some guests in the room , ID cards, other things , I return back to Dad Stating  that even the MANAGER sucks!!

Now it’s My turn and the Employee was smiling ,,and took more than 5 minute to stamp the request by asking stupid questions to stall as if he’s doing this in purpose to piss me OFF! We Took the order gave it to the Accountant and he said 1 Hour and it will be ready!

While waiting for the passport I picked up my small notebook and started to take some Notes to keep them in mind and it was interesting because I killed time by doing my lovely thing (to write) ,,,,below were some of the (what behind the scene ) things:

  • 1.       At 11:00 a.m. 9 Employees where there
  • 2.       6 Desks were Empty
  • 3.       Manager of the Dept was busy serving some Guests in Person and seat them in his room
  • 4.      One of the ELECTIONS CANDIDATES came to visit the Manager of Dept personally which something ( I BELIEVE ) that should not be happening
  • 5.       Two Windows JUST to serve all requests from people


Moving here and there watching what exactly the Employees where doing , some has done coffee and something to drink more than 2 times in just less than one hour,

Finally, I got my passport! I was happily dancing in the car to get it I was so happy That I FORGOT THE WORST 3 HOURS I have ever spent in my life!

It’s not as if am pointing fingers or spreading negativities , but such issues must be escalated. I Can bet that no one of the Jordanian Elections’ Candidates has drawn a road map of how to improve our citizens Lives or how to make Jordan a better place for every one..

We don’t suffer from any lack of Media , technology, Power, Talents, yet we rank in the last places when it comes to know our rights and duties, Speak up , Don’t wait for others to Make the changes you’re looking for! Be a part of the solution,, Take the responsibility to make the place that you’re living in a better place for you and for others as well!! Don’t be passive,, only then we can do REAL change! 

1 comment: