I remember a very long time ago, in the era of Prime Minister—not even then President—L.F.S. Burnham, when I was a Director in the sugar industry, I had occasion to enquire from an official at the then State Planning Commission about a request made months before for approval for the introduction of a new incentive scheme in the industry. I pointed out quite insistently that the scheme had been carefully worked out, that it was a matter of vital importance to the industry, and that the delay was having a serious effect on the employees’ morale.
The official did his best to be helpful, but his final remark revealed the underlying difficulty: “Comrade,” he said pleasantly but firmly, “you have to understand: your high priority may not be the Minister’s high priority.”
Now, that was the whole point. It perfectly described a grave weakness in the system and it is a weakness that has only gotten worse as the years went by.
