The confidence of European business leaders in Vietnam is returning thanks to the government’s response to COVID-19 during 2020, with the focus on embracing the opportunities in a new normal. Nicolas Audier, chairman of the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam, delves into the performance of members and possible scenarios towards 2021.
Public perception about civil service
The elitism allegations on bureaucracy are not far-fetched
The writer is a public policy expert and an honorary Fellow of Consortium for Development Policy Research. He tweets @hasaankhawar
A few weeks ago, I wrote about bureaucrats’ perspective on civil service reforms and their issues relating to low compensation, excessive accountability, political interference and judicial scrutiny.
But the worldview about civil service is entirely different. The public feels that civil service is corrupt; breeds a culture of non-responsiveness, apathy, elitism and arrogance; and enjoys excessive perks in the form of official vehicles, palatial residences and unlimited allowances.