Politics hinders projects

STATE institutions and agencies that have no political interference enjoy stability and implement their projects and programmes well, an official says.
Managing director of the National Agriculture and Quarantine Inspection Authority (Naqia) Joel Alu told The National yesterday that Naqia was able to implement its programmes very well because there was no political interference over the last five years.
“I can confidently say that the current Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Tommy Tomscoll, who this organisation comes under, is one of the best ministers who do not interferes with Naqia,” he said.
“We have a very good minister who is able to guide us and doesn’t interfere with our operations.
“Therefore, we make progress, great progress.
“Tomscoll, our minister for the last five years is very good.
“He doesn’t interfere because he thinks he has appointed the best guys in the organisation to manage and run the organisation.
“When we have ministers running organisations and become like project managers, it will create instability and the organisations will not be able to progress and deliver.
“Politicians must be able to provide the guidance and leave it to bureaucrats to manage the organisations.
“Tomscoll doesn’t interfere.
“Then you are free to do what is right and that’s why we do things without fear or favour.
“That’s very important for politicians to only guide and not interfere as project managers.”
He said many state agencies do not fully implement their programmes and projects because of continuous inference by the ministers repsonsible for those state agencies.
Alu said agencies can only achieve their programmes and projects without political interference.