BY
One of the
side effects relating to the aftermath of EuroMaidan/Revolution of Dignity
(choose your own widely used label of the two) was the willingness, through
want of fear for themselves, of the established political class to swiftly try
and dilute their number sufficiently enough to give the perception of change by
sucking into their respective party ranks civil society members, journalists,
activists and the intelligentsia.
This was
accompanied by foreign (now Ukrainian) citizens, and Ukrainian citizens living
and/or working abroad too.
One strata of
the political central governance structures to see a fairly significant
infusion of foreign, (now Ukrainian) citizens and Ukrainian citizens with
experience within and significant exposure to “western systems/methodology” was
that of the “Deputy Minister” across the Ukrainian ministries.
It is a policy
that rarely gets mentioned, though it is difficult to find a Ukrainian ministry
that does not have a (fairly) young, driven, western experienced Deputy
Minister – normally fluent in English and keen to bring the best of their
acquired “western” experience to their respective ministry.
To be blunt,
it was – and remains – a good policy to have such driven Deputy Ministers
within all the ministries who at the very least prevent ministerial regression,
if not always being able to force progress.
Problems with
this policy however, relate to the longevity any such Deputy Minister will
remain in post.
All
patriotically answered the call of Ukraine. All gave up, or at least took
an extended sabbatical, from what were better paid careers in doing so.
There is little doubt that few – if any – answered the cries of their
homeland with the intention of entering Ukrainian politics as a career change.
Undoubtedly most answered that national call to prevent State collapse
and do their patriotic bit for State building in line with the western models
they lived and/or worked within – and always intended to return to.
Depending upon
which Deputy Minister one may speak to, some decided to take a year out and
reassess the situation thereafter, others two years out. Almost all
express an intention return to their careers after answering the nation’s call.
It is now more
than a year since many of these Deputy Ministers have been in post. Many
whilst rightly proud of preventing a failed State and forging “western ties”
and sewing the seeds of institutional culture within their ministries, are also
privately as frustrated with the pace of reform as any reform activist.
Thus when it comes to assessing what they have achieved, what is still to
do and the likely speed at which it will actually be done, difficult and thorny
personal decisions are now having to be addressed. To stay a little
longer – or to go as planned? After all, those colleagues they left behind in
their previous (mostly western) careers are progressing up the corporate career
ladder in their absence.
This not to mention the fact that the legitimate salary of a Ukrainian
Deputy Minister is a substantial pay cut for most.
With all eyes
looking toward the reshuffle within the Cabinet of Ministers in the immediate
future and the changes that will occur, it will be easy to miss the departure
of the young, driven, western experienced and orientated Deputy Ministers, most
of whom have and had little interest in a political career, but a desire to
build the State from within the ministerial boiler rooms where creative
thinking, planning, strategies and tactics are thrashed out.
With the
President and Cabinet of Ministers having chosen the slow evolutionary reform
path over the swift revolutionary reform path that would have fitted the
“career breaks” of the youthful western orientated and experienced Deputy
Ministers, the reversal of the “brain drain” witnessed during 2014/2015 will
soon be again reversed as the resumption of suspended “western” careers occur.
Already the
resignations are beginning.
Thus
far First Deputy Minister of Infrastructure, Vladimir Shulmeystera and
First Deputy Head of the National Bank of Ukraine, Alexander Pisaruk, have now
been joined by Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Ruslan
Korzh and Deputy Defense Minister, Yuri Husyev.
Mr Korzh
summarised the position quite clearly in his resignation text – “Like most of my
colleagues, I have come into the power from business, considering this step as
voluntary aid to the country. Today, I am ready to go back to the real
business.”
It is sadly, a
trend that will probably continue – and one that will remove much of the
energetic and western experienced talent that was domiciled within the “Deputy
Minister” strata.
That they
begin to leave their posts with Ukraine in a far better position than when they
put their careers on hold is a credit to them – that Ukraine is nowhere near
where it could be after their volunteerism says much more about the Ukrainian
political colleagues they leave behind (and perhaps is part of the reason for
their return to suspended “western” careers).
Nevertheless,
when new Ministers are appointed in the Cabinet reshuffle, it would be wise to
keep an eye on the calibre of replacements who sit behind them in the
ministerial boiler room too – for they have in some cases of far higher
quality than the Minister.
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