The worrying impact of “experts”

I have to commend the editorial in the July issue of PIM. One can only hope that some of these organisations such as ADB, IMF, World Bank, and world-wide aid groups read and take notice of this, although from past experience I would think it very unlikely.

The highly paid “experts’Vconsultants would in no way like to see a block of their lucrative occupations, irrespective of the harm they can do, especially to small Pacific nations.

Many of these “experts”, especially those who come in for only a week or two, have negligible understanding of the eco nomic, social and cultural structure of the country. They just dream up some new (and usually harmful and workable) tax or fiscal package, jump on a plane and fly out. This is aid! Why is not much more use made of the local knowledge and exper tise?

The latest fiasco os in Vanuatu where New Zealand “experts” have been work ing to introduce a VAT system, and associ ated schemes, as part of an ADB financed

Comprehensive Reform Programme,

which came into force August 1.

These “experts” would say that they consulted with the business sector, but in reality they just had their preconceived ideas of what was needed and went ahead with this.

A small section of the Finance Sector and a few retailers managed to manipulate these consultants and push their own agen das, at the expense of the rest of the busi ness community, and the country as a whole, compounding the damage that will be done to the economy.

One cannot but feel sympathy for the govemmnets, who are under pressure to implement these unworkable schemes, and the only hope for the future is to abandon some, and change others.

The ADB sponsored Reform Package in the Cook Islands was implemented with far more consultation with the private sec tor, and is in no way as radical (or com pletelt unworkable) as in Vanuatu, but since its inception, there has been an exo dus of approximately 20 per cent of the

population.

At least the Cook Islanders (under NZ passports) can leave the country and find work elsewhere.

What is going to happen in Vanuatu,

and what are the economic and social costs going to be?

Brian Coker,

Port Vila, Vanuatu