Years back I worked for the government in a reasonably responsible position. At the beginning of a new financial year, if I requested things needed for the job, the request was denied as the 'deniers' were worried about spending too much early in the year. About 2 months from the end of the same financial year, a memo came around asking anyone whether they needed anything prior to fiscal year end, as there was a sizeable amount of money to be used up - anything goes - or else, funding for the following year was likely to be curtailed since during the course of the existing year the allocation was not fully utilized. Thus when things were needed the request was turned down but when things were not necessary, frivolous spend was fervently encouraged. That's the government's way to clever budgeting??
As for issuing contracts to external providers for example, it was customary to accept the one that was the 'cheapest compliant', decided with the aid of the right boxes being ticked - invariably resulting in expensive variations down the track due to loose or poorly worded contracts. Time and time again ended up with patch jobs that ultimately cost more overall, not to mention the time delays due to having to resolve conflicts. Patchwork should be left in the domain of quilters?? And who ultimately picked up the tab - yep, the good old taxpayers.
Apart from new faces, nothing much has changed since I quit all those years ago - but wait, come to think of it perhaps things have changed - for the worse?? And who still ultimately picks up the tab - the same old same. AIMO
AIMO
