Message-ID: <35A4D087.227E83E3@mail.ptl.com.mt> Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 16:15:35 +0200 From: mailto:vdimitroff@MAIL.PTL.COM.MT Subject: Re: BAD EXPERIENCES etc.. To: mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU
Nicole Richards wrote:> Local experts are not by definition people
> who have not seen more than once country in
> a similar situation, who have not had exposure
> to historial experiences and who would not
> know what works.
Yes, I fully agree, just like consultants are not BY DEFINITION incompetent, corrupt or even overpaid. I was trying to say that consultants are frequently SEEN AS such, in the eyes of local experts who are (more often than not) underpaid, and sometimes the things above (albeit NOT by definition).
> Local wisdom is not always wrong -
Yes! Neither is it ALWAYS right! When talking of strategies, long term policies, development (development? what development?) a bird eye view is better than from near the grass roots. The opposite may be true in everyday situations and narrowly localized decision-making. Ideally the two should be organically combined, and this is where the difficulties are.
> Perhaps, if there was less of the mentality
> that foreign experts are best,
It is a mentality as old as civilization itself and is found in the developed world just the same. Japanese car makers use Italian designers and US corporations had Japanese TQ advisors, etc. Better or not, they are often needed, in addition to their professional competence, as detached arbitrators over warring local schools of thought (and of action).
> then a lot of the real "local" talent can bring
> their skills from overseas and make a living
> by contributing to their home countries.
True again, but sometimes they are somewhat less than welcome. Having acquired external knowledge, they start to represent 'foreign' points of view. I know of cases where they met hostile attitudes and claims that they 'sold their souls to the rich foreigners'. In the milder cases (yours truly has personal experience in this) they are politely told that after so many years of 'westernized' life they no longer understand their own country's realities.
> are we free to talk about advancing discussions
> about development plans/mentalities that
> actually work..
OK, 'donors' sending a handful of, ehm.. advisors packaged with their money so that it is better spent ('better' may be in the donors' own eyes) DOESN'T work. So, what DOES? Can anyone suggest from experience?
V. Dimitroff