MP Philip Field faces trial on counts of bribery and corruption and all the while another prominent public servant Dr Thompson along with others in the Immigration Service are facing an investigation over their roles in the processing of residency applications of some of Dr Thompson's family members. Sadly I think MP Philip Field's days are numbered - he was left out in the cold a long time ago and his recovery rate before the 2008 election will be zilch. But it does little better for the members of the Immigration Service who must now answer questions about why some applications that were processed were given priority over others. Mr Field's court room drama's will now overshadow any other dodgy questions that might embarrass the Service.
I have been wondering why Pacific people continually face problems with divided loyalty issues to family demands / cultural obligations and public service codes of conduct. But a days thinking has brought me to the realisation that these issues plague us all. I have heard of old school boy associations giving special treatment to children of associates and so on, we do it all the time, we try to influence others to give us special treatment. The difference however is that when in public service - it probably is better to tell all concerned of your connections and leave it at that. Human nature is a funny thing. Without being asked to do so, we usually give special priority to those who may pull at our heart strings, because of some narrow connection or because a person reminds one of another close link. In Dr Thompson's case she ought to have publicly revealed her special relationship to the applicants and left it to others in the Department to deal with it through the normal channels.
As more Pacific people move into the upper echelons of public service - there is the realisation that codes of conduct are culturally neutral because the obligation of Pacific public servants is first and foremost to the state and the public it serves.
