Minions of the State

Posted by: Deane F on 13 September 2005

Just had a run-in with a government department today. While they readily admit that they were entirely in error and that it cost me a couple of hundred dollars they nonetheless insist that, because the money has been sent off to another government department, it is actually up to me to take steps to recover my money from the department that has it now.

The way I see it, the department which is at fault ought to reimburse me and take steps to recover the money themselves.

I soon realised that they didn't care one jot how I was affected or what was fair or reasonable in the circumstances - what they really cared about was the audit trail they were leaving.

End of rant.
Posted on: 13 September 2005 by Nime
And this was just because you called them "minions"? Seems a bit harsh? Winker
Posted on: 13 September 2005 by u5227470736789439
Which just reminds of a story I heard from a Brit returned from colonial Africa, who would become in time a good friend of mine. A colonel friend of his, who stayed on in independant Kenya wrote to an official in the newly independent government's civil service, with whom he was having some difficuty, and signed off...

Your, Sir, have of honour of being my humble and obedient servant,

Yours Faithfully, Col X

Well I like the style, but I bet it did very little to endear the old chap to his new civil servant!

Fredrik
Posted on: 13 September 2005 by MichaelC
Deane

It's just the same here.