Omar Anderson, Gleaner WriterTHE UNITED States Go-vernment is having difficulty finding persons to work in its Kingston embassy.
An in-depth report on the embassy's performance showed that staff morale was low because of rising crime and cost of living. It revealed, too, that the embassy experienced a high staff turnover and difficulty finding re-placements. But the em-bassy has also come under fire in the same report for accumulating more than US$1 million in aid funds for Jamaica, as well as failing to properly account for counter-narcotics equipment the U.S. has given Jamaica.
The criticisms were made by the U.S. State Depart-ment's Office of Inspector General (OIG), which in-spects each of the approximately 260 U.S. embassies, diplomatic posts, and international broadcasting installations throughout the world.
POOR CONDITIONS
The inspection was done in 2001 and published in 2002. However, while the 2001 inspection was the latest the OIG conducted and placed on its web site, the economic and social conditions in Jamaica have not changed much since then.
The OIG determines whether policy goals are being achieved and whether the U.S. interests are being represented and advanced effectively.
When the OIG report was done in 2001, the total number of murders for the year was 1,139.
Commenting on staff morale now, Orna Blum, the embassy's public affairs officer, said staff morale has improved, and that the State Department has made substantial improvements in the conditions of service for U.S.
diplomats abroad.
However, the public affairs officer noted that in addition to the crime situation, which has led to three mission members either being shot, robbed or physically assaulted in recent months, it takes an "inordinately long time to get personal effects and vehicles released from Customs."
EXTREMELY HIGH COST OF LIVING
"The cost of living issue is compounded by the slowness with which diplomats receive reimbursements for GCT (General Consumption Tax) payments," Ms. Blum said. "Schooling issues require some parents to reluctantly leave their teenagers in the United States, and outmoded animal import restrictions preclude the bringing of family pets to Jamaica."
According to her, these and other issues still prompt some employees to curtail their assignments here. Ms. Blum said that while these issues continue to make recruiting for embassy postings in Jamaica difficult, the overall rate of curtailments has declined in recent years.
According to the OIG in its report on the U.S. Embassy in Kingston, "A large pipeline of unexpended programme funds should be reviewed and either used by the Jamaican Government or withdrawn."
STATE DEPARTMENT'S REVIEW
But last Thursday Ms. Blum, in a written response to The Sunday Gleaner queries as to the amount of money being referred to in the report, said it was US$1 million and that it was not withdrawn nor was it returned to the State Department.
"The report alludes to a substantial amount of funds (over US$1 million, accumulated over several fiscal years) within the Narcotics Affairs Section that had built up several years ago," she said. "The State Department conducted a thorough financial review in 2001, and the accumulated funds were spent on commodities and equipment to be used by the JCF (Jamaica Constabulary Force) and JDF (Jamaica Defence Force)."
However, Ms. Blum did not state what these pieces of equipment were and when they would be given to the security forces for their fight against drug trafficking.
The report noted that the U.S. Government had acquired the Crowne Plaza Hotel in St. Andrew to be used as a chancery (office) and for housing embassy staff. However, the report noted that the embassy has not received funding to maintain and renovate the complex which has started to deteriorate. Consequently, the OIG recommended that the State Department develop a long-term plan to renovate the hotel and provide funding for additional staff, or assign a facilities management specialist to monitor and maintain the property.
In response, Ms. Blum said that while the cost to renovate the hotel has not yet been determined, the embassy plans to use the property to only house its staff who are expected to move in by next year. She added that renovations will begin soon, but she did not specify when.
