When computers are blamed for everything [Archives:2002/26/Focus]

Awadh Hamoud Ba-Hereash
Seyun, Hadhramout
I have concluded lately that in Yemen, computers turn to thieves. Ever since we were informed that computers will be used to manage the files and databases of government employees, including teachers in public schools, we, the teachers have suffered tremendously.
Interestingly, instead of diminishing cases of money leakage from our salaries, once computers were in use, more money has been missing. The computers are blamed by the administrators in the ministry of education for causing deduction from the salaries of the teachers. In some rare cases, unlucky ones may find themselves among the deceased in the official database system. We are told that those mistakes are because of those computers and programs that are unaccountable.
We have heard many statements from officials at the Ministry of Education that teachers would receive salaries based on their appointment, certificates, and experience. We waited for more than two years for the resolution of the Minister to give fresh teachers their first official title (first employment degree).
But we waited for far too long. The two ministers that followed the first minister also approved the raising of our title, but to no avail.
In the end of December 2002, some teachers finally obtained their degrees and others were deprived from this important degree. Everything is blamed on computers claiming that the computers were unsteady at the time of processing the data.
Perhaps the computer had a long qat chew or a long voyage all the way from the manufacturing country to arrive at no where and find itself drunk.
As we are approaching the seventh month of 2002, we are still hopeful that the unconscious mind of the computer will recover to put an end to our suffering. I wish to inform all the computers blamed to be the reason of all the mistakes committed by our ministry that postponing our raise any further is definitely not a good idea. But we continue to ask, how come computers are said to be flawless while in Yemen they commit the gravest of mistakes? Isnt that strange?

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