Shuttle Diplomacy

The nature of my work in Tajikistan, as with many VSO postings I now realise, is fluid. Often it is a matter of pitching in where you think you can help and where help would be gratefully received.

Currently my role involves a good deal of shuttle diplomacy. In the interests of developing tourism in the country I shuttle between government departments, tourism businesses and donor agencies just trying to get everyone going in the same direction. A sort of Hillary Clinton of Rudaki Avenue, Dushanbe, bustling between meetings aiming to keep all sides happy and away from fighting. (At least I don’t have Bill at home to worry about as well; no wonder she had to let John Kerry take over).

My vehicle of choice for shuttling is the number 1 trolley bus, pictured. It sure beats Hillary’s for fuel economy and carbon emissions but hers may just have the edge for speed and comfort.

Phil's shuttle

Hillary's shuttle

In my diplomatic role, I like to think that I am seen – like Hillary – as a neutral and high-minded representative of a successful western society that is reaping the benefits of centuries of honesty, hard work, fair play and wise investment. One can but dream, but I don’t think everyone sees me in quite this way.

The view of the west from some quarters of central Asia and the former USSR is that we – or at least the smartest of us - have found ways to make easy money and acquire lots of consumer goods without having to work too hard. We’re smart, devious and know how to get others to do all the work. This is admirable; teach us to be like you they might say….

For example, an imaginary – though not unimaginable – exchange.

A new CEO has just been appointed at Royal Bank of Scotland. He has agreed to take a salary of only £1 million per annum – 17% less than his predecessor - and will not receive a bonus until 2017. Austerity bites, ouch!! But this is still quite an attractive package for Tajiks, where around 40% of the population survive on $1.25 per day or less (i.e. it would take one of them at least 3,000 years to earn the new RBS CEO’s salary for one year, a long working life…). As a westerner – and a Scot to boot – many of my work partners feel that I might know some of the secrets about the route to such success.

“What does he do?”

“Well, his bank takes money from people who want to lend and gives it to people who want to borrow. They keep some of the money passing through their hands for doing this”.

“Very good. So he shifts money from one side of his desk to the other and keeps some of it on the way. I love this capitalism; it sounds easier than growing water melons or driving donkeys.”

“Well you could put it that way. But it’s a lot more complex than you make it sound.”

“No, fine. I just want simple capitalism. I can do this. I just pass paper from one side of my desk to the other and catch money falling out in the middle. Wonderful. What paper do we need to pass for tourism? Do they need to come here or can we just send papers to say they’ve been?”

I exaggerate of course but I do sometimes wonder if we are really in the best position to set an example of a good, liberal market economy that produces the best for its citizens.

Anyone looking for a new CEO for a failed bank?