So, if the officers aren't as businesslike as the Cabinet capos would wish them to be - might the minister and the prime minister also need a lesson in professional etiquette - and how to treat and address subordinates?
And should they even be calling pubic officers directly to give them directives? Mai spoke candidly and said sometimes that's the only way to get things done:
Jules Vasquez
"Is there a proper way to do it rather than calling and humiliating a man or an officer in the commission of his duties?"
Hon. Jose Mai - Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise
"Those are your views, they are not my views."
Jules Vasquez
"So you feel it's okay?"
Hon. Jose Mai
"I believe that the officers need to be corrected when they do wrong. When my officers do wrong, I call the supervisor, listen, check that out for me. So, it is unfortunate how it was managed Jules, but it has to be corrected."
Jules Vasquez
"Do you believe it is right for you who is not the person direct supervisor to give directives. You've been public officer, you know that you when you were an agriculture officer, you know that it's not the minister would call you, you had to get called directly from your supervisor."
Hon. Jose Mai
"Look Jules, many times you have to act decisively. Many times things get stuck and this is not the first minister that will call a public servant or the last minister, it has always occurred. Sometimes, it's the only way to get things done. It is the normal thing, you are not dictating but you looking at the situation, nobody gives the gentleman instructions, they asked him if he can consider - I don't know what the language is because I wasn't there but I'm sure that it was not you need to do, that's not what I believed happened and I was not there and I did not hear the conversation."
