Story of the young inspector
some years ago, when i was trading in foodstuffs, a food inspector who was in his mid-twenties entered my office, believing his position and his authority allowed him to behave the way he wanted, especially with those who wear suits because he believed all food dealers are corrupt.
he insolently refused my request for him to take the chair, and instead said he would like to get on with his job immediately, so i stood up and made him feel the power of my age.
i told him that i would accompany him personally on his inspection tour. i accompanied him everywhere he wanted to go, and he did not hesitate to turn upside down materials, cartons and cold drinks to ensure everything was normal and there was no forgery.
when he found nothing irregular, he smiled thankfully and i said that i have a gift for him, so he smiled and did not comment.
i told him that i accompanied him on his tour with no bad intention, introduced myself to him as a writer who is fighting corruption and that i will not allow myself one day to be accused of corruption.
i also told him that i will give him advice that may be more precious than any gift, and that he is a young man and is about to get married and soon will have children and will make an effort to raise them, and give them the best, and therefore he has to be honest in his work and does not accept any bribe. if he turns a blind eye to expired foodstuffs may one day end in the stomach of his loved ones – his family and his children – and perhaps even his stomach and make him ill.
i told him that i sell about 30 food items, but i and my family consume hundreds of such items. so he and his fellow municipal inspectors is the safety valve on which i rely to fight the spate of spoiled foodstuffs that are flooding the market. with all the devastation we see around us, we can only rely on him and his colleagues to protect us from spoiled foodstuffs, and any laxity for whatever reason, will create countless health, moral and security problems.
i wrote on the subject of the article above ten years ago or more, and is now rewritten again because of three things:
1. that inspector of the municipality who moved to work in the food authority visited me after more than ten years, to thank me for the precious advice i gave him and he worked on it. i therefore ask my brother, issa al-kandari, director general of the food authority to pay attention to the situations and working conditions of food inspectors and the rest of similar activities. these are our eyes and our protectors against the corrupt in the most activities related to our daily health.
2. i also ask the undersecretary of the ministry of commerce to pay attention to the staff of the control offi ces, especially in consumer protection and the largest of which in the mubarakiya, including honest young people who work hard and need only appreciation and support as they face large corrupt traders who have the power and there are those who support them, thus these young men should be given all support they need.
3. the prime minister also is called upon to support the director general of the municipality, eng ahmad al-manfouhi and give him power to stop anyone interfering in his work. although he is the best to take up this sensitive post, with my respect to his predecessors, he is under considerable pressure from many. frankly, the overall situation says we must not lose him.
