What’s in a ministry name?
Public relations stunts sometimes yield surprisingly good results when they are applied correctly and at the right psychological moment. However, seeing ministries and official government posts being given new names for the second time in such a short period of time simply borders on the ridiculous. Other than the cost that every such renaming entails – just getting new stationery with new letterheads and rejigging websites alone carry a hefty price – the constant changes are creating even more confusion and pushing an already crumbling state mechanism to the verge of collapse. These types of changes also adversely affect the mood and attitude of employees at the ministries and services that keep changing their names, hurting morale that is already at a low and creating even more red tape than there was before. The state as a body needs continuity; it is not a toy that can be left in the hands of people who feel comfortable about changing structural and organizational procedures with so little thought.
