Senior management take advantage of staff replacements
22.04.2008
TIHR
The newly-appointed executives of organizations and enterprises in Turkmenistan have started fulfilling their functions by dismissing their employees.
After the former executive of the Ashgabat gas supply enterprise Ashgorgaz was convicted, the former staff member of the Ministry of Oil and Gas Aman Kuliev was appointed to the post as his replacement.
After he came to power, there were mass staff dismissals. "It should be mentioned that the changes started to take place as soon as the appointee joined the company", - complain Ashgorgaz employees behind the scenes. Such unauthorized measures are not discussed openly under the threat of being included in the list of those to be dismissed. The high unemployment rate in the country leaves no hope for finding a new job.
On April 13 a chief executive officer was replaced in the Dashoguz oil storage depot. He was sent there from Ashgabat. The new chief executive, a self-motivated and self-confident young man spent 15 minutes chairing the first staff meeting and immediately fired 15 persons, including the driver of his predecessor. (He brought his own driver from Ashgabat). Those who were dismissed were warned – "I do not need your relatives or high ranking officials phoning me as this will not help".
This warning did have some grounds. The son of one of the dismissed staff members works in the so-called “sixth department” (one of the elite divisions of the Turkmen security services), which by local standards implies a guarantee against any misfortune. However, in this case, family ties did not help.
Obviously, the new chief executive officer of the oil storage depot has connections in high ranking circles. However, that is not the point. The matter is that the newly-appointed executives dismiss large number of employees to replace them with new subordinates, who often have no relevant qualifications or work experience. Regrettably, this has become common practice.
Due to the high unemployment rate there are more than enough candidates wanting the jobs. Needless to say jobless people are willing to pay to get a job. Bribes, which go to executives, range from 200 to 500 dollars depending on the vacancy that the new employee is set to fill.
The losses caused by recruitment of new unqualified staff instead of experienced employees, are virtually not taken into consideration. This does not upset anyone except those who were dismissed.
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