IF DIASPORA THINKS
James Hakobyan
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/engsrc/comments27502.html
Published: 16:29:42 - 26/09/2012
Hranush Hakobyan, the minister of Diaspora, stated during the
presentation of the 2011 state budget performance report in the
National Assembly that she had 11 business trips and spent at least
3 days a month abroad last year. Hranush Hakobyan said she feels
obliged to visit all the organizations.
"If the Diaspora thinks the ministry is meant to collect money from
them, the ministry won't enjoy respect," said Hranush Hakobyan.
Hranush Hakobyan is right about collecting money because Hayastan
all-Armenian Fund is enough to collect money.
But was the ministry of Diaspora set up for Hakobyan's business trips?
What would change in Armenia-Diaspora relations if Hakobyan's trips
were not 11 but 8 or if she spent abroad 1 instead of 3 days a month?
What would change if the minister of Diaspora didn't leave on business
trips at all?
The problem is not the state budget of Armenia or the taxpayers'
money spent for the minister's cognitive trips. Her 11 business trips
are just a drop of water in the sea of "kickback".
The problem is that the Ministry of Diaspora has defined what it does
not serve for but there are issues relating to its undefined mission.
The issue of the Armenian Syrians revealed that the ministry lacks a
defined mission. Otherwise, Armenia would have been ready to react
to the Armenian Syrians' issue because the situation there did not
occur in one night but was lasting a year. But Armenia was found out
to have worked badly both with the Armenian Syrians and in Armenia.
Meanwhile, if there is a Ministry of Diaspora, it should be better
organized.
So, Hranush Hakobyan can boost the number of her trips up to 15. After
all, there are all the grounds for that. The Armenian Diaspora is
growing thanks to the high rate of emigration. But a conclusion should
be drawn from this. The Ministry of Diaspora is not meant for mutual
visits of the minister and the Diaspora organizations. The ministry
is not supposed to act as a government agency with old traditions
but a research institute dealing with the Diaspora issues.
Consequently, not the minister or any other official but experts
and scholars should leave on business trips to ensure a complete and
deep vision and prospect for the Diaspora not only in terms of the
Armenian communities but the tendencies in the country they live in.
James Hakobyan
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/engsrc/comments27502.html
Published: 16:29:42 - 26/09/2012
Hranush Hakobyan, the minister of Diaspora, stated during the
presentation of the 2011 state budget performance report in the
National Assembly that she had 11 business trips and spent at least
3 days a month abroad last year. Hranush Hakobyan said she feels
obliged to visit all the organizations.
"If the Diaspora thinks the ministry is meant to collect money from
them, the ministry won't enjoy respect," said Hranush Hakobyan.
Hranush Hakobyan is right about collecting money because Hayastan
all-Armenian Fund is enough to collect money.
But was the ministry of Diaspora set up for Hakobyan's business trips?
What would change in Armenia-Diaspora relations if Hakobyan's trips
were not 11 but 8 or if she spent abroad 1 instead of 3 days a month?
What would change if the minister of Diaspora didn't leave on business
trips at all?
The problem is not the state budget of Armenia or the taxpayers'
money spent for the minister's cognitive trips. Her 11 business trips
are just a drop of water in the sea of "kickback".
The problem is that the Ministry of Diaspora has defined what it does
not serve for but there are issues relating to its undefined mission.
The issue of the Armenian Syrians revealed that the ministry lacks a
defined mission. Otherwise, Armenia would have been ready to react
to the Armenian Syrians' issue because the situation there did not
occur in one night but was lasting a year. But Armenia was found out
to have worked badly both with the Armenian Syrians and in Armenia.
Meanwhile, if there is a Ministry of Diaspora, it should be better
organized.
So, Hranush Hakobyan can boost the number of her trips up to 15. After
all, there are all the grounds for that. The Armenian Diaspora is
growing thanks to the high rate of emigration. But a conclusion should
be drawn from this. The Ministry of Diaspora is not meant for mutual
visits of the minister and the Diaspora organizations. The ministry
is not supposed to act as a government agency with old traditions
but a research institute dealing with the Diaspora issues.
Consequently, not the minister or any other official but experts
and scholars should leave on business trips to ensure a complete and
deep vision and prospect for the Diaspora not only in terms of the
Armenian communities but the tendencies in the country they live in.