Bel Wasta
I was listening to BBC Arabic news this morning on the way to work, a report about the anti-corruption committee that was created upon a request by King Abdullah to address the issue of corruption more seriously.
Now I know that corruption is on many levels, and I am not going to talk about it on the higher level because I don’t know much about that.. but what I know, and I see, and practice (ya shoot me) is corruption on the individual level.
To start with, there is a special type of corruption, that is Wasta (English: a mean, mechanism, medium), and sometimes we even give it a nickname Vitamin Wow ( as it gives power and so). Wasta for those who are unfamiliar with the term is about having someone in a power position do something (legal or illegal) for you (a favor) that couldn’t be done without a wasta. The funny thing is that we don’t usually hide our acts when we use Wasta, but we brag about it, and offer providing the same wasta to people around us to help them out.
Wasta in it’s most simple forms is considered a help-out, giving a hand, but basically it is about who has it, and who don’t. For example, last year, I had a paper done in 3 hours, while it usually take 2 weeks, and I had it done from Amman, while I was required to do it from Madaba (20km away I think). Basically because the brother of an accountant that work with my father works in the same place I was going my paper at.. at that time, it was a bless to know a person in that position :) I had my paper same day, from Amman, instead in a week from Madaba. Now that is corruption ! (as well bureaucracy, but this is another story). I can’t say more about the things that I have done using wasta, but I think that no one could escape from using it, or having to use it.
Many things happen around us Bel Wasta (using Wasta). People get away with speeding tickets, students get accepted into public universities, paper work get done in shorter time, and so on..
Now the funny thing is that we have promotions based on the idea of Wasta. Take for example the Military mobile lines. Fastlink and Mobilecom provide special rate mobile lines for military. Now everyone knows that more than half of those using the military lines are not even related to military. But basically, it is again about those who has it, and those who don’t. Strange..
Great post Isam. You can’t imagine how much I hate waste, really, but as you said alnmost everyone is forced to use it every once in a while.
I’ve been against it all my life, and actually I never used waste for myself, I only used it to help out someone get an equal chance in university to present his project, that’s all. But really at our time it’s almost impossible not to use it.
Anyway, wasta is spread here in Tunis as well, just like Amman, and guess what they call it? they call it: “ktaf”, i.e. shoulders, lol, I just love that expression.
I HATE WASTA :(
Another very good subject today :) the whole blogging is becoming much more interesting… now to the wasta… agreed! They always say that changes happen from top down and i believe it happens from bottom up as well! how can you change people who do not want to change, who enjoy their own corruption, and whether you like it or not, even the weakest one of us, the poorest one, the one who complains most would jump at a wasta… have you ever heard of anyone who was told I can make this happen to you and said no?… why is he stupid?
In the vast majority of cases, wasta simply circumvents bureaucracy that shouldn’t be there in the first place. The government can have 100 times faster results in eliminating wasta by ruthlessly streamlining all governmental procedures to the bare minimum, than trying to punish those using it! Also, every procedure that can be done instantly online, should be available there.
very important problem in Jordan, and the rest of the world.
I thought that Ameirca is a place suffering from Vitamin WOW deficiency, however when i started asking about what’s the most important factor in getting a speciality here, i was expecting answers like “Educational levels, scores in exams, medical school…etc” and the answer that shocked me was “CONNECTIONS”
However in Jordan they tend to appoint people who really do not deserve the job , best example is the TV presenters in Jordan TV. In america it tends to be more reaonable.
Hello Isam… Wastaphile and friend ;) I am trying to reach out to infuse you with good fortune and bring you to a conference in August. This is hardly Wasta, since your presence has been requested by many people. But first you must write me back! Cheers : meta.sj _(at)_ gmail.com
هذي مسألة صعبة بالأردن حتى قد تجبر على إستخدامها لتحصيل حقك أحد أصحابي في الشهر الماضي حصل على وضيفة في جامعة جرش عن طريق المقابلات الذي حدث بعد ذلك تم إستخدام فيتامين واو العجيب كانت النتيجة أن يخرج من القائمة بطريقة أسطورية إستطاع أن يحصل فيتامين واو مضاد فأستطاع أن يعود على راس القائمة و توقيع العقد المشكلة معقدة جدا وتبعث في النفس الإكتأب حتى دعوة جلالة الملك الجديدة لمكافحة الفساد لا أضن أنها ستنجح إذ أن أول من رعاها و أصبحوا يملأ بكلامهم الصحف والراديو والتلفزيون هم من الفاسيدين أصحاب الثروات المشبوهة ومصاصي دماء الناس
شو بدنا بطولة السيرة قربة مخزوقة خالوا
yeslam thomak ya isam what ever u said was true and right but who listens
Nice blog, Regards from Spain.
See you at internet.
Jalberto
I love wasta, because it keeps things working
Every one meby see it (wasta ) but i am one of the people happend in front in my eyes in the university and in our life soo what can i do ; i will graduat frome ammon university befor 6 month till now i am sending my CV to the all hotell in amman and no answer but all my friend knowing friend in hotels said to me come to worke i saide NO .
i found job in aqapa i am thank our god for this
what can we do iff wasta happend
we still alive in both wayes soo every percone take what our god say it
Wasta is a bad thing for many reasons.
The first and most important reason is that people get something that they don’t deserve. For example, many people who have wasta get good and well paid jobs and most of the time they don’t have any qualifications. While other people who don’t have wasta and have good qualifications get bad jobs with a much lower salary.
Secondly, the privileges that wasta people have can cause much resentment among the staff. Also it discourages the people who are qualified when they see what people with wasta gain like promotions, special treatment and higher salaries. For example, many people become careless and don’t do their jobs properly because of this thing. Furthermore, wasta’s influence can extend outside the work which makes arguments and wrangles between people and spreads hate amongst them.