Everyone named in the Special Investigation Committee‘s report is asking everyone else to accept responsibility. But nobody has the guts to take the first step.
Why the hesitance? It is quite understandable if you look at it from the viewpoint of someone who‘s wrangled their way to the top in Icelandic politics and banking. They usually don‘t owe their position to any outstanding personal qualities. They‘ve just said yes and nodded in the right places for their party or their friends for long enough to be next in line when a position opens up.
Think about the career of Bjorgvin G. Sigurdsson for example. BA in history and philosophy from the University of Iceland, journalist at Vikubladid and editor of Studentabladid. CEO of Reykjavik Utgafa (a business so small it is hardly google-able). Then CEO of the Social Democrats and its parliamentary group. Campaign manager for the Social Democrats in South-Iceland and Arborg. Member of Parliament. Then Minister of Commerce with prime responsibility for financial markets, currency, competition issues, businesses, the Central Bank etc.!
What on earth in Bjorgvin G. Sigurdsson‘s career could have possibly prepared him for anything but becoming a tiny little deer, facing enormous bulldozer headlights during the economic crash?
He is responsible for accepting a job which was grossly incompatible with his capabilities and experience. Perhaps the only thing he was qualified for was posing during photo ops like the one where he handed an award to Landsbankinn for the best annual report of 2007. And in the final hour he was working with a finance minister who is a vetenarian by trade and two laissez-faire politician lawyers who have never been outside the protective shell of their party acting as PM and Central Bank governors. The responsibility of those who put Bjorgvin there, like Ingibjorg Solrun Gisladottir and Ossur Skarphedinsson is great. Bjorgvin should claim victim status in further investigations into his negligence, it would suit his current image of a child in his fathers clothes. When the NY traffic controller brought his kids to work recently, it was him who got the heat, not the kids. They just didn‘t know any better. Bjorgvin’s defence? He was just there “obeying orders”, playing along, participating in a game of snakes and ladders where he had not set the rules. He was just unfortunate to have rolled the dice and landed on a snake.
These examples are everywhere in Icelandic politics. Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir had worked for one year at a law office after graduation when she was handpicked to lead a content department within the State Broadcasting (RUV). Since then her career has been one job after another working selflessly for the party. This did not stop her from suggesting that an expert from Merrill Lynch should be re-educated for his (later to be proven absolutely correct) observations as a financial analyst. This morning, Thorgerdur brushed away questions on the radio regarding her husband‘s billions borrowed from Kaupthing to buy shares in the bank itself saying this had nothing to do with her. Not realising that she personally stood to benefit from these loans, suggests that re-education might just be beyond such a hardened political trench-warmer herself. She has never been brought up by the system in which she excelled to accept responsibility, only to enjoy the gains.
To regain credibility the parties need to shake up their ladder and get rid of ministers like Katrin Juliusdottir (no college degree, purchasing manager at a small company, project manager at software developer, then MP and then MINISTER OF INDUSTRY) and Kristjan Moller (physical education degree, teacher degree, PE teacher, PE rep, shopkeeper, then MP and then MINISTER OF TRANSPORTATION). The value placed on expertice and knowledge in the nation‘s important affairs is degrading and we should not expect anything more from the yes ministers than chaos, bad decisions and further neglicence.
Appointing Gylfi Magnusson and Ragna Arnadottir as independent ministers was a fortunate step foward for the Social Democrats. The goal should be a total separation of powers where the executive branch is elected seperately from the legislative branch. The funny thing is that despite Ragna and Gylfi are now the most popular ministers according to polls, the Social Democratic leadership has been under great pressure from the people stuck in the ladder below, to oust the two because it is somebody‘s turn next to overestimate their capabilities and underestimate the tasks that come with running a country.
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Wally
1 year ago
BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN!!
Lorenzo
1 year ago
This can’t possibly come as a surprise. Ability has never been a requirement for political office nor is this an uniquely Icelandic malaise. Just look at the UK cabinet, typical career path: student agitator, law degree (2nd class), union organiser, Labour Party HQ, MP, MINISTER FOR SOMETHING INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
Relevant education or experience not required.
Inger
1 year ago
Is this the same Social Democrat MP Björgvin G. Sigurðsson that recently told reporters that a deal with ECA Program Ltd to use Keflavik as future (= 2010!) base for their privatized, for-profit militairy airforce training operations already has been green lighted by Icelandic authorities?
As a “new Icelander” (I came in a few hundreds years later than what is called nowadays the native Icelanders)I’m really worried about this whole ECA Program Ltd deal. At first I thought it was another Icelandic delusion (like the servers in the Westfjords) but now that I started looking into it and did some research in The Netherlands to find out who is behind it (both their visiting and post adress are in The Netherlands) I fear that it might even be worse and part of a very scary reality.
My worries don’t become less after reading Björgvin’s career path! He might very well have greenlighted the deal himself. I cannot even begin to think about what this will mean for Iceland’s security, health, tourism and so on!
Kjartan
1 year ago
I would agree but I’m worried about the alternatives. If we want to oust incompetent bafoons from top administrative positions, presumably we’d want experts in each field to serve as ministers. How do we avoid ending up like the US that employs former big-business administrators who are extremely unlikely to serve anyone else than the business world from whence they came.
Gray, Germany
1 year ago
Well, true, so true. But then, everybody should keep in mind that Iceland is a tiny nation of just 300,000 people. Where shall all the experts necessary for running a full scale administration come from? The talent pool is simply too small. The city where I live has more residents than Iceland, but it isn’t run any better. Even more reason not to engage in too-big-to-fail projects, or risky businesses, that are way over your head!
The solution can only be to engage in modesty, be careful not to get carried away by ambition and megalomania, and to concentrate on your core expertise instead.
chosan
1 year ago
Hello Dadi.
Thanks for a good article.
This is always the same here, merit, education, talent, experience hardly have any meaning here. Only political party status or if you know someone or are related to someone.
This is why the society is so twisted. Peoples views so strange and the morality no existent.
John
1 year ago
Very well written