Two hold ups today, necessitate a return trip to the harbor tomorrow:
1. Certain segments of the private sector are proud of their e-mail and internet capabilities. OK. My shipping agent sends an electronic bill of lading due to the change in ship. The container is the same as is all the other information. The system in Colombia only knows hard copy originals. At 3PM, the shipping company clerk informs me that no hard original has arrived and to come tomorrow after the mail comes in. I lost it a little and did a small crazy man routine – “I want my car back and I don’t care about your paperwork! I am not leaving till I have my papers in hand. What is the matter with your acceptance of electronic documents – here it is on my computer!” In the meantime I called Mabel, our very competent agent in Panama, and put her on the phone with the shipping co clerk, Kerry called Mabel too. The new bill of lading with a bunch of stamps appeared 20 minutes later.
2. The inspectors were all assigned already by 11AM so I have to come tomorrow early enough in line to get one. Yikes! I offered to pay for overtime to no avail. Tomorrow, it is - this is the government ‘servicing’ the private sector with no extra charge. At least the collection of the $55 entry fee only took 1 hour with 5, repeat, 5 window appearances!
I readily accept some tax for visiting. But I cannot accept the wanton waste of my vacation time as a paying customer. I find the inefficiency of the administrative system frustrating and debilitating. Everyone has a little segment for their job and must be machine-like with little discretion. Unfortunately it seems that no one is looking at the cost/benefit and effectiveness of the whole process. At least with computer programs, one can force quit when something goes into a Twilight Loop and start over. It is of little comfort that most people say that I am doing better than other bloggers. My desire to extend my stay in Colombia has diminished.
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