Multi-headed Dragons - Part I

When I stop and think about the structure of ICIS with its wide ranging membership it always amazes me that we've managed to get as far as we have.

The biggest challenge that ICIS has always faced is the dichotomy of needs and views between the Provincial and Local governments. The Province, itself, is a confederation of differing ministerial needs and wants that must, somehow, be rendered to a single policy direction that can be voiced at the ICIS Board table. To do this, the Province relies on process to determine direction and this, by necessity, results in time and money. When forced to make decisions that have not had the luxury of due process, single personalities within the Province are forced to make decisions on-the-fly. These decisions can, quite often, run counter to what the resulting process might finally reveal. An outsider then receives a mixed message and mistrust develops.

Personalities can play a role here in how severe the mistrust takes hold but it has been my experience that no matter how well intentioned a Provincial decision maker might be they will, at some point, be caught out of sync with the process. Ultimately they are at the whim of the political engine that drives them and once you are at that level logic and reasoning often go out the window.

Next up, the local government conundrum.