I bet I've seen the sloth move faster

We have a saying in India - that not all four fingers in the hand are equal.

Perplexed? It simply means that in any company, government, organisation, institution or unit, not all staff or divisions or departments, operate with uniform efficiency.

That is true all over the world as much as it is true here in the UAE.

I do not want to make trouble for anyone - and in this article I strongly support the "constructive criticism" angle.

Therefore, for the sake of improving service levels, here goes...

I have the paid privilege to have my own post box in one of the more favoured locations in Jumeirah in Dubai. As one would expect of such a posh neighbourhood, the level of service would be of the highest standards.

However, on average, it takes me anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour to just get a stamp or send a registered mail or to access one.

The time it took me before the counter ticket system was introduced was far longer.

Then, I had to contend with staff selecting arbitrarily whom to serve, and more importantly 'when' to serve.

Even now, only half of the five or six counters are open at any point of time I have been at the post office. Staff at the manned counters, naturally feeling resentful, seem to have the sloth as their role model - no, not the one in the Ice Age series of movies, but the real one in its natural habitat.

I have this post box for more than eight years and I still have not been able to catch the moment when all counters are manned.

Delay is aggravating when one has parked the car in a 45 degree Celsius on the way to office.

Time, I say, is of the essence, yes?

On the other hand - and despite my natural aversion for government offices anywhere in the world - I have had the pleasure of getting a visit visa in my hand within half an hour of waiting at the counter at the Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department, or DNRD as it is commonly known.

The only proviso is that I should make sure I have all the documents in correct order - and even this is ensured by the typing office, which efficiently clips all papers of my application, in one neat little package.

The difference is noticeable, yes?

I am sure that each one of us has had similar experiences and I would like you to share yours with me.

In the meantime, I continue to strive for a minimum level of uniformity and standardisation, but accept diversity as a fact of life.

As my younger daughter, when scolded, once said to me: "I can't be like my brother. I'm different."

Vive la difference - but not too much of it!

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