Dear U
Since I do not see you anymore before going to Switzerland, I send an email. I would have preferred to talk this over with you face to face but there is no time anymore. My frustration with this visa issue is very high and therefore I need to get this out of my system before travelling, otherwise I cannot focus. I'm up early since my disappointment does not let me sleep so I need to address it here and then let it go.
Many things went wrong in Kate's visa process and I was always properly informed by Boom and Kate about the happenings. It was difficult to keep quiet since it heavily affected my feelings towards the involved parties. I still believed that it's an issue between U/Orn and Boom so my involvement was not needed.
Since the issue is now cleared I want to summaries what happened and take appropriate actions and then forget about it.
- The standard price for a Burmese visa is THB 7,500.-- (plus all the other fees on top). This was verified and checked with several agents and by several potential customers. All this is tape recorded. I feel it an act of neglect that Child's Dream pays a higher fee. Anyway, this is not the issue here. The issue is that Orn was in charge of the price fixing of the visa process. Orn has no financial competency in Child's Dream. She is a Mae Baan and does not agree on pricing. This is only your responsibility. If you agreed on a higher price for Child's Dream then you need to have a reason for this (e.g. better and faster service) and it has to be recorded properly. Then it's fine. You must check more carefully in the market so that Child's Dream pays the market rate and not any inflated fees. Otherwise, we are wasting donation money. Tuu is also not agreeing on THB 4,000 for a re-entry permit for farangs since she knows the standard price is THB 3,800.--.
- Visa issues are always handled by senior staff in our organisation, Tuu is doing this for the 'farangs' and you should do this for the 'Burmese'. Delegating this issue is wrong since it's too important. Tuu is also not delegating the farang visa issue to Nikone so it's definitely not something Orn should lead. She can do the running around and do the messenger jobs but is not in the position to agree on any pricing without your consent. She is the Mae Baan.
- Orn is meddling in my private live and this is what bothers me most. After she realized that the 'shit is cooking' she started to call Kate many times. Initially she asked Kate whether Boom would accept a certain inflated price. Later she asked Kate to resign in exchange of THB 15,000 and then help her to fine a new job. Kate told her that she cannot resign because she has a small child and then Orn said that she also has a small child. By then she might have realized the consequences this might all have. The lobbying which subsequently started in the office by keeping everybody from working is just another side effect of her wrong doing and her bad feeling. Kate is my Mae Baan and Orn asking her to resign is a very severe breach of trust and a total overstepping of her authorities. Sure Orn claims that this all did not happen and is not true but the evidence is too strong.
- Kate always kept us informed every time Orn called since she did also feel that the visa fee was too high. Kate cares about the inflated prices since in case she would resign, she would have to repay the visa fee pro rated and subsequently pay more than was is standard. Kate also know what a visa costs since she has done this process before.
- Boom also did a mistake in handling this issue. He collected all evidence and before meeting with the agent and you yesterday, he informed you by phone about what he found out. He did this since you are the superior of Orn and needed to know what's coming. You promised to Boom that you will not share this information with anybody. Just a short while later, Orn called Kate again saying 'Thank you for telling everything to your boss'. How can Orn know that Kate told us everything ? Only Boom and I knew of this and then you after Boom told you. You can understand that I'm disappointed.
I want to ask you whether Orn can give us a reason why Kate should lie to us. There is no upside for her but only downside. She cannot gain anything from lying to us. Her job is secured, she is well paid and has a visa to stay. So no reason to put this all at stake, right ?
My trust in Orn is scattered. I will not terminate her employment despite I believe she is/was cheating. A strong written warning will be issued to her, it will be put into her staff file and if anything similar happens again she will be laid off immediately. Also subsequently to her action, there is no bonus and no salary increase for Orn. I am deeply disappointed in this woman.
For your part, it will not have any consequences but I want to share with you that I'm disappointed in the way you handled the case and in the way you acted as a senior person and supervisor in our organisation. If a supervisor does not know all the facts, he/she is not taking sides but obtains all information first so that a informed decision can be taken. Informing Orn about what you know is immature and not what a leader does. I hope you learn something out of this situation for future cases. You are a senior person in Child's Dream and a member of the Management Committee so you should act more professionally.
There were many other little things during that process but I don't want to repeat them here. I hope I have gotten my core message over to you.
You know me for 10 years already and you know that I have a high tolerance for making mistakes. Mistakes are here to learn from (and not to be covered up) and I hope this is also the case with this issue. Everybody deserves a chance to improve.
This is not about money, this is about trust only.
Have a good weekend and see you after I'm back from Switzerland
Marc
Manuela: Please work with U on a strong warning letter for Orn which has to be counter-singed by Orn and then filed. Many thanks !