From the ridiculous to the ridiculous

Courtesy of the cabinet, public sector morale is walking backwards for Christmas. In their collective wisdom ministers have followed on the budget spirit-dampening measures with instructions to a bedraggled Santa Claus to veer off with whatever little cheer he was bringing along to public employees and families, and seasonal guests of their departments and institutions. With knock-on effect.

The government's intention in abruptly ordering that no parties should be held was to strike a symbolic blow for austerity. Times are bad, it is saying. Never mind how much that contradicts the PM's stubbornly aggressive message in his mid-week winding-up of the first phase of the budget debate. Let's demonstrate it with a conspicuous cut in consumption, he harrumphs.

The idea is not bad at all: I mean, admitting that times are bad, even parlous. It is the manner of expressing that is ridiculous. The cabinet - certainly the finance minister and the prime minister - would have become aware months ago that there would be various revenue shortfalls and expenditure overshoots, making for a much-higher-than-projected financial deficit.

Instead of grimly berating those who tried to analyse the reverse in the government's fiscal forecasts the premier could have used a fraction of his prime time to state that various stringency measures would have to be taken before the year was out. He could have gone on to rattle out some meaningful high-profile minor examples, such as cutting back on unnecessary cost-loading upon unavoidable official travel, stopping propaganda adverts by some ministries, and so on and on and on. In less than three crisp minutes he could have commanded public attention and respect with a must-do list of symbolic gestures.

Planning real cuts in discretionary public outlays to give tangible proof of a determination to move from ridiculous floundering towards sublime steadfastness would have taken a little more time, and could have been covered in the budget speech.

Meanwhile, the cabinet could also have asked - if the word is still within its vocabulary - public sector heads to help to ensure that committed expenditure for this year's seasonal greetings was offset, at least in part, through overall economising, while indicating that from next year on more frugal preparations should be made. Instead, in a show of hamfistedness the ministerial team has made public sector entities look ridiculous, having to cite unforeseen circumstances for suddenly withdrawing invitations to staff parties and drinks for functional guests, people with whom they have a business relationship, such as the Central Bank with bankers.

The alternative, suggesting to all concerned that the cost of committed seasonal functions should be kept as low as possible, allowing them to combine retention of dignity with sense, was left to go begging.

No consideration was given that such a last minute panic measure, while it would save quite a few thousand liri in public sector expenditure, would further depress the public mood. That is still in free fall after the budget speech revealed how much money is still a problem, and how misleading have been buoyant statements made as recently as at the April general election.

Convincing people smack on Christmas Eve that you had made April Fools of them is quite an achievement.