Look and Listen

Biography

Michael Anthony Tarallo is an international civil servant, whose career in international financial management spans 22 years. He has served in the United States, Austria, Kosovo, Israel, and Darfur, with special assignments in Jordan and Cyprus. He holds masters in political science and public administration and development. He is currently in charge of the financial resources for the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Darfur, currently the largest both in terms of funding and personnel. He was born in New York and relocated to Rome, Italy, where he spent his childhood and teenage formative years. The international character of both his family- and professionally-driven relocations has allowed him to meet people from all walks of life and appreciate wide ranging cultures, customs, and traditions. He has authored three books: (i) Valuing People: Citizen Engagement in Policy Making and Public Service Delivery in Rural Asia (2012); (ii) Public Administration: Key Issues Challenging Practitioners (2012); and (iii) UN Budgeting: A Sound Leap Forward (2004).

Inspiration

The complexities of government and governance make the study of public administration and the role of citizens with such context a subject of endless, contentious and fascinating discussions. The author is of the view that two fundamental aspects of governance exist – (i) while public administration varies from one country to another, public administrators inevitably face similar challenges. How they address these challenges creates opportunities for effectiveness; and (ii) citizens must be engaged in public affairs. Only by creating an environment where citizens are given democratic space to exercise ‘voice’, can government truly reflect the will of the people, even in between elections.