London
15 °C
Manchester
Glasgow
10 °C
Dublin
Belfast
Washington
Denver
26 °C
Atlanta
25 °C
Dallas
29 °C
Houston Texas
30 °C
New Orleans
El Paso
Phoenix
Los Angeles
25 °C
32 °C
14 °C
Mayor Mike Schubert and the question of "perceived safety in Potsdam"
Mayor Mike Schubert and the question of "perceived safety in Potsdam"
The alleged quotation of the former Prime Minister of Great Britain, Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill (1874 - 1965), which is repeatedly used in speeches and writings: "I only believe the statistics I have falsified myself" or (respectively) "I do not believe any statistics I have not falsified myself", most probably has its roots in Germany, possibly even written in the district of Lanke of the municipality of Wandlitz, in the state of Brandenburg?
In this context, good quotations have much in common with good statistics: if they are to fulfil their purpose, the sources must be correctly reproduced. Neutrality, planning, objectivity, scientific independence and, above all, a balanced selection of sources, in the current case the citizens of Potsdam, should play a role when sending out a comprehensive questionnaire.
The focus of a "survey" on the topic of security should not be on a selection that is obviously and questionably completely unqualified, whereby in the current case even the sense and intellect of the initiators are to be questioned.
Surveys are paid for by the citizen, if they are carried out by the authorities, and the citizen expects to be informed by the civil servants he pays, not only about surveys, but also about press enquiries, for which there are even fixed legal regulations.
In August 2022, a Ukrainian refugee, who had received a questionnaire of 16 (sixteen) pages and 60 (sixty) questions (available to the editors) about the so-called "perceived security" in Potsdam, only very few weeks in the Federal Republic of Germany (in Potsdam), a survey by Mayor Mike Schubert (SPD), in which the Ukrainian refugee is supposed to give information about his apparently years-long impressions of the aforementioned "perceived security in Potsdam".
The fact that the Ukrainian citizen does not know any German words other than "Guten Tag" and "Danke" does not seem to have played any role for Mayor Mike Schubert (SPD), who signed this questionnaire, which is why one wonders about the "sense or nonsense" of this questionnaire for the Ukrainian refugee from the city hall of the state capital Potsdam, especially in terms of the expected result for the citizens of Potsdam, including conclusions for security in Potsdam?
Was taxpayers' money wasted completely senselessly here? Was such an important survey on "perceived safety in Potsdam" planned out of the blue, or have the answers long been available, which would be quite regrettable for the citizens of Potsdam in the sense of the quote by the former Prime Minister of Great Britain, Winston Churchill: "I only believe the statistics I myself have falsified"?
In the cover letter to the questionnaire right at the beginning:
"A central concern of the state capital Potsdam is that the residents feel comfortable and safe. In addition to objective data, which is of course available through the police and the administration, we would like to find out in detail, with the help of a questionnaire, what your "perceived safety" is like. This will give us valuable clues for planning and implementing preventive measures in our city in a needs-oriented and targeted manner. For this purpose, we carry out a security analysis"....
The letter from the state capital Potsdam, signed by Mayor Mike Schubert, to the Ukrainian refugee goes on to say:
"For reasons of representativeness, we ask you to answer the questionnaire in a self-determined manner and not through third parties by 19.09.2022. After about two weeks, we will remind you to hand in the questionnaire." In view of these sentences, the objective observer can no longer help laughing!
However, it is a bitter laugh, because incompetence, questionable planning and even complete lack of interest are the accusations that citizens of the city of Potsdam, after reading this extensive questionnaire, bring in connection with Mayor Mike Schubert (SPD) and at the same time say to BERLINER TAGESZEITUNG: "...Mike Schubert, as mayor of Potsdam, acts completely haphazardly in the city hall, which can also be seen in the questionable planning of the construction site in Potsdam..."!
Instead of excluding certain parameters for recipients, in view of this long questionnaire, the anxious question must be asked how, in addition to the "objective data by the police and administration", a Ukrainian fellow citizen who does not speak German - and has only been living in the state capital of Potsdam for a very short time - can even begin to provide information about the "perceived security in Potsdam", especially since the Ukrainian refugee, as mentioned above, does not speak German to any degree?
Potsdam, the capital of Brandenburg, has 183,154 inhabitants (as of December 2021). Wouldn't it have made more sense not to include refugees who have just arrived in the survey instead of spending taxpayers' money on labour, printing, paper and postage for sending this questionnaire to the dreaded Ukrainian?
Since November 2021, Mike Schubert (SPD) has been the mayor of Potsdam and receives 10,786.67 euros per month (grade B7) from the citizens, plus possible reimbursement of travel expenses and a company car. According to current information, Potsdam citizens want to have seen Mayor Mike Schubert in a luxury Audi A8 limousine, including a chauffeur, even in times of inflation and rising petrol and diesel prices.
For 10,786.67 euros per month for Mayor Mike Schubert, it must be stated objectively that the citizens of Potsdam could certainly expect better planning from Mayor Mike Schubert for such an important survey - with reference to the "perceived security in Potsdam" - or should a "political filter" even be applied here, as the NDR (North German Broadcasting), also financed by the taxpayer, is currently accused of doing? (A.Popov--BTZ)
