Letter to the editor

Following is a response to an FCW.com poll question that asked, "Should managers joining the proposed Homeland Security Department have to reapply for their jobs?"

I seem to remember us being successful at government operations before technology reared its ugly head. It's the three P's -- people, process and policy -- that are the key to homeland security being successful. The technology will only enable what is agreed to.

Success ultimately will depend on how the people view their work, how Congress and the Homeland Security Department support this view with good policy, and then the application of technology to support it.

Interviews should be restricted to those individuals joining the government for the first time, for they are the ones who really don't have a clue about how it works. Leaders of the new department need to be sure that they are getting good players who can contribute, not people with an ax to grind.

Kirk Nicholas KPMG Consulting Inc.