Both Uses

competent
in
Among the Hidden
(Edited)

But everybody knows the Government's not that competent.
p. 62.1 *

competent = capable
"The Government's incompetent and stupid," Jen said.
p. 81.9

incompetent = not sufficiently capable

standard prefix: The prefix "in-" in incompetent means not and reverses the meaning of competent. This is the same pattern you see in words like invisible, incomplete, and insecure.

Definitions:

(1) (competent)
capable (able to do something in a generally satisfactory manner) -- sometimes specifically to have legal capability
(2) (meaning too rare to warrant focus)
In the field of law, competent has the specialized meaning of being legally qualified to do something such as to be mentally fit to make reasonable decisions; or to have jurisdiction or authority to take an action.

In classic literature, a competency can refer to having an income or assets to support living expenses.