Up to the hurdles

It’s been a week of variety and challenges.

Saturday started with a short stroll, of about 5 miles, to the next village. It started off fairly mild (being winter) but got quite hot by midday so we were pleased to have a soda break when we got there (and even more pleased to get a lift back!!!!) It is harvest time so we passed a number of ox carts – including one having its puncture repaired – and saw a number of creatures including snakes and lizards. Although the road is the main road from Mvumi to the city, Dodoma, and villagers are used to seeing white people travelling in cars, as we entered the village Malcolm was interrogated by a policeman about where we were from, where we were going, why had we come to the village, how long were we staying, and why we were walking and not in a car. He concluded they are not used to ramblers!!!

Even more excitement when we returned. There was clearly something going on in the Dining Hall 200 yards away from our house with a lot of load music, so Malcolm went across to have a nose. After a couple of minutes someone came out to ask if he’d like to come inside and sit down. Although everyone was dressed up smartly and he was still in walking boots, dirty jeans and scruffy tee-shirt he thought he could sneak in at the back. However, as soon as he walked in the master of ceremonies announced, in Swahili, that the hospital accountant was here and Malcolm was escorted up to sit on the front table as one of the guests of honour at the graduation ceremony arranged by the Tanzanian Christian Students Association for those graduating from the colleges – quite an honour which included shaking hands and having his photo taken with all the graduates, and lunch. Irene knew little about this until he returned 2 hours later!!

To make up for it Malcolm took Irene to a local restaurant for a romantic meal that night – a regional delicacy chips mayai – or chip omelette. With coke, a cake and coffee. Total cost Tsh 4,500 – about £1 each. Malcolm knows how to treat a lady (just a shame he never does it!!!)

We have got slightly closer to Tanzanian culture in other ways. A couple of weeks ago we mentioned in our blog someone coming to the door to sell a live chicken – Malcolm ducked the opportunity. This week Irene couldn’t resist, and bought a cockerel. That night we put him in the shed and fed him (Malcolm called him Percy – perhaps he’s missing pets) – and now he has returned the compliment by feeding us (courtesy of our house worker). The good news is that he was not a factory produced, chemical injected, chicken; but totally free-range, organic (and a bit tough as well).

On Thursday Irene went to a neighbouring village for a very large, monthly market where all sorts of produce is sold, including meat. The animals walk to the market, are slaughtered and butchered in the open and leave in carrier bags. The joints of pork she brought back were fresh, and still warm. Malcolm is relieved he stayed at work!

The week for Malcolm has focused on preparing briefing notes for a number of stakeholders. After several years of poor financial management issues are coming to a head. On Friday Malcolm went to Dodoma and met with:
- the Chief Administrator and Personal Assistant to the Bishop to outline the substantial tax and other debts the hospital has accumulated (equivalent to about 40% of its turnover) and the ongoing deficit of over 10% of turnover and current year deficit of 40% of turnover. The cash sums aren’t large by UK standards, but enormous here. There are a number of causes to why this financial position has occurred – the most critical being this years’ increase by Government of the pay of medical staff by over 57%, but so far only an increase in the grant to pay the salaries of about 20%, increasing the hospitals costs by about Tsh 140 million a year (on top of a deficit of Tsh 60 million. To quote Mr Micawber (Malcolm’s patron saint) ‘ annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds, ought and sixpence, result misery’

- A Tax Officer of the Revenues Authority about concerns about the way the hospital has dealt with Income Tax in the past

- The Hospital’s external auditor about arrangements for this year’s audit, and the unpaid account for the 2005/06 and 2006/07 audits. These will be qualified due to lack of proper accounting records.

On the whole, despite the message, they seemed pleased that someone is at least assessing and reporting the problem. Unfortunately previous management seem to have taken the less advisable maxim of Mr Micawber ‘Something will turn up’ and didn’t address the financial issues when they should have done

All are pleased, that is, except for the Union Regional Officer Malcolm met on Wednesday with the rest of the Management Task Force. When he was asked if the meeting could be in English insisted that it be in Swahili as we are in Tanzania (which Malcolm said would be a bit of a problem as he would be speaking in English and couldn’t answer any questions asked in Swahili!!!!). However, to be fair:
- in England it would have been in English no matter what language other people spoke
- his attitude overall was similar to union officers Malcolm worked with in England. Financial problems are an issue for Management as long as workers aren’t affected (despite it being explained that the money just isn’t available to pay the staff on time – and soon not at all unless something drastic changes)

On Thursday we went after work for a picnic with the Waltons and Dr Corrie (a Dutch VSO) to an area which is flat marshland in the rainy season but dry now. We ate sausage in bread, home made Cornish pasties with Branston picle (a delicacy!!!) and home made chocolate cake. We left after we’d seen the first stars (which are brilliant as there is no ‘light pollution’ from towns or street lamps here. A most enjoyable outing, and only one lady carrying a water bucket on her head from the well to her house some distance away stopping to wonder what these mad Mzungu’s (white people) were doing.

Finally
We have put up a new video on Youtube of the congregation at St Andrews church, Mita on 1st June 2008. The link is:
http://www.youtube.com/v/RC5WQoTHMN0

or search on the user name - thecrawfordclan

So – for next week:
· putting the Hospital’s draft budget to the Management Board (probably Monday or Monday week) in advance of the meeting with the Diocese Health Board on 3rd July
· Irene to pick up her skirt and blouse from the ‘fundi’ (worker)
· yet more filing for Irene , and sorting out clothes donated for poor village residents
· we are guests of honour at a fund raising lunch for one of the youth choirs at St Andrew church on Sunday (the choir our house worker, Mama Asante, belongs to)