Stranded Ghanaians back home from Barbados

WELCOME BACK, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS!
At long last our Ghanaian ( and a few Nigerian) brothers who went on an adventure to Barbados (and Trinidad) have arrived back home in Ghana- at least most of them any way. About 7 of them are still missing in action and will be declared fugitive illegal immigrants soon if they do not give themselves up. It looks like some Bajan brothers are hiding the few guys left but it remains to be seen how long one can hide on an island which is smaller than the size of Kpetoe.

The Barbados Nation newspaper reports their departure here and the some of the statements attributed to the Barbados Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, Senator Maxine McClean, are a bit amusing.

According to McClean, the ones who left on the flight last night have not been deported, and their status has been regularised and that will be reflected in their travel documents.
She said that should any of them wish to re-enter Barbados, they could, once the requirements of the Immigration Department were met upon arrival

Someone is in denial here or someone hasn't learnt their lesson from the fiasco because almost everyone realizes now that these "visitors" were promised jobs in Bardados and other countries and were most probably victims of an illegal immigration scam perpetuated by someone or a group of people who played the Barbados authorities with talk of a "cultural exchange". Maybe the Minister is just speaking diplomatically. Judging from the photograph of the departing visitors above, they appear very happy and are smiling and laughing. It looks like they were treated well and Ghanaians will remember that if a group of Bajans happen to be stranded in West Africa in the future.

As a frequent visitor to the Barbados Free Press blog, I could not help noticing that what many of the Barbadian commenters there were most scared of was the possibility that the visitors would impregnate their Bajan women. I thought they ought to have given their women more credit than that. Whatever happenned to courtship and marriage, before children? Other Barbadians were scared of the West Africans bringing diseases like Yellow Fever and AIDS to their island! That threat is gone now and those Bajans can now sleep peacefully at night; the sterile island bubble is still free of disease pathogens! A few others were scared about increased crime; I can assure them that these "tourists" were looking for jobs and a better life and therefore were very unlikely to become petty criminals

The Ghana News Agency reports their arrival story here and of note is the fact that the 19 Nigerians refused to give any interviews on arrival. Many commenters on Ghanaweb are displacing some of their anger onto the Nigerians and demanding that we send some of the bill for the repatriation to the Nigerian government. The total amount is reported to be 300,000 US dollars equally shared between the Barbados government and Ghana. By my calculation, we should send a bill for 43,467 US dollars to the Nigerian government. It is small change for Nigeria with the price of OIL currently a 125 dollars a barrel and then we can have some peace.

It is dog eat dog season and everyone is looking for someone to hate and vent their displeasure at. Some Bajans did it to the Ghanaian visitors and some Ghanaians are venting on the Nigerians who were on the flight. It is all misplaced anger. Not long after the visitors leave, the angry Barbadians will turn their anger back to other things, maybe resume their attention on the Guyanese and soon after the Nigerians leave Ghana, the angry Ghanaians will resume hating each other like we do daily on the Ghanaweb forum SAY-IT-LOUD

Can anything good come out this fiasco? I doubt it but all reports indicate that initially, many Barbadians were extremely happy to see the visitors. Now they have been left with a sour or sour taste in the mouth because of what they perceive as a threat of illegal immigration from "African scammers". Time will tell. In the meantime, a warm welcome home to my Ghanaian adventurers. I hope you acquitted yourselves well in your short time in Barbados society. Now let us turn our attention to finding out the culprits behind this scheme. We can start at the office of the Travel agent in Ghana and we should not rest till we catch the possible frontman on the either side in Barbados. -mailto:-gbetor@kpetoe

Pope Benedict XVI campaigning for Obama?

From REUTERS, Pope Benedict XVI speaking in Washington DC lamented the "clear signs of a disturbing breakdown in the very foundations of society: signs of alienation, anger and polarization on the part of many of our contemporaries; increased violence; a weakening of the moral sense; a coarsening of social relations and a growing forgetfulness of God."

Is the Pope campaigning for Obama or what? Obama said something last week about alienation, anger and polarization and the self-righteous pundits will not let anyone hear the last of it. It was like he had made some kind or rivers of blood speech and even nice Hilary is now running an ad in Pennsylvania showing the man and woman in the street saying how offended they are and how out of touch the posh Harvard educated Obama is with ordinary Americans.

So what do you say about Pope Benedict then. Here he is echoing the words of Obama in talking about “alienation, anger and polarization” and I am sure the talk on Talk Radio in the coming days will be about how we don’t need no European coming to tell us anything about ourselves. Who does he think he is coming here and telling us about Native Americans having had a bad deal? Tune in to your local Talk Radio over the next few days and see variations of Godwin’s law at work. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

gbetor@kpetoe

AIRLINE INDUSTRY TROUBLES

How the GIA and others can survive.


In the past 10 days ATA Airlines, Skybus, Aloha Airgroup and now Frontier Airlines have all filed for bankruptcy. These are not airlines that were mismanaged and turned into private tro-tros like our good Ghana Airways. Even if the Ghana government had continued to susidize Ghana Airways, there is no doubt that it would have collapsed by now.

So how come Ghana International Airlines (GIA) is still flying even after their part in the Barbados Chartar fiasco? The key is to look at the routes. The most lucrative routes in the airline industry are in Africa. Airfares from Europe and the USA to Africa have been at cut throat prices since 1973 and travelling Africans have in some way subsidized the cheap travel Westerners enjoy. Even though Wall Street does not acknowledge this, Delta Airlines was rescued from bankruptcy after they started on the lucrative New York- ACCRA route, now four times a week.

If GIA get their act together, they will be still be flying long after Alitalia, American Airlines, SouthWest, etc., file for bankruptcy. After the demise of the old Ghana Airways and until Delta Airlines came on the New York- West African route, it was monopolized by a small airline called North American Airlines (NAA) and this monopoly kept them in the business. Many Ghanaian travellers complained bitterly about the kind of service they provided, but we learnt to grin and bear it because there was no alternative.

Once Delta Airlines arrived and started out with a far more superior service and at similar prices, we defected en masse and it was not long before NAA realized they were flying empty planes to Accra. As fuel prices went out of control it became a loss making trip for the airline and about six weeks ago, NAA threw in the towel and reportedly are now going to concentrate on operating Charter flights.

That should serve as a warning to Delta Airlines to treat their West African passengers with the same level of customer service they provide everywhere. It is only a matter of time before other major airlines like American, Continental, North West and even newer companies like Jet Blue Airways get wind of the West African cash cow. Recent developments, particularly the discovery of oil in Ghana, will result in increased air travel between Ghana and the USA. When that happens, customer loyalty will become very important and now is the time to court and establish it.- gbetor@kpetoe

COMING BACK SOON

After an absence of almost two years, I intend to revive this blog and post here more frequently. What has caused this change of heart? I think there is still a lot to be said about what is going in Ghana and the world at large which is not being written anywhere I have looked. I intend to build up the pace slowly so I urge my two readers to be patient and keep returning to the site.

It has been interesting to read the news about Ghanaians “airlifted” to Barbados purported to be on a ground-breaking tourist trip which is now unraveling as a an immigration scam. You can read here about how some Barbadians feel about it and amuse yourself with some of the comments. I actually thought Yellow fever had been almost eradicated but this is the disease someone fears most on the island with the arrival of the West African visitors.

I will write more on that ill-fated trip by Ghana International Airlines to Barbados, after the story reaches its conclusion with the departure of the stranded visitors. I take this opportunity to thank the people of Barbados who have been generous in taking care of the needs of these Ghanaians, while they await a swift removal which cannot come too soon for many people on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. Ghanaians will do well to remember this kindness in the unlikely event that global warming causes the oceans to rise and the island of Barbados happens to be evacuated.

THE ROT AT THE TOP

"The Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) and the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Police Service have commenced serious investigations into the operations of the Ghana International Airlines (GIA)"

http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=102799

Gbetormenyo wonders;

1) Within 6 months of an airline starting business, the Castle had started "forensic" investigations into its affairs. In the midst of the Mpianim fiasco, Sam "Kotor" Crabbe opened his mouth to inform us that the Capo de Capo should have waited for the outcome of a previously unreported forensic audit already in place, before taking action. Now who is this unknown forensic auditor?

2) Now we are told the BNI and the CID ( our equivalent of the CIA and the FBI) has started "serious" investigations. Asem be ba dabi- what is this new thing called a "serious investigation". As opposed to "light" or "minor" investigation! I gues the CID and BNI leave "light" investigations in the hands of the toothless CHRAG and that is why they are ignoring the felony money-laundering and tax-evation confessions being made by Dr Anane, his wife Mrs Anane (senior) and his friends at the commission.

3) Interesting that the runcus and rumpus at GIA happened within a few hours of an unexpected flight delay from Gatwick which was said to be due to Ryanair seizing the plane or technical problems with the plane or just normal flight delay. Some small thing kekeh, and everything begins to came out. Just like with the defunct Ghana Airways. If some lostman/woman had not forgotten to renew the carrier's US transportation license, they would still be hopping back and forth from New York today making a loss for the nation and a profit for the workers. A warning to all the smiling tax-collectors at CEPS and Tema harbour! It will not last for ever. One of these days you will come down from trees like Zaccheus and declare "if I have ever taken money from someone, I give it back to the people of Agona- Brofeyedur and Sokode-Gbogame four-fold"

4) What does it take to launch a "serious" investigation into manslaughter/ murder charges against the Minister for Forestry, the head of the Forestry department, and the Boat owners for the recent Volta Lake disaster.

5) What does it take to launch a "serious" investigation into incompetence and sleeping at the wheel charges against President Kufuor for spending 10 days in the USA for a 90 minute meeting with GW Bush while internal deportations are being carried out under his watch, armed robbers are terrorizing his citizens with inpunity, and carnage is being wrought on the nations' single lane major roads?

gbetor@kpetoe

ZADOK the high priest of Israel- precursor of the myth of zadokeli?

I have always suspected that the Ewes of Ghana were part of the lost tribes of Israel (similar to the Falashas of Ethiopia). Yesterday after reading about "zadokeli" the god who reportedly appeared in 1947 in Aflao during the last eclipse, I did some research on Google and Wikipedia ( where else). After a lot of research last night and this morning before breakfast I have a theory that we are the direct descendants of Zadok, the high priest of Israel.

Indeed Zadok may be the precursor of the myth of zadokeli ( which translates as nightlight or Zadok's light)

Zadok was a son of Ahitub, of the line of Eleazar (2 Samuel 8:17; 1 Chronicles 24:3), high priest in the time of David (2 Sam. 20:25) and Solomon (1 Kings 4:4). He is first mentioned as coming to take part with David at Hebron (1 Chr. 12:27, 28). During the rebellion of Absalom, Zadok gained still greater prominence. He and the Levites wished to accompany the fleeing David with the Ark of the Covenant, but the king begged them to remain at Jerusalem, where they could do him better service

Zadok and Abiathar acted as high priests on several important occasions but when Adonijah endeavoured to secure the throne, Abiathar went with him, and therefore Solomon "thrust him out from being high priest," and Zadok, remaining faithful to David, became high priest alone. He was succeeded in his sacred office by his son Azariah Source- WIKIPEDIA

Le ådô ma la, zadokeli do ðe anyigba la katã dzi gañoño etŸ sôå, tso ådô ga. wuieve va se ðe êetrô ga etŸ me. Le êetrô ga etŸ me la, Yesu do êli ses ( from the Ewe Bible)

Gbetor@home. taking a break from politics and will return to normal after breakfast

PENDING ECLIPSE STIRS THE NATIVES

Who said the eclipse is just a physical phenomenon?

if it is not JJ "the boom" Rawlings going to Libya and forgetting his medications at home and claiming to make crazy comments to Gadaffi ( the great father of democracy in Africa - yeah right) then it is good old clueless gentle gaint, Prez Kufuor claiming that eight years is not enough to appoint 200 ministers including a recycled "senior minister!"

Then the beasts of Animal Farm follow suit with their two legs good, four legs bad polarizing debate. Ato Kwamena ( whose face calls for a custard pie and a punch in the nose) writes his usual drivel
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=101674
and elicits the usual response from JJ Rawlings supporters who think their idol is "zadokeli", the god who allegedly appeared near Aflao in 1947 during the last eclipse.

Zadokeli? that is what my southern Ewe cousins plan to celebrate when the eclipse occurs tomorrow. I wish they were studying how to predict the weather and for that matter, the next eclipse using scientific methods.
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=101697

Kpetoe Kingkong at home and back from Agortime

The BRAIN DRAIN thing again

The Deputy Minister of Manpower, Youth and Employment, Dr Charles Brimpong-Yeboah has, therefore, called for a second look to be taken of the US Visa Lottery.Dr Brimpong-Yeboah made the call on Wednesday in a paper on "Addressing the Brain Drain Phenomenon - Harnessing the Potential for National Development" at a symposium at the 57th Annual New Year School, underway at the University of Ghana, Legon.

See full article at
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=97100


COMMENT.
For a lot of politicians crying alligator tears about people leaving the country, there is a subliminal class issue they often don't realize. A lot of them have first degree relatives (wives and chicks, husbands, children, brothers and sisters) living outside the country and they see nothing wrong with that. They actually take pride in it.

Richard Anane claimed that the money he used to support his pickin na bodo et Alexandra came from friends and relatives in the USA. Nana Konadu and JJR claim that friends are paying for the education of their children abroad.

When they publish obituaries in the newspapers, they take pains to include (in brackets) the location of relatives and "chief mourners" in London, USA, Holland, etc.

What these politicians resent is a guy from Agona Brofoyedur, Agotime Kpetoe or Bodomase who struggles through the system and after hitting wall after wall with his BA or BSc makes a break for it and becomes successful in the USA.

In their opinion, such graduates should have returned to their villages to teach JSS and promote the health and education of "stakeholders" if they couldn't find good jobs with PWC after graduation, rather than run to the USA or UK. As for living and working abroad, it should be reserved for the children and relatives of the Kuffuors, Rawlingses, Abodapis, Ananes, and Dr Charles Brimpong-Yeboah.

Hopes for the New Year

I don't think there will be much change in Ghana in the new year. After five years of Kufuor's leadership it will take some kind of gene therapy before we will see any groundbreaking or epoch-making development in Ghana. I don't see any fresh winds blowing but all the same I am thankful that we have enjoyed relative peace and no gun-totting adventurer has decided to force a change of government.

The proliferation of media houses and the large number of radio stations and newspapers coupled with the free press is certainly a big plus for democracy and I commend the Kuffuor government for maintaining this environment which I have to admit started in the last days of the P(NDC). The more people talk and write, the more clued up we get about the comings and goings.

It is true that a lot of our newspapers push their own political agenda, some more than others. It happens all over the world and even then, we are getting accustomed to their colours and can therefore take what they say and write knowing where they are coming from. In this regard Palaver, Daily Guide and Crusading Guide can share the 2005 award for jaundiced journalism.

My hopes for the year? I am not asking for much.

1. May the rule of law be strenghthened so that innocent Ghanaians can sleep in their beds at night and not have to barricade their walls and front doors like prisons for fear of menacing armed robbers.

2. May a miracle happen to sort out corruption and bring sanity to the Customs and Excise Department so that we can clear our hard earned property from the harbour after paying fair taxes and fees, which will go towards our collective development and not the pockets of CEPS employees.

3. May President Kufuor travel only four times out of Ghana this year and may ministers and others in authority stop giving us unnecesary advice in their speeches "read on their behalf" and above all may they stop using the term "stakeholder"

4. May I attract visionary and selfless Ghanaians to this blog so that together we can provoke each other to good deeds and see progress in the Gold Coast.

5. May parliament pass a law to revoke the licences of any mining company which disses either the environment or the local population or both

6. May Dr. Arthur Kennedy abandon his plans to run on the ticket of the NPP and instead start a new political party, run for parliament in 2008 and then for president in 2012

7. May Agotime-Kpetoe become the capital of outsourcing in Africa

welcome

welcome to the newest blog on the westcoast of Africa (- that is until the nextblog). I look forward to harnessing the beautiful minds of the Gold Coast diaspora towards making our country a better place.

freedom and justice-
one nation, one people, one destiny!