We've finished the first part of our ICT (in-country training). We've had a week of briefings from a range of people; Ni-vanuatans and ex-pats, and then this week three mornings of Bislama lessons.The briefings last week were really excellent. Its fascinating to see how such a small country works (or doesn't work). At the moment the government relies for about a third of its budget on outside aid/ donors. Currently the country is unable to create an economy big enough to sustain the needs of a population spread over 83 islands covering over 400 miles of sea. The infrastructure costs are massive and GDP is tiny as 80% of the population live by subsistence farming and use the 'kastom ekonomi' where pigs, yams and woven mats take the place of cash. There's not a lot of income for the government to tax.
We had briefings from officials from the economic planning department, the department of health, the clerk to the Malvatamaouri (council of chiefs), the Ausaid project officer (all Ni-van) and the Australian embassy. They were all excellent and we learnt (and probably have already forgotten) a huge amount about Vanuatu. The only glitch came in one of the briefings with a fairly senior official when he punctuated a description of the budget planning process with a massive burp. John and I had to studiously avoid looking at each other...
The Bislama lessons were very funny, Bislama (from the beche de mer (sea -cucumber) industry) is mostly english vocab reduced to its most basic phonetics, but then arranged around Melanesian grammar. It sounds easy, its not. well not so far. Some of its obvious "nem blong me Hannah" some of it isnt "kakae ia emi gud tumas" (this food is good). While I'm being childish the best word we've learnt so far is titti- basket. (bra)
2 comments:
We are really enjoying your blogs, even if yuor bislam is running ahead of us. It is a brilliant way to know about your experiences - keep up the good work and do let us have your mobile number as soon as you can.
from yumiyumiyumi blong stockwell
I'm mightily impressed that you managed to get a birthday card from Vanuatu to arrive ON THE DAY! I can't even do that for my gran and she lives in Nassinton. Subsistence farming in stockwell goes okay. Woman blong me is well although I am thinking of remaning her 'brief legs' as a form of tribute. Kava sounds a bit like those uni parties where everyone has too much dope and stops actually saying anything 4 hours before the party ends. How are the Pitcarn invasion plans coming along - I think if you demounce them as part of the axis of evil you might get some US funding. They seem to have a really big budget for invading countries. Thinking of that Tony Blair left finally after a farewell tour that was slightly shorter than yours. Personally I think we'll miss him when he's gone but I seem to be in a minority of two (i figured it was worth including him in the count). That said Gordon Brown seems to have bedded in well, he has a new cabinet of lots of people I've never heard of. People are still trying to blow up important aspects of the evil imperialist anti muslim network such as Tiger Tiger on Haymarket and Glasgow airport. Luckily no one was killed though one fears it's only a matter of time. The Haymarket bomb was actually on my bus route although luckily enough I'm far too boring to have been going home at 2am when it was designed to go off. Missing you both very much but enjoying your posts. Given the genius of titty basket I wonder what the bisl;ama for 'genital hamock' is. In Our Time is nearly at an end. Only two programmes left before I can finish the series having not ballsed anything up too badly. I seem to be writing a novel so will simply stop, wish you all the best and hope to speak soon. Glad all is well
James and Hazel
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