Construction sites open and construction sites closed

 

Construction sites open and construction sites closed

 Life goes on, at a somewhat different pace because of the Coronavirus. In Central Africa cases have risen to over 250 (from 119 a week ago). The fear becomes a little more palpable (even if the activities, travel, parties and meetings are often challenging due to the rules to maintain distance and hygiene).

These days, like Caritas, we have managed to buy infrared thermometers, which we have made available to some hospitals and dispensaries. Tomorrow we are launching an order of 6,000 masks, which will be manufactured locally, and will provide security and work.

In the parish, although we cannot perform the celebrations of baptisms and sacraments, we are continuing with the catechism exams.

There is great news though, the Chinese companies are leaving Bozoum.

For several days, trucks loaded with bulldozers and diggers have been passing, leaving Bozoum mainly  from the south (probably towards Yaloke and Bambari).

Unfortunately, they are also leaving a disaster! Actually, several disasters:

• Pollution of the river, and of the aquifers in the area with mercury (which will remain for decades in the water, in the earth, in the vegetation, and throughout the food chain)
• A river destroyed with piles of gravel and earth, and deep pools of water: 7 people died there last week!
• A trail of diseases and malformations: there are already cases of newborns with spina bifida and macrocephaly.
• A slew of violence and abuse, with injuries, deaths and disregard for all justice.
• A poorer country: while firms spent over 7 million euros in a year (more than 4,700,000 fcfa), they said they extracted gold for just over 4,680,000 euros (3,065,000,000 f CFA)! It is strange that companies came here  to work for a loss! And, according to official state budgets, there has been no increase in revenue!
• A poorer region: due to very corrupt authorities, local communities have had no benefit from this mining operation (apart from mercury, polluted water, malformations, violence and injustices). Chinese firms had promised 36 thousand euros (24 million fcfa) to build schools and dispensaries. They gave them, but only a part was used (and not to make schools, but a forum for the authorities for the national holiday of December 1st). The school was never built. Of the 2 dispensaries, just under half were built (and never finished). The company that built the grandstand received 9.5 million cfa (and 2.5 million evaporated), while less than 2 million cfa were spent on the two dispensaries (not built).

The moral of the story: some local authorities pocketed more than 12 million fcfa (about 18,000 euros), which were destined to compensate the local population, at least in part!

Courage!

Construction sites open and construction sites closed

 Life goes on, at a somewhat different pace because of the Coronavirus. In Central Africa cases have risen to over 250 (from 119 a week ago). The fear becomes a little more palpable (even if the activities, travel, parties and meetings are often challenging due to the rules to maintain distance and hygiene).

These days, like Caritas, we have managed to buy infrared thermometers, which we have made available to some hospitals and dispensaries. Tomorrow we are launching an order of 6,000 masks, which will be manufactured locally, and will provide security and work.

In the parish, although we cannot perform the celebrations of baptisms and sacraments, we are continuing with the catechism exams.

There is great news though, the Chinese companies are leaving Bozoum.

For several days, trucks loaded with bulldozers and diggers have been passing, leaving Bozoum mainly  from the south (probably towards Yaloke and Bambari).

Unfortunately, they are also leaving a disaster! Actually, several disasters:

• Pollution of the river, and of the aquifers in the area with mercury (which will remain for decades in the water, in the earth, in the vegetation, and throughout the food chain)
• A river destroyed with piles of gravel and earth, and deep pools of water: 7 people died there last week!
• A trail of diseases and malformations: there are already cases of newborns with spina bifida and macrocephaly.
• A slew of violence and abuse, with injuries, deaths and disregard for all justice.
• A poorer country: while firms spent over 7 million euros in a year (more than 4,700,000 fcfa), they said they extracted gold for just over 4,680,000 euros (3,065,000,000 f CFA)! It is strange that companies came here  to work for a loss! And, according to official state budgets, there has been no increase in revenue!
• A poorer region: due to very corrupt authorities, local communities have had no benefit from this mining operation (apart from mercury, polluted water, malformations, violence and injustices). Chinese firms had promised 36 thousand euros (24 million fcfa) to build schools and dispensaries. They gave them, but only a part was used (and not to make schools, but a forum for the authorities for the national holiday of December 1st). The school was never built. Of the 2 dispensaries, just under half were built (and never finished). The company that built the grandstand received 9.5 million cfa (and 2.5 million evaporated), while less than 2 million cfa were spent on the two dispensaries (not built).

The moral of the story: some local authorities pocketed more than 12 million fcfa (about 18,000 euros), which were destined to compensate the local population, at least in part!

Courage!

Esami di catechismo
Examens de catéchisme