Cape Verde Airliner Throws out PM
The national airliner of Cape Verde, TACV, this week asked the country's Prime Minister José Maria Neves to leave one of its planes. The reason was that the captain did not want transport members of Mr Neves' security guards, which were carrying arms.
The events occurred this weekend as security agents accompanying the Prime Minister of Cape Verde on a trip to the island of São Vicente with the national carrier Transportadora Aérea do Cabo Verde (TACV) were rejected by the pilot.
The security agents wanted to enter the aircraft with their arms, holding these were necessary to protect the chief of government, who was already inside the airplane. However, the pilot refused to take the armed guards on board, leading to the abortion of the PM's flight to São Vicente.
However, after some negotiation at the Praia airport, the head of government reached an agreement with the national airliner and TACV made another aircraft available to Mr Neves. The PM and his armed guards thus were allowed to go to São Vicente, arriving four hours behind schedule.
Following the incident, which has attracted great attention by media in Cape Verde, the Praia government today announced that it would lodge a protest with the airline as a result of this "surprising and regrettable incident."
The government statement added that it expected that "legislation and directives applicable in this regard be strictly observed and followed by those responsible." It further holds that "all routines and special boarding procedures for transporting weapons in the cabin of the aircraft on this mission were, as usual, respected." The same sources added that the commander of the PM's security personnel had requested the necessary permission last Thursday, obtaining such permission the next day.
The commander added that the attitude of the captain had been unacceptable. TACV still is majority controlled by the Cape Verdean government. The small national airliner, which has produced losses for years, is being beefed up financially to prepare for its privatisation in 2009. Originally, privatisation was foreseen for 2007, but no interesting buyers were found.
Well I guess not!....with the pilots having attitudes like that.......
Can you just picture the Prime Minisiter of the country needing to reach his destination, and the pilot sitting there in the tiny cockpit, with his arms folded across his chest, giving the quick side to side head shake that means No!
By the way, I highly recommend checking the Afrol News website for news from all the states of the African continent. This is an independent news source. They really do an excellent job of providing daily coverage that is free of the usual perspectives of the traditional international news corporations. Their claim is that they are "The only independent news agency dedicated solely to Africa".
Let me add another link, in case you have an interest in following the expanding commerce spreading across Africa as a result of the introduction of technological developments in digital communication, the broadcast and entertainment field. For that you want to sign on to Russell Southwood's Balancing Act subscription list. He's the man with his thumb on the pulse of all of the action. To quote their explanation of what they do, "Balancing Act seeks to be the primary source for information on the telecoms, Internet and audio-visual media industries in Africa. "
They can get quite technical with their data sometime, but I know many of you latent engineering and electronic geeks (sisters included) understand it. And hey....you've got to find someplace to invest all of your idle capital.....Reading Russell's newsletter, provides information on all the latest deals, obstacles and people that are involved. Important to you? Yes, because Africa is definately seen as the next 'boom town' for technological investment.
Kentke
I know I need to quit but I just can't shake the image of the pilot refusing to fly his own Prime Minister. Anyway. ...here's what the Belguim visitor that took the headline photo of the TACV Cape Verde aircraft had to say about their air transportation.
"Leaving Schiphol, Amsterdam Airport, with Cabo Verde airlines. The vegetarian meals that were ordered were not there. Air ventilation was also poor. And the same on the return flight!
They also managed to book us on an inter-island flight which did not exist. This meant we had to stay one day longer on the one island, and one day less on the other. "
Uhmm huh.... 'nother couple a reasons ain't nobody tryin' to buy they national airline!
oh candy stop!
Afrol News - http://www.afrol.com/
Balancing Act -http://www.balancingact-africa.com/
Here are two more links for staying current with the African world:
Jewels in the Jungle-http://jewelsnthejungle.blogspot.com/ - Check the list of links!
Koluki - http://koluki.blogspot.com/ - Portugues and English;economics and culture galore.
Great work.
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