Monrovia

I was made very welcome on arrival at Roberts Airport, Monrovia. Immigration hustled me through the ‘Liberian Citizens’ line to obtain my visa (while the long ‘Aliens’ queue awaited the attentions of a very slow senior officer). On emerging in customs, I was the only white face among a line of citizens and was waived through without the necessity of having my suitcase examined. I cannot guarantee that it will ever happen again but it was the smoothest arrival at an African airport I have experienced.  My ‘meeter and greeter’ was awaiting my emergence from the airport terminal and I was whisked away for the 1 hour road journey into Monrovia.

The coastal plain is very flat, re claimed mangrove swamp, and new arrivals can snooze during the journey as they will not miss very much. One interesting observation, the street lights all along the coastal ‘highway’ are solar powered. How sensible is that. Could austerity Britain follow this example of using renewable resources?

My accommodation, and the Company offices, is located in the Sinkor district of the capital. This was previously the diplomatic quarter with large houses and housing plots previously used as embassies. Many have been demolished by speculative property developers (mostly Lebanese) and the old house replaced by a block of flats or apartments. These are rented out to corporate clients, an initial demand for 3 years rent up front being typical.

There is presently four expatriate staff working in the office, two English, one Welsh and an American. We mess together for breakfast and evening meals.

Today I ventured into central Monrovia to attend a meeting called by the Ministry of Finance, at the Cape Hotel. I arrived a little late due to traffic congestion, to find that the road outside the Hotel was closed and being ripped up for re surface work. The delegates emerging from grid locked cars had to walk into the hotel. Late comers continued to arrive until noon.

The meeting was reasonably well attended but the proceedings marred by mobile phone ring tones. In Liberia it is apparently acceptable to leave one’s phones switched on and take calls during speaker’s presentations. The guys up front and presenting were remarkably tolerant. Attendance varied during the morning as people arrived and left, not waiting for a break in the proceedings. I think presentations are very difficult and whenever possible to be avoided.