scot47

In my 20s I remember flying out to Lusaka and sitting next to someone who had worked on the Groundnuts Scheme in Colonial Tanganyika. I have also over the years met many involved in the Central African Federation. Now when I look abck and think on my years in Africa on the ODA/OSAS programme I realise that I too am part of history and will soon be dead and forgotten - like all those on previous colonial and neo-colonial developments.


Should I write me memoirs ? It will soon be too late.


Overseas
Service
Aid
Scheme
= OSAS


was the Ministry of Overseas Development scheme that seconded British nationals to work in newly-indepedent Commonwealth states. I was in Zambia 1973-1977

Pulaski

Presumably brought to you by the same committee that was asked to design a horse and instead came up with a camel.

I remember my father telling me about the east African ground nuts fiasco.

scot47

I was not admitted to the Upper Echelons that designed OSAS. Undoubtedly staffed by all those Colonial Office types who needed a new billet. You know - Gussie Ffistteleton-Twykes and his pals. The foot-soldiers on the ground - like myself and the other humble "Education Officers" (vulge "Teachers") did a reasonable job.

Novocastrian

My father-in-law, now almost 90, arrived in Tanganyika in 1950 as a member of the then Colonial Service. The ludicrous groundnut scheme was about to be finally abandoned but not quite yet, that was in early 1951. My wife was born in Nachingwea later that same year.

He's now on his last legs, but in Sept. this year he attended the very last meeting of former members of the Service in Windemere. There were 19 attendees, down from several hundred a decade ago.

So, yes, now is probably a good time to write your memoirs.

scot47

I will set to this as soon as I can recruit a female amanuensis who can take shorthand and prepare a drinkable cup of tea. Hard to find good staff these days.

Novocastrian

You'll just have to get off your Bute.

scot47

I plan to do that on Monday. All the excitement of a day trip to the large island that is close to Bute. I am reminded of the minsiter jere who regularly included in his prayers "the people of Bute and the neighbouring island of Britain"

Pulaski

I hope that the weather on Monday will be conducive to travel and that Britain isn't cut off by fog.

scot47

Imperial folly did not end with the Groundnuts Scheme. It has continued to the present day in any number of ill-conceived plans for "Foreign Aid". I saw it in my line of work as the British Council moved from encouraging the teaching of English and facilitating the study of British Culture to the new field - of "Gender Equality".

Pulaski

Meanwhile the pillaging of natural resources has been taken over by the Chinese.

scot47

The Chinese Road to Capitalism is now under construction, comrades ! The East is no longer Red !

Pulaski

However "capitalism" should not be confused with "democracy".

scot47

Of course not. What a strange idea !

Novocastrian

Have you been reading George Monbiot?

https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...ian-capitalism

Pulaski

No, I don't read the Grauniad.