Notes of Kosovo pre-convoy visit Feb 09 – Chas

 

Snow and ice on the ground for the full week that I was there – temperatures down at night to minus 8 lowest, but just above freezing each day – within 24 hours of melting wherever it did, boggy roads became dust bowls again!

 

Key Reasons for Trip:-

 

1.       Pre expenditure of £13k on Laundry Equipment for Stimlje Mental Institution, to check out Electrical, plumbing, drainage, and all related technical considerations; also to discuss and agree actions intended, and needed, with Director of the Institution, KFOR who will project Manage, and potentially the Minister of Social Welfare

2.       Visit Leposavic Roma Camp in North Mitrovica, check out security risks and options, meet with, and engage the support of Irish KFOR, and the local KFOR (Belgian)

3.       Various other practical matters related to convoy preparations

 

Outcomes:-

 

1.       See Stimlje visit report – Some electrical and drainage work is needed, but can and will be undertaken under KFOR supervision, to aim at being ready for installation and connection of new machines when convoy delivers them at Easter – KFOR have drawn up a Maintenance Agreement for signature by H & AD, The Director of the Institution, and the Ministry of Social Welfare

Additional machines now purchased by Irish KFOR and installed at children’s home

2.       See Leposavic Roma Camp report – security does not appear to be unduly compromised by location in North Mitrovica (this describes a whole region up to the Serbian border, not just the town itself) and the road to it avoids Mitrovica completely – We will undertake a distribution at the camp (along with each of the other two camps at Cesmin Lug, and Osterode – see later comment) and will be fully supported by Belgian, AND Irish KFOR, BUT all families are to receive a pre-packed and pre-prepared family box – we have exact family numbers, so should be able to equate more to family size than normally, albeit within the bounds of what is available in total.

Cesmin lug and Osterode camps are within Mitrovica Town, and distribution there would take a lot more time, and be less easy to control – we should also make up family packs, but ability to distribute ourselves will depend on time available as part of overall week’s drops.

3.       Other significant issues:-

a.       Families - I visited a number of families over several days with Mirlinda, Bilal, and Gjelosh – conditions were appalling, and each family is part of a priority Housing need list that MTS have got and would like to progress IF but only WHEN they can get funds – I was very moved by these visits, and have photos and am compelling reports. John Evans saw some of these families during his visit with me last year – My hope and determination is that we try to do something to help MTS get the funding they need, that we could then try to supplement from Legacy/other funds.

In all cases, I left funds with MTS (or the family directly) to purchase urgently needed food.

b.       Skenderaj Family - I also visited the Gashi family in Skenderaj with Arsim – known from past visits by Kevin, Steve, Dave LR, Donna and me to name but a few. (Ex residents of one of the Collective Centres there) We knew that an American named John had put up some money to build a new house for them, but we didn’t know anything else – We took Mrs Gashi to the new house which they had not yet occupied and found it to be incomplete with no ceilings, plumbing, sewage, or utilities, but solid with a roof, and much work completed.

Managed to track down the benefactor John – he has no more funds to put in, and would be delighted for us to help finish the house – Although we did not commit to the Gashi family, I have committed to Arsim that we will finish this house, and several crew for Easter have already fulfilled a hastily circulated furnishings list

Action – Chas and Arsim to agree next steps (delayed because Arsim’s uncle died) – Arsim will project manage – at a rough estimate, we think the remainder can be achieved for under 3k Euro

c.       Insurance - Met with Gezim and Ilir from Insurance Association about 3rd party insurance – (Ilir is not the decision maker, but clearly has influence) continued exemption would not be a problem, nor would it be a problem if any crews wanted to take out the ‘international’ 3rd party border insurance at International rates, but Ilir confirmed to me that the domestic 3rd party insurance (at much cheaper domestic rates) is exactly the same insurance policy and terms. Both have a maximum cover now of 100k Euro – Ilir promised to request that we be allowed to buy the ‘domestic’ insurance if we wished to, and said he would let me know the price – I have chased this today, but as Ilir’s father is terminally ill in hospital, I have done this through Gezim for now.

d.       Warehouse dust – Luli spoke to Selim, and says that he does not mind at all that we feel we need to try and get the floor of the warehouse cleaned before we arrive – have agreed that we will give some EURO’s to his employees to do the job, and who will be grateful for the extra cash – To be actioned in the few days before we arrive – I need to chase.

e.       Local Truck or Van hire – The situation has not changed………..there are NO truck or van hire companies in Pristina, or known to be any, anywhere else in Kosovo – There are several forecourts where 4 x 4’s can be hired for 50 Euro per day, (3rd party insurance only – you have to cover any damage costs yourself) or cars for 35 Euro per day (same insurance deal)

The only way to obtain Trucks or vans in Kosovo still appears to be to do a deal with a local company boss and hire his vehicles with his drivers as and when needed – quality of trucks, and driving you can well imagine!

f.         Local food purchase costs – Zef to obtain quotes for direct purchase of food from the ministry of agriculture/suppliers – I need to chase

g.       Soup Kitchen Project – The Ministry of Social Welfare had expressed interest in working with MTS to establish soup kitchens – We arranged to meet the Minister to follow this up, taking the opportunity once again to push for an increase in/reinstatement of their full funding – Minister wishes to establish in about 5 major towns around Kosovo, and recognises need to a budget of up to 1m Euro pa for food purchase – his preference is to get local restaurants to prepare the food thus avoiding need for new kitchen equipment – says that he is confident there is no risk of fraud – meals will be given out on a ‘token’ basis -

Since returning from Kosovo, I have established that Premier Foods have a major problem in disposing of vast quantities of in-date catering sized food tins and packages, and could supply (easily) regular monthly or even weekly articulated lorries full of food free of charge (which they would like to do) to alleviate their disposal problem – I also have a firm quote of 3500 Euro for back-loading to Kosovo on Balkan trucks – Point made to MTS to discuss with Minister, that if he and the Ministry will fund the transport costs, we can provide many multiples more food quantity than they could possibly purchase at cost in Kosovo – responses awaited and to be followed up.

h.       MTS web site and link/page on H & AD web site  - MTS agreed that they would very much like a web site (used to have one but could not afford to keep it going) – since returning, Alan Pryke has located their old site, paid for and reinstated it at his own cost, and redesigned the front page in draft form, which he has agreed with Mirlinda – work to progress on this to obtain/be provided with regular information to be put out in Albanian, Serbian, and English

As a separate action, I have agreed with MTS and Alan/Mike Barrett that we will work towards providing an MTS news or project page on our own site (or maybe linked into theirs – leaving this up to the techies) – idea is for regular in-country updates about the project needs so that our web-visiting supporters can see and read first hand what is needed – Case studies of the families needing most urgent support could feature – action on-going

i.         Hotel Apollonia for Easter – they completed the 3rd floor while I was there, increasing their rooms available from 18, to 28 – very happy to continue to provide rooms at 35 Euro per night, per person, to include dinner and Breakfast – I mentioned to MTS the need for all future drinks to be paid for at time of serving, and they now need to convey this to the Manager.

j.         Flour – At briefing it was suggested by Luli (from London) that our flour was not as good as the local flour – this is not the case – Kevin has confirmed that he has always supplied bread making flour, which is not quite the same as ordinary flour which they would normally use  – Mirlinda and Arsim both confirmed that what we take is absolutely fine, BUT I will mention to Bill in case he intends to purchase any more

Various other discussions and meetings took place, including talk of MTS organising a Donor conference later this year, but nothing significant to report at this stage.

 

Chas

 

16th March 09