0035 of the 04/04/200 I was sitting at the 25A seat of the STP Airways taking off to Sao Tome (ST). I don’t understand why they feed us 2 courses within 5 hours when we are flying over night and what I really wanted to do was SLEEP, NOT EAT!

Landed ST at 0634 with people at the side of the landing platform waving at us and some dogs running around the track…

With much less sleep than what I need, and when I don’t get the sleep I nee I get very, VERY grumpy and stressed. So, I kept blaring inwards because the cue was taking too long, people were just taking silly photos and not moving etc.

At the vaccination pitch I met the always smiling Isaura Carvalho (the main organizer of the event) and her husband José Carlos Silva (a very famous chef) that helped us getting ready for the hotel.

At the way out I met Luis Noronha my long friend and guide of ST. After a small chat about life and how is ST going and the people that I know here we parted ways and I went o the new Pestana Sao Tome – Ocean Resort Hotel. Helping me up to my room as the nice Adécio, whom I’ve met the other 2 previous times I was here. He didn’t recognized me wt short hair (contrary to the long haired guy who was here the last time) and so I started to play him around saying he looked like someone from Sporting (a Portuguese football team), knowing that he is absolutely crazy about it and coaches a team of young kids here in the island.
I generally don’t fancy much this 5 start luxurious facilities with people more grumpy people than me with little sleep (normally I’m a nice chap!). However I must say that with the view I have from by balcony overseeing the ocean and a big part of ST’s coastline, this must be the best “office” I ever had (the balcony has internet access and all). I would however, maybe, change this for the Roça São João dos Angolares and its entire traditional and tropical feel. I Know I’m just taking the piss being so picky…

After a short while I headed down to the hall, got on the mini-bus and entered the meeting at Aula Magna near the MARAPA office. All morning session I was struggling to keep my eyes open and gutted at the fact I could not get my hands on a cup of coffee, which I eventually did at the break of the meeting. Morning session was a full one with very interesting presentations. However I would like to mention 2 of them, the ones I caught all my half sleeping attention:

1)      The talk given by Rogério Roque Amaro (ISCTE):
Is the local development wanted and possible in STP?

I particularly liked the way he started addressing the people in the room by saying that he normally does not follow protocol and would like to greet every person present in the room in the same way (while others were giving praise to different people in relation to their social status).

He started by explaining the history of the concept and methodology of the “local development” movement, as it started to be put in practice by member of UN & FAO, even contrary to the models and practices of those organizations. Normally the ways of a more developed country, nation or society were modeled and then taken to another part of the world and imposed onto the population living there, because it was more evolved, and so it would enhance the standards of living of those striving and leading their lives there. However, one needs to listen and take into deep consideration the culture, ways, convictions and traditions of the populations of a community. One needs to listen and work with the community in a different way. Listen to them, use local methods and knowledge and look at the problems in a global perspective.

The main notion of “local development” is to find local answers for global challenges.

It is also an answer to the global crisis we are living presently, and to any problem that might arise and become a threat to the community.

So 3 sectors of society play a vital role on the process, the government as a partner of the process, the industry with a civil responsibility, and the community (not a administrative term here!) as a voiced entity that conducts its own path.

I took some quotes about “local development” that I think portrait its meaning:
-          “it is not a prête-à-porté kind of work”
-          “needs external help [but is not dependent of it] and it is not sectored”
-          “convert a person with problem into a person with capabilities”
-          “the local community is marginalized with the thought that was comes from abroad is what is good”
-          “defy the local government as a cabalistic agent rather that a inhibitor of development”

During the discussion the governor of the region of Principe (the other island) spoke and I thought his comment was very enthusiastic and with a good message: “we have to forbid of letting ourselves down, and never to doubt the power the communities have to organize.”

2)      The lecture presented by Maria do Carmo SIlveira (STP)
Sustainable/Local Development – durable perspective of the communities’ growth

I liked her presentation not so much for the edge revelations she presented but because of the contents related to STP. She presented only 4 dimensions of sustainable development when there are 7 and there were some gaps of knowledge. However, her presentation was simple and informative in relation to the palce we are meeting, Sao Tome and Principe.

She gave much focused on the environment as a fundamental factor for the sustainable development, having technology playing it role.

She also highlighted some projects that have environmental risks such as the petroleum case (that STP divided 40/60 with Nigeria) [that is was thought to save STP and making it a new Dubai, but so far nothing has happened so far], the deep water harbor, and in the end she threw the question to the air, “what kind of tourism do we want for STP?”

After the morning session I started to collapse due to sleep deprivayion, so I headed to the hotel and slept almost all afternoon. Got up to eat at the hotel and went back to bed.

However, I would like to make some considerations in relation to the history of this small island state. After the 500 years of Portuguese dominance, in 1975 they got their independence.  With independence they were given a system, industries and a political realm they did not know how to administrate. To make things worse their transition was into a single party (dictatorship) who ruled the country and was taking any opposition to its power out of the way for 15 years. “Democracy” arrived only in 1990′s. Democracy with the less transparent budget in the world, according to the Open Budget Index (2008). Now go figure how is to work down here, it isn’t easy, many games of seduction and power, a little like the International Whaling Commission (IWC).

The country here is unstable and corruption is a career not opportunity. I reckon the main problem is that they are holding a system they don’t know how to control and administrate. The culture and society is still living in a post-traumatic state with little conducting vector towards a stable and safeguard environment for the people of STP.

TIA (This Is Africa), bru!