Another D Day

Both myself and Ginger Warrior like Mr T alot. He’s sharing and quirky. But as a manager? Nah! We don’t want Mt T to attend. Capable of the Machiavellian, i switch venues from Secondary to Primary via a text message to Ginger Warrior and Ato S, but not Mr T. It’s up to Ginger Warrior to pass on the news...and he doesn’t.

Since Ato S (Founder and General Manager) last visit we have a new Birr 56,000 photocopier and printer, but that is all. The mattresses are still the stained ones he was appalled at before, the shelving hasn’t been painted, notice-boards unfixed, the canvas shelter still not erected and the prison-like doors on the Pre Kindy classes remain untouched.

Ginger Warrior hasn’t eaten or drunk anything all day, so i send him off to the Pavilion Cafe opposite so i can escort Ato S around the compound. He is clearly upset at the lack of progress made following his strict orders to all and sundry in Admin. “This is a school of inertia,” i inform him and he can all too easily see my perspective.

Ginger Warrior returns and we head up to my office. I have meticulously collated my evidence. I start with the SMT minutes. I have kindly highlighted all the “actions to be taken” column where the names of Mr A and Dr No continually fail to disappear off the list. Even in six weeks things have mounted up to absurd proportions. “I can see a clear bottle-neck” says Ato S tactfully and our silence concurs with his finding.

Showing no mercy, i pull out my party piece – my photocopies of the unheeded “Requisition Orders”. Mattresses now ordered 3 times, rejected ones for 3 plug adaptors signed by Mountain Man himself for not having the "right" signature.. My 6 week wait for an office diary! Some are signed in triplicate and marked “Urgent”. Ato S is not happy. “I want a photocopy of all of these too,” he requests gravely waving the wad in the air.

Ato S is not a happy bunny and turns on the absent Mr A and Dr No. In a very personal way. He positively scorns and ridicules them (and Dr No is one of his oldest friends). He wants to ensure Mr A focuses solely as HR (he is currently HR and Acting Admin co-ordinator), and an advert be put in the next local English Language edition for a New Head of Admin. – to be interviewed and appointed by Ginger Warrior and myself. He identifies Dr No as “past his sell-by date” and is ordering him up to my campus daily to facilitate rather than hinder me. Ato S makes it very clear that although we are all Senior Managers, Ginger Warrior and i out-rank them and they are our subordinates. He also requests all SMT minutes to be forwarded to him and a monthly meeting of this new triumvirate.

The meeting surely could not have gone any better? It did. With perfect comedic timing Dr No sticks his head around my door to inform the assembled party that he has located an independent Health and Safety, something that has clearly been required for the last 7 years and under his very remit. Noone invites him in to my office and he squirms his head back out of the door.

Word of this “elicit” meeting clearly got out. One can only presume Mr T. And it's also safe to  presume that so does our Boss out in UK. Ginger Warrior and Mountain Man are clearly “not following procedures” and the consequences could easily result in our dismissals. But i’m not sure Ato S would allow that to happen.

Both Ginger Warrior and i feel elated - Dr No is feeling the heat and is now duty-bound to perform and smarmy Mr A is about to realize he is sackable after all. Accountable directly to us. Time for this school to move forward apace. It desperately needs to.