Official Word on the AFM about leaving dates

This is what has been released officially about the Africa Mercy and about how the work is going:

"As with any large construction project, the final work phase is always the hardest to accomplish. The main contractor is experiencing a number of difficulties including specialist equipment supply problems, additional demands from regulatory authorities, subcontractor delays in testing and certifying critical safety systems, and low manning levels in certain high skill trades. This has proved to make completing the last 10% of this project very difficult. We are all frustrated by these delays; however, until all statutory work complete, we cannot accept redelivery of the ship.

While we are waiting for the contract work to be completed, we are effectively utilizing the time and our own Mercy Ships crew to accomplish other less critical ship upgrades that we were not planning on doing until the ship was operational. This will save down time later on.

Stepping onboard the Africa Mercy today, you will see the huge amount of work that has been accomplished with the installation of updated navigation equipment, new cabins for the 460 staff, 6 Operating theatres, a 78 bed ward, lab spaces and all of the large pieces of equipment including a CT scanner, necessary to run a modern world class hospital. We are excited, knowing we are almost there and are in high hopes that we can be operational by the end of this year, and ministering to the people of West Africa early in the New Year."

So here we have it I should be in Africa in "early 2007".

Well I am hopefully going to continue working for my current job till 8th September then move back to Newcastle the following week. I was hoping to take a little break before I go back as I haven't had any downtime myself since I got back to Redditch but hey, maybe they'll let me have sometime off for Christmas.

My current plan is to work for Mercy Ships for 2 years when I go back in September. So probably working till September 2008. This may change dependant on my financial situation at that time but we'll see how it goes when I get there.

I'll have to post some photos soon, this blog has way too much text in it.

Keep safe guys.

Love ya all

Paul

temporary email: the boy waldron@ hotmail (dot) com (remove the spaces!)