Important Post

In all the African countries I have worked in a postal system is only available to those who can pay for a PO Box, where their mail can be stored whilst it awaits collection. When an organisation wants to send a letter to another organisation the preferred postal method is to have one of their employees hand-deliver it.

This hand-delivery system always seems to involve an A4, hardback notebook where all the important information is recorded such as the date, a brief description of the item being delivered and the name of the organisation it is being delivered to. The person receiving the letter is then required to sign in the book to acknowledge receipt.

I happened to be in the reception area of the MAF office today when such a delivery was made, with a letter from the Civil Aviation Authority. As our permission to fly and all our other activities in Chad are approved by this government body I was immediately alert to the fact that this could be an important communication. My French is not yet good enough that I can 'speed-read' a letter and quickly understand the subject matter so having duly signed for the letter in the delivery man's ledger I took it to my office to read.

The letter was addressed to all the air operators who use the airport and concerned the x-ray machine used to screen passenger baggage at the airport terminal building. There is only one such machine and the letter was informing us that it is 'strictly forbidden to walk, sit or lie on this sensitive equipment'.

I wondered about the process that must have happened to compose, write, print, sign, stamp and circulate this letter. Then I wondered why stopping people walking, sitting or lying on the x-ray machine was not one of the responsibilities of the security staff who screen the baggage. And then I smiled as it is letters like this that are just one of the reasons I love Africa...