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Write to: The Editor, Arusha Times, P.O. Box 212, Arusha.
E-mail:
arushatimes@habari.co.tz
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HIV/AIDS conferences: Who's cashing in?
Dear Editor,
It is disturbing to note the well-known trend of organizations in Tanzania whose
mandate it is to treat and care for people affected by HIV. I'm talking about
the endless sequence of seminars, conferences and workshops, both local and
international, with HIV/AIDS themes. People in these organizations are spending
less of their time helping the people who suffer from HIV and more time
attending these events. The problem is fuelled by international agencies such as
USAID and OXFAM, who promote and support HIV-theme meetings, partly to justify
the existence of the growing number of international staff members who are paid
to be involved in HIV work. They offer expenses to participants to attend the
events instead of supporting
them in their attempt to deal with patients. The outcomes of these meetings are
of dubious importance. Usually there is a resolution to hold yet more meetings
and the whole merry-go-round becomes self-perpetuating. Employees of
organizations are impressed with the allowances and other benefits which come
with attendance at HIV meetings and they return to their offices and trawl the
internet to find the next meeting they can attend, thus wasting even more
patient interaction time.
Sick people don't benefit from this in any way. They need first hand treatment
and care and they are being failed by those who are supposed to provide it.
Yours faithfully
Shafiq Ali
shafiqali98@hotmail.com
Dar es Salaam
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Dear Nane Nane Residents
Water shortage: Blame yourselves not us
The Arusha Urban Water Supply and Sewerage Authority’s
technicians were digging to trace what is the source of the problem so as to
rectify it. However, in the course of the exercise the technicians faced
obstruction from you residents as you have extended fences to public space where
utilities services pass. This resulted not only to difficulty to continue with
the exercise but also endangering the safety of our technicians. You demanded
that they should not work on any area within the fence despite being public
space. Thus it is you who led to the situation which resulted to the shortage of
water.
To build any structure within the public space is against the
law, of which everyone of you is very aware of. The Authority will communicate
with the respective organ so as to take appropriate action over structures built
in public space. The action is necessary to allow utilities operations to be
undertaken.
Meanwhile, the decision to resolve the acute problem of water
shortage is within you. Allowing the tracing exercise to be undertaken and
problem identified and solved. The Authority will play its part if you cooperate
in solving the problem.
- D.L. Fissoo
- for Managing Director
- Urban Water Supply and Sewerage Authority, Arusha
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