This weekend has seen the annulled elections in a number of states in the Niger Delta being re-run. The only noticeable difference from those of 3 weeks ago is that altough there was less overt violence and killing on the day, there was just as much voter intimidation and vote rigging and the results will be just the same and still lacking in any credibility
. What a waste of time. The new President will lack any real international credibility as his regime is of dubious legitimacy after widespread poll rigging and voter intimidation.
The steady drift away of CHC pilots is continuing, with more having resigned, never to return, or moving just down the ramp to Bristow. It's funny because Bristow has none of the smart new helicopters, large new hangars or copious amounts of nice new ground equipment that CHC has. I guess it's just down to the larger salary (I've heard up to US$1,0000 a month more), same salary every month, disillusionment with the upper management in Vancouver or housing. It's a bit ironic, that last year, nobody really wanted to go to Bristow and that there were quite a few posts on here about dodgy Woji and the imminent move to the Death Camp by CHC. Now, all the Bristow crews in Port Harcourt live in good housing, but CHC are still showing everyone wonderful architects' impressions of how the death camp will be transformed into the 'Tropical Paradise'. Knowing how long things really take here, I predict that it's at least 2 to 3 years away and that they'll continue living in the same run-down housing with CHC reluctant to invest anything on a place they've commited to leave. They're also having continuing problems with management refusal to have a proper 42/32 roster, which will probably cost them a few more pilots before anything is done.
Strangely, it's probably not due to anything Bristow has done, except for a bit of a hike in salary. Their own staff are unequally compensated for different rosters, particularly those on 8/4 or 5/1 rosters, which probably accounts for the low uptake of staff for 8/4 rosters and the number of those now on 5/1 saying they will change to 6/6 if nothing is done to improve matters. Knowing the lethargy of Bristow management, this will not happen
They seem to be investing little in new equipment and engineering staff are struggling to keep elderly airframes serviceable with inadequate spares and ground equipment. I guess that the now American management are happy that they're running a lean, mean operation and they certainly must be making far more profit than CHC (for as long as they can keep the contracts they have with the machinery they have).
CHC are now talking about a further salary hike and with the overseas management of both companies being faceless, uncaring bean-counters, with all the personality of a sea-slug, the loyalty of most staff is only to the next pay cheque. The old days of loyalty to real men like Alan Bristow, Bob Schreiner et al are long gone and pilots are far more willing to change jobs more frequently for a few hundred dollars a month increase. The increasing world-wide shortage of experienced, qualified helicopter pilots; the increasing number of pilots over the age of 60 in Nigeria; the uncertainty as to what will happen with a new government may well lead to some interesting times ahead in the Niger Delta during the remainder of 2007.