L'WAAPAM,
Your defence of your mate is touching. I assume you're alluding to the guy who has gone to Trinidad ?
No offence, but doesn't the old cliche "No friends in business" apply nowadays with every aspect of the oilfield, be it as a steward on a rig, a company man or a pilot ? Aren't companies (almost) all run by "bean counters" who are set targets by their bosses, i.e. the stockholders, which they must achieve if they are to keep their own jobs not to mention their own bonuses ?
The OM to which you refer may well be "old school" in his approach but things like training bonds would be out of his remit. These days that sort of decision would be purely financially driven. So without appearing to give him the benefit of the doubt, maybe he was applying the old BHNL rule which used to be "forget it, we won't chase you through the courts for a few thousand dollars" and was overruled by someone higher up the food chain who sees a few dollars more (good Clint Eastwood film) in the end of quarter figures ? Then in an effort to save face he denied saying anything ? Human nature I'd say.
In my (limited) experience I'd rather deal with him than what ACN/CHC have !!
Just a thought. Both of us may be way off base. Like I said, no offence.
Cheers,
NEO