AN LAME...Well done. Could not agree more.
This is a cost cutting exercise and a subtle way of transferring more responsibility onto the Flight crew (without the appropriate training or renummeration).
Minor ports were allowed to be without Engineering support using the logic that transit checks through major ports would be good enough. Now the object is to remove Engineering from major ports and expect the flight crew to operate the A/C in isolation.
I was brought up to believe that Pilots fly planes and Engineers maintain them. If your NOT happy about this situation have your say....before its too late.
Have a look at the following link as well:
http://www.theaviationforum.com/NonC...ML/000040.html