20/10/83

The situation with my job is deteriorating further. Fact is that on November 1st I'll be transferred to labour. After much running around trying to gather information, I've come to believe that the change is being done for change’s sake. Mr Gaines at MCW didn't know what was going on. Jeff Venner, labour commissioner, didn't seem to have any concrete ideas of what he would do with me if I did move to labour. Mr Marshall seems to think that the move is in my best interest even though he can't identify why or what those reasons are. Seems that the whole impetus for this change came down from the Prime Minister who had spoken to Mr Keene. Mr Keene had mentioned my underutilization to the PM. The PM spoke with Cabinet Secretary Branch who in turn put pressure on the Financial Secretary, Mr Scott. Scott put the bite on Marshall who thought it best to relieve the pressure by getting me out of finance and into labour which was the PM's original idea. Of course it's logical and I would be effective in labour if and only if I'm truly wanted there. And since the change is being implemented along political rather than organizational need lines, I have a feeling that Jeff will resent me being dumped on labour.

To add to that Jethro isn't exactly speeding along with the marketing intelligence project. He seems more full of talk than action and is moving only slowly. I get the feeling of being used and I'm not sure that I like that. I'm not sure what his objectives are so I tend to view him with distrust. I still don't know what he has up his sleeve.

Locally, things are also unsettled. Grenada had a military coup the past few days with Maurice Bishop and several cabinet members being shot. Now the place is under a 24-hour curfew violators threatened to be shot. Greg and Joan Klebe are down there (we think) so all of the PCVs here are concerned about their safety. We still don't know what is going on down there. Perhaps we never will.

We are tentatively planning to go to Troumaca again this weekend. Will probably rent a car and split costs with other PCVs (about 15EC each). this is a surprise party for Dennis who leaves on the 29th.