GL You requested " Why not give us your personal and insider's look at Tanzania and it economic, agricultural, healthcare, and political development since independence?" Very tall order so I will take a few chapter headings. First, When I graduated from Makerere, which was then part of the University of London. I was part of 50 Goans from Kenya Uganda and I was the first Goan from Tanganyika. Many other Goans followed as did an of English Girls, whose mother, the Librarian in the British Council asked me for advise. Here I am as the top honours student and this shocked the Professor. He simply could not understand when I studied. Everybody reads Text Books, I read others things including the "Celtic Fringe" " The Impact of Urbanization in in America", Oh yes for some reason right in School St Josephs, I read *"lnside Asia "*
The Government of Tanganyika under Julius Nyerere, (himself a Makerere student ) assigns me to The Town Planning Department. There are five English Draftsman all ex-soldiers but with very little skills in planning. The boss had a diploma. I went several times to see him and asked him for an assignment, a small town called Korogwe, I was interested in airphoto interpretation. His answer was " A good civil servant never asks for work. I gave him my letter of resignation next day. Vowed that I would never work for the Government. I returned to Makerere and consolidated my relationship with Ophelia Rodrigues from Zanzibar. I return to the outskirts of DSM at the RC Mission School In Pugu. I have seven students doing A levels Cambridge and 69 O levels. When the results came all the 7 had done well...three became Judges or Professors in Law, one the Government Verifier another the head of the newly created National Development Corporation, In the "O" levels yes the clear majority were First Class or upper second. I loved Pugu...I was planting the seed that they should know more about local soils than the vegetation of Britain or the Cliff of Dover. But in Pugu I could return home on Wednesday and a long week week end. I taught English for students who were Private Candidates...but more than anything else I collected material on the City of DSM. At a reception hosted by the Dutch Catholic Manager of the Cathedral Bookstore I met the I meet this American Professor from Michigan. He has a proposal during the July Vacation would I go to Mombasa and do work on the CBD. I complete the job, write the report My consultation fee amounted to US1600. Enough to buy 2 brand new VW ! But more than that a job offer at Michigan, I preferred UCLA because in addition to the Green Card I would also be Fellow in the Afriican Studies Centre. Chapter Two Ophelia and myself get Married August 1963. In Sept I go to USA by Air France via Libya Paris, New York and eventually LA. Did field work staying in a Bracero Camp, formerly a Prisoner of War Camp for migrants of Japanese origin. It was great to be California in the Mohave, St Rosa, Oxnard, Christmas with my American Teacher friends in Pugu. I do not know how often I was mistaken for a Mexican. I worked in the rich Pacific Palisades Area....Policemen do not molest a Mexican Gardner. Chapter Three ....A delegation of Principal Secretaries from Min. of Education arrive. The first question was "Why did you run away from East Africa?" Makerere knew I was a prized student, there was no room for me. They offered me a job in Makerere, I turned it down, similarly for Nairobi. A shocked trio tried to persuade me not to go to DSM...it was just starting. My answer was I will do something ....Frankly I did not have a clue. It would be good to be back in Tanganyika now Tanzania and our parents would meet their two grandsons. Chapter four, I go to San Pedro to get my Immigration Status fixed. The coloured Immigration Officer tells me "Young man don't go back, the Chinese will turn you into a communist". I told her that I had more American Friends than Chinese .... The Chinese built the Railway from DSM to Zambia, They brought 50,000 technicians and Labourers ....large groups would come to my house to photograph themselves in the bougainvillea bush. Nobody convinced me to be Communist ! Chapter 5, In 1966, four Tanzanian all of from American Universities and one English Historian. We were discussing about the right of the University to be free. We wrote a letter to the Chairman of the UDSM Council who also happened to be a Speaker of Parliament. The security fellows and some bureaucrats complained to the President that we were trying to over throw the Government . Privately President Nyerere made certain that my family and me would not be molested by Youth Wingers. Chapter 6 : When Mwalimu Nyerere retired, I was one of the Three full Professors to be decorated for having helped in the Development of Tanzania. Prof Msuya was the Professor of Pathology. Prof. Philips, later who went to Texas was a Heart Specialist. I became the Chairman of the National Scientific Research Council, Land USe Planning Commission, Ngorongoro World Heritage Site, National Forestry Commission and 23 Corporations including Banks. I told the Presidents the Truth, Presidents were elected by the people they should know the problems of the people. More to follow, Adolfo Patient as Job in Quepem Thanks in anticipation Regards, GL GL You requested me to give an insiders view of Tanzania. I will pick up some chapter headings. When I changed my Green Card Status to a Normal Tanganyika Passport, the Coloured Immigration in San Pedro, admonished me. "Young man why do you want to return. The Chinese will make you a communist." Glibly I said I had more American friends than Chinese. When the Chinese decided to build a railway all the way to the Copper Belt, they actually sent 50,000 labourers and technecians Why not give us your personal and insider's look at Tanzania and it economic, agricultural, healthcare, and political development since independence? Thanks in anticipation Regards, GL
