Boris Bertolt: A Smearer Comes to Town

     Nanje School of Creative Thinking has made it a duty to ensure that the

Jackson W. Nanje

relationship between Cameroonians living in the United States and their Embassy in Washington DC continues to be very cordial. Where there are lapses from the client (Cameroonians), or from service provider (Cameroon Embassy), we at Nanje School of Creative Thinking have made it a duty to correct it. Mr Boris Bertolt, who is quite oblivious of the transformational changes that have occurred at our embassy has spewed on the internet some mind-boggling accusations at the person of the Consular Officer which has vexed us, and has compelled us to address these accusations before the SCNC takes it and fly with it. I will be the first to admit that many years ago, when I wrote my scathing report about how the Cameroon Embassy in Washington DC does business with its clients it was because the situation was very bad and needed to be improved. I did not only stop at laying the blames at the doorsteps of the embassy; I equally suggested ways that the embassy could bring innovative changes to fix these problems. It is often the culture of many Cameroonians who want to see things get better in Cameroon to always point out that which is wrong about my country but never would suggest ways to address the problems. The investigators at Nanje School of Creative Thinking do and see things differently; they have been trained to provide recommendations or ways to not only blame but to ameliorate the situation in a creative approach.

     As a result of the Condemnation and Recommendation Report we made in our 2013 Report, the Cameroon Ambassador, His Excellency Joseph Bienvenue Charles Atangana Foe (recently called to other duties) and his staff summoned an emergency meeting to study the report. The issues at study, which were on our report, were as follows: Poor customer service, delay in delivery and issuance of passport and visas, and highest visa fees comparable to other West and Central African States. For the sake of fairness, we ask that Cameroonians should read our report by clicking on the link http://nanjecreativethinking.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-cameroon-embassy-in-washington-dc_27.html And after reading this blistering report, click on the subsequent report we wrote after visiting the embassy a year later to see for ourselves the improvement that Ambassador Foe and his staff had collectively made, to improve on their lapses. Read for yourself in this report http://nanjecreativethinking.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-cameroon-embassy-in-washington-dc.html

     Boris Bertolt, who lives in France, has made a slandering accusation at the Consular Officer in-charge with the issuance of Visas, Mr Gervais Bindzi, by labelling him as ‘Dangerous Man.’ Here is what he wrote below about this honorable government servant, Bindzi.

CET HOMME EST DANGEUREUX

LES CAMEROUNAIS DES ETATS-UNIS DEMANDENT SON DEPART DE L'AMBASSADE

Cet homme sur l'image s'appelle Gervais Bindzi, responsable du service consulaire de l'ambassade du Cameroun aux Etats-Unis. Les camerounais des Etats-Unis demande son limogeage. Voici le message de trois résidents:

"Un service où tu ne peux joindre personne au téléphone. Quand bien même vous avez la chance d’avoir quelqu’un au bout du fil, c’est avec une insolence caractérisée qu’on vous parle. Un service où les Visas seraient marchandés à des prix variant selon l’urgence si tu as un contact dans son réseau. Le seul service consulaire aux USA ou tu ne peux pas obtenir le Visa avant 7 jours. Pendant ce temps, Mr Gervais Bindzi se pavanne dans tous les maquis et boites de nuit de Washington à chercher les femmes.

Si vous avez votre Papa décédé au Cameroun Lundi, et que l’enterrement est Samedi, vous n’aurez même pas l’occasion de communiquer avec le personnel du service consulaire, vous n’aurez pas de visa, et conséquence: vous n’assisterez pas à l’enterrement de votre père. Voila un exemple de calvaire que subissent les Camerounais des Etats-Unis".[Boris Bertolt]

     Dear Cameroonians, before we unravel this untruthful and unreliable message sent to millions of Cameroonians by a not-so-truthful, not-so-reliable, and untrustworthy individual who is on a self-imposed exile in France, let us know who this Boris Bertolt of man is. Obviously he lives in France and he is an SDF sympathizer who, like all members of the SCNC group, has always spoken ill of every CPDM-led institution. And like all opposition leaders, he offers no solution to what he wants to see change (even as he is unaware that those changes have already occurred) in our beloved fatherland, Cameroon. He does not think thoroughly before he writes. While the SCNC organization is a collector of dirty news, Boris Bertolt is the provider of that dirty news even where none exists, and even at the expense of slandering an innocent man like Gervais Bindzi of the Embassy of Cameroon in Washington DC

Gervais Bindzi (Consular Officer)

who works his heart and soul out to satisfy the many thousands who request for visas, annually.

It will interest Mr Boris Bertolt to know that prior to our award-winning report titled: the Cameroon Embassy in Washington DC and its Problems and what must be done to fix it; Mr Gervais Bindzi is the only staff the Cameroon government sent to Washington DC to handle approximately twenty eight thousand passports (28,000), annually. The job is way too much for an individual to perform; however, this is the arduous task the Cameroon government and Cameroonians expect Mr Bindzi alone to perform night-in, night-out without flaws. The least he expects from us is simply a thank you, even when you silently say it. 

Boris Bertolt (the notorious Smearer)

It will equally excite Mr Bertolt to know that, Mr Bindzi mostly works sometimes very challenging hours---from 9:00AM to 9:00PM five days a week---and on Saturdays from 9:00AM to 2:00PM just because of the need to meet up with the excessive workloads. This is the same man that Mr Bertolt has unreasonably referred to as ‘a Dangerous Cameroonian.’ He owes Mr Bindzi an apology.

It is because of the constantly increasing workload at the desk of the Consular Officer that the CPDM USA has on its Strategic Plan, the expansion of Consular Affairs Offices to cities like Atlanta and Houston, in order to reduce the increasing workload in Washington DC.

   Unravelling the accusation on Mr Gervais Bindzi by Mr Boris Bertolt

To begin with, let us examine the validity of these scathing accusations that Mr Boris Bertolt has heaped at Mr Gervais Bindzi in his above:

a)     That Cameroonians in the United States are asking for his departure---this is simply a fat lie. On the contrary, many Cameroonians are singing his praise for transforming the Consular department at the embassy.

b)    A service that you can’t get through to anyone on the phone---there’s a receptionist who answers all in-coming calls not Mr Bindzi and she informs the caller of what his/her responsibilities are regarding the completion of documents for a visa applications. In most embassies nowadays, document formalities are done online. American Embassy in Cameroon is one such embassy you do not talk to anyone. Do we subject them to the scrutiny we subject the Cameroon Embassy to? No. We, the people, must change our attitude and perception of our government agencies.

c)     That Visas are given out at bargained prices based on who you know----this is indeed shameful and Mr Boris Bertolt is shameless to even write this type of garbage on the internet accusing our embassy of such nonsense. Cameroonians all over the world should reject this rubbish. We must protect our government institutions.

d)    That you cannot receive your visa-stamped passport within seven days of submission----This is smear of the lowest order. Passports are received in less than seven days from the day you post your passport to when you receive it. It is the testimony of a majority of applicants. Mr Boris Bertolt is not an honest man. Quite vindictive.

e)     In cases of emergency, you cannot get any embassy staff to communicate your situation to----The embassy has allocation for emergencies like any other government agencies. When I lost my father, I communicated with Mr Bindzi and he told me to get a death certificate in order to put my passport ahead of others. Because of time difference in my favour, the death certificate was gotten before 2:00PM Cameroon time. So by 9:00AM I was at the embassy with it and a visa was issued. So this is another ill-fated lies told by a notorious liar.

f)      That Mr Bindzi hangs around night clubs and beer parlours---Shame to you. America is not France or Cameroon where maybe government staffs are seen lingering around these places you are cited; this is the United States of America with respectful behaviour expected of Diplomats that Mr Bindzi is. 

          The Cameroon Embassy Mr Boris Bertolt need to know

“Great Transformation of Customer Service at the Cameroon Embassy---A culture of criticism that makes no allowance for praise is a decrepit culture. For years, if not decades, gory stories of rudeness were told about the staff of the Embassy of the Republic of Cameroon in Washington, D.C.  Indeed, each of us must have had one or two negative experiences dealing with that embassy.  The crassness and crudity of some embassy workers, if not officials, had become legendary so much that the shameful stories were whispered in crowded party halls from ear to ear. 

Yes, the criticism of the embassy was fierce and destructive but misdirected.  It was also never really "critical" until one Mr. Jackson Nanje undertook a different approach last year in which he constructively dissected the problems afflicting the embassy and offered suggestions for improvement.

To be sure, I do not know whether Mr. Nanje’s powerful "critical criticism" somehow influenced the transformation that is currently taking place at the embassy, especially in the Consular Section that issues visas.  For months friends and acquaintances have been recounting the sudden transformation they experienced in customer service at the Washington embassy.  To my pleasant surprise, I heard the words: “it is a pleasure to call the Cameroon Embassy.”  I could not believe my ears and asked: You say what?! 

 Even the boldest amongst us dreads dealing with unpleasantness.  I must confess that I very much dreaded calling the embassy because I did not know who would take the call at the embassy’s end of the line.  Yes, the voice was never warm; it was always cold, no matter how nice one pretended to be.  As a defence mechanism, I always preferred instead to adhere to all requirements for an entry visa; (a) a valid passport; (b) two copies of visa application with two 2 x 2 passport size photographs on which background; (c) travel itinerary; (d) copy of yellow fever vaccination card; (e) bank statement if applicable; (f) $145.00 (now $124.00) money order for application and visa fees; (g) and a self-addressed and stamped return envelope (by Federal Express, Priority, or other form of mail that can be tracked).    

 Yes, the Consular Section of the Cameroon Embassy has been transformed into an American institution as it ought to have been all along.  It took the staff of the Consular Section barely one work day to process my visa application.  This, I must confess, is a new normal; and, I hope it will be sustained through time.  I mailed my passport and visa application on Tuesday afternoon; it reached the Consular Section on Thursday morning; and on Monday afternoon the mail man delivered my passport to me at my home in Georgia.

I am elated, even beyond elation; because I take great pleasure in learning about the successes of people as well as institutions.  I cannot, therefore, withhold my admiration for an institution that has made great effort to reform itself and it is palpably succeeding.  We must give praise and encouragement to the Embassy of the Republic of Cameroon and spread the good news all the way back to the Fatherland so that Ministries and other government offices might aspire to emulate the work of the Consular Section.” (Professor Emmanuel Konde, ASU, Albany, Georgia 04/14/2014)

     Mr Bertolt gave a smearing indictment of a man that most Cameroonians in the United States are showering praises to for the superb job he has done, and continues to do, in transforming the Consular sector at the Cameroon Embassy with very little human capital at his disposal. The Cameroon Embassy is running efficiently and Mr Gervais Bindzi is an angel in disguise. We thank him for his relentless service to Cameroon.

The 2016 US Presidential Elections: An Election the Democrats Can't Afford to Lose

    

By Jackson W. Nanje

Since 1988, there have been two glaring Presidential (National) elections which the democrats were destined to win but they lost. There were also a couple of local elections which they were equally supposed to win but lost them as well. The investigative findings of Nanje School of Creative Thinking is suggesting that, they lost these elections because the so-called political pundits---the media and the Republican tricksters---led the democrats to believe that their way of thinking would lead them to disaster if some of their policy positions were maintained. We are visiting this topic now while the 2016 Presidential Election is on-going because, we want the Democrat Party to avoid the mistakes of the past from haunting them again. When the so-called party bigwigs advise candidates running for various democratic offices to abandon policy statements, positions, and personalities that have brought remarkable successes to the party, they only help to disfranchise party loyalists and myrmidons of these abandoned personalities whom they have always liked.

     Some have said that Republicans win elections when the turn-out or the democratic base decide to stay at home and not vote. And that they (democrats) win when the turn-out is massive. Democrat Presidential candidate, Senator Bernie Sanders, has made this point repeatedly during his campaign outings. What he and others have failed to understand and to address is, why do these potential voters, especially minority voters, stay at home. This is what our investigators have uncovered as we seek truth to power.  

     The American electoral system can no longer overlook the exponentially growing minority segment of its population vis-à-vis their participation in either state or national elections. The population of Hispanics and Blacks have become vitally decisive to any candidate in elections nowadays. But while it is true that when the Hispanics and Blacks stay back at home, it unequivocally helps the Republicans and hurts the Democrats. By unlocking the mystery this time around will help the Democrats retain the Whitehouse which the Republicans are desperate to have in order to draconically complete the transformation of America.

     The following investigative analyses explain the reasons why the Hispanics and Blacks stay home.

                  The Michael Dukakis and Rev. Jessie Jackson Factor

In 1988, the Massachusetts’s Governor, Michael Dukakis (white), ran a fierce campaign against the Reverend Jessie Jackson (black). It was unclear who was going to be the Democrat candidate

Rev. Jessie Jackson

to face the Republican candidate, George H. Bush. The 1988 elections was the closest a black presidential candidate came to becoming the front runner, and to represent the Democrat Party, ever in the history of this country. The expectations of black voters were fired up and they believed that even if their candidate did not secure the Democrat nomination, a Vice Presidency could have been a better way of appreciating their efforts. The stage was set for the Democrat Party at the Democrat Convention held in Atlanta, which is one of the largest black cities in the United States of America. The dancers were all present but the musician failed to show up. The Democrat Party picked Michael Dukakis as their candidate of choice in the 1988 Presidential Election to compete against the Republican candidate, George H. Bush. Reverend Jessie Jackson was not only thrown behind the

Michael Dukakis

bus, something which is akin to the Republican Party, but he was embarrassed in front of his own people. He was thrown out of his house (Atlanta) by the democrat party. Michael Dukakis then selected Lloyd Bernstein as his Vice Presidential running mate, keeping Jessie Jackson further away from the party. This shear rejection by the party of Jessie caused the blacks, who had hopes of the second spot. This act of disrespect of Jessie Jackson resulted in the black population staying away from the National Election Their rejection of the party gave the less sophisticated George H. Bush the presidency.

     They (black voters) could have stayed away from the Democrat Party for good if the policies of the Republican Party were inviting. Bush continued the disastrous Reaganomics policies which were quite harmful to the black population and when a charismatic Bill Clinton emerged as a candidate for the Democrat Party four years later Black voters were swayed towards his friendlier policies towards them.

              

                      The Bill Clinton and Al Gore Factor

     President Bill Clinton’s policies uplifted and gave hope to the minority population. And after his eight (8) years tenure in office for which he received tremendous minority support, his Vice President, Al Gore, a natural successor to the office, decided to distance himself away from him and his lofty policies that had brought relief to the disfranchised minority population. It is true that President Clinton’s sexual escapades were an embarrassment to the oval office, but his policies were not. Presidential candidate, Al Gore, who could have been the last man standing beside him and to campaign vigorously on his policies which were the direct result of America’s

Al Gore

prosperity, distanced himself away from him. Where he could have found a way to eloquently tell the success stories of President Bill Clinton’s economic policies in order to enable him win the National Elections. Instead, he abandoned a man whose shortcomings were somewhat excused by majority of American females who believed that the Men in Congress who were impeaching him were themselves victims of same crime. They were right, because so many of the Republicans resigned from congress when their own sexual escapades were uncovered by Larry Lynch.

Al Gore lost the elections because he'd alienated minority voters (Blacks and women), who were still very loyal to President Bill Clinton. They too refused to come out and vote democratic causing the Republicans to win in the 2000 Presidential Elections.

                Obama and the 2014 Democrat Candidates Factor

     President Obama will arguably go down in the annals of American Presidential history as one of the best presidents, if not, the best. Like most Democrat Presidents who succeed their Republican coimterpart, he was left with a dirty Whitehouse and country to clean up. President George W. Bush had sullied the economy of the United States in his eight years as president and, it was at the verge of massive depression. President Obama's policies virtually changed the misfortunes which were bound the United States and it would be insane for anyone not to embrace his enigmatic policies. Yes, the Republicans succeeded in telling American Democrats during the Mid-term elections that, running on President Obama’s ‘failed’ economic policies was a recipe to disaster. They believed the Republican rhetoric and virtual every single democrat running in  the Mid-term elections distanced themselves from policies they ought to have embraced. As a consequence, they all lost.

     But why did they lose? The lost because the minority voters, who have now become the deciders of elections, decided again not to embrace all the candidates who’d refused to embrace the successful policies of President Obama. Another hard lesson learnt by democrat candidates and Democrat Party as we all hope that such an insipid miscalculation shall never again be replicated by this party.

 And now,

           The Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders Factor

     It appears that Presidential Candidate, Hillary Clinton, who has been around quite for sometimes now, has learnt the lessons of the past. She has smartly embraced the policies of President Obama and has made everyone (especially minority voters) to believe that candidate

Hillary Clinton

Bernie Sanders is distancing himself from the president's successful economic policies. While it is evident that her quick rush to embrace and run virtually on President Obama’s successes with slight modifications where improvement of his policies are necessary, there is a caveat for her not to make the beloved Bernie Sanders a stranger to the party.

     Hillary Clinton may be the Establishment candidate, but Bernie Sanders has brought a lightning excitement to Presidential politics arguably slightly better than that of Candidate Barak Obama. It is this excitement that the Democrat Party and Front runner, Clinton, should be careful not replicate the errors of the past, prone to the Democrat Party, and lose the elections which in my opinion, is over.  

          Knowing that she will win the primary elections and become the candidate to face the

Bernie Sanders

Republican candidate in the General Election, her incisiveness should warrant her to bring Bernie Sanders to the drawing board and ask him what he wants and give it to him. What the Democrats must avoid is a disgruntled Bernie. If we get a disgruntled Bernie coming out of the Democrat Convention, we are finished. His followers who will not want him to be dissatisfied, may just walk away and Bernie’s fears of the democrats losing the National election if they stay at home may have come to fruition. So, give Bernie what he wants and keep his voting block together. This shall be a nightmare to the Republican Party in November. This will be a win win for the Democrat party if we are in tact going to the convention, and speaking with one voice after the convention. The obituary of the Republican Party and their candidate, has been written.

  

    

Who wrote Camair-Co’s (Cameroon Airlines Corporation) obituary?

      During my fifty-two (52) days stay in Cameroon from November 2015 to January 

by Jackson W Nanje

2016, I did not only hear stories of lamentation about our only airline in Cameroon, Camair-Co, I received similar disappointment from the airline which confirmed my fears that the company might be heading to the dustbin if emergency measures are not taken to rescue it. It appears the inefficiencies of the defunct Cameroon Airlines, Camair, is being replicated in an alarming rate by Camair-Co. This is the assessment of Africa Intelligence, a West Africa Newsletter (http://www.africaintelligence.com/LCE/power-players/2015/08/20/camair-co-same-old-story,100179320-ART).  After a period of dormancy, the Cameroon government revived Cameroon Airlines through a Presidential degree in September of 2006 and renamed it Camair-Co, which stands for Cameroon Airlines Corporation. The airlines took off in March 2011 five (5) years later with the acquisition of three (3) aircrafts. One would think that the revival would bring the necessary changes that had crippled Camair. Far from it! When companies go through a restructuring phase, it is normally a period to revive its image and put its acts together. This is not the case with Camair-Co; and, something must be done to completely over-haul the dampened image of this flagship (company) airline. Nanje School of Creative Thinking’s investigation of the airline is complete now as we present the studies of our findings to the authorities, who should be capable of bringing required changes to polish the image of the airline, which is basically flying on its last wings. These investigative findings have two parts: problems and recommendations. We have re-examined what many have written in newspaper articles about the airline and also from interviews and experiences obtained from Cameroonians and non-nationals about the airline.

      It is safe to say that even though Cameroon Airlines lost its last wings the last time around and re-emerged years later assuming a different name (Camair-Co), to its credit; this problem appears to be synonymous with the way Francophone African countries with meagre resources operate their airlines. Air Afrique, which was based in Ivory Coast suffered a similar fate and went out of business. State-run Senegalese airline is also swarmed in a 45billion FCFA debt due to poor management decisions. Unbelievable!

Camair-Co Airline

      Problems Plaguing Camair-Co

     The primary goal of this investigation is to point out the inefficiencies inherent in Camair-Co with the hope that the authorities shall make required changes that would enable the airline to compete with other very efficient African airlines not only in the Central African hub but elsewhere in the African continent at least, for now. The very first person we interviewed in Douala did not call the airline by its name--Camair-Co; instead, she called it Air Peut-être---meaning, maybe or maybe not the airlines will fly at the scheduled date and time. This uncertainty in the take-off and landing times is one of the major reasons why the airline is losing even its Cameroon-based market to foreign competitors daily, at the expense of tax payers who must continue to foot its bills. Something has to be done; and fast too, to save the airlines from insolvency. Since when the airline launched its first flight in March 2011 it has been running on a deficit year in year out with expectations that, the government shall continue to bail it out of its financial woes. The corporation is on her fourth General Manager, the first two being Dutchmen (Alex Van Elk and Boertien Matthijs Johannes). Mr Jean Paul Nana Sandjo (husband to the renowned Cameroon artist, Grace Decca), is the second Cameroonian and current General Director of the airline, replacing Federic Mbotto Edimo, in just under four (4) years. Incredible! Sandjo’s optimism appears to be promising for the shaky airline. At least, he has outlined a list of to-do things top of which is a Business Plan for which, he has contracted American-based Boeing Company to draw with the hope that it will enable the airline stay afloat. (http://www.businessincameroon.com/transport/1904-5406-jean-paul-nana-sandjo-managing-director-of-camair-co-we-re-30-billion-fcfa-in-debt). It is important to note that the government of Cameroon shall come to the airline’s rescue again, financially, when this plan is finally submitted and approved. The following are stacks of problems our investigations revealed:

 a) Financial dependence on the government and over-staffing

 b) Lack of leadership and Management (Marketing) strategy

 c) Uncertainty in flight departure and arrival

 d) Shortage of equipment and Passenger overflow Problem

 A) Financial dependence on the government and over-staffing

     As reported on March 28, 2012 by Christopher Jator of Cameroon Tribune exactly one year after Camair-Co took to its wings, the company that was tipped to flourish did not only incur deficits (9billion FCFA) but had to cancel some of its African routes in its first year. The Cameroon government had initially invested 32billion FCFA and it only realized 15billion FCFA of its initial investment. And in spite of assurances that the company made to lift itself out of desperate measures, it found itself asking for another 25billion FCFA subventions from the government in 2015 to keep the airline afloat. The then General Manager of Camair-Co, Van Elk, had assured that, “we are very much aware of the fact that we are using State money, and everything is being done to ensure that the least franc is spent wisely”. He continued that, ‘the management team tenaciously holds to the values of integrity, transparency and prudence in financial management.’ We later found out that his promises were not kept and the company finds itself in even deeper financial difficulties. The company must break the cycle of over-dependence on the government for its financial bail-outs and thrive on her own financial strengths. Victorine Biy Nfor also of Cameroon Tribune stated that, 'Camair problems stem from limited finances, suspension of pilots, mechanical and a litany of other issues. In addition to fewer fleets which are prone to mechanical wreckage, Camair-Co created more routes than its few planes could accommodate thereby leaving many passengers disgruntled when there is a mechanical failure and the planes are unavailable.' The other disturbing issue about the way Camair-Co conducts its airline repair is through the hiring of Lufthansa engineers (who demand extortionate repair wages) to repair its fleet than use Cameroon engineers who are ranked amongst the world’s best (unsure of how they determined Cameroon engineers amongst the world’s best) and would cost less. The defunct Cameroon Airlines went through similar problems when they had to take their planes abroad for annual maintenance, which in the most part were/is very expensive.

      Another very serious issue that’s draining the coffers of the airline is the fact that government riders ride for free to pay later. Its (government) riders owe the airline more than 60million FCFA for previous use of the airline. This is indeed a lot of money for an airline that is yet to find its wings.   http://www.camair-co.cm/en.html

     Furthermore, the new General Manager of Camair-Co, Jean Paul Nana Sandjo,

Jean Paul Nana Sandjo (GM Camair-Co)

has the highest staff (700) amongst any African airlines (which he inherited from his predecessors) but can only boast of three aircrafts. Many of the air hostesses are foreigners, lamented Pius Ottou, an Economist and a frequent flyer of Camair-Co. The question is whether there are no competent, beautiful, and handsome Cameroonians who could be trained to handle the exigencies of air travel?! Happily, the new boss has identified over-staffing as one of his problems to address. The privately-owned Togolese airline, ASKY, has a staff of 250 with seven fleets. And, Air Cote d’Ivoire holds a fleet of six with 290 staff. These airlines run quite efficiently with the staff they have and they even have more routes than the Camair-co. And based on the problems cited above, we can now trace where most of Camair-Co’s financial problems are coming from. Fixing it therefore cannot be too demanding.

Recommendation: For the company to be profitable, it must drastically reduce its flight and administrative staff to acceptable numbers and levels. Our hopes are that, Boeing, a trusted name in the flight business, which has been contacted by Camair-Co to draw a new Business Plan for airline will address this moderne problem once and for all. Also, with the high rate of unemployment in Cameroon, the airline should strive to train Cameroonians to man the flight crew and manage the airline rather than use foreign nationals who cost way too much. Ethiopian airlines, like many other airlines of other countries, employ their citizens. We should be able to do same and curb unemployment in our country and showcase the efficacy of our flight crew.
The government of Cameroon should consider its latest approach of demanding a Business Plan from Camair-Co management as the last resort aimed at keeping the agency afloat. If this last attempt does not work, they should consider selling the business to private ownership, which usually runs things better.

B) Lack of leadership and Management (Marketing) strategy

     The poor management style of Camair-Co could be seen in its everyday lacklustre operations. It could also be exemplified by the numerous managers the company has had (four) in under five years since its re-engagement. The airline has become an example that most African countries point to on how not to run a business. It is not dependable, not dedicated to satisfying its customers even though its mantra states so, and, it is not determined to succeed amidst the busy competitive airways. In most businesses nowadays, maintaining a continuous trend in customer satisfaction is what they strive for. Not Camair-Co! The word lamentation cannot substitute for the embarrassment it subjects its customers to. Read this story below:

     On Monday November 23, 2015, a family friend flew in from Lagos, Nigeria. Her flight was scheduled to leave Lagos at 7:15PM but it was delayed until 9:15PM. This is however normal practice in the airline business. The flight was a direct flight to Cameroon but when it took off it announced its next destination in mid-air to Cotonou. A flight which was scheduled to land in Douala International Airport at 8:15PM ended up in Yaoundé Nsimalen Airport with family members and loved ones bemused at the lack of any sense of purpose by the airline management team. The authorities however provided a hotel stay and fed the passengers rather, reluctantly. They only succeeded in bringing the stranded, angry and confused passengers the following day at 9:30PM shamefully without any apologies. On her return to Lagos, Nigeria a week later on Monday, December 1, 2015, they shockingly sent a message that the flight has been cancelled while we were already at the airport. Normally, what most airlines would do when confronted with this type of situation is to accommodate the customers by providing transportation, lodging and food for them so as to encourage them fly with them again. But Camair-Co would hardly do this; and in the case of this family friend as with others on that miserable day, they asked her to come back and catch another Camair-Co flight six (6) days later on the December 7, 2015. This was pure heartless and inconsiderate of a customer who was not even from Cameroon. I demanded to see or speak to the supervisor or a manager rather than deal with their subordinates, to address the situation of this family friend immediately. I stayed at the airport with her for up to six hours until they resolved her situation. The management decided to accommodate my initial requests and the next day the family friend was put in a Nigerian flight back to her country.    

     This is not the only obituary story you will hear about this airline. There are countless stories of lamentations out there such as this one below--- (http://lcclc.info/breaking-news/cameroon-transport-about-200-customers-of-camair-co-manifest-in-yaounde-for-frequent-postponement-of-their-flight/3/)---and, recounting these stories is by no means to irritate and remind the management of Camair-Co of its ineptitudes; it is to enable them aggressively put a clean-up plan that will bring profitable financial returns on their investment. In addition, it is also to help clean the image of our country that the failing airline has severely tarnished over the years.

     One of the reasons that Nanje School of Creative Thinking went into this investigative expedition of the airline is because most Cameroonians were not even aware that the country, Cameroon, was still in the airline business. The airline does not fly in all regions of the country. The Anglophone region is not aware of the presence of a Cameroon airline in the country. For an airline called Cameroon airline, it must and should devise a strategy to fly in all regions of the country. Throughout the investigative period, not one of our investigators saw one advertisement bulletin on any of the numerous television stations in the country or in newspapers or on the internet aggressively competing for customers.

Recommendation: First, adopt an aggressive advertising scheme of the different destinations of its flights, the different prices the airline offers, and the different times of its various flights, are important ways to inform the citizens of what the airline offers. Second, the airline must avoid what Canon Lloyd Morgan coined as ‘trial and error’ or ‘trial and failure’ style of management in which attempts are made until they get it right. The government of Cameroon has spent billions of francs to bankroll the airline failures and it is important for the airline to get it right this time around on its fourth General Manager.

 C) Uncertainty in flight arrival and departure

     One of the biggest problems that Camair-Co has faced over the years which have indeed affected its profit margin is the uncertainty in its departure and arrival of its flight programs. No one knows for certain when its airplanes will take-off and also if the airplanes would arrive at scheduled time. The fact that Camair-Co is not dedicated to its customers because of the looming problem of unreliability, the customers also do not see the airline as dependable for use. The former CEO, Alex van Elk, attributed the airline’s financial woes due to its inability in regaining passenger confidence amid fierce competition from international carriers. This is partially true; however, the main reason for its financial problems is as a result of the uncertainty of its arrival and departure schedules. The coinage, Air Peut-être is how many have come to describe the Camair-Co airline. And this is a very poor image for any customer to hold about any product of value. Camair-Co has maintained this appalling image shortly from inception in 2011.

      The three Ds (determined, dedicated, and dependable), is a slogan often used to assure customers that, with their money, any business will do anything to accommodate them. It is good for Camair-Co to have a Business Plan; however, no such plan shall be achievable if management cannot win the trust of its customers. The prognoses on Camair-Co vis-à-vis customer trust, is zero. This is the area that needs tremendous resources dedicated to it if it is to stay in the competition.

Recommendation: When management of Camair-Co decides to build an airline based on trust, it will win the confidence of its former travellers. Their planes must leave at scheduled time and arrive at scheduled time as well. Determined, dependable and dedication are not mere slogans; these words are matched with actual commitment of the staff, to make its customers happy and bring them back as repeat customers.

d) Shortage of equipment and Passenger overflow Problems

     The lack thereof of airplanes have been one of the reasons that many who ought to have been frequent flyers are moving away from Camair-Co to its competitors. For over five years, the company has operated on three airplanes but has surprisingly expanded its routes to include Paris and Lyon in addition to numerous other African routes. While Camair-Co has identified this as a major reason for the decline in its market, fixing the problem has been a more complicated issue. Also, while the

Recently Purchased MA60

number of airplanes have been recently increased from three to five with the purchase of two MA60 purchased from a Chinese manufacturer (AVIC International Holding), these planes are not certified to fly in Europe (EASA) or in the USA (FAA) partly because of its known mechanical problems. The CameroonJournal.com and Hon. Joshua Osih (of the SDF party) have chronicled the mechanical history of these newly acquired planes (prone to mechanical failures), which have been prohibited to fly in Europe and in the United States of America and have advised the government of Cameroon accordingly not to purchase these planes. Yet, the Minister of Transport is encouraging Cameroonians to have trust in these planes simply because he flew in one of them during a 30 minutes test-flight from Douala to Yaoundé and therefore, the Chinese manufactured airplanes should be trusted. Click on the link below to read for yourself the compiled history of these newly acquired troubled airplanes (http://cameroonjournal.com/national-news/before-cameroonians-begin-to-die-in-ma60-planes-heres-their-broken-record/). With the known mechanical problems that Camair-Co has faced since its comeback in 2011, buying planes with established mechanical failure history it is believed, explains the lack of tact or aggressiveness in addressing the problems of the past and have instead increased the dangers of potential future problems.

      The mechanical failures of this embattled airline have created two major problems: passenger dissatisfaction and the loss of confidence to make the airline the airline of choice. Passenger dissatisfaction and loss of confidence should be addressed adequately if Camair-Co is to bring back their lost customers. The other problem witnessed is that of customer overflow. The company does a poor job handling stranded passengers. The combination of inadequate flights and problems emanating from mechanical errors are lessons learnt for management to create better solutions to accommodate stranded Camair-Co passengers.

Recommendation: Mechanical issues must be anticipated and back-up plans should be put in place to handle unforeseen contingencies when they occur. The airline must evaluate passengers’ problems and address them properly so as to encourage repeat customer. Provision of accommodation for stranded customers should be encouraged when flights are cancelled or negotiate with other sister airlines to transport the stranded customers when an emergency occurs that prevents passengers from flying with the airline. No customer should ever be left stranded at any airport under no circumstance. That is why a Contingency Planning Team within the airline should be put in place to address emergencies when they occur.

      As Camair-Co walks through this dark period of its existence, it should do so with the hope of not returning to this period never again. The revitalization and revamping process should be properly planned in order to restore confidence, the airline can become a profitable business for the first time in its history, and finally, it will restore the faith of its travellers and build a positive image of the country (which has been severely dampened as they Boeing prepares its Business Plan being so as to write a new chapter of the failing airline.