Well, well it took mere 168 hours to get a fridge. And that is not counting Friday - the day of rest. I guess we can be happy that it was an appliance which requires only pluging in and not actual installation, because that would surely further affect the speed of the process...
In all fairness, the fridge was delivered yesterday. Safe lifting practices were not followed, but that is not much of a surprise. Our mold infested fridge was taken away, hopefully never to be seen again. I do hope they throw it away and not resell it to some poor sucker.
So, now we are back to normal food! ;)
Until the electricity bill is NOT paid again...
Jan 27, 2009
Jan 25, 2009
Libya & Electricity Part 3
BLS Efficiency Counter
144 hours
Good news - fridge request is put in the BLS system
Bad news - not 1, not 2 but 3 "Abduls" still need to push the "approve" button... And only then will the order be processed.
I wonder how long will it take them?
144 hours
Good news - fridge request is put in the BLS system
Bad news - not 1, not 2 but 3 "Abduls" still need to push the "approve" button... And only then will the order be processed.
I wonder how long will it take them?
Jan 22, 2009
Libya & Electricity Part 2
Uhuh, looks like BLS is not going to deliver our fridge today. I wonder will they ever deliver.. Or do they.. Ever Deliver On Time?
The system (in the case of our new fridge) just got more complicated. How many approvals in Schweppes one might need to get a replacement fridge? Think 1? Nah! 2? Nah!!
And how many BLS employees one needs to push approve button? One? Nah! Two? Nah!! ANd the jackpot question - How much time does it take?
96 hours and counting!
The system (in the case of our new fridge) just got more complicated. How many approvals in Schweppes one might need to get a replacement fridge? Think 1? Nah! 2? Nah!!
And how many BLS employees one needs to push approve button? One? Nah! Two? Nah!! ANd the jackpot question - How much time does it take?
96 hours and counting!
Libya & Electricity
Our return to Libya is always like a "Kinder surprise", albeit less pleasant.
It started on the airport, where no driver showed up. Gs company hires another company which provides the drivers and cars for employees when necessary. Such as going to and from the airport. Since communication chain is more or less "hear-say" style it is not too surprising that no one showed up. What was surprising is that, when called they actually said that driver is on the way. Humph. So, few hours later we managed to arrive home.
As superstitious as this may sound now, I should have known then that there will be more to come. When we unlocked several grills, locks and chains of the house doors strange smell started to seep out. If I didn't know better, I would say that there was something dead and decomposing inside the house. But it couldn't have been, right? We closed all the windows, we put all the blinds down, nothing could have entered and died in the house after we left?
Flick on the switch explained what happened. THOSE F***** I***** FORGOT TO PAY ELECTRICITY AGAIN!!!!!!!!! And by the smell of it, electrical company shut it down soon after we left for vacation. Which was a month ago...
Sure enough, the smell was everywhere. Imagine meat and other average fridge staples left to decompose for a month in a small closed space. Take into the equation what happens to fridge after the electricity is turned off. Lets just say that it kind of expands and opens a bit, or maybe the fumes push the door open, just so a little bit. But it does not stop there. It keeps on decomposing, and soon enough different types of fungus jump in and start happily growing and growing.. And soon enough what used to be solid turns into liquid which drips out of fridge onto stone floors... And every surface of the fridge is covered with greenish fuzzy growth... And the smell.. Gag reflex was in overdrive.
The fridge is in the garden now, washed multiple of times with anti fungicide, vinegar, lemon and what not. But it seems to be finished. Plastic takes in odors quite well, especially these kind of odors. And once they are in, they are in.
However, in a difficult situation like this one always like to have support from Gs company. Lets call them Bls. So I would like to leave glowing reviews to Bls. Not only they managed to "forget" to pay electricity bill, they also managed to be very helpful in dealing with the consequences. When G informed person in charge for bills and such what happened and requested new fridge, he was told that he has to prove that the bill was not paid. Ah, the proof! After G explained that the bills are paid by company and that is how it has been until now and is in his contract (except several times that they Forgot before but luckily we were in Libya), he was told that they can replace the fridge only if it is not working anymore. (Of course that could be arranged, but G does not like to destroy things...).That information followed with suggestion that we buy the new fridge from our "furniture allowance". Meaning that we pay for it. That suggestion followed with utter confusion from their side as to where to find new fridge in question.. Because really, one can have problems here in Tripoli locating a shop with house appliances.
Needless to say, we still have no fridge. Presumably they have to make conference call with Paris to see whether they have to provide their employee with fridge? And the guy who has that information is on vacation? Or broke his leg and is coming back to work in a month? Or the archive with the "Necessary House Appliance Lists for International Mobile Employees" burned down and now they are not really sure whether or not the fridge is really that important.
There are international companies which take pride in keeping same standards of business in every country. There are also companies which make life easier for International Employees on a foreign post.There are companies which follow the rules and contracts.
And then there is Bls. They not only managed to take the worst from the Libyan system, they successfully managed to incorporate it into their every day business. Loopholes, indecision, stalling and general bullshit seems to be the way to go here.
So, hats off guys and give a joint applause to Bls!!!
It started on the airport, where no driver showed up. Gs company hires another company which provides the drivers and cars for employees when necessary. Such as going to and from the airport. Since communication chain is more or less "hear-say" style it is not too surprising that no one showed up. What was surprising is that, when called they actually said that driver is on the way. Humph. So, few hours later we managed to arrive home.
As superstitious as this may sound now, I should have known then that there will be more to come. When we unlocked several grills, locks and chains of the house doors strange smell started to seep out. If I didn't know better, I would say that there was something dead and decomposing inside the house. But it couldn't have been, right? We closed all the windows, we put all the blinds down, nothing could have entered and died in the house after we left?
Flick on the switch explained what happened. THOSE F***** I***** FORGOT TO PAY ELECTRICITY AGAIN!!!!!!!!! And by the smell of it, electrical company shut it down soon after we left for vacation. Which was a month ago...
Sure enough, the smell was everywhere. Imagine meat and other average fridge staples left to decompose for a month in a small closed space. Take into the equation what happens to fridge after the electricity is turned off. Lets just say that it kind of expands and opens a bit, or maybe the fumes push the door open, just so a little bit. But it does not stop there. It keeps on decomposing, and soon enough different types of fungus jump in and start happily growing and growing.. And soon enough what used to be solid turns into liquid which drips out of fridge onto stone floors... And every surface of the fridge is covered with greenish fuzzy growth... And the smell.. Gag reflex was in overdrive.
The fridge is in the garden now, washed multiple of times with anti fungicide, vinegar, lemon and what not. But it seems to be finished. Plastic takes in odors quite well, especially these kind of odors. And once they are in, they are in.
However, in a difficult situation like this one always like to have support from Gs company. Lets call them Bls. So I would like to leave glowing reviews to Bls. Not only they managed to "forget" to pay electricity bill, they also managed to be very helpful in dealing with the consequences. When G informed person in charge for bills and such what happened and requested new fridge, he was told that he has to prove that the bill was not paid. Ah, the proof! After G explained that the bills are paid by company and that is how it has been until now and is in his contract (except several times that they Forgot before but luckily we were in Libya), he was told that they can replace the fridge only if it is not working anymore. (Of course that could be arranged, but G does not like to destroy things...).That information followed with suggestion that we buy the new fridge from our "furniture allowance". Meaning that we pay for it. That suggestion followed with utter confusion from their side as to where to find new fridge in question.. Because really, one can have problems here in Tripoli locating a shop with house appliances.
Needless to say, we still have no fridge. Presumably they have to make conference call with Paris to see whether they have to provide their employee with fridge? And the guy who has that information is on vacation? Or broke his leg and is coming back to work in a month? Or the archive with the "Necessary House Appliance Lists for International Mobile Employees" burned down and now they are not really sure whether or not the fridge is really that important.
There are international companies which take pride in keeping same standards of business in every country. There are also companies which make life easier for International Employees on a foreign post.There are companies which follow the rules and contracts.
And then there is Bls. They not only managed to take the worst from the Libyan system, they successfully managed to incorporate it into their every day business. Loopholes, indecision, stalling and general bullshit seems to be the way to go here.
So, hats off guys and give a joint applause to Bls!!!
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