MFAT

When I first got to India, the new High Commission had just been built (but not entirely finished).  The Manager from Fletcher Construction, was pulled back to NZ and we were left with an embassy compound 95% finished. I was given a three month contract by the High Commissioner to coordinate the staff and contractors to try and finish – which we did.  Then on the 8 June 1992, we had the official opening the Deputy Prime...

Being a diplomatic spouse is not the easiest thing in the world – particularly when you are posted to a male hierarchical culture like India.  However, with so many intelligence officers (read spys) attached to various embassies, many of Bridget’s colleagues in the diplomatic core failed to believe that I had merely followed her to India for love, and in fact was operating as a NZ intelligence officer. About 9 months into...

My first multi million dollar aid project and perhaps the most demanding project I ever managed (talk about deep end). The aim of the project was to plant 14,000 ha of denuded land in a small industrial plantation.  As well as the obvious environmental benefits, the project was meant to create a sustainable wood resource to generate a wood processing industry, and provide significant employment opportunities to the locals....