So another white Zimbabwean is being kicked out of the country

August 22, 2012 , published in In the Churches Blog , reprinted with additions from New Zimbabwe by Dr Tinashe Gede

What a graduate of the UZ medical school thinks of the ‘salvation’ from the white Howard Hospital doctor

Unless you have been living in a cave the past month or so, you most likely have come across news that Salvation Army‘s Dr. Paul Thistle who through his dedicated service for the past 16 years has endeared himself to the community of Chiweshe (Mashonaland Central) in particular, will be leaving Howard Hospital in a few days.

The exact circumstances surrounding his pending departure are unclear, and depending on who you choose to believe, he is either being re-deployed by the Salvation Army, or being transferred against his will to Canada, or as the people of Chiweshe choose to believe he is being kicked out for being such an honest guy trying hard to stop some good-for-nothing church leaders from dipping their filthy hands into the cookie jar (which incidentally he personally begged for from his native Canada).





And as with most things in Zimbabwe, it appears some are viewing this through a political prism with a theory which seems to have gained some traction in some quarters alleging that Vice President Joice Mujuru, who is a senior member of the church and incidentally also wields a lot of power politically, has something against Thistle.


Whether there is any truth to this is anyone’s guess, but Mujuru is a senior member of the Salvation Army and she happens to hail from the province in which Howard Hospital is located, the health institution which employed Dr Thistle.




We have seen her parade in the Salvation military uniform on TV for much less causes, and in this instance her silence on an issue so dear to so many in her province lends credence to the speculation that she didn’t like Thistle very much and probably couldn’t care less if he were to leave.

The Salvation Army, for its part, whatever salvation it represents, in all likelihood does not include the salvation of the people of Chiweshe and thousands of poor Zimbabweans who had come to rely on Thistle for care.


So another white Zimbabwean is being kicked out of the country unceremoniously, why should it be news?


The contribution of Paul Thistle to the nation of Zimbabwe can never be adequately captured in words. For 16 whole years, he served with honour and total dedication at Howard Hospital, providing high quality medical care to the nation’s poorest. He left the comfort of Canada where he was assured of a six figure annual salary and all the benefits of a developed society to settle in rural Chiweshe to offer his service to a people who needed it.

For 16 years, he lived among them sharing their pains; when everyone saw desolation, he chose to be a symbol of hope. He married among them; when our store shelves were empty, he got no bread; when bungling NOCZIM (National Oil Company of Zimbabwe) made sure the nation had no fuel, he learnt to park his vehicle and hope for better days.

I will mention three instances to illustrate why he was a man apart. Sometime in 2004, a set of conjoined twins was delivered at Howard Hospital. Their parents named them Tinotenda and Tinashe, names conveying their appreciation and belief in a God who provides ways even where we see none.

  

Such an occurrence in our public hospitals would attract a flood of visitors to see this rarity but in the end with no expertise for the complex operation needed to separate them, they would be condemned to a sorry death. Not under the watch of Thistle though. He got on the phone, mobilized, begged and badgered until the twins were flown to one of the world’s best children’s hospitals – Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and ultimately got life-saving surgery. To this day, Tinotenda and Tinashe are alive and will never forget how hard Thistle fought to save their lives.

When Zimbabweans, myself included, decided Chiweshe was too rural, too slow to spend the youthful days of our lives, he lived there, somehow managing to convince hundreds of fellow Canadians to devote months of service there as well. And when the government and the church told him they had no money for supplies, he independently begged for money from all who cared to listen.

Miraculously, even in the darkest of years when even the government could not keep its own hospitals like KuGomo open, Howard remained an oasis of hope. I distinctly remember working as a junior doctor at one of the nation’s largest referral hospitals in 2008.




That year, when all that could go wrong did go wrong, we learnt that when we had patients we could not look after we would refer them to Howard and Karanda Mission Hospitals. It sounds unbelievable, but hospitals with hundreds of doctors ended up referring patients to a rural village in Chiweshe. And as patients would report back, it did not matter how far you came, or that they had not a dime to pay, Thistle and his team welcomed you and gave you the best of Howard’s renowned hospitality and clinical excellence.


When political violence engulfed our land in 2008, with militias marauding villages wielding pangas and machetes, Thistle would clean the wounds of the victims and nurse them back to health.

Just this past year in 2011, Paul Thistle and his Howard team got a pitiful USD 7,000 from government to cater for a community of 270,000. That’s right, our government in all its wisdom decided to allocate each of these people THREE cents for health care for the whole year.

They could have easily thrown a tantrum and done nothing like a lot of ministers I will not name, but Thistle being who he is made sure they saw 125,000 people and delivered 3,000 babies. How about that for a miracle? Jesus fed five thousand with two loaves and five fish but after 2000 years of inflation, Thistle fed, housed and offered modern medical care to 125,000 at five cents each!!

Howard was a leader in showing the world that it was possible to provide ARVs to rural villagers and that with dedication, even palliative care could be provided in villages. To this day, thousands still trek from far and wide to receive care at Howard. Hundreds drive from Harare to Howard for care and Thistle has welcomed them and provided them the excellent care Howard has become synonymous with.

The goal of Paul and the other staff at Howard Hospital is that all who desire can access treatment, be restored to full health and be returned to their communities as productive members of society. And he would have gladly continued to offer himself in this service; his wife would have loved to continue teaching midwifery to a generation of cadres who will impact millions until on August 4, for reasons we shall never fully understand, the Salvation Army decided it was time he left.


Understandably, he was pained and worried about the sustainability of the many projects he had started in Chiweshe. But ever the gentleman, he refuses to wash dirty linen in public and has chosen to keep quiet when asked why he is being kicked out. Angered beyond belief, the people of Chiweshe appealed to the powers that be to spare him. As the deadline approached, they sent emissaries to the Provincial Governor hoping perhaps government could save them and Thistle from this most evil of decisions….

For unclear reasons, the church and government have chosen to ignore the wishes of the population. For those who have the means to seek care in lands afar, Thistle’s leaving is nothing, but for the poor who have been reduced to relying on the benevolence of dedicated men like Paul Thistle or seeking divination from latter day prophets, this is a big deal. After all, in one swoop, whoever is behind this is wiping away 50% of their choices.


And as someone who has grown to admire Paul Thistle, and knowing how peaceful and honest a man he is, I am pained he had to leave in such a manner.


When people as dedicated as Thistle have to endure the ignominy of being kicked out like common criminals for asking for transparency in the handling of donor funds he went to extreme lengths to seek; when the government does not have the common decency to say thank you to a man who sacrificed so much to give hope to so many of our citizens; when even the ministry of health does not see the importance of honoring the service of such giants as Thistle, they are communicating a message to the hundreds of young doctors the nation asks to serve in our districts, for a salary you pray your haters never find out, living in conditions you would not wish upon your enemies that commitment will never be cherished.


For as long as we allow this insensitive treatment of those who have served the nation so well, the young and educated will continue to vote with their feet and the nation will be poorer for it. Whatever the reasons, the manner we have allowed Dr. Thistle to be treated after all he gave us compels us to reflect and deliberate on how as a society we should treat those who choose to serve our nation.

Thistle is a humanitarian whose work speaks loudly for social justice. For the many of us who have been nurtured by Paul as a teacher, mentor, and distinguished physician they may kick him out but he will always remain in the deepest corners of our hearts.


Go with God Dr. Thistle. May the dear Lord you served and continue to trust for providence continue to watch over your life in your next assignment. In thousands of homes in Zimbabwe, you will always be welcome and loved.


Having known Paul Thistle for many years, he taught me two very valuable lessons: first as a Christian you can minister through your works and second although we are all called to serve in different capacities, ultimately even the contributions of one man can leave the world a better place. There is no honor in how we treated him, but Paul Thistle will graduate from life with honour.

Principle-centered leadership gains followers - We're losing many...

CORPORATE ETHICS –  www.ccsu.edu.forum

Professor Sven Ljungholm, Corporate Ethics

Finnair Regional Manager , NY USA

Published in 2006 - Systematic Reflections on the Scholarship of Teaching   Central Connecticut State University   * indicates that the segment was not a part of the original paper)

There are approximately 15,000 publicly held companies in the United States, and honest, dedicated people, who consistently strive to make good decisions on behalf of their shareholders, employees, and other stakeholders, run the vast majority of them (Donaldson, 2004). Not all in senior management, however, deserve such praise.

Several senior executives from Enron, Global Crossing, WorldCom, Arthur Andersen, Tyco, to name a few, have exchanged, or will soon exchange, their pinstripes for prison stripes. The boardroom and company limo will be exchanged for a seat on the Department of Corrections bus and a cramped cell. Confinement will provide ample time for reading, reflection, and remorse. Will more than one former CEO, in his or her solitude, ask if the prison library carries Managing for Results? No doubt this was assigned reading while they were earning their MBAs. If so, Peter Drucker’s words will remind them that as corporate leaders “They should (also) spend more time and thoughts on a great number of things, their social and community responsibilities for instance.” (1964, p. 3)

*

The management guru, Peter Drucker is quoted saying that the SA is the best-run company in America. And in so doing Drucker considered “integrity” to be the “touchstone”—the very essence—of management.

Another guru, and who also is a regular at the B school (Harvard Business School) is another distinguished business guru, Warren Buffett. He had just delivered a thought provoking, often irreverent, speech to the newest generation of MBAs. When he opened the floor to questions, the erudite class was not the least bit intimidated, and a dozen raised arms immediately greeted Buffett.

He pointed to a student near the front. "Mr. Buffett," she asked, "How do you make hiring decisions?" A snicker ran through the audience. "Buffett didn't pause; he had been asked that question many times. He lowered his wrinkled brow and smiled. "I look for three things," he said. "The first is personal integrity, the second is intelligence, and the third is a high energy level." He paused and ran his fingers through one bushy eyebrow. "But," he said, drawing closer to the microphone and his attentive audience, "If you don't have the first, the second two don't matter."

With the recent scandals at some corporate behemoths, corporate ethics and personal integrity were media headlines, the topic around lunch room tables, in boardrooms, and the water cooler. In their frenzy for cash, power, and lavish excess, executives discarded every fundamental set of moral principles and ethical dictates ever learned.

True, those lessons may not have forecast the Enronian temptations executives would face in the 1990s, but unchanging, a priori principles were at the heart of those teachings. At the root of those lessons is duty. If one accepts that there are moral duties (ought), knowledge of these duties must be accepted as being a priori. “The a priori or pure part of ethics is concerned with the formulation and justification of moral principles - with such terms as ‘ought’, ‘duty’, ‘good’ and ‘evil’, ‘right’ and ‘wrong’” (John Stott, 1984, p. 14).

*

These are simple ethical principles that some of us believe were tossed to the side when those in power in the Salvation Army colluded against a talented surgeon committed to a lifetime of serving Christ in an African bush hospital.

ENRON CORPORATION

A great deal has been written about the pragmatic culture of arrogance and greed….  It was an era of scandals committed by a particularly greedy gang intoxicated with an egotistical virus that brought them to a crazed binge of excess…. There are more than 50 pejorative words to label each member of the “summer of scandals” team: self-indulgence, self-interest, self-satisfaction, self-importance, self-righteous, self-rationalization, self-delusion, self-serving, and more. Positive words lacking in their makeup include self-control, self-discipline, and self-correcting.

Before the general public’s outrage had time to wane, President George W. Bush, in a Wall Street speech on July 9, 2002, said: “Everyone in a company should live up to high standards, but the burden of leadership rightly belongs to the chief executive officer. CEOs set the ethical direction for their companies…. A key characteristic in the burden and challenge of leadership finds its genesis in morality and morality in a corporation sets an ethical example that filters from the top down. “There must be complete commitment from the CEO and senior executives. The CEO sets the tone and direction of the company’s reputation, and must drive corporate ethics through continuous communication with stakeholders and employees” (Coates, 2000, p. 26). “They must redefine corporate governance with practices that go beyond mere adherence to new rules and demonstrate ethics, integrity, honesty, and transparency” (Donaldson, 2005, para. 14).

Integrity Is Waning

Of concern beyond the corporate scandals, however, are the troubling results shared in a recent survey highlighting the propensity of the average American to break from accepted codes of behavior….Patterson and Kim estimate that 91% of us regularly embroider the truth. “We lie and don't even think about it,” Patterson and Kim write (in Colson, 2002, p. 112).

…. Even though values (ethics) are to a degree culturally developed, endorsed, and sustained, they are fundamentally grounded in an a priori moral foundation that is unchanging, inflexible, and self sufficient, not relying on any other science. Morality is based on fundamental truths, a moral code, a framework of ethical reference, framed and grounded in philosophy (values-beliefs)….Thomas Lickona defined it as, “Character is knowing the good, loving the good and doing the good” (in Josephson, 2002a, introduction).

By definition integrity means wholeness, adherence to a code, and honesty. Integrity is necessarily built on ethical practices of managers, ethical systems that support the work of employees and managers, and ethical relationships. ….It is time to refocus on integrity – on what really matters to successful organizations and societies ( the SA)– and away from the narrow conceptualization of maximizing wealth. (p. 25)

Ethics is at the very root of business leadership. Ethics is a culture, a lifestyle, not simply a code of conduct. It is the very heart of personal character; knowing what you are expected to do in all matters pertaining to business. It is the foundation on which corporate duty is built. If we agree that corporate ethics is grounded in management’s morality we, as teachers of future corporate leadership, are obligated to include ethics as a course of study. In an era where corporate leadership is recruited internationally, it is more relevant than ever that business schools, domestic and foreign, come together in support of a core course in ethics recognizing our responsibilities to society in an ever-shrinking global village.

Ethics is good for business (Coates, 2000)…. Ethical firms develop trusting relationships with their clients and establish stable and profitable relationships. Ethical firms minimize the catastrophic risk of scandals or disasters that destroy companies and careers.” (Coates, p. 26)

….  Principle-centered leadership is marked by noble characteristics; honor, commitment to do the right thing, truth, and fairness. Those values will always find willing followers, those eager to contribute to what they perceive as worthy goals, grounded in unchanging ideals.

*Ethics

All Salvationist ethics rely on Jesus for their authority. Their essence is captured in phrases like 'following Jesus' and 'the imitation of Christ'.

Promises

I will uphold Christian integrity in every area of my life, allowing nothing in thought, word or deed that is unworthy, unclean, untrue, profane, dishonest or immoral.

I will maintain Christian ideals in all my relationships with others; my officer colleagues and fellow Salvationists, those to whom and for whom I am responsible, and the wider community.

_______________________References

AACSB, Ethics Education Resource Center. (2004). Overview, AACSB expectations, Retrieved April 6, 2005, from www.aacsb.edu/eerc/overview-expectations.asp

Barna Group. (2002). American faith is diverse, as shown among five faith-based segments, Retrieved March 24, 2005 from www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdate&BarnaUpdateID=105

Coates, M. (2000, November 6). Ongoing PR can be crucial to the success of corporate ethics programs. Strategy Magazine, 

Cohen, H., (2003, October 15). Study finds Internet plagiarism common. The Brunswickan. Retrieved April 16, 2005 from http://www.unb.ca/bruns/0304/06/news/plagiarism.html

Colson, C. (2002, March 11). Post-truth society. Christianity Today, 46(3), 112.

Donaldson, W. (2004). Not by rules alone, The World in 2004. The Economist,    

Donaldson, W. H. (2005, March 16). Remarks before the Directors Education Institute [speech]. Retrieved June 13, 2005 from www.sec.gov/news/speech/spch031605whd.htm

Drucker, P. F. (1964). Managing for results. New York: Harper and Row.

Gilfillan, D., Gilfillan, S., & McWee, W. (2005). Teaching and Assessment of Applied Ethics, Longwood Univ., Va. Paper presented at IABPAD Conference, New Orleans, La

Josephson Institute of Ethics. (2002a). Being the person you want to be. Retrieved May, 12, 2005 from http://www.josephsoninstitute.org/MED/MED-6beingperson.htm

Josephson Institute of Ethics. (2002b). Character counts! Retrieved May, 12, 2005 from www.charactercounts.org/govern.htm

Levin, C. (Producer). (2000). Only a teacher, episode 1: A teacher affects eternity [Television series]. Springfield, MA: WGBY.

Ljungholm, S. (2006). An ethics primer, business ethics 337 [course content]. Concordia College, Bronxville, NY

Ray, P. (1997, February). An emerging culture. American Demographics Vol. 19, nu. 2, p. 28-34, 56,  Religious Tolerance.org. (2001). Religious beliefs of Americans: Does absolute truth exist? Retrieved April 6, 2005, from http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_poll5.htm

Rivera y Carlo, R. (2002, January, 29). Boundless webzine. Retrieved April 6, 2005 from www.boundless.org/2002_2003/features/a0000672.html

Sachdev, A. (2003, March 12). Business schools zero in on ethics training. The Ottawa Citizen, p. F10

Stott, J. (1984). Issues Facing Christians Today. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

Waddock, S. (2002). In C. Coleman (Ed.), Campaign AACSB: Are business schools complicit in corporate corruption? [Letter]. Journal of Individual Employment Rights, 10(2). Retrieved on March 20, 2006 from http://www.cba.kstate.edu/departments/ethics/docs/JIERCampaignAACSB.pdf

Winslow, L. (Executive Producer). (2002, July 10). The newshour with Jim Lehrer [Television broadcast]. New York and Washington, DC: Public Broadcasting Service. 

Belief in TSA is Destroyed

A PAINTING BY BRIAN NICHOLS INSPIRED BY
 A VISIT TO ZIMBABWE

It has been almost a year since I heard that Dr. Thistle and his family were being told to leave Howard Mission Hospital and Zimbabwe.  We had just said our good-byes to the Thistles a few weeks earlier in Peterborough (Canada) and sent them home (to Zimbabwe) with $20,000.00 in cash from our most recent fundraiser.  On that same day, in August 2012, I emailed the administrator at Howard Hospital that the money sent with Dr. Thistle could not be spent if Paul was being told to leave Howard Hospital, and if we were no longer to be welcomed there. I explained that the Canadian government does not allow charitable donations to go to projects out of Canada if we, as donors, are not directly involved in the project.  All of my attempts to communicate directly with the hospital and with The Salvation Army (TSA) in Zimbabwe and Canada have been ignored. 

As a member of a loosely-formed fund-raising group in Peterborough, I had personally made seven month-long visits to Howard Hospital, and we had very happily raised over $210,000.00 for the hospital and for school fees for children in Cheweshe.  I have contacted TSA in Zimbabwe, Canada and in the United Kingdom to express my concerns and frustrations.  We learned that $18,000.00 worth of building materials purchased in 2011, on my last visit, were now reported missing/stolen in addition to $13,000.00 of the $20,000.00 just sent can not be accounted for. It is not the loss of the funds that bothers me the most but the denial and cover-up that is distressing. 

I have never had any of my emails responded to, either before or after the internal investigation. We have been told by TSA in Zimbabwe that we cannot visit Howard Hospital, and they have even wrongly suggested that we cannot be guests in Zimbabwe. 

It is difficult to express how devastating this lack of response from TSA has been.  To deny and cover up corruption, to cause unnecessary suffering and death, to lie and blame others, to silence those affected and involved and to ignore our concerns is unconscionable. 

I have lost faith in TSA as a Christian organization and do not see the leadership as trustworthy.  That is a huge personal blow and to move forward has been extremely difficult. 

My own faith group, The United Church of Canada, has refused to ask TSA for answers or to officially express our concerns.  Our support for Howard Hospital has come from more than seven faith groups in Peterborough and has been closely observed by our local media.  The long-term impact on the reputation of TSA is difficult to measure but I believe that it has been significantly tarnished. 

My belief in TSA as a trustworthy group, that I want to financially support, is destroyed and my recovery as a person wanting to do 'good work in the world' is presently pretty rocky.  To knowingly harm vulnerable people in our world is a grievous sin and one that cannot remain unchallenged by those who know what is going on.  I will continue to speak out against TSA until they right this wrong. 

Brian Nichols in his studio.

   

Churches Fear Being Hijacked by ZIM Political Parties

Churches fear being hijacked           

July 19, 2013 in News, Politics


SOME churches in Zimbabwe have postponed their annual gatherings, which usually take place between July and August, fearing the events would be hijacked by politicians as the country marches towards crucial polls set for July 31.

Sources in the Salvation Army said the church’s annual meeting that had been pencilled for July in Gweru was called off to avoid politicians turning the events into political rallies.


“We were to have our annual meeting in Gweru but judging by the political temperatures which are rising, the leadership decided to postpone them until after the elections,” said a Salvation Army member.


“In the past we have seen politicians taking over our meetings and turning them into rallies.”

The sources also said Vice-President Joice Mujuru, who is a senior captain in the Salvation Army, would most likely have attended the meeting with her party supporters.

_________________________________

There are 126,000 Senior Soldiers and 504 active officers In Zimbabwe, and by comparison there are 28,000 Senior Soldiers in the UKTI. The acting President, Salvationist Joice Mujuru,

is a strong contended for the Presidency with the voting taking place on July 31.


A report from First All Africa Congress draws thousands of Salvationists from across the continent

"THE 7,000 delegates to the Salvation Army's first-ever All Africa Congress rejoiced together as the congress opened at the National Sports Stadium in Harare, Zimbabwe. ( The Royal Albert Hall in use since it was opened in March 1871 and for special UKTI and international SA events seats just over 5,000).

To the jubilant strains of the Zimbabwe Territorial Band, General John Larsson, Commissioner Freda Larsson, Chief of the Staff Commissioner Israel L. Gaither, Commissioner Eva D. Gaither and Africa Zone leaders Commissioners Amos and Rosemary Makina marched in together with a vast host of Salvationists from all of the African territories, commands and regions.


The international leaders had earlier been welcomed at the airport by the Zimbabwe territorial leaders Commissioners Stanslous and Jannet Mutewera along with the Vice President of Zimbabwe, Her Excellency Joyce T. Mujuru, the acting mayor of Harare and the town clerk, all of whom are Salvationists.

  
The visit of the Chief of the Staff 

Commissioners Barry and Sue Swanson

The Salvation Army works in 126 countries and in every country Salvationists respond to the health concerns in their communities through more than 15,000 churches (corps). In addition to church-based programmes, The Salvation Army currently has 183 health programmes in 39 countries, focusing on healthcare and the prevention of disease. These include 23 general hospitals and more than 150 clinics and health posts. Almost all of these include response to HIV/AIDS.

The trail leads to Harare...

Major (Dr.) Jim Watt (R) wrote in response to questions focusing on Captain (Dr.) Paul Thistle’s dismissal as the Chief Medical Officer of the Howard  Hospital, Zimbabwe

“I'd like to answer two questions:”

On the "centage" question (SA administrative costs assessed when transferring funds), when things are working well, I have not found it to be a problem. Donors can understand that there are administrative costs, and are willing to pay if it guarantees that the donation arrives quickly, safely and is used appropriately. A delay just 30 days can affect the donation by 10% or more: fluctuating exchange rates and inflation.

For some years, we would get a list of donors from IHQ, and were able to write letters of thanks and send photos. The Salvation Army differs from World Vision in having a large number of indigenous officers at the front line. These have been invaluable in finding those most in need, distributing aid in emergencies and training their congregations in healthy living. A University study in 1974 showed that the key factor in development among peasant farmers was religion, with the Salvation Army and Seventh Day Adventist regions coming out on top. So key to our preventive programs were our officers, with their teaching that was Biblical and practical at the same time. The centage and the (then) Self-denial funds taken for supervision were well worth it. In fact, when World Vision worked in our area, much of the "volunteer" labour was done by SA Officers.

The second question is "What was unique with Dr. Thistle's situation?"

Following Independence from an oppressive white government, African leaders objected to anything smacking of white control. This perception and defiant attitude was very evident  at THQ Zimbabwe, where even auditors from IHQ, London were seen as neo-colonial. Both the International Secretary for Africa and the TC (Africans and who were very good friends with each other) felt this way, the former balking at any supervision of the building of the new Howard Hospital, and the latter insisting that all donations come over her desk, be spent as she wished, and not be accounted for. A $250,000 donation for Dr. Thistle's work was refused because the donors could not assent to these conditions. Donations had a habit of being delayed or disappearing altogether.

So more and more, Dr. Thistle had to rely on direct donations to keep the hospital going, often brought by hand by volunteers.

This could not be tolerated by the Territorial Commander, so she terminated the volunteer program (volunteer Doctors and Nurses from Zim and abroad) and set about to get a more pliable doctor in charge of Howard.

Without his knowledge, various charges were brought up against him at IHQ (I have a list) until, at the present time, Dr. Thistle has a very low reputation among IHQ and THQ officers. All this is in sharp contrast with the views of the Zimbabwe people at all levels, who think very highly of him. So when the TC asked for Dr. Thistle to be removed, the General consented and tasked the International Secretary Africa and TC to carry out the task, which they did in a vindictive way that was negligent in not providing (even a year later) a replacement for his skills.

I wrote the General at the time (August 15, 2012) warning her that this would result in deaths, with consequenses bordering on the criminal, but she refused to inquire into the veracity of what she had been told by the International Secretary for Africa.

I have seen a letter from the office of the International Secretary telling Paul to forget about his patients, forget about his nurses, "they are in God's hands now," something his medical ethics, let alone Christian ethics, would not allow him to do. It was an illegal and unethical order, and refusing to obey it cost him his officership.


A gag order has kept people ignorant of these things. Official reports continue to give glowing reports of the restoration of the hospital, while visitors are not allowed to see the wards -- last week there were 5 patients on female ward and 4 on male ward, while the two Zimbabwean doctors kept busy with private practice. Many are dying. Visiting donors have been refused permission to give SA schools fees for AIDS orphans -- they have to go through THQ.

That is what is unique about this situation, and so different from the Army I once knew. Compassion, honesty, transparency, Godliness -- core values are missing, replaced by a false "loyalty" that amounts to idolatry. I pray for our leaders.

Major (Dr) Jim Watt (R)

Former; Chief Medical Officer

Howard Hospital, Zimbabwe

___________________________________

The FSAOF welcomes articles relevant to the Howard Hospital debacle. Opposing views with supportive information and documents are most welcome.

Nothing New Under the African Sun

As a former Director of Overseas Development for The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory, I have watched with growing anger and dismay the public relations disaster and the colossal failure of leadership in the matter of Dr. Paul Thistle and his dismissal from Howard Hospital, Zimbabwe. I have waited until now to comment, as coverage of the situation has appeared in increasing numbers of media outlets around the world and negative publicity for TSA grows. I know that my voice will be one crying in the wilderness, as are all voices of lay Salvationists, but I have to ask does anyone at IHQ and the Canadian THQ really care?

News releases from IHQ and Canadian THQ claim concern for the health of Howard’s patients, the well-being of its staff, and that Dr. Thistle’s removal is part of the “normal” rotation of SA officers. They also claim that there are policies and procedures in place to ensure accountability at all levels of the organisation, that no complaints have been made regarding these, and, in a recent note, imply that Dr. Thistle has brought his troubles on himself by disregarding International protocols. The implication is clearly that he has not used the funds, as he should.

Such an implication is beneath contempt. There are contradictions in the statements emanating from TSA.

(-political |pəˈlitikəl| adjective

·      chiefly derogatory relating to, affecting, or acting according to the interests of status or authority within an organization rather than matters of principle)

The situation is being portrayed by IHQ and our Canadian THQ as a normal transfer of an officer. It clearly is not. Doctors such as Paul Thistle are not routinely transferred, as TSA does not have skilled medical personnel to replace them. If it were indeed a “normal transfer” why did it not take place along with others? The press release issued by Andrew Burditt claims “We consider the health of its (Howard’s) patients and the well-being of the staff at Howard Hospital to be of paramount importance.” This can hardly be credible in light of what is happening. How naïve does THQ think we are as rank and file Salvationists? Clearly, such a press release is designed to prevent the further loss of funding from the Canadian public and demonstrates that this is far more important than the people suffering in Zimbabwe…  The local community around Howard, who have no other access to health care, demonstrated against this Dr. Thistles dismissal), the police were called in and arrests of hospital personnel were made (apparently at the request of the Zimbabwe SA THQ), and in response the Zimbabwe TC ordered Paul to pack in 24 hours and leave Zimbabwe in 48 hours. This was a cruel and totally unjustified act of vengeance on the TC’s part…

The great irony in all of this is that it is the non-Salvationists who have supported Paul’s work who are rallying to his support and protesting his removal. These donors have had no problems with Paul’s accountability over the years. Even the Mugabe government, often so maligned, has not intervened in this matter and indeed has, so it is reliably reported, sought to mediate to no avail. What does the public think when it sees Jewish groups, the United Church of Canada and others steadfast in their support of Paul and his work and yet witness the complete failure to give him support within his own church? Yet these groups and individuals are being dismissed at senior THQ levels as “Paul’s followers”–such a derogatory, sneering and offensive term…

It is high time that TSA Canada and IHQ faced up to the real facts and addressed them… We need strong leadership, and sadly it is not forthcoming. Moreover, Canadian THQ knows full well, or should do, that “assurances” from Zimbabwe THQ are worthless and cannot be believed…

Allan Bacon

Toronto

__________________________________

SOMETHING AMISS WITH THE SYSTEM

1990 

In 1994 the children of the Children's Village in Calgary, Alberta had raised $7,000 for a play centre at the Howard Hospital, sent through THQ Canada to – IHQ and presumably to THQ, Harare, Zimbabwe where the CMO was Capt. (Dr.) Dawn Howse.  However, it did not arrive.  After an extraordinary waste of correspondence over the course of many months the money turned up.  It appears THQ Zim had cash flow problems.

In the late 1990's, some $42,000 disappeared from Howard Hospital's reserve account (money for projects in process, not yet completed) when THQ Harare consolidated accounts.  THQ then held all the SA accounts including HH, and as there was no over-all loss reported; it was dismissed as a mistake in book entries. The CMO was replaced in the mid-90s by Major (Dr.) Jim Watt who on his return to Canada in 2000 reported that the money had not been located nor repaid.  There appeared to be no will at THQ to do look into this significant loss of HH funds .,.

Around 2000, Commissioner Makina, the TC Zimbabwe, wanted to build a new Howard Hospital.  He did not want any input from the then Howard Hospital administration, and it was with great diplomacy that Colonel Kellner, the Chief Secretary, persuaded him to show me (Jim Watt) the plans and get my opinion (Dr. Thistle was on furlough).  I had been responsible for much earlier construction at the hospital and immediately noted that the project was grossly underfunded, with only US$ 1 million allocated and available. My estimate was that a minimum of $ 3.5 million was necessary to build what the blueprints called for.  There were also no plans for water, electricity supply with special links for X-ray, and generators in case of power failure, a common occurrence, or sewage, a place that size requiring sewage ponds (still not planned for).

The architect had no medical experience, which showed clearly in the layout.  I drew up plans for rebuilding the existing hospital site, which could be done for $1 million, which were rejected out of hand.  So I redrew the plans to make them more workable, and Dr. Thistle on his return added other suggestions.  Some were agreed to, but the large main entrance still effectively leads nowhere.  It was obviously planned to be built, not planned to be used!

New construction is a fertile ground for corrupt practices, especially where there is no bidding process in place and the payouts are private.  Cement especially has immediate cash value.  Unless someone watches it being mixed and poured, it can easily vanish, leaving the structure weak.  Major Phillip Mountain was appointed by IHQ to supervise the construction and oversee the books.  Commissioner Makina had him completely stonewalled -- refused access to both the site and the books.  Accountability was seen as neo-colonial, a too common accusation...The inability to bring the construction project in under budget, even with an additional $ 1 million, was attributed to inflation.  The value of the US$ had not changed, however, and a great deal of money could be made by anyone bringing in and exchanging US funds.  How honest the dealings were, we will never know.   ________________________________

MISSING SPEVIALIST EQUIPMENT

An organization I volunteer with, the SHUMBA Foundation, tried earlier this year (2013) to follow up on the specialist equipment donated and delivered to Howard Hospital for the express use of scheduled volunteers, but clearly not given to HH.  Dr. Norman Fenton, a frequent donor and volunteer there, got permission from THQ Zimbabwe to retrieve it.  Here is his account:

On Friday, 3 February, I met with the Secretary of Salvation Army THQ Harare, Lt-Col Varughese and Major Angeline Kapere in Harare in order to collect equipment originally transported by SHUMBA to Howard Hospital. There was no complete scope in the collection of instruments shown to me. There were 12 nasal and general instruments, all of significant vintage and poor quality and complexity - not the original SHUMBA set. We agreed that I could travel to Howard Hospital the following Monday to collect the remaining instruments. 
(Major Gillian Brown from Toronto and Major Dean Pallant (IHQ) were going to be there at that time.)



  

 Out of a total of five rigid scopes, two laryngoscopes and two esophagoscopes, as well as the complete set of nasal instruments, none were located. The Sister in charge of the operating room evidently was unable to identify the nasal instruments. 

A further inspection of three sets of instruments from the operating room were opened - yet revealed none of the missing instruments. I pointed out that the nasal instruments transferred by SHUMBA were identifiable by the labels "Jedmed" and "Made in the USA". Attached is a photo of the substitute instruments given to me from Salvation Army / Howard Hospital as being the original nasal instruments - these are a far cry from the original set.





I was asked by Dean Pallant not to wander around the hospital premises as there had been a lot of mistruths spread about the hospital situation, and with the overall sensitive nature of my visit, it was better that way. This meant that there were a lot of people who I would have liked to have seen but were missed. My driver, who walked through parts of the hospital noted that there were about two and five patients in the male and female wards respectively, and few patients in the children's ward. 

Attached, please see photos of the "nasal instruments" substituted for the ones missing. Also, some photos of Howard Hospital at about 10 AM on a Monday - usually the busiest time in outpatients. More noticeable was the lack of booths and people hanging around on the road around the front entrance of the hospital(the so-called market) and the courtyard of the hospital (see photos).

I should be at home this PM to discuss any of this.

Norman //

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This represents about $7,000 worth of missing equipment.  So the statement that there is no missing equipment is a lie. Further, the equipment and cash left by Donwood Church, Peterborough, Ontario remains missing, though photos of the equipment are said to have been made. I believe this was US$ 10,000 cash, and $18,000 in materials, receipted but not followed up as it did not go through IHQ and was "harder to track", though it should nonetheless have been entered as receivables in the books.  Here is a report that relates:

IHQ has admitted several times that the books are not well kept, I presume attributing this to incompetency rather than dishonesty.  So the official statement that "no evidence was found" is not surprising, but misleading.

Major (Dr.) James Watt (retired)