Update on Guinea's news

The most recent news...

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/abd23075b5b6851f62247e3db4d1416a.htm
This article references the lowering of rice and petrol prices. Here's what will happen (easy for any person who understands econ or paid attention last time when he did this) - the supply will not be increased, so people who are lucky enough to get their hands on capital to buy a lot of rice and gas will do so, then bring it upcountry and sell it at the black market rate, which will be about the rate it is at now. Gas won't be affected as much, since there are gas stations that won't be allowed to sell it at a higher price. But I'd be shocked if people were able to find rice at the price that the President sets it at - I heard 86,000 or so.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6306765.stm

This article has basically the same information as the other one, but at least we are still making news on multiple web sites...I have a feeling that the level of news will decrease rapidly now that the violence is over. Non-violent discussions just aren't as interesting to the media outlets.

Now it's a couple hours later...

Our Country Director came to talk to us this morning. He basically went through all the discussions that the PC office in Conakry had with Washington and the political leaders in Guinea leading up to the decision to come here for training-vacation-consolidation. Sounds like they made a good decision given the information that they had. While things are calmer now, we are still waiting to hear who the President appoints as a Prime Minister. Hopefully he'll appoint one of the people that the union leaders and Guineans trust - possibly even someone who is currently working for the Vatican. We need to be sure that this person is in office and supported and that the strikes are unlikely to start up again. PC is worried that, since all the previous 4 strikes got increasingly violent, that they will happen again and it will truly be unsafe for us. I think PC is more concerned for my personal safety than I am! Our CD did tear up a bit talking about how impressed he was that we were all willing to stay here in Bamako as long as possible if it increased our chances of getting to go back to Guinea.

Actually, he told us a funny story about a volunteer in Conakry coming to his office during the most violent day to ask when they could talk about rescheduling Girls' Conference...that's when he got emotional, because he was so touched that the PCVs could still be thinking about getting work done while the country was in turmoil. We are a crazy bunch.

I'll update again with information about what I've been doing these last couple days. I left the entry on Camilo's computer and don't have access to it right now. Also - I took some pictures from here in Mali and will try and add a few. We have a giant turtle living on the grounds and it's so cool! It's kind of mean and will try and head-butt people, but can't move very fast. The turtle has been endlessly amusing.