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    New Staff Appointed

    Following the demise of our friends Peter Ikopit and Tom Maxwell Ngobi, the National Executive Commissioner and Programme and Training Commissioner repectively, Uganda has now appointed their successors.

    James Birungi Ozo is the new NEC and is starting work on a Scout Project to combat HIV / AIDS amongst out of school youth and a smilar project to combat drug abuse and alcoholism amongst unemployed young people by offering them a new start in life through apprenticeships.

    The new Training and Programme Commissioner is Martin Ebu who was formerly the District Executive Commissioner in Apac District.

    Peter Ikopit and Tom Ngobi who are now described as being suspended from the Uganda Scouts Association for "gross abuse of office" still have to learn of the reasons for their demise and to be given an opportunity to defend themselves.

    Peter Ikopit is now a Customs Officer with the Uganda Revenue Authority and Tom Ngobi continues as head of the Outspan Day and Boarding Primary School in Bwiaise, Kampala. This school continues to be supported by Northamptonshire and others.

    Repairs at BP House, Kampala

    Alan Beavis's Berkshire Scout Enterprises has transferred £100 to the Uganda Scouts Association to repair the toilets at BP House, Kampala. There had been a delay in sending the money as quite proper questions had to be asked over the need to proceed with toilet repairs when the offices of the uganda Scouts Association were said to be being re-located to Kaazi, the national camp site.

    Mityana Scout Enterprises

    The first meeting of the UK part of this group is being held at the offices of Berkshire Scout Enterprises during the weekend of 30 June / 1 July. This is a joint project with the Friends of Scouting Uganda to provide training facilities at Mityana in Uganda. Geoff Breeden from the North East has agreed to take on the leadership of the project.

    Under a "cover name" a posting recently appeared in uk.rec.scouting to which the International Commissioner, David Bull and International Manager, David McKee responded as follows:

      This is the official response on behalf of the Association - issued with the authority of the International Commissioner:

      There is clearly a misunderstanding on behalf of the Hon Manuel Pinto and his Chief Commissioner as to the relationship of a group of interested volunteers in the UK, who have had extensive discussions with Scouts in Mityana, Uganda. The Scouts in Uganda are already making bricks according to their District Commissioner. The 'company' referred to is an emerging partnership between Scouts in the UK and Scouts in Uganda - and all funds etc will be scrutinised under the auspices of the Uganda Network Scout Fellowship in the same way as for all national fellowships.

      The International Commissioner and I will be discussing the particulars of this and other issues when Mr Pinto attends the European Conference at the end of next week.

      There is a wealth of contact between our two countries which we hope can continue.

      David McKee
      International Manager
      The Scout Association

      David Bull
      International Commissioner
      The Scout Association

    International Scout Fellowship

    The newly formed International Scout Fellowship is to have an informaal meeting on 1 July in Reading. Geoff Breeden from the North East is one of the leaders of this group and will be present at the meeting. Geoff has recently been awarded an OBE for his work with young people in the Fire Service. More well known to Network Members is his considerable work with young people in Scouting in this country and in Uganda.

    Geoff Breeden was largely responsible for the building of Look Wide House at Kaazi. This was one of the first projects in Uganda after the years of Civil War. More recently he has worked for young people at Mityana and is leading the Mityana Scout Enterprises Project.

    Well done Geoff.