SC Waste Management Limited Year in Review - 2010
17/03/2011
The year 2010 in review:
It was another hectic year in 2010 and this new year of 2011 has been so busy that I have only now had time to sit down and take stock of the events of 2010.
2010 saw us travelling to India Bosnia, and Albania and spend some time in Scotland on a short contract with Network Rail. The India trip was part of a potential tie up with the Indian Society for Hospital Waste Management but unfortunately that did not materialise despite our best efforts and it is back to the drawing board.
On reflection that was the sole disappointment of 2010 and long may we limit those experiences.
Disappointments are always hard to take at times but it is important that we learn from them and move on. We should not ignore them but we must put them in context and not make the same mistakes repeatedly. Lessons were learned in India and we are stronger for the experience there. It was marvellous insight into a vast nation and an extremely complex one. New Delhi was a real eye opener and puts the M8 chaos in Glasgow at rush hour(s) into perspective.
It was also the first time that we had worked on the Western Balkans Infrastructure Project Facility with COWI at the Mother Teresa Hospital in Tirana and that was a really enjoyable experience and it was a real pleasure working with Regis Fonlladosa the project manager there.
This project covered the spring and early summer in Albania and we came home to Scotland to undertake a short project over the summer and early autumn with network Rail down at Berwick Upon Tweed.
This took us back to a site we had originally worked on in terms of a PPC Permit application for a waste recycling centre and landfill site and it was good to tie up with the John and Jamie Fairbairn, the site owners, again even if only for a short time. It was strange to go down there a see their mum Pearl without their father who sadly passed away. It was strange seeing the chair, normally occupied by him in the kitchen, sitting empty.
After the summer it was back to Albania where we continued our excellent relationship with Grontmij CarlBro through the project team leader Paolo Bacca on the EU CARDS funded INPAEL project in Albania and my time on that project came to an end this year with a short extended contract with Agrotec and Italian consulting firm in November and December of 2010. I am grateful to Paolo for the opportunity he gave me on that project. I am sure he never thought it would have gone so well considering the difficulties we had at the outset with time commitment etc.
I am really pleased that the project has gone from strength to strength and the new environment minister Mr Mediu has been a breath of fresh air on the scene. I only hope he is given the tools and resources by Prime Minister Dr Sali Berisha to get the job done as he is more than capable of doing so. The project has also had excellent support from the EC Delegation and the Environment Sector headed by Mr Antoine Avignon.
We then ended up in Bosnia Hezegovina with WYG International and working with another old friend from Denmark Jorgen Engel, the project team leader, where we were working again with the Western Balkans Infrastructure Project Facility on the waste and environment issues of the new state prison in the small town of Naklo near Sarajevo. It really good to see and work with Jorgen again he was a huge help to me when I first started on the Grontmij CarlBro project on healthcare waste management in Serbia and couple of years ago and we enjoyed many a fine meal and glass of wine in Belgrade together. I now have some fond memories with him in Sarajevo and I hope these good times continue in 2011.
We ended 2010 with a sub contract to our sister company Trust Waste Management Limited who were awarded a training contract by World Health Organisation in Albania and that will keep us busy until middle of March 2011.
Julie came back on board in 2010 and it has been great having her back on the team. She has been a great help in Albania and in Scotland and hopefully she will finalise her Masters Degree in 2011 and go from strength to strength. So far so good as they say.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who we have collaborated or worked with in 2010 and to wish all success and prosperity in 2011.