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An NGO who took the advantage over (r)
ATTENTION TO: MR. THIERRY COLOMBET PROJECT COORDI-
NATOR, AMI, THAILAND.
FROM : SAYTAMAN TEAM, CHIANG MAI
DATE : 06/05/97
Dear Mr. Thierry Colombet:
We, members from the Saytaman Magazine
signed and submitted following suggestions and
comments for existing problems of the Saytaman
magazine. Please keep this information as your con-
fidential.
PROFESSIONAL RELATIONS
- Although we do not want to criticise personal
affairs, these indirectly affect our working pro-
cess. We do want to criticize professional rela-
tions with Saytaman coordinator and among other
Saytaman team members. Coordinator usually makes
her own decisions regarding supervision and mana-
gement of the magazine without proper considera-
tion.
Eg
1) Mr. Than Aye, distribution manager has to deal
with the local organisation concerned for secu-
rity reason but the co-ordinator disagrees to do
so.
2) The staff members, including medical expert,
resented the way the coordinator patronized
them. Sometime she shouts at staff members ins-
tead of solving the problems peacefully. This
kind of behavior is unacceptable as a coordina-
tor.
UNEQUAL BENEFIT
- When coordinator has to distribute the magazine,
she usually uses a lot of money such as renting a
car around 10,000 baht for a week. But other mem-
bers are not allowed to use 20 baht for each meal
during distribution.
- Usually NGOs rent the office costing 5,000-7,000
baht per month in Chiang Mai, and use it only as
an office -- not as well as a home. In compare to
that, Saytaman office cost 12,000 baht per month
for rental and it is also use as a residence by
the coordinator. Other members are not allowed to
stay at the office for a night, even in difficult
situation. When we complaint about the busy
guests and high cost of the phone bills, she
always says, "this is my home".
- With insufficient reasons, she rented a car for
over a month and cost 20,000 baht. At that time,
no member of other staffs is allowed to use it.
- Even though there are many overseas and long dis-
tance calls cost estimated 12,000-17,000 baht per
month while other members are forbidden to use
the telephone as a receiver.
THREATENING ABOUT DISMISSAL
- When the coordinator and other members have the
controversy, she usually threatens to unfairly
dismiss them without giving any proper reasons.
So the staff members are afraid of loosing their
jobs and, due to the fact that they have to work
base on her favor so that their function can not
be improved.
POSSIBLE FUTURE ROLE OF THE COORDINATOR
- To coordinate and cooperate among the NGOs, donor
agencies, AMI Bangkok/Paris.
- To contact with editorial members and organize
the editorial meeting.
- To supervise and advise on the magazine functio-
nal process in general not in particular.
- To explain the financial situation/budget so that
the rest members realize the magazine project
well.
THE REASON OF DELAYING OF THE MAGAZINE
- There are three main reasons for delaying of the
magazine to be published:
1) Existing system
According to the existing system, we have to
wait editorial committee approval before publishing.
The editorial committee members who come from diff-
erent NGOs and background have dissimilar knowledge
and skill. Sometimes we could not receive clear
massage and decisions from the editorial meeting.
2) The weakness of coordinator
The coordinator or chief editor has been
working for the Saytaman since at the beginnings.
She must be aware of which way is best for Saytaman
in order to publish the magazine in time and regu-
larly. But last editorial meeting was the worst one
as coordinator just followed the process of the
meeting and could not able to perform to reach any
agreements clearly at the end of the meeting.
3) The articles have been changed very often
After editorial committee does not agree
with one or two articles, we have to rewrite and re-
create the articles or find the new articles. That
takes times, as we have to start from the beginning.
COORDINATOR ASSISTANCE
- Coordinator has proposed Mr. Sam to be coordinator
assistance for the magazine in last team meeting.
We are not very clear this position in the team
and seem to be overlap with other member's respon-
sibility. Sincerely we believe that if coordinator
works in proper way Saytaman does not need so
called coordinator assistance. It also shows that
coordinator does not work efficiently.
- There is not this kind of position and job in the
NGO and, we believe that Saytaman should not spend
any money for that unnecessary position. Annettee
said Mr. Therry has already agreed Mr. Sam to be
coordinating assistance in Saytaman and we have to
accept it, as this position is urgently needed.
CONCLUSION and FINAL COMMENTS
1. Professional relations: The coordinator should
deal with other staff members based on the res-
ponsibility of each staff member. She can criti-
cize them if they are undutiful.
2. Office: Office and residence should be separated
in order to avoid many social and professional
problems. eg the guests use the phone during the
office hours, and sometimes they use in holidays
when office manager is not there.
3. Vacation and holiday should be clarified and all
the members should be beneficial for that.
4. Limitation of the allowance: The grant of the
allowances in terms of travelling fee, renting
car should be limited in certain amount of money.
5. Car, TV, video should not be bought for the mean-
time. A new computer is suggested to have for the
office as many people use the present one.
6. The decisions concerning with the magazine should
be carried out by the team meeting, not by coor-
dinator alone.
7. Chief editor should be fluent in Burmese and En-
glish as Saytaman used to publish both languages.
He/She should be knowledgeable person for medical
subjects, and of course medical doctor is prefer-
able for that position.
8. The office manager should monitor telephone and
all calls (except local Chiang Mai code area)
must be recorded by the users including profes-
sional and personal. Personal calls must be paid
by the respective operators.
9. Coordinating assistance is not necessary for the
Saytaman on the meantime. It will cause disunity
among team members.
Sincerely yours,
(Dr. Aung Myat Hla) Medical Expert
(Thu Ya) Burmese Editor
(Than Aye) Distribution Manager
(Soe Lwin) Layout
(Mi Mi) Office Manager
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ATTENTION: THIERRY COLOMBET
FROM : SAYTAMAN (CHIANG MAI)
DATE : 03/06/97
PAGE : 2
PAGES FAX: 02- 6520 1 1 9
Dear Mr. Colombet:
Warm greetings from Chiang Mai!
We would like to inform you the followings:
1. Financial crisis
a) We, members of the Saytaman team, have not re-
ceived our salaries yet. We usually receive it
around the 25th days of the month. Some of our
team members need to pay house rentals and other
expenses.
b) We have no money to pay for overseas telephone
bill for the month of April and May that costs
12,000 Baht, and local telephone bill for the
month of April that costs 12,000 Baht too. So we
might face the problem of telephone disconnec-
tion if we do not pay as soon as possible.
c) And also we have to pay office rental for the
month of June. It is 12,000 Baht.
2. Employment for the post of coordination
assistance
a) Regarding this position, as we submitted the
previous letter to you: we totally object this
newly created unnecessary position in Saytaman
team.
b) We gradually realize that Sam initially worked
in the team as a volunteer as well as part-time
freelance for layout. As Annette being poor in
proficiency of English, she relied on him and
she wants him to help for her job instead of
working by herself. Without taking agreement
from the members, she appointed him as an assis-
tance co-ordinator.
c) Sam informs Annette about the members' daily ac-
tivities that are unilateral and prejudiced. And
also it is ridiculous and incorrect. This kind
of behavior is unacceptable and it creates dis-
unity and misunderstanding among the members. So
it gradually develops into Sam and Annette on
one side and the others on the another side.
This is also inappropriate.
d) Sam has used office facilities not only for Say-
taman but also for his own job as a sales man.
And also he is staying in the office as his home
since he got back from the US.
3. Irresponsibility of the coordinator
a) Although she has to work according to the sche-
dules regarding financial affairs she is totally
irresponsible as a coordinator. Saytaman should
be able to run without her presence. We finaliz-
ed all the articles of coming edition, Issue No.
5 a couple of weeks ago.
b) We would like to report you the most important
information concerning with distribution expen-
ses. Annette supposed to spend a sum of 50,000
Baht for the local distributors of Saytaman ma-
gazine Issue No. 2 and 3. (Please refer to the
cash book, February 1997, Dated 26/02/1997, Bill
No. Q00101 to Q00104 for the local distributors
in Thailand and Burma.) So far as we aware, she
spent only 2,500 Baht for the distributors. So,
we would like to know the detailed balance of
the account.
c) Although she has the responsibility to transfer
the authority to Saytaman members while she is
away from the office, she failed to do so. In-
stead of doing this, with her own personal de-
sire she transferred the authority to Sam who is
totally incompatible with all the members of the
Saytaman team. So please take all these things
to your account with great concern. The future
prospect of the magazine will not be certain in
terms of publishing, circulating and coordina-
tion without solving above mentioned problems.
We do hope you will be able to take quick and pro-
per action.
Sincerely yours,
(Saytaman Team)
Dr. Aung Myat Hla,
Thu Ya
Than Aye
Soe Lwin
Mi Mi
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