The Tuesday meeting of the Economic Aid to West Africa (EAWA) committee was in Room 4/116 and, as always, Dirk Eischmann had settled himself alongside Katrine.
"I hope it's not a long agenda, Katrine. I have a flight booked at 6pm, so let's not encourage too much discussion."
"We have three new bids for stage one assessment. Mr Eischmann," Katrine said. "These have already been circulated and, as you know, committee members are required to be fully au fait with them before attending this meeting. So, minimal discussion followed by a straight vote I would think."
"Good, and how's the new committee member, Jan Kirkman doing now? Showing promise?"
"Yes, Mr Eischmann. He seems very knowledgeable."
"Seeing him socially?"
Katrine didn't look up, but she knew Eischmann was looking at her. "Our paths cross sometimes," she said, trying to hide her shock at the question. What, she wondered, was going on here?
"So," Eischmann said, now turning his attention to the pile of papers. "We'll be signing off the Ghana, Mali and Congo bids. That is what? Almost twenty six million Euros. Then we'll move onto the three new ones."
It took an hour to come to the new bid written by Jonathan. Katrine, as usual, summarised it before opening it up for discussion. Jan, from his seat around the table, listened.
"This last project - it's the one titled 'Eco Tourism Project, Sulima, Sierra Leone' - you will all have seen it - is seeking some thirty five million Euros. This has been submitted by Walton Associates in the UK. It looks ambitious, but they have provided three full pages of statistics ending with projections for tourist numbers - again you might consider the numbers ambitious - but they've also submitted estimates for the future value to the country's economy, evidence of local construction capability - a company called Sulima Construction - and three separate letters of official support from local and national government including two letters signed by the Minister for Tourism and the Minister for Trade. These letters confirm the Sierra Leone Government's contribution of 3.5 million Euros. So we have what looks like sound government support and a commitment to contribute. The project is to be managed by a company called Cherry Pick Investments, Freetown, Sierra Leone." She stopped. "Anyone have any initial questions or comments?"
It was Eischmann himself who jumped.
"Yes," he said without looking up. "Cherry Pick Investments. I've never heard of them. What do they do?"
"It's in the documentation, Mr Eischmann. Construction projects, consultants, advisers especially to hotels and the leisure industry. They are well known to the Chinese Embassy according to the references show. The information also shows they have offices in Lebanon, Lagos and Holland as well as Sierra Leone. We have names of the Lebanese directors."
"Yes, yes, but it's not enough. And Sulima Construction? Who are they? We need to ask for more information. The Chinese letter also needs translating. I would like to put this project on hold until we have more. Does everyone agree?"
As usual when Eischmann was the first to express an opinion, there were nods and murmurs of agreement. Jan, unwilling to stand out, also nodded his assent. But he already sensed that Eischmann was taking steps to stifle this one. Similar questions could have been asked of the previous two bids. So why this one? Jan couldn't help it. He looked at Katrine and caught her eye.
At five thirty, from outside in the street and on the designated mobile phone, Jan called Jonathan about Eischmann's decision on the Sierra Leone bid.
"For some reason, Jonathan, he took a dislike to the bid. No doubt you'll hear formally in due course, but you can expect a request for more information on both Cherry Pick Investments. and Sulima Construction. There were two other bids prior to that one and neither of them got any questions - both were passed. So why?"
"Could this be Guido's doing?" Jonathan surmised. "We know from Jacob Johnson that Guido was deliberately bypassed by the two Lebanese. They thought he was crazy. So, has Guido decided to get his own back, to get even, to take revenge by telling Eischmann to put the boot in and clobber the bid."
"That's exactly my thinking," replied Jan. "And I've had another message from the dog in the park. It seems my training in the art of hacking the treasury is not complete. I've got an evening rendezvous in Delft on Thursday."
"In that case, Tom needs to know." Jonathan suggested."He's on his way to Delft right now. Perhaps he might get a look at Guido himself."