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Beardmore worker fled troubled land in 1972 Government inaction also to blame in Ethiopia native contends By MARK HOLMES Ethiopia is a place where ihe words barren and desolate describe both the land and future of the people that lie there ia one of the Ethiopian areas that suffers In climatic and political that erode the and ultimately the lives of millions of people From one direction parched air blows over the land robbing the soil of water and causing a devastating drought Prom another direction political winds cut off ponibte aid and hope of release from unimaginable suffering This Is not the first time severe drought haa brought famine to Ethiopia and it is not the first time a cruel and corrupt govern has failed to administer the problem according to a former resident or the strife torn country of Acton Haigax or as bis friends call him left Ethiopia reluctantly ten years ago amid a storm of political unrest and economic upheaval Since leaving he has married become a Canadian resident found a comfortable secure Job with Beardmore Tannery and is raising a family but his hopes and fears for the country of his birth haven diminished In his absence was born In Addis Ababa the capital of Ethiopia and grew up under the rule of Haile Selassie a man considered by many of bis people to be a god as well as their Emperor Selassie who enjoyed almost total rule in Ethiopia Insisted on developing his country by educating bis people He founded Selassie University an institution which eventually turned Into a hotbed of political opposition The opposition suggested Haig was a result of extremely high unemployment University graduates who couldnt find jobs were a perfect tool to be used by foreign influences Agitated and looking for some way to resolve the country economic woes many Ethiopians began to follow Marxist doctrine For a time the movement gathered mo merit and then In wake of the disastrous drought Selassie was deqosed Haig remembers well the sound of gunfire that echoed through the streets and the fear that came with the disappearance of friends and wellknown political adversaries I feel safe in Ethiopia said Haig and believed that staying there held no future for me Haig was lucky Hed planned to attend a London university to further his studies In the tanning trade A year after arriving in England Haig was offered a Job in Acton Despite being thousands of miles from Ethiopia continued watched and listened to the rumblings coming from his native country His experiences and his concern mark his illuminating and timely comments on the situation Ethiopia and her people face today The government in Ethiopia won admit the have a problem because It isnt to their advantage Haig said stressing his pride in his African heritage first and in his Canadian citizenship second The area in which the starvation is is also an area where much of the govern ments comes from The people there are independent and wish to remain so much to the governments disapproval he explained Ethiopia isnt the poor Third World country many people imagine it to be Haig claimed In fact there are several areas including a place called Forty Springs that are rich agriculturally These areas could easily grow enough food to support Ethiopias population and even export some products Haig said Its mismanagement and a total lack of desire on the part of the government that has added to the desperate situation Haig said Take for instance how the government has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on lavish banquets and whiskey while millions of people starve said sadly It shows just where the governments priorities are Haig referred to a time ten years ago when another drought was plaguing tbe country Americans Canadians and many others sent millions of dollars worth of food and goods to Ethiopia he said Those goods never reached the people who needed them They were repacked and exported to other countries including placed they came from for cash so lop officials could sit around their swimming pools he said The starvation Isnt something recent in Ethiopia either Haig said It been around for a long time and only now are the televi crews and reporters going into the area Haig praised Canadians and Americans for their generosity to the people of Ethiopia but said he personally give support to most of the agencies sending aid If the aid is channelled through the government like most is ihen it will never get to the people he emphasized If a country is going to provide help they have to takeslt directly to the people or to the agencies that are set up in the trouble spots The British claimed have the best system he has seen so far They have missionaries and foreign aid groups set up right there and the govern has very little say over where or how the aid gets to the people a Ethiopia hit hi homeland In the midst ol political unrest than a ago In the wake the davaatatlng lamina that Is plaguing Ethiopia in Acton resident soma Ilium tailing commants on situation REAL ESTATE SERVICES LTD REALTOR 170 GUELPH STREET GEORGETOWN GEORGETOWN IBUICKl BUICK GMC TRUCKS GEORGETOWN 8770149 One Hundred and Tenth Year Issue ACTON ONTARIO WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 14 Thirty Six Pages Thirty Cents Chicken Littles fears resolved Region assured about Pomeroy With grace under pressure Pete Pomeroj successfully defended his dual political role as Regional chairman and Provincial lion candidate last week earning a strong show of support from from councillors A motion to proceed no further with Burlington Councillor Joan Littles request for a full accounting by the chairman received virtually unanimous support last Wednesday after yielded his gavel to verbally answer a number of concerns If commitments prove loo demanding he sold be will resign the chairmans job Councils administration and finance committee had asked for a full report on intentions as Regional chairman once tho next Provincial election Is called Little wanted to know how much time as Progressive Conservative candidate in Halt on Burlington will be able to give Regional affairs while campaigning for a seat at Queens Park I dont want anyone to leave here with the thought that I welcome Councillor Utile s request Pomeroy said Discussion on matter was tense but restrained and generally amiable Pomeroy only once confronting Li tie directly He likened the situation to the childrens story about Chicken Little who was struck on head by a falling object and concluded that the sky was falling Well Councillor Little the sky Is not Tailing said shouldering aside speculation about hypothetical situations My commitment is to fulltime Regional chairmanship I certainly hope we can put this issue away today Recalling that she asked whether he would seek or Federal office during the three year chairmans term If an election was called at either level and received a commitment Continued on Main sidewalks to be snow free as private plows line up for winter Concerned that pedestrians lives may be In danger the Towns general committee has sanctioned the first increase in years In the level of service It provides to improve sidewalk snow clearing this winter Warning that the public still cant expect to see walks cleared first thing In the morning after a snowstorm Town engineer Bob Austin will invite private operators to submit bids on clearing designated neighborhoods The Town has neither the manpower nor equipment to provide the level of service councillors are hoping for Austin com Monday night as the committee established sidewalk clearing priorities But trying to meet public demand for a higher level of snow clearing service requires a blank check Councillor Dave Whiting complained noting that many western Canada centres no longer plow roads let alone sidewalks because of their financial situation Chairing Mondays meeting Whiting hesitate to cast the tying and thus the defeating vote against attempts by councillors to add new sidewalks to the priority list before them Whiting action effectively stopped Mayor Russ Miller from having Elizabeth Dr walks in front of the seniors residence cleared this winter and blocked similar Take a snowfree saunter Following Is the order in which Acton sidewalks wfB be cleared of snow this winter priorities were approved by the Towns general com mil tee Monday night and are expected lo be ratified by next week I MILL STREET north side to Young Z MILL STREET south side Maui to Eastern 3 MAIN STREET west side KIngham MAIN STREET east side Church St to School Lane ACTON BLVD east side M Z Ben nett School lo 6 VOUNGSTREETMIUtoQaeen QUEEN STREET Young to Chur chill Homeowners off the hook No bylaw foreseen on sidewalk shovelling There will be no bylaw making residefta shovel the snow from sidewalks in front of their homes Monday night Hills council decid ed any such bylaw would be unenforceable additional la A request for bylaw came from the Georgetown Postmaster claiming snowy made delivering the mail Town Engineer Bob Austin reported few municipalities have such a bylaw and fewer still practical to enforce them He noted there must be a provision where the Town would do the work after hours notice and the homeowner would pay He doubted if tbe present works crew had the time to do tbe additional work Council voted unanimously to forget about such a bylaw efforts by Councillors Peter Norton and Marylyn Serjeant son The committee narrowly endorsed Councillor Finn Poulstrups motion to tender out sidewalk clearing to private operators based on available time and equipment Three or four days after a storm is too late said Were inviting in Jury Time is of the essence here It has been council policy over the lost few years not to Increase our levels of service but to maintain them Councillor Harry Levy pointed out Were already 200 per cent over budget for 1984 snow clearing and yet what were talking about here represents literally thousands and thousands of dollars And remember after we start doing these sidewalks were going to have a heck of a job withdrawing them Councillor John McDonald called the new expenditures money well spent and noted the Town had four very close calls at one Georgetown location last winter We cannot afford Councillor Mike Armstrong argued We havent any idea where the extra money is coming from We get a lot of complaints after the first snowstorm but after that people tend to adjust themselves Hills owes it to the public to spend more money on sidewalk clearing Miller said Were putting their lives in danger he said by leaving snow on busy sidewalks and thus forcing pedestrians to walk along the side of the traffic lanes In a report Austin suggested that ell a desired level of service demands almost simultaneous road and sidewalk clearing whereas the Town currently has crews clear all major roads then gradually work on walks Noting that the Acton Business Improve ment Area in tbe past hired its own private Austin estimated that the Town would spend a year to clear the designated Acton walks based on IS separate clearings through the winter Private plows would be contracted to clear walks in a designated neighborhood Austin explained so that no one operator would run up unnecessary in travelling from one area to another Santai parade route changes Better not good enough This years Santa Clans parade a week from this Saturday will be bigger and better than it has been In years but thats not good enough tor the organizing Acton Firefighters They want more There are already more than SO float under construction according to Phil meaning Santa fans will see a longer and more entertaining parade but if youre not already building one youre urged to get started More floats Will be welcome to line alongside the perennial favorites on Churchill North the new starting point The floats bands Scout and Guide troops Air Cadets clowns and St Nick and In horsedrawn sleigh will proceed onto Acton via Mic- out to the highway and Into the downtown core Id another new development the parade will march along Main to River then past the library and the Free Press building break big up on Bower Ave Sound appealing Dont stand on the curb and watch year write at 27 Nelson Court Acton 1A3 with your float plan Indicating whether It will be of the commercial school service club or some other variety around corner so dont waste time VIA can help boost tourism here clerk Actons potential as a tourism centre could be the selling point needed to convince reluctant VIA Rail officials to reinstate service here Town councillors Monday night ignored MP Otto Jellneks promises about returning VIA to Acton while considering a progress report on negotiations between the company and a committeeof interested Acton General Committee voted lo continue lobbying VIA and the Canadian Transport Commission for better service and to Investigate the possibility of using existing VIA service to Improve Actons tourism potential will be asked help Although the MP told the Free Press Shortly after bis reelection this fall that VIA would again slop in Acton starting late this year or early in IMS VIA officials have been less than encouraging In discussions with Town and community leaders After two meetings this year with a committee including Mayor Russ Miller Town clerkadministrator Km Richardson Conttoued on pas NOT FORGOTTEN A Lome Scot militiaman stand at attention at the MID St cenotaph during Sundays Day Photo from iha Rocfcwood strafe on page mora from Acton on page AS