Have you seen the Planning Minister?

He's in his 50s, about 5 foot 10, classic iraqi looks with mostache and probably somewhere in Northern Europe. But we're not sure, and nor is his ministry. They haven't heard from him in a week, don't know if he'll be back in Baghdad before November and have no email or phone number to contact him on. I'm really not kidding you, and it's not just the Planning Ministry, this is a familiar senario in Iraq today. Apart from being incredibly frustrating for someone whose travelled 5000 miles to try and consult with Iraqis, I think it says something about the resources and responsibilities being allotted to Iraqis by the CPA - pretty much nil. I've visted 5 ministries today, and only one had working phones and email, indeed only one (the Ministery of Oil) had a contactable Minister (who i'm meeting next monday, inshallah). The really frightening thing is that in November the UN Oil-for-Food program ends and somehow the CPA and the Ministries (most squatting in temporary building since their offices were largely looted and burnt) are going to have to manage food distribution for the 16 million people who are dependant on the ration for survival.

Oh, here's today's cute detail: the windows in the reception room for the Ministry of Trade were covered with - you guessed it - Pokemon stickers! I tried to find a cinema for a bit of relaxation this evening, but it seems that everywhere is showing either Egyptian movies or pornography, so that was a deadend. Ended up in a 9asiir (juice) bar as usual. Got an invite to go play dominos with some Iraqi students one evening soon, which should be fun. One of them is making his first film and said I can have a cameo role... Cannes here we come!

Some good news - It seems like I've wangled my way onto a trip down to Najaf and Karbala to meet the major Shia clerics like Ayatollah Sistani in a few days time. Tisbah al-khayr (good night).

POSTSCRIPT: I went out onto my hotel balcony (overlooking the Palastine hotel next door where a Salsa class, of all things, was happening) lastnight, and began chatting to the American film crew on the nextdoor balcony. They told me with great glee how much fun they'd had earlier that evening lobbing bananas at the homeless kids on the street seven floors below... I had to dig my nails into my palms to prevent sending one of them sailing after the fruit.