those four little words

The decision by SM to quietly insert the four words "subject to staff availability" into the last announcement was interesting. He has never at any time before included this type of comment in an announcement about CE Mark approval.

So why did SM add those four words??

It is obvious that along with advising of the latest delay, BSI had taken the time to specifically warn SM that impending staffing issues could affect the approval. (I'm sure SM didn't just dream this problem up for no reason.)

However, most of the last announcement was obviously directed to diverting our attention away from the latest delays - toward happy things such as "we were congratulated on such a terrific submission"; "there are no more questions left"; etc. etc. etc.

So it seems that SM kept the impending staffing problem and its potential for creating further delays low-key.

If BSI has not told TIS of the circumstances of their staffing problem, has SM tried to find out... (a) Why there is a staff problem? (b) if that is the latest cause of delay, and (c) its likely impact on our application? As a paying client you would expect BSI to answer such vital questions (especially b and c) honestly, as per their client service charter.

Then maybe SM could pay us the respect of answering this question...

"Do we really have to wait for the Olympics to finish before we can expect the final processing of VitroGro approval?".

A simple question and one TIS should know if they have any sort of serious interest in tracking the VitroGro approval.

We are not getting the full picture, and it seems that embarassment has forced SM into his bunker for some unknown amount of time. If this is good management then that pig I saw on final approach at Perth Airport yesterday really did exist!

(Yeah guys, I know this is more harping and questioning, and few of you it seems are interested in negative comment. But I think it is relevant that BSI appears to have warned SM about their staffing shortage and its potential for problems. SM seems to have glossed over this danger, preferring to give us nice spin rather than a full picture of the situation we face, including warts.)