fun and games

[llywela]

A few months ago, I attended a liaison meeting between IT, Estates and Security here at the University - this was not unusual, as these meetings take place regularly and supporting them is part of my job, but as this particular meeting drew to a close and the request for Any Other Business went around the table, everyone said no until we got to the Security guys, who said yes: they did have more business to discuss. There was to be a NATO conference in Newport in early September, they said, and the security arrangements were likely to have a knock-on effect on the University here in Cardiff. The conversation that followed was peppered with "don't minute this, but..." and "we can't put this into writing yet, but..." and "don't write this down, but the police have told us..." and so on. It was a long conversation. I boiled it down to a single sentence for the minutes, because none of it could be minuted! It was an illuminating discussion to be part of!

That was months ago. We're now just a week away from this NATO conference and I will be glad when it's all over! Most of the security arrangements I heard about way back when have now been made public, at least within the University, and at least at the level of those who need to know. South Wales is preparing. We've got road closures in effect already - my bus is having to take an alternate route for a full month, which I'm not happy about, and the city centre is now gridlocked every day. We've got massive fences up along major roads and along the river. There are fences and barricades at key locations in the city centre and around the castle. At work, we've had the police and the Counter Terrorism Unit out to inspect our security and offer recommendations, which have had to be put into place quick smart. Three of our University buildings have to close completely for three days next week; and my building is on standby, because we're very near to the area where demonstrators are expected to cause trouble, so might have to go into lockdown, no one in and no one out - I suggested laying in supplies, just in case, and my colleague started listing sensible things like cans of beans, so I said no: chocolate and teabags! Priorities!

So much fuss, for a two day conference.

I hope Barack Obama and the other delegates enjoy Wales, but I doubt they'll actually see much of it.

I'll be glad when it's over!

Comments

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Oh my word - all that for two days. It's a wonder to me how the world survives, sometimes... Mind you, I suppose it's just our equivalent of all the old stories I read where the laird turns up with his troop of minders to talk to another laird, and completely disrupts everyone's lives. Some things don't seem to have changed for thousands of years, do they... (Interesting to have heard the planning from the start though, and seen it come true...)

[llywela13.livejournal.com]

Well, part of me thinks it's all massive overkill. But then I think, well, when you've got that many world leaders all together in one place, it's kind of an ideal opportunity for a terrorist hit, and no one wants that to happen on their turf! So the extreme measures make all kinds of sense. They're just really annoying!

I can't believe it's already almost September and almost NATO time - it seemed ages away when I first started hearing about it and wasn't allowed to write any of the details down!

[femsc.livejournal.com]

Those fences! I love the one around the castle. What's it going to keep out that castle walls can't? Or is it to keep the politicos in? Other than that they're a bloomin' nuisance. You're not alone in being glad when it's all over. What on earth did we do so wrong, that we get the NATO wossname?

[llywela13.livejournal.com]

I know, right! I mean, part of me recognises that this is a big thing and a good opportunity to showcase our country and an honour and whatnot. But the rest of me is just annoyed by the disruption and hopes nothing kicks off tomorrow so we don't have to go into lockdown!