Consultant/Intelligence/Researcher

1996 – 2010 in Maputo, Mozambique and  Afife, Portugal

Private Business – Establishment of a legally registered consultancy/technical services and rural property development company in Maputo, Mozambique  (LagoaMar Lta.).

Private free-lance translation work and owner-manager of successful micro-scale rural tourism self-catering bungalows in northern Portugal (“Casa Sta.-Rita”)

Have spent the last 15 years “commuting” between Mozambique and Portugal establishing/managing these two businesses, doing occasional translation work in between. Presently semi-retired.

July 1994 – March 1995

Consultant for the Japanese Embassy in Maputo, Mozambique, reporting directly to the “Chargé D’Affaires” (Acting Ambassador – Mr. S. Nakakarumai), preparing verbal and written briefs on political/cultural/current affairs during the implementation of the Peace Agreement and the country’s first multiparty elections.

January 1994 – September 1994

Co-Director of the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (United States of America) “Voter Education Program” in Mozambique.

Duties included:

• Train the trainers: selection, recruiting and training of trainers at provincial and district level so as to set-up a country-wide network of 300 coordinators and trainers  directly under my responsibility  (“train the trainers” component of the Voter Education program).
• Production of materials: Designing and conceptualizing of voter education material such as video, slide shows, instruction manuals, voting simulation kits, etc..
• Liaison/Representation/Negotiation: Maintain regular contacts with political parties, religious organizations, government and non-government institutions, liaise with ONUMOZ’s (the UN operation in Mozambique) Electoral Division, keep regular contacts with USAID (US Agency for International Development) and the US Embassy.
• Negotiate a very complex formal working agreement between NDI and the National Elections Commission (CNE) and work in close cooperation with both the CNE and the STAE (the CNE’s technical & admin. secretariat).
• Organize seminars of international electoral law experts for the members of the CNE. Organize voter education  workshops throughout the country.
• Write weekly and quarterly reports about project development and information about the on-the ground situation in Mozambique.
• Management of all project related in-country personnel.

July 1993 – December 1993

Consultant in Mozambique for the (US) National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI).Political analyst in a two-person NDI observers team during the discussions and debates for the

drafting on the electoral law.

The team offered technical consultancy support to all political parties on the drafting and negotiation of electoral legislation.

May 1993 – July 1993

Consultant NDI, Mozambique. Assignments included active participation in a public opinion research (using focus groups) conducted for NDI by Louis Harris & Associates (New York) – select advance sites in various provinces and districts, find focus group participants, recruit and train local interpreters & moderators. Assist in the analyzing, drafting and presentation of final results to Government Ministers, opposition leaders, UN representatives and other Ambassadors.

Other professional experience in Mozambique:

1990-1991

Consultant for CARE International – conduct a sociological background paper for an agricultural development project in Tofo, Inhambane province.

Participate in a preliminary study for UNICEF/School of African Studies (Eduardo Mondlane University) on possibilities of income-generating activities for women in displaced persons camp, Maputo province.

Part of a two-person team doing a feasibility study on the rehabilitation of a derelict tourist infra-structure by the sea front in Maputo Mozambique (IDIL-Institute for the Development of Local Industries).

1988 – 1990 – Liaison Officer for ACTION AID

Liaise with all Mozambique authorities at different levels on matters related to emergency aid to war torn Mozambique.

Participate at weekly meetings on the emergency situation with donor and government representatives.

Management of the Maputo office and local staff.

Logistics of emergency food and goods distribution in war zones.

Field work in hardship (war) zones in Zambezia, north Mozambique.

Representing the organization at official talks, meetings, and seminars with members of the international community (Embassies, UN Agencies, such as UNDP and UNICEF, the European Union, foreign NGO’s, etc.).

Professional experience in England, UK :

1986 – 1988 – Policy Advisor for the London Strategic Policy Unit (LSPU)

Drafting information and recommendations to local authorities on matters related to local policies for migrant workers and refugees.

Drafting reports to the LSPU Committee (formed by elected members of various London Councils).

Set up training courses for community workers and assist in organizing seminars for a wide range of different immigration communities.

Establish support links for organizations within the non-governmental sector (civic associations).

Invited participant at the EU conference “Voting Rights for All”, European Parliament, Brussels, 1987   (presented a paper on the issue of voting rights for immigrants in European Union countries).

Participant on the EU conference on “Migrant Women and Employment”, Brussels, 1987.

1985 – 1986 – Outreach Officer for the Greater London Council (GLC)

Assessment of project proposals for Council’s funding and monitoring of grant-funded projects.

Preparation of briefing papers and information data for Councilors, MPs, MEPs and other government officials/politicians.

Draft reports to Committee.

Liaise with community groups and consult various migrant and immigrant communities in various London boroughs on matters relevant to drafting and implementation of  social/community policies

1980 – 1985 – Advice and Development Worker, Portuguese Community Center,       

London

• Casework: provide advice and information to individuals , follow-up casework.
• Liaison work with local Councils (municipalities) and other statutory bodies.
• Consultancy work with various types of agencies on matters related to Portuguese immigrants in the UK (incl. Universities).
• Represent the Center nationally and internationally at conferences and seminars.
• Para-legal work: preparation of interviews and  legal cases for solicitors, legal aid cases and law centers.

Translation and Interpreting Experience

Over forty years’ experience as a free lance interpreter/translator to/from Portuguese and English.

While in London UK was an official translator and interpreter for Scotland Yard as well as Magistrate and High courts.  Through Multi-Language Services, a  Language Services Agency a veritable institution owned and managed by Mrs. Judy Knapp in Covent Garden I was hired for many assignments  with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as a translator, escort/interpreter for Portuguese speaking visitors such as for example Ms. Helena Roseta an MP from Portugal, Mr. José Eduardo dos Santos the President of Angola,  then Minister Guebuza (now President) from Mozambique and many others. For the visit of the late President Samora Machel of Mozambique  in the eighties, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office gave me security clearance.

Participated in the research that led to the publication of “The Other Languages of England” for the Lingusitic Minorities Project under the supervision of Dr. Marilyn Martin-Jones (then of Lancaster University presently at the University of Birmingham). The research entailed hundreds of interviews with Portuguese-speaking migrants/immigrants in the London area as well as written translations, and many hours of interpreting work as well. This led to a paper co-authored with Dr. Martin-Jones published in “Multilingualism in The British Isles: The Older Mother Tongues & Europe” edited by Safder Alladina and Viv Edwards, Longman Group UK 1991.

Translation work includes two books on child psychology, dozens of legal documents as well as hundreds of translation revision work for the UK’s Department of Overseas Development (then known as  ODA – Overseas Development Administration), the Police (UK’s Scotland Yard), local authorities,  and various book editors.

The two books on child psychology translated  from English into Portuguese were:

1. "What is a Child?" by Nicholas Tucker - Published in Portugal by Moraes Editores, Lisbon 1979

2. "The First Relationship: infant and mother" by Daniel Stern - Published in Portugal by Moraes Editores, Lisbon, 1980

March 2011: wrote a background report on the Garment Industry in Portugal for Impacct/UK (on sub-contract for Boden UK) translated several docs from Portuguese into English and was a full-time interpreter for fieldwork when Boden and Impacct UK (http://www.impacttlimited.com/global-reach/uk-office/) representatives inspected garment factories in northern Portugal.

Community and Borough Work in London between 1980 – 1988 included:

1982 – 1988:  Co-opted Member of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea’s Community

Relations Committee

1987 – 1988: Member of the Management Committee of the Notting Hill Social Council

1986 – 1988: Member of the Executive Committee of the Migrants Resource Centre (Camden)

GENERAL INTERESTS/EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

History, Literature, Cinema, Music, Psychoanalysis, Nature and Wildlife Conservation, Country Walks, Writing  (two online Oxford University Writing Certificates  one for “Basic Creative Writing” and one for “Memoir Writing”), Playing Scrabble with the iPad (!), Photography (Completed a course on Forensic Photography at the Lawyers / Bar Association in Oporto, Portugal, June 2011).