He who laughs last, laughs best, so goes an old English saying. And so Oscar Pistorius, the South African Paralympics athletics sensation had the last laugh in the dying minutes of the London Paralympics 2012. The “Blade Runner”, who perhaps was the symbol of the games, had been beaten twice, but finally prevailed in the final event, which he confessed was his favourite – 400m.

Pistorius, a double amputee, runs on metallic legs known as blades. His speed cannot be matched by many  who claim to be ‘able-bodied’.

Eyes closed

 We had our athletes at paralympics, including Abraham Tarbei and Samuel Muchai, both who ran off with gold. Mary Nakhumicha also won a major award during the games.

Watching the games on YouTube (sadly local media didn’t show much of the action) PointBlank concluded Paralympians are greatest sportspeople of all  times. Actually, what the Paralympians can do no Olympians can. If you don’t believe me, just ask athletics great David Rudisha to run with his eyes closed and see what will happen.

Helb should help poor graduates

Is it in order for the Higher Education Loans Board to “punish” jobless, penniless graduates demanding they repay their loans?

Thomas Ongeri argues that this should not be the case. Ongeri says that Helb is usually quick to slap a Sh5,000 monthly fine on ex-students for unserviced loans without considering whether they have a source of income.

To aggravate matters, he adds, the Minister for Higher Education is on record saying the loanees should not be considered for public jobs.

Mr Ongeri wants Helb and the government to do the following to lessen the pain of needy graduates:

• Helb should consider individual cases instead of fining “everyone”.

• The Government should come up with a low-interest loan system for unemployed  graduates to enable them open  business.

•  The Government should offer entrepreneurship skills to the graduates.

“If this is done, the lives of graduates would improve and they would also create more jobs. Ongeri can be reached at ongeri_thomas@yahoo.com.

Citi Hoppa’s hopping bus fares

That is happening to City Hoppa? Does the company still value excellent customer service and relations to customers?” These are questions that Eunice Wanjiru would like the bus company’s management to answer.

 On September 12, Ms Wanjiru boarded their Umoja estate-bound bus (Reg. No. KBS 716T) at 8pm at the Tusker terminus along Ronald Ngala Street. The conductor announced that the fare would be Sh80.

Most of the customers, Wanjiru included, gave Sh100 expecting a change of Sh20. Amazingly, the conductor refused to give them change and was even rude when they asked why. In addition, he alighted before the final destination and left the passengers in shock.

 “Is this the way to treat customers? I believe good customer service is the lifeblood of any business. It’s all about bringing customers back and sending them away happy enough to pass a good word about your business to others. I’m concerned.” If you wouldn’t like this unhappy customer to hop away, Citi Hoppa her contact is eunicewnjr@yahoo.com.

DON’T YOU FORGET

Did Olkejuado County Council finally wake up?   

Some residents of Ongata Rongai wrote to PointBlank on March 26, claiming that Olkejuado County Council was in deep slumber and had neglected the area. For almost one year now, they said, motorists have had difficulties driving on the busy Magadi Road due to huge potholes, especially on the section around Ongata Rongai town.

 The residents also alleged that in its slumber, the council had forgotten to construct culverts at the junctions of Magadi-Sololo and Magadi-Mage roads in Laiser Hill that they said serve schools, churches and a growing population. The residents also asked the council to do something about traffic jams in the town, especially in the mornings, evenings and weekends. Did the council wake up from the purported deep slumber?

Media wrong, we all love GSU

Why is the General Service Unit variously called by the Kenyan Press as ‘the dreaded, the crack unit, and the elite squad’?” asks Gachiengo Gitau.

Gitau thinks these references are but “meaningless adjectives”. “Dreaded by who, special to who, cracked what?” He concludes: “They should not be dreaded by us peace loving wananchi and by the look of things, the Tana River gangs do not dread them, deem them special or feel they can be cracked by them.” PointBlank can predict that the marauding Tana killers will in not-so-distant-future dread the GSU more than their imagined local enemies.