Subject: RE: Urgent - working space in the MoIDPLHSA
From: Lika Klimiashvili <[email-masked]>
To: "Handley, David" <[email-masked]>
Cc: Tamar Barkalaia <[email-masked]>, Nino Veltauri <[email-masked]>, "KOCHISHVILI Nika (EEAS-TBILISI)" <[email-masked]>, "JUODSNUKYTE Jurate (EEAS-TBILISI" <[email-masked]>, "Sapundzhiev, Nikolay" <[email-masked]>, "Duffner, Heinrich" <[email-masked]>, "[email-masked]" <[email-masked]>, "Khutsianidze, Irakli" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 16 Jun 2020 14:09:28 +0000

Dear David,

This is to inform you that current circumstances do not allow us to get back  to a normal way of working meaning that Ministry’s decision to continue teleworking stays in force before September (half of our staff also does so) and as soon as restrictions allow a room will be allocated for TA staff.

We prefer distance working over health related problems J

I do once again hope that there will be no misunderstanding in relation to this topic.

Thank you!

Regards,

Lika

პატივისცემით   |   Respectfully

ლიკა  კლიმიაშვილი | Lika Klimiashvili

პოლიტიკის დეპარტამენტის შრომისა და დასაქმების პოლიტიკისა და კოლექტიური შრომითი დავების სამმართველოს უფროსი |Head of Labour and Employment Policy and Collective Labour Disputes Division, Policy Department

საქართველოს ოკუპირებული ტერიტორიებიდან დევნილთა, შრომის, ჯანმრთელობისა და სოციალური დაცვის სამინისტრო | Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia

აკ. წერეთლის გამზ. 144; თბილისი 0119; საქართველო | 144 Ak. Tsereteli Ave.; Tbilisi, 0119; Georgia

ოფისი:| Office: +995 (0322) 251 00 11 (1507)

მობ: |     Cell: +995 (595) 97 77 44

ელ. ფოსტა:| E-mail: [email-masked]

www.moh.gov.ge

From: Handley, David
Sent: 15 June, 2020 12:59
To: Lika Klimiashvili
Cc: Tamar Barkalaia ; Nino Veltauri ; KOCHISHVILI Nika (EEAS-TBILISI) ; JUODSNUKYTE Jurate (EEAS-TBILISI ; Sapundzhiev, Nikolay ; Duffner, Heinrich ; [email-masked]; Khutsianidze, Irakli
Subject: RE: Urgent - working space in the MoIDPLHSA
Importance: High

Dear Lika

Further to our phone conversation on Friday and your email of Saturday, I am afraid that it hasn’t yet been possible to clear personal items from the room, as requested. Irakli was going to take the car to the Ministry to do it, but is not feeling well and is staying at home today. Hopefully he will be able to do it tomorrow.

Having discussed the situation regarding the project office in the MoIDPLHSA with Nika Kochishvili, I would like to ask for clarification on issues relating to working at the premises of the Ministry:

·         What restrictions, if any, apply to project experts wishing to work in the MoIDPLHSA building in the current circumstances? Can they work there whenever they want, or is there a limitation on either the days of the week or the amount of time that they can spend there?

·         When they need to work there, how much notice do they have to give you, and where will they be accommodated when they are working there?

·         How likely is it that we will be able to re-occupy the room that was allocated to us, after the pandemic comes to an end?

I would like to repeat some of the points that I mentioned when we spoke. Although the project is still functioning partially in teleworking mode, we have already re-opened the main project office in the MoESCS and are using it on a daily basis. However, due to social distancing rules, it would be very difficult to accommodate all project personnel there at the same time, and I would like to ensure that Heinrich Duffner and Ana Diakonidze can work at the MoIDPLHA when they need to. In any case they are providing the TA to MoIDPLHSA and SESA and it is not very appropriate for them to work in a building of the MoESCS, especially as they will need to be able to work increasingly closely with persons who are located there.

We would like to return to a more normal way of working with the MoIDPLHSA as soon as possible and as soon as restrictions allow, even though it is likely to be the autumn before any international experts are able to come to Georgia.

With best regards

David

DAVID HANDLEY

Team Leader

and Skills Development Expert

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Technical Assistance to Skills Development for Matching Labour Market Needs in Georgia

An EU-funded project under the Skills4Jobs Programme, Phase 2

Implemented by a Consortium led by GOPA Worldwide Consultants

Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport

4 Sanapiro Str. 0105 Tbilisi, Georgia

Cellphone: +995 595 400 371 (Georgia), +44 (0) 77 6880 7787 (UK)

[email-masked]; [email-masked]

Skype: handleyd

From: Lika Klimiashvili <[email-masked]>
Sent: Saturday, June 13, 2020 10:02
To: KOCHISHVILI Nika (EEAS-TBILISI) <[email-masked]>
Cc: Handley, David <[email-masked]>; Tamar Barkalaia <[email-masked]>; Nino Veltauri <[email-masked]>; JUODSNUKYTE Jurate (EEAS-TBILISI) <[email-masked]>; Sapundzhiev, Nikolay <[email-masked]>; Duffner, Heinrich <[email-masked]>; [email-masked]
Subject: Re: Urgent - working space in the MoIDPLHSA

Dear David,

Following our conversation yesterday, this is to inform you that decision to continue tele-working till September is still in force, staff of all state bodies are working from home.

As the Ministry is in an urgent need of additional space, we asked TA staff to vacate the room and take only their personal belongings, not furniture (we will be keeping them).

We assure you, that the space will be provided in case our experts need to come to the office and work or have a meeting within this period as we do acknowledge the importance of adequate space for TA staff.

I hope there will be no misunderstanding in the future in relation to this topic.

Have a nice weekend!

Regards,

Lika

On Jun 12, 2020, at 12:22, KOCHISHVILI Nika (EEAS-TBILISI) <[email-masked]> wrote:

Dear David,

Thank you for including the EUD into this correspondence.   I do  believe the that the MoIDPLHSa as a principle beneficiary of the from this TA project,, will keep necessary space for the project staff as it was negotiated in the beginning of the project implementation and foreseen by the statement of endorsement of  the ToR. We can only reiterate the importance of having adequate workspace for the TA staff in the premises of the MoIDPLHSA.

We look forward for the solution of possible problem,

Nika

Nino (Nika) Kochishvili (Mrs)

Progamme Officer

Delegation of the European Union to Georgia

64b Chavchavadze Avenue

0179 Tbilisi, Georgia

Tel.: +995-32-236 43 64

Email: [email-masked]

From: Handley, David <[email-masked]>
Sent: 12 June 2020 11:52
To: Lika Klimiashvili <[email-masked]>
Cc: Tamar Barkalaia <[email-masked]>; Nino Veltauri <[email-masked]>; KOCHISHVILI Nika (EEAS-TBILISI) <[email-masked]>; JUODSNUKYTE Jurate (EEAS-TBILISI) <[email-masked]>; Sapundzhiev, Nikolay <[email-masked]>; Duffner, Heinrich <[email-masked]>; [email-masked]
Subject: Urgent - working space in the MoIDPLHSA
Importance: High

Dear Lika

Further to our phone conversation, I was informed this morning only indirectly by members of my project team that yesterday they were asked to vacate the room allocated to the project from today and to  remove all possessions, because the Ministry needs to provide additional working space for its staff.

As team leader of the project, I should have been informed directly by the Ministry because of the importance of the room to our mode of working with MoIDPLHSA and SESA. Indeed, the EUD should also have been informed because of the agreement between the MoIDPLHSA and the EUD on the working space issue.

I fully appreciate that social distancing requires more space for Ministry staff, and I admit that we did not use the room at all dring the lockdown because we were in full teleworking mode. Although we will continue on a semi-teleworking basis for some time to come, we had been planning to begin using the room again on a part-time basis from now on. . Indeed, we also need more working space, as social distancing does not allow all project staff to work in our office at MoESCS at the same time.

In the autumn, assuming that travel restrictions will be relaxed, we will in any case need sufficient working space for international experts who are able to travel to Georgia. I understand, from our conversation, that working space may again be allocated from September, and perhaps sooner, although we will not necessarily have use of the same room. However, as we do not know how long the distance-working will last, I would like a more concrete assurance that we will get the room (or equivalent accommodation) back as soon as it is possible for us to resume a more normal mode of working during or after the summer.

You mentioned that you will call me later after you have discussed the issue further with your colleagues, and I look forward to your call.

With best regards

David

DAVID HANDLEY

Team Leader

and Skills Development Expert

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Technical Assistance to Skills Development for Matching Labour Market Needs in Georgia

An EU-funded project under the Skills4Jobs Programme, Phase 2

Implemented by a Consortium led by GOPA Worldwide Consultants

Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport

4 Sanapiro Str. 0105 Tbilisi, Georgia

Cellphone: +995 595 400 371 (Georgia), +44 (0) 77 6880 7787 (UK)

[email-masked]; [email-masked]

Skype: handleyd

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