WilliamsMemo28


 * Williams Memo 28 Describing Places**

"We got the ISO standards in the mail today," Viraj enthused. He waved a handful of papers in front of Chirag's face. "Bah," Chirag replied, "I am too busy to look at that now. I am making a calculation to adjust the lathe. Go away." He turns back to the tumble of equipment on the table. The floor is strewn with dust and remnants of Chirag's lunches over many days. "But, Chirag. You should look at this now! You will have to just readjust the lathe again so that we can meet these international standards. Look!" He shoves them into Chirag's hands. Chirag glances down at the bold print and sighs loudly. Viraj's eyes sparkle as he asks casually, "Would you like me to read it for you?" "Please." Chirag asks, and sits up in attention. The international standards for intraocular lens manufacture have been provided to them in English. Their copy is a facsimile of a copy sent by a Hoya employee to the Fred Hollows Foundation in Australia. It is marked up with notes … exactly the sort of document that the non-disclosure policy that that Hoya employee signed prohibits from being in non-employee hands. Viraj flips through the ISO; he reads it in English and then translates it to Nepali for Chirag. When he reaches the section on manufacturing environment they look at each other. "How are we going to make this place so clean?" Chirag uses his passkey; his white lab coat flaps as he enters the room and collects a sleeve of documents in the bin hanging on the wall. He places his keys on the hook by the door and walks over to the machinist who is working at the lathe. Her hair is pulled back under a hair net, and she has gloves on her hands. A light shines brightly in the workspace which is shiny and clear. Two spots over, another technician is working on testing a batch of lenses that have been randomly selected from 3 boxes ready for shipment. After conducting the bi-weekly inspection which he marks off on a form, Chirag places the copy back into the bin and exits the room. He turns and closes the door forcefully to counter the outward pressure.
 * 1996**
 * 2004**

Analytic Point: looking at neoliberal factors and modernity as intervening with "legal requirements" into the practice of IOL manufacturing in India and Nepal []