EDITORIAL : THE DAILY NEWS EGYPT, EGYPT

The next global challenge

For the past two years, researchers in India have been undertaking an ambitious effort to count the number of people across the country suffering from diabetes. The importance of this initiative extends well beyond one chronic disease. The results will also illuminate the extent to which non-communicable diseases- from heart disease to stroke to diabetes to cancer to chronic respiratory conditions — are at the center of public health and development problems worldwide.

The Indian researchers recently released the first of their results: In the industry-heavy region of Maharashtra, a survey examining 4,000 people found that 8 percent of the region's population suffers from the disease. Other regions had similar or higher percentages. According to the Times of India, 1.2 million people are now living with diabetes in Maharashtra.

These numbers are simply staggering. And they're not unusual. According to a new report from the World Health Organization on non-communicable diseases, or NCDs, 36 million people died in 2008 from conditions such as heart disease, strokes, chronic lung diseases, cancers and diabetes. Nearly 80 per cent of these deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries.

The economic impact is also devastating. The WHO estimates that national income losses due to NCDs disease may add up to $237 billion in India alone between 2005 and 2015. Add in projected losses in China of $558 billion and in Russia of $303 billion, and suddenly NCDs have swept away a trillion dollars.

NCDs also push millions of people below the poverty line every year.

What can we do to turn the tide? There is no single solution. But what will work over time is a sustained and balanced approach that involves governments, international bodies, civil society and private companies. Collaborative efforts need to develop healthcare systems that emphasize better health and health care at all stages, from prevention to early diagnosis to treatment to long-term disease management. Government policies in areas as diverse as education, labor, transportation, environment and urban planning can have a major impact on fighting NCDs. Schools and workplaces can screen for NCDs and encourage healthy lifestyles. Cities and towns can encourage fitness and mobility, and improve access to care.

Private sector companies stand ready to work with other stakeholders to develop innovative public health programs.

Take India's diabetes problem. The country accounts for nearly 20 percent of the world's diabetes patients -- an estimated 50 million cases -- but is home to just 6,000 specialists trained to treat the disease. My company, Medtronic, is supporting the efforts of the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation in Chennai to develop a high-quality education system that will train the diabetologists, diabetes educators, ophthalmologists, podiatrists and other medical professionals the country needs.

A different type of education effort is underway in China, where the WHO estimates that over 7 million people died from NCDs in 2004. Even residents of the biggest cities, with the greatest access to care, report that, on average, they have just a few minutes to consult with their doctors — meaning few are adequately informed about available treatments.

So in August of 2010, Medtronic, working in conjunction with the Chinese government and a leading Beijing hospital, opened the nation's first patient care center, a facility located in Beijing where patients can get quality information about their conditions and medical technology therapies, and consult at length with experts. It's like Apple's Genius Bar — but for medical education.

New technologies and systems are being developed that leverage existing infrastructures. Maestros, an Indian company, is developing a mobile-phone enabled system that allows for remote interpretation of heart patients' electrocardiograms. With mobile phone adoption surging across the globe — and especially in lower- and middle-income countries — it's an easy-to-use, accessible technology that can make a real difference in places where patients may not have adequate access to cardiac screening.

These are just a few of the ways that partnerships between governments, private companies and healthcare providers can begin to produce better health outcomes. In September, the United Nations will convene the first-ever "High-Level Meeting" on non-communicable diseases. It will be a unique opportunity to raise public awareness of the scale of the problem globally, as well as to secure commitments from governments and other stakeholders for a coordinated global response.

Partnerships like the ones Medtronic is engaged in can help ensure a balanced approach and increased access to care in emerging markets and hard-to-reach parts of the planet. They're a good beginning. In places like Maharashtra, more help can't come soon enough.

EDITORIAL : THE DAILY OUTLOOK, AFGANISTAN

              

Policemen are Also Sons of this Soil

Referring to civilian casualties by foreign forces, once, perhaps on the day Osama Bin Laden was killed, President Hamid Karzai said that he has never complained and would never complain about the killing of police and national army. He wanted to say to the world and international community that if the police personnel and army soldiers are killed by the insurgents, this is because they are in uniform defending the country and protecting the people but it is not tolerable for Afghanistan to see the civilian casualties caused by the foreign forces during counter-insurgency operations or strikes.

It is really good to put pressure on the foreign forces to use maximum cautions to avoid civilian deaths, which continue to serve as a cause of public outrage in the country. But it is equally important and even more necessary to increase pressure on the Taliban militants that kill both civilians and police personnel and other security forces who are also the sons of this soil.

President Karzai may not complain or raise his voice about the martyrdom of police and national army soldiers by the Taliban militants and insurgents but he has to figure out measures to make sure that they do not continue to get killed just because of his ineffective leadership and his unproductive policy of reconciliation and reintegration, which has just emboldened the enemies that leave no stone unturned to cause or inflict as many casualties as possible.

On Monday May 09, 2011, about 6 police personnel were killed in Ghazni province. At least four other police personnel were wounded in the incident. The ongoing violence shows that Taliban are trying to use all what they have in their capacity to implement their spring offensive agenda. On Tuesday, May 10, 2011, hundreds of Taliban insurgents attacked security posts near Paroon, the capital of eastern Nuristan province, which borders Pakistan's Chitral district. The attack sparked a fierce battle between the police forces and the militants. According to reports nearly 400 insurgents attacked police posts in Chitrash and Koshtal areas. There is a pressing need to bring the ongoing violent situation under control. If the policy of appeasement and other form of weaknesses continues, the very "disgruntled brothers" will bring the situation under their control.

Special Tribunal and Continuous Hullabaloo

Sept. 18, 2010, Afghan parliamentary election was riddled with vagueness and allegations about its legitimacy. And both the Afghan Independent Election Commission (IEC) and Electoral Complaint Commission (ECC) were severely criticized about the claimed inability to deal with electoral fraud and realize justice. But commissions strongly stood and responded that election held was the only possible transparent and democratic under prevalent circumstances. But the controversies have never come to an end, and candidates failed to recline on their self-expected parliamentary seats never came short of pouring fuels to sparked legal and political controversy.

President Hamid Karzai, who was completely inconvenient with the election result, established the 'special tribunal court of law'. This tribunal fuelled further controversies within and outside of government circles. Parliamentarians, since its very establishment, said that the special tribunal court of law was against the constitution and its rulings had not legal justification. Meanwhile, there were others who claimed that special tribunal is based on the constitution. According to this layer's view, both election commissions derive their legitimacy from the President's mandate. Thus the tribunal can be recognized as a legal institution and derives its legitimacy from the same source as that of IEC and ECC.

These two contradictory views are not finalized till present after passing months, and obstacles brought about by this controversy have remained unsolved. While Parliamentarians several times have instantly asked president to dissolve the tribunal court but he turned deaf ears. And while MPs held their posts and continue to discharge the assigned tasks and, meantime, the special court has been busy probing cases linked to electoral fraud. Thus, the most complicated question remained unanswered is what would happen if the investigation found out documents which discredit votes gained by this and that MP. Will he or she be unseated? If so, will MPs accept the ruling and easily stay out?

The recent hearsay about find-out of special court and its likely announcement has tremendously sparked anxiety and anger among MPs. Many MPs have claimed that they had accurate information that more than 80 MPs were going to be unseated on the basis of special tribunal court investigation. The number is confusing large, assuming the allegation true. Almost one third of Parliament Members are going to be unseated. However, far probable, doing so will be unique in its kind. It is understandable that waging such a psycho war in the political realm can assure the political interests of influential individuals but, regretfully, turns out consequential for people of Afghanistan. The presidential election was held in 2009, isn't a shame having left ministry posts' vacant till present, 2011? Rather than doing something real in order to complete the members of his cabinet, he makes some grubby scramble to dishearten his oppositions in Parliament.

Engagement of Minors in Terrorism has Horrifying Prospects

It is not new. Children and minors have been utilized for various crimes since long - bribery, selling drugs, sexual abuse etc and now increasingly for executing terror attacks mainly suicidal ones. Countries of the world - mainly developed and under developed nations - have set their feet on the rights of children, albeit almost all nations have signed international regulations on rights of children.

In Saudi Arabia, for example, children trafficked from third world countries are used as camel jockeys. Al-Qaida have been recruiting and training children for terror attacks. It initiated this trend. In the recent years, the Taliban too, have increasingly engaged children and teenagers in their group. Expressing concern on this, President Hamid Karzai has said the use of children and youths in terrorist attacks—who did not know the difference between right and wrong—was inhumane and against all Islamic principles. Recently in Paktika, according to reports, a 12-year-old child was used to carry suicide attack that killed 4 and injured 12. The intelligence directorate reported that it has arrested several youngsters at Torkham border who it said were sent to execute suicide attacks in Afghanistan. Taliban have denied this. But their denial is negated by the facts on the ground.

This is a very dangerous trend. Already the children in Afghanistan are suffering due to lack of security and poor economic condition, their use in crimes, specifically, terrorism would have horrifying prospects. Afghanistan's future is highly dependent on the children nurturing today. Attempts of militants to develop extremism among the children and youth may have far destructing outcomes for us. Such acts by Taliban further prove that they do not belong to religion of Islam, as Islam completely bans violence on children and their use in crimes.

The human rights organizations have kept quiet on the issue of children being used for terrorism. This act of Taliban needs to widely condemned and the people who have somehow positive ideas about Taliban should be made to realize that Taliban are terrorists and can be no one's friend.

EDITORIAL : THE KHALEEJ TIMES, UAE

The mess in Afghanistan

The training and operational capability of the Afghan forces has been held in doubt by many independent observers and organisations.

Sceptical and critical of their readiness to assume security control, reports from these quarters have expressed concern over the transfer of responsibility to the Afghan forces in 2014.  The latest such report issued by the British charitable organisation Oxfam is on the same lines.
Highly critical of the Afghan police’s professionalism and accountability, it also notes deficiencies in the training (or lack of in some cases) provided. More significant is the listing of human right abuses at the hands of these security forces that are meant to ensure civilians’ security. The report also notes civilians abuse and intimidation including that of children. Lack of sufficient trainers is a reason for the state of affairs as is corruption, nepotism, lack of accountability and monitoring of the officers. The overall trend denotes emphasis on recruiting and swelling the numbers of the security personnel rather than providing quality training and bolstering capability. This does offer a bleak glimpse into an area that was regarded a top priority both for Kabul and Washington.

With the start of withdrawal of US forces scheduled in mid July, the pressure is on especially after the successful US covert operation that killed Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. The voices demanding the wrapping up of the war in Afghanistan,  post Osama are getting louder by the day. While this does give the US an opportunity to expedite withdrawal, a more sizeable exit may not be on the cards. The war against the Taleban-led insurgency is far from over even if Bin Laden is no more. However, in case the  hunt for Taleban leader Mullah Omer is successful, it will deal a blow to the insurgency and give the International Security Assistance Forces a big boost.

In any case the war has now entered a decisive phase and the goal for Kabul should be to have its national security forces ready to start assuming more responsibility. While outsiders can only help with the training and equipping of these forces, it is the responsibility of the Afghan government to keep a strict eye on the monitoring of the behaviour and activities of these personnel and strictly rule out any illegal behaviour. Not only will this impact the war efforts adversely it will turn the people away from the government whose security custodians cannot be trusted. This is highly important and deserves immediate attention.

Pakistan’s tough hour

Islamabad has finally commented on Osama bin Laden’s termination. Shrugging off charges of compliance with Al Qaeda, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani believes that it was no more than a mere intelligence failure.

Promising an inquiry into the Abbottabad mess, he once again vowed allegiance to the United States war on terrorism, and tried to put up a brave face amid mounting criticism at home and abroad. Gilani didn’t answer any of the critical questions on the count of Osama’s hiding on its soil and the transgression of its sovereignty at the hands of Americans. This might lead to severe revulsion among the people who are appalled at the failure of, what many say, writ of the state and the inability of the government to reply to the United States’ hot pursuit in a befitting manner.

Getting down to the bottom of how, when and why about Osama’s presence in Pakistan could lead to opening of a new Pandora’s box. It will inevitably pose many questions on the armed forces, as to why they chose to remain indifferent as the operation to hunt down the dreaded terrorist was underway on its soil. Similarly, if the raid had taken place without taking them in confidence, what lies ahead for the cooperation between both the intelligence services? It is feared that the surge of demands on the part of Washington might lead to a war of words between the intelligence sleuths of both the countries, inevitably resulting in scaling down of ties. Moreover, the jingoism being exhibited by sections of US military and intelligence agencies that they could once again opt for such unilateral commando action inside Pakistani territory is more than enough to paint a catastrophe in the making.
US President Barack Obama’s tongue-in-cheek remarks that Al Qaeda chief may have enjoyed the patronage of elements inside Pakistani establishment are quite disturbing. It is bound to breed discontent and impact adversely on expeditions against terrorists hiding in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The US bravado would not have been possible without the assistance and support of Islamabad and its prime intelligence organ, the Inter-Services Intelligence. Irrespective of how and when Osama made Abbottabad his abode, which of course merits a thorough investigation and serious disciplinary action, the fact that he has been taken out should come as a point of solace. The need of the hour is to beef up the cooperation in detecting and destroying the enemy, which now apparently survives in the shadows. Bickering over operational tactics is of no use.

 

EDITORIAL : THE NEW ZEALAND HERALD, NEW ZEALAND

MMP deserves to survive referendum

The result of a British referendum on its electoral system shows how remarkable it was that New Zealand adopted MMP - and how much referendums are influenced by the mood of the moment. British voters have chosen to retain first past the post by 68 per cent to 32 per cent for a proposal called the Alternative Vote.

The result is devastating for electoral reform in Britain, burying the subject for another generation in the view of most commentators, and immediately devastating for Britain's third party, the Liberal Democrats. The referendum was their main purpose in joining a coalition with the Conservatives.

Over the past year the Liberal Democrats have had to reverse their pre-election positions on several issues and disappoint their supporters on many others as the Coalition has grappled with Labour's legacy of public spending. The party and its once-celebrated leader, Nick Clegg, have become so unpopular the party is now in a bind. It is unlikely to pull out of the Coalition and precipitate a new election. It would fare as badly as it did in the local elections held in conjunction with the referendum, where it lost half its seats.

The arguments for electoral reform were familiar to New Zealanders. A two-party choice no longer satisfies nearly all voters as it did a generation ago. Up to 25 per cent of voters are supporting other parties, but the system is not translating their votes into the same proportion of seats in Parliament.

Nearly all Conservative and most Labour MPs campaigned for the status quo, though Labour's new leader, Ed Miliband, supported change. The case for reform was led by the parties that stood to gain from it, as it was in New Zealand. The difference was that in this country those parties were not already in government. The result might have been different if they were.

Small parties sharing power in New Zealand have not fared much better than Britain's Liberal Democrats. New Zealand First came to grief in the first MMP coalition, the Alliance in the next, Act and the Maori Party are both under strain now. Act has dumped its leader and put its hopes of survival in someone outside the Government. The Maori Party has split over the compromises it has made.

Experience with MMP suggests voters for third parties are not interested in proportionate power, they want their vote represented in Parliament, not necessarily in the Government. Increasingly, the small parties have kept their distance from the governing party they support, preferring confidence and supply commitments to a formal coalition.

All five elections under MMP have produced government by the party that was first past the post. Proportional representation has changed less than its advocates hoped or its opponents feared. Minority governments still rule, tails have not wagged dogs, stability remains. The previous Government lasted nine years; polls suggest most voters want the present Government to have a second term.

Voters at this year's election will also have a referendum on whether to retain MMP. Polls show that most will vote yes. But the result, as in Britain, could yet be influenced by the third parties. If Act's gamble on Don Brash does not pay off, or the Maori seats return to Labour courtesy of Hone Harawira, the Government's return could be in doubt.

MMP is working well and could be better with some refinements. If it fails this year, it will be given a second chance against the preferred alternative. It deserves to survive - but voters are not theorists on electoral fairness, they want the system that produces the Government they want.

EDITORIAL : THE DAILY NATIONAL POST, CANADA

Green revolution set to follow red

Between the world wars, when the march of Communism suffered a local setback, a representative of the Comintern, the organization set up by Lenin to spread global revolution, would turn up to rally the non-uniformed troops. This week, Achim Steiner, head of the United Nations Environment Program, UNEP, turned up in Toronto to put some backbone into the cadres down at the editorial boards of The Globe and Mail and the Toronto Star.

Mr. Steiner's visit was no doubt timed to provide stiffening in the wake of Stephen Harper's victory, but he also seemed to be here on Monday to support Ontario's Green Energy Act. His timing turned out to be a little off. On Tuesday, provincial Conservative leader Tim Hudak promised to deep-six both feed-in tariffs and the Liberal government's sweetheart deal with Korean giant Samsung if he becomes premier after the provincial election on Oct. 6.

Mr. Steiner has become a prominent source of green alarmism and a leading shill for rent-seeking green energy companies, who were already in mourning at Mr. Harper's victory.

According to the Globe, Mr. Steiner suggested that those who complained about green energy's enormous costs were using a "simplistic argument" to undermine "a crucial policy in boosting Ontario's economy." The Globe did not report whether his nose started to lengthen when he claimed that the green shift was going smoothly "and in a less costly manner" in places such as Germany.

We are apparently to ignore that solar-powered electricity costs up to 20 times as much as the conventional type. Just concentrate on the fantasy that there is no trade-off between growth and greenery. Meanwhile, think of Canada's reputation as an environmental "leader." (For those not familiar with greenspeak, "leadership" means doling out subsidies. Mr. Harper's culpable lack of green leadership has been much bemoaned in the wake of his victory.)

At the Star, Mr. Steiner reportedly expressed amazement that anybody might object to having their views blighted and their electricity bills padded by wind turbines. What about the oil sands? But then the oil sands are a bit difficult to spot from the Scarborough Bluffs.

Who is Achim Steiner anyway? You might think it's a bit extreme to compare a UN agency to an organization set up to overthrow the "international bourgeoisie" and abolish the nation state. But not if you know anything about UNEP.

UNEP was set up by Canada's own Maurice Strong -perhaps the leading figure in trying to save socialism from the dustbin of history by painting both socialism and the dustbin green. He created it after his first great UN environmental doomfest in Stockholm in 1972. Its importance was indicated by the man Mr. Strong selected to be its first head: himself.

In 1990, in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union, Jan Tinbergen, who had been the first Nobel laureate in economics and was unashamed to admit that he had entered economics "to find a scientific base for a socialist order," specifically cited UNEP as an organization that would keep the socialist dream alive.

In his 2004 book, The Role of Business in the Modern World, British author and former chief OECD economist David Henderson fingered the creation of UNEP as a "landmark" in the development of what he called "new millennium collectivism."

UNEP has always reflected Mr. Strong's genius for using global taxpayers' money to further his political agenda. As Mr. Strong's successor, Mr. Steiner controls not only UNEP but the United Nations Office in Nairobi, UNON, "which provides the administrative, conference, security and logisitics services to the UN family in Kenya, which hosts offices and projects of more than 60 UN agencies, funds and programs, and over 5,000 staff." UNEP is also a co-parent of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC, the main agency that pushes climate alarmism. We might note that one piece of "capacity" that the hefty UN presence in Kenya has failed to "build" is that of honest government.

It is astonishing that anybody, especially editorial boards, would take Mr. Steiner any more seriously than they might take a Libyan official bloviating about human rights. He has for years reflected His Master's Voice, such as in promoting a World Environmental Organization, with "disciplinary powers." Mr. Steiner persistently accuses his opponents of being "ideologically" motivated, as if he were without either ideas or personal interests. He has called for the outlawing of plastic bags and has rejected the notion that biofuel policy might have been responsible for food-price escalation -a consequence that even Fidel Castro spotted. He perpetually invokes the voiceless future as his true constituency, and castigates big carbon-footed tourism, even as he clocks up more air miles than George Clooney in Up in the Air. He talks of a "Third Industrial Revolution." What he really means is a revolution to end human betterment by government fiat.

Mr. Steiner was quick to leap to his colleagues' defence in the case of Climategate. Mere doubts about the scientific facts were no excuse to slow down the agenda, he said. Questions about IPCC head Rajendra Pachauri amounted to a "witch hunt." Glaciergate was a "typographical error." The notion that the IPCC was "sensationalist" was, he claimed, "risible. Indeed, caution rather than sensation has been the panel's watchword throughout its existence."

Mr. Steiner will no doubt be mortified to read of Mr. Hudak's promise to disassemble those parts of the grand UN plan that Dalton McGuinty has been persuaded to introduce in Ontario. Despite the increasingly desperate rearguard action of Mr. Steiner and his ilk, the green global revolution seems to be going the same way as its red predecessor.

Going out a winner

Stephen Harper is Canadian politics' wunderkind these days -having just steered his Conservative party to its third straight election victory, and its first majority since the days of Brian Mulroney. But today we pause to pay proper due to one of his predecessors at the helm of conservative politics, Stockwell Day, who is retiring after a 25-year career.

Born in Barrie, Ont., and raised in Atlantic and Central Canada, Mr. Day moved west to pursue higher education, and became a pastor and school administrator in Bentley, Alta. In 1986, he was elected as a Progressive Conservative MLA, representing the provincial riding of Red Deer North. Premier Ralph Klein appointed Mr. Day to his cabinet in 1992, where he served as labour minister, social services minister and treasurer. His greatest achievements came in the latter portfolio, paying down the province's debt, cutting taxes and instituting a flat tax in 1999.

In 2000, Mr. Day entered federal politics, winning the leadership of the newly formed Canadian Alliance Party, which (and we admit this seems like ancient history) then was seeking to broaden the Reform Party's base east of the Manitoba-Ontario border -a sometimes awkward, but necessary first step toward uniting the right in the future Conservative party.

Mr. Day defeated former Reform Party leader Preston Manning for the Alliance leadership with 63% of the vote. His style was cheerful and vigorous (he rode up to his first press conference astride a Jet Ski). But when Mr. Day woke up to a federal election campaign a scant two months later, even his sunny personality could not withstand the vicious, highly personal attacks from political opponents and the media. One then-prominent Liberal strategist brandished a Barney doll during a television interview, in open mockery of Mr. Day's Christian beliefs.

It was an act of contempt toward a man's religion -the sort of gesture that Liberals would have decried had it been aimed at a Jew or a Muslim. But in those days, anti-Christian bigotry was much in fashion among Liberals and their supporters. And the move was hailed as a bold stroke.

Critics went further, accusing Mr. Day of harbouring a hidden agenda, of being homophobic and of wanting to ban abortion. While Day himself made unforced errors, including a nowinfamous reference to the Niagara river symbolizing a "brain drain" because it flows south (it actually flows north), it was largely a Liberal-led campaign of demagoguery that denied the Alliance its coveted breakthrough in Ontario. The party won 66 seats -six more than previously held by Reform -but only two in central Canada.

Mr. Day's party nearly imploded in 2000, when a handful of Alliance MPs broke away to form a "Democratic Representative Caucus." In 2001, Mr. Day resigned as party leader, and lost the Alliance's subsequent leadership race to Stephen Harper in 2002.

After such a crushing defeat, many other politicians would have retired to lick their wounds in the comfort of a corporate office, far from the bruising environment of Parliament Hill. Had he followed the Liberal path, Mr. Day would have spent the next decade or two waging a passive-aggressive backroom campaign against those who ousted him, tearing his party apart in the process.

Not so Mr. Day. Ever committed to public service, he stayed on as an MP, and accepted the appointment as foreign affairs critic in Mr. Harper's shadow cabinet. When the new Conservative party won its first minority government in 2006, he became minister of public safety, and subsequently served as minister of international trade and president of the treasury board. In all roles, he served Mr. Harper ably and loyally.

In the latter part of his career, as he had throughout, Mr. Day displayed not only graciousness, but great determination. He steadfastly defended Canada's allies, including Israel. He helped advance Canada's agenda on free trade, including in the Asia-Pacific Gateway. He chaired the Cabinet Committee on Afghanistan. He earned the respect of both political friends and foes alike, which is a lot more than can be said for many of those Liberal doll-wavers, who fell into obscurity as Mr. Day was representing Canada on the world stage and shaping domestic policy in Mr. Harper's government.

In Mr. Day's own words, "The aim to improve your country has to be bigger than your ego." If all our politicians felt that way, Parliament would be a far more honourable and productive place. Canadians-and conservatives in particular -owe Mr. Day a debt of gratitude for his years of service.

EDITORIAL : RFI english, FRANCE

 

 

French press review

 

Thirty years after François Mitterrand took over at the Elysee Palace to become the only Socialist president of the Fifth Republic so far, most of the French media questions the lasting impact he had on the country

Exactly thirty years ago, on the 10 May, 1981, François Mitterrand won the French presidential election for the Socialist Party, and some people thought the world, or at least France, would never be the same again.

They were wrong, of course, but practically all of this morning's national newspapers give pride of place to remembering the emotion associated with that narrow victory for the Left.

Communist L'Humanité uses the occasion of the anniversary to reflect on the troubled state of the current, contemporary Socialist Party, and on the lamentable mess that is French politics in general.

An opininion poll in Catholic La Croix points out that today's voters no longer believe in the possibility of dramatic social transformation, but they still regard politicians as the best hope for real change.

Right-wing Le Figaro also marks the anniversary of the socialist victory, but they choose to underline what the right-wing paper calls "the seven errors of François Mitterrand".

Le Figaro says the new president was bedevilled by the document known as "The 110 Propositions", a sort of road map for the socialist re-birth of France, but with an awful lot of nonsense added in by the Communist Party and with many proposals which Mitterrand would never have supported personally. Nationalisation, the reform of the public service, and education were key areas of conflict between the president, his far-left supporters, and his right-wing detractors.

Le Figaro also criticises Mitterrand's dictatorial style, a sharp contrast with his promises to break with what the president called "the Gaullist royal family".

He also had a troubled relationship with money, was fiercely loyal to his friends, dishonestly so, if we're to believe Le Figaro.

And he blindly hated the prime minister, Michel Rocard, in a way the right-wing paper considers unworthy of a president of the Republic.

The Figaro editorial is scathing. They find the whole idea of a celebration out of place, suggesting that it's similar to asking voters in the United Kingdom to get excited about the 30th anniversary of Margaret Thatcher's arrival in Downing Street, or imagining that Americans would want to celebrate the memory of the arrival of Ronald Reagan in the White House.

No, says the Figaro editorialist, it's the old left-wing tendency to glorify the heros of the past, even though the logic of the contemporary world must be forward-looking, driven by the future, happening now.

Dossier: Eurozone in crisis

Greece is back on the front page of business daily, Les Echos, and the news is not good.

The ratings agency, Standard & Poor's, has reduced the Athens credit rating for the fourth time in twelve months, suggesting that the country is, once again, on the brink of bankruptcy.

The main story in Les Echos looks at green energy, in other words, sources of power which don't pollute the atmosphere or poison the neighbours.

Apparently, the globe could be getting nearly 80 per cent of its energy from ecologically acceptable sources by the year 2050, but only if a massive investment campaign is started now.

The electricity sector alone would need to see 3,556 billion euros invested over the next decade if that most optimistic vision of 80 per cent of clean energy is to have any chance of becoming a reality. If it did, greenhouse gas emissions would be cut by one third over the next 40 years.

EDITORIAL : THE AZZAMAN, IRAQ

U.A.E mulls investing $30 billion in Iraq

Dubai Holding, one of U.A.E.’s largest investors, says it is considering constructing a city with 39,000 housing units close to the shores of al-Razzaza Lake in the Province of Karbala.

Ahmad Khalaf, the company’s Iraq representative, produced the designs and details of the massive housing project in a press conference held on Monday.

“Dubai Holding will bear all the costs estimated at $30 billion and we hope to strike a deal in the coming few days,” Khalaf said.

He said, “The project, divided into two phases, will be built on land measuring 40 square kilometers with 39,000 housing units, 70 schools, eight government offices and 1,200 hotel rooms.”

Khalaf made the remarks during the press conference, which was attended by the U.A.E. ambassador to Iraq, Abdullah Ibrahim, the Secretary-General of the Iraqi cabinet Ali –al-Allak and the head the of investment board, Sami al-Araji.

Khalaf said the emirates was keen to see the project implemented and would do its best for it to bear the historical and cultural legacy of the religious city of Karbala, which is the provincial capital.

“The project will offer jobs and investment opportunities. It is a purely investment enterprise and the Iraqi government will bear no costs,” he said.

He said the city will be supplied with its own power and water plants.

The city will be divided into nine quarters each bearing the name of one of the sons of Imam Hussein, the most revered religious figure for Muslim Shiites.

Karbala, which holds the tomb of Hussein, is Muslim Shiites’ second holiest shrine after those in Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia.

Mohammed al-Mawsawi, head of Karbala provincial council, said Karbala receives more than 30 million tourists a year.

EDITORIAL : THE TEHRAN TIMES, IRAN

Persian Press Review

Tehran Times Political Desk

This column features excerpts from news articles, editorials, commentaries, and interviews of the leading Iranian newspapers and websites.

Tuesday’s headlines

KAYHAN: Gasoline and diesel prices will not increase in the current year

MORDOMSALARI: Three ministers say goodbye (to cabinet as six ministries are merged)

TEHRAN-E EMROOZ: Kordestan has proven its loyalty to the system, Supreme Leader says

JAHAN-E EGHTESAD: Eight ministries are merged; three ministers say goodbye (to cabinet)

MELAT-E MA: Parliament representatives protest the way ministries are being merged; 4 ministries in wait of ministers

JOMHOURI ESLAMI: Rallies held in eight cities for observing hijab

HAMSHAHRI: Two million Iranians abroad get cash subsidy

HEMAYAT: Leader says Iranian nation “imposed” its progresses on the enemy

TAFAHOM: Employing civil servants banned in Tehran, VP announces

Leading articles
In an opinion column, TEHRAN-E EMROOZ says experts maintain that the government’s decision to merge the ministries is based on a wrong interpretation of the Fifth Development Plan (2010-2015), in which it has been stated that the number of ministries should be reduced to 17, because the government must gain the Majlis’ approval both for the merger of ministries and nomination of ministers of the new ministries. However, the government is acting in a way that suggests the issue is over and it has only informed the Majlis of the decision. The structure of the government should be reformed in a logical way so that it would bring the greatest benefit and the least costs. A hasty and ill-considered merger of ministries is a kind of “mixing” which will not meet the needs of the country, particularly when a key ministry such as Oil Ministry, with so many great projects, is merged with the Energy Ministry. The ministers whose ministries have been merged has reacted in a way that suggests they had not been informed of the decisions and this shows that the mergers were more based on personal tastes rather than expert views. Otherwise the decision-makers would consult with ministers as experts. In conclusion, the columnist says that what has happened requires an investigation by the Majlis since some key ministries do not have ministers and this would create a climate of indecision by managers in these ministries.

In a commentary published in HAMSHAHRI daily newspaper, Akbar Torkan, a former deputy oil minister, criticizes the government for merging oil Ministry with Energy Ministry. Following is an excerpt of the commentary: The decision is wrong because the legal philosophy behind the establishment of the oil Ministry has been developed in a way that the merger of the ministry with the Energy Ministry would undermine the mission of the oil Ministry. Article 2 of the Petroleum Act, which was passed by the Majlis in 1987, reads: “The petroleum resources of the country are part of the public domain (properties and assets) and wealth and according to Article 45 of the Constitution (of the Islamic Republic of Iran) are at the disposal and control of the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and all installations, equipment, assets, property and capital investments which have been made or shall be made in future within the country and abroad by the Ministry of oil and its affiliated companies, will belong to the people of Iran and remain at the disposal and control of the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The authority for exercising sovereignty and ownership right over the petroleum resources and installations is vested in the government which on the basis of the regulations, rights and powers prescribed in this Act shall be undertaken and executed by the Ministry of oil in accordance with the general principles and policies of the country.” Therefore, Torkan say, the merger of energy and oil ministries would undermine the government’s authority for exercising sovereignty and ownership right over the petroleum resources.

EDITORIAL : THE TRIPOLI POST, LIBYA

Gaza Marathon: A Race for Freedom and Summer Camps

Nader al-Masri is an inspiration. The 31-year-old Gaza athlete seems completely oblivious to challenges that would seem insurmountable to most. On May 5, he led a small pack of nine runners into the finish line of Gaza’s first marathon. Behind them, 1,300 children ran various distances.

Many of the children who participated in the UN-sponsored marathon probably pointed and cheered at Nader as he sped by them. Some might even have tried to momentarily hustle to remain at equal footing with Palestine’s favourite runner.

Despite the scorching heat and numerous obstacles, Nader finished in 2 hours, 47 minutes and 47 seconds, falling short of his goal by over 17 minutes.

Nader has run prestigious events outside Gaza. He took part in the 5,000 meters race at the Beijing Olympics, and is currently undertaking vigorous training in preparation for the 2012 London Games. I am certain that his partaking in the London event will be used as an opportunity to celebrate Gaza and Palestine.

According to the Associated Press, Nader declared, ‘It is a day of joy,’ as he reached the finish line in Rafah, near the Gaza-Egypt border. ‘This is a very happy day for me because it is the first-ever marathon in Gaza.’

The Rarah border has been closed for a large part of the last five years, making the Israeli siege and protracted war on Gaza complete, as well as unbearable.

The post-revolution government in Egypt, however, is planning to divest from any further political participation in the Israeli siege on Gaza. Egypt’s new Foreign Minister Nabil Al-'Arabi has promised to open - and keep open - the border point.

Nader’s last name, ‘al-Masri’, means ‘the Egyptian’. Many Palestinians also carry the same name. The bond between the two countries is remarkable and historic, and it long preceded former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s decision to become ‘moderate’ and effectively suffocate the already confined population of the Gaza Strip.

The race started from Gaza’s most northern point, Beit Hanoun. The small town was previously centre stage in Israel’s so-called Operation Cast lead.

In a period of three weeks between December 2008 and January 2009, over 1,400 Palestinians were killed and 5,000 more were wounded, according to UN and other international reports. Israel argued that it had the right, if not duty, to act as it did.

Nader is from Beit Hanoun. Considering the very high ratio of Israel’s victims that come from this small town, one can imagine that Nader has lost neighbours, friends, and family members.

Many in Beit Hanoun, like thousands of other Palestinians in Gaza, will carry the scars of Israel’s war to the end. Many will not be able to walk for the rest of their lives. But Nader is still running.

The war on Gaza took place merely four months after Nader’s participation in the Beijing Olympics in August 2008. I had, at the time, written about him and three other Palestinian athletes who took part in the games:

‘When four Palestinian athletes marched with the Palestinian flag into the Olympic Games in Beijing it was a statement, a declaration of sorts, that Palestinians insist on their right to exist on equal footing with the rest of the world, to raise their flag without fear and wear their country's name spelled out the way it should be, not as a Palestinian Authority but as Palestine.

The 1.5 million Palestinians living in besieged Gaza must have savoured that moment more than anyone else. One from amongst them, Nader Al-Masri, had a big smile on his face as he marched, nervously but proudly. Gaza lived a moment of freedom that day, one that even Israel couldn't take away.’

Since then, much has plighted Gaza, Cast Lead notwithstanding. The Gaza population has grown in size to 1.6 million. Thousands of international peace activists have marched to Gaza, crossing continents and braving high seas to stand in solidarity with the besieged population. Some were brutally murdered.

Nine Turkish activists died aboard the Mavi Marmara on May 31, 2010, at the hands of Israeli soldiers in international waters. On May 5, 2011, nine athletes finished the first Gaza Marathon, including a few internationals. Solidarity is a unifying value in Gaza.

A marathon is approximately 42 kilometres long (26.2 miles). The length of Gaza in its entirety is 41 kilometres. The difference must have been managed somehow, through side roads or other means.

Israeli army watchtowers dot the Gaza-Israel border. Israel removed its illegal colonies from Gaza in 2005, but remained in complete control over the Strip, gunning people down inside the big cage whenever any of its inhabitants resembled a ‘security threat’. Luckily the children of the Gaza Marathon escaped such classification.

As a result of the Gaza Marathon, UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) raised over a million dollars, thanks to the generosity of many people. The amount is enough for UNRWA to deliver on its promise to 250,000 Gaza children to attend summer camps.

Marathons carry different meanings and values, and each participant has his own unique reasons for participating. In Gaza, it was the spirit of freedom that compelled Nader to run, and to keep on running.

‘When given the opportunity, the children of Gaza can be the best in the world,’ UNRWA media advisor Adnan Abu Hassna said. They can also inspire us all - not for the two Guinness Records they broke in recent years - but because they are determined to hope under the most terrible and challenging of circumstances.

As for Nader, this Gaza man will simply keep running as long as his legs will carry him. Gazans are known for being stubborn, and perseverance is our gift.

 

EDITORIAL : THE BANGKOK POST, THAILAND

Election must be free and fair

Politicians, party leaders and candidates have 52 days to make their case before the public goes to the polls to elect a new parliament on July 3. All elections are important, in many ways. It is not stretching a point to say that the coming polls are one of the most important in recent Thai history. The election comes at a crucial moment. The country is split in an unprecedented fashion along political, regional and other lines. It is absolutely vital that this election must be free, fair and credible to all.

The primary group in charge of this is the Election Commission. The EC, although with different commissioners, made a mishmash of two of the last three elections. It is unacceptable this year for the commission to make even minor errors in conducting the polls. And arguably even more important is that the independent body retain its independence. It will be under heavy scrutiny - from the public, from political parties and from watchdog groups, both domestic and foreign. The slightest tendency to favour a party or a candidate will be exposed, and will threaten the credibility of the entire election. It is a hugely difficult job, but the EC must come out of this campaign and election with full integrity.

There are other groups involved in enforcing a free and fair election but the government will be under intensive inspection. Sad to say, the minister and other politicians at the Interior Ministry already have aroused suspicion. Last week, a senior official believed friendly to the Bhumjaithai Party ordered the transfer of several district officers. The media, including this newspaper, reported that the transfers of the officials would be beneficial to the keystone party in the Democrat-led coalition. It is unacceptable that any party be identified with such crass tactics.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his senior ministers are admittedly serving two masters. On one hand they are partisan politicians, campaigning for votes. On the other, they are charged with enforcing the law and seeing that justice is done.

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban is the senior minister in charge of security. These ministers can beat the drums for their party while ensuring the law is upheld; democratic governments around the world do so regularly.

The public should expect no less, and tolerate no deviation.

This raises a red flag, so to speak. The prime minister has already said he intends to try to boost the Democrat cause in the North, and even in the Northeast.

Political parties and their leaders must be clear about this: All Thais have the right to travel and to speak anywhere in the country. That includes Mr Abhisit in the North, the Pheu Thai leader in the South, and so on.

Every party leader and executive worth his or her salt will make it clear to members and supporters that they will not tolerate any breach of free speech. Senior politicians have been physically attacked in the recent past when they ventured into "unfriendly" territory. This cannot be allowed to happen.

Elections are the most public show of the state of a country. Indeed, the world watches. All citizens owe it to the country to conduct the election campaign and voting day with dignity and respect. Cheating must be exposed, violence must be punished - but there is no reason for either.

Politics are an important part of the campaign, but a free, fair election is what will move the country forward.

EDITORIAL : THE INDEPENDENT, IRELAND

A small step but we need help on journey

THE sentiment behind the stimulus package unveiled yesterday brings a tinge of hope despite it being a stimulus with a small 's'. The dynamic behind such economic kickstarts is generally a massive injection of cash. With the country's national purse no longer in our own hands, this was always going to be more boardwalk than big box-office in scale.

It was one small step in what will have to be a twin-track approach to economic survival.

There is a heavy onus on the Taoiseach Enda Kenny and his Finance Minister Michael Noonan to give Europe a positive signal that we are moving might and main to turn the tide.

But the EU also has a responsibility to respond. It is only by addressing the macro-economic debt crisis across the union that the real problems can be tackled.

It is critical that we help the long-term unemployed, and it is just as vital that employers are given all the assistance that can be offered to protect jobs, and produce new ones.

Mr Kenny has made an honest attempt to maintain the narrative that we are doing all that is within our grasp.

He faces a Sisyphusian task rolling a recovery package up such a debt mountain.

However, the Government to its credit has begun the task of laying down a growth path.

There were no eureka moments at yesterday's announcements. We got a series of practical and pragmatic steps aimed at encouraging spending and getting people back to work.

Both are laudable objectives, and given the constraints with which we are confronted they should not be criticised for lack of imagination or creativity.

The €500m raid on pensions is certain to be the most contentious part of the package.

The attempts to lure people away from the dole and get them back to work by financial inducements are overdue.

Sceptics will undoubtedly see 20,000 training places with a jobless total of 440,000 as a drop in the ocean. However, such an easy dismissal would be glib.

The IMF and ECB are watching and perception is important. The more we do to help ourselves the more authority we have to press our case. Businesses will certainly welcome the cuts in VAT and PRSI. Arguably, the commitment to a micro finance scheme for small business, and the undertaking to reduce red tape, may in time turn out to be the most significant parts of Mr Noonan's plan.

Many regard it as a fiction that we can manage our way out of this crisis. They argue persuasively that the current debt levels are unsustainable. They point out that no country has ever succeeded in cutting its way back to growth, as prescribed by the EU and the IMF.

That is why it is so critical that a dual approach be adopted. It is essential that the debt virus which has become a pandemic right across the EU is acknowledged and dealt with.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Finance Minister Michael Noonan have an obligation to demand as much in Brussels.

The fact that Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy have chosen to forestall looking these fears in the face until they have held elections is not good enough.

The ideals that were the cornerstone of the union ordain that the concerns of each member state would be given due weight.

Thus delaying until 2013 any consideration of debt restructuring seems almost delusional considering unfolding events in Greece.

Must we wait for a default by a member state which is widely regarded as inevitable and then deal with toxic fallout?

Would it not be in all of our interest to insist that the debt tsunami which has already engulfed a number of states, and which threatens to sweep the entire union, be addressed by the bloc?

The American magnate Lee Iacocca observed that "the trick is to make sure you don't die waiting for prosperity to come".

Today the Government's own think-tank, the ESRI, recommends that Europe should shave off as much as €50bn from our debt.

Speaking on behalf of the organisation Joe Durkan said: "What is needed is a fundamental solution."

What the Government attempted yesterday was not to deliver a "solution" but it was a statement of intent, nonetheless.

EDITORIAL : THE AUSTRALIAN, AUSTRALIA

Budget is a triumph of hope over experience

An illustration by Peter Nicholson. Source: The Australian

THE Gillard government has ducked the challenge.

The Treasurer's claim to have delivered a tough budget looks hollow when he struggles to name anyone who will feel any pain

THE hidden pain in the Gillard government's first budget will be felt by working families. They will suffer most of the collateral damage from Wayne Swan's lax fiscal discipline, which makes it more likely that home loan interest rates will rise. And it is clear the Treasurer is calculating that more working Australians will be forced into higher tax brackets, where they will face a double hit: higher tax and lost benefits. Mr Swan has shirked the task required of him and left the heavy lifting to the board of the Reserve Bank.

To achieve his promised surplus by 2012-13, Mr Swan has speculated on the mining bonanza, gambling that the historic resources windfall, underpinned by record terms of trade, will continue. He has paid lip-service to the downside risks that could threaten this formula. Last night's budget did not do enough to insure us against the danger that China's growth might stall, triggering a collapse in demand and a fall in historically high mineral prices.

The Australian has repeatedly warned that the government needs to make substantial cuts to spending to build a structural surplus into the budget. We need a budget where the country earns as much as it spends, even when our export income is at normal levels. Otherwise we pin our nation's economic future inextricably to the fortunes of the resources boom and bust cycle, which history tells us is dangerous bet to place. Mr Swan has taken the path of least resistance; as a result, his budget fails the important test.

It takes a certain kind of audacity to frame a budget that realises a $49.3 billion deficit this year and forecasts one of $22.6bn next year around the phrase "back in the black". Yet this is where the Treasurer says the budget will take us. Mr Swan argues that he is setting up Australia for a $3.5bn surplus "on time" in 2012-13. This "on time" is, of course, the time of the government's own choosing, and we must all share the hope that he makes good on this pledge. However, it is impossible to assess these forecasts for two future budget outcomes without noting that this year's deficit is almost 20 per cent higher than was forecast, and next year's predicted shortfall is already almost double what the Treasurer forecast a year ago. It is in every sense the triumph of hope over experience. We are asked to take a leap of faith that this time the reality will match the forecasts. Even then, it is all predicated on the record resources boom continuing unabated. Given Treasury's record in crystal ball gazing, this is a significant gamble.

The government will fool no one with its boast of $22bn in cuts over the next three years. Behind this burst of self-congratulation, the stark reality is that these supposed savings are almost matched by new spending. There are swings and roundabouts, winners and losers, but the net effect of this massive budgetary churn is savings over the forward estimates of less than $1bn.

So the question remains: just how does Mr Swan plan to return the budget to surplus?

The answer is increased taxation. Over the next four years, almost $95bnn extra will be raised through income tax. This accounts for the vast bulk of government's increased revenues, greatly outweighing the growth in company tax collections or the revenue from the new mining tax. By not adjusting income tax thresholds, the government is relying on bracket-creep to push more Australians on to higher tax rates. Instead of some of the mining boom being returned to Australians through lower taxation or indexed adjustments to the thresholds, more of us will pay higher amounts of income tax. It is that simple. Rather than trimming its own sails, the government is planning to pocket more income from Australians in coming years.

With the top rate kicking in and a range of benefits and concessions disappearing at incomes of $150,000 a year, it is clear this is the income at which the Treasurer believes people are rich enough to pay extra. In Wayne's world, a family earning $150,000 and repaying a mortgage is sitting comfortably. This theory is likely to be tested at the ballot box by voters who can expect tough times over the next few years.

Most of the budget spending initiatives focus on workforce participation, health, education and taxation support for low-income families. Of these, the extra spending on mental health programs is most welcome. There is broad acceptance across the nation that this is a field that requires urgent attention. Programs to improve workforce skills, support the transition to work for the long-term unemployed, improve literacy and numeracy for potential workers, and provide more skilled migrants for regional areas are all welcome.

We are deeply sceptical about one savings measure dressed up as a workforce participation initiative -- the phasing out of the dependent spouse rebate. The government believes this is an anachronism designed to keep women at home and out of the workforce. The Australian believes the rebate was a small but important tax break increasing the opportunity for families without children to make their own lifestyle choices. It saves $755 million over four years, taking it directly from families' disposable incomes.

Other cuts are found in defence, an efficiency dividend across government, the previously announced abolition of the green car fund and carbon capture and storage program, deferral of some infrastructure spending and, of course, the extra fundraising of the flood levy.

The budget's jobs initiatives cover a comprehensive range of policy approaches, including more than $2bn for industry and vocational training initiatives. Mentoring for apprentices will help to increase completion rates, which are below 50 per cent, while disadvantaged jobseekers will be assisted with access to apprenticeships, and others will have their trade training accelerated if they meet certain proficiencies. Tougher assessments for disability pensioners will aim to nudge more of them into work, and as a quid pro quo they will be able to take on more work before losing their pension. An extra 6000 skilled migrant places will be made available for regional areas, a move we particularly support, although the intake could be even higher. Mr Swan's "jobs, jobs, jobs," pitch for the budget is bound to ease industry concerns about skills shortages.

Yet the budget numbers show unemployment will fall to 4.5 per cent next year before returning to more than 5 per cent in the out years, suggesting more is needed. If jobs are to be the government's prime focus, it must work harder to keep unemployment as low as possible. To that end, our economy is virtually begging for leadership bold enough to increase labour market flexibility and truly unlock the economy's potential.

In more benign times, this might have been seen as a traditional Labor budget because instead of handing back the proceeds of the boom to taxpayers, the government is spending the extra revenue. But these are not benevolent times and we have learned all too dramatically about the peaks and troughs of the modern global economy. Our current resources boom, eight times greater than the Howard government boom, presents a once in a generation opportunity to repair the budget. Instead, seemingly paralyzed by its reliance on the Greens and independents, the Gillard government has delivered a budget that ducks the challenge, and avoids the hard job of curtailing expenditure. Australians need to hope the resources boom and our stellar terms of trade last long enough to lift the burden of deficit from the economy, and that one day we get a treasurer who is up to the challenge of significant reform to reduce ongoing expenditure and put the budget into structural surplus.

Mr Swan's fourth budget, his first under Ms Gillard's leadership, is his most unconvincing to date. Finance Minister Penny Wong, new to the job, must also share the blame for this missed opportunity. It is finance ministers, after all, who are supposed to keep the governments spending instincts in check.

Mr Swan blames his woes on the lag in revenues post-GFC, yet this financial year he'll still be building school halls as part of the stimulus package from two years ago. He verbals the opposition, saying they would have done nothing to tackle the GFC. In the end, however, the Treasurer's claim to have delivered a tough budget looks hollow when he struggles to name anyone who will feel any pain and he has revealed a $300m scheme to deliver and install set top boxes for pensioners. The budget mentions, but does not include, Australia's largest public infrastructure project, the National Broadband Network. Mr Swan is pulling back on spending one moment and shoveling out the sugar with another. The reality is Malcolm Turnbull's 2009 prescription to spend at least $20bn less, more carefully, might have had us back in surplus this budget. 

EDITORIAL : THE JAKARTA POST, INDONESIA

The same old song

Last Friday’s assault on an arriving Chinese national by immigration officers at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport was not only a slap to our nation’s face at a time when we were hosting an international event, but also interrupted the country’s struggle to boost its economic growth – particularly through foreign investment and tourism.

The incident, which occurred in the country’s foremost arrival point and at a time when foreign dignitaries were arriving for the weekend’s 18th ASEAN Summit, was unbelievable and a vivid display that violence is still a major aspect of our state institutions, as in this case portrayed by our immigration officers. It has been 13 years since the country introduced reforms in all aspects of Indonesians’ lives and such violence should not exist anymore, and should be only a dark memory.

Cheung Ho Chung, who arrived from Hong Kong on a China Airlines flight, said he was attacked by immigration officers after he refused to give two officers from the airport’s Immigration Office HK$100 (US$13) that they had demanded. “He had a cut lip and a bruise on his neck after two immigration officers ganged up on him, hit him in the face and choked him,” a police statement said.

The case has undoubtedly worsened the image of the immigration office, which has been perceived as one of the most corrupt government institutions in the country, with numerous officials implicated in graft cases.

The Immigration office has come up with its own version of the scuffle. Directorate general of immigration spokesman Bambang Catur Puspitowarno said Cheung had been out of line and had declined to follow the officers’ orders.

Even if we accept officer Bambang’s story as the truth, the fact that the Chinese national suffered serious injuries cannot hide the reality that violence was used. It is thus necessary that a thorough and fair investigation be launched into the case – a move that would help soothe its impact on Indonesia’s image and economy in the long run.

It is hard to believe that the targets of 7.7 million tourist arrivals and a projected income of US$8.3 billion from the tourism sector this year can be met given Friday’s incident. Let us all just hope that the figures will not be less than last year’s 7 million arrivals. The potential losses in the foreign investment sector could be worse, especially considering that China, Ho Chung’s country of origin, has been showing increased interest in investing in Indonesia.

And before everything is too late, action must be taken against such violent immigration officers. This should start with a thorough and honest investigation into the incident.

Reforms on top of sanctions

We don’t see the sanctions imposed by the central bank on Citibank Indonesia last week — for the embezzlement of more than US$2 million from customers’ accounts by a senior executive of its priority banking service department, and for its suspected role in the death of a credit-card debtor late in March — as a final solution to banking crime.

Indeed, Citibank Indonesia deserved the severe sanctions handed down — it was barred from issuing credit cards to new customers for two years, from signing up new customers for its premium wealth (priority) services for one year, from deploying third-party debt collectors for two years and from opening new branch offices until next year.

The management of Citibank Indonesia has pledged to strengthen its internal controls within its wealth-management department (Citigold) and reform its credit-card debt collection procedures. But such cases of banking fraud are not unique to Citibank Indonesia. The keen competition between the 23 major banks for big depositors seems to have often led to reckless sales practices and compromises in the enforcement of the know-your-customer rules of Bank Indonesia.

Only a few days ago, the state-owned PT Elnusa oil and gas service company was shocked to find out that Rp111 billion (US$12.85 million) was missing from its deposit account at Bank Mega, after it was allegedly embezzled by Mega financial director Santun Nainggolan in collusion with the manager of Mega’s Jababeka Cikarang (West Java) branch.

Police investigations of the fraud and alleged laundering of Elnusa funds last week uncovered yet another banking crime: The Batubara regency administration in North Sumatra had lost Rp 80 billion from its own deposits at the same Bank Mega branch, which had allegedly been laundered by two senior treasury officials of the regency administration.

These banking crimes reflect an acutely inadequate internal control system that give banks an early warning of employee fraud related to policy violations, self dealing, embezzlement and the theft of customer and bank assets.

How could treasury officials from such a faraway regency in North Sumatra be allowed to open big accounts at a Bank Mega branch in a small town in West Java while Bank Mega has a big branch in the North Sumatra capital, Medan?

These crimes and previous fraud cases at several other banks should give the central bank a rude jolt that it needs to reassess the internal controls in place at big banks, especially within their wealth management services for rich clients. This would allow Bank Indonesia to investigate whether such controls are still sufficient to cope with mounting risks of employee fraud, given employees’ ease of access to systems and knowledge of institutional practices.

Bank Indonesia, as supervisor of the banking industry, should see to it that the internal control system within banks has comprehensive capabilities to detect and prevent employee fraud incidents and to identify unusual employee activity within the mounting sophistication of banking crimes.

EDITORIAL : THE DAILY TRIBUNE, THE PHILIPPINES

 

 

A strange creature called PPP

 

The flagship projects of Noynoy under the so-called private-public partnership (PPP) scheme have not started and yet controversy is already hounding those that have been lined for bidding.

The problem is basic. Noynoy’s administration has failed to define how to implement these projects such as what really is a PPP scheme.

Many are led to believe that the PPP is patterned after the build-operate-transfer (BOT) scheme that was conceptualized to reduce costs for government in putting up infrastructure projects. Now it appears that this is totally not the case.

Even Sen. Ralph Recto, a Noynoy ally and a former Socio-economic Planning secretary, appears astounded to learn that the PPP scheme for the pioneer projects involving the mass transit lines would involve the government paying an operator of the railways lines P15 billion.

The government forking out money for the projects makes it totally different from the way the PPP was being sold to the public.

At the same time, it raised new fears about big projects again being the source of huge kickbacks, similar to the immediate past.

One recalls the many independent power producers where a regime made a heck of a lot of money, by way of commissions, and having the Filipino pay for fuel that was not even used and for which we still have to pay, which explains our very high power bills.

Recto who appears to have gotten hold of a proposed deal for the operations of the Metro Rail Transit and the Light Rail Transit lines, which deal was yet unclear whether separately or in consolidation, said that aside from a P15 billion offer supposedly as management fee, the operator would get access to tax perks, cheap loans and options to raise fares.

With the way that the financial incentives were set up, it appears that a favored group is already in line for the project.

A few weeks ago, Noy’s economic managers were all in China trying to peddle the PPP projects, revealing how many of these projects are not getting the interest of investors.

Noynoy had mentioned something like P200 billion in projects just for this year under the PPP which rightly makes many inquisitive about how exactly the deals are served, given the fact that it is now clear that once again, it is not investors’ money that will be plowed in, but the government’s, which means the Filipino taxpayers again.

Apparently, this is what is the version of Noynoy’s daang matuwid na binaluktot.

As usual, something again smells of the stinking corruption.

To successfully sell these projects, Noynoy and his wards should have a full grasp of how exactly the partnership between the government and private firms will go.

Moreover, his administration should settle dangling ends of past controversial contracts involving the government, such as the still unresolved dispute over the construction of a new airport terminal.

Thus far, even the concept of the PPP remains unclear that again adds to the impish doubts about the huge costs of the projects.

Making the whole PPP concept blurry may even be deliberate to allow more rooms to maneuver for whatever ends.

Giving Noy the benefit of the doubt, however, the lack of a solid framework on the PPP scheme tempts the conclusion that even his administration does not know what the creature really is.

For his administration to anchor its economic program on the success of the scheme, it is scary to entertain the thought that Noynoy does not even have a complete grasp of how to undertake these projects.

PPP and hundreds of billions of pesos of projects undertaken through the scheme don’t sound impressive but it appears that the concept had gone the way of the “straight path” and “No corruption, no poverty” battlecries of Noynoy.

All soundbites, hollow inside.