Wanachama wa taasisi ya DECI inayowezesha watu kupanda na kuvuna mapesa kwa faida nono wamegonga mwamba leo baada ya zoezi la ulipaji wa fedha zao walizopanda kama mbegu kutofanyika.
Awali, wanachama hao walikuwa wakitarajia kuanza kung\'oa `mbegu` zao leo, hasa baada ya kutangaziwa ratiba ya kufanya hivyo na uongozi wa taasisi hiyo yenye makao yake makuu pale Mabibo Mwisho Jijini.
Wakizungumza katika ofisi za Alasiri leo asubuhi, baadhi ya wanachama hao wa DECI wamesema kuwa uongozi wa taasisi hiyo (DECI) umewageuka leo asubuhi, kwani badala ya kuanza kuwalipa pesa zao kama walivyoahidi kupitia ratiba yao, wamekuta tangazo linalowaambia kuwa hawatalipwa kwa sababu akaunti za taasisi hiyo zimefungiwa na Serikali.
Akizungumza kwa niaba ya wenzake, kiongozi wa wateja hao walio katika tawi la Kinondoni Jijini, Bw. James Owe Risso, amesema kufuatana na ratiba iliyotolewa awali na uongozi wa kampuni hiyo Jumanne iliyopita, ni kwamba wateja 236 wa tawi hilo la Kinondoni walitakiwa kung\'`oa mbegu zao leo.
Akasema hadi jana jioni walipoondoka katika ofisi hizo, waliambiwa kwamba leo wangeng`oa mbegu zao, jambo ambalo liliwafanya wadamkie katika ofisi hizo na wengine kukesha ili kuwahi foleni.
``Tumefika pale tukakutana na tangazo ambalo halikuwa na muhuri wala nembo likisema kuwa leo hatutaweza kung\'oa mbegu zetu kwa sababu serikali imefungia akaunti,`` akasema.
Akaongeza kuwa kwa jinsi lilivyokuwa, yeye na baadhi ya wanachama wenzie hawakuliamini tangazo hilo.
Akasema ilipofika mishale ya saa 2:30 leo asubuhi, baadhi ya wafanyakazi wa DECI walifika katika ofisi hizo za Kinondoni na kuwatangazia kuwa wasingeweza kung`oa mbegu zao kwa sababu akaunti zimefungiwa na Serikali.
``Tukawahoji hiyo Serikali imefungia jana usiku ama leo asubuhi? Maana hadi walituambia kuwa tungeng\'oa mbegu leo,`` akasema.
``Swali hilo hakuna aliyeweza kutujibu,`` akaongeza.
Akasema wanashangaa kwanini ofisi hizo zinaendelea na shughuli za kuwasajili wateja kwa ahadi ya kuwalipa fedha zao wakati wakijua wazi kuwa akaunti zao zimefungiwa.
Wateja hao wakaiomba serikali kuwaeleza ni lini watalipwa fedha zao na pia kusimamia zoezi hilo kutokana na ukweli kuwa taasisi hiyo inatia shaka katika kukamilisha zoezi la kuwasajili.
Aidha, akasema katika zoezi hilo, tofauti na wenzao wa matawi mengine, wao wakienda kujiorodhesha wamekuwa wakitakiwa kuacha risiti zao kwa wafanyakazi wa kampuni hiyo.
Aidha, wamedai baadhi ya wateja wamekuwa wakigongeshewa mhuri unaoonyesha kuwa wamelipwa na kwamba wameshapokea fedha zao.
Hivi karibuni, Serikali ambayo inaendelea kuichunguza DECI, ilitangaza kufungia akaunti za taasisi hiyo na pia za baadhi ya wakurugenzi wake ili kuhakikisha kuwa watu waliopanda pesa zao wanarejeshewa.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
MPs hail Mengi on corruption `sharks`
An array of Members of Parliament have hailed IPP Executive Chairman Reginald Mengi for naming five of what he called the key grand corruption ``sharks`` in Tanzania.
The legislators said in separate interviews here yesterday that Mengi had made a bold move which would pave the way for a more vigorous war on corruption in the country.
Shoka Khamis Juma (Micheweni - CUF), who is also shadow minister for Good Governance (President`s Office), called on all well-meaning Tanzanians to stand behind the IPP Executive Chairman ``at all costs because he has done what the official organs responsible for forestalling and combating corruption and other vices have failed to do``.
``We wholeheartedly support Mr Mengi because we believe that he has named those sharks in the full knowledge there are still more sharks and even whales in the ocean that must be exposed as well,`` said the MP, citing a popular Kiswahili saying.
``There is a sophisticated syndicate of corrupt sharks that has been systematically siphoning the resources of this country. We must fight corruption. Mr Mengi has gone a courageous step ahead of us, and we rally behind him,`` he added, speaking from the Parliamentary grounds.
The legislator, who is here for a scheduled two-week meeting of the National Assembly, stated that the war on corrupt would be far off target unless “the big sharks and the whales” were also exposed, arrested and brought to justice.
``That would be the best way of acknowledging Mr Mengi`s exemplary contribution to the war effort and congratulating him on a patriotic duty fulfilled with dignity,`` he said, pledging unwavering support for the IPP Executive Chairman.
The opposition leader, who made his remarks soon after the routine morning `Q & A` session in the presence of several opposition party members, said he was convinced that the `sharks` named by Mr Mengi at a news conference in Dar es Salaam on Thursday were not acting in isolation.
He pointed out that he was ``both baffled and shocked by the dead silence maintained by the authorities concerned on various issues of national interest``.
According to the MP, the evils perpetrated or fuelled by corrupt elements in society ``have so tarnished our country``s image that protecting the few individuals behind them will surely ruin our entire nation``.
Elaborating, Juma said China was making tremendous progress economically and otherwise because corruption was not being given breathing space.
``The list of the scandalous transactions and procurements involving the corrupt individuals is known. Time has come for patriotic wananchi to expose all prime suspects, including those still in on the run,`` he added.
He called on the authorities concerned to act on the matter without hesitation ``to save the lives of millions of innocent poor families impoverished by the corrupt elements in our communities``.
Dr Willibroad Slaa (Karatu & Chadema), a fiery anti-corruption crusader, also expressed unreserved support for Mengi``for having made bold and historic strides in the war on grand corruption``.
He said the list of corrupt `sharks` issued by the IPP Executive Chairman was that of notorious corrupt elements he knew very well and that, with Mengi`s memorable intervention, he too had gained new strength with which to sustain the momentum.
``Mengi has done the right thing. He has shown the way. Corrupt elements are not ashamed of their disgraceful deeds to the nation and what he has done is the ideal treatment they deserve,`` he said.
Meanwhile, Dr Raphael Chegeni (Busega - CCM) said Mengi`s remarks at the Dar es Salaam news conference was so relevant and substantive that the government ought to take them seriously and work on them.
``I am not sure whether his remarks will not be ignored… But this is an extremely serious matter and it should be dealt with appropriately for the good of our country and its people,`` he said.
However, some MPs interviewed said they had noted that Mengi had declared that the number of grand corruption suspects did not exceed ten but he had named only half of them.
They said it would be even better for the country if the names of the rest were also made public.
At Thursday`s news conference, Mengi named five people he described as ``notoriously corrupt sharks`` and urged the public to invest more courage in efforts to rid Tanzania of corruption, which he said was eating the country`s resources and stealing the people`s precious time.
He said the country was currently facing a big problem of grand corruption and was troubled by the fact that the people involved in acts of corruption did not want to be touched.
Mengi stated that the ``notoriously corrupt people`` were involved in almost all scandals that have happened in the country, including Richmond, Bank of Tanzania`s external payment arrears account (EPA), Dowans, military helicopters and vehicles, the Presidential jet, radar, National Social Security Fund, Public Service Pension Fund, and National Lottery.
Efforts to contact the five `sharks` named for comment failed yesterday, as they we were permanently not reachable by phone.
The legislators said in separate interviews here yesterday that Mengi had made a bold move which would pave the way for a more vigorous war on corruption in the country.
Shoka Khamis Juma (Micheweni - CUF), who is also shadow minister for Good Governance (President`s Office), called on all well-meaning Tanzanians to stand behind the IPP Executive Chairman ``at all costs because he has done what the official organs responsible for forestalling and combating corruption and other vices have failed to do``.
``We wholeheartedly support Mr Mengi because we believe that he has named those sharks in the full knowledge there are still more sharks and even whales in the ocean that must be exposed as well,`` said the MP, citing a popular Kiswahili saying.
``There is a sophisticated syndicate of corrupt sharks that has been systematically siphoning the resources of this country. We must fight corruption. Mr Mengi has gone a courageous step ahead of us, and we rally behind him,`` he added, speaking from the Parliamentary grounds.
The legislator, who is here for a scheduled two-week meeting of the National Assembly, stated that the war on corrupt would be far off target unless “the big sharks and the whales” were also exposed, arrested and brought to justice.
``That would be the best way of acknowledging Mr Mengi`s exemplary contribution to the war effort and congratulating him on a patriotic duty fulfilled with dignity,`` he said, pledging unwavering support for the IPP Executive Chairman.
The opposition leader, who made his remarks soon after the routine morning `Q & A` session in the presence of several opposition party members, said he was convinced that the `sharks` named by Mr Mengi at a news conference in Dar es Salaam on Thursday were not acting in isolation.
He pointed out that he was ``both baffled and shocked by the dead silence maintained by the authorities concerned on various issues of national interest``.
According to the MP, the evils perpetrated or fuelled by corrupt elements in society ``have so tarnished our country``s image that protecting the few individuals behind them will surely ruin our entire nation``.
Elaborating, Juma said China was making tremendous progress economically and otherwise because corruption was not being given breathing space.
``The list of the scandalous transactions and procurements involving the corrupt individuals is known. Time has come for patriotic wananchi to expose all prime suspects, including those still in on the run,`` he added.
He called on the authorities concerned to act on the matter without hesitation ``to save the lives of millions of innocent poor families impoverished by the corrupt elements in our communities``.
Dr Willibroad Slaa (Karatu & Chadema), a fiery anti-corruption crusader, also expressed unreserved support for Mengi``for having made bold and historic strides in the war on grand corruption``.
He said the list of corrupt `sharks` issued by the IPP Executive Chairman was that of notorious corrupt elements he knew very well and that, with Mengi`s memorable intervention, he too had gained new strength with which to sustain the momentum.
``Mengi has done the right thing. He has shown the way. Corrupt elements are not ashamed of their disgraceful deeds to the nation and what he has done is the ideal treatment they deserve,`` he said.
Meanwhile, Dr Raphael Chegeni (Busega - CCM) said Mengi`s remarks at the Dar es Salaam news conference was so relevant and substantive that the government ought to take them seriously and work on them.
``I am not sure whether his remarks will not be ignored… But this is an extremely serious matter and it should be dealt with appropriately for the good of our country and its people,`` he said.
However, some MPs interviewed said they had noted that Mengi had declared that the number of grand corruption suspects did not exceed ten but he had named only half of them.
They said it would be even better for the country if the names of the rest were also made public.
At Thursday`s news conference, Mengi named five people he described as ``notoriously corrupt sharks`` and urged the public to invest more courage in efforts to rid Tanzania of corruption, which he said was eating the country`s resources and stealing the people`s precious time.
He said the country was currently facing a big problem of grand corruption and was troubled by the fact that the people involved in acts of corruption did not want to be touched.
Mengi stated that the ``notoriously corrupt people`` were involved in almost all scandals that have happened in the country, including Richmond, Bank of Tanzania`s external payment arrears account (EPA), Dowans, military helicopters and vehicles, the Presidential jet, radar, National Social Security Fund, Public Service Pension Fund, and National Lottery.
Efforts to contact the five `sharks` named for comment failed yesterday, as they we were permanently not reachable by phone.
Mengi: These are the ’sharks of corruption’
IPP Limited Executive Chairman Reginald Mengi yesterday publicly named five alleged ’’corruption sharks’’ in the country, saying they were allegedly responsible for the looting of billions of shillings in public monies.
Mengi said the five prominent individuals - Rostam Aziz, Tanil Somaiya, Yusuf Manji, Jeethu Patel, and Subash Patel - were ’’involved in almost all scandals that have happened in our country.’’
’’The number of people who are accused of being especially corrupt in our country do not exceed ten... But out of the ten, these five are accused of being the sharks of corruption,’’ he told a news conference at IPP headquarters in Dar es Salaam.
He listed corruption scandals allegedly linked to the named individuals as the Richmond and Dowans power generation deals, the Bank of Tanzania’s external payment arrears (EPA) account scam, procurement scandals involving military helicopters and vehicles, the overpriced GulfStream presidential jet purchase, and the Mchuchuma Coal project.
Other scandals associated with some of the named suspects include the $41m military radar deal, national lottery dealings, and dubious deals with the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) and Public Service Pensions Fund (PSPF).
All five named individuals are leading local personalities who have previously been associated with a number of allegations concerning grand corruption.
Mengi told reporters: ’’The great efforts of our president to hasten economic development and better living (conditions) for every Tanzanian are weakened by the horrendous theft of national resources. A great majority of Tanzanians still face extreme poverty; they are unable to determine where the one meal a day is going to come from.’’
He added: ’’To make things worse, where a Tanzanian with better means provides assistance to lessen hardship within the society and to eradicate poverty, these people involved in corruption allege that such assistance has a political agenda. They want Tanzanians to starve or die as a result of other problems.’’
The IPP chairman noted that instead of Tanzanians concentrating on the country’s economic development, they are now spending most of their precious time debating issues of corruption stemming from the ongoing looting of public funds.
’’Our efforts (to combat corruption) have failed to even cause a dent - instead, these corrupt people have been hardened in their determination. They have established newspapers that are abusive and treat Tanzanians with contempt,’’ he said.
’’Even as Tanzanians continue to cry foul, the notoriously corrupt people continue to use their ill-obtained wealth to influence the granting of big government contracts to themselves, often using different names,’’ he further asserted.
’’The notoriously corrupt people have been heard to say that they will annihilate the vehement combatants of corruption. The notoriously corrupt people should know that if the combatants are harmed in any way in this country or any other country, they will be answerable to the people of Tanzania,’’ he continued.
He called on Tanzanians as a whole to collectively ask the question: ’’What gives these notoriously corrupt people the audacity to treat Tanzanians with such contempt?’’
He also called for decisive action against individuals suspected of involvement in grand corruption, saying: ’’All corrupt people - and especially those who are being accused of notorious corruption - must be dealt with conclusively.’’
Failure to take such firm action against high-level graft could ’’rock the stability of our nation’’, he said, adding: ’’We must realize that we have now reached the stage where we must say: Enough is enough.’’
Mengi said the five prominent individuals - Rostam Aziz, Tanil Somaiya, Yusuf Manji, Jeethu Patel, and Subash Patel - were ’’involved in almost all scandals that have happened in our country.’’
’’The number of people who are accused of being especially corrupt in our country do not exceed ten... But out of the ten, these five are accused of being the sharks of corruption,’’ he told a news conference at IPP headquarters in Dar es Salaam.
He listed corruption scandals allegedly linked to the named individuals as the Richmond and Dowans power generation deals, the Bank of Tanzania’s external payment arrears (EPA) account scam, procurement scandals involving military helicopters and vehicles, the overpriced GulfStream presidential jet purchase, and the Mchuchuma Coal project.
Other scandals associated with some of the named suspects include the $41m military radar deal, national lottery dealings, and dubious deals with the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) and Public Service Pensions Fund (PSPF).
All five named individuals are leading local personalities who have previously been associated with a number of allegations concerning grand corruption.
Mengi told reporters: ’’The great efforts of our president to hasten economic development and better living (conditions) for every Tanzanian are weakened by the horrendous theft of national resources. A great majority of Tanzanians still face extreme poverty; they are unable to determine where the one meal a day is going to come from.’’
He added: ’’To make things worse, where a Tanzanian with better means provides assistance to lessen hardship within the society and to eradicate poverty, these people involved in corruption allege that such assistance has a political agenda. They want Tanzanians to starve or die as a result of other problems.’’
The IPP chairman noted that instead of Tanzanians concentrating on the country’s economic development, they are now spending most of their precious time debating issues of corruption stemming from the ongoing looting of public funds.
’’Our efforts (to combat corruption) have failed to even cause a dent - instead, these corrupt people have been hardened in their determination. They have established newspapers that are abusive and treat Tanzanians with contempt,’’ he said.
’’Even as Tanzanians continue to cry foul, the notoriously corrupt people continue to use their ill-obtained wealth to influence the granting of big government contracts to themselves, often using different names,’’ he further asserted.
’’The notoriously corrupt people have been heard to say that they will annihilate the vehement combatants of corruption. The notoriously corrupt people should know that if the combatants are harmed in any way in this country or any other country, they will be answerable to the people of Tanzania,’’ he continued.
He called on Tanzanians as a whole to collectively ask the question: ’’What gives these notoriously corrupt people the audacity to treat Tanzanians with such contempt?’’
He also called for decisive action against individuals suspected of involvement in grand corruption, saying: ’’All corrupt people - and especially those who are being accused of notorious corruption - must be dealt with conclusively.’’
Failure to take such firm action against high-level graft could ’’rock the stability of our nation’’, he said, adding: ’’We must realize that we have now reached the stage where we must say: Enough is enough.’’
Monday, April 20, 2009
paidContent.org - Google Has A Comment-Filtering System In The Works For YouTube
Google continues to try to make YouTube more acceptable to paying customers?be they content providers, advertisers or viewers?but its latest clean-up effort is aimed at keeping the Federal Communications Commission and groups like the Parents Television Council off its back, too. Google is currently testing a comment-filtering system for the video site, one that's designed to "give users and families greater control to moderate their YouTube experience," according to Ars Technica, citing a statement the company recently filed with the FCC.
Viewers will be able to choose whether to see all comments, no comments or filtered comments, though the filing doesn't offer specifics on the technology or when there will be a widespread roll out; Google (NSDQ: GOOG) wrote that it's one of "a number of initiatives" around moderating content that it has in the works.
Google isn't facing any imminent legislation from the FCC over YouTube's comments, but the Commission is looking into the way that Google, Microsoft and other digital media companies are handling content filtering and moderation. The research will be used in an upcoming FCC report on the various options parents have for controlling children's exposure to violent and sexual content. Google (and Microsoft, for that matter) maintains that the FCC's formal Notice of Inquiry should be relegated to "traditional television programming"?not web-based content?and that it already has sufficient moderation tools in place. But groups like the Parents Television Council have argued that "the site isn't doing enough to protect kids."
Viewers will be able to choose whether to see all comments, no comments or filtered comments, though the filing doesn't offer specifics on the technology or when there will be a widespread roll out; Google (NSDQ: GOOG) wrote that it's one of "a number of initiatives" around moderating content that it has in the works.
Google isn't facing any imminent legislation from the FCC over YouTube's comments, but the Commission is looking into the way that Google, Microsoft and other digital media companies are handling content filtering and moderation. The research will be used in an upcoming FCC report on the various options parents have for controlling children's exposure to violent and sexual content. Google (and Microsoft, for that matter) maintains that the FCC's formal Notice of Inquiry should be relegated to "traditional television programming"?not web-based content?and that it already has sufficient moderation tools in place. But groups like the Parents Television Council have argued that "the site isn't doing enough to protect kids."
Is South Africa on the cusp of change?
Jacob Zuma is one step away from the Union Buildings - South Africa's seat of power.
Wednesday's national and provincial elections are certain to see the African National Congress (ANC) leader become the new president of South Africa.
But this year's elections have been different.
A new opposition party, hewn from the ruling African National Congress, is challenging their dominance.
Even if they can't win this year, Cope (Congress of the People) may have altered the landscape of South African politics.
Columnist and academic Xolela Mangcu of Johannesburg's Witwatersrand University says the ANC has had to up its game since the emergence of Cope.
"They forced the ANC to go on the defensive, as was clear with the sheer volume of numbers they brought out to their final rallies on Sunday," he said.
"The ANC have turned it around and re-energised themselves."
Zuma's ups and downs
Mr Zuma's life has always been a rollercoaster ride.
My first encounter with him was in Tanzania in 1987, during his years in exile.
At that time, Mr Zuma and Thabo Mbeki (then the ANC's Director of Information) appeared inseparable as ANC colleagues.
Mr Zuma subsequently became Chief of Intelligence for the ANC, but always seen destined to remain in Mr Mbeki's shadow.
In 1999, at the start of his first administration, President Mbeki appointed Mr Zuma as his deputy.
However, in 2005, he was fired and later charged with corruption.
In the same year, he was accused of rape, but acquitted.
Nonetheless, many observers predicted that Mr Zuma would not be able to rebuild his political career.
Against the odds, and with the backing of powerful allies within the ANC, Mr Zuma staged a remarkable comeback.
Missing man
Mr Mbeki, in contrast, has gone missing from this 2009 election campaign.
Since being forced by the ANC to resign as president in September 2008, little has been seen of him, except in his capacity as the chief mediator in Zimbabwe.
He has not thrown his weight behind the ANC election campaign.
Nor has he come out in support of Cope, whose core backing comes from many of Mr Mbeki's former supporters.
This week, on the eve of the polls, the ANC was unable to say where Mr Mbeki would be casting his vote on Wednesday.
Issues not personalities
Politicians like to pretend that elections are about issues rather than personalities.
But even in South Africa, where there are no direct elections for president, this campaign has been dominated by the familiar faces on the political landscape.
Jacob Zuma's portrait has been on election posters in every main street in the country.
In a sophisticated and expensive campaign, the ANC has ensured that Mr Zuma has enjoyed maximum exposure.
In recent months, he has been to all corners of South Africa, sometimes speaking at three or four events a day.
In spite of just having turned 67, Mr Zuma remains as energetic as ever.
He has swept into the final phase of this campaign with gusto, always delighting his supporters by singing the song that he has made his own -"Mshini Wami" (Bring Me My Machine Gun).
'Stop Zuma'
Not to be outdone, Helen Zille, the leader of the parliamentary opposition - the Democratic Alliance - has also adopted a song and dance routine.
Ms Zille, who is Mayor of Cape Town, is contesting the position of Provincial Premier of the Western Cape.
The DA has been mounting a concerted effort to stop the ANC from once again securing a two-thirds majority, as it did in the 2004 elections.
Many say the real competition is between Cope and the DA to see which will become the biggest opposition.
They would have the upper hand in any coalition that may be negotiated between the two.
"I'm not sleeping long enough at night to recharge my mobile phone", said a visibly tired Ms Zille, as she visited the Red Cross Children's Hospital in Cape Town.
End of campaigning
Another leader who will welcome the end of campaigning is Mangosuthu Buthelezi, the leader of the Inkatha Freedom Party.
At the age of 80, he is the only high profile political figure who has fought every election since 1994.
Both the Democratic Alliance and the Congress of the People are each set to win about 15% of the national vote, according to the latest opinion poll by Plus 94.
If Cope performs badly, questions will no doubt be asked about why the party chose to put forward a relatively unknown figure, Bishop Mvume Dandala, as its presidential candidate, instead of one of its two founder members - Mosiuoa Lekota and Mbhazima Shilowa.
South Africans will breathe a sigh of relief after the elections this week.
They will however, have to wait a while longer to find out just what kind of president Jacob Zuma will be.
Wednesday's national and provincial elections are certain to see the African National Congress (ANC) leader become the new president of South Africa.
But this year's elections have been different.
A new opposition party, hewn from the ruling African National Congress, is challenging their dominance.
Even if they can't win this year, Cope (Congress of the People) may have altered the landscape of South African politics.
Columnist and academic Xolela Mangcu of Johannesburg's Witwatersrand University says the ANC has had to up its game since the emergence of Cope.
"They forced the ANC to go on the defensive, as was clear with the sheer volume of numbers they brought out to their final rallies on Sunday," he said.
"The ANC have turned it around and re-energised themselves."
Zuma's ups and downs
Mr Zuma's life has always been a rollercoaster ride.
My first encounter with him was in Tanzania in 1987, during his years in exile.
At that time, Mr Zuma and Thabo Mbeki (then the ANC's Director of Information) appeared inseparable as ANC colleagues.
Mr Zuma subsequently became Chief of Intelligence for the ANC, but always seen destined to remain in Mr Mbeki's shadow.
In 1999, at the start of his first administration, President Mbeki appointed Mr Zuma as his deputy.
However, in 2005, he was fired and later charged with corruption.
In the same year, he was accused of rape, but acquitted.
Nonetheless, many observers predicted that Mr Zuma would not be able to rebuild his political career.
Against the odds, and with the backing of powerful allies within the ANC, Mr Zuma staged a remarkable comeback.
Missing man
Mr Mbeki, in contrast, has gone missing from this 2009 election campaign.
Since being forced by the ANC to resign as president in September 2008, little has been seen of him, except in his capacity as the chief mediator in Zimbabwe.
He has not thrown his weight behind the ANC election campaign.
Nor has he come out in support of Cope, whose core backing comes from many of Mr Mbeki's former supporters.
This week, on the eve of the polls, the ANC was unable to say where Mr Mbeki would be casting his vote on Wednesday.
Issues not personalities
Politicians like to pretend that elections are about issues rather than personalities.
But even in South Africa, where there are no direct elections for president, this campaign has been dominated by the familiar faces on the political landscape.
Jacob Zuma's portrait has been on election posters in every main street in the country.
In a sophisticated and expensive campaign, the ANC has ensured that Mr Zuma has enjoyed maximum exposure.
In recent months, he has been to all corners of South Africa, sometimes speaking at three or four events a day.
In spite of just having turned 67, Mr Zuma remains as energetic as ever.
He has swept into the final phase of this campaign with gusto, always delighting his supporters by singing the song that he has made his own -"Mshini Wami" (Bring Me My Machine Gun).
'Stop Zuma'
Not to be outdone, Helen Zille, the leader of the parliamentary opposition - the Democratic Alliance - has also adopted a song and dance routine.
Ms Zille, who is Mayor of Cape Town, is contesting the position of Provincial Premier of the Western Cape.
The DA has been mounting a concerted effort to stop the ANC from once again securing a two-thirds majority, as it did in the 2004 elections.
Many say the real competition is between Cope and the DA to see which will become the biggest opposition.
They would have the upper hand in any coalition that may be negotiated between the two.
"I'm not sleeping long enough at night to recharge my mobile phone", said a visibly tired Ms Zille, as she visited the Red Cross Children's Hospital in Cape Town.
End of campaigning
Another leader who will welcome the end of campaigning is Mangosuthu Buthelezi, the leader of the Inkatha Freedom Party.
At the age of 80, he is the only high profile political figure who has fought every election since 1994.
Both the Democratic Alliance and the Congress of the People are each set to win about 15% of the national vote, according to the latest opinion poll by Plus 94.
If Cope performs badly, questions will no doubt be asked about why the party chose to put forward a relatively unknown figure, Bishop Mvume Dandala, as its presidential candidate, instead of one of its two founder members - Mosiuoa Lekota and Mbhazima Shilowa.
South Africans will breathe a sigh of relief after the elections this week.
They will however, have to wait a while longer to find out just what kind of president Jacob Zuma will be.
Cony graduate teaching in Tanzania
As college students across America buckle down for finals, Scott Wilkinson is teaching. While some of his pupils know basic math, some of them cannot even count to three.
Wilkinson, a 2007 Cony graduate, has been volunteering in Tanzania since Feb. 28, teaching school children age 2 through 7 about English, science, math and art; instructing incarcerated youth on how to grow their own gardens; and writing grants for an HIV/AIDS awareness organization.
Wilkinson, 19, a sophomore studying political science at the University of Notre Dame, decided to take a semester off.
Though he was doing well in college -- he graduated as salutatorian at Cony High School -- he said he felt a void.
"It just seemed like Africa was calling my name," he wrote in an e-mail from Tanzania. "Everyone kept asking me why I wanted to do this, (and) all I could answer was, 'Why not?'"
Tanzania is an east African country home to Mt. Kilimanjaro, the world's largest free-standing mountain. It is not uncommon for village huts to be constructed of sticks and mud.
Wilkinson's parents, Les and Robin Wilkinson, initially balked.
"There were feelings of pride, affection, but fear and anxiety," Les Wilkinson said. "His mother and I have a lot of confidence in his judgment, however, and it made sense to support him."
Scott Wilkinson, who had left Maine for the Midwest when he attended Notre Dame, knew he had to continue broadening his horizons.
"Notre Dame is one of the least diverse schools in the country, and I just felt like I really just needed to shake things up," he wrote in a e-mail. "What better way is there to experience a place than to live and work there for yourself?"
In the last two months, Wilkinson has climbed Kilimanjaro, volunteered at local orphanages and witnessed a United Nations trial concerning genocide in Rwanda.
"You just have to go for it," he said of overseas volunteering. "Volunteering is a fulfilling, eye-opening experience for yourself, yet it also makes an enormous impact on the community."
Wilkinson will arrive back in the United States this week and spend his summer coaching baseball at Camp Manitou.
He said he will return to college in the fall.
He doesn't worry about the near future, nor does his family, which includes his parents and three brothers.
"Scott has a lot of options ahead of him," his mother, Robin, said. "Whatever path he wants to go on, we're going to support it."
Wilkinson, a 2007 Cony graduate, has been volunteering in Tanzania since Feb. 28, teaching school children age 2 through 7 about English, science, math and art; instructing incarcerated youth on how to grow their own gardens; and writing grants for an HIV/AIDS awareness organization.
Wilkinson, 19, a sophomore studying political science at the University of Notre Dame, decided to take a semester off.
Though he was doing well in college -- he graduated as salutatorian at Cony High School -- he said he felt a void.
"It just seemed like Africa was calling my name," he wrote in an e-mail from Tanzania. "Everyone kept asking me why I wanted to do this, (and) all I could answer was, 'Why not?'"
Tanzania is an east African country home to Mt. Kilimanjaro, the world's largest free-standing mountain. It is not uncommon for village huts to be constructed of sticks and mud.
Wilkinson's parents, Les and Robin Wilkinson, initially balked.
"There were feelings of pride, affection, but fear and anxiety," Les Wilkinson said. "His mother and I have a lot of confidence in his judgment, however, and it made sense to support him."
Scott Wilkinson, who had left Maine for the Midwest when he attended Notre Dame, knew he had to continue broadening his horizons.
"Notre Dame is one of the least diverse schools in the country, and I just felt like I really just needed to shake things up," he wrote in a e-mail. "What better way is there to experience a place than to live and work there for yourself?"
In the last two months, Wilkinson has climbed Kilimanjaro, volunteered at local orphanages and witnessed a United Nations trial concerning genocide in Rwanda.
"You just have to go for it," he said of overseas volunteering. "Volunteering is a fulfilling, eye-opening experience for yourself, yet it also makes an enormous impact on the community."
Wilkinson will arrive back in the United States this week and spend his summer coaching baseball at Camp Manitou.
He said he will return to college in the fall.
He doesn't worry about the near future, nor does his family, which includes his parents and three brothers.
"Scott has a lot of options ahead of him," his mother, Robin, said. "Whatever path he wants to go on, we're going to support it."
Recession threatens Africa charities
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The world has seen banks and businesses fail spectacularly since the recession began but other vulnerable organizations in the developing world face devastation.
The recession is hitting the flow of money to charities across sub-Saharan Africa and organizations are facing tough choices in an effort to continue desperately needed work
"We were preparing for [the crisis] but I didn't realize it was going to be that bad, and I think that's like most people around the world," says Gemma Sisia, founder of The School of St. Jude, a school for the poor in Tanzania.
Assistant Professor Josh Ruxin, of Columbia University, says nonprofits across eastern Africa are failing during this recession. Ruxin lives in Rwanda where he develops health centers and agricultural jobs.
"What I've seen on the landscape is that a lot of the smaller nonprofits are going out of business," he says. "Today those who are not either extremely well connected or with a great strategy are going under by the dozens."
CNN could not independently confirm Ruxin's numbers. But international organizations including the International Monetary Fund warn of foreign aid decreases across the region.
At an IMF conference in Tanzania in March, participants gloomily assessed Africa's needs. They called on rich countries to keep the aid flowing.
"According to the World Bank, over 50 million people in low income countries, many of whom live in Africa, could be thrown back into absolute poverty -- with obvious consequences for other social ills, like sickness and infant mortality," said Dominique Strauss-Kahn, IMF Managing Director. "The economic and political challenges facing Africa are clearly enormous."
Sisia, the daughter of an Australian sheep farmer with no school administration experience, named The School of St. Jude after the patron saint of hopeless causes.
But since St. Jude's founding it has ballooned from three students to more than 1,000, and it has provided jobs for local Tanzanians. Two campuses operate in northern Tanzania near Arusha. The sites include multiple buildings for classrooms, administration, boarding and dining.
Now this setup is in danger due to the worldwide financial crisis. International donations, the school's livelihood, have tumbled by about a quarter, so Sisia has had to cut jobs and cut pay for staffers including herself.
Sisia usually finds sponsors for all children, but now she says she needs to cover costs for about 200 children at about $2,000 a head per year.
Most donors are middle class people from Sisia's native Australia. Sisia says some have lost their jobs during this recession, and can no longer contribute.
St. Jude gives food, housing, uniforms, and school supplies at no cost to the children or their parents. Providing food alone cost $100,000 dollars last year.
"Most of our children would not eat if it were not for the meals they receive at school," says St. Jude volunteer Alexandra Schaerrer.
So far all students have passed their national exams in the top 10 percent of the country, says Sisia.
Primary schools in Tanzania have poor primary school graduation rates. Schools like St. Jude provide an alternative to under-funded government schools that many students cannot attend.
"Although primary school education is free and compulsory, the parents have to provide uniforms, stationary, and in some cases desks and chairs before the child is allowed to attend school," says Schaerrer. "In a home where even food for the family is scarce, and most people survive on one or two dollars a day, there is no money for school expenses."
Tanzania's education has been improving overall, according to the World Bank. The national exam pass rate nearly tripled from 2000 to 2006. But a UNESCO study points to teacher and supply shortages as well as poor learning environments.
To get into St. Jude, prospective first-year students must be near the top of their classes in government school, must be able to pass an entrance exam, and must prove that they are "extremely poor."
Sisia says that during the two-month selection season, as many as 2,000 children apply each week for an average of 10 slots per week.
Ruxin says it's critical for African schools to stay afloat.
"When those donations don't come in, it literally means you start to lose the momentum for providing one of the very best investments that sub-Saharan Africa needs, which is a new generation of educated kids," he says.
Ruxin's efforts in Rwanda face similar challenges. He says plans to develop more health centers are moving more slowly now. Some donors are deferring promised funds "until further notice." Ruxin says he's not leaving projects behind, but those projects are moving slowly.
"We're not crippled, we're just not moving as quickly as I'd like," he says.
It's not that donors don't want to give, says philanthropy writer Shelly Banjo of Dow Jones Newswires, but they don't have as much money as they used to, and they must prioritize their giving.
Small nonprofits like St. Jude can benefit by reaching out to donors individually to tell them exactly what their needs are. "If donors care about you then they'll continue giving," says Banjo.
Banjo says another solution is thinking about how to contribute. Doctors or lawyers could provide free medical or legal services. Groups could urge members to give small sums that could add up to big money.
Ruxin's new project, Rwanda Community Works, aims to create agricultural jobs in the one of the provinces hardest hit during the 1994 Rwanda genocide. For this project, he takes traditional donors as well as investors who would like to see small returns.
Ruxin says that African charities face a Darwinian situation.
"I think that while it's survival of the fittest, that doesn't mean that organizations that do extremely good work aren't going to struggle or fail," he says. "The only silver lining is I think that the best not-for-profits will come out leaner and stronger and more effective."
Meanwhile, Sisia says she's "working her butt off" to fund St. Jude
The recession is hitting the flow of money to charities across sub-Saharan Africa and organizations are facing tough choices in an effort to continue desperately needed work
"We were preparing for [the crisis] but I didn't realize it was going to be that bad, and I think that's like most people around the world," says Gemma Sisia, founder of The School of St. Jude, a school for the poor in Tanzania.
Assistant Professor Josh Ruxin, of Columbia University, says nonprofits across eastern Africa are failing during this recession. Ruxin lives in Rwanda where he develops health centers and agricultural jobs.
"What I've seen on the landscape is that a lot of the smaller nonprofits are going out of business," he says. "Today those who are not either extremely well connected or with a great strategy are going under by the dozens."
CNN could not independently confirm Ruxin's numbers. But international organizations including the International Monetary Fund warn of foreign aid decreases across the region.
At an IMF conference in Tanzania in March, participants gloomily assessed Africa's needs. They called on rich countries to keep the aid flowing.
"According to the World Bank, over 50 million people in low income countries, many of whom live in Africa, could be thrown back into absolute poverty -- with obvious consequences for other social ills, like sickness and infant mortality," said Dominique Strauss-Kahn, IMF Managing Director. "The economic and political challenges facing Africa are clearly enormous."
Sisia, the daughter of an Australian sheep farmer with no school administration experience, named The School of St. Jude after the patron saint of hopeless causes.
But since St. Jude's founding it has ballooned from three students to more than 1,000, and it has provided jobs for local Tanzanians. Two campuses operate in northern Tanzania near Arusha. The sites include multiple buildings for classrooms, administration, boarding and dining.
Now this setup is in danger due to the worldwide financial crisis. International donations, the school's livelihood, have tumbled by about a quarter, so Sisia has had to cut jobs and cut pay for staffers including herself.
Sisia usually finds sponsors for all children, but now she says she needs to cover costs for about 200 children at about $2,000 a head per year.
Most donors are middle class people from Sisia's native Australia. Sisia says some have lost their jobs during this recession, and can no longer contribute.
St. Jude gives food, housing, uniforms, and school supplies at no cost to the children or their parents. Providing food alone cost $100,000 dollars last year.
"Most of our children would not eat if it were not for the meals they receive at school," says St. Jude volunteer Alexandra Schaerrer.
So far all students have passed their national exams in the top 10 percent of the country, says Sisia.
Primary schools in Tanzania have poor primary school graduation rates. Schools like St. Jude provide an alternative to under-funded government schools that many students cannot attend.
"Although primary school education is free and compulsory, the parents have to provide uniforms, stationary, and in some cases desks and chairs before the child is allowed to attend school," says Schaerrer. "In a home where even food for the family is scarce, and most people survive on one or two dollars a day, there is no money for school expenses."
Tanzania's education has been improving overall, according to the World Bank. The national exam pass rate nearly tripled from 2000 to 2006. But a UNESCO study points to teacher and supply shortages as well as poor learning environments.
To get into St. Jude, prospective first-year students must be near the top of their classes in government school, must be able to pass an entrance exam, and must prove that they are "extremely poor."
Sisia says that during the two-month selection season, as many as 2,000 children apply each week for an average of 10 slots per week.
Ruxin says it's critical for African schools to stay afloat.
"When those donations don't come in, it literally means you start to lose the momentum for providing one of the very best investments that sub-Saharan Africa needs, which is a new generation of educated kids," he says.
Ruxin's efforts in Rwanda face similar challenges. He says plans to develop more health centers are moving more slowly now. Some donors are deferring promised funds "until further notice." Ruxin says he's not leaving projects behind, but those projects are moving slowly.
"We're not crippled, we're just not moving as quickly as I'd like," he says.
It's not that donors don't want to give, says philanthropy writer Shelly Banjo of Dow Jones Newswires, but they don't have as much money as they used to, and they must prioritize their giving.
Small nonprofits like St. Jude can benefit by reaching out to donors individually to tell them exactly what their needs are. "If donors care about you then they'll continue giving," says Banjo.
Banjo says another solution is thinking about how to contribute. Doctors or lawyers could provide free medical or legal services. Groups could urge members to give small sums that could add up to big money.
Ruxin's new project, Rwanda Community Works, aims to create agricultural jobs in the one of the provinces hardest hit during the 1994 Rwanda genocide. For this project, he takes traditional donors as well as investors who would like to see small returns.
Ruxin says that African charities face a Darwinian situation.
"I think that while it's survival of the fittest, that doesn't mean that organizations that do extremely good work aren't going to struggle or fail," he says. "The only silver lining is I think that the best not-for-profits will come out leaner and stronger and more effective."
Meanwhile, Sisia says she's "working her butt off" to fund St. Jude
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Tanzania maintains position on land ownership issue
TANZANIA has stood its ground on sticky issues regarding land acquisition, travel documents and permanent residence in the latest negotiations aimed at establishing the East African Community (EAC) Common Market.
The new round of talks between experts, which ended in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, on Thursday this week failed to reach a consensus on several outstanding matters.
Julius Onen, deputy secretary-general of the EAC in charge of projects and programmes told Xinhua news agency in an interview that negotiators from Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya agreed to forward the outstanding issues to the EAC summit scheduled for the end of this month.
’’We expect that when the summit meets on April 29, it should be able to give it (draft protocol) the blessing,’’ he said noting that the negotiators had agreed on 98 per cent of the draft protocol.
The negotiations which have been running since March 30 were attended by, among others, permanent secretaries and ministers in charge of East African affairs from the partner states.
While the four countries agreed on the draft protocol aimed at establishing the EAC Common Market by January 2010, Tanzania failed to reach a consensus with others.
The country insisted that national identity cards should not be accepted as travel documents within the community because they are not internationally recognized.
Instead, Tanzania advocated for the use of national passports or the East African passports, which could be difficult for residents to obtain.
The other four countries failed to agree with Tanzania on a common position on land acquisition. Tanzania argued that the issue of land is sensitive, which often triggers civil conflicts due to unequal distribution, as members have different land policies and tenure systems.
The others believed that land is an important factor of production and therefore a Common Market issue.
Tanzania disagreed with other countries which favoured a flexible citizenship, in which a national of a member state who resides in another partner state for a particular period of time automatically acquires citizenship of that country.
Tanzania said the issue of permanent residence is not provided for in its Constitution and is a sovereignty issue.
The formation of a Common Market is the second step in the region’s integration process before a monetary union and eventually a political federation. The region has already installed a Customs Union which came into force in January 2005.
According to documents prepared for the five-day negotiations, issues of different land ownership system and the common ID card adoption remain to be solved among member states.
Land is owned by the government in Tanzania while it could be property of individuals in Uganda.
Four countries opt for national ID cards as travel documents, unlike Tanzania, which prefers national or the East African passport.
Onen said an EAC summit set for April 29 is to endorse the final protocol which will then come into force on January 1, 2010.
The formation of a common market will pave way for a monetary union and finally a political federation. EAC has already adopted a customs union.
The Tanzanian government has maintained that it would not sign the EAC Common Market Protocol later this month if the document does not meet its expectations.
The new round of talks between experts, which ended in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, on Thursday this week failed to reach a consensus on several outstanding matters.
Julius Onen, deputy secretary-general of the EAC in charge of projects and programmes told Xinhua news agency in an interview that negotiators from Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya agreed to forward the outstanding issues to the EAC summit scheduled for the end of this month.
’’We expect that when the summit meets on April 29, it should be able to give it (draft protocol) the blessing,’’ he said noting that the negotiators had agreed on 98 per cent of the draft protocol.
The negotiations which have been running since March 30 were attended by, among others, permanent secretaries and ministers in charge of East African affairs from the partner states.
While the four countries agreed on the draft protocol aimed at establishing the EAC Common Market by January 2010, Tanzania failed to reach a consensus with others.
The country insisted that national identity cards should not be accepted as travel documents within the community because they are not internationally recognized.
Instead, Tanzania advocated for the use of national passports or the East African passports, which could be difficult for residents to obtain.
The other four countries failed to agree with Tanzania on a common position on land acquisition. Tanzania argued that the issue of land is sensitive, which often triggers civil conflicts due to unequal distribution, as members have different land policies and tenure systems.
The others believed that land is an important factor of production and therefore a Common Market issue.
Tanzania disagreed with other countries which favoured a flexible citizenship, in which a national of a member state who resides in another partner state for a particular period of time automatically acquires citizenship of that country.
Tanzania said the issue of permanent residence is not provided for in its Constitution and is a sovereignty issue.
The formation of a Common Market is the second step in the region’s integration process before a monetary union and eventually a political federation. The region has already installed a Customs Union which came into force in January 2005.
According to documents prepared for the five-day negotiations, issues of different land ownership system and the common ID card adoption remain to be solved among member states.
Land is owned by the government in Tanzania while it could be property of individuals in Uganda.
Four countries opt for national ID cards as travel documents, unlike Tanzania, which prefers national or the East African passport.
Onen said an EAC summit set for April 29 is to endorse the final protocol which will then come into force on January 1, 2010.
The formation of a common market will pave way for a monetary union and finally a political federation. EAC has already adopted a customs union.
The Tanzanian government has maintained that it would not sign the EAC Common Market Protocol later this month if the document does not meet its expectations.
Justin, Lupe to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro
The singers will be amongst other adventurers to mount the 19,000-foot African peak as part of the effort to create awareness for the global water crisis.
Kenna, co-ordinator for the giant ascend, revealed it would further fulfill a personal but a noble ambition.
"My dad almost died as a child from waterborne diseases in Ethiopia, and he had talked to me about digging a well there, and I thought, ‘I have too many friends who would be concerned with the subject of clean water. Maybe I can help out," Contactmusic quoted him as telling Elle magazine.
Meanwhile, Fiasco insisted he was looking forward to playing mischief-maker.
He said: "I’m an adventure junkie. Part of the motivation is beating Kenna to the top. Sabotaging his tent, taking the lining out of his coat, lacing it with ants or something like that."
Kenna, co-ordinator for the giant ascend, revealed it would further fulfill a personal but a noble ambition.
"My dad almost died as a child from waterborne diseases in Ethiopia, and he had talked to me about digging a well there, and I thought, ‘I have too many friends who would be concerned with the subject of clean water. Maybe I can help out," Contactmusic quoted him as telling Elle magazine.
Meanwhile, Fiasco insisted he was looking forward to playing mischief-maker.
He said: "I’m an adventure junkie. Part of the motivation is beating Kenna to the top. Sabotaging his tent, taking the lining out of his coat, lacing it with ants or something like that."
Friday, February 6, 2009
US senators 'agree' economy bill
Senators in Washington say they have reached agreement on a huge economic stimulus package designed to revitalise the US economy.
Senior Democrats say they will back a plan worth $780bn (£534bn), instead of the $900bn sought by the president, in order to gain vital Republican support.
President Barack Obama has become angry with delays to the bill, which mixes big spending plans and tax cuts.
Some Democrats are now saying the bill will go to a vote late on Friday.
"We're going to do it, if not tonight, in the next day or so," Senate majority leader Harry Reid said, according to Reuters news agency.
President Obama has spoken of "an urgent and growing crisis".
His comments came as the latest unemployment figures showed that the US had had its single worst month for job losses for 35 years.
Almost 600,000 people lost their jobs in January alone - figures Mr Obama described as devastating.
Rough water
President Obama is desperate to pass the package, the BBC's Adam Brookes in Washington says.
This is the president's first big legislative initiative since he took office, and it has hit some very rough water, our correspondent says.
The new $780bn plan is composed of 42% tax cuts and 58% new government spending, Democratic Senator John Kerry said, according to Reuters news agency.
Other details of the slimmed-down package are sketchy, but one Democrat told Reuters that the homebuyer tax credit and car tax credit were still in the bill.
The Democrats need to persuade two Republicans to vote in favour of the bill for it to gain the necessary 60 Senate votes.
Although Democrats hold a 58-41 majority, 60 votes are required for the measures to pass because the bill would raise the federal deficit.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus said that at least three or four Republicans would vote for the bill.
"The American people want us to work together," said Senator Susan Collins, a Republican who will vote for the bill.
"They don't want to see us dividing along partisan lines on the most serious crisis confronting our country."
'Echo chamber'
Mr Obama described as "devastating" the news that nearly 600,000 Americans lost their jobs in January.
"The situation could not be more serious. These numbers demand action," he said.
Mr Obama's remarks came as he unveiled a new board of economic advisers, chaired by Paul Volcker, former chairman of the Federal Reserve.
"I created this board to enlist voices that come from beyond the echo chamber of Washington DC," said Mr Obama, "and to ensure that no stone is unturned as we work to put people back to work and to get our economy moving."
About one-third of the bill is currently composed of tax relief, with the rest devoted to spending on infrastructure projects, like roads and bridges, new schools and alternative energy programmes.
Republicans and some centrist Democrats are keen to reduce the number of spending commitments in the bill, and without their support the bill may not have enough votes to pass in the Senate.
The House of Representatives approved its version of the package last week, worth $825bn, without any Republican support.
If the Senate gives its approval to the bill, the two different versions will then have to be reconciled in a joint House-Senate committee before facing a final vote.
President Obama has said he wants the passage of the bill to be completed by 16 February.
Senior Democrats say they will back a plan worth $780bn (£534bn), instead of the $900bn sought by the president, in order to gain vital Republican support.
President Barack Obama has become angry with delays to the bill, which mixes big spending plans and tax cuts.
Some Democrats are now saying the bill will go to a vote late on Friday.
"We're going to do it, if not tonight, in the next day or so," Senate majority leader Harry Reid said, according to Reuters news agency.
President Obama has spoken of "an urgent and growing crisis".
His comments came as the latest unemployment figures showed that the US had had its single worst month for job losses for 35 years.
Almost 600,000 people lost their jobs in January alone - figures Mr Obama described as devastating.
Rough water
President Obama is desperate to pass the package, the BBC's Adam Brookes in Washington says.
This is the president's first big legislative initiative since he took office, and it has hit some very rough water, our correspondent says.
The new $780bn plan is composed of 42% tax cuts and 58% new government spending, Democratic Senator John Kerry said, according to Reuters news agency.
Other details of the slimmed-down package are sketchy, but one Democrat told Reuters that the homebuyer tax credit and car tax credit were still in the bill.
The Democrats need to persuade two Republicans to vote in favour of the bill for it to gain the necessary 60 Senate votes.
Although Democrats hold a 58-41 majority, 60 votes are required for the measures to pass because the bill would raise the federal deficit.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus said that at least three or four Republicans would vote for the bill.
"The American people want us to work together," said Senator Susan Collins, a Republican who will vote for the bill.
"They don't want to see us dividing along partisan lines on the most serious crisis confronting our country."
'Echo chamber'
Mr Obama described as "devastating" the news that nearly 600,000 Americans lost their jobs in January.
"The situation could not be more serious. These numbers demand action," he said.
Mr Obama's remarks came as he unveiled a new board of economic advisers, chaired by Paul Volcker, former chairman of the Federal Reserve.
"I created this board to enlist voices that come from beyond the echo chamber of Washington DC," said Mr Obama, "and to ensure that no stone is unturned as we work to put people back to work and to get our economy moving."
About one-third of the bill is currently composed of tax relief, with the rest devoted to spending on infrastructure projects, like roads and bridges, new schools and alternative energy programmes.
Republicans and some centrist Democrats are keen to reduce the number of spending commitments in the bill, and without their support the bill may not have enough votes to pass in the Senate.
The House of Representatives approved its version of the package last week, worth $825bn, without any Republican support.
If the Senate gives its approval to the bill, the two different versions will then have to be reconciled in a joint House-Senate committee before facing a final vote.
President Obama has said he wants the passage of the bill to be completed by 16 February.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Meet the icy side of Africa: Mt Kilimanjaro
ITALIAN mountaineer Bruno Brunod climbed Africa's highest mountain in a record five hours and 38 minutes.
We took six days, two guides, seven porters and a cook, and didn't make it all the way but still had the experience of a lifetime.
Iconic Mount Kilimanjaro is one of Tanzania's biggest drawcards, luring travellers who want something more physical than lying on a Zanzibar beach or viewing Serengeti wildlife from a safari vehicle.
As one of the world's tallest peaks that can be climbed without technical skills, Kilimanjaro is an accessible challenge and thousands reach the summit each year.
But that doesn't mean it's easy. To put the climb in perspective, Australia's 2228m Mt Kosciuszko is slightly higher than the park gate at the start of the Kilimanjaro trail.
At its highest point, Kilimanjaro reaches 5895m above sea level. The world's tallest freestanding mountain - actually a trio of dormant volcanoes - rises dramatically out of the plains.
Landscapes change from lush farmland to tropical rainforest, an open moorland of heath and wildflowers, a Mars-like alpine desert and, finally, the ice-capped summit.
Apart from the strenuous summit attempt, we averaged about six hours a day carrying just a daypack.
It is only possible to climb Kilimanjaro through a licensed agency, which provide guides and porters. This makes the trek an expensive proposition, and the park and hut fees alone exceed $900. But it does mean someone else does the cooking, cleaning and set-up.
We opted for the Marangu route, the only one that has huts to sleep in (on all other routes you need to camp). The porters walked ahead with most of the equipment and the cook usually had a snack waiting on arrival at each overnight stop.
By the time we reached the final hut at 4700m, we'd already walked for six hours that day, the fourth of the trek.
It was about this time the hike stopped being fun and started being a test of willpower.
We had about six hours to rest and refuel before heading back into the cold. Summit attempts generally leave at midnight so climbers can watch the sunrise from the top.
But on our attempt the wind blew strong and icy, bringing the temperature down to minus 18C.
Our guides had woken us at 11pm to dress - at this altitude, even that felt like running a marathon.
After 3½ hours of pain we reached Hans Meyer Cave at 5180m, the halfway point of the summit stretch.
We were still an hour from the top when dawn started to break. Watching the sunrise from the roof of Africa, a mile above the clouds, was an unforgettable, magical experience. But it was only a brief moment before we had to push on.
The last leg, a near-vertical scramble over rocks, seemed to go on for ever. Reaching the crater rim was a relief but by now we were too tired to feel anything resembling elation.
Exhausted, we collapsed on the freezing ground, from where we could just peer into the icy volcanic cone.
Pushing our bodies to their limits and beyond also left us feeling we could take on the world.
We took six days, two guides, seven porters and a cook, and didn't make it all the way but still had the experience of a lifetime.
Iconic Mount Kilimanjaro is one of Tanzania's biggest drawcards, luring travellers who want something more physical than lying on a Zanzibar beach or viewing Serengeti wildlife from a safari vehicle.
As one of the world's tallest peaks that can be climbed without technical skills, Kilimanjaro is an accessible challenge and thousands reach the summit each year.
But that doesn't mean it's easy. To put the climb in perspective, Australia's 2228m Mt Kosciuszko is slightly higher than the park gate at the start of the Kilimanjaro trail.
At its highest point, Kilimanjaro reaches 5895m above sea level. The world's tallest freestanding mountain - actually a trio of dormant volcanoes - rises dramatically out of the plains.
Landscapes change from lush farmland to tropical rainforest, an open moorland of heath and wildflowers, a Mars-like alpine desert and, finally, the ice-capped summit.
Apart from the strenuous summit attempt, we averaged about six hours a day carrying just a daypack.
It is only possible to climb Kilimanjaro through a licensed agency, which provide guides and porters. This makes the trek an expensive proposition, and the park and hut fees alone exceed $900. But it does mean someone else does the cooking, cleaning and set-up.
We opted for the Marangu route, the only one that has huts to sleep in (on all other routes you need to camp). The porters walked ahead with most of the equipment and the cook usually had a snack waiting on arrival at each overnight stop.
By the time we reached the final hut at 4700m, we'd already walked for six hours that day, the fourth of the trek.
It was about this time the hike stopped being fun and started being a test of willpower.
We had about six hours to rest and refuel before heading back into the cold. Summit attempts generally leave at midnight so climbers can watch the sunrise from the top.
But on our attempt the wind blew strong and icy, bringing the temperature down to minus 18C.
Our guides had woken us at 11pm to dress - at this altitude, even that felt like running a marathon.
After 3½ hours of pain we reached Hans Meyer Cave at 5180m, the halfway point of the summit stretch.
We were still an hour from the top when dawn started to break. Watching the sunrise from the roof of Africa, a mile above the clouds, was an unforgettable, magical experience. But it was only a brief moment before we had to push on.
The last leg, a near-vertical scramble over rocks, seemed to go on for ever. Reaching the crater rim was a relief but by now we were too tired to feel anything resembling elation.
Exhausted, we collapsed on the freezing ground, from where we could just peer into the icy volcanic cone.
Pushing our bodies to their limits and beyond also left us feeling we could take on the world.
Kenya, Uganda fail US aid test again, Tanzania passes
Kenya and Uganda have once again been deemed ineligible for a special US development aid programme that is providing Tanzania with nearly $700 million over the next five years.
According to “scorecards” issued last week, Kenya fails to qualify for the Millennium Challenge assistance because it falls short of an anti-corruption standard for the fourth consecutive year.
That finding will have disappointed Foreign Minister Moses Wetang’ula.
He stated in an interview during a September visit to the United Nations that US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had assured him that Kenya would soon be approved for a Millennium Challenge grant.
In addition to failing the anti-corruption test that countries must pass in order to qualify for the aid, Kenya was judged to be lagging in regard to rule of law, immunisation rates, health expenditures and fiscal policy.
The country was given passing grades on 12 criteria, including political rights and government effectiveness.
Uganda is not entitled to receive Millennium Challenge funds because it meets one less than the minimal number of standards for potential eligibility.
Uganda fails on measurements of political rights, civil liberties, immunisation rates, health expenditures, girls’ completion of primary education and fiscal policy.
Tanzanian and American officials are meanwhile completing preparations for a Millennium Challenge programme aimed at greatly improving the country’s road and electricity networks.
The scope of this initiative suggests that Kenya and Uganda could also receive substantial infrastructure aid if they were to pass the performance tests established by US monitors.
The $698 million development assistance compact with Tanzania is the largest package of aid among 16 that have so far been approved for developing countries.
The agreements total $5.5 billion, with more than half that amount going to eight countries in black Africa: Benin, Cape Verde, Ghana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique and Tanzania.
According to “scorecards” issued last week, Kenya fails to qualify for the Millennium Challenge assistance because it falls short of an anti-corruption standard for the fourth consecutive year.
That finding will have disappointed Foreign Minister Moses Wetang’ula.
He stated in an interview during a September visit to the United Nations that US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had assured him that Kenya would soon be approved for a Millennium Challenge grant.
In addition to failing the anti-corruption test that countries must pass in order to qualify for the aid, Kenya was judged to be lagging in regard to rule of law, immunisation rates, health expenditures and fiscal policy.
The country was given passing grades on 12 criteria, including political rights and government effectiveness.
Uganda is not entitled to receive Millennium Challenge funds because it meets one less than the minimal number of standards for potential eligibility.
Uganda fails on measurements of political rights, civil liberties, immunisation rates, health expenditures, girls’ completion of primary education and fiscal policy.
Tanzanian and American officials are meanwhile completing preparations for a Millennium Challenge programme aimed at greatly improving the country’s road and electricity networks.
The scope of this initiative suggests that Kenya and Uganda could also receive substantial infrastructure aid if they were to pass the performance tests established by US monitors.
The $698 million development assistance compact with Tanzania is the largest package of aid among 16 that have so far been approved for developing countries.
The agreements total $5.5 billion, with more than half that amount going to eight countries in black Africa: Benin, Cape Verde, Ghana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique and Tanzania.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
BREAKING NEWS
MRAMBA YONA LAND IN COURT
Two former ministers appeared before the Kisutu Resident Magistrate's Court in Dar es Salaam yesterday charged with abuse of office and occasioning loss of over 11bn/- to the government. Basil Pesambili Mramba and Daniel Ndhira Yona, who were minister for finance and minister for energy and minerals, respectively are facing a total of 13 counts. They pleaded a plea of 'not guilty' before Resident Magistrate Hezron Mwankenja.
The accused were remanded until December 5, after failure to meet bail conditions including depositing 3.9bn/- cash and secure two reliable sureties. He also ordered them to surrender their passports and restrained them from leaving Dar es Salaam without the court's permission. Though they appeared composed as the prosecution read the charges against them, Yona was sweating profusely as he kept on wiping his face.
Members of the public booed at them as they were being taken to remand after failure to meet conditions of bail. Investigations into the case have not been completed, the prosecution told the court. Members of the prosecution team are Principal State Attorney Boniface Stanslaus, Senior State Attorney Frederick Manyanga and three officials from the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB), Hole Joseph, Benn Linkon and Tabu Mzee.
The then ministers, who are defended by advocates Michael Ngalo, Joseph Tadayo, Sam Mapande, Mafuru Mafuru and Elisa Msuya, arrived at the court premises in a PCCB vehicle, Toyota Land Cruiser GX registration number T 319 ATD. They also boarded the same vehicle when they were taken to Keko Remand Prison. Their arraignment was witnessed by several people who jammed at the court premises early in the morning after learning that the duo would be brought there to answer criminal charges.
The charges against the two former ministers are not related in any how on the scandal surrounding the External Payment Arrears (EPA) account of the Bank of Tanzania as previously stated by a section of the media. Both accused are facing jointly five charges of abuse of office and one count of occasioning loss to the government, while Mramba alone faces eight similar counts. It is alleged that the duo committed the offences between 2002 and 2007 at their respective offices.
The prosecution alleged that between August 2002 and May 28, 2005, being employed as ministers, the duo abused the authority of their offices by doing several decisions. They include arbitrarily procuring M/S Alex Stewart (Assayers) UK and its subsidiary company, M/S Alex Stewart (Assayers) Government Business Corporation to sign and execute gold production assaying agreement in Tanzania in contravention of Public Procurement Act and Mining Act, respectively.
The prosecution alleged that the former ministers left the Alex Stewart (Assayers) Government Business Corporation to sign an addendum extending gold production assaying agreement for two years from June 14, 2005 to June 23, 2007 in contravention of the said Acts. It is alleged further that the duo invited Dr Enrique Sugura of the said company to formalise the two years extension before the Government Negotiation Team was convened to work on the matter.
The accused also abstained from attending the mining assayer's fees issue and submitting the agreement to the Attorney General for vetting as it was recommended by the team consequent upon which act an addendum extending the gold production assaying agreement for two years. Between June 2003 and May 28, 2005, serving as ministers, wilfully and by their failure to take reasonable care or discharge their duties in reasonable manner, the duo unjustifiably allegedly processed a gold production assaying agreement with a clause number 4.3.1.
The prosecution alleged that the said clause led to unjustified tax exemption in favour of M/S Alex Stewart) Assayers) Government Business Corporation, thereby occasioning loss to the government to the tune of 11,752,350,148/-. While Mramba alone, the prosecution alleged, between October 10, 2004 and November 15, 2005, as Minister for Finance, abused the authority of his office by arbitrarily doing several unjustified decisions.
They include ignoring the recommendation by the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) not to grant tax exemption to M/S Alex Stewart Assayers) Government Business Corporation.
He also allegedly processed and issued Government Notices (GN) No. 423/2003, 424/2003, 497/2004, 498/2004, 377/2005,378/2005, which granted tax exemption to the whole of withholding income tax payable by the said company contrary to the recommendations given by the TRA.
Between 2003 and 2007 in the city, as Minister for Finance, wilfully and by his failure to take reasonable care to discharge his duties in a reasonable manner, Mramba unjustifiably allegedly signed the said government notices. The said notices, according to the prosecution, had the effect of exempting the said company from paying income tax, thereby occasioning loss to the government of the said 11bn/-.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Background: Bretton Woods Set World Finance Order in 1944
European leaders have been calling for a new "Bretton Woods" agreement to rescue the world economy from the current crisis in the global finance system. But what exactly is Bretton Woods?
They hope that Saturday's summit in Washington of 20 leading economies will lay the basis for a new international finance order, similar to the 1944 agreement in the New Hampshire resort town of Bretton Woods.
World War II was still raging when delegates from 44 Allied nations met for the first three weeks of July, 1944, to set up a new system of rules and institutions that would regulate the international monetary system.
It was clear that European currencies would not be able to meet rising demands for international liquidity, so the delegates agreed to peg the currencies of industrialized countries at a fixed rate to the US dollar.
In the wake of the Great Depression
The goal was to avoid the sort of problems of currency fluctuations that plagued the international monetary system during the 1930s as the world recovered from the Great Depression.
In 1944, the US currency was still backed by gold, to the tune of $35 to the ounce, and was seen as the strongest currency in the world.
"At bottom, the Bretton Woods system rested on one simple assumption -- that economic policy in the United States would be stabilizing," writes Benjamin Cohen, a professor of international political economy at the University of California in Santa Barbara.
The Bretton Woods agreement also set up the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the predecessor of the World Bank to carry out the agreement and regulate the international monetary system.
While the IMF and World Bank continue to operate, the fixed currency system fell apart as the US increased its deficit spending during the Vietnam War and Great Society years of social outlays of the 1960s.
It became ever clearer that the US could no longer back the dollar with gold, and Washington suspended the gold standard in 1971 to allow it to float to its own level. By 1973, industrialized countries agreed to let their currencies also float free.
The Bretton Woods agreement was formally signed on Dec. 27, 1945, after Germany conceded victory to the Allies.
They hope that Saturday's summit in Washington of 20 leading economies will lay the basis for a new international finance order, similar to the 1944 agreement in the New Hampshire resort town of Bretton Woods.
World War II was still raging when delegates from 44 Allied nations met for the first three weeks of July, 1944, to set up a new system of rules and institutions that would regulate the international monetary system.
It was clear that European currencies would not be able to meet rising demands for international liquidity, so the delegates agreed to peg the currencies of industrialized countries at a fixed rate to the US dollar.
In the wake of the Great Depression
The goal was to avoid the sort of problems of currency fluctuations that plagued the international monetary system during the 1930s as the world recovered from the Great Depression.
In 1944, the US currency was still backed by gold, to the tune of $35 to the ounce, and was seen as the strongest currency in the world.
"At bottom, the Bretton Woods system rested on one simple assumption -- that economic policy in the United States would be stabilizing," writes Benjamin Cohen, a professor of international political economy at the University of California in Santa Barbara.
The Bretton Woods agreement also set up the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the predecessor of the World Bank to carry out the agreement and regulate the international monetary system.
While the IMF and World Bank continue to operate, the fixed currency system fell apart as the US increased its deficit spending during the Vietnam War and Great Society years of social outlays of the 1960s.
It became ever clearer that the US could no longer back the dollar with gold, and Washington suspended the gold standard in 1971 to allow it to float to its own level. By 1973, industrialized countries agreed to let their currencies also float free.
The Bretton Woods agreement was formally signed on Dec. 27, 1945, after Germany conceded victory to the Allies.
East Africa seeks to raise awareness on Internet governance
East Africa ICT stakeholders have launched an Internet governance course targeting policy makers to address gaps exposed at this week's regional meeting.
The lack of participation and deep understanding of Internet governance issues is a sign that more awareness is needed, said Mwende Njiraini, a telecoms engineer who outlined the course content.
New! Watch this Network World Webcast - Oracle Database Security for Security Administrators - Live WebcastStrathmore University and the Kenya College of Communications and Technology, both in Nairobi, will offer the course, but other institutions in Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda were encouraged to establish such courses as well.
"The course aims to provide deeper understanding, develop regional perception on Internet governance issues and enhance use of Internet in socioeconomic development," Njiraini explained.
It will target government officials, academia, civil society, media, the private sector and others who are involved in the policy making process, added Alice Munyua, coordinator of the Kenya ICT Action Network.
The course will include classroom sessions and online tutorials, while graduates of the program will be required to complete public awareness projects.
This week's regional Internet Governance Forum exposed the need for increased awareness on critical Internet resources, such as management of root servers, legal dimensions of Internet governance, jurisdiction and arbitration, intellectual property rights, copyright, and data protection.
The lack of participation and deep understanding of Internet governance issues is a sign that more awareness is needed, said Mwende Njiraini, a telecoms engineer who outlined the course content.
New! Watch this Network World Webcast - Oracle Database Security for Security Administrators - Live WebcastStrathmore University and the Kenya College of Communications and Technology, both in Nairobi, will offer the course, but other institutions in Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda were encouraged to establish such courses as well.
"The course aims to provide deeper understanding, develop regional perception on Internet governance issues and enhance use of Internet in socioeconomic development," Njiraini explained.
It will target government officials, academia, civil society, media, the private sector and others who are involved in the policy making process, added Alice Munyua, coordinator of the Kenya ICT Action Network.
The course will include classroom sessions and online tutorials, while graduates of the program will be required to complete public awareness projects.
This week's regional Internet Governance Forum exposed the need for increased awareness on critical Internet resources, such as management of root servers, legal dimensions of Internet governance, jurisdiction and arbitration, intellectual property rights, copyright, and data protection.
Stocks surge after China stimulus
Asian markets have risen sharply, a day after China announced a huge investment plan to kick-start its slowing economy.
Stocks leapt in Japan, China and Hong Kong, buoyed by China's efforts to sustain its growth rates, on which many Asian economies depend.
About $586bn (£370bn) is to go into housing, infrastructure and post-earthquake reconstruction in China over the next two years.
Correspondents say the package is a response to falling growth and exports.
There will also be significant cuts in company tax, while banks will be allowed to lend more to projects involving rural development and technical innovation.
The government also promised a shift to a "moderately easy" monetary policy.
"The investment expansion should be done swiftly and forcefully," a State Council meeting chaired by Premier Wen Jiabao concluded.
"It's a huge package," Dominique Strauss-Kahn, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, was quoted as saying by the Reuters news agency after a meeting of the Group of 20 finance officials in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
"It will have an influence not only on the world economy in supporting demand but also a lot of influence on the Chinese economy itself, and I think it is good news for correcting imbalances."
Market bounce
Chinese stocks rose sharply, with the Shanghai Composite Index ending 7.3% higher at 1,874.80.
Market bounce
Chinese stocks rose sharply, with the Shanghai Composite Index ending 7.3% higher at 1,874.80.
Chinese exports have been a key driver of the economy
Tokyo's Nikkei 225 stock average closed up 5.8% to 9,081.43, helped by the weaker yen, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was up 3.39% at 14,726.59.
European shocks were also given a lift by the Chinese news.
The UK's FTSE 100 index ended the day up 38 points or 0.9% to 4,404, while Germany's Dax advanced 87 points or 1.8% to 5,026.
However, BBC Shanghai correspondent Chris Hogg said much uncertainty remained over the details of the package, and US stocks ended lower on Wall Street..
"What's not clear is how much of the sum announced is new money, in addition to current budgets," he said.
"And we don't know how the total money will be divided up between the different spending proposals and plans for tax relief".
Companies likely to benefit most from the government's investment plans did best, including banking, steel and construction firms.
Factory closures across the border in southern China have badly depressed China's manufacturing sector.
Commodity cuts?
Analysts said the stimulus package would not save China from the effects of the global financial slowdown, but could help to protect it.
China, and Asian economies who increasingly depend on it as an export market, had become used to double-digit growth figures.
But in the third quarter of this year growth slipped to 9%, its lowest level in five years.
Though this might be considered healthy elsewhere, the fall has been taken as a worrying sign in China where the government has relied on rapid growth to maintain political stability.
Interest rates
The Chinese government has cut interest rates twice in recent weeks, and began considering ways to avert a more dramatic economic slowdown in October.
These included measures to stimulate the property market, prompt construction of low-cost housing, and increasing export rebates on thousands of products.
Figures on Monday showed wholesale price inflation fell in October, which analysts said made the chance of another rate cut more likely.
Producer price inflation declined to 6.6% in the 12 months to October from 9.1% in September, according to the National Bureau for Statistics.
"Monetary policy is completely free to act to counter to any downside risks," said Ken Peng, an economist with Citigroup in Shanghai.
"It's still necessary for monetary policy to complement the fiscal package."
President Hu Jintao is to travel to Washington later this week for a global economic summit meeting.
Stocks leapt in Japan, China and Hong Kong, buoyed by China's efforts to sustain its growth rates, on which many Asian economies depend.
About $586bn (£370bn) is to go into housing, infrastructure and post-earthquake reconstruction in China over the next two years.
Correspondents say the package is a response to falling growth and exports.
There will also be significant cuts in company tax, while banks will be allowed to lend more to projects involving rural development and technical innovation.
The government also promised a shift to a "moderately easy" monetary policy.
"The investment expansion should be done swiftly and forcefully," a State Council meeting chaired by Premier Wen Jiabao concluded.
"It's a huge package," Dominique Strauss-Kahn, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, was quoted as saying by the Reuters news agency after a meeting of the Group of 20 finance officials in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
"It will have an influence not only on the world economy in supporting demand but also a lot of influence on the Chinese economy itself, and I think it is good news for correcting imbalances."
Market bounce
Chinese stocks rose sharply, with the Shanghai Composite Index ending 7.3% higher at 1,874.80.
Market bounce
Chinese stocks rose sharply, with the Shanghai Composite Index ending 7.3% higher at 1,874.80.
Chinese exports have been a key driver of the economy
Tokyo's Nikkei 225 stock average closed up 5.8% to 9,081.43, helped by the weaker yen, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was up 3.39% at 14,726.59.
European shocks were also given a lift by the Chinese news.
The UK's FTSE 100 index ended the day up 38 points or 0.9% to 4,404, while Germany's Dax advanced 87 points or 1.8% to 5,026.
However, BBC Shanghai correspondent Chris Hogg said much uncertainty remained over the details of the package, and US stocks ended lower on Wall Street..
"What's not clear is how much of the sum announced is new money, in addition to current budgets," he said.
"And we don't know how the total money will be divided up between the different spending proposals and plans for tax relief".
Companies likely to benefit most from the government's investment plans did best, including banking, steel and construction firms.
Factory closures across the border in southern China have badly depressed China's manufacturing sector.
Commodity cuts?
Analysts said the stimulus package would not save China from the effects of the global financial slowdown, but could help to protect it.
China, and Asian economies who increasingly depend on it as an export market, had become used to double-digit growth figures.
But in the third quarter of this year growth slipped to 9%, its lowest level in five years.
Though this might be considered healthy elsewhere, the fall has been taken as a worrying sign in China where the government has relied on rapid growth to maintain political stability.
Interest rates
The Chinese government has cut interest rates twice in recent weeks, and began considering ways to avert a more dramatic economic slowdown in October.
These included measures to stimulate the property market, prompt construction of low-cost housing, and increasing export rebates on thousands of products.
Figures on Monday showed wholesale price inflation fell in October, which analysts said made the chance of another rate cut more likely.
Producer price inflation declined to 6.6% in the 12 months to October from 9.1% in September, according to the National Bureau for Statistics.
"Monetary policy is completely free to act to counter to any downside risks," said Ken Peng, an economist with Citigroup in Shanghai.
"It's still necessary for monetary policy to complement the fiscal package."
President Hu Jintao is to travel to Washington later this week for a global economic summit meeting.
Epidemic of strikes in Tanzania's higher institutions
A PICTURE is worth a thousand words, right? Technically you could replace every article of a similar length with a single picture. It is just that since beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder, a thousand persons looking at the same picture might not see the same messages, positive or negative.
Some of us need extra help with our sense of imagination. For some people, you have to draw and label the lines and shades in a picture. So let me paint my picture with a thousand words.The pictures of students and teachers on TV screens and on newspaper pages in the past few weeks have been colourful to say the least. Students dragging others from buses or classrooms to force them to join the strikes amounts to violence.
So does the action of striking teachers throwing chairs at their leaders in a meeting hall. He called off the strike on finding out their actions were deemed unlawful by a court of the land. Should union leaders defy court orders?Since that court ruling, teachers have been going to school but doing zero teaching in class. That amounts to theft of the future of young minds. Theft similar but of a different magnitude to that of economic saboteurs.
Are they being paid salaries at the end of each month to silently 'teach' from their offices? No visible action has been taken by authorities despite evidence that indicates the slow strikes have crippled teaching all over the country this year. Who will pay for the learning denied to primary and secondary students in public schools?
Pretty soon the long arm of the law will catch up with teachers and students who break the law. Maybe forces of the crown will be forced to use forceful means to quell the epidemic of strikes that have bedevilled Bongoland in the past year or so. When force becomes first aid, we can join the ranks of Kenya and Zimbabwe where law enforcers are not so restrained and results of their handiwork end up in hospitals and beyond.
Our police should have arrested law breakers but they chose to err on the side of caution. So far so good.Before long the calm that has characterised Tanzania since independence may become a veneer of peace, tranquil on the surface but a simmering volcano lurking underneath. We risk losing the moral high ground of peace and tranquillity, losing the enviable title of the island of calm in Africa. Just because a few rowdy students whip their colleagues into a frenzy of mass hysteria, culminating into grand assembly of offspring of lumpen proletariats and bourgeoisies, chanting and ululating, reminiscent of 'ndombolo' and 'mdundiko' dances in the wee hours of the morning.
We have seen hordes of pseudo-intellectuals on TV, who dared to call themselves 'wasomi', struggling to juggle TVs, DVD players, impressive music systems and their suitcases large and small, as they scrambled to leave campus after they were booted out. These striking students of education, science or humanities will breed rebellious future teachers. What will they teach our grandchildren when they seem bent on earning a degree not yet offered in regular universities, Bachelor of Striking and Rhetoric with honours (BSR Hons.)?
The defiant, fire-breathing future intellectuals have vowed to fight on and strike again upon being reinstated at some unknown future date. You want to know how they spend their money, loaned or otherwise? Visit Mabibo hostel or any other dormitories of these potential future servants of the public.TV antennae growing like a forest of potted plants on windows for all to see. A cacophony of sound that passes for music flavours will assail your ears, unless you are deaf to the obvious. May be they got those from hire-purchase shops? When do they seriously study, these music and vision lovers?
They want loans for every student to be raised to 100 per cent. Give us 100 per cent loans or else what? Crucify the loan givers? Why not apply at banks for your loans? This is what happens in Europe and North America. Students apply for loans for studies at the local bank. That way, they know they must work hard to pass all examinations in order to pass with flying colours so that they will land good jobs after graduation. You can bet the western students do not necessarily spend their loan funds to buy stereos and TVs for their student rooms.
Our students have made a flying start with striking frequency. We know they will in theory repay the loans at some future date. But who will pay the costs of their present day strikes? The costly disruption of studies for those intent on serious learning; when will local and foreign students on and off-campus study for their degrees? What about the thousands of Chang'ombe, Mlimani, Muhimbili, Ardhi lecturers, cleaners, administrators, repairmen, cook, secretaries and other workers who will be paid while Universities are closed? There will be bills accumulating, for electricity, water and other services that the universities had budgeted for, to cover periods when classes are in session.
Should the universities and colleges take bank loans to cover budget deficits caused by disruption of classes? There will be return fares in thousands of shillings from sweating parents and guardians who can not afford the additional unbudgeted costs. Should parents sink further into debt because their boys and girls behave like we owe them extreme favours? It would seem like since the new semester started, the young women and men are in combative mode, striking to keep the iron hot.
They raise legitimate issues regarding how student loans are administered. For example, that there may be students from well-to-do families getting loans equal to 80 per cent of costs while some from poor families only qualify for 60 per cent. They should present the evidence for such an allegation to the public. Let the public judge and law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute. Accusations are not sufficient justification to cause open and hidden loses to public resources through strikes.
It may be time for Universities and colleges to strike back. Uproot the bad apples before it is too late. The nation cannot afford the costly strikes nor can it afford the culture of settling legitimate concerns through illegitimate means that seems to be taking root. We sent those youngsters to study. We do not need them back home so soon. They must do their part. They must remember sacrifices which others have made to get them where they are. They should pay back in kindness.
Some of us need extra help with our sense of imagination. For some people, you have to draw and label the lines and shades in a picture. So let me paint my picture with a thousand words.The pictures of students and teachers on TV screens and on newspaper pages in the past few weeks have been colourful to say the least. Students dragging others from buses or classrooms to force them to join the strikes amounts to violence.
So does the action of striking teachers throwing chairs at their leaders in a meeting hall. He called off the strike on finding out their actions were deemed unlawful by a court of the land. Should union leaders defy court orders?Since that court ruling, teachers have been going to school but doing zero teaching in class. That amounts to theft of the future of young minds. Theft similar but of a different magnitude to that of economic saboteurs.
Are they being paid salaries at the end of each month to silently 'teach' from their offices? No visible action has been taken by authorities despite evidence that indicates the slow strikes have crippled teaching all over the country this year. Who will pay for the learning denied to primary and secondary students in public schools?
Pretty soon the long arm of the law will catch up with teachers and students who break the law. Maybe forces of the crown will be forced to use forceful means to quell the epidemic of strikes that have bedevilled Bongoland in the past year or so. When force becomes first aid, we can join the ranks of Kenya and Zimbabwe where law enforcers are not so restrained and results of their handiwork end up in hospitals and beyond.
Our police should have arrested law breakers but they chose to err on the side of caution. So far so good.Before long the calm that has characterised Tanzania since independence may become a veneer of peace, tranquil on the surface but a simmering volcano lurking underneath. We risk losing the moral high ground of peace and tranquillity, losing the enviable title of the island of calm in Africa. Just because a few rowdy students whip their colleagues into a frenzy of mass hysteria, culminating into grand assembly of offspring of lumpen proletariats and bourgeoisies, chanting and ululating, reminiscent of 'ndombolo' and 'mdundiko' dances in the wee hours of the morning.
We have seen hordes of pseudo-intellectuals on TV, who dared to call themselves 'wasomi', struggling to juggle TVs, DVD players, impressive music systems and their suitcases large and small, as they scrambled to leave campus after they were booted out. These striking students of education, science or humanities will breed rebellious future teachers. What will they teach our grandchildren when they seem bent on earning a degree not yet offered in regular universities, Bachelor of Striking and Rhetoric with honours (BSR Hons.)?
The defiant, fire-breathing future intellectuals have vowed to fight on and strike again upon being reinstated at some unknown future date. You want to know how they spend their money, loaned or otherwise? Visit Mabibo hostel or any other dormitories of these potential future servants of the public.TV antennae growing like a forest of potted plants on windows for all to see. A cacophony of sound that passes for music flavours will assail your ears, unless you are deaf to the obvious. May be they got those from hire-purchase shops? When do they seriously study, these music and vision lovers?
They want loans for every student to be raised to 100 per cent. Give us 100 per cent loans or else what? Crucify the loan givers? Why not apply at banks for your loans? This is what happens in Europe and North America. Students apply for loans for studies at the local bank. That way, they know they must work hard to pass all examinations in order to pass with flying colours so that they will land good jobs after graduation. You can bet the western students do not necessarily spend their loan funds to buy stereos and TVs for their student rooms.
Our students have made a flying start with striking frequency. We know they will in theory repay the loans at some future date. But who will pay the costs of their present day strikes? The costly disruption of studies for those intent on serious learning; when will local and foreign students on and off-campus study for their degrees? What about the thousands of Chang'ombe, Mlimani, Muhimbili, Ardhi lecturers, cleaners, administrators, repairmen, cook, secretaries and other workers who will be paid while Universities are closed? There will be bills accumulating, for electricity, water and other services that the universities had budgeted for, to cover periods when classes are in session.
Should the universities and colleges take bank loans to cover budget deficits caused by disruption of classes? There will be return fares in thousands of shillings from sweating parents and guardians who can not afford the additional unbudgeted costs. Should parents sink further into debt because their boys and girls behave like we owe them extreme favours? It would seem like since the new semester started, the young women and men are in combative mode, striking to keep the iron hot.
They raise legitimate issues regarding how student loans are administered. For example, that there may be students from well-to-do families getting loans equal to 80 per cent of costs while some from poor families only qualify for 60 per cent. They should present the evidence for such an allegation to the public. Let the public judge and law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute. Accusations are not sufficient justification to cause open and hidden loses to public resources through strikes.
It may be time for Universities and colleges to strike back. Uproot the bad apples before it is too late. The nation cannot afford the costly strikes nor can it afford the culture of settling legitimate concerns through illegitimate means that seems to be taking root. We sent those youngsters to study. We do not need them back home so soon. They must do their part. They must remember sacrifices which others have made to get them where they are. They should pay back in kindness.
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