Stories about Development from October, 2008
South Africa: The Impact of Mobile Active '08
A video podcast shot at Mobile Active Conference in South Africa: “In the first interview, David Barnard, Executive Director of the Southern African Non-Governmental Organisation Network (SANGONeT) and organizer of MobileActive08, talks about the event and how it will impact activities at SANGONet.”
Trinidad & Tobago: Building Walls
As the government of Trinidad and Tobago begins construction on a wall they say is part of a beautification project, but which many view as a tactic for hiding the squalor of a disadvantaged community, Attillah Springer says: “Build walls because, yes, this is what the nation needs. More division....
Cambodia: Hero of the Year nominee
Nuon Phymean from Cambodia is one of the nominees for the CNN Hero of the Year Award. She has helped a lot of children in Phnom Penh by providing free education and job training.
Trinidad & Tobago: The Price of Progress
Maximilian Forte, writing at Review of the Indigenous Caribbean Center, posts a video of Trinidadian calypsonian King Austin's song Progress, which he calls “a critique of the ideology and practice of progress, from the vantage points of environmental unsustainability, exploitation, inequality, and the resultant social strife.”
Kazakhstan: Blocked Bloggers Discuss Economics
Although LiveJournal, the major blog platform on the post-Soviet space, including Kazakhstan, is still not accessible through the national telecom monopolist Kazakhtelecom, Internet enthusiasts find their way to express their opinions online. The main topic – as, probably, elsewhere these days – is economics.
Dominica: State of Affairs
Caribbean Man says that “Dominica isn't a failed state…we are a stagnant state.”
Rising Voices Nominated World's Best Blog
Global Voices’ citizen media outreach project, Rising Voices has been nominated for a “Best of the Blogs Award” (B.O.B.) in the category “Best Weblog”. More than 8,500 weblogs were suggested for nomination and a jury selected the final 11 in each of 16 categories. Anyone can cast their votes online...
Tax incentives to invest Africa: chance for development or more Françafrique?
Le Pangolin [Fr] posts an excerpt from Le Journal du Dimanche on a new provision that would reduce taxes for French companies that invest in developing countries, “especially in Africa.” According to the excerpt, one logic behind the provision would be to encourage more private investment in the hopes that it...
New law gives tax incentives to French companies investing in Africa
Le Pangolin discusses a new provision offering tax incentives to French companies who invest in developing countries [Fr] in particular Africa.
Russia: Kaliningrad's Real and “Fake” Estate
Copydude writes about and posts pictures of Kaliningrad's and Svetlogorsk's real estate – and “fake estate.”
Sri Lanka: Challenges in a village
Rajaratarala at Dream into Reality discusses some real challenges one has to face to live in a remote village of Sri Lanka.
Guyana: Social Services
“Increasing access to social services is among the priorities identified by indigenous women leaders in the region as key to empowerment”: The Voice of the Taino People Online reports on the Conference on Indigenous Women in the Caribbean, being held in Guyana.
Czech Republic, Ukraine: Prague vs Kyiv
Petro's Jotter compares Kyiv to Prague.
Ukraine: Politics Versus the Economy
Ukraine's tumultuous internal politics has long stood in the way of the country's economic development - and even now, at the time of an economic crisis, there seems to be no sign of respite. Below is what some English-language bloggers have to say about the current situation.
India: Could be better
Nirmalya Nag takes a critical look at the development of India in the past sixteen years. The GDP has quadrupled, poverty has declined; but he makes a case that the pace of this positive change could have even been faster.
China: Shekou 30th anniversary
Maryannodonnell writes a brief review on China open door history and the 30th anniversary of Shekou Industrial Zone.
Cape Verde: Crisis? What crisis?
After questioning the reasons for a recent wave of prices rise in Cape Verde, bloggers were surprised last week at the news that the country is immune to the economic crisis that has devastated the world. Even petrol prices, which were on the rise three weeks ago, have now been reduced.
Blogging Rural Morocco: Peace Corps Volunteers
Morocco has an active and healthy blogosphere. Bloggers write in Arabic, French, English, Spanish, and Amazigh, covering a wide range of topics and issues. The one negative about the Moroccan "blogoma," however, is that the majority of its adherents are clustered within major cities (Casablanca, Rabat, Fez) and abroad; little is blogged about the rural areas. That's where the Peace Corps and Fulbright bloggers come in; as many are stationed in remote areas of Morocco, they are able to paint a picture of the other side of life in the country.
Jordan: The Fall and Rise of Rainbow Street
Jordanian Roba Al Assi overheard this conversation at her office – about the rise and fall of Rainbow Street.
Ukraine: Politics, Economic, Sports
The 8th Circle writes about Ukraine's three current problems: politics, economics and sports.
Bhutan: Unemployment
Whatever Matters!! has some solutions to reduce unemployment, which is a growing concern in Bhutan.