Stories about Development from May, 2007
India: Development and West Bengal
Singur underlines why development is crucial in West Bengal. “Today, regional and sub-regional cooperation is the axis around which the wheel of economic growth is turning. The nay-sayers to new investments in West Bengal and Bangladesh should glance eastwards to see how this wheel has turned in the direction of...
Bahrain: Electricity Shortages
Bahraini blogger Mahmood Al Yousif discusses electricity shortages in Bahraini here.
Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica: Rex Nettleford & Today's Thinkers
“It was undoubtedly a pleasure to hear from one of the few great Caribbean minds–with the recent passing of Lloyd Best, their numbers are even fewer now, and needed no less than ever. Yet it occurred to me…that these minds are almost to a person of an older generation.” Attending...
China: Xiamen Demonstration Against Chemical Project
Tomorrow there will be a demonstration in Xiamen against the construction of Chemical factory campus. Although the local government has already announced the deferral of the construction plan on may 30, the rally is to stop the plan all together. Details and discussions about the rally and construction plan can...
China: Lost in “preservation”
Wang Jun comments that media attention has succeed in preserving part of “old Beijing”, however, the old part might still get lost in actual preservation plan, as it allows rebuilding and radical renovation (zh).
Africa: blogging the G8 Summit
A team of African journalists, who are working with Panos London will blog from the G8 Summit in Germany: “For nine days starting on 1 June, journalists from Ethiopia, Uganda, Mozambique and South Africa will bring you stories and perspectives from Africa on HIV/AIDS and healthcare, international aid, debt relief...
El Salvador: Preliminary Census Figures
Early returns from the first Salvadoran census since 1992 have found that there are less citizens in the country than expected. Tim Muth provides the prediction that “you can expect the ARENA government to spin this as good news — it means a greater per capita income statistic when you...
Peru: Interview with Archaeologist Guillermo Cock
C.J. Schexnayder of Kleph's blog recently sat down with famed Peruvian archaeologist Guillermo Cock, who led the effort to unearth thousands of mummies and tens of thousands of artifacts in a area of land near Lima that was destined for urban development. Among the topics discussed with Cock were the...
Kyrgyzstan: Issyk-Kul and Tourism
Asel is worried that the pursuit of short-term profit from tourism is ruining Kyrgyzstan's Issyk-kul.
One Caribbean; Many Identities…
Calypsonian Lord Nelson once sang, “all ah we is one family”. Optimists in the Caribbean may well agree with these words, but the reality is that if you were to describe Caribbean states as a family, you would have to call it a complex unit - and one in which there is much sibling rivalry. Trinidadian blogger Karel Mc Intosh discusses the intricate subject of Caribbean unity with Jamaicans Geoffrey Philp and Francis Wade and Guyanese blogger Media Critic.
Zambia: does Zambia-China relationship worry IMF?
Is IMF concerned about Zambia-China relationship?: “This warning appears to reflect IMF concern about the blossoming Zambia-China relationship, and the investment conditions established for Chinese companies entering the recently announced ‘economic zone’ around Chambishi. The site is already a source of major conflict between workers and communities and the existing...
Zimbabwe: inflation exceeds 10,000%
“The Zimbabwe opposition Movement for Democratic Change’s economics spokesperson, Eddie Cross, says that judging from his own bakery business in Bulawayo the country’s inflation rate now exceeds 10 000%. In his regular newsletter on Wednesday, he said that he was told by a supplier that flour for his bakery would...
China: The importance of media dissent to “old Beijing”
Chris O'Brien from Beijing Newspeak blogs about the importance of media dissent to the redevelopment process of “old Beijing” by comparing the news reports of Dongsi Ba Tiao and Qianmen projects: media pressure has at least secured residents a better deal in terms of compensation.
Sierra Leone: State Led Prostitution, Diamond Tales, And More
After three years of peace following eleven years of civil war, Sierra Leone is engaged in concerted efforts to attract investors. The efforts, which are led by the the government of Sierra Leone and the the Department of International Development in the UK, involve a campaign, Sierra Leone: Back in Business. Sierra Leone, like many other African countries, is guilty of "state led prostitution" in its attempts to bring investors back into the country, argues Sweet Sierra Leone.
Philippines: Globalization Woes
Manilarat, a supporter of globalization, is having doubts about the benefits of globalization after reading about Mexico's auto industry.
Moldova: Chisinau, Countryside and Elections
Live in Moldova posts pictures from the countryside; Public Policy Watch writes about Chisinau City of her dreams and the local elections.
Zambia: corruption wars
Cho discusses corruption wars in Zambia: “I have watched with some amazement at the recent flurry of discussions on corruption following the London judgement on our ex President FTJ. The issue has been much debated on every Zambian blog, forum and newspaper. As always these discussions have been led from...
South Korea: Creative Leadership
Former Seoul Mayor Lee Myung-bak of the main opposition Grand National Party (GNP) formally announced his presidential candidacy yesterday. Matt from Gust of Popular Feeling wrote some background about Lee's creative leadership: “creative leadership” mostly means “throw money at construction companies.”
China: Rural Migrant Children
Zuo Ai Chung quotes figure from Federation of Women association research that 5-10% of the rural migrant population in the urban area are children (around 750-2,000 millions) who follow their parent to work in towns and cities [zh].
China: Land Requisition in Hubei
Xueyong posts a protest letter against a forced land requisition in Hubei. The requisited area is 616.42 hectares, affecting 3,032 people. However, the compensation is just one eighth of the national requirement. (zh)
Dubai: New Zoo
Dubai-based blogger Seabee is not holding his breath for a new zoo. “According to a report in Gulf News, we'll soon will be rid of Dubai's disgrace of a zoo. Dubai Municipality says work on the new one at Dubailand will start in as little as two months and it...
