Two news reports caught my eye today. The first was about couples engaged in indecent behaviour who were produced in court. The other was on the removal of indecent hoardings.
Decency, it seems, is being enforced, although by who is not immediately clear.
Under what section of the penal code were the couples engaged in indecent behaviour charged? What laws govern what is displayed on public hoardings?
The news reports do not make clear, nor is it certain as to who ordered the crackdown - in both cases the police have acted but under whose instructions?
The matters themselves seem trivial and the action even laudable but an important principle: the rule of law; may have been compromised.
In societies ruled by laws, as distinct from societies ruled by men, due process is critical. Arbitrary or selective application of the law is to be abhorred. Vague or ambiguous laws whose interpretation lies within the hands of officials are to be avoided at all costs. This is to ensure that the system is clear to all and it is this clarity that gives confidence in the system.
Rather like Humpty Dumpty, once the system breaks down, all the Kings horses and all the Kings men will not be able to put it together again. As little drops of rain gather to make the mighty ocean, so every little step taken on that barren path will lead a little closer towards darkness.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
The importance of engagement and wedding rings
This year seems a bit of a bad one, my friends are falling like nine-pins. Two wedding and one engagement within the space of 45 days.
These friends, like me, wear no jewellery, except for a watch or cuff links. Therefore the business of wearing an engagement or wedding ring is a new and uncomfortable experience. I, like my friends, always thought that the ring was worn for the wedding or engagement ceremony and thereafter only on special occasions, like someone else's wedding or perhaps a grand party.
Apparently this is not the view of the fairer sex, who seem to insist on the rings being worn constantly. My father never wears his ring in normal daily life and I can't seem to think of anyone else who does either. Women wear jewellery anyway so its perfectly normal for them to wear a ring but is it expected that men should wear their rings as well?
If so, is this a new fashion or something that has been going on for a long time?
These friends, like me, wear no jewellery, except for a watch or cuff links. Therefore the business of wearing an engagement or wedding ring is a new and uncomfortable experience. I, like my friends, always thought that the ring was worn for the wedding or engagement ceremony and thereafter only on special occasions, like someone else's wedding or perhaps a grand party.
Apparently this is not the view of the fairer sex, who seem to insist on the rings being worn constantly. My father never wears his ring in normal daily life and I can't seem to think of anyone else who does either. Women wear jewellery anyway so its perfectly normal for them to wear a ring but is it expected that men should wear their rings as well?
If so, is this a new fashion or something that has been going on for a long time?
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Backbone
To have a backbone is a popular, if slightly awkward, expression these days. I personally tend to find the term spineless a better way to describe a person with no backbone, but this is mere sementics.
All politicians and bureaucrats are expected have a backbone and a good display of the said bone is on view in the refusal of Akon's visa.
Akon hails from Senegal, in West Africa and as the election in Sri Lanka draws nearer another, worthy example of backbone is to be found on the other side of the African continent, in Sudan.
Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir threatened on Monday to expel international election monitors after they said that April's vote may have to be delayed.
"We brought these organisations from outside to monitor the elections, but if they ask for them to be delayed, we will throw them out," Bashir said in comments broadcast on State television.
"We wanted them to see the free and fair elections, but if they interfere in our affairs, we will cut their fingers off, put them under our shoes, and throw them out," Bashir added.
Truly inspiring leadership. Story taken from here.
All politicians and bureaucrats are expected have a backbone and a good display of the said bone is on view in the refusal of Akon's visa.
Akon hails from Senegal, in West Africa and as the election in Sri Lanka draws nearer another, worthy example of backbone is to be found on the other side of the African continent, in Sudan.
Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir threatened on Monday to expel international election monitors after they said that April's vote may have to be delayed.
"We brought these organisations from outside to monitor the elections, but if they ask for them to be delayed, we will throw them out," Bashir said in comments broadcast on State television.
"We wanted them to see the free and fair elections, but if they interfere in our affairs, we will cut their fingers off, put them under our shoes, and throw them out," Bashir added.
Truly inspiring leadership. Story taken from here.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Me and my laptop
I've finally chucked out the old clunker that I was using and have replaced it with a spanking new laptop, complete with inbuilt camera and all sorts of other extras.
The only thing is, I don't like the laptop mouse so I use a normal mouse plugged into the laptop.
The laptop keyboard is even worse than the mouse (how on earth can anyone work without the numeric keypad?) and teh keys are far too fiddly anyway, so I've plugged in my normal keyboard into the laptop.
Oh, yes, I'm not too happy with the screen size so I've connected my flat screen monitor to the laptop.
I'm pretty happy with the performance in general, apart from all the little caveats above. The laptop even came with a nice new case that I've stored away on a shelf. I hope it does'nt catch too much dust because I don't use the case. I don't actually carry the laptop around much and I never take it home. After all a proper work -life balance is essential, right? And how can I possibly get this if I take work home.
Oh, the wonders of modern technology, makes life really simple does'nt it? Does anyone remeber the clunky old fixed PC's that we had to use in the old days?
The only thing is, I don't like the laptop mouse so I use a normal mouse plugged into the laptop.
The laptop keyboard is even worse than the mouse (how on earth can anyone work without the numeric keypad?) and teh keys are far too fiddly anyway, so I've plugged in my normal keyboard into the laptop.
Oh, yes, I'm not too happy with the screen size so I've connected my flat screen monitor to the laptop.
I'm pretty happy with the performance in general, apart from all the little caveats above. The laptop even came with a nice new case that I've stored away on a shelf. I hope it does'nt catch too much dust because I don't use the case. I don't actually carry the laptop around much and I never take it home. After all a proper work -life balance is essential, right? And how can I possibly get this if I take work home.
Oh, the wonders of modern technology, makes life really simple does'nt it? Does anyone remeber the clunky old fixed PC's that we had to use in the old days?
Friday, March 05, 2010
An Inspired Swan Lake
Just returned from the opening night's performance, and what a show it was.
The lighting, the costumes, the movement especially by the crippled dancers, was amazing.
Don't miss it, its on two more nights, Saturday 6th March and Sunday 7th March, 7.30pm at the Lionel Wendt.
Facebook Page, but be warned, the still photographs don't do the show any justice.
The lighting, the costumes, the movement especially by the crippled dancers, was amazing.
Don't miss it, its on two more nights, Saturday 6th March and Sunday 7th March, 7.30pm at the Lionel Wendt.
Facebook Page, but be warned, the still photographs don't do the show any justice.
Wednesday, February 03, 2010
Discrimination against Non-Western laws
Today's Daily News has published a very interesting article on its op-ed page. The article, titled 'Discrimination against Non-Western laws' is taken from Pravda and deals with something that has become a hot topic in Sri Lanka these days.
The article opens with Google's complaints of censorship in China and the prosecution a woman for having illicit sex in Dubai.
According to the article, "This widespread Western neo-colonial discrimination has its inhumane consequence for the world" and provides much food for thought.
The Daily News is serialising the piece but readers impatient to wait for the next installment can access it in full on the Pravda website.
The article opens with Google's complaints of censorship in China and the prosecution a woman for having illicit sex in Dubai.
According to the article, "This widespread Western neo-colonial discrimination has its inhumane consequence for the world" and provides much food for thought.
The Daily News is serialising the piece but readers impatient to wait for the next installment can access it in full on the Pravda website.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
A case for Freud
Sigmund Freud is rather discredited these days. As my brother put it, much of it was pseudo science and the little science was contributed by others.
Still, he made a lasting impact on society and we must summon his ghost to solve a mystery that plagues the country.
A problem of prominent public figures attacking themselves, sometimes even murdering themselves. It takes schizophrenia to a whole new level. The latest to fall victim was identified by Wimal W.
Hysteria and the so called split personality may be the cause, to the extent that some are split right down the middle.
Still, he made a lasting impact on society and we must summon his ghost to solve a mystery that plagues the country.
A problem of prominent public figures attacking themselves, sometimes even murdering themselves. It takes schizophrenia to a whole new level. The latest to fall victim was identified by Wimal W.
Hysteria and the so called split personality may be the cause, to the extent that some are split right down the middle.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Land reform
This is just a question that has been bothering me for a while.
Did the land reform policies of the 1960's and 1970's assist in uplifting the standard of living of rural farmers?
As far as the key agricultural sector-tea was concerned, it was an unmitigated disaster with the net result of overall output dropping and the creation of a powerful new competitor - Kenya. Planters who were driven out of Ceylon played a pivotal role in building Kenya's tea industry.
Quite apart from this, it also sent a very poor message to investors, but this is by the way.
How did rural farmers benefit?, assuming that is, that they were the intended beneficiary.
Does anyone have a view?
Did the land reform policies of the 1960's and 1970's assist in uplifting the standard of living of rural farmers?
As far as the key agricultural sector-tea was concerned, it was an unmitigated disaster with the net result of overall output dropping and the creation of a powerful new competitor - Kenya. Planters who were driven out of Ceylon played a pivotal role in building Kenya's tea industry.
Quite apart from this, it also sent a very poor message to investors, but this is by the way.
How did rural farmers benefit?, assuming that is, that they were the intended beneficiary.
Does anyone have a view?
Insurance fraud
I just realised that I have forgotten to pay my life insurance. I was going through some old files on the computer when I found a spreadsheet where I had noted a previous payment and realised that it was probably overdue.
I bought this policy long years ago in my careless youth. It combined medical (including hospital charges), life and had a lump sum payment at the end. The policy was that you pay for 15 years, enjoy the full benefits of the policy for 15 years, collect a lump sum at the end of the 15 years and then enjoy a free life cover (no medical) for a further 10 years.
They sold it rather well, you need to get it when you are very young, otherwise the premium keeps increasing, once you get married you need to consider your dependents, should something happen to you, you get a lump sum at the end in any case (guaranteed!) so its really a saving plus its tax deductible too.
I bought into the story and bought the biggest policy I could afford.
After the first year, the insurance salesman was back, telling me that I needed to enhance the policy-the costs of hospitalisation had gone up, my lifestyle would surely have improved therefore I would need more money at the end of the period etc etc. This time I resisted and although I paid the premium, left the policy as it was.
The following year it was the same story all over again, more enhancements or perhaps, another new policy? I resisted again but paid the premium on the existing policy.
They tried to fish once more I believe. I think they also reminded me to pay for a couple of years after that. After that they gave up on me. No further attempts to sell me anything else and no further reminders to pay.
The last few years it has been a case of almost forgetting to pay and by some accident remembering and ringing them up, getting the details and paying.
I was cursing them again yesterday, why cant they remind people to pay up, surely its to their advantage to collect? Then I realised that its not.
You see, if you fail to pay, the policy lapses. They have guaranteed a minimum payout at the end of the 15 years (and they promised even more). Further, the longer the policy runs, the greater the likelihood that I'll fall sick some day and claim on the medical.
Therefore, the best thing the insurer can do is collect a few years of premium and then hope the policyholder forgets and quietly allow the policy to lapse.
They basically pocket the premium paid and as the policy lapses they have no liability to pay.
Therefore you have something that smells a whole lot like an advance fee fraud. Promise to deliver and collect a few small upfront payments to cover costs, the basic principle on which the good old Nigerian scam works.
They also get the salesman to collect the names of at least a couple of your friends when they sell the policy and each time they come back to sell you enhancements so they use you as a springboard for further sales.
This from subsidiary of a foreign insurer, contrast this with the behaviour of the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation (ok I was young and a sucker for all things insurance). I had a couple of much smaller life polices with SLIC, I decided I could'nt afford to maintain all these insurance policies and did not pay the premia. For a few years (about three I think) after I last paid, they kept sending reminders.
Therefore my friends, remember the old maxim caveat emptor and that everything you hear about insurance salesmen is true, just extend it to the companies as well.
I bought this policy long years ago in my careless youth. It combined medical (including hospital charges), life and had a lump sum payment at the end. The policy was that you pay for 15 years, enjoy the full benefits of the policy for 15 years, collect a lump sum at the end of the 15 years and then enjoy a free life cover (no medical) for a further 10 years.
They sold it rather well, you need to get it when you are very young, otherwise the premium keeps increasing, once you get married you need to consider your dependents, should something happen to you, you get a lump sum at the end in any case (guaranteed!) so its really a saving plus its tax deductible too.
I bought into the story and bought the biggest policy I could afford.
After the first year, the insurance salesman was back, telling me that I needed to enhance the policy-the costs of hospitalisation had gone up, my lifestyle would surely have improved therefore I would need more money at the end of the period etc etc. This time I resisted and although I paid the premium, left the policy as it was.
The following year it was the same story all over again, more enhancements or perhaps, another new policy? I resisted again but paid the premium on the existing policy.
They tried to fish once more I believe. I think they also reminded me to pay for a couple of years after that. After that they gave up on me. No further attempts to sell me anything else and no further reminders to pay.
The last few years it has been a case of almost forgetting to pay and by some accident remembering and ringing them up, getting the details and paying.
I was cursing them again yesterday, why cant they remind people to pay up, surely its to their advantage to collect? Then I realised that its not.
You see, if you fail to pay, the policy lapses. They have guaranteed a minimum payout at the end of the 15 years (and they promised even more). Further, the longer the policy runs, the greater the likelihood that I'll fall sick some day and claim on the medical.
Therefore, the best thing the insurer can do is collect a few years of premium and then hope the policyholder forgets and quietly allow the policy to lapse.
They basically pocket the premium paid and as the policy lapses they have no liability to pay.
Therefore you have something that smells a whole lot like an advance fee fraud. Promise to deliver and collect a few small upfront payments to cover costs, the basic principle on which the good old Nigerian scam works.
They also get the salesman to collect the names of at least a couple of your friends when they sell the policy and each time they come back to sell you enhancements so they use you as a springboard for further sales.
This from subsidiary of a foreign insurer, contrast this with the behaviour of the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation (ok I was young and a sucker for all things insurance). I had a couple of much smaller life polices with SLIC, I decided I could'nt afford to maintain all these insurance policies and did not pay the premia. For a few years (about three I think) after I last paid, they kept sending reminders.
Therefore my friends, remember the old maxim caveat emptor and that everything you hear about insurance salesmen is true, just extend it to the companies as well.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Outdoing Bawa
Geoffrey Bawa was undoubtedly a genius and it is only to be expected that he will have many followers. Unfortunately it seems to me that some of his ideas are becoming rather overused.
I have just seen some pictures of the former Villa Mohotti and they have left me rather uneasy. The Villa had been redone and it was perfect, needing nothing more than a little maintenance. I believe it was a ruin that was restored by Bawa himself.
However the new owners have gone and added new buildings and crammed the place with furniture, leaving it looking rather overcrowded.
None of the buildings can be described as ugly but I think it is important to retain a certain amount of empty space-both within and without a building.
The same mistake is evident in the other property recently renovated by the same owners - Tintagel on Rosmead Place. The building looks very nice from the outside, but step inside and one finds the place chock-a-block with ultra modern furniture that simply does not go with the main building. Step outside into the terrace (it used to be a lawn) and one meets another concrete jungle of paving stones and concrete tables under umbrellas with scarcely any space to move.
I have once visited Tintagel in its previous state and rather liked the lawn and the blue cement floors, both of which have now gone. I think the lawn at the back was sacrificed for part of the swimming pool, which I think was unnecessary.
Fitting in the maximum number of tables in a given space might sound sensible from a business point of view but it takes away from atmosphere of the place, which is what true boutique hotels are all about.
Presumably the new owners are awaiting a huge tourism boom and have added enough capacity to make the most of it but they may have inadvertently ended up taking their properties downmarket, rather than upmarket.
I don't see myself visiting either of the places.
I have just seen some pictures of the former Villa Mohotti and they have left me rather uneasy. The Villa had been redone and it was perfect, needing nothing more than a little maintenance. I believe it was a ruin that was restored by Bawa himself.
However the new owners have gone and added new buildings and crammed the place with furniture, leaving it looking rather overcrowded.
None of the buildings can be described as ugly but I think it is important to retain a certain amount of empty space-both within and without a building.
The same mistake is evident in the other property recently renovated by the same owners - Tintagel on Rosmead Place. The building looks very nice from the outside, but step inside and one finds the place chock-a-block with ultra modern furniture that simply does not go with the main building. Step outside into the terrace (it used to be a lawn) and one meets another concrete jungle of paving stones and concrete tables under umbrellas with scarcely any space to move.
I have once visited Tintagel in its previous state and rather liked the lawn and the blue cement floors, both of which have now gone. I think the lawn at the back was sacrificed for part of the swimming pool, which I think was unnecessary.
Fitting in the maximum number of tables in a given space might sound sensible from a business point of view but it takes away from atmosphere of the place, which is what true boutique hotels are all about.
Presumably the new owners are awaiting a huge tourism boom and have added enough capacity to make the most of it but they may have inadvertently ended up taking their properties downmarket, rather than upmarket.
I don't see myself visiting either of the places.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Questions, questions.
The Christmas season has been surprisingly busy and despite my having done very little real work, find myself quite run down. The season had been a series of large noisy gatherings with very little meaningful conversation until I met a friend for dinner yesterday. We were discussing a few questions and I thought I would share these.
1. For those familiar with Maslow's hierarchy of needs, where does sex fit in? I thought it would not be static but vary with age. My friend suggested its relative position would be in inverse proportion to the likelihood of it occurring.
2. Women and grooming. What is it that really drives a woman to look after their general appearance (dress, accessories, makeup etc). We were rather distressed by the way in which some very good looking women were ruining there appearance by overly heavy makeup.
I thought it was driven by insecurity, which would increase with age .I knew of a classic case of a really good looking woman in her mid 30's making a hideous mess of her face. My friend, on the other hand, knew someone who made the same mistake as a young university undergraduate and he put a different perspective on it.
He suggested that women groom themselves not to impress men but to impress other women. Thus it is not a case of the peacock displaying a beautiful tail to impress the opposite sex but rather a case of establishing a position within the social hierarchy of a tribe.
I do know that men who work out are always checking out the physiques of other men in a gym and there is always a subtle level of competition that goes on with the amount of weight being lifted.
3. Why is it that a few television serials tend to be evergreen, endlessly reinventing themselves while others fade out after a few programmes? The classic is Dr Who which is still seemingly evergreen after many decades and after a succession of doctors.
1. For those familiar with Maslow's hierarchy of needs, where does sex fit in? I thought it would not be static but vary with age. My friend suggested its relative position would be in inverse proportion to the likelihood of it occurring.
2. Women and grooming. What is it that really drives a woman to look after their general appearance (dress, accessories, makeup etc). We were rather distressed by the way in which some very good looking women were ruining there appearance by overly heavy makeup.
I thought it was driven by insecurity, which would increase with age .I knew of a classic case of a really good looking woman in her mid 30's making a hideous mess of her face. My friend, on the other hand, knew someone who made the same mistake as a young university undergraduate and he put a different perspective on it.
He suggested that women groom themselves not to impress men but to impress other women. Thus it is not a case of the peacock displaying a beautiful tail to impress the opposite sex but rather a case of establishing a position within the social hierarchy of a tribe.
I do know that men who work out are always checking out the physiques of other men in a gym and there is always a subtle level of competition that goes on with the amount of weight being lifted.
3. Why is it that a few television serials tend to be evergreen, endlessly reinventing themselves while others fade out after a few programmes? The classic is Dr Who which is still seemingly evergreen after many decades and after a succession of doctors.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Ordering books
Thanks to the internet people need not confine themselves to the selection of books available at the local shops. True, there is the added cost of shipping plus the possibility of theft but quite a few people do order books online.
There is however, a new hazard. Big Brother is Watching.
A friend of mine related an incident that happened last week to someone he knew rather well. This chap had ordered some books, perfectly harmless books, a Terry Pratchett children's book, another on diet and a few others. The books arrived and he went over to the post office to collect them.
The people at the post office opened all the parcels and started reading through the books. When asked why, they replied that they were looking to see if there was any anti-government material being brought in.
He was so taken aback that he did not have the presence of mind to inquire as to the penalty for such a crime, which would presumably, be suitably hideous.
There is however, a new hazard. Big Brother is Watching.
A friend of mine related an incident that happened last week to someone he knew rather well. This chap had ordered some books, perfectly harmless books, a Terry Pratchett children's book, another on diet and a few others. The books arrived and he went over to the post office to collect them.
The people at the post office opened all the parcels and started reading through the books. When asked why, they replied that they were looking to see if there was any anti-government material being brought in.
He was so taken aback that he did not have the presence of mind to inquire as to the penalty for such a crime, which would presumably, be suitably hideous.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Sunday musing
Woke up this morning almost shivering with cold. Spent a good part of the morning sneezing and sniffling, not something that would bother me much normally, but given the exotic types of influenza going around, dosed myself with piriton to stop the sneezing. It eased the problem but did not stop it. Took another late in the afternoon and followed it up with two panadols for good measure, but it seems to have helped only a little, which means something slightly more serious is creeping around my system.
So, falling back on an old remedy - eat like a pig to give the body the energy to fight back. No chocolate is available but there is a blancmange, which I'm eating as type, in between the odd sneeze or sniffle. My overall mood is thus, slightly grumpy, which may explain what follows.
Returned from the SOSL Christmas concert slightly disappointed despite a good performance by the orchestra. The issue was in the programme, not the performance. The second half of the concert was supposed to be Christmas Carols, some with audience participation. The carols that were played were all in jazz arrangements which I found unappealing.
The Grammy Award winning re-arrangement of the Handel's Hallelujah chorus was particularly distasteful. The programme note claims it to be a "gospel style reinterpretation", to me it was strongly reminiscent of the saccharine stuff that passes for music in the modern evangelical movement. Fortunately, Handel, being dead for 250 years, was in no position to object.
Shall take another does of panadols and piriton in another half hour and hope for the best, good night all and have a good week.
So, falling back on an old remedy - eat like a pig to give the body the energy to fight back. No chocolate is available but there is a blancmange, which I'm eating as type, in between the odd sneeze or sniffle. My overall mood is thus, slightly grumpy, which may explain what follows.
Returned from the SOSL Christmas concert slightly disappointed despite a good performance by the orchestra. The issue was in the programme, not the performance. The second half of the concert was supposed to be Christmas Carols, some with audience participation. The carols that were played were all in jazz arrangements which I found unappealing.
The Grammy Award winning re-arrangement of the Handel's Hallelujah chorus was particularly distasteful. The programme note claims it to be a "gospel style reinterpretation", to me it was strongly reminiscent of the saccharine stuff that passes for music in the modern evangelical movement. Fortunately, Handel, being dead for 250 years, was in no position to object.
Shall take another does of panadols and piriton in another half hour and hope for the best, good night all and have a good week.
Sunday, December 06, 2009
Chinese aid not working?
I have been wondering why the many infrastructure projects have seemingly had so little impact on the lives of the population. Despite all the money being spent incomes and employment don't seem to have improved.
I assumed that since most of the projects were outstation the impact must have been felt in the regions. A report in today's Sunday Times offers another explanation - that there is in fact very little impact.
The problem is that most of the material and labour are imported from China. Typically infrastructure projects generate a lot of employment and use some local resources such as transport, even if the bulk of the material is imported. According to the Sunday Times even the labour is imported.
I was discussing this with another friend of mine who worked for many years in Botswana. He had seen similar things in Africa, with Chinese projects running almost entirely on imported labour, down to the cooks and cleaners. Difficulties in communicating with local labour is one reason why Chinese contractors use their own labour but it is also apparently a method by which the Chinese government creates employment for their people.
This means that all the recipient country is left with is the physical infrastructure (roads, ports or whatever else was built). Infrastructure is necessary and will deliver benefits provided it is properly planned. Bridges to nowhere, most notoriously built in Japan, and gold plated infrastructure of the type seen in Nigeria will bring little or no benefit to the population. They are however enormously profitable to the contractors and the people involved arranging the deal.
Had the projects been done on concessionary terms, the benefits would be much greater (in terms of costs against benefits) but it appears that the projects are being done on commercial terms and at many times the actual cost due to various fingers being stuck in the pie.
The criticism being leveled at 'Western NGO's' and the development agencies is that there is too little local component in the projects being offered. In the case of Chinese aid the situation appears to be even worse, especially given that the donor agencies offer loans at lower interest terms while much of the Government financed or Chinese financed infrastructure is on commercial terms.
Why not simply use the development agencies or the NGO's to finance projects instead? The problem is that these projects come with a lot of strings - read oversight, which makes it a bit more difficult to cream something off. Commercial borrowings are free of strings, but they must be repaid at commercial rates, by taxpayers.
I assumed that since most of the projects were outstation the impact must have been felt in the regions. A report in today's Sunday Times offers another explanation - that there is in fact very little impact.
The problem is that most of the material and labour are imported from China. Typically infrastructure projects generate a lot of employment and use some local resources such as transport, even if the bulk of the material is imported. According to the Sunday Times even the labour is imported.
I was discussing this with another friend of mine who worked for many years in Botswana. He had seen similar things in Africa, with Chinese projects running almost entirely on imported labour, down to the cooks and cleaners. Difficulties in communicating with local labour is one reason why Chinese contractors use their own labour but it is also apparently a method by which the Chinese government creates employment for their people.
This means that all the recipient country is left with is the physical infrastructure (roads, ports or whatever else was built). Infrastructure is necessary and will deliver benefits provided it is properly planned. Bridges to nowhere, most notoriously built in Japan, and gold plated infrastructure of the type seen in Nigeria will bring little or no benefit to the population. They are however enormously profitable to the contractors and the people involved arranging the deal.
Had the projects been done on concessionary terms, the benefits would be much greater (in terms of costs against benefits) but it appears that the projects are being done on commercial terms and at many times the actual cost due to various fingers being stuck in the pie.
The criticism being leveled at 'Western NGO's' and the development agencies is that there is too little local component in the projects being offered. In the case of Chinese aid the situation appears to be even worse, especially given that the donor agencies offer loans at lower interest terms while much of the Government financed or Chinese financed infrastructure is on commercial terms.
Why not simply use the development agencies or the NGO's to finance projects instead? The problem is that these projects come with a lot of strings - read oversight, which makes it a bit more difficult to cream something off. Commercial borrowings are free of strings, but they must be repaid at commercial rates, by taxpayers.
Friday, December 04, 2009
NGO's responsible for high rate of accidents
This news item brought a smile to my face this morning.
Not only are they corrupt, ineffective and responsible for undermining the sovereignty of the country they are also causing accidents.
And here I was, blaming the speeding VIP convoys for many accidents. It is only now that we learn the truth.
I have been told that one of the causes for accidents are the lousy brakes on the Land Rovers. Land Rovers, being typical British cars, have a reputation for mechanical problems and on top of that the brakes are supposed to be pretty bad which makes for a lethal combination.
Why these vehicles are so popular is a bit of a mystery but they are reputed to be good performers-chiefly due to the light aluminium body which gives and excellent weight/power ratio. Indeed the rugged body is one of the main strengths of the vehicle.
The rest is largely due its reputation which is bolstered by the cinema. As for me, give me the Toyota Landcruiser or Nissan Patrol anyday.
Not only are they corrupt, ineffective and responsible for undermining the sovereignty of the country they are also causing accidents.
And here I was, blaming the speeding VIP convoys for many accidents. It is only now that we learn the truth.
I have been told that one of the causes for accidents are the lousy brakes on the Land Rovers. Land Rovers, being typical British cars, have a reputation for mechanical problems and on top of that the brakes are supposed to be pretty bad which makes for a lethal combination.
Why these vehicles are so popular is a bit of a mystery but they are reputed to be good performers-chiefly due to the light aluminium body which gives and excellent weight/power ratio. Indeed the rugged body is one of the main strengths of the vehicle.
The rest is largely due its reputation which is bolstered by the cinema. As for me, give me the Toyota Landcruiser or Nissan Patrol anyday.
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
Julie Andrews to sing again
Julie Andrews lost her voice in a botched operation in 1997 to remove some non malignant nodules from her vocal chords.
She will sing again in May, although we have been forewarned that her voice will only remain a shadow of its former self.
It is hard to imagine a more untimely blow of fate. To an average person losing their singing voice is to say the least a very unhappy experience. For someone who had such a gorgeous voice and reveled in what she did, it must have been catastrophic. The only other personal disaster that I can think of this magnitude is Jonah Lomu's kidney disease which reduced one of the most devastating players on the rugger field to a cripple.
The only consolation is that the accident happened to Julie Andrews towards the end of her career although Lomu was not so fortunate.
Go for it Julie, we are all with you.
Listen to the 12 year old Julie Andrews sing God Save the King here.
She will sing again in May, although we have been forewarned that her voice will only remain a shadow of its former self.
It is hard to imagine a more untimely blow of fate. To an average person losing their singing voice is to say the least a very unhappy experience. For someone who had such a gorgeous voice and reveled in what she did, it must have been catastrophic. The only other personal disaster that I can think of this magnitude is Jonah Lomu's kidney disease which reduced one of the most devastating players on the rugger field to a cripple.
The only consolation is that the accident happened to Julie Andrews towards the end of her career although Lomu was not so fortunate.
Go for it Julie, we are all with you.
Listen to the 12 year old Julie Andrews sing God Save the King here.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Ladies and Gentlemen
There is a saying that it takes eight generations to breed a gentleman. Money can be be found in one but manners take another seven.
To be sure this is slightly elitist, very few families, even those that are perfectly well-mannered, can trace their history that far back, but the crucial fact: that new money generally goes with poor conduct is well borne out by experience.
However there are many people who appear to be reasonably agreeable and inoffensive until one meets them in a traffic accident or marries them, at which point they turn out to be utter cads, so some means of identifying such specimens at a distance would be useful.
I am a poor driver and have had many minor accidents in the past. In order to avoid the hassle I've generally tried to settle the matter without going through the insurance companies. The end result is that I get cheated. Times without number I have paid up without question or complaint, usually many times over what the actual repair would have cost. I find it so disagreeable to deal with such people that I prefer to pay up and finish it rather than negotiate, especially when it is fairly apparent that they are out to take you to the cleaners.
The situation seems worse when the car the other person is driving has already got a number of dents or scrapes. (I would expect the opposite- if car is shiny and new I can understand them being a bit fussy). They seem to want to recover the cost of all the numerous repairs from any unfortunate who bumps into them.
So how does one really know a gentleman from a cad? Unfortunately it is only when one is involved in a dispute do the true colours show. Anyone who can conduct himself with civility, grace and dignity in a dispute carries the true hallmarks of a gentlemen.
General Robert Edward Lee is supposed to have defined a gentleman as:
"The forbearing use of power does not only form a touchstone, but the manner in which an individual enjoys certain advantages over others is a test of a true gentleman.
The power which the strong have over the weak, the employer over the employed, the educated over the unlettered, the experienced over the confiding, even the clever over the silly--the forbearing or inoffensive use of all this power or authority, or a total abstinence from it when the case admits it, will show the gentleman in a plain light
The gentleman does not needlessly and unnecessarily remind an offender of a wrong he may have committed against him. He cannot only forgive, he can forget; and he strives for that nobleness of self and mildness of character which impart sufficient strength to let the past be but the past. A true man of honor feels humbled himself when he cannot help humbling others."
In the local political sphere the treatment meted out to former friends is quite instructive.
If anyone has a short cut to assessing people let me know. In the meantime Lou Bega has this to say:
Gentleman
To be sure this is slightly elitist, very few families, even those that are perfectly well-mannered, can trace their history that far back, but the crucial fact: that new money generally goes with poor conduct is well borne out by experience.
However there are many people who appear to be reasonably agreeable and inoffensive until one meets them in a traffic accident or marries them, at which point they turn out to be utter cads, so some means of identifying such specimens at a distance would be useful.
I am a poor driver and have had many minor accidents in the past. In order to avoid the hassle I've generally tried to settle the matter without going through the insurance companies. The end result is that I get cheated. Times without number I have paid up without question or complaint, usually many times over what the actual repair would have cost. I find it so disagreeable to deal with such people that I prefer to pay up and finish it rather than negotiate, especially when it is fairly apparent that they are out to take you to the cleaners.
The situation seems worse when the car the other person is driving has already got a number of dents or scrapes. (I would expect the opposite- if car is shiny and new I can understand them being a bit fussy). They seem to want to recover the cost of all the numerous repairs from any unfortunate who bumps into them.
So how does one really know a gentleman from a cad? Unfortunately it is only when one is involved in a dispute do the true colours show. Anyone who can conduct himself with civility, grace and dignity in a dispute carries the true hallmarks of a gentlemen.
General Robert Edward Lee is supposed to have defined a gentleman as:
"The forbearing use of power does not only form a touchstone, but the manner in which an individual enjoys certain advantages over others is a test of a true gentleman.
The power which the strong have over the weak, the employer over the employed, the educated over the unlettered, the experienced over the confiding, even the clever over the silly--the forbearing or inoffensive use of all this power or authority, or a total abstinence from it when the case admits it, will show the gentleman in a plain light
The gentleman does not needlessly and unnecessarily remind an offender of a wrong he may have committed against him. He cannot only forgive, he can forget; and he strives for that nobleness of self and mildness of character which impart sufficient strength to let the past be but the past. A true man of honor feels humbled himself when he cannot help humbling others."
In the local political sphere the treatment meted out to former friends is quite instructive.
If anyone has a short cut to assessing people let me know. In the meantime Lou Bega has this to say:
Gentleman
St Andrewstide
A Service of music and readings for St. Andrewstide presented by
The Chamber Choir affiliated to St. Andrew’s Scots Kirk
Conducted by Denham Pereira.
7pm Saturday 28th November,
St. Andrew’s Scots Kirk
73, Galle Road,
Colombo 03
Includes music by Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625), Adrian Batten (1591-1637), Tomás L de Victoria (1548-1611) and William Harris (1883-1973) amongst others.
On Monday 30th November (St. Andrew’s Day)
A Recital of
BRISTISH ORGAN MUSIC
Featuring works by Elgar, Stanford, Thalben Ball, and more
played by
Denham Pereira
Organist and Director of Music, St. Andrew’s
Entrance by
Programme
[Rs. 400.00]
7pm Monday 30th November,
St. Andrew’s Scots Kirk
73, Galle Road,
Colombo 03
The Chamber Choir affiliated to St. Andrew’s Scots Kirk
Conducted by Denham Pereira.
7pm Saturday 28th November,
St. Andrew’s Scots Kirk
73, Galle Road,
Colombo 03
Includes music by Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625), Adrian Batten (1591-1637), Tomás L de Victoria (1548-1611) and William Harris (1883-1973) amongst others.
On Monday 30th November (St. Andrew’s Day)
A Recital of
BRISTISH ORGAN MUSIC
Featuring works by Elgar, Stanford, Thalben Ball, and more
played by
Denham Pereira
Organist and Director of Music, St. Andrew’s
Entrance by
Programme
[Rs. 400.00]
7pm Monday 30th November,
St. Andrew’s Scots Kirk
73, Galle Road,
Colombo 03
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Rain, rain...
Rain, rain, go away,
come again, another day.
These are the lines that I remember from an old nursery rhyme and its the only thing that came to mind on damp, gloomy Saturday.
We have had three weeks, of this rain, some ten, twelve or even more hours of it every day. This sometimes happens during the monsoon but never, in my memory for such a long period of time. The monsoon rains tend to be predictable, starting at a particular time every day and finishing up at a certain time. They also tend to move a little, starting slightly later each day as the week wears on, meaning that daytime rain eventually turns to night-time rain when it does not bother people too much.
This rain is on in the night AND in the daytime, with only shortish breaks inbetween, leaving everything damp, cold and gloomy. It does not seem to bother people who have lived overseas, the cold and the wet may even be welcome, yet for people who have spent most of their lives in the tropics it is highly depressing.
I am beginning to wonder if we have been cursed by some god. Or perhaps is this a sign, grim warning of things to come? A reign that may never end?
ps. I'm off to try sailing some paper boats...hmmn wonder if I can remember how to make the twin funnel steamboat?
come again, another day.
These are the lines that I remember from an old nursery rhyme and its the only thing that came to mind on damp, gloomy Saturday.
We have had three weeks, of this rain, some ten, twelve or even more hours of it every day. This sometimes happens during the monsoon but never, in my memory for such a long period of time. The monsoon rains tend to be predictable, starting at a particular time every day and finishing up at a certain time. They also tend to move a little, starting slightly later each day as the week wears on, meaning that daytime rain eventually turns to night-time rain when it does not bother people too much.
This rain is on in the night AND in the daytime, with only shortish breaks inbetween, leaving everything damp, cold and gloomy. It does not seem to bother people who have lived overseas, the cold and the wet may even be welcome, yet for people who have spent most of their lives in the tropics it is highly depressing.
I am beginning to wonder if we have been cursed by some god. Or perhaps is this a sign, grim warning of things to come? A reign that may never end?
ps. I'm off to try sailing some paper boats...hmmn wonder if I can remember how to make the twin funnel steamboat?
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Buns
Does anyone else share a passion for good buns? They are sometimes called plain buns, sometimes tea buns. Baked from a basic sweet bread dough, sometimes with a few sultana's thrown in, round and about the size of the palm of your hand. Eaten fresh, preferably straight from the oven they are super.
There is a bakery a little way from the office that does a baking at around 12.30pm-1pm - just the right time to nip across after lunch for my snack. Imagine my annoyance therefore when I walked across a while back to find they were out of stock. I checked all the shelves, peered into the back of the shop (where the ovens are) just in case there were a few lying around - but no. They offered me fish buns or Kimbula bunnis, I was not in the mood for fish and Kimbula's are too hard. I've always suspected that the Kimula's were made from left over dough, they are hard and tasteless, except for the sugar on top. Had to make do with some other miserable sugar coated bun that approximated the real thing but was not it.
This brings me to an interesting question posed by Steven Levitt in the opening chapters of Freakonomics 'Who decides or plan the quantity of bread to be baked every day in the city of London?' The answer - 'nobody' is so simple, almost to verge on the absurd. Ar'nt markets wonderful?
By the way, the very best buns are baked at the Majestic Bakery, opposite the MC, bloggers who fit the description of 'MC Dude' or 'MC Gal' or whatever else they call themselves, please stop over and try them out.
There is a bakery a little way from the office that does a baking at around 12.30pm-1pm - just the right time to nip across after lunch for my snack. Imagine my annoyance therefore when I walked across a while back to find they were out of stock. I checked all the shelves, peered into the back of the shop (where the ovens are) just in case there were a few lying around - but no. They offered me fish buns or Kimbula bunnis, I was not in the mood for fish and Kimbula's are too hard. I've always suspected that the Kimula's were made from left over dough, they are hard and tasteless, except for the sugar on top. Had to make do with some other miserable sugar coated bun that approximated the real thing but was not it.
This brings me to an interesting question posed by Steven Levitt in the opening chapters of Freakonomics 'Who decides or plan the quantity of bread to be baked every day in the city of London?' The answer - 'nobody' is so simple, almost to verge on the absurd. Ar'nt markets wonderful?
By the way, the very best buns are baked at the Majestic Bakery, opposite the MC, bloggers who fit the description of 'MC Dude' or 'MC Gal' or whatever else they call themselves, please stop over and try them out.
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