· March, 2006

Stories about Development from March, 2006

China: trans-Asian oil pipeline

  31 March 2006

Regarding an oil pipeline planned to link Russia and China, with a branch extending through Pakistan into India, the Our Silk Road blogger suggests the old Silk Road could very well be renamed the new Oil Road. “A lucrative idea with a great deal of wheeling and dealing left to...

Trinidad & Tobago: Technology activism

  30 March 2006

“What is a technology activist?” asks Taran Rampersad. “Perception might lead people to believe that technology activism is limited to a select group, when in fact I believe it isn't,” he says. “I believe that it's a part of the natural course of technology.”

Barbados: Concorde Museum

  30 March 2006

The Barbados tourism ministry is developing a museum featuring one of the British Airways Concorde jets as a tourist attraction, reports Linda Thompkins.

Philippines: The Story of Jolo

  30 March 2006

Blogkadahan tells story of Jolo, a small town in the southwest of the Philippines which she remembers as once one of the most beautiful place in the country. Now, she says, after 30 years of neglect by the government, being torn apart by war, prejudice, and opportunistic vultures, Jolo is...

Malaysia: Chinese Taxes

  29 March 2006

Anak Merdeka reacts to an amazing statement by Malaysia's former PM Mahathir Mohamad that Malaysia's development had been funded largely by taxes paid by ethnic Chinese — and not Malay — Malaysians.

China: Farmers need to consume

  29 March 2006

Marty over at The Big Yuan offers his interpretation of Morgan Stanley's just-released analysis of China's eleventh five year plan and its global implications: “The only realistic way to ease the trade balance is to increase the flow of exports into the burgeoning Chinese consumer market. Both Dell and Wal-mart...

Trinidad & Tobago: ICTs and SMEs

  29 March 2006

Taran Rampersad posts a personal summary of a conference onn “Improving Organisational Performance in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through Information and Communication Technology” he attended recently in Trinidad. He also attaches his presentation notes in both OpenOffice and PowerPoint formats.

Bahamas: Condi's visit

  29 March 2006

Sir Arthur Foulkes is satisfied with comments made by US Secreatary of State Condolezza Rice during her brief visit to the Bahamas, and believes they “should help to correct the myopic vision of those Bahamian isolationists who believe that the Bahamas should have as little as possible to do with...

Trinidad & Tobago: No smelter

  29 March 2006

Elspeth Duncan summarises the commentary on the aluminium smelter being planned for a community in south Trinidad and the protests about it and posts some photos from Sunday's march at her Flickr page. She also posts a conceptual video she has produced to raise awareness of the issue. Attillah Springer...

Bermuda: E-commerce Obstacles

  28 March 2006

“High cost of living; small size; restrictive immigration policy; poor state education system; lack of IT professionalism and work ethic issues; reliance of IT sector on expats; prohibitive telecoms costs; shortage of accommodation; expensive airfares; “political instability” and racial tension; punitive and indiscriminate customs duties; and the Island's location in...

Cuba: Inner tube

  28 March 2006

Pac Mclaurin posts a lovely photo of a Cuban fisherman, his girlfriend, and the “pneumático” or inner tube which is his fishing vessel.

South Korea: general strike

  28 March 2006

Joshua from The Korea Liberator examines the relevant labor issues leading up to the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions’ general strike planned for next week.

Ethiopia: Permanently in debt?

  28 March 2006

Weichegud!ET comments on the waste of aid money to Ethiopia which has not alliviated poverty and the country is in the midst of yet another drought. She asks why does Ethiopia want to be a “permanent welfare mother” “International aid comes with more strings attached to it than Donald Trump’s...

Armenia: Peace Corps Impact

  27 March 2006

A post by Nessuna at Oneworld Multimedia about visiting the town of Berd with a friend who is a Peace Corps Volunteer prompts a discussion about the impact of these volunteers in Armenia's small villages and a post in response written by a former Peace Corps Volunteer in Armenia at...

Belize: An oil producer?

  27 March 2006

Melody reports that oil has been discovered in commercial quantities in Belize. Her report also quotes the measured and practical responses of government spokespersons to the discovery.

Polish Blogosphere Update

  27 March 2006

Apparently, according to Real Warsaw, Poland is single-handedly styming EU progress. Poland's recently elected populist government isn't seen as a solution since future-oriented policies appear off the table. However, according to Bernski in the comments section, the problems may be deeper than a newly elected government — shibboleths such as...

Africa: We Can't Blame Everything on the West

  26 March 2006

Le Pangolin writes (FR): “So long as we fail to entertain critiques of our destructive ways, we will always be dominated by the West. Imagine for a moment all Africans living in Europe creating investment funds; they could then purchase on [various] stock markets the very companies that determine the...

Burkina Faso: Water

  23 March 2006

Under the Acacias has a report on access to water in rural Burkina Faso..”The lack of a ready source of clean water means either a walk – usually for the women – of several miles to the next pump – which will of course then be twice as crowded.”