· February, 2007

Stories about Development from February, 2007

Belize: Ara Macao

  20 February 2007

Belizean – Only in Belize! features an interview with the man behind Ara Macao, one of the largest tourism development projects ever to be undertaken in the country. One of the questions the interviewer asks is “Is Ara Macao simply too big for Belize?”

Liberia: Liberian national police

  19 February 2007

Kevin In Liberia blogs about the rule of law and the Liberian national police, ” According to the Manager of Police Statistics, a member of the LNP himself, and a man I spoke to for twenty odd minutes in Robertsport over the New Years, Liberian National Police Officers earn $90USD/month...

Touring Libyan Blogs

  19 February 2007

Equality among sexes in Libya? Yes, because now you have to pay attention to Libyan female pickpockets! This is what Khadijateri discovered yesterday when she went into a shop to buy some clothes. But Khadijateri was lucky indeed as she realized what was happening and used common sense. “Now, I...

Lesotho: a prayer for Lesotho

  18 February 2007

Rethabile writes a prayer for Lesotho where counting of votes is underway following the general election on Saturday: “Dear Deity… now what? This country of about 2 million people, independent since 1966 from England, with a 30 to 35% rate of HIV infection, one nation with one language and one...

Syrian Blogsphere in a Week

  18 February 2007

We start off with a very special goodbye from Brian Anthony… Brian has lived, taught, and blogged from Damascus for more than two years, he returned to the US a couple of months ago… We all want to wish him the best of luck. This was his last goodbye post...

Santiago, Chile: New Transportation System

  15 February 2007

This week marked the debut of the new public transportation system, called Transantiago (ES) . The government and private companies have invested (ES) US$ 292.5 million. Changing the transportation system is a major issue, because they also had to change people's habits. No more coins, no more waiting times. No...

Kenya: solar concentrator

  15 February 2007

Afromusing blogs about solar concentrator (Sun Flower), “This is one product I am looking forward to testing it in Kenya once it becomes available, mainly because it is cost effective, and suitable for those wishing to still be tied to the electricity grid, but supplement their energy needs or even...

Tanzania: blogging as a form of leadership

  15 February 2007

Jaduong Metty considers blogging a form of leadership: I like to call my blogging a “thought leadership”. I have said this once: I could be the best thinker but the worst leader, for various reasons. I like the idea of being a thought leader and I will stick with it...

Russia: Kaliningrad Restoration

  14 February 2007

Copydude continues to write about the attempts to rebuild Kaliningrad: “Kaliningrad is a complete paradox. After the war, while German prisoners of war were rebuilding whole Russian town centres like Novgorod completely in the elegant German style, Russians were busy reprocessing Konigsberg into the poured concrete, Soviet mould.”

India: Kiva, money and lending

  14 February 2007

Kiran writes on his experience with loaning money at Kiva. “Row after row of picture, description and loan status. Who do I loan to? How do I tell who is more deserving? I might as well have rolled dice and picked the corresponding row. I can’t imagine what Kiva could...

India: A rather dismal Delhi

  14 February 2007

In Small Pieces on the dismal state of affairs in Delhi. “The same day, the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) razes a Mughal era monument in Gurgaon to acquire land for the Delhi Metro. The same day, the Delhi govt unveils Master Plan 2021, which imagines, improbably, endless skyscrapers and...

Nigeria: the heartbeat of Africa

  14 February 2007

Oluniyi Ajao blogs about his experience in Nigeria, “I’ve been in Nigeria since Sunday, so I am well-informed about what I am writing about right now. I just saw an ad on CNN, about Nigeria – the Heartbeat of Africa. I am sad to say that this is just another...

Japan: homeless

  14 February 2007

PingMag interviewed a German artist Anke Haarmann who did a documentary about Japan homeless landscape called Public Blue.

Laos: Touristy Town

  13 February 2007

The Lao Cook is disappointed that a lovely Lao town is now turning into a tourist trap. “”Theres not much to say about the food scene, hardly authentic either unless you like Pancakes, Pasta and Pizza, or reclining on low chairs sipping beer in front of T.V. Sets. When I...

Zimbabwe: the breaking point

  13 February 2007

Blogging about Zimbabwe, Ethan Zuckerman asks, “What is the breaking point?”: Gono, who is either the most incompetent central banker in the world today or the most sinister and corrupt, has responded by illegalizing inflation. Betwen March and June, anyone who raises prices for goods or services, will be subject...