· December, 2006

Stories about Economics & Business from December, 2006

Haiti, US: President Bush Signs HOPE law

  25 December 2006

Of President Bush's signing of the HOPE Law (Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement Act), Collectif Haiti de Provence writes (Fr): “We find ourselves compelled to welcome with enthusiasm this law which seems to be designed to favor job creation via textile subcontracting. We would like that leaders in that...

Bloggers on the new US Congress and the US policy on Cuba

  25 December 2006

Not much has been said in the blogosphere about how the results of the recent mid-term elections in the United States, which put the Democrats in control of Congress back in November, can affect the future of current US policy regarding Cuba. The truth is that several Democratic representatives (and...

Libya:A view into the blogging scene

  25 December 2006

The Libyan blogosphere is rich and diverse, but quietly apolitical. I'm constantly surprised at how it has sprouted during the last three years. It may have less bloggers than other countries, but the fact that some people are actually blogging is a miracle per se. Libyans blog from inside Libya...

French Antilles: Retail is Principal Economic Sector

  21 December 2006

Says NewMedia (Fr), according to a recent investigation by the French government, retail is the principal economic sector in French overseas departments Guadeloupe, Martinique and Guyane: “Retail encompasses half the businesses but it is wholesale that generates the biggest revenue and highest margin rate (35%).”

Sri Lanka: Discrimination and those of the Indian Origin

  21 December 2006

Moju on workers in Sri Lanka of Indian origin being paid less than average and the troubling times for this ethnic community. “Their call on an indefinite strike to raise their daily wages to an amount of Rupees 300 from Rupees 135 per day is staged when elsewhere in the...

Bermuda: Ritz Carlton to be approved?

  21 December 2006

A “nine-storey monstrosity, in the shape of the proposed new Ritz-Carlton hotel” may soon be erected in the City of Hamilton. A Limey in Bermuda shares his thoughts on the subject in the context of Bermuda's current planning laws.

Laos: Touristy Vang Vieng

  21 December 2006

Popagandhi leaves Laos in a hurry after discovering how touristy Laotian city of Vang Vieng has become. Laos was one of the last South East Asian country to be opened to tourists. “Everybody sold the same mediocre and expensive food tailored for the Western palate. Everybody played the same music....

Malaysia: Cheating Penang Cab Drivers

  21 December 2006

Blueheeler has a post on the cheating taxi drivers in Malaysian city of Penang. “I still enjoyed Penang, but when it was time to get a taxi, it pissed me off slightly, knowing that all the bloody drivers are out to make more money from me than they should. Today,...

Africa: China-Africa trade

  21 December 2006

Africa-China relationship is increasingly becoming an important subject to bloggers in the African blogosphere as seen in the latest post on the subject by Grandiose Parlor:“More on China-Africa trade.”

Barbados: Harold Hoyte Retires

  20 December 2006

“After 31 years, Harold Hoyte is retiring from The Nation News…the largest circulation newspaper in the country is still a major influence in Barbados – but it is no longer owned and controlled by Barbados citizens.” Does that matter? Barbados Free Press thinks so.

Trinidad & Tobago: The Nutcracker

  20 December 2006

The Full Belly Project is a non-profit organization that designs and provides simple agricultural machines for people in developing countries: Taran Rampersad thinks it's “probably the best technology use” he's heard of all year.

Bangladesh: Submarine Cables and the Economy

  20 December 2006

Drishtipat on the possible impact of submarine cables on the economy. “I think IT offshore work and back-end BPO can really be that much needed strong second industry to textile that our economy is so depended on and narrowly focused on.”

Haiti: Millennium Development Goals

  19 December 2006

Haiti Justice Blog refers to an article from the New York Times, which examines the ways in which the comfort of rich, developed countries “is, to a large extent the result of unfair extraction of wealth from poor countries; but more important, that wealthy countries could eliminate the worst forms...

Lebanon: Hassan Nassrallah

  19 December 2006

The secretary general of Hezbollah S H Nassrallah and his speech that was directed to the demonstrators partaking in the sit-in protest in Beirut was the subject of many posts in the Lebanese blogs this week. And as usual, the opinions are as diverse as the political point of views...