Stories about Economics & Business from January, 2009
Jamaica: Local Obama?
“Jamaicans should ask for nothing but the best from those who would aspire to lead”: Abeng News Magazine‘s Trevor Dawes thinks it might be time for a Jamaican Obama.
Zambia: Gateway Liberalisation
Zambian Economist is happy about the Zambian government decision to liberalise international gateway, “Its been a long road arguing for decoupling Zamtel and full IG liberalisation. To see government signal both is quite something.”
Africa: Of Investments and Trade in Africa
Yangu discusses the future of trade and investment on the African continent. He argues that, “That Investment opportunities in Africa have expanded over the past few years is no longer a matter of conjecture but rather an issue that a lot of analysts, venture capitalists and investors at large are...
Latvia: Economy Update
An update on the economic situation in Latvia – at Edward Hugh's Latvia Economy Watch.
Latvia: Flash Mob To Support Public Radio
Free Speech Emergency in Latvia writes that “employees of Latvia's public service radio (Latvijas Radio) have called for a flash-mob to gather near the parliament (Saeima) building for five minutes on Friday, January 30 to stand in complete silence to protest the “silencing” of the national radio service through budget...
Trinidad & Tobago: New Grassroots Effort
“As tens of thousands come together in Belem, Brazil for the…World Social Forum, we send early word of a parallel volunteer, grassroots effort coming out of the Caribbean to extend the debate over globalization and the global economic crisis into new realities of social justice, equity, sustainable development, and peace...
Guyana: Going High-Tech
Guyana 360 maintains that the former First Lady is not the only one who has suffered “high-tech abuse” at the hands of the country's President.
Japan: Dual Employment System
Adamu from Mutantfrog questions if the dual employment system is an asset for Japan to deal with the economic crisis.
Fiji: Internet and BPO industry
According to The Coconut Wireless, Fiji needs to expand its internet infrastructure if it wants to attract investors in the Business Process Offshoring industry.
Is New Zealand bullying Fiji?
Kiwipolitico accuses New Zealand of being hypocritical and neo-imperialist for criticizing Fiji's military leadership yet it maintains trade and diplomatic relations with countries with “less than stellar human rights records.”
Russia: “Economic Shock Therapy”
Sean's Russia Blog cites the director of the Serbsky State Scientific Center for Social and Forensic Psychiatry, who says that “since the financial crisis requests for psychologists have grown by 10 percent and psychotherapy by 20 percent. So much so that the Center has opened a hotline for people in...
Russia: “Izbrannoe” Stops Publication; Gryzlov's Crisis Denial
Lyndon of Scraps of Moscow links to LJ user barabanch‘s report (RUS) that the online magazine Izbrannoe has stopped publication, and notes on Boris Gryzlov's denial of the economic crisis.
Poland, UK: “Reverse Migration of Poles”
As more Poles are reportedly leaving the UK, the POLSKI blog notes that “it may imply that the era of cheap Polish labour – and jokes – might be coming to an end…”
Latvia: Politics Updates
Two updates on the post-Jan. 13 politics in Latvia – at Baltic, here and here: “Whoever you speak today in this Baltic country recognizes that discontent about the present political class is simply unbearable.” All About Latvia adds: “If Latvia were a civilized country, the government would have long collapsed...
Slovakia: Sky Europe Problems
The Czech Daily Word writes about problems facing the Slovak low-cost Sky Europe airline.
The Philippine Internet Cafe Industry
Into the Digital Light writes about the challenges faced by the Philippine Internet Cafe Industry in light of the global economic crunch.
Egyptians are Going Local
Inji, an avid Egyptian blogger and young economist who is distraught by the numerous emails and SMS messages calling for boycotting products, decided to “boycott the boycott” and take it to a positive extent. Nermeen Edrees brings us the story.
Bangladesh: The Trousers Island
Maverick Tanvier's Journal comments that Bangladesh is becoming a ‘Trousers Island’: “one in every seven trousers sold in the USA is made in Bangladesh”.
India: Rural vs Urban India
India in Peril posts a comparison: “(The) economic gap between the urban-rich and the rural-poor is very wide. This may be understood by the fact that a rural-poor is available for 10-12 hours of hard work a day for Rs 2,000/- a month, while the minimum wage of a government...
Trinidad & Tobago: Big and Bad?
Following a statement from the Urban Development Company of Trinidad and Tobago‘s chief operating officer that implied that the company was answerable to no-one, Jumbie's Watch says: “When yuh big, yuh big, and when yuh bad, yuh bad. Not so?”
Trinidad & Tobago, U.S.A.: Bye Bye Bush
Notes from Port of Spain has a few parting shots…um…thoughts on former President George W. Bush.