Stories about Economics & Business from July, 2011
Should Singapore Nationalize its Transport System?
The petition of Singapore’s private transport operators for a fare increase has sparked a debate on whether it's time to nationalize the country's transportation system. Bloggers react to the proposal to create a National Transport Corporation
Bangladesh: Financial Inclusion Of The Poor Via Mobile
In Bangladesh 7 out of 8 people remain out of banking service but the interesting thing is that half of those people have access to mobile phones. BRAC has a solution for financial inclusion of these people, especially the poor and the marginalized, via mobile phones.
Trinidad & Tobago: Carnival is Business
Outlish takes a look at some Carnival entrepreneurs.
Afghanistan: How aid ends up financing mansions in Dubai
Nick Fielding reviews a new Afghanistan reconstruction report, which investigates the scandal of large US currency exports from Afghanistan to private bank accounts due to ineffective aid coordination, inconsistent Afghan cooperation and insufficient cash controls.
Bermuda: Nickels & Defecit
“Every nickel of deficit translates to more debt. The costs of the PLP Government are a noose around the Bermuda economy’s neck”: Vexed Bermoothes points out what he considers to be the elephant in the room.
Africa: Start-Up Cafe Africa launched
Start-up Cafe Africa launched: “The platform seeks to offer resource support to all businesses springing from within Africa through Weekend Start-up Cafe’s, Start-up Seminars, Web and Mobile portals.”
Factory Closing in South China
Steve Dickinson from China Law Blog explains that the factory closing phenomena in South China is part of the government's plan to upgrade the manufacturing sector.
Russia: To Join WTO Or Not?
Russia's considerations whether to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) or not is addressed by Julia at The Pipeline, and by Democratist.
Armenia: Corruption
With Armenia ranking 123 out of 178 countries in a 2010 Transparency International report measuring corruption, Life in the Caucasus, a blog maintained by a Peace Corps volunteer in the country, notes that bribery take place at all levels of society and in every sphere of life.
Portugal: “Junk” National Debt Rating Provokes Online Demonstrations
The “junk” rating given to Portugal’s ability to pay its public debts by independent American financial analysis corporation Moody's, has provoked numerous demonstrations of exacerbated nationalism on the social networks. It has also brought to the blogosphere further analysis on the economic crisis and the country's bailout.
Puerto Rico: Perform & Get Paid
All jokes aside, Gil the Jenius wonders why not pay according to performance when it comes to lawmakers?
Murdoch Hails Singapore Model But Local Netizens Disagree
Media mogul Rupert Murdoch has told British members of parliament that the Singapore model of paying high salaries to politicians should be emulated to curb corruption. Here is the reaction from Singapore netizens.
Italy: Social Innovation Competition with €10,000 Prize
The EUCLID network is inviting social innovators from any country to submit entries to a competition about how to solve one of six social challenges in Naples, Italy. The winning idea will be implemented by the winners together with local partners using a €10,000 prize.
Singapore: Manager is now a taxi driver
Singapore-Lighthouse reacts to the story about a manager who became a taxi driver in Singapore and links it to the rising unemployment problem in the city state.
Singapore: Supertrees design in new project
Barry Smyth hails the Supertrees design in the Gardens by the Bay project of Singapore. Supertrees are tree-like structures with heights that range between 25 and 50 meters and they will dominate Singapore's new downtown area.
Peru: Mining Commercial Sparks Controversy
A television ad [es] by Peru's National Mining Oil and Energy Society (SNMPE [es]) which aired on July 19 during the halftime break of the Peru-Uruguay football game for the Copa América has sparked a controversy among Peruvian social media users, as Global Voices author and Spanish Translation Manager Juan...
Haiti: The Price of Work
Haiti Grassroots Watch, along with students from the Journalism Laboratory at the State University of Haiti’s Faculty of Human Sciences, investigates a “Cash for Work” program in the Ravine Pintade slum run by a US “non-profit” organization, and uncovers corruption, sexual abuse and social conflict.
Barbados: REDJet in T&T
On learning that REDJet has finally been approved to provide service out of Trinidad and Tobago, B.C. Pires says: “[It is] going to be good for everyone who thought something was wrong, somewhere, if it cost about the same to fly from Trinidad to Barbados as from Trinidad to New...
Russia: Putin Wary of WTO
Kyle Keeton of Windows to Russia argues that Russian Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, is right in his wariness towards membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO), fearing that this might hurt the country's economy.
Ukraine: Revenge of the Oligarchs
LevKo of Foreign Notes discusses the trials against Ukraine's former Prime Minister, Yulia Timoshenko, and Interior Minister, Yuri Lutsenko, portrayed by Frankfurter Allgemeine as revenge by the business oligarchs of current President Viktor Yanukovich.
Trinidad & Tobago: The Colman Comission
Tattoo is following the Sir Anthony Colman Commission of Inquiry into the Clico/HCU collapse and notices that in many ways, history is repeating itself, adding: “As the wheels of time turn, the vulnerable, no doubt, will continue to pay.”
