Stories about Economics & Business from February, 2009
Bermuda: Balancing the Budget
In anticipation of Bermuda's Budget Day tomorrow, Vexed Bermoothes says: “Government needs to show prudence, while stoking the rapidly eroding economy, while revealing where it’s going to get the cash.”
Aruba: Putting on the Ritz-Carlton?
The Ritz-Carlton hotel chain is apparently in Aruba to stay, causing Lost in Smallness to exclaim: “Does the government realize that this will put extra pressure on our infrastructure? Oh wait. It's an election year. This is just a campaign stunt, not necessarily something to improve the island.”
China: Fabricated Yuan Story
Dan from China Law Blog discusses about the “fabricated story” from China briefing that moved the Yuan market/
Fiji: Minimum wage increase postponed
At the beginning of February, Fiji’s workers and trade unions were preparing to receive a roughly 20 percent increase in the country’s minimum wage. Business leaders won a reprieve when Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama postponed the wage increase until July 1.
Russia: “Poverty” Photos
LJ user kunstkamera (RUS) posts photos of “poverty in Russia” – and portraits of people posing next to their most expensive possessions.
Caribbean, USA: Stanford Charged with Fraud
Fresh on the heels of the latest regional financial meltdown comes another: news that U.S. billionaire Allen Stanford has been slapped with charges for investment fraud - more than 8 billion dollars' worth. The potential fallout for West Indies cricket appears to be concerning Caribbean bloggers as much as the economic ramifications.
Trinidad & Tobago: Taking Responsibility
What really sticks in Trinidadian blogger Coffeewallah‘s craw when it comes to the CL Financial fiasco, is: “At the head of this debacle, someone who has taken no responsibility at all. Someone who is basically being left with his personal wealth intact while the taxpayer via Government intervention is bailing...
Trinidad & Tobago: Eyes Wide Shut
Although Slacker says that Trinidad and Tobago Carnival is an intrinsic part of him, he cannot, in all good conscience, participate in the national festival: “Not when the murder toll as at yesterday stood at 84…a rate of 1.75 a day; not when press freedom and freedom of expression is...
Puerto Rico: Declining Economy
Dondequiera lists ten reasons that Puerto Rico's economy will continue to decline.
Caribbean: Economic Effects
Keith in Trinidad says that “it is troubling that we seem so oblivious to the meltdown that's occurring” in Martinique and Guadeloupe, while Living Guyana cites the many examples of regional economic discord to add weight to his question of whether “Guyana's tenuous economy will be negatively affected.”
Jamaica, Spain: Considering the Environment
As the King and Queen of Spain visit Jamaica, Snailwriter is concerned about what an alliance between the two countries could mean for the environment: “‘Spanish hotels have become part of the geography of Jamaica and they are here to stay.’ And that is the tragedy. When the economic downturn...
Uzbekistan: The dollar's crazy dance
U.S. Dollar to make Uzbekistan Sum feel nervous and doubles fears to face devaluation in future, Musafirbek reports.
Kazakhstan: Grand External Debt
Askhat writes about the size of the Kazakhstan’s consolidated external debt.
Tajikistan: Water, dams, and Central Asia.
Elina Galperin says that Tajikistan has a very important resource – large reserves of fresh water – but lacks energy resources, “and this is where the conflicts begin”.
Guadeloupe: Escalating tensions lead to violence
After weeks of largely peaceful protests in the French overseas departments of Guadeloupe and Martinique, things took a violent turn on Monday, as police and demonstrators clashed in Guadeloupe's largest city, Pointe-à-Pitre. Workers are protesting skyrocketing unemployment and the rising costs of basic necessities, many of which are imported from France.
Ukraine: Notes on the Crisis
Greetings from Kyiv posts some observations about the crisis: “I see an increase of elderly people begging and wandering the streets with bags of their belongings.”
Dubai: Economic problems
Secret Dubai Diary, which is blocked in the UAE, discusses the economic crunch hitting Dubai in this post.
Qatar: Abandoned Cars on the Rise
Comments are pouring in on a post in Qatar Living by nicaq25 on 1,448 vehicles left abandoned on the streets and outskirts of Doha in January – a figure 791 per cent more than in previous months.
Jordan: Economic crunch
Thought Clouds The Digital Bender writes about aspects of the economic crunch in Jordan.
Egypt: The Amazing Pepsi Logo
SandMonkey explains why the Pepsi logo looks like a rip off of the Obama campaign logo.
Barbados: Anti-Money Laundering Authority
“I can find little evidence to suggest that AMLA is ‘fully operational’ or even that it exists”: Barbados Money Laundering Advisory has more questions than answers about the Barbados Anti-Money Laundering Authority.
