Stories about Economics & Business from January, 2012
Nigeria 2011: A Year of Small Victories and Great Challenges
2011 will go down in Nigeria's history as the year of the nation's third presidential election since independence. For the first half of the year, the blogosphere was abuzz with discussion of the election: protests, campaigns, debates, the role of technology, preparations for the polls, election day itself.
Ukraine: Blaming Instead of Renegotiating
LEvko of Foreign Notes argues that Ukraine's government has conveniently chosen to pass the blame on former Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko for the high gas prices the country has to pay, instead of trying to renegotiate prices with Russian gas company Gazprom, which allegedly was allowed by the gas contract...
Barbados: Preventing Another CLICO Scandal
“Three years after the collapse of CLICO and there is still doubt that any serious regional regulatory framework has been established to prevent a recurrence”: Barbados Underground is concerned.
Slovakia: The “Work vs Money” Dilemma
In East Slovakia, unemployed people were asked to get involved in a public flood protection project. Only four young men agreed. The rest refused, claiming that they'd be poorer if they took this job. Tibor Blazko writes about unemployment in Slovakia and translates the netizens' comments.
Hungary: “Hey Europe, Sorry About My Prime Minister”
Marietta Le reviews some Hungarian netizens' views on the January 2 protest against the country's new constitution.
Japan: Cultural Misunderstandings and the Olympus Fraud Scandal
Sophie Knight explores how business culture misunderstandings between Michael Woodford and Olympus might have played a role in the happenings around the fraud exposure.
Hong Kong: Protest Against Luxury Brand to Defend Local Identity
A recent video showing a Dolce & Gabbana security guard telling a local Hong Kong resident that photographs of the store cannot be taken from the outside sidewalk, while wealthy mainland Chinese shoppers are free to shoot away, led to a large protest this weekend.
Nigeria: Meet the Organiser of Occupy Nigeria in London
MyWeku interviews the UK organizer of Occupy Nigeria movement: The removal led to petrol prices doubling overnight and triggered a spate of protests that seem to be gathering momentum. The demonstrations are being led and organised by Occupy Nigeria under the globally recognised “Occupy Movement”.
Eurozone Crisis: 2011 Citizen Media Responses
The year 2011 will be remembered for the European debt crisis and its impact on the global economy, but also for its hard consequences on everyday lives. We sum up Global Voices coverage and citizen media responses to the Eurozone crisis in the past year.
Rwanda: How Free Eggs Affected Farmers
A View From the Cave explains how free eggs for communities in Kigali, Rwanda from a church in Atlanta affected farmers: “However, the influx of eggs meant that prices suddenly dropped due to large supply of freely distributed eggs. Farmers who sold eggs in the market could no longer compete…”
Puerto Rico: Emigration Nation?
“Over a 6-year period, covering 2005 to 2010, more than 178,000 of My Brethren left Our Island, a reported 28,000 in 2010 alone”: Gil the Jenius wonders “what…this historic reversal of Our population dynamic mean[s].”
Trinidad & Tobago: Culture of Corruption
Upon hearing news that the country may be about to embark upon a massive public sector investment program, aka_lol says: “I don’t expect the Government to be able to spend 24 billion in 2012 unless the wheels of the economy are greased with corruption. That is how things work in...
Trinidad & Tobago: Oath of Office
Afra Raymond reports that “the former Minister of Finance…is once again in the news, due to her dispute with the Integrity Commission as well as her expected testimony at the next session of the Colman Commission.”
Philippines: Ailing Economy Welcomes 2012
Jose Carlos Maningat calls for a rethinking of the ailing Philippine economy come 2012: “For a change, can we also discuss social justice? Can we move forward to pressing concerns on food sovereignty, corporate land-grabbing and resource plunder?”
Russia: Demographic Crisis Means “No One Left To Draft”
Russia is endowed with some of the greatest stores of natural resources in the world and yet the demographic crisis that has plagued the country since the fall of the Soviet Union may leave Russia without a youth to defend their homeland.
Bolivia: Women Weaving Hope in El Alto
In Americas Quarterly [es], blogger Cecilia Lanza praises the artisan women of El Alto who have created their own workshops and small businesses.
Chile: Would Cheaper Books Promote More Reading?
Enzo Abbagliati blogs [es] about a recurring discussion in Chile: removing or decreasing the IVA (value added tax) on books to promote more reading.
Cuba: Adios, 2011
Generation Y explains why she's relieved to see the end of 2011.
Africa: Startups in Africa 2011 and Beyond
Erik believes that 2011 was a great year for startups in Africa: “The past few years have been about building an infrastructure that improves the chances of the technology startups in Africa to succeed. Seeing this buildout in action in 2011 was exciting, but it should be recognized for what...
Nigeria: To The Streets, Oh Nigerians!
The June 12 Coalition of Democratic Formations in Nigeria reacts to the increase in the price of fuel: “We are hereby calling on all Nigerians to rise up together to challenge this illegal and inhuman policy of petrol price hike by the Goodluck administration by joining forces with the organized...
Iran: Site displaying currency exchange rate got filtered
Mesghal, a site displaying currency exchange rate got filtered as rial, Iran's national currency, continues to fall. 2lar writes [fa] it seems Islamic Republic's economists find the best way to control dollar's rise, is filtering Mesghal.
