Stories about Governance from August, 2010
Technology for Transparency: Five Lessons Learned
Rebekah Heacock and Renata Avila outline the learnings from the first round of Global Voices' Technology for Transparency Network collaborative research project, sharing links to several successful online initiatives.
China: VPN blocked
Tom Lasseter tested the boundary of forbidden virtual world in China after he failed to connect to his VPN.
Hong Kong and the Philippines: The uncovered truth of the 823 tragedy
A Filipino Chinese who grows up in Hong Kong wrote a post about the 823 tragedy in which 8 hostages were killed by a gunman. The writer believes that the Philippine government and police have to be responsible for the hostages’ death.
India: Do Politicians Deserve Pay Hikes?
Reacting on the recent increase in salary of the lawmakers in India, Being Cynical at Desicritics debates whether or not politicians deserve pay hikes.
Russia: LiveJournal Communities as a Transparency Tool
Alexey Sidorenko explores how LiveJournal communities are being used to promote transparency and accountability in Russia.
Pakistan: Netizens In Action Helping Flood Victims
The floods in Pakistan have so far claimed more than 1600 lives and affected about 20 million people who are in dire need of relief and aid. Pakistani young netizens are traveling across Pakistan to distribute relief and they are making their actions visible though live blogs, Twitter, images and videos.
Bermuda: Facts of Life?
“Our community is more divided- and ANGRY – than in decades…Our economy is a mess…”: Vexed Bermoothes thinks that “no spin can override these facts. In my opinion, Dr. Brown is a failed leader whose tenure has been a disaster for Bermuda.”
Trinidad & Tobago: Unique Deal
Afra Raymond says that comparing the CL Financial bailout to the US situation is “nothing less than public mischief”: “The only resemblance to the US bailout is in name only. Real Trini-ting. Duprey and his cohorts negotiated a Blank-Cheque Bailout at zero interest, without losing any of their assets. That...
Russian Internet Surveillance Allegedly Hacked
Bloggers discuss alleged hack-attack [RUS] on the government surveillance system (SORM [EN]) that traces government e-mails. The Russian Federal Security Service acknowledged the attack but denied any rumors that sensitive data had been stolen although some Internet users published [RUS] screenshots of the hacked system. LJ user leicacit suggested [RUS]...
China: Death Sentence Given To Ex-Police Internet Supervisory Department Head
ESWN translated a local news about the death penalty given to Yu Bing, an ex-police Internet supervisory department head, who received four bribes totally more than 10 million yuan during his tenure.
Taiwan: Let’s go poking around under the rock of ECFA
The Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) between Taiwan and China was signed. The process seems smooth and efficient at the surface, but the story is not simple. Many Taiwanese have poked around under the rock of ECFA and ask their government why.
Philippines: Hostage drama ends in violence
An ex-policeman hijacked a tourist bus in Manila, Philippines which led to the death of 9 tourists from Hong Kong. Filipino netizens are angry, sad, and disappointed. Here are some online comments.
Tunisia: Doctored Photographs Symptomatic of the State of The National Press
The use of national media as an instrument of propaganda has been fairly well documented in Tunisia. The latest evidence of media manipulation was identified by Tunisian bloggers on August 20 when newspapers le Temps and Assabah illustrated on the sending of food supply by fundation Zitouna to the victims of the floods in Pakistan.
India: Navi Mumbai Mangroves In Danger
The Navi Mumbai mangroves came into spotlight after the recent oil spill near Mumbai port. However, Debolina Raja Gupta asserts that they were endangered much before the oil spill and the authorities need to wake up to the fact.
Sri Lanka: Much Ado About The Executive Presidency
In Sri Lanka, many politicians are calling for “the abolition of the office of the Executive President and revert to a Prime Ministerial system of Government”. Sisyphus at 1985 Mosquito Bites analyzes the merits and demerits of the Executive Presidency and finds that the individuals in position, not the systems...
Barbados: CARICOM Pappyshow?
As the Secretary General of CARICOM takes his leave, B.C. Pires is more convinced than ever that “the whole enterprise is one big pappy-show, an elaborate skulls that mocks integration of a people while enriching the lifestyles of a few persons…”
India: Why Rahul Gandhi Is Not Appropriate For The Prime Minister Position
Management Guru lists some points to explain why Rahul Gandhi is not appropriate for the Prime Minister of India post.
Barbados: Paper Trail?
As a police raid in Trinidad and Tobago reveals alleged illegal activity at a deceased contractor's house, Barbados Free Press “want[s] to know…if the Anti-Corruption Investigation Bureau found any paperwork relating to Karamath’s connections to the Barbados politicians and officials who awarded him big government contracts here.”
South Korea: Civil Service Exams Removed, Years of Studies Wasted?
Many South Koreans are angry over a government's decision to replace the civil service exam with open recruitment. The exam has been praised for giving equal opportunities to applicants regardless of their education and family background. The online space is exploding with enraged bloggers' condemnations of the reform as a way of stalling the nation’s already flatlining social mobility.
Hong Kong: Transparency on filtering
Hong Kong Government Chief Information Officer, Jeremy Godfrey, has opened a twitter account @HKGCIO and he is discussing with @daaitoulaam regarding transparency on filtering.
Russia: Mass Manifestations In Defense of the Khimki Forest Park
Photobloggers nl [RUS], bb-mos [RUS], zyalt [RUS] share pictures of today's concert in defense of the Khimki Forest Park. The concert, that gathered from 1,000 to 5,000 people in the center of Moscow, transformed into a political rally of people protesting against the government.
