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ASEAN
and ILO Sign Agreement to Boost Cooperation
ILO Director-General Juan Somavia and
ASEAN Secretary-General Ong Keng Yong The Secretary-General of ASEAN Ong
Keng Yong and the Director-General of the International Labour Organisation
(ILO) Juan Somavia signed a Cooperation Agreement on the behalf of the
Secretariats of ASEAN and the International Labour Organisation* on 20
March 2007 in Geneva, Switzerland. The Agreement will serve as a platform
to strengthen the collaboration and partnership between the two
organisations through the exchange of information, research studies as well
as participation at working-level meetings. Under the Agreement, ASEAN and
the ILO will deepen their collaboration in the implementation of programmes
and projects in areas of common interest. Such areas include occupational health
and safety, HIV/AIDS and the workplace, the employment implications of
trade liberalisation, youth employment, vocational training, social
security and labour migration. (by Geneva)
From
http://www.aseansec.org/ 03/20/2007
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CAREC
Officials Discuss Deeper Cooperation
MANILA, PHILIPPINES - Senior officials of
the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Program met in
Manila this week to examine ways to deepen interaction among their
economies and integrate more effectively with world markets.Delegations from
the eight participating countries and six multilateral institutions that
comprise CAREC discussed recent developments and future plans in the
program's priority areas of transport, energy, and trade; issues related to
the establishment of a CAREC Institute; and preparations for the Sixth
CAREC Ministerial Conference to be held in November 2007 in Dushanbe,
Tajikistan."The CAREC Program is at an important stage in its
development. With the Comprehensive Action Plan in place and sector
strategies being developed, 2007 will be a critical year," said Mr.
Xianbin Yao, Deputy Director General of ADB's Central and West Asia
Department in opening remarks."The decisions we make this year will
have long-lasting impacts on this program, and potentially on developments in
participating countries." The CAREC Program adopted a Comprehensive
Action Plan (CAP) at its fifth ministerial meeting in October 2006. The CAP
provides the strategic framework for the medium-term development of the
program and includes some 40 projects worth about $2.3 billion. CAREC is a
pragmatic, results-oriented program that was established in 1997 and seeks
to promote development through cooperation, leading to accelerated economic
growth and poverty reduction.CAREC participating countries are Afghanistan,
Azerbaijan, People’s Republic of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic,
Mongolia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. CAREC is also an alliance of
multilateral institutions comprising ADB, European Bank for Reconstruction
and Development, International Monetary Fund, Islamic Development Bank,
United Nations Development Programme, and World Bank. Turkmenistan
participated in the meeting as an observer.
From http://www.adb.org/ 03/29/2007
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Key
Issues for Asia's
Future to Be Addressed at ADB Annual Meeting in Kyoto, Japan
MANILA, PHILIPPINES - Where
does Asia stand a decade
after the Asian financial crisis? What are the challenges to Asian
integration? How will the developing economies of Asia adapt
to the vast changes underway in the region? Finance Ministers, senior
government officials, leaders, academics, and representatives of
international organizations will gather in Kyoto, Japan to discuss these
and other issues during ADB’s 40th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors
in May. The event, to be held from May 4 to 7, will take place at the Kyoto International Conference Center. Online
registration for journalists has been extended until April 20 and will be
required for access to the sessions, seminars and meeting venues. Online
registration is encouraged in order to avoid delays in obtaining media
credentials on-site. A fully equipped Media Center will be
set up at the Prince Hall of the Grand Prince Hotel, which is adjacent to
the conference center. The center will be staffed by ADB’s Department of
External Relations and will have desk space for more than 100 journalists,
and booths for news agencies.
Other topics addressed during the meeting
include clean energy and the environment, private capital flows, financing
for small and medium enterprises, efforts to advance Asia’s bond
market, new investment opportunities in emerging markets across Asia,
disaster risk management, and the ageing population of Asia. ADB’s
Annual Meeting brings together senior government officials from across Asia and the
Pacific to discuss ways to effectively address poverty and ensure
sustainable economic growth in the region. The meeting will also include
country presentations from Viet
Nam, Pakistan, and
the Philippines, an
open forum on ADB-civil society organization cooperation, and a special
Governors’ seminar on Asia’s
future. The meeting will have its formal opening session on the morning of
May 6 and will close late afternoon of May 7 with a press conference. ADB’s
highest policy-making body is its Board of Governors, which meets annually
and comprises one representative from each member country. The annual
meetings are statutory occasions for the Governors of ADB members to
provide guidance on ADB administrative, financial and operational directions.
From http://www.adb.org/ 04/18/2007
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80
Countries Sign UN Convention Protecting Rights of the World's Disabled
“Eighty countries signed the United
Nations convention enshrining the rights of the world's 650 million
disabled in what the UN human rights chief called an unprecedented show of
support to empower the physically and mentally impaired. The United Nations
held a ceremony on Friday, the first day the convention opened, for
signatures. Not only did 80 countries and a representative of the EU sign
it but Jamaica
announced that it had also ratified the convention. That means only 19 more
ratifications are needed before the convention comes into force, and
speaker after speaker urged speedy approval. … According to the latest UN
figures, about 10 percent of the world's population, or 650 million people,
live with a disability and the number is increasing with population growth.
The disabled constitute the world's largest minority, and 80 percent live
in developing countries, many in poverty. The convention advocates keeping
the disabled in their communities rather than removing them and educating
them separately as many countries do.” [The Associated Press
(04/30)/Factiva] Kyodo News reports that UN Deputy Secretary General
Asha-Rose Migiro in remarks delivered at the General Assembly hall “… said
the convention specifically prohibits discrimination against people with
disabilities in all areas of their lives, requires public spaces and
buildings to be accessible to them, and seeks improvements in information
and communications infrastructure.
A key component of the treaty is that it
also ‘recognizes that a change of attitude is vital if disabled people are
to achieve equality’ and breaks ground in other ways, including its stress
on social development. …” [Kyodo (Japan,
03/30)/Factiva] Reuters writes that “… The convention will come into force
30 days after its ratification by 20 nations, a milestone likely to be
reached in 2008 or 2009. … The convention requires ratifying nations to
adopt laws banning discrimination on the basis of any form of disability,
from blindness to mental illness. Nations also must eliminate any existing
laws that discriminate against the disabled. … It protects disabled
newborns' right to life, and ensures that children with disabilities are
not separated from their parents against their will. … Enforcement of the
treaty will be largely up to national governments. …” [Reuters
(03/30)/Factiva] AFP adds that “… Forty-two countries also signed an
optional protocol which will allow individual petitioning on alleged rights
violations to a committee of experts once all national recourse procedures
have been exhausted. …”
From http://web.worldbank.org/ 04/20/2007
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CHINA: Job
Discrimination to End with New Employment Promotion Law
Employers in China may no
longer be able to advertise for a girl Friday who meets certain youth
requirements once the country's employment promotion law is passed. The
draft employment promotion law is currently being widely discussed in the
country as the government seeks public input. It released the full text on
the internet on Sunday. Prohibiting employment discrimination is one of the
major goals of the draft law. The draft law proposes to ban discrimination
against job seekers based on their ethnicity, race, gender, religious
belief, age, or physical disability. Bi Yu, a senior student in China
Foreign Affairs University, said she'll be making her comments known to the
government. She wants the law to ensure female university graduates have
equal employment opportunities. She said it's an open secret that male
graduates have a greater chance of being hired because employers have to
provide maternity leave to women employees.
Li Fangran, an employee of Agricultural
Bank of China, said
she's often seen job advertisements requiring applicants to be under the
age of 30 or 35. "It's a kind of age discrimination. Hopefully the
employment law will help eliminate such unfairness," she said. Along
with changing discriminatory hiring practices the draft employment
promotion law would require local governments to be more involved in the
labor market. The law could require local governments to: coordinate
employment policies in both urban and rural areas; promote employment and
provide training for students who fail to; get into university or senior
high school; establish an early warning system to track unemployment trends
to; prevent, regulate and control potential layoffs; increase financial
investment in employment promotion; make detailed research on the labor market;
help guide university graduates to work in under-developed areas. Experts
agree that China's
employment outlook is not rosy.
The unemployment rate lingers at 4.3
percent and statistics show that at least 13 million new job opportunities
need created in urban areas for laid-off workers, university graduates,
demobilized servicemen, and migrant workers. On the first day the National
People's Congress posted the new law on its website, it received 1,021
suggestions from the public. The NPC is encouraging citizens to file
comments before April 25. They may also visit the website www.npc.gov.cn to
post messages.
From http://www.chinaview.cn 03/28/2007
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Supreme
Court to Issue Judical Interpretations on Property Law
China's
supreme court will be busy this year as it begins to develop and provide
legal interpretation of several new and far reaching laws that were passed
earlier this month at China's
annual legislative assembly. "The Supreme People's Court will issue a
series of key judicial explanations relating to the nation's economy and
social justice this year," said Chief Justice Xiao Yang on Thursday.
Xiao said the legal interpretations of the newly adopted property law will
be delivered "at an appropriate time," and will be designed to
ensure that courts around the country fully understand the 247 articles in
the law. Sun Xianzhong, a researcher with the Chinese Academy of
Social Sciences, said China had
already seen an increase in the number of cases involving property disputes
in recent years. "There is no doubt that the number of such cases will
rise greatly," once the law has been enacted, he said.
Sun said that some articles of the
property law are vague and courts will have difficulty applying the law.
"Therefore, a judicial interpretation is really needed to help courts
better handle the cases," Sun said. Xiao said interpretations of the
property law and the new tax law will be written after serious study and
deliberation of proposals and suggestions that had been put forward by
legislators and political advisors at the parliamentary session early this
month. China's
landmark property law was adopted on March 16 after taking 13 years to wind
its way through the legislative process. The law will come in effect on Oct.
1 and stipulates that "the property of the state, the collective, the
individual is protected by law, and no unit or individuals may infringe
upon it". This is the first time that equal protection of state and
private properties has been enshrined in Chinese law, which analysts say
marks a significant step in the country's efforts to further economic
reforms and boost social harmony.
From
http://www.chinaview.cn 03/30/2007
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China to
Announce Personal Income Tax Declaration Results
Chinese tax authorities will announce on
April 10 the final number of personal income statements filed by the
country's high-income earners. This is the first year the State
Administration of Taxation (SAT) is requiring high-income earners, who earn
more than 120,000yuan (15,400 U.S. dollars) a year, to declare their annual
incomes. The deadline was April 2. As of March 29, the tax department had
received 1.375 million tax declarations but some financial experts suggest
there are six to seven million such high-income earners in the country. The
SAT declined to provide more comment on the issue until the final results
come out but said those who failed to file income statements would be
subject to keen scrutiny. "In regions where large numbers of people
fail to do so, tax authorities will ferret out some typical cases for
punishment", Friday's Shanghai Securities News reports. According to
the regulations issued last year, those who fail to declare their incomes
will face fines of between 2,000 yuan and10,000 yuan. People who falsely
report their incomes can be fined up to 50,000 yuan.
Penalties for evading taxes can equal five
times the amount of unpaid tax and a jail term. However, an unnamed
official with SAT's press office said the administration was expecting to
receive more declarations in the next few days as "a number of
taxpayers filed their income statements by post". "Any
declaration that was handed to the post office before midnight on April 2 is
valid and it takes time for the tax authorities to receive them", he
added. By April 1, about 250,000 people had declared their annual incomes
in Beijing, where
there are 350,000 people who earn more than 120,000 yuan a year, according
to figures from the Beijing Local Taxation Bureau. The Bureau sent out
200,000 letters during the past three months to remind the capital's
high-income earners to declare their annual incomes. Tax authorities in
south China's Guangdong Province have
also received 250,000 declarations but in northeastern Heilongjiang Province only a
tenth of the expected number had done so and in central Hunan less
than a half.
From http://www.chinaview.cn 04/03/2007
TOP↑
New Beijing Urban
Construction Plan Reported for Approval
A new urban construction plan that divides
Beijing into
250,000 units for future construction has been reported to the city's
municipal government for approval. The report details regulations on
controlled areas and prohibited areas of construction. According to Tan
Xuxiang, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Urban
Planning (BMCUP), the Current Urban Construction Planning report introduces
the concept of "controlled-construction areas". This idea
integrates rigid management of public facilities construction with the
protection of ecological resources like urban water supply, lakes, rivers,
marshes and scenic spots. "In the past, to provide a better shopping
environment for the residents, we may have knocked down a school to make
way for a supermarket. Now this would never happen again", said
director Tan. As for the proposed division of the city into 250,000 plates,
the report points out how the urban design of certain areas should precede,
and analyzes the feasibility of construction in other places. It also states
to what extent one piece of land can be used. According to Tan, those
construction units must strictly adhere to the regulations. Tan also said
proper measures should be adopted to renovate traditional cultural legacy-
the old courtyards and alleys and dilapidated houses. The municipal
government is planning to provide technique support, subsidy and
preferential taxation methods to help reconstruction of the courtyards.
From http://www.chinaview.cn 04/03/2007
TOP↑
China
Launches Program to Extend Medical Insurance
China's
cabinet on Wednesday launched a pilot program to ensure that more urban
residents are covered by basic medical insurance. One or two provincial
cities will be chosen to test the program, according to the executive
meeting of the State Council chaired by Premier Wen Jiabao. People --
including children -- who are not covered by basic medical insurance for
urban employees can be insured against illness through the basic urban
residents medical insurance. The meeting stressed this new pilot program
will help speed up the development of China's
medicare services, a key concern of ordinary people. The meeting also urged
local governments to set reasonable insurance fees and respect people's
wills. It also required local governments to strengthen the supervision and
administration of insurance funds and ensure their safety.
Meanwhile, a draft regulation on the
punishment of civil servants was reviewed and ratified in principle at the
meeting. The regulation was passed to require civil servants to practice a
clean and frugal working style and faithfully fulfill their obligations.
Participants at the meeting agreed on the need for the law. The regulation
sums up experience gained when punishing civil servants in recent years,
prescribes in details the principles, jurisdiction and procedure and also
sets out how to lodge an appeal, according to the meeting. The regulation
will be released by the State Council after further amendments.
From http://www.chinaview.cn 04/04/2007
TOP↑
China to Open
Up More Centrally Administered SOEs
China will
further decentralize its major state-owned enterprises (SOEs), encouraging
them to go public as single entities and inviting in strategic investors,
according to senior Chinese economic officials. China will
diversify the ownership of centrally-administered SOEs whose operations do
not involve national security or in which private and foreign investment
are not forbidden, director Li Rongrong of the State-owned Assets
Supervision and Administration Commission said in a signed article in Party
magazine Qiu Shi. Li said that a major task for 2007 was to promulgate
regulations "as early as possible" to standardize the management
and transfer of state-owned shareholdings of listed companies. "SOEs
that cannot go public as single entities should facilitate the shareholder
reform of their subsidiaries," reads the article. "Shareholder
reform is a key trend in large SOEs," said Vice Director Chen Deming of
the National Development and Reform Commission, adding that the objective
was to diversify the ownership of SOEs so that they no longer depend
entirely on state capital.
SOEs particularly cover monopoly areas
such as electricity, telecoms and railway transportation. Observers said
that stock market listings and shareholder reform would diversify ownership
but do little to weaken industrial monopolies. Chen said at the recent
economic system reform conference that China was
deliberating on reforms for monopoly industries and would adopt a steady
and gradual approach to break down monopolies. Only 33 of the country's 159
centrally-administered SOEs have launched initial public offerings at home
and abroad. But centrally-administered SOEs own 194 listed firms on the
mainland and 57 in Hong Kong. Since China
approved new shareholder reforms in April 2005, making it possible to float
the non-tradable state-owned shares, most of the 194 locally listed firms
have finished carrying out their reforms.
The core business revenue of
centrally-administered SOEs surged82 percent from 4,470 billion yuan in
2003 to 8,140 billion yuan last year while profits more than doubled from
301 billion yuan to755 billion yuan, witnessing an annual growth rate of
35.9 percent. By 2010, the number of centrally-administered SOEs would be
pared down to around 100, said Li Rongrong.
From http://www.chinaview.cn 04/04/2007
TOP↑
China to
Allow Foreigners to Attend Piracy Trials
China will
allow foreigners involved in legal challenges to intellectual property
rights violations to attend the trials as part of efforts to improve
transparency, state media reported. "Representatives from foreign
governments and international organisations will be allowed to attend IPR
trials if they wish," the Xinhua news agency reported late Wednesday,
citing an official with the copyright authorities. China will
also publicise important trial information through the media, the report
said, citing the State Office of Intellectual Property Protection's plan.
No timetable for implementation of the plan was provided. Over the past few
years, diplomatic envoys and representatives of foreign companies involved
in IPR disputes have been allowed to attend trials in coastal regions such
as the southern Guangdong
province and Shanghai as test
cases, the report said. "It works pretty well," the report said,
citing an unnamed an official from the Supreme People's Court.
Under pressure from the United
States and the European
Union, China has made
repeated pledges to crack down on piracy violations, a perennial bone of
contention between the Asian nation and its trading partners. However they
still say China has not
done nearly enough in terms of improving transparency in the drafting and
implementation of piracy laws and regulations. Foreign firms have
complained that Chinese companies are rarely put before the courts for
piracy violations and the few that are, escape with very minor penalties. China's
courts settled just 932 piracy cases from 2002 to 2006, although the number
is rising each year, according to the Xinhua report. China
produces the bulk of the world's counterfeit products, with the most
high-profile items including pirated music and movies, as well as fake
brand-name goods.
From http://news.yahoo.com/
04/05/2007
TOP↑
China
Passes New Measure to Prosecute IPR Pirates
China's top
court has stepped up the fight against intellectual piracy by lowering the
threshold to prosecute people who manufacture or sell counterfeit
intellectual property products. A new judicial interpretation issued by the
Supreme People's Court on Thursday states that anyone who manufactures 500
or more counterfeit copies of computer software, music, movies, TV series,
or other audio-video products can be prosecuted and sentenced to a prison
term of up to three years. Despite repeated police raids, hawkers of
pirated discs re-emerge on Chinese streets as soon as an anti-piracy
campaign begins to ebb. The piracy issue has been a sore point in China-US
trade relations and the latest judicial change comes among a chorus of
overseas complaints that the country is too lenient with IPR violators.
According to judicial sources, courts around China settled
17,769 IPR protection cases in 2006. However, most of these were civil
cases, with only 2,277 criminal prosecutions resulting in 3,508
convictions. The new rules, jointly prepared by the Supreme People's Court
and the Supreme People's Procuratorate, also widen the definition of a
"serious IPR offender" so that anyone who produces more than
2,500 counterfeit copies can now be thrown into jail for up to seven years.
The rules are effective immediately, the
top court said. They replace the 2004 rules, which only applied to
violators who produced 1,000 pirated discs and defined "serious
offenders" as those who produced over 5,000 copies. Critics expect a
new surge of IPR cases in Chinese courts now that the new rules have come
into effect. They constitute a stern warning to pirates that the government
will not go soft on IPR infringement. Sources with the Supreme People's
Court said they made the change in order to deal with "new
problems" in the crackdown on piracy. "The courts will extend the
protection of intellectual property rights and play to the full their role
in punishing infringers and preventing crimes," a court spokesman
said. To fight rampant piracy, China lowered
the counterfeit product threshold in 2004. Official statistics show that
IPR cases that came to court in China rose 28 percent in 2005, the first
year of the new rules. That year, a total of 3,567 cases concerning the
manufacture of fake products and illegal sales of pirated products went to
criminal courts. Courts have also been instructed to raise fines for
convicted counterfeiters. "Fines can range from one to 15 times the
illegal gains, or from 50 to 200 percent of the business turnover,"
according to the new judicial interpretation.
This will be welcome news to those who
complain that monetary punishments for piracy violators are too low and
that "the cost of IPR crime" remains low. In January, the top
court issued a notice ordering stricter penalties for IPR violators, saying
"all illegal gains and manufacturing tools of IPR violators should be
confiscated and their pirated products destroyed." The new rules also
tighten the rules on the granting of probation. In another measure to cast
the anti-piracy net wider, the top court has instructed IPR criminal courts
to accept litigation cases filed by individual piracy victims, in addition
to those filed by procurators. The judicial change came as the state
announced big seizures of pirated products and said it plans to improve the
transparency of IPR trials by allowing foreigners to observe. Envoys of
foreign governments and representatives of international organizations will
be allowed to attend IPR trials if they wish, said Jiang Zengwei of the
State Office of Intellectual Property Protection on Wednesday.
This will be the first time overseas
representatives have been allowed to attend public IPR trials, an official
from the top court told Xinhua. Major trials will be publicized in the
media. Meanwhile, in the largest single crackdown on CD and DVD piracy in China's
history, more than 1.81 million pirated CDs and DVDs were seized in a
production factory in Guangzhou,
capital of south China's Guangdong Province on
March 17, the government announced on Tuesday. Thirty production machines
in 11 warehouses were confiscated and 13 people arrested in the case. A
circular from the ministry said the continued fight against piracy is still
an arduous task, and should be a priority for public security departments
nationwide. The government has launched a "spring campaign"
against illegal and pirated publications that will last until May. People
providing information about piracy crimes that lead to convictions will be
offered rewards by the police.
From http://www.china.org.cn/ 04/06/2007
TOP↑
Regulation
on Organ Transplants Issued
China on
Friday issued its first regulation on human organ transplants, banning
organizations and individuals from trading human organs in any form. Any
doctor found to be involved in human organ trade will have their
practitioner license revoked. Clinics will be suspended from doing organ
transplant operations for at least three years. Fines are set at between
eight to ten times the value of the outlawed trade, the new rules said.
Officials convicted of trading in human organs will be sacked and kicked
out of government. The regulation, issued by the State Council, or China's
cabinet, will go into effect on May 1. China has
carried out organ transplants for more than 20 years and is the world's
second largest performer of transplants after the United
States, with about 5,000
transplants completed each year. However, the absence of laws and
regulations concerning organ transplants has negatively impacted practice,
critics say. Most organs are donated by ordinary Chinese at death after the
voluntary signing of a donation agreement. But the country must still
contend with a vast gap between the demand for functional organs and the
supply provided by donations.
About 1.5 million patients need organ
transplants each year, but only 10,000 can find organs, according to
statistics from the Health Ministry. The regulation stipulates that human
organ transplants should respect the principle of voluntary and free
donation and makes it a crime to harvest organs without the owner's
permission or against his will. People taking organs from anyone under the
age of 18 will also face prosecution and can be convicted of murder or
intentional assault, according to an official with the Health Ministry
interpreting the regulation to the media on Friday. Human organ transplants
are defined as the process of taking a human organ or part of a human organ
-- such as the heart, lung, liver, kidney and pancreas -- from a donor and
transplanting it into a patient's body to replace their sick or damaged
organ. The regulation does not apply to transplants of human tissue, such
as cells, cornea and marrow. The regulation comprises 32 articles in five
chapters, including human organ donations, human organ transplants, legal
responsibilities and supplementary points.
It covers transplant quality and aims to
safeguard citizen's lawful rights. It decrees strict supervision and
control for the few medical institutions that are allowed to perform organ
transplants, and sets rules to standardize procedures so as to prevent
potential human rights abuses. According to the new rules, every transplant
must be approved by an ethics committee set up in the the medical
institution. A designated mechanism will ensure that medical institutions are
competent. Unqualified institutions will be ordered to exit the market.
"This is the first regulation of its kind introduced by the central
government, and it is a milestone in the country's organ transplant
history," said Huang Jiefu, vice health minister, adding that the
regulation is in line with international standards of medical ethics and
the World Health Organization's guiding principles on the issue. Last year,
the country's organ transplant sector was accused by overseas media of
using transplanted organs from executed prisoners, who were not necessarily
voluntary donors.
The accusations were denied by officials.
Ni Shouming, a spokesman for China's Supreme People's Court, emphasized
that organs of executed prisoners were used for transplants only when the
death inmates had voluntarily expressed their intention to donate their
organs, or their families had given consent to such usage. "The
donation procedure for ordinary people and for those who sit on death row
is the same," Ni said. Prisoners should have voluntarily expressed the
wish to donate their organs and signed the necessary documents before they
die, or their families should have given consent to such usage. Donations
went through a strict examination and approval process by judicial departments,
court officials said.
From http://www.china.org.cn/ 04/07/2007
TOP↑
New
Rules to Govern Mainland-Taiwan Trade
The Ministry of Commerce will soon release
a set of favorable policies aiming to boost "low-volume" trade
across the Taiwan Straits, a senior official said yesterday at the
Cross-Straits Economic and Trade Forum in Xiamen. Chong
Quan, assistant minister of commerce, stated that these policies would
include easing certain restrictions relating to the tonnage allowed per
ship and to the trade volume allowed per voyage at certain mainland ports.
Chong also announced that China would
widen trade permits both for companies and goods, without providing further
details. The existing rules on low-volume trade with Taiwan dictate
that no haul of goods for any one voyage may exceed US$100,000, and that
all goods must be carried by Taiwan ships
of less than 100 tons. Further restrictions are imposed on Taiwan
residents, who may only trade with mainland companies that strictly
specialize in small-volume trade with the island province. Imports from Taiwan may
also only be composed of products originating there.
Chong announced the importance of
small-volume trade in economic relations between the mainland and Taiwan, and
that these favorable policies only illustrated the need to boost its
development. Over the past 20 years, Chong revealed, the mainland has
pursued many active and practical policies towards Taiwan, and
these have seen some wonderful results reflected on the strength of the
economic relationship.
From http://www.china.org.cn/ 04/09/2007
TOP↑
China Issues
Regulation on Selection of Trustees in Bankruptcy
China's
Supreme People's Court (SPC) issued two regulations on Monday on the
selection of bankruptcy trustees in China. The
first regulation stipulates that trustees must be appointed when a court
hears a bankrupt case. Trustees in bankruptcy are agencies or individuals
appointed to take charge of the liquidation or reorganization of bankrupt
companies. The regulation stipulates that trustees must be selected from a
list of qualified agencies drawn up by the Higher People's Courts. It
requires the Higher People's Courts to draw up local lists of qualified
agencies selected from the legal and accounting firms and agencies in
charge of liquidation. To ensure fairness, the regulation states that the
selection and work of trustees can be scrutinized at creditors' meetings
and by creditors' committees, which are also entitled to apply to the
courts to change the trustees appointed if they are unsatisfied with them.
The other regulation says trustees will be
paid according to the total value of distributable property of the bankrupt
companies, rather than working hours. An official of SPC said the former
method was more appropriate for China at
present. "The method is commonly operated in most countries and it is
also helpful to encourage trustees to recover more property of the bankrupt
companies and protect the rights of creditors," he said. The
regulations, as judicial interpretations of the corporate bankruptcy law,
will come into effect on June 1, together with the law. China's top
legislature on August 27 adopted the bankruptcy law, which is intended to
protect both creditors of bankrupt companies and the companies' employees.
The law stipulates that from June 1, all insolvent companies will pay
credit guarantees to creditors first, and use other assets to pay laid-off
workers.
From http://www.chinaview.cn 04/17/2007
TOP↑
China to
Issue New Plan to Protect Olympic Logo
China will
shortly issue a new plan to protect the logo of the 2008 Beijing Olympic
Games, said a senior trademark official here on Tuesday. China has
been working on a complete set of schemes to protect Olympic intellectual
property rights (IPR), said Zhao Gang, deputy head of the trademark
department under the State Administration for Industry and Commerce, at a
press conference. "We will soon issue a new plan to prevent
infringements of the Olympic logo," Zhao said, providing no details
about the plan. "During the 2008 Olympic Games, we will launch
effective measures to ensure that this great sports event is as free as
possible of any IPR violations," he said. The emblem, motto and
mascots of the Olympic Games are at the core of Olympic IPR protection work.
The State Council and Beijing Municipal
government have promulgated a series of ordinances on Olympic IPR
protection, including the Regulations for Protection of Olympic Symbols and
the Beijing Provisions for Protection of Olympic Intellectual Property
Rights. However, counterfeit mascots and coins bearing the 2008 Olympic
logo have been found on the market. Local customs have detected and seized
children's clothing and school bags intended for export with illegal images
of the 2008 Olympic mascots. To stamp out Olympic IPR infringements, the
Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG) has helped
authorities establish a special IPR registration and management system,
promoted IPR education among the public and stepped up policing efforts.
From http://www.chinaview.cn 04/17/2007
TOP↑
China Chops
Back Economic Development Zones
China cut the
number of its economic development zones from 6,866 in 2003 to 1,568 at the
end of last year, said sources with the National Development and Reform
Commission (NDRC) on Thursday. The total area of the country's economic
development zones has shrunk from 38,600 square kilometers to 9,949 square
kilometers. An NDRC official said "the State Council prohibits the
building of new economic development zones and expanding the existing
ones". Over the past four years, the NDRC have integrated adjacent
economic development zones in counties and cities, leaving only one in
every county or in the outer suburbs of each city. Economic development
zones have been removed from environmentally sensitive areas, such as water
source protection areas, nature reserves, scenic spots, forest parks and
wetlands. Restrictions have been imposed on building chemical, paper making
and pharmaceutical plants upstream or upwind of residential areas. China began
to cut back on its economic development zones in July 2003 because they
were eating up too much arable land and damaging farmers' interests.
From http://en.ce.cn/ 04/20/2007
TOP↑
JAPAN:
Getting Latest Gear to Cope with Terrorism
The government is carrying out a plan to
equip fire stations with the latest counterterrorism equipment to deal with
radioactive materials and biological and chemical agents. A special vehicle
capable of dissipating smoke or noxious gas with its large fan is put
through its paces during a recent drill in Tokyo. KYODO
PHOTO The plan, to be introduced by next April, features a new detector kit
that can narrow down in minutes the nature of a hazardous substance, and a
large decontamination system that washes harmful materials from hair and
skin. The objective is to determine the type of dangerous material used in
a terrorist act, remove it as soon as possible and keep damage to a
minimum, Fire and Disaster Management Agency officials said. "The
government may have had budget constraints, but it's been rather slow to
introduce counterterrorism gear," military affairs analyst Kensuke
Ebata said. In January, large blower vehicles were deployed in fire stations
in Tokyo, Sapporo, Nagoya, Osaka and Fukuoka. They
are equipped with large fans that can blow wind at 45 meters per second.
The vehicles can remove smoke or noxious gas from subway stations,
buildings and other sealed areas, and can also spray water.
The new detectors to be installed in
firefighting headquarters at 66 locations around the country will use test
paper and a solution to identify types of hazardous materials in a few
minutes. Fire and Disaster Management Agency officials said that although
the device will not be able to pinpoint the exact nature of a substance,
hospitals could capitalize on its rough judgment when providing emergency
treatment to victims. The government already has three types of specialized
detectors to assess biological and chemical agents and poisonous gas, but
these devices take about 15 minutes to determine a substance, the officials
said. Meanwhile, the new decontamination system will have sets of three
large tents, each made of special vinyl measuring about 4 meters wide, 5
meters long and 2.5 meters high. People encountering hazardous materials
will be brought to the first tent to get undressed, then to the second tent
to be showered and to the last tent to change into fresh clothes before
being transported to a hospital. The system improves survival chances by
cleaning hazardous materials from hair and skin, and also prevents doctors
and others from getting secondary contamination, the officials said.
From The Japan Times 04/05/2007
TOP↑
Anti-Graft
System Watered Down
Vowing to prevent corruption related to
the post-retirement jobs of bureaucrats, the government and ruling
coalition agreed Wednesday on a "new" system that is pretty much
the same as the old system. The agreement was reached at a working-level
meeting on reforming the public sector to stem the practice of amakudari,
which has been criticized as creating a hotbed for bid-rigging activities
and other corruption. Under the plan, a "public-private
personnel-exchange center" will be established under the Cabinet
Office by the end of fiscal 2008 to replace the largely ineffective
"human resources bank" to find jobs for retiring bureaucrats. The
original idea was to eliminate cozy relations between the public and
private sectors by preventing ministries and agencies from arranging
post-retirement work for their officials in fields once under their
supervision. According to Wednesday's agreement, ministries and agencies
will be banned from arranging post-retirement jobs for retiring bureaucrats
within three years after the center is established. The personnel-exchange
center will serve as a central nerve center to help retiring officials find
post-retirement jobs, or so the government says. In fact, several clauses
included in the agreement effectively allow personnel affairs authorities
of ministries and agencies to maintain their influence in the matter. One
clause says that workers of the center "will cooperate with personnel
affairs authorities on an as-needed basis for the purpose of collecting
information on career and human resources." Another clause states that
the new center will "accept requests from personnel affairs
departments (of ministries and agencies) in charge of recommending
bureaucrats to take early retirement."
That clause effectively gives an official
green light to the practice of katatataki, under which officials are subtly
pressed to take early retirement in return for a cushy, well-paid
post-retirement job. This has been another long-time practice among bureaucrats.
Those clauses were apparently included to quell opposition to the plan from
the Liberal Democratic Party and the ministries and agencies. Chief Cabinet
Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki said the government could not compromise two
points:?Workers at the center will be prohibited from arranging
post-retirement jobs for others who had worked at the same ministry or
agency; and?Public-interest corporations and other nonprofit organizations
should be among the entities at which the center must not arrange jobs for
retiring officials. The government and the LDP had been at odds over the
amakudari regulations. The LDP side, in fact, refused the government's call
to hold a working-level meeting on the subject Tuesday. But in a turnaround
Wednesday, the party accepted the government's proposals. The LDP's move
was apparently intended to prevent its president, Prime Minister Shinzo
Abe, from losing face in his bid to stem amakudari. Rules on reviewing the
center were also incorporated into the agreement at the request of the LDP.
Under those rules, the personnel-exchange center can be revised on an
as-needed basis, leaving room for future modifications, according to
officials.
From
http://www.asahi.com 04/13/2007
TOP↑
Government
to Study Ways to
Repopulate Rural Areas
The government aims to study ways to
support urban dwellers who spend the weekend in provincial areas, and those
hoping to leave big cities to live in the countryside, government sources
said Thursday. The government will encourage people to move by offering
incentives, such as transportation fees, and motivational activities, such
as farming. The aim is to reduce disparities between urban and local areas
by promoting the movement of urban residents with wealth and skills to
local areas, sources said. The government plans to establish a study group
in the near future comprising experts and related ministries--to be headed
by Yuji Yamamoto, state minister in charge of financial policy--with the
aim of compiling a basic plan by the summer. The group will study: --
Subsidizing transportation expenses to people who move between urban and
local areas. -- Setting the level of the resident tax according to the
services people would receive from local governments. -- Centralization of
information related to moving, which is provided by related ministries' and
local governments' Web sites. The government also will work on measures to
promote the shift of people with knowledge related to agricultural
training, entrepreneurial assistance, tourism and finance. The Internal
Affairs and Communications Ministry and the Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries Ministry have been investigating measures to promote moving to
local areas from urban areas respectively. The Gotsu municipal government in
Shimane Prefecture offers
houses to people moving from urban areas in cooperation with nonprofit
organizations.
From http://www.yomiuri.co.jp 04/14/2007
TOP↑
Top Law
Revision Has Taken Big Step
The ruling parties' efforts to put in
place procedures for amending the Constitution took a big step forward
Friday, as the House of Representatives passed a bill to create a national
referendum required for making such changes. Passage through the House of
Representatives has ensured the legislation will be approved by the Diet
during the current session. However, a proposal for revising the bill
jointly with the ruling parties--the Liberal Democratic Party and New
Komeito--and the largest opposition party, Democratic Party of Japan, was
not realized, as the two sides clashed during Diet deliberations. The
Constitution stipulates that at least two-thirds of lawmakers in both Diet
chambers must agree to proceed with measures to amend the top law, and
Friday's move leaves a question mark over how to bridge the gap between the
ruling and opposition camps. Shortly after 6 p.m. Thursday in the lower
house, opposition lawmakers rushed to surround Taro Nakayama, chairman of
the Special Committee for Research on the Constitution, in an effort to
prevent him from calling a vote on the referendum bill that would have only
had ruling coalition support. Opposition lawmakers shouted, "This is
irrational," and "The chairman is abusing his authority."
But Nakayama grabbed a microphone and
declared, "I ask those who support the revised bill to stand up."
Ruling party lawmakers, who hold a majority in the committee, passed the
bill, which was then sent to the lower house plenary session. Directors of
the committee from the LDP and the DPJ--Hajime Funada and Yukio Edano,
respectively--had held behind-the-scenes negotiations until the
eleventh-hour in an effort to bring about a joint revision. The two sides
disagreed on the range of issues to be subject to a national referendum.
While the LDP's final bill was limited to amendments to the Constitution,
the DPJ insisted that a national referendum should be applied to three
additional issues--situations that could lead to a constitutional
amendment; matters concerning the nation's system of governance; and
ethical issues concerning life science. On Tuesday, Funada suggested a
possible compromise in which the referendum would be expanded slightly to
include situations that could lead to a constitutional amendment. Edano had
told aides that it might be possible to omit ethical issues from the DPJ's
suggested revision list, indicating that the two were working to find a
compromise. But LDP executives including Secretary General Hidenao Nakagawa
and Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Toshihiro Nikai, were reportedly cool
toward Funada's efforts, arguing that DPJ President Ichiro Ozawa had no
intention of joint revision with the ruling parties, according to a senior
LDP member.
Nakagawa met with Funada on Tuesday, and
is said to have argued that expanding the range of referendum subjects
would pave the way for a system of direct democracy. On the DPJ side, Diet
Affairs Committee Chairman Yoshiaki Takaki held a meeting Thursday morning
with his counterparts in the Social Democratic Party and the People's New
Party, and confirmed their intention to oppose holding a vote on the bill
in the committee that day. At the meeting, Takaki reportedly said:
"There should be no compromise unless [the ruling parties] accept all
of the DPJ's revision demands. It's all or nothing." On Thursday
afternoon, Nikai and Hirofumi Hirano, acting chairman of the DPJ Diet
Affairs Committee, held talks but could not bridge the gap. After the
meeting, Hirano told reporters: "Both sides failed to agree to a compromise.
The negotiations have broken down." In January, Prime Minister Shinzo
Abe vowed to make amending the Constitution a major issue in summers House
of Councillors election, and expressed his enthusiasm for quick passage of
the referendum bill. The DPJ was critical of Abe's remark, arguing the
prime minister was trying to curry favor with voters ahead of the upper
house election. As a result, efforts at joint revision lost steam. However,
Abe instructed LDP executives to press for quick passage of the bill, and to
disregard the response of the opposition parties. New Komeito had initially
insisted on joint revision of the bill with the DPJ. But with the first
stage of unified local elections on April 8 over, the junior coalition
partner agreed to passage of the bill with only ruling party support.
"The time is ripe for a vote," one New Komeito member
said.Following the vote in the lower house committee Thursday, Funada said,
"This has come about because of a confrontation between political
parties." Edano responded to the vote by saying, "We were making
an effort to build a consensus, but were confronted with irrational
pressure."
From http://www.yomiuri.co.jp 04/14/2007
TOP↑
Diet
Passes Bills to Protect Japan EEZ
Amid unceasing tension with China over
natural gas resources, the Upper House on Friday passed two bills intended
to protect Japan's
interests in its exclusive economic zone. The basic maritime law and the
law on establishing safety areas for maritime structures are aimed at establishing
a system to deal with contingencies in surrounding waters and to protect Japan's
national interests. The two bills, initiated by a cross-party group of
lawmakers from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and opposition Minshuto
(Democratic Party of Japan), are expected to take effect in July, lawmakers
said. The bills were approved Thursday by a majority vote in the Upper
House's Committee on Land and Transport. Under the new system, a post for a
Cabinet minister in charge of maritime policies will be created, according
to the lawmakers. A headquarters for maritime policies, headed by the prime
minister, will also be introduced. Other measures in the bills are intended
to develop natural resources, introduce safety measures for maritime
transportation and maintain security in coastal areas of up to 200 nautical
miles. "Safety zones" will be set up within 500 meters of
structures inside the EEZ, such as manmade islands and drilling facilities.
Such a move is permissible under the United Nations Convention on the Law
of the Sea, which Japan has
signed.
After the laws go into force, entry into
those safety areas will be banned unless approved by the transport
minister.Companies have long been waiting to start development projects for
resources, such as natural gas, in Japan's EEZ.
The zone also ensures security in Japan's
territorial waters for fisheries and maritime distribution. However, the
government has made no extra efforts in improving its maritime policies,
mainly because of the complicated and troublesome supervisory functions
concerning the EEZ. For example, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and
Industry is in charge of resources development projects, while the Ministry
of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is responsible for security inside the
EEZ. As many as eight central government entities are involved in matters
concerning the EEZ. In addition, the vertically segmented administration
systems of those organizations have prevented them from smoothly taking
coordinated action. The U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, which allows
countries facing the ocean to have EEZs, took effect in 1994. China and South
Korea have been quicker
than Japan in
strengthening their maritime policies. In 1996, Beijing
compiled basic strategies to bolster its maritime development projects.
Seoul
consolidated entities with authority over its EEZ the same year, and
enacted a basic law concerning development of marine products in 2002. Japan's bills
are largely seen as countermeasures against China, which
continues to develop natural gas fields in the East
China Sea. Japanese officials fear the Chinese
projects could suck out gas from Japan's EEZ.
However, Japan has
been struggling to come up with effective measures to break the stalemate.
Within about one year after the two laws go into force, the government
intends to use the new maritime headquarters to hammer out policies to
protect Japan's
interests inside the EEZ, according to the lawmakers.
From
http://www.asahi.com 04/21/2007
TOP↑
Headwind
for Japan
Constitutional Changes
While Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's
ruling coalition may seem to be cruising easily toward the first revision
of the country's postwar pacifist constitution, it has encountered an
unexpected headwind -- a decline in public support for the move. In a
historic step toward revising the supreme law, Japan's Diet
(parliament) will almost certainly enact a bill soon setting the rules for
a national referendum required for any constitutional changes. It will do
this on the strength of the Liberal Democratic Party-led coalition's
majority in both houses of the Diet. But recent opinion polls show that
public support for constitutional amendments, especially rewriting a clause
that has put strict restrictions on Japanese military activities since the
end of World War II, has plummeted. Since taking office last September, Abe
has advocated a more assertive foreign policy and a stronger security
alliance with the United States. He has
also called for a "departure from the postwar regime" and has
made it his top policy goal to seek revisions of the constitution to allow
the nation to play a greater role in the international security arena,
especially in step with the U.S. Abe has specifically expressed a strong
desire to see the constitution revised within five years. To be sure, the
soon-to-be-enacted national referendum law marks a significant and
necessary step toward revising the constitution. Sixty years after the
constitution took effect in 1947, Japan still
does not have a law concerning a national referendum on constitutional
amendments because of opposition to revising the constitution. But public
opinion has become more favorable for constitutional amendments in recent
years.
Any constitutional revisions, however, are
still at least three to four years away because the proposed referendum law
actually comes into force three years after its enactment. In addition,
there are two high hurdles to be cleared before the constitution can be
changed -- two-thirds approval of both houses of the Diet then passage of a
national referendum with support from more than half of eligible voters. In
the autumn of 2005, Abe's LDP adopted its draft of a new constitution that
would clear the way for Japan to play
a greater role in international security. The current war-renouncing,
pacifist constitution, drafted by the U.S.
occupation forces immediately after Japan's
defeat in World War II, has never been altered. The LDP draft calls for,
among other things, rewriting Article 9 -- the clause almost synonymous
with Japan's
postwar defense policy -- to acknowledge clearly the existence of a
"military for self-defense." The draft also calls for more active
participation in international peace cooperation activities. All these
elements are missing from the current constitution. Article 9, Section 1,
says, "Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice
and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of
the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling
international disputes." Article 9, Section 2, says, "In order to
accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph, land, sea and air forces, as
well as other war potential, will never be maintained. The right of
belligerency of the state will not be recognized."
The current constitution is widely
interpreted as forbidding the possession of a military. Although, in
reality, Japan has
about 240,000 troops (Self-Defense Forces) and one of the world's biggest
defense expenditures, successive governments have explained away the
contradiction by claiming that SDF is not a military. Many Japanese feel
more insecure in the increasingly volatile security environment surrounding
their country. There is growing alarm in Japan over
what are perceived as real or potential threats posed by neighbors North
Korea and China. At the
same time, Japan is
under increasing pressure from its most important ally, the U.S., to
shoulder more of the burden of its foreign and security policy, regionally
and globally. Having a "self-imposed" new constitution to replace
the current one drafted by the U.S., is not
merely a matter of national pride, but something Japanese leaders firmly
believe the nation must do to cope with new challenges. Momentum for
revising the constitution, which took effect in 1947, has mounted following
the September 2005 general election, in which the LDP-led coalition under
then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi won a landslide victory, garnering
more than a two-thirds majority in the 480-seat House of Representatives,
the more powerful of the two Diet chambers. The political momentum has
gained further steam with the inauguration of Abe, who has become the first
premier to vow to put revising the constitution on his political agenda.
But public support for constitutional changes has plummeted recently.
According to a survey of 3,000 Japanese
nationwide conducted by the conservative Yomiuri Shimbun, Japan's largest
national daily, 46 percent of those polled favor constitutional revisions,
while 39 percent oppose them, with the rest undecided or having no opinion.
Although those who favor constitutional revisions have consistently
outnumbered those who oppose them for 15 years, the percentage of the
former has dropped for three years running. The 46 percent support ratio
represents a drop of nine percentage points from a similar poll taken a
year ago before Abe took office. Meanwhile, the 39 percent disapproval
ratio was seven percentage points higher from a year ago. Of those who
favor revising the constitution, the largest percentage (48) tends to
believe that new problems have arisen, such as the nation's inability to
make proper international contributions under the current constitution. Of
those who oppose revising the constitution, the largest percentage (47)
replied that the nation's top law is a pacifist constitution that Japan can be
proud of. Another recent opinion poll, conducted by Kyodo news agency, also
showed a decline in public support for constitutional revisions. The survey
showed that the percentage of those who favor revising the constitution
dropped to 57 percent from 61 percent in a similar survey two years ago.
Meanwhile, the percentage of those who oppose revising the constitution
increased to 34.5 percent from 29.8 percent during the same period. As for
war-renouncing Article 9 as a whole, 44.5 percent of those polled replied
that they saw no need to revise the article while only 25 percent replied
that it should be revised. It is believed that some of those who used to
favor revising the constitution have become cautious about the issue after
realizing that what they thought was just an armchair exercise may become a
reality. This swing of the public opinion pendulum makes it even more
uncertain whether -- and when -- the constitution will actually be revised.
From www.newsonjapan.com 04/21/2007
TOP↑
Lower
House Panel Passes Constitutional Referendum Bill
A House of Representatives ad hoc
committee approved a bill on Thursday that sets procedures to amend the
country's war-renouncing Constitution which has not been revised since
coming into force in 1947. The legislation was passed by a majority vote of
the Liberal Democratic Party and its partner in the ruling coalition, the
New Komeito party, at the Special Committee for Research on the
Constitution. The charter states that its amendment shall be initiated by
parliament through a concurring vote of two-thirds in both House of
Representatives and the House of Councillors and then be presented to the
people for endorsement by a majority vote in a referendum. However, no
legislation setting rules for such a referendum has been established so
far. The ruling coalition submitted the national referendum bill to the
Diet in May 2006. The bill, which was revised in March in the course of
deliberations, proposes the referendum be held only for the purpose of
constitutional revision and with eligible voters being Japanese citizens
aged 18 and older. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Thursday of the
legislation, "We have held in-depth discussions for a considerable
amount of time. I believe the time is ripe for taking a vote."
Political pundits say even if the legislation is passed for enactment
through plenary votes in parliament, a referendum will not be held until at
least the fall of 2011, given all the procedures required.
The bill would ban public servants and
educators from using their influence in a national referendum and requires
media organizations to provide free-of-charge space to publicize
substantial constitutional revisions. One of the focal points in a revision
is Article 9, which says, "Aspiring sincerely to an international
peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war
as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as a
means of settling international disputes." "In order to
accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph, land, sea, and air forces,
as well as other war potential, will never be maintained. The right of
belligerency of the state will not be recognized." Broadcasters are
required to be careful to ensure political fairness and are banned from
airing commercials for two weeks before the day of the referendum. Earlier
this week, the opposition Democratic Party of Japan introduced its own
amendment proposing to set no restrictions on public servants and to ban
broadcasters from running TV commercials. At a committee session Tuesday
morning, the DPJ explained its amendment. Representatives of the ruling and
opposition blocs held behind-the-scenes negotiations in a bid to come up
with a joint amendment to the bill. But they failed to their narrow
differences, coalition sources said. Abe has expressed his determination to
seek the passage of the national referendum bill by May 3, the 60th
anniversary of Japan's
postwar Constitution coming into force, to pave the way for revising the
national charter. In October 2005, the LDP drafted a new constitution, featuring
possession of armed forces for self-defense. The LDP's draft would
completely rewrite the preamble and adds several new clauses including one
stipulating that Japan possesses military forces for self-defense that can
take part in international security operations and keep public order at
home in emergencies.
From http://asia.news.yahoo.com 04/21/2007
TOP↑
Govt
Plan Aims to Boost Farm Management
The government wants to grow profits from
agriculture through increased exports by boosting the number of farmers it
deems to have entrepreneurial spirit and good management skills, it was
learned Saturday. According to government sources, the Asian Gateway
Strategy Council, headed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, has compiled a draft
outline for the revitalization of agriculture, which also includes measures
to promote combining agricultural lands to expand the scale of farm
management. The Asian Gateway initiative envisions making the country a
gateway to Asia in various fields.
In addition to expanding exports, mostly to East Asian countries, the draft
aims to strengthen the sales power of farmers through several steps, such
as promoting small-scale sales to customers at small stands or through
direct delivery as well as large-scale sales to supermarkets, the
restaurant industry and food manufacturers. The government also is
considering accepting people active in different fields such as retail,
food and financial services as farmers to enhance the management skills of
regular farmers. It also will encourage the incorporation of farm
management such as by private firms.
From http://www.yomiuri.co.jp 04/22/2007
TOP↑
SOUTH
KOREA: Government
to Legislate Against Age Discrimination in Employment
The government will introduce a bill
banning direct and indirect age discrimination by employers for gradual
implementation starting in the second half of 2008, the Labor Ministry said
Thursday (March 29). Under the bill, employers must remove age limits for
recruitment beginning in the second half of next year and for pay and
welfare benefits, unfair dismissal, promotion, positioning and job training
beginning in 2010, the ministry said. A heavy penalty of up to 100 million
won ($106,299) will be imposed on those who refuse to comply with the
authorities' order to change their practices of discrimination, it added. A
recent government-commissioned survey showed about 80 percent of personnel
affairs officials and 90 percent of employees support the legislation. The
survey was conducted in February by the private firm Hankook Research on
200 personnel affairs officials of corporations and 500 workers aged 20 and
older, according to the ministry. "The bill is aimed at removing
customary discrimination on grounds of age, and to extend and stabilize the
employment of aged workers," a ministry official said on condition of
anonymity.
From http://www.korea.net/ 03/29/2007
TOP↑
Roh
Withholds Planned Motion for Constitutional Revision
President Roh Moo-hyun on Saturday (April
14) called off his plan to revise the Constitution to introduce a U.S-style
presidential system, following a recommendation by political parties that
the move be postponed until next year, his office said. "I understand
the significant meaning of the political parties that altogether adopted a
position to revise the Constitution in the 18th assembly, and I appreciate
that," Roh was quoted by his spokesman Yoon Seung-yong as saying. The
next National Assembly is to be formed in June next year. Roh has sought a
constitutional change in favor of a U.S.
presidential system, in which future Korean leaders can seek re-election
after serving his or her first four-year term. Currently, a Korean
president can serve only a single five-year term. Roh said the current
single-term Korean presidency, introduced in the late 1980s to prevent
dictatorships, doesn’t fit a democratized Korea that
needs political continuity. A constitutional revision should first be
approved by two-thirds of sitting lawmakers and then in a national
referendum.
From www.korea.net 04/14/2007
TOP↑
Korea to
Adopt Stricter Accounting Rules from 2011
Korea plans
to introduce stricter accounting standards as part of its efforts to make
corporate accounting more transparent, the country's financial regulator
said Thursday (March 15). Korean companies listed on the main bourse and
with 2 trillion won ($2.1 billion) or more in assets will be required to
disclose their financial data in consolidated financial statements from
2011. Listed firms with smaller amounts of assets will have to follow suit
from 2013, the Financial Supervisory Service said. A consolidated financial
statement, which includes financial results of a corporation's entire
entities, requires eliminating transactions among a parent firm and its
affiliates so that assets, liabilities, revenue, and expenses will not be
counted twice and the parent firm's value will not be distorted. It is
currently not mandatory for listed local firms to submit consolidated
financial statements except for at the end of each fiscal year. As a
result, the financial information of corporations' unlisted units or
overseas branches are often omitted from their financial data, the watchdog
said. "The use of the common language will help significantly reduce
the Korea Discount by boosting reliability in accounting by local
firms," the watchdog said in a statement. Korea Discount refers to a
phenomenon in which Korean stocks are regarded as having a relatively
cheaper value than those in other Asian markets due to a lack of
transparency in accounting practices and murky corporate governance. Some
100 nations including the United
States, countries of the
European Union and Japan are
already releasing consolidated financial data, the watchdog added.
Fromhttp://www.korea.net 04/15/2007
TOP↑
Roh
Calls for Efforts to Attain True Democracy
President Roh Moo-hyun Thursday (April 19)
stressed the need for the country to strive to attain true democracy and
improve human rights through dialogue and compromise on the occasion of an
anniversary of pro-democracy movements that toppled an authoritarian regime
decades ago. In an address to the 47th anniversary of the April 19
Revolution, the president said the nation needs to embrace a more advanced
political culture based on tolerance and accountability. "It's already
two decades since Korea's
regime was changed through democratic elections. But we still have a long
way to go and are faced with many daunting tasks," Roh said. "All
problems should be resolved through dialogue, compromise and mutual
respect. Political accountability should be determined by elections."
The ceremony, held at the April 19 National Cemetery in northern Seoul, was
attended by Roh and thousands of government officials, politicians and
citizens. The democratic movement, initiated by university students after
the country's first president Rhee Syngman revised the Constitution and
rigged the election in 1960 to extend his term of office, ended Rhee's
regime after 12 years in power. The nationwide street demonstration was
touched off by the discovery of a student in the harbor of Masan,
Gyeongsangnam-do (South Gyeongsang Province). The
student was killed by a tear gas shell in demonstrations against the
elections of March 1960. The demonstration saw hundreds of demonstrators
killed by police forces. Among them, 199 were buried in the April 19
Cemetery.
From www.korea.net 04/19/2007
TOP↑
Full
Text of Agreement at Inter-Korean Economic Talks
The following is the full text of a
10-point agreement issued by South and North
Korea at the end of
their five-day economic cooperation meeting in Pyongyang on
Sunday. South and North Korea held
the 13th meeting of the Inter-Korean Economic Cooperation Promotion
Committee in Pyongyang on April 18-22, 2007. During
the meeting, the two sides discussed the issues and agreed on the following
to advance the inter-Korean economic cooperation project in ways befitting
the prosperity and the interest of the Korean people. 1. South and North
Korea agree to take
measures needed for investment and cooperation so as to develop the Korean
people's economy in a balanced way and expand and develop inter-Korean
economic cooperation. 2. South and North Korea agree to conduct test runs
of the Gyeongui (Seoul-Sinuiju) and Donghae (East Coast) railway lines on
May 17, hold relevant working-level negotiations in Gaeseong on April 27-28
and make efforts to realize the operations of the railways and roads at the
earliest possible date. Both sides agree to make positive efforts to
actualize a military safety guarantee prior to the test runs of the
railways. 3. South and North
Korea agree to adopt a
revised and complemented accord on South-North Cooperation in Light
Industry and Natural Resource Development which had already been adopted at
the 12th inter-Korean economic cooperation meeting. In this regard, the
South will provide raw materials for light industry to the North starting
from June in return for future payment, and the North will cooperate in
allowing the South to make an onsite visit to the envisioned development
sites as well as obtain necessary documents. To that end, the two sides
will hold working-level talks in Gaeseong on May 2-4 to consult, discuss
and determine concrete matters.
4. South and North Korea will hold
working-level talks sometime in May to discuss ways of facilitating
customs, telecommunication, supply of North Korean labor, accommodations,
convenience facilities and further development of the Gaeseong industrial
complex. 5. South and North
Korea will hold
working-level talks in Gaeseong sometime in June to discuss their advance
into third countries in the field of natural resource development. 6. South
and North Korea agree
to reach an agreement on the prevention of flooding in shared areas near
the Imjin River and
implement it in the form of exchanging a document in early May. In this
regard, the North agrees to cooperate in allowing South Koreans to make
on-site visits and providing technical support needed for the supply of
facilities and raw materials. 7. South and North
Korea agree to hold
working-level talks at the earliest possible time in order to implement a
project to extract sand from the Han River's
estuary as military safety measures are taken. 8. South and North Korea
agree to hold a working-level meeting in Gaeseong sometime in June for the
prevention of natural disasters and science and technology cooperation, and
they will determine the schedules for fishery cooperation, a business arbitration
committee and a joint committee for immigration and stays in Gaeseong and
Mt. Geumgangsan in the form of exchanging documents. 9. The South agrees to
provide 400,000 tons of rice to the North in the form of a loan on
brotherly and humanitarian grounds. 10. The 14th meeting of the
Inter-Korean Economic Cooperation Promotion Committee will be held in the
South in July 2007 and the date will be determined after consultation in
the form of exchanging documents.
From http://www.korea.net 04/21/2007
TOP↑
Koreas Set to
Issue Accord on Railway Tests
South and North
Korea were set to
announce an agreement on test runs of cross-border railways, rice aid and
other issues on Sunday (April 22). after their four-day talks on economic cooperation
stretched into an extra day. The two sides agreed to conduct test runs of
cross-border railways in mid-May, and a phrase on a military security
guarantee for the operation will likely be included in the agreement,
according to pool reports from Pyongyang, the
venue of the talks. The security issue was a sticking point as South Korean
officials contended that the test runs of cross-border railways will be
"meaningless" if there is no safety guarantee on the part of the
North Korean military. The two Koreas also
agreed on the schedule for the South's provision of raw materials to help
the North produce clothing, footwear and soap in return for its natural
resources. The South agreed to provide 400,000 tons of rice to the
impoverished country, but it was not immediately clear when or how the
shipment will be made. It also remains unclear whether a joint statement
will include a phrase on the North's quick action on steps toward its
nuclear dismantlement in return for the rice aid. "The two sides are finalizing
the wording for their agreement," said Chin Dong-soo, chief of the
South Korean delegation. The two sides were originally scheduled to issue a
joint press statement at 2 p.m. on
Saturday, but they held a series of negotiations to settle remaining
differences and work out the wording for a final draft of a joint
statement.
On Thursday, the North Korean delegation
stormed out of the conference room to protest the South's call for the
North's quick implementation of denuclearization, but talks resumed later
as scheduled. "As we made clear in a keynote speech, we urged the
North to honor its promise to carry out the Feb. 13 agreement," an
unidentified South Korean delegate was quoted as saying by the pool
reports. "But I don't think the talks should go awry because of this
demand." Shortly after the North conducted missile tests in July, the
South suspended food and fertilizer aid. But fertilizer aid was resumed in
late March, a few weeks after the two sides agreed to repair their strained
ties. The reconnection of severed train lines was one of the tangible
inter-Korean rapprochement projects agreed upon following the historic
summit between then South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and North Korean
leader Kim Jong-il in 2000. The tracks, one line cutting across the western
section of the border and the other crossing the eastern side, were
completed and set to undergo test runs. A set of parallel roads has been in
use since 2005 for South Koreans traveling to the North. In 2005, South
Korea agreed to offer
raw materials to the North to help it produce clothing, footwear and soap
starting in 2006. In return, the North was to provide the South with
minerals, such as zinc and magnesite, after mines were developed with South
Korean investments guaranteed by Pyongyang.
But the economic accord was not
implemented as North Korea
abruptly called off scheduled test runs of the railways in May under
apparent pressure from its hard-line military. During the talks, the North
called for receiving raw materials from the South in exchange for providing
its natural resources "close to the time when railway test runs are
conducted," the pool reports said. But the South made clear that it
will provide the North with $80 million worth of raw materials only after
the two sides conduct test runs of the railways. Other issues on the table
were the use of overland transportation for inter-Korean economic
activities, the establishment of a North Korean bank branch at a joint
industrial complex in Gaeseong, the construction of joint chemical
industrial facilities in the North's free economic zone and the two Koreas'
advance into Russia's Far
Eastern region. The Pool reports said that the South pushed to include the
use of overland transportation in a phrase for an agreement, but the two
sides failed to see eye-to-eye on the issue. The latest inter-Korean
dialogue began just days after the communist nation failed to meet an April
14 deadline to shut down and seal its nuclear facilities under a six-nation
agreement signed in Beijing in
February. Last Friday, North
Korea said it would take
the first steps toward nuclear dismantlement as soon as it confirms the
release of its funds frozen in a Macau bank since September 2005. Macau's
financial authorities unblocked the North's $25 million in Banco Delta
Asia, but the deadline passed with no word from the North on whether it has
confirmed the release of the funds or when it will start implementing the
initial steps. Under the Feb. 13 agreement, North
Korea pledged to shut
down its main nuclear reactor and allow U.N. inspectors back into the
country within 60 days. In return, North
Korea would receive aid
equal to 50,000 tons of heavy fuel oil from South
Korea. The U.S.
promised to resolve the financial issue within 30 days, but failed to do so
because of technical complications.
From http://www.korea.net/ 04/22/2007
TOP↑
MONGOLIA:
Government to Draw Up Draft Law
The Government intends to draw up a draft
law on paying off from the Government a half of the money lost by 8,903
savings holders. Depositing these money several savings-and-credit have
gone bankrupt. The half of the sum will be issued provided that the
receivers will pay back the money to the Government. This decision was made
at Wednesday s regular Cabinet meeting. The latter also decided to submit
the draft to the Parliament shortly. The victims must take back a total of
57 billion 894 million togrogs from the bankrupted cooperatives. At
present, about 43 billion togrogs worth real estates and properties of the
bankrupted savings-and-credit cooperatives have been sequestrated, besides,
there are some unevaluated properties and lands. Moreover, there is a
possibility to collect 13 billion togrogs from debtors who have taken money
from these cooperatives.
From http://www.montsame.mn 04/19/2007
TOP↑
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INDONESIA: Govt
Launches Low-cost Housing Project
The government has kicked off a nationwide
project aimed at housing over 1.5 million low-income earners over the next
five years. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono attended Thursday a ceremony
for the project in Pulo Gebang, East Jakarta, which
also marked the launching of the scheme in nine other locations throughout
the country. Yudhoyono said the government had adopted a two-pronged
approach in carrying out the project worth some Rp 50 trillion (US$5.489
billion). He said that aside from closing the yawning gap between the rich
and the poor, the housing project was also aimed at improving city
planning. In Pulo Gebang, the government expects to construct 24 towers of
low-cost flats, which it says should be available to house people within
the next five years. State Minister for Public Housing M. Yusuf Asy'ari
said the banking sector would provide 70 percent of the financing, while
the private sector will contribute the remaining 30 percent. One unit will
be made available for Rp 99 million. The government also plans housing
projects for Surabaya, Semarang, Batam,
Bandung, Medan, Padang, Palembang, Makassar and Banjarmasin. By the
completion of the first stage of construction, the government expects to
have built 100 of the planned 1,000 towers.
Asy'ari said eight developers had
expressed interest in partaking in the respective housing projects. To
prevent the flats from being acquired by well-off families, the government
plans to set rigorous requirements for individuals applying for credit to
purchase units. "In five years, ownership of the flats must not be
transferred. If such an infraction occurs, the owners must return the
subsidies and tax relief that have been granted," he said. In an
effort to reduce costs associated with acquiring land for the project,
State Minister for State Enterprises Sugiharto said developers would be
allowed to use derelict land owned by the state. "On the
state-controlled land, we expect to build 450 towers," Sugiharto told
reporters after the ceremony for the project. Yudhoyono pledged to provide
cheap housing for the country's poor during his campaign for the 2004
presidential election. Millions of people in the country are still
struggling to find decent housing. In Jakarta alone,
in excess of 180,000 families live in city slums. Of this figure, more than
71,000 families live on the banks of the city's rivers. Jakarta Governor
Sutiyoso said that to provide decent housing for the riverbank dwellers
alone, the city administration would require some Rp 12 trillion.
From http://www.thejakartapost.com 04/07/2007
TOP↑
Indonesia Commits
to ASEAN Single Market Plan
The government said Monday it would draft
a new road map setting out revised economic development policies in line
with the planned creation of the ASEAN single market. "The road map
will be completed by November this year and it will detail the reform
programs that we intend to institute," Anggito Abimanyu, the head of
the Finance Ministry's Fiscal Policy Agency, told reporters Monday. Anggito
said the acceleration of ASEAN economic integration was one of the issues
discussed during a meeting of the region's finance ministers in Chiang
Mai, Thailand, last
week. "And this acceleration will undoubtedly lead to changes in our
long-term economic vision," he said. ASEAN members agreed last year in
Kuala Lumpur to
expedite the efforts to create a single market by bringing it forward to
2015, five years ahead of schedule, amid fears of competition from China and India.
Despite the wide disparities, and often conflicting interests, in the
region, it is hoped that integration will unite the 10 Southeast Asian
countries into a European-style single market for the free flow of goods,
services and investment.
Anggito said Indonesia would
first have to reform its excessively bureaucratic customs procedures and
classifications. "A standardized taxation system is not possible for
the widely divergent countries in the region, but their systems definitely
need to be harmonized," he said, adding that integration would also
require reforms to the bond and equity markets, and the overhauling of the
regulations governing the non-bank financial sector. He said that both
great challenges and opportunities lay ahead as the global economy slowed
down, even though China was
still likely to achieve double-digit growth this year. Volatility in the
capital markets and commodity prices were among the factors that could
adversely impact on Indonesia, he
explained. "It's a good thing that Japan's
economy has improved," he said, "and we may still increase our
exports to South Korea now
that it has signed a free-trade agreement with the United
States." Japan and South
Korea are among Indonesia's main
export markets.
With a bigger market, Anggito said
Indonesia could achieve double-digit growth in a few years after the
integration process took hold as it would likely benefit from more
investment from countries such as Singapore and Malaysia. ASEAN
secretary-general Ong Keng Yong was quoted by Bloomberg as saying in Chiang
Mai that trade within the 10-member group had tripled in the past decade,
rising to over $300 billion today. Inter-ASEAN trade accounts for about 25
percent of the ASEAN members $1.44 trillion-worth of global trade annually,
he said. Trade between ASEAN and the Middle East had
also risen as higher oil prices had boosted wealth and imports in the
latter. "As we integrate, we should buy and sell more from each other,
so when growth in overseas markets declines, ASEAN countries will be able
to pick up the slack," Ong said.
From http://www.thejakartapost.com 04/10/2007
TOP↑
Bills
Need to Reform Party System
Political bills prepared by the government
and the House of Representatives should provide for a more rigid party
system in order to move political parties closer to the people and to
pursue popular representation -- both at the legislative and executive
level. This idea was floated Tuesday by House member Yasonna H Laoly of the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and Indria Samego, a
political analyst from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), in
response to an increased demand for popular representation. Yasonna said
his party was fighting to insert in the bills tougher administrative
requirements and a more democratic system in the establishment of new
political parties. "PDI-P believes that the bill on political parties
should require support from at least three million eligible voters
nationwide for the formation of a new political party, including financial
contribution from supporters, mandatory political education for party
members and a democratic recruitment of party functionaries," he told
The Jakarta Post. "We are in need of financially and legally strong
parties, with officials elected by supporters, rather than appointed by
party leaders."
Yasonna said the bill on general elections
should also mandate an open electoral system, including legislative
candidates with whom voters are familiar. "Such a system would ensure
that parties nominate officials in local elections and qualified senior
figures in the presidential election," he said. "Tougher
political bills should help avoid a huge floating mass and swing voters.
"And tougher bills should qualify legislators and national leaders in
future general elections." Indria of LIPI agreed that political
parties have to undergo a gradual reform to bring them closer to the
people. "Political parties function not only to recruit public
officials through general elections but also to mediate between the people
and the government," he said. "Political parties have (been)
nothing more than money makers by nominating themselves instead of party
officials in local elections. "And this has resulted in regional heads
who have less commitment to improve social welfare and democracy."
Indria also said the establishment of local parties and the nomination of
independent candidates for local and presidential elections was not an
appropriate answer to national parties' poor performance.
He said performance issues had to be
addressed by empowerment through political bills and that Indonesia still
needed three more general elections in order to build a better party
system, produce effective legislatures and to build strong national and
local leaders. The Center for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (Demos)
has called for dramatic changes to political bills in order to pursue
popular representation; ensure quality general elections; and to build
strong legislatures and government in the future. Anton Prajasto, deputy
executive director of Demos, said the democracy launched at the start of
the reform era in 1998 had stagnated because political parties during the
past two elections had fought only for the interests of party elites, their
power holders and domestic and foreign investors. Civil society, including
Demos and other NGOs, has called for political laws which would allow the
establishment of local parties and the nomination of independent candidates
in local and presidential elections. They say this will provide the people
with a fairer alternative when electing their next leaders.
From http://www.thejakartapost.com/ 04/11/2007
TOP↑
Government
Drafts Service Standards
The government is drafting manuals on
minimum service standards for 11 powers decentralized to regions and
mayoralties under regional autonomy laws. Minimum service standards, which
are regulated under Government Regulation No. 65/2005 on public service, must
be adhered to by the relevant powers in regencies and municipalities
throughout the country. "At the national level, all state departments
and non-departmental agencies are required to complete the first manuals by
the end of 2008 so the government regulation can come into effect in
2009," the Director for the development of regional capacity and
performance at the Home Ministry, Eko Subowo, told a workshop on minimum
service standards here over the weekend. The manuals, to be issued through
decrees from relevant ministers, will outline minimum service standards in
the decentralized areas of health, education, transportation, the
environment, forestry, manpower, marine resources, mining and energy,
disaster management, agriculture and plantations.
Citing an example, Eko said a minimum
service standard in the education sector would require 95 percent of
children aged between seven and 12 years to attend elementary school, 90
percent of teaching staff to be qualified and 95 percent of elementary
school graduates to continue to junior high school. He said the minimum
service standards were compulsory and would be financed with general and
special (autonomy) funds from the state budget. Regions would also have to
improve their financial and resource capacities to achieve the minimum
service standards, he added. "The manuals will be used as measurement
tools in determining autonomy funds and there will be serious consequences
for regions which are unable to reach minimum service standards. They will
be liquidated or merged with other financially-strong regions," he
said, adding that the government would issue a regulation for the
evaluation of the performances of autonomous regions.
The minimum service standard regulation
also stipulates that priority must be given to development in areas such as
education, health, transportation and the environment to protect the
constitutional rights of the public and provide good governance in return
for the taxes they pay to the state. Chief spokesman for the Home Ministry
Saut Situmorang said the policy of minimum service standards has prompted
the government and the House of Representatives to revise the current
budget policy to ensure future state budgets will allocate at least a half
of the budget for development expenditure. "The government will be
required to allocate more funds for development programs and public
expenditure and as long as it is unable to do so, it will certainly fail to
achieve good political results," he said. Saut said the government and
the House were still drafting legislation on the public service and
administration systems which would allow members of the public to file
lawsuits against public offices and officials who fail to provide services
in accordance with the minimum service standards.
From http://www.thejakartapost.com/ 04/16/2007
TOP↑
New
Regulations Allow Local Govts to Issue Bonds
Regional governments can now take
advantage of the country's growing bond market to plug their budget
deficits, following the issuance of long-waited guidelines last week for
bond sales by local administrations. Under a package of regulations issued
by the Capital Markets and Financial Institutions Supervisory Agency
(Bapepam-LK) on Friday, like publicly listed companies, all local
administrations planning to offer bonds to the market are required to
publish annual financial reports in the form of detailed accounts of their
regional budgets. The annual financial reports should include notices -- or
"comfort letters"-- from public accountants regarding any final
changes after their publication, as well as a prospectus of the offered
bonds and an official registration for the bond sale from the head of the
region to the Bapepam-LK. "The regulations are to provide a further legal
framework for the issuance of regional bonds in line with capital market
practices, as well as to ensure the availability of credible information
for investors regarding the bonds," Bapepam-LK chief Fuad Rahmany said
in a statement accompanying the newly issued regulations.
The regulations complement a 2005 law on
regional loans and a 2006 Finance Ministry regulation on regional bonds.
The Regional Loans Law bars regions from receiving any direct foreign
loans, but allows them to issue rupiah-denominated bonds in the local
capital market as long-term debts, on approval from the finance minister
and the home minister. To be approved, a region's total debt should not
exceed 75 percent of its total revenue. Indonesia's
Regional Autonomy Law recognizes self-administration for provinces,
regencies and municipalities. The Finance Ministry regulation further
requires the head of a region to seek approval from the local legislative
council and set up a bond sale commission to ensure the feasibility of the
offered bonds. It also requires the proceeds from an offering to be used to
finance projects benefiting the public. Regions also must submit regular
reports every three months regarding the bonds to the finance minister.
Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati has on previous occasions sternly
reminded regions not to fall into the lure of issuing more bonds than they
can afford, saying this would eventually burden the state.
Head of debt research at Mandiri
Sekuritas, Paulus Nurwadono, told The Jakarta Post of the need "to
establish market frameworks to measure the feasibility of the regional
bonds, besides the Bapepam-LK's latest regulations regarding administrative
matters for their issuance. This should include credible market ratings for
the regional bonds". Moody's Indonesia president Minon Almasyhur has
mentioned the global rating agency's interest in supporting the many local
administrations still lacking proper accounting of their budgets, and
providing ratings for their regional bonds. Plans for regional bond sales
should add to Indonesia's
efforts in deepening its bond market. The central government itself has
earmarked at least Rp 40.6 trillion (US$4.5 billion) for net bond sales,
which include regular monthly bond sales, retail bonds, planned treasury
bills later this month and, in the future, sharia bonds.
From
http://www.thejakartapost.com 04/16/2007
TOP↑
Govt
Announces Tax Write-off
The city administration has announced
plans to write off the tax arrears of liquidated business, although a
councilor has warned that the policy could be open to abuse. "It is
impossible for us to collect tax arrears from tax evaders whose businesses
have been liquidated," Deputy Governor Fauzi Bowo told reporters at
City Hall on Monday. "Therefore it's better for us to write it off
rather than keeping it in the balance sheet of the city budget as unpaid
debt," he added. The city administration has drafted a bylaw on city
finance management stipulating that the governor will have the authority to
write off the tax arrears of any hotel, restaurant, entertainment center or
other business that has closed down, provided the arrears is less than Rp 5
billion (US$549 million). If the arrears is more than that amount, the city
council's approval will be needed. According to city finance bureau head
Syauki Yahya, tax arrears in 2006 reached Rp 44.6 billion and Rp 78 billion
in 2005.
Other unpaid debt reached Rp 573 billion
in 2006, including unpaid loans for the subdistricts' community empowerment
programs. "An appraisal team will decide on writing debts off,"
he said, adding that a thorough evaluation would be required to prove that
the businesses were truly unable to pay. The head of the Golkar faction at
the council, Inggar Joshua, however, expressed his concerns over the issue,
saying that the new policy was prone to misappropriation. "It is
possible that city officials might say that a tax evader has not paid
arrears amounting to less than Rp 5 billion while actually the debt is much
more than that," he said. Governor Sutiyoso earlier said that in 2007,
tax contributions could reach Rp 7.24 trillion, or 33.57 percent of the Rp
21.5 trillion city budget. There are now 1.07 million taxpayers in the
capital.
From http://www.thejakartapost.com/ 04/17/2007
TOP↑
PHILIPPINES: Two
Multi-billion ICT Projects Approved
Two multi-billion-peso information and
communication projects were approved by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,
government officials said Tuesday. These projects, amounting to about $800
million, will be financed by the Chinese government through loans that will
be payable in about15 years, the Commission on Information and
Communications Technology chairman Ramon Sales said in an interview. This
was confirmed by the office of the director general of the National
Economic and Development Authority, which added that the agency is still
negotiating better terms for the "concessional loans" provided
for the two projects. The loans will be negotiated with the Export and
Import Bank of China, which
handles foreign loans, the NEDA office said. The loans also require that
all equipment and materials for the projects will come from the Chinese
suppliers. "The loan is tied to the sale of the products of that
country," Sales said. About P26 billion will be borrowed from the
Chinese government for the Department of Education's Cybereducation
project, the office of the NEDA Director General said. Another P15 to16
billion will also be borrowed for the Department of Transportation and Communications'
National Broadband Network project, the agency added. Sales confirmed the
existence of both projects. But he added that the NBN was started by the
CICT until it was turned over to the DoTC.
This was also the same time when the
Telecommunications Office was re-absorbed by the DoTC, Sales said. The DoTC
project involves connecting over 28,000 national government sites
nationwide in a wireless network using microwave technology, Sales said.
The CICT official disclosed that the NBN project of DoTC will use WiMAX
technology. Meanwhile, the DepEd project involves the deployment of VSATs
(very small aperture terminals) in at least 25,000 high schools nationwide,
Sales added. Proponents of the two ICT projects went through a series of
meetings with the multi-agency Investment Coordination Council, and on
March 29, the NEDA Board, headed by Arroyo, approved the projects,
government sources at NEDA said. The NEDA source added that government is
still negotiating for better interest terms of 2 to 3 percent per year, and
a five-year grace period, which means government will only pay the loan on
the 6th year. The NEDA source said government is looking at a15-year loan
payment deal with the Chinese government. The office of the Director
General of NEDA stressed that these projects went through the evaluation of
the ICC to determine their "economic viability." Government
sources, however, claimed that these projects did not go through
feasibility studies.
From http://archive.inquirer.net 04/03/2007
TOP↑
SINGAPORE:
New law to Curb Email, Mobile Spam
A new law to curb junk email and SMS
(Short Message Service) messages was passed in Parliament on Thursday.
While not a magic bullet solution, the Minister for Information,
Communications and the Arts said the anti-spam law is a start. It would
protect consumers from unwanted messages while still giving businesses some
leeway to market their products, added Dr Lee Boon Yang. Spam is an
annoying and expensive problem. "The IDA (Infocomm Development
Authority of Singapore) carried out a study in November 2003 and found that
email spam caused Singapore users
about $23m loss in productivity. The study further revealed that each of
the three major local internet service providers or ISPs received close to
5,000 spam-related complaints a month," Dr Lee told Parliament. Among
the changes passed in the Spam Control Bill is an opt-out option for those
who do not wish to receive spam. The Bill also sets out basic requirements
for legitimate direct electronic mass marketing. For instance, messages
must be labelled advertisements in their headers, and there must be an
unsubscribing facility.
But with four out of five spam messages
originating from overseas, MPs feared such local legislation would only
hurt local players. "Given that the bulk of spam is from overseas, we
can reasonably expect that the winners will be the foreign spammers with Viagra
and organ enlargers. The losers will be our local law-abiding SMEs who are
trying to leverage the Internet as a low-cost marketing medium to promote
their business," said MP Ho Geok Choo. MPs also said it might be
better to have an opt-in clause instead of an opt-out, as this shifts the
burden from individual consumers to businesses to make sure only solicited
emails are sent. Replying, Dr Lee said what was needed for now was a light
hand which protects end users while not making it too onerous for genuine
marketers. Wrapping up the debate, Dr Lee acknowledged the MPs' views that
similar legislation in other countries - for example the US - has
not been effective in eliminating spam. But this does not mean such laws
are completely unnecessary.
Dr Lee said: "We have to expect that
as more countries enact legislation to deal with spam, the spammers will be
on the look-out for new base, new havens for them to operate from. They
are, in fact, therefore, very likely to target countries that have advanced
infocomm connectivities and are without anti-spam legislation. So, Singapore can
well become a target for spammers to operate from because we have excellent
international infocomm connectivity worldwide." An anti-spam Bill, he
added, would help maintain Singapore's
standing as a trusted infocomm hub.
From http://www.channelnewsasia.com/ 04/12/2007
TOP↑
THAILAND:
Constitution Contains No State Religion
As a Buddhist, Constitution Drafting
Committee (CDC) chairman Prasong Soonsiri said he wants Buddhism to
flourish, but it was not important to include such a declaration in the
constitution. Sqn-Ldr Prasong has shrugged off the call for Buddhism to be
declared the official national religion in the new charter. What matters
most is for Buddhists to try to understand and act in compliance with the
Lord Buddha's teachings. The question whether Buddhism should be proclaimed
the national religion is beside the point, Sqn-Ldr Prasong said. Whether
Buddhism will progress or decline depends on the ability of its followers,
both laymen and monks, to maintain the religion, he said. He was responding
to a group of Buddhist advocates who yesterday presented a letter calling
for Buddhism to be declared the national religion. The group was led by
Phra Thepvisutthikavi of the Buddhism Protection Centre of Thailand.
"There are two things that Buddhists should concern themselves with.
They need to study Lord Buddha's teachings and then find an opportunity to
try to empty their mind of all impurities," Sqn-Ldr Prasong said.
The CDC chairman said he was informed that
some laymen and certain political groups are involved in the ongoing
campaign for such a declaration. He said there were no amendments made to
sections dealing with the monarchy and religion in previous constitutions.
The CDC, which is drawing up the draft for the new charter, has not
considered introducing such changes either, he said. However, views and
suggestions for additional amendments to the new charter draft can be
submitted to the drafters. Sqn-Ldr Prasong said pressure groups would not
affect the timeframe for completing the new charter, adding that everything
will go according to plan. When the first draft of the new constitution is
finished, he said, it will be sent to the chairman of the Constitution
Drafting Assembly (CDA) and then it will be published for distribution to
the provinces before the referendum, he said. Phra Rajpanyamethi, vice-dean
of Maha Chulalongkorn Buddhist University and a
campaign leader, said it was no surprise to learn the drafters had a
"preconceived idea" on the official religion issue.
The monk insisted that there was nothing
wrong with the campaign, which was initiated out of honest intentions. Gen
Thongchai Kuasakul of the Buddhism Promotion Foundation called on Buddhists
to lobby the CDA to support the declaration of Buddhism as the national
religion. The CDA will meet to deliberate proposed amendments to the first
draft on April 26.
From http://www.bangkokpost.com/ 04/18/2007
TOP↑
VIET NAM:
State-housing Rates May Be Amended
The Ministry of Construction (MoC) has
recently submitted a draft proposal to amend the law governing the sale and
rental of State-owned domestic housing. The MoC has suggested that the
rental price for State-owned properties that have not been rebuilt or
upgraded should be based on the minimum salary of the tenant at the time of
signing the rental agreement. According MoC officials, current rental
prices, set by the prime minister in 1992, do not cover the cost to the
State of maintenance and management, while basic salary levels have
increased three-and-a-half times over the same period. If the new draft
proposal is accepted, it is expected to come into effect on January 1, 2008.
According to a recent survey by the MoC, evaluating State-owned housing is
difficult because the properties are usually small and have been
transferred from one person to another many times. In addition, some
agencies have failed to follow the correct procedures when transferring
properties. The MoC has suggested that the government authorise provincial
People Committees to manage State-owned properties in their areas and
punish those agencies that have failed to do their jobs properly in the
past.
The draft proposal also suggested that
provincial People’s Committees set the selling price of individual
properties, based on market worth and potential for development. It was
also suggested that households who did not wish to buy their properties be
allowed to extend their rental contracts at the new price. The Ministry has
also suggested that tenants that had renovated their State-owned apartments
should be given the right to buy the property. According to studies
conducted in 53 cities and provinces, 200,158 State-owned flats have so far
been sold, accounting for 58 per cent all State-owned flats in the country.
From http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn
04/17/2007
TOP↑
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Journalists
to Get Visa-free Travel Facility in S Asia
NEW DELHI: The
SAARC Council of Ministers on Monday decided to allow select journalists
facilities for visa-free travel in the region, as already allowed to
diplomats, parliamentarians and senior judges. Fifty journalists from each
of the eight SAARC countries will get the new visa-free travel facility.
The journalists who get SAARC stickers on their passports will be selected
by their respective governments, India’s
Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon told reporters at the end of the
council meeting that set the agenda for the SAARC summit beginning on
Tuesday. Reminded that journalists were promised this facility two years
ago, Menon admitted there had been a delay, but said that it was the
responsibility of immigration officials to finalise the process. He said
the Monday meeting had decided that immigration officers of SAARC countries
would meet in Delhi in the
next few months to start the new system. Asked if the South Asian Free
Media Association would have a role in selecting the journalists, Menon said
that it was for the respective governments to decide and not SAFMA, which
was “recognised but not the apex body” for journalists in the region. He
added that SAFMA’s recognition by SAARC did not preclude recognition to
other similar bodies. ( by Iftikhar Gilani )
From http://www.pakistanlink.com/
04/03/2007
TOP↑
Pakistan,
India to Speed Up IPI Project
NEW DELHI: Pakistan and India on Wednesday
decided that they would pursue the Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline
project “as fast as they can”. The two countries discussed several
bilateral issues including Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek and progress on the
ongoing composite dialogue when Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz met
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the latter’s residence here. The
bilateral meeting continued for 50 minutes during which Aziz and Singh had
a 20-minute one-on-one meeting. Aziz later told reporters that the two
sides had discussed the IPI project in detail and had agreed on making
speedy progress for its completion. The Pakistani premier said that he had
taken up the issue of more than 500 Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails
while Singh had asked for the release of Indian fishing boats that had been
seized for entering Pakistani waters. Aziz said that Pakistan had
already freed the Indian fishermen and he would give directions for
releasing the boats. “Secretary-level talks on Siachen and Sir Creek are
scheduled this week and we hope for progress on these issues,” said Aziz,
adding that he had also discussed the Samjhota Express incident with Singh
and had told him about Pakistan’s
interest in the Indian investigations. He said that Singh had assured him
that India would
give “periodic” information to Pakistan. He
added that Pakistan and India would
jointly pay compensation to the families of the Samjhota incident victims.
A press statement issued later said the two countries had agreed on
granting permission to their respective banks to open branches and
increasing air links. Separately, Bangladesh Chief
Executive Fakhurdeen Ahmed also met Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and Aziz
told him that Pakistan would
give wheat worth $10 million as a gift to Bangladesh.
Agencies add: Meanwhile, in a meeting with Indian Natural Gas Minister
Murli Deora, Aziz said the IPI gas pipeline would help Pakistan and India meet
their energy requirements. Online reported that India asked Pakistan to waive
the $200 million a year transit fee it is expecting for allowing the
pipeline’s passage. ( by Irfan Ghauri )
From http://www.pakistanlink.com/ 04/05/2007
TOP↑
BANGLADESH:
Amendments Allow ACC to Arrest on Suspicion, Without Warrant
Anti-Corruption Commi-ssion has been
empowered to arrest anyone on suspicion of corruption without any warrant
and even before filing of a case against the person. Making such
provisions, the interim government on April 18 promulgated the Anti-Corruption
Commission (Amendment) Ordinance and the gazette of the ordinance was made
available on Thursday. Changes have also been brought to the 1958 criminal
act removing the time limit for investigation of cases. Earlier on April
16, the council of advisers approved the ordinance seeking amendments to
the Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2004. The ordinance brought Money
Laundering Act 2003 within the jurisdiction of the ACC so that it can deal
with this financial crime of global nature. The ordinance amended Sections
18, 21, 28, 32 and 34 and the schedule of the Anti-Corruption Commission
Act. According to the amended section 28, any offence under the ACC act
will be cognisable and non-bailable. The existing Section 21 empowers any
officer of the ACC to arrest, with the prior approval of a court, any
person on suspicion of owning any assets or bank accounts disproportionate
to his/her legitimate income.
The amendment exempts ACC officials from
the requirement of court approval for such arrests. The amended section 18
empowers the commission to give post facto? Approval of the actions taken
by any officer of the ACC between February 7 and February 24 without its
prior approval. The section was so amended to ratify the actions, including
notifying 50 corruption suspects asking them to submit wealth statements,
taken by the secretary of the ACC during the period, when no commissioner
was there, said a high official of the ACC. The amendment to section 32
removes the requirement of prior approval of the commission for preliminary
inquiry or investigation of any graft case, but such approval will be
needed before submission of the charge sheet. The inserted provision of the
section 34 empowers the ACC to devise necessary procedure for any function,
which usually has to be disposed of in accordance with the rules until the
rules are made. The interim government also promulgated the Criminal Law
Amendment (Amendment) Ordinance 2007 on April 18 making changes to the 1958
act. The ordinance has deleted Section 5A of the act that sets the
timeframe for investigation of the cases. It also inserted new section 6A
in the act, stating that the special judge must conclude the trial of an
offence within 45 days from the date of taking it into cognisance. In
period can be extended by 15 days subject to citing of appropriate reasons.
From http://www.newagebd.com/
04/20/2007
TOP↑
Bangladesh
to Sign UN Convention Over Disabilities
Bangladesh has decided to sign the UN
Convention on the Rights of Persons with disabilities. The decision came
from an inter-ministerial meeting held at the Social Welfare Ministry
Thursday with Social Welfare Adviser Geeteara Safiya Chowdhury in the
chair. The meeting agreed to sign the convention as most of its clauses are
consistent with Bangladesh's Constitution, the Disabled Welfare Act 2001,
National Plan of Action on matters of the Disabled 2006 and other existing
laws and rules.
From
http://www.financialexpress-bd.com/ 04/20/2007
TOP↑
EC
Proposes Stringent Rules for Poll Campaign
The Election Commission (EC) yesterday
unveiled a set of proposals for introducing stringent provisions in the
parliamentary election code of conduct for the political parties and
candidates. The proposals were for strict regulations on holding rallies and
processions, sticking posters, graffiti, banners, festoons, caps,
construction of archways, gates, illuminating structures and streets and
the use of helicopters for election campaigns. "Prior permission would
have to be taken from proper authorities informing the specific time, date
and places for holding any procession or meeting for any contesting
political party and candidate during the pre-polls period," said the
draft proposals. According to the draft proposals, the pre-polls period
means the time from dissolution of a parliament to the completion of polls
and the violation of code of conduct is an offence which is punishable with
imprisonment, fine and cancellation of candidatures. The eighth parliament
was dissolved in October last year and polls are to be held by the end of
2008. All sorts of political activities have been banned since the
declaration of the state of emergency on January 11.
Once the proposals are made into laws, no
political parties would be allowed to bring out processions or hold rallies
unless they have prior permission from the authorities. The draft proposals
said the party or the candidate would have to get the permission from the
concerned district magistrates or officials authorised by the district
magistrates and police commissioners in metropolitan areas. The draft also
recommended imposing a ban on holding rallies and processions that create
obstacles to movement of people. Asked whether such restrictions will
hamper the festive mood of parliamentary elections, as it proposes to
impose restrictions on even holding rallies and processions at ward levels,
Humayun Kabir, secretary to the EC Secretariat, said he would raise the
issue before the commission. The draft proposals also envisage severe
restrictions on pasting posters on walls and establishments in the city
corporation and municipality areas. None would be allowed to paste posters,
leaflets on buses, trucks, steamer and any other vehicles, according to the
proposals. Asked where the political parties and candidates would paste
their posters, the EC secretary said they would innovate some ideas.
He, however, said any city corporation or
municipality might specify places for sticking posters during the election
period. The secretary, who disclosed the proposals in a press briefing,
said the proposals were put forward to reduce election expenditures and the
possibility of political confrontation during the time of polls. The draft
suggested banning the use of portraits of any national leaders on the
posters to be published by the political parties and candidates. Portraits
of the party chief, candidates and election symbols could be printed on
them, it said but no pictures of processions or programmes could be printed
on the posters. The ban on all sorts of graffiti, banners, festoons, caps,
construction of archways, gates and lighting has also been proposed. It
recommended a ban on the use of helicopters in election campaigns by
political parties and candidates, but it said the party chiefs could use it
for their conveyance. There was also a recommendation for banning election
campaigns at mosques, temples or any kind of place of worship. There would
be no election campaigns before three weeks of the polls, the proposals
said.
From
http://www.thedailystar.net/ 04/20/2007
TOP↑
INDIA:
Govt to Set Up Separate Regulator for Broadcast: DasMunsi
Kolkata, Apr 7: The Centre is
contemplating to bring an ''unparallel'' Broadcasting Services Regulation
Bill and intends to set up the Broadcasting Regulatory Authority of India
on the lines of TRAI in the field of broadcasting. This view was expressed
here today by Information and Broadcasting minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi
while inaugurating a national seminar on ''Broadcast Regulations: Future of
Broadcasting in India'', organised by Media Information and Communication
Centre of India and Centre for Media Research and Development Studies here
in collaboration with UNESCO. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Das Munsi said
the government was also considering to introduce another legislation on
digitization to prevent piracy of films. Speaking at length on the proposed
Bill, Mr Das Munsi said it would start discussing with all stake holders in
the next session of Parliament. ''The Indian Media would be the guiding principle
for the preparation of the Bill,'' he said and outlined a detailed roadmap
for the introduction of the proposed Bill. Also addressing the seminar
Nandini Sahai of the Media Information and Communication Centre of India
said the Indian Penal code had sufficient powers to ''rein in the
irresponsible''. ''The proposal to give powers to district authorities to
act against channels could be misused to muzzle the Press'', she observed,
while FES Senior Media Advisor called for open access to media outlets by
all interested parties. He also advocated a total transparency in revenue
sharing deals regarding mandatory sports contents. The two-day seminar is
set to deliberate on issues like CAS, DTH, IPTV, Narrowcasting, Satellite
and Community radio and other contemporary issues on broadcasting.
From
http://www.newkerala.com/ 04/07/2007
TOP↑
PM
Launching Two Mega Projects
By Syed Zarir Hussain, Guwahati, April 8:
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrives in Assam on a two-day visit Sunday to
launch two mega projects - a bridge over the Brahmaputra river and a
whopping Rs.54 billion integrated petrochemical project. He will lay the
foundation of the Rs.2.38 billion three-lane bridge over Brahmaputra river
near Guwahati in the evening. "This bridge has been a long-standing
demand of the people of Assam and I am happy the prime minister will be
laying the foundation stone," Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi told IANS.
The 1.4-km-long bridge is part of the much-hyped North South East West
Corridor, the largest ongoing expressway project in India that proposes to
have four to six lanes and is being implemented by the National Highways
Authority of India (NHAI). The total length of North-South Corridor from
Kashmir to Kanyakumari and the East-West corridor from Silchar to
Saurashtra is about 7,300 km and is to be completed by 2009. On Monday, the
prime minister will lay the foundation of a gas cracker project at
Lepetkata in eastern Assam's Dibrugarh district. The project is expected to
help provide a major boost to this industrially backward northeastern
state. Popularly referred to as the Assam Gas Cracker Project, but
re-christened the Brahmaputra Cracker and Polymers Ltd, it is to be
implemented by the Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) with 70 percent
equity participation in five years.
The remaining 30 percent equity would be
shared equally among Oil India Ltd (OIL), Numaligarh Refinery Ltd (NRL) and
the Assam government. "We hope nearly 100,000 people will get
employment opportunities, either directly or indirectly, as a result of
investments in downstream plastic processing industries and allied
activities," Assam's Industry and Commerce Minister Pradyut Bordoloi
told IANS. According to preliminary estimates, at least 500 plastic
processing industries are likely to come up in the region when this project
becomes operational. The feedstock for the petrochemical project, natural
gas and naphtha, is to be provided by OIL, ONGC and the NRL. "We are
already promoting a plastic park in the area and the project would surely
help turnaround the economy of Assam," the minister said. The
petrochemical complex would comprise a cracker unit, downstream polymer and
integrated off-site utility plants. The products from the proposed project
would be 220,000 tonnes of polythene, 60,000 tonnes of polypropylene,
55,000 tonnes of raw pyrolysis gasoline and 12,500 tonnes of fuel oil per
year. As part of the Assam government's aggressive policy to give a fillip
to industrial activities, it has agreed to grant exemption to entry tax on
capital goods, works contract tax during the construction period, sales tax
and VAT on feedstock for 15 years from the date of commencement of
production.
From
http://www.newkerala.com/ 04/08/2007
TOP↑
Stricter
Norms for Chemists in Punjab
Chandigarh, April 11 : The Punjab
government and its pharmacy council will frame stricter rules for the
chemists to curb addiction to medicines, especially among the youth.
Medical Education and Research Minister Tikshan Sood told reporters here
Wednesday that the department and the pharmacy council would ensure that
the 25,000 chemist shops in the state employed qualified pharmacists to
dispense medicines to consumers. He said there were 28,738 registered
pharmacists and many of them could be working at more than one
establishment. "We will put an end to this practice," Sood said.
The minister said that drug dependence and addiction was on the rise,
especially in rural areas and small towns. He said the pharmacy council
will set up flying squads to ensure that drug inspectors kept a check on
the medicines sold by chemists. Sood said that recruitment of at least one
qualified pharmacist could be made compulsory for over 6,000 wholesale
medicine dealers, who do not require any pharmacy degree to deal in
medicines. "This will also create employment for qualified pharmacy
graduates," he added.
From http://www.newkerala.com/
04/11/2007
TOP↑
Punjab
to Launch a Drive for Afforestation, Says Minister
Chandigarh, Apr 12: The Punjab Government
will soon launch a massive drive to encourage people to undertake tree
plantation in the state. This was disclosed here by Forest Minister Tikshan
Sood while presiding over a review meeting of the officers of Forest and
Wildlife Preservation Department and Punjab State Forest Development
Corporation Ltd. here last evening. He said the Government would implement
a new long-term State Forestry Action Programme to increase forest covered
area in the next few years. He said that afforestation by farming community
would help tackle the problem of water logging particularly in the Malwa
region of the state. Regarding the revival of Agro-Forestry, the Minister
emphasized the immediate need to chalk out a master plan to promote wood
based industries in the state that would help the farmers producing wood to
get the remunerative prices of their product. He reiterated the firm
commitment of the state government to work for the welfare of the people in
general and farmers in particular by providing fair and transparent
governance and impementing various welfare programmes.
Taking strong note of the incidents of
illicit tree felling in the state, the Minister warned that in future the
field staff of the Forest Department would be made accountable for such
incidents. He informed that at present only about 6 per cent area of the
state was covered under forest, whereas the ecological and environmental
considerations require increasing the forest cover up to a minimum of 15
per cent area. The Government will make all out efforts to achieve its
target during this five year plan. Mr Sood suggested that the department
should explore the possibility of promoting eco-tourism by identifying some
suitable sites in Punjab. In order to create awareness amongst people for
forests and wildlife, he directed the officers of the department to
establish forest awareness parks. He said the department would review the
measures taken for tackling the growing population of wild animals damaging
crops. Earlier, Mr B C Bala, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests,
apprised the Minister about the ongoing activities of the department.
From http://www.newkerala.com/
04/12/2007
TOP↑
Action
Plan to Prevent Child Marriage in MP
Bhopal, Apr 17: Amid reports about
preparations for marrying off children on the auspicious occasion of
'Akshay Tritiya' on April 20, the Madhya Pradesh government has prepared a
special action plan to prevent the age-old social evil. Under the action plan
aimed at creating awareness among the people against the evil practice,
camps and rallies, besides street plays would be organised with the
cooperation of Panchayat functionaries, religious heads and voluntary
organisations. Chief Secretary Rakesh Sahni has issued guidelines to the
District Collectors to prevent child marriage. Strict vigil will be
maintained by the police over mass marriage programmes organised on the
occasion of Akshay Tritiya to ensure that no adolescent is married off,
official sources said. The government is also popularising the 'Raksha
Sootra Bandhan' programme under which a band would be tried by the minor
daughters and sons to their parent for not performing their marriage in
adolescent age.
From http://www.newkerala.com/ 04/17/2007
TOP↑
Govt to
Formulate Clusters of Villages to Penetrate Rural Mkts
New Delhi, Apr 17: To tap the rural
telecom market, the government is formulating a plan to form clusters of
villages with one service sector. A group of one lakh such clusters will be
provided with broadband connectivity. ''The government is concerned about
the digital divide, while the telecom market is booming, the rural density
is very low. To make it accessible to rural population, the government will
bring together clusters of villages with one service centre,'' a member of
DoT claimed. With a total telephone subscriber base of over 200 million
(fixed plus mobile), India is one of the fastest growing telecom markets in
the world. The telecom penetration in rural areas is just 13 per cent. He
maintained that with 70 per cent of population in rural areas, it becomes
very imperative for government to do something for rural India. According
to the vision plan drawn up by DoT, 200 million rural telephone connections
are envisaged by the end of 2012, translating into a rural tele-density of
25 per cent. The total number of rural households would be about 160
million, assuming five members per household, of which 130 million
households would be above the poverty line. Considering one telephone for
every three households and one telephone for every two households by the
year 2012, the number of rural telephones would be about 80 millions by
conservative estimates. There will be on an average 1.5 telephones for every
rural household above the poverty line by the end of the Eleventh five-year
plan. As a result, about 195 million rural telephone connections would be
required by the year 2012.
From http://www.newkerala.com/
04/17/2007
TOP↑
PAKISTAN:
To Implement WHO Standard Facilities
LAHORE: Pakistan under the millennium
goals for health agreement will provide health facilities up to the
standard prescribed by the World Health Organisation, and the International
Health Regulation (IHR) will be introduced in June this year. This was the
consensus reached by the WHO country representative of Pakistan Dr Kahlif
Bile Mohammad, special education minister Dr Tahir Ali Javed, CMIT minister
Shuja Khanzada, standing committee for health chairman Dr Muzaffar Sheikh,
Fatima Memorial College principal Humayun Maqsood during a special
conference on Friday, organised the night before the World Health Day. Dr
Kahlif Mohammad said that every country in the world was supposed to
implement the IHR, to enable the country to get health facilities with
small investments and help it adopt principals of prevention to avoid
casualties. He added that owing to easy travel between countries, diseases
now spread around the world easily. All the countries of the world should
adopt a joint line of action to control epidemics, natural calamities, and
use of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons, he said. Dr Kahlif Bile
Mohammad said that the conference would prove a milestone in framing the
international health policy. Every year international issues are brought
under discussion on World Health Day, which falls on April 7. He maintained
that WHO was marking 2007 with the theme of International Health Security
while new international health laws were being introduced this year to
facilitate the global community. Pakistan Medical Society chairman Dr
Masood Akhtar Sheikh, WHO resident representative Asmat Ullah Chaudhry,
additional director Dr Zia Ur Rehamn and former FMH principal Mahmood Ali
Malik were also present.
From http://www.pakistanlink.com/
04/07/2007
TOP↑
Cabinet
Approves Draft Bill on Delimitation of Constituencies
ISLAMABAD: The Federal Cabinet on
Wednesday approved a draft of ‘The Delimitation of Constituencies
(Amendment) Bill 2007’ for placement before parliament. The meeting,
chaired by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, approved the bill in light of
changes in the allocation of seats in parliament. According to the Ministry
of Parliamentary Affairs, the election commission had forwarded the bill
proposing amendments in the Delimitation of Constituencies Act, 1947, in
order to bring the provisions of the act in conformity with Articles 51,
106 and 218 of the constitution as amended by the Legal Framework Order,
2002. Accordingly consequential amendments have been proposed in sections
4, 5, 7, 8 and 9 of the act. The amendments needed to be incorporated into
the 1974 Act because of an increase in the number of seats in the National
Assembly, Senate and the provincial assemblies. The cabinet also approved
an allowance of Rs 5,000 per month from July 1 for all PhD degree holders
working in colleges and universities.
Presently, the PhD allowance for college
teachers is Rs 1,500 per month and Rs 5,000 per month for university
teachers. The Higher Education Commission (HEC) was directed to set up
universities in those areas where faculty and other facilities were
available. Aziz directed the HEC to rank all the public and private
universities to bring them at par with international universities. HEC
Chairman Dr Attaur Rehman briefed the cabinet on the initiatives taken by
the commission for promoting higher education in Pakistan. Later, talking
to the media, Information Minister Muhammad Ali Durrani said that the
federal cabinet had also approved fully funded scholarships for students
belonging to under-developed areas or areas where no universities existed.
He said the PM had said there was a need for maintaining a balance between
primary, secondary and higher education to have a strong education
structure in the country. He said the PM briefed the cabinet about his
visit to India for the SAARC summit and the exchanges he had with the
Indian leadership. Durrani said that the next meeting of the federal
cabinet would be held in Peshawar and after that Sindh and Punjab would
host meetings as well. The PM would visit China on a six-day tour from
April 16 to April 21, he added.
From http://www.pakistanlink.com/
04/12/2007
TOP↑
Aziz
Approves New Insurance Policy
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on
Friday approved a new insurance policy, aimed at increasing penetration,
removing impediments to insurance industry’s development and outlining a
more rational role of the public sector in line with international
practices. Chairing a meeting to review the insurance industry’s growth
here, Aziz said that insurance, which is an important part of the financial
sector, needed to be revamped. He said the percentage of life insurance in
the country, which presently is 0.28 percent, is among the lowest in the
region. The immediate goal should be to enhance it to one percent in a
period of three years. “Life insurance is an excellent way of increasing
savings, risk mitigation and has direct impact on capital formation and
investment levels,” the prime minister said. Attention should also be paid
to improving coverage and outreach in the areas of health, general and
micro insurance. Changes should be made to the overall fiscal regime in the
insurance sector to motivate individuals to invest in life, health and
general insurance policies, he added. Aziz approved conversion of State
Life Insurance Corporation (SLIC) into a company under the Companies
Ordinance 1984. He said that all public sector insurance entities should be
corporatised, their boards should be restructured and more professionals
should be inducted to make them efficient. He said that marketing departments
of insurance companies should be strengthened and engaged in aggressive
marketing. He also agreed to a proposal to open up insurance of public
property (other than strategic assets) to private companies after
formulation of comprehensive rules and procedures in this regard. The prime
minister took serious note of certain insurance companies issuing bogus
third party insurance policies, which were being accepted by Motor
Registration Offices. He said that the Securities and Exchange Commission
of Pakistan should play a more proactive role to eliminate such practices.
The work of the Postal Life Insurance also came under discussion at the
meeting. It was decided that the Postal Life Insurance should also comply
with insurance laws.
From http://www.pakistanlink.com/
04/14/2007
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KYGRYZSTAN:
President Presents Draft Constitution
Legislator Kubatbek Baibolov, a member of
For Reforms and the United Front, told ferghana.ru on April 2 that the
opposition has sent its draft constitution to President Bakiev. "We
have presented a constitution based on the November constitution, which presumes
a mixed form of government, but closer to a parliamentary system,"
Baibolov said (see "RFE/RL Newsline," November 9, 2006).
"The government is formed by parliament and is politically responsible
to parliament." Baibolov said the opposition does not intend to send
anyone to participate in a task force on constitutional reform being set up
by Bakiev because the draft constitution clearly represents opposition
views. On April 2, Bakiev told the head of the presidential administration
to expedite the formation of a task force on constitutional reform,
Interfax reported. DK
From http://www.rferl.org/ 04/03/2007
TOP↑
Kyrgyz
President Issues Decree on State System
Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiev issued a
decree on April 3 to "improve the state system" of governance,
RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reported. According to the terms of the decree, a
special working group is to be formed, comprising experts, government
officials, and opposition representatives, and empowered to study and formulate
a set of governmental structural reforms. The new group, to be formally led
by Prime Minister Almaz Atambaev, is required to report its findings within
one week, however, and will also consider and recommend amendments to the
Kyrgyz Constitution. The move follows the presentation of a new
opposition-drafted constitution to the president the previous day (see
"RFE/RL Newsline," April 3, 2007). RG
From http://www.rferl.org/ 04/04/2007
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TAJIKISTAN:
Tajikistan Reinforces Headscarf Ban
Tajik education authorities are
introducing a new dress code that reinforces a ban on Islamic headscarves
and bars female students from wearing revealing Western clothing, the
latest edict on young people's conduct in the predominantly Muslim Central
Asian nation. "The hijab (headscarf) is not a student's uniform. If
religion means more to you than studies, you should study at a religious
school," Education Minister Abdudjabor Rakhmonov told students at the
Tajik State University on Tuesday. The ministry introduced a ban on hijabs
in 2005. Rakhmonov said it would be part of a dress code that will soon be
published and distributed at schools. "Female students must dress in
accordance with their status and national traditions," Rakhmonov said,
adding that they should wear clothes that are "quite modest and not
provocative." Tajikistan is constitutionally a secular country, but
more than 90 percent of the population is Muslim. The former Soviet
republic of 5 million, which borders Afghanistan, was wracked by a
1992-1997 civil war between the secular government and the Islamic
opposition that ended with a U.N.-brokered power-sharing agreement.
From
http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/ 04/19/2007
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TURKEY:
New Trade Law to Change Trade Guidelines
Along with its expected major effect on
trade law in Turkey, the new Turkish Trade Law under discussion would also
initiate a mandatory auditing system for Turkish companies. The law's
founder, Dr. ünal Tekinalp, believes the law will bring Turkey in line with
EU standards. After sitting on the Parliament's agenda since 2005, Turkish
Trade law has finally been approved by the commission and is on the plenary
committee's agenda. “From now on foreigners will be able to invest [in
Turkey] with an easy conscience,” said the architect of the law, Prof. Dr.
ünal Tekinalp, explaining that this is what he calls a modern law, which is
also embraced by European Union (EU). In an interview with Turkish business
daily Referans, Tekinalp said that in spite of the intensity of the
political agenda, both the Republican People's Party (CHP) and the
Motherland Party (ANAVATAN) say that the new law will take affect in May.
When the law was being reviewed by the commission, a few articles were
added to the law, said Tekinalp.
The articles pertain especially to company
audits, he said. The Turkish Accounting Standards Board (TMSK) has gained a
lot of strength via the new law, he said, as he highlighted the importance
of this authority for the implementation of the international standards.
Turkish companies rejected being audited by international companies, said
Tekinalp. Therefore a supreme board to supervise the harmony with
international standards was formed via a temporary article added to the
law, he said. A group organized by the supreme board within the body of the
Union of Chambers of certified Accountants of Turkey (TüRMOB) will take on
this responsibility, he said. “Audit of an audit” system will be
implemented by the Turkish Trade Law, said Tekinalp, adding this system has
been used widely in the United States and in some European countries
following the Enron case. There will be a supreme board to supervise the
audit reports gathered by the inspectors, he said.
Each step taken to form these reports will
be published on the Internet, and thus a cursory inspection is out of the
question, said Tekinalp. Until the actual foundation of the board, a group
organized by the Industry and Trade Ministry will execute the job, he said.
Via the new law, it will be a required obligation of all companies to found
an Internet site and publish their company accounts. This is the first step
in the implementation of “shareholder's democracy,” said Tekinalp. "I
have spoken with the EU previously concerning the draft and they guaranteed
to ‘open and close the related chapter if this law gets approved',” he
said. Under the new law, it will be possible to hold companies' board
meetings in online, in a virtual, electronic environment. The compound
interest application will be terminated. The new law will also protect the
consumer from unfair competition. Those engaged in unfair competition will
get a jail term of up to two years. In order to found and incorporate any
other type of company, the Capital Markets Board‘s (SPK) approval will be
obligatory. (by Erdal Sa?lam)
From
http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/ 04/21/2007
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AUSTRALIA:
Anti-Money Laundering Strengthened
Australia’s protection against money
laundering reached another milestone today with the publication of rules
outlining crucial parts of the incoming anti-money laundering system,
Minister for Justice and Customs David Johnston said. The rules are part of
a comprehensive system which comes into effect over the next 20 months to
cut options for criminals to hide their crimes. The nation’s anti-money
laundering regulator, the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis
Centre (AUSTRAC) issued the rules after extensive consultation with
industry. “It is essential that Australian financial services and gambling
industries take steps to ensure they are protected from being used by
money-launderers and terrorism funders,” Senator Johnston said. “The rules
provide operational detail that businesses need to implement their
anti-money laundering programs.” Senator Johnston urged people to remember
that money-laundering relates to the proceeds of crime – a crime such as illicit
drug-dealing has already been committed creating the dirty money which
offenders try to make clean. “Money launderers are criminals – whether they
engaged in the crime which generated the funds or whether they are the
criminals paid to wash the money,” Senator Johnston said. “Money-launderers
are dealers who sell illegal and addictive drugs to our children, smugglers
who shift contraband across borders at night and traffickers who sell women
into slavery and arms to those who cannot meet the requirements of
legitimate purchase. “Their attempts to use our financial systems to hide
their crimes can harm the reputation of businesses domestically and
internationally.” The Australian Government, together with industry, has
worked hard to develop laws to combat these crimes and to bring our
financial and gambling businesses into line with international standards.
From
http://www.ministerjusticeandcustoms.gov.au/ 03/30/2007
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Media
Laws Proclaimed
Minister for Communications, Information
Technology and the Arts, Senator Helen Coonan today announced Wednesday 4
April 2007 as the day on which the Government’s media reform package will
commence. The date was fixed by proclamation this morning as the commencement
date for Schedule 2 to the Broadcasting Services Amendment (Media
Ownership) Act 2006. “Schedule 2 implements the Government’s longstanding
commitment to reforming Australia’s restrictive media ownership laws while
protecting the public interest and therefore ensuring a diverse and vibrant
media sector,” Senator Coonan said. “The Government’s media reforms will
encourage greater competition and allow media companies to achieve
economies of scale and scope, while maintaining the diversity of Australia’s
media landscape. “The current foreign ownership and control restrictions
relating to free-to-air and subscription television, and cross-media
ownership restrictions on commercial radio and television licences and
associated newspapers have for too long limited competition in the media
sector. They have restricted access to foreign capital and expertise and
stifled opportunities for growth. “The new laws create a framework that
will deliver greater consumer choice and a competitive industry in a rapidly
growing digital media age. Australia needs a flexible system to allow media
organisations - national, commercial or community based - to adapt and
prosper in the new digital environment,” Senator Coonan said.
Schedule 2 to the Act amends the BSA to:
remove the foreign ownership restrictions for commercial and subscription
television interests; remove the cross-media ownership restrictions
relating to commercial radio licences, commercial television licences or
associated newspapers (subject to certain safeguards); impose disclosure
obligations on commercial radio and television licensees and newspaper
publishers with cross-media interests; require the Australian
Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to impose licence conditions from
1 January 2008 on commercial television licensees in regional aggregated
Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania markets to broadcast a
minimum level of ‘material of local significance’; require ACMA to impose
licence conditions from the date of commencement of Schedule 2 on regional
commercial radio licensees that require licensees to maintain existing
levels of local presence if the licence is subject to a ‘trigger event’
(that is, a change in ownership or if it becomes part of a cross-media
group); require ACMA to impose licence conditions from 1 January 2008 on
regional commercial radio licensees to broadcast a minimum level of
‘material of local significance’ between 6am and 6pm on business days (the
default level is presently 4.5 hours but this is the subject of a review by
ACMA which is due to report by 30 June 2007); and subject regional
commercial radio licensees to further local content obligations if a
‘trigger event’ occurs.
From http://www.minister.dcita.gov.au/
03/29/2007
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Framework
for Reviewing Administrative Decisions by the Australian Prudential
Regulation Authority (APRA)
The Government has completed its initial
consultation on its December 2006 discussion paper Streamlining Prudential
Regulation: Response to ‘Rethinking Regulation’, which canvassed options to
simplify and streamline prudential regulation in response to issues raised
by the Taskforce on Reducing Regulatory Burdens. Response to ‘Rethinking
Regulation’ attracted a great deal of interest from across the financial
sector, reflected in the number of submissions received. While these
submissions were broadly supportive of the Government’s approach, some
concerns were expressed about the Government’s proposals in relation to
reviewing APRA’s administrative decisions. In light of industry comments,
the Government has decided to introduce a court-based process for decisions
to disqualify individuals under APRA administered legislation, similar to
the disqualification framework used by the Australian Securities and
Investments Commission. The Government will consult further with industry
on the implementation of this measure and on options for removing
Ministerial consent from, and expanding the availability of, merits review
for APRA’s decisions. The Government will continue to progress the other
proposals canvassed in Response to ‘Rethinking Regulation’, with the aim of
having legislation ready for introduction in the Winter 2007 sittings. The
Government expects to be able to consult on draft legislation shortly.
From http://www.treasurer.gov.au/
04/16/2007
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Respite
for Mental Health Carers Across Australia
Over 60,000 carers across the country will
have improved access to respite services following today's launch of the Mental
Health Respite Program by Community Services Minister Nigel Scullion.
Through funding of $66 million over four years, 54 service providers will
purchase respite for carers of people with a mental illness, psychiatric
disability or intellectual disability. The Mental Health Respite Program is
part of the Australian Governments $1.9 billion commitment to the Council
of Australian Government's National Action Plan on Mental Health 2006 2011.
"These services will enable carers, and the people they care for, to
access information and respite care tailored to their individual needs and
circumstances," Senator Scullion said. "Respite brokerage
services are the first phase of the program and will be delivered
immediately through Commonwealth Carer Respite and Carelink Centres.
"The Centres are run by a wide variety of organisations and are
located in metropolitan, rural and remote regions across Australia.
"The second phase will establish additional respite services to
increase the availability of appropriate options to supplement services
already available. "Different types of respite services may be funded,
including in-home respite, out of home respite and short term residential
programs such as group homes and supervised holiday options. "The Australian
Government recognises the important and valuable role played by those
family members or friends who care for dependent people at home. "We
seek to support those carers to take a break from their caring role by
providing them with time and space to focus on other commitments or
personal needs and aspirations," Senator Scullion said.
From http://www.facsia.gov.au/
04/18/2007
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Offences
to Combat Identity Crime Released for Public Consultation
Laws designed to combat the multi-billion
dollar problem of identity fraud in Australia have been released today for
public consultation by the Minister for Justice and Customs, Senator David
Johnston. "At the meeting last week of the Standing Committee of
Attorneys-General (SCAG) the Australian Government and the states and
territories agreed to release for public consultation model laws targeting
identity crime," Senator Johnston said. "The model offence would
allow law enforcement agencies to prosecute identity crime before an
associated criminal act, such as fraud, theft or forgery, occurs. This
would be a positive step forward in what is becoming an increasing problem
for Australia." At present only South Australia and Queensland have
offences which specifically target the assumption or misuse of a person's
identification information. The model offence has been developed by
criminal law experts as part of the work of the Model Criminal Law
Officers' Committee (MCLOC). "Impoprtantly, the victims of identity
fraud also face greater protections in the proposed laws with the creation
of a certificate that can be provided to the victim of an identity crime by
the Court to assist the person in restoring their credit rating or
restoring records or transactions or credit history," Mr Johnston
said. "A certificate of this kind would not compel others to take
restorative action but it would assist the victim in presenting the outcome
of a criminal proceeding for identity crime in a way that would be useful
to them." The public consultation period commenced on this week and
copies of the report are available on the Attorney-General's Department
website at www.ag.gov.au/idcrimepaper. "This discussion paper
highlights a serious social problem and I would encourage comments from all
interested members of the public, community organisations and business
groups on these proposed reforms," Mr Johnston said.
From
http://www.ministerjusticeandcustoms.gov.au/ 04/20/2007
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Law
Protects the Unborn Child
THE Department of Human Services will have
the power to monitor the welfare of babies even before they are born under
a massive shake-up of child protection laws that starts on Monday. Doctors,
nurses, grandparents — even neighbours — who suspect a baby may become at
risk from a parent after birth can report their concerns to the department.
Previously, unborn babies were not subject to formal child welfare
"notifications" which alert social workers to abuse, neglect or
risk of harm. Up to 500 unborn babies each year are likely to be covered by
the Children, Youth and Families Act. The goal was not to deliver newborns
into state care, Community Services Minister Gavin Jennings said, but to
help mothers prepare for the challenges of parenting by referring them to
expanded support services in the community. The scenarios contemplated
included drug-dependent or mentally impaired mothers and parents with a
history of child neglect. "We would try to assume that this will be
viewed as a positive engagement, rather than a punitive one, as an
opportunity, rather than a threat," Mr Jennings said. Underpinning the
new laws is the goal of very early intervention. "The notion of being
proactive rather than reactive is a fundamental new element," he said.
In cases of very troubled families,
however, there will be potential for the speedier removal of children. The
laws set much shorter time limits on attempts at family reunion, although
removals will continue to be scrutinised by the Children's Court. There
will also be a cultural shift in the way families can gain access to
community support. Non-government agencies such as Berry Street, the
Children's Protection Society and Anglicare will work closer with each
other and the department. There will be more sharing of information to
identify the needs of families before crises flare. Some critics have said
this amounts to part-privatisation of the child-welfare system, and others
have raised privacy concerns. Mr Jennings, however, insists the change
offer a seamless way for families to get help, whether for housing, mental
heath or parenting classes. "From the perspective of a family, they
get very, very weary of going through the hoops continually to have their
story heard, and understood and acted on." He conceded the changes
will result in an increase of about 10 per cent in child abuse and neglect
reports. Child campaigner and former Family Court judge John Fogarty said
his long experience suggested the figure would prove a "significant
underestimate". When mandatory reporting for some professionals was
introduced in the mid-1990s — triggered by the bashing death of toddler
Daniel Valerio — the Kennett government estimated a 10 per cent increase in
such reports. It turned out to be a 40 per cent increase. Last year there
were 37,987 reports of child abuse and neglect and 7563 cases proved.
From http://www.theage.com.au/
04/21/2007
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Vic
Budget to Focus on Water, Climate
Water and climate change will be priority
items in next month's Victorian budget. Struggling irrigators should not
expect new cash relief but they may see more funds for major piping
projects replacing outmoded channel systems. Treasurer John Brumby is due
to deliver the government's eighth budget on May 1 - his seventh as
Treasurer - and has indicated a strong focus on water shortages and climate
change, as well as infrastructure, education and fulfilling the
government's election commitments. The drought has dented Victoria's
economic growth by up to one per cent but the budget will predict a
slightly stronger rate in 2007/08, higher than 2.75 per cent and partly
conditional on average rainfall, Mr Brumby said. Good rain from now through
spring will help the economy, he said. "Particularly, that will affect
how we rebound in the irrigation areas," Mr Brumby said.
"Generally, in the pastoral and crop areas all the evidence suggests
that if we get a decent autumn break and some decent winter rains, the
rebound there can be very strong and very dynamic." The budget will
not reveal whether the government plans to build a desalination plant
because feasibility studies are not complete, and existing policy was
opposed to building a new dam, Mr Brumby said.
"But there will be some commitments
in relation to water and climate change and I think they will be well
received in terms of addressing issues both in terms of Melbourne's
domestic supply and in terms of our irrigation infrastructure ... that's
new money," he said. Mr Brumby described this budget as providing the
framework for growth, much of which will mean big investment in school
buildings. For the eight consecutive year, the budget surplus will be above
$100 million, but has settled down from the mid-year report of $910
million, Mr Brumby said. The surplus is close to, but still above the
revised full-year budget estimate of $374 million, he said. Net debt will
rise to fund capital works but will remain a smaller proportion of the
economy than it was under the previous government, he said. Mr Brumby also
talked tough on public sector wages, in the lead-up to enterprise
bargaining talks with police, nurses and teachers. The government's wages
policy is to add 0.75 to the rate of inflation, which is forecast to be 2.5
per cent, Mr Brumby said. "Anything beyond 3.25 per cent will need to
be funded by productivity improvements or costs offsets," he said. Mr
Brumby would not say whether Victorians could expect tax cuts.
From http://www.theage.com.au/
04/22/2007
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FIJI:
Cabinet Approves Policy Issues for a Higher Education Bill for Fiji
Cabinet has approved the drafting of a
Higher Education Bill for the establishment and regulation of
post-secondary tertiary education, and related matters. Cabinet based its
decision on a submission by the Minister for Education, Mr. Netani
Sukanaivalu. Mr. Sukanaivalu explained that the absence of a single,
clearly articulated policy framework for higher education has the potential
to compromise Fiji’s standing in the region as a leader in higher education
provision. “The current lack of Government control for higher education has
resulted in a relatively ad-hoc pattern of supply with significant
mismatches between provision and labour market demand.” Mr. Sukanaivalu
said that Government needs to act in the national interest and establish a
legal framework to regulate the establishment and the provision of higher
education in Fiji. “The legislation will ensure amongst other things
adherence to quality assurance arrangements to monitor and require
improvements to accreditation arrangements by providers.” He said that Fiji
students and citizens deserve such scrutiny for the sacrifices they make
for educational pursuits. Under the legislation, a Higher Education
Commission (HEC) will be established to advise the Minster for Education on
matters relating to higher education in Fiji, in accordance to the
provisions of the Higher Education Act. It will be one of the relevant
government agencies to manage the accreditation and approval processes in
the higher education sector. Mr. Sukanaivalu said that through the Higher
Education Commission, Government will have the responsibility for managing
the accreditation and approval processes in the higher education sector.
The establishment of processes to regulate the provision of higher
education in Fiji and the provision for accreditation are the two key
elements for governance in the higher education sector. “The establishment
or recognition of a university, a non-university post-secondary tertiary
education institution, overseas universities, and overseas post-secondary
education tertiary institution in Fiji is to be done in accordance with the
criteria and standards set out and approved by the Higher Education Commission.”
Mr. Sukanaivalu also said that approval of the use of the title
“university” will also be in accordance with the criteria and standards set
out and approved by the HEC.
From http://www.fiji.gov.fj/ 04/10/2007
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NEW
ZEALAND: Working with Regions for Economic Transformation
Economic Development Minister Trevor
Mallard today announced a new regional economic development policy and the
establishment of two new regional funds for regions to support the growth
of more internationally competitive firms. "The Regional Partnerships
Programme began six years ago and has been a key factor in helping to
stimulate economic growth in the regions. We want to build on this success
by revitalising regional economic development and taking it to the next
level by sharpening the focus on what regions need to do to really enhance
their economies for their future prosperity. We also want to support
substantial, commercially driven regional projects," Trevor Mallard
said. "These changes will help regions not only to drive their own
economic growth, but also to contribute more to New Zealand’s efforts in
the global marketplace by ensuring all regions can develop, attract, and
retain globally competitive firms. To raise our living standards further,
New Zealand needs far more firms that can compete in international
markets." The changes, effective from this July, will see the
disestablishment of the Regional Partnerships Programme and the following
new initiatives: Replacing the Major Regional Initiatives Fund with a
contestable Enterprising Partnerships Fund focusing on substantial regional
projects that are commercially driven, generate substantial economic
benefits for the region and align with national economic transformation
goals. Funding under this programme will be approximately $9 million in
2007/2008, $10.5 million in each of the following two years and $11.5
million a year after that.
Consolidation of the 26 regions currently
funded to about 14, to make the regions bigger and therefore more capable
of collaborating and tackling large economic development projects and
issues. A new Regional Strategy Fund that will give the 14 regions access
to a maximum of $750,000 over three years to develop and implement regional
economic development strategies. The aim is to encourage a medium-long term
view so that regions focus on key projects for growth rather than less
important, short term activities. $1 million a year will be ring fenced for
Auckland for the next three years in addition to the two new funds. This
will contribute to initiatives in Auckland that reinforce linkages between
the economic transformation agenda and the region's regional economic
development strategy. In 2007/2008 only, each of the existing Regional
Partnerships Programme regions that will need to join together are eligible
for up to $50,000 to meet one off costs associated with this consolidation
process. "The Auckland funding recognises that the city's regional
economic development is a key part of the government’s economic
transformation agenda. What helps Auckland will help the whole country
grow," Trevor Mallard said. These new initiatives follow a process of
discussions with regions, and input from key national stakeholders such as
Local Government New Zealand and the Economic Development Association of
New Zealand. Further details about the funds and criteria for applications
will be released between now and May.
From http://www.med.govt.nz/ 04/04/2007
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APEC
Members Move to Harmonize Food Safety
As the global population grows and
pressure on food and water supplies increases, cases of food-borne illness
will multiply, the inaugural APEC Food Safety Cooperation Forum was told
this week.Dr. Gardner Murray, a former Australian Chief Veterinary Officer
and now special adviser to the Australian Department of Agriculture,
Fisheries and Forestry, told the Forum meeting in the Hunter Valley north
of Sydney that climate change and increasing variations in the ecology of
environments will force food scientists and regulators to revise their
understanding of food pathogens and how to deal with them."With
environmental damage and climatic variations we are already seeing new
diseases emerging and 75% of them are zoonotic diseases (animal diseases
that humans can catch)," Dr. Murray told delegates. "New bugs are
appearing and are adapting to the new conditions."In Australia, for
example, bat Lyssavirus has been around for thousands of years but only
recently, as bat and human populations are pushed closer together in land
and property developments, has the disease begun appearing in humans.
Similarly, research in Vietnam on the
spread of the H5N1 flu virus showed that outbreaks spiked during the Tet
holiday when people moved about the country with their
poultry.Communicating information about new disease threats to their
populations will become more important for food regulators, whose risk
analyses and communication messages must be simple, transparent and easy to
understand, Dr Murray said. "For example, in Korea, health authorities
put food safety messages on the back of commonly sold packs of toothpicks
in restaurants."Meeting greater demands for food from growing
populations has also led to more intensive livestock and agricultural production,
genetic manipulation and new processing and preservation technologies
producing an "explosion" of new foods. These are foods in which
new chemicals are appearing as a part of the manufacturing process.
"As a result of increasing global trade, people movements and the
industrialization of production and processing, consumers are potentially
exposed to a greater number of food safety hazards than in the past,"
Dr Murray said."Dealing with this threat requires a thorough risk
analysis process, the key elements of which are to identify and
characterize hazards, assess the risk, manage it and communicate it
publicly."( by Hunter Valley)
From http://www.apecsec.org.sg/
04/05/2007
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Chief
Operating Officer Appointed at the APEC Secretariat
APEC's ongoing reform efforts took another
step forward this week with the APEC Secretariat's first Chief Operating
Officer taking up his position in Singapore.Mr. Tan Ee Khoon, a Singapore
national, will work to help strengthen the corporate management functions
of the Secretariat. The position of Chief Operating Officer is for a
three-year period and was approved by APEC Ministers in Ha Noi last
November.Formerly the Head of Finance and Corporate Affairs in the Office
of the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Mr. Tan brings to the position several
years of multilateral cooperation forum experience.The APEC Secretariat's
Executive Director, Ambassador Colin Heseltine, said that from a long list
of candidates, Mr. Tan had the experience and track record to be appointed
to the position."Tan Ee Khoon has strong qualifications and relevant
recent experience working in a regional multilateral forum,"
Ambassador Heseltine said."He has a strong reputation through his work
with ASEAN, which is also an official observer to APEC."In his role at
ASEAN Mr. Tan led efforts to reorganise the ASEAN Secretariat's financial
and corporate management operations to best practice standards and managed
institutional and corporate affairs at the ASEAN Secretariat, covering the
areas of finance, administration, personnel and training, and information
technology.
Mr. Tan coordinated, serviced and
facilitated ASEAN's negotiations on trade liberalisation, and economic
integration and cooperation with ASEAN's Dialogue Partners and
multinational organisations such as APEC and the UNDP. Mr. Tan has also
held other positions with the Singapore Confederation of Industries, the
Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Monetary
Authority of Singapore.In Ha Noi last November APEC leaders endorsed a
package of reform measures aimed at making APEC more efficient and
results-oriented. The creation of the Chief Operating Officer position is
one in a range of ongoing APEC reforms aimed at improving operational
efficiency, promoting operational linkages between APEC stakeholders and
enhancing operational dynamism. APEC Senior Officials will continue
discussion on implementing further measures during this year.At a broader
level reforms include efforts to rationalize the number and scope of APEC
fora, prioritize project proposals and develop better coordination among
sub-fora, working groups and task forces.
Fromhttp://www.apecsec.org.sg/apec/
04/05/2007
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G24:
Voting Reform at Multilaterals Must Be'Meaningful'
“Ministers from the Group of 24 (G24)
developing countries Friday repeated their call for ‘meaningful’ reform of
multilateral institutions to ensure greater representation for developing
nations. ‘All members have a stake in the BWIs' (Bretton Woods
institutions) being able to play their legitimate role; but this can only
be achieved if there is meaningful action to address under-representation,’
the group said in a statement, referring to the International Monetary Fund
(IMF) and the World Bank. … In the statement, the group called for ‘a
substantial increase’ in the basic votes - the minimum quota that each IMF
member country automatically receives. Quotas form the basis for each
member's vote share. Last September, the group had called for a tripling of
basic votes. The G24 said calculations for a country's quota should be
based on up-to-date economic data and that a new quota formula must give
‘potential borrowers adequate weight.’ …” Kyodo News notes that “The IMF is
set to hold a meeting of its policy-guiding panel Saturday to continue with
a review of its quota system used for allotting voting power and to assess
risks caused by global economic imbalances. The International Monetary and
Financial Committee is expected to examine progress in the reform process,
through fall of 2008, aimed at giving more say to developing countries. In
the IMF annual meeting in Singapore last September, China, South Korea,
Mexico and Turkey won bigger quotas in the first round of reform. …”
AP writes that “… The ministers welcomed
stepped-up efforts by the World Bank to combat corruption but said ‘the
bank needs to give more attention to the supply side of corruption and the
private sector's role at both the country and the global levels.’ As they
did last year, the ministers said increasing the representation in the
governing bodies of the bank and the IMF of countries with emerging
economies ‘remains of the utmost importance for the legitimacy and
effectiveness’ of the two institutions. …”Reuters adds that Group of 24
chairwoman and Argentine Economy Minister Felisa Miceli said on Friday said
that “Countries in economic crises should be granted IMF lines of credit
without being immediately held to terms usually tied to such aid. … In a
statement issued before Saturday's meeting of IMF members, Miceli slammed
the multilateral lender, faulting it for driving regional governments to
strike deals to support each other in times of economic crisis and failing
to live up to its founding principle of bolstering confidence among
members. She also dismissed proposals the fund and its members have drafted
in the past year to offer new crisis financing means. …”
From http://web.worldbank.org/
04/14/2007
TOP↑
New UN
Chief Marking 100 Days in Post
“Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's first 100
days as UN chief, by his own admission, have not been a honeymoon: He's
done lots of globe-trotting, made some missteps, and had a few successes. …
Just over three months after he took the reins of the UN from Kofi Annan,
Ban is still trying to master the job of being a top world diplomat while
running a giant international bureaucracy where 192 countries often have
competing interests. … Calling himself ‘a harmonizer and bridge-builder,’
the former South Korean foreign minister came to the UN promising to push
for peace in Darfur and the Middle East. He also promised to restore the
UN's tarnished reputation, which has been battered by the oil-for-food
scandal in Iraq, corruption in the UN's purchasing operations, and sexual
abuse by UN peacekeepers. … In late January, he headed off on a four-nation
African visit, including the African Union summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,
where he tried unsuccessfully to get Sudan's al-Bashir to allow the
deployment of an AU-UN force in Darfur. In March, he made an unannounced
visit to Iraq en route to the Arab League summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,
where he again put the pressure on the Sudanese leader. …”
The Straits Times writes that “…. … There
are many criteria on which to judge Ban… . On global affairs - the
'general' part - Ban has started off ambitiously. In just 100 days, he has
already met the most intransigent world leaders and taken on the thorniest
issues. He brought global warming to the Bush White House, spent three
hours persuading Sudanese President Omar Bashir to accept beefed-up
peacekeeping in Darfur, barnstormed Middle East capitals and retained his
dignity during a nearby mortar attack during a surprise visit to Baghdad.
On most issues, he has staked out a noticeably non-confrontational stance:
deferring to the Security Council on Iranian and North Korean nuclear
programs, avoiding rhetoric on the detaining of the British soldiers by
Teheran and pleading for more time to negotiate conflicts amid demands for
economic sanctions. When it comes to running the UN - the 'secretary' part
of the job - Ban has emphasized efficiency and transparency to make the
budget stretch further and improve mobility and working conditions for
staff. UN staff, some 55,000 people around the world, are generally pleased
with Ban's priorities and are also excited by the new emphasis on staff
training and mobility - but are waiting to see what comes of it. … But some
observers and UN insiders have been disappointed by his appointments, which
they note came surprisingly late. …”
From http://web.worldbank.org/
04/20/2007
TOP↑
UN Chief
Urges Streamlined Bureaucracy
“Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon formally endorsed
a radical streamlining of UN operations Monday, delivering a report to the
General Assembly that urges the elimination of unnecessary bureaucracy. The
sprawling UN system contains 16 specialized agencies, 14 funds and
programs, and 17 departments and offices, leading to costly duplication and
competition for resources. A high-level panel recommended a series of
reforms in November including the consolidation of different programs - as
many two dozen separate operations in some countries - into one UN
operation per country, with one budget, one leader and one common office if
possible. Ban said the UN is moving to establish eight such pilot programs,
more than initially planned because of high demand. He also endorsed the
report's call for the three UN bodies promoting equality for women ‘in an
uncoordinated and ineffective way’ to be merged into a single well-funded
organization with higher status. Ban urged member nations to move quickly
on debating and approving the recommendations. …” In a separate piece, AP
adds that Ban also “… told officials from the International Monetary Fund,
World Bank and World Trade Organization that rich nations were coming up
short in promises of increased aid to developing countries, which fell more
than five percent last year. …
Ban and other speakers offered progress
reports on the Monterrey Consensus - a 2002 international agreement on
alleviating poverty and related problems - and the UN's Millennium
Development Goals… Alejandro M. Werner, deputy chairman of the IMF and
World Bank's Development Committee, which advises the two bodies on
international aid issues, said a strong global economy was helping reduce
poverty, the first of the millennium development goals (MDGs). But he cited
‘mixed results’ in other goals, such as getting more children to school and
reducing child mortality, malnutrition and deaths in childbirth. Werner
said the committee felt that increasing gender equality and giving women
greater control of their lives around the world were key to achieving all
aspects of the millennium goals. …”Dow Jones writes that “… The two main
groups representing mainly developing countries - the Nonaligned Movement
and the Group of 77 - expressed concern in a joint statement about a focus
in the reform plan on promoting human rights, equality for women and
environmental protection. The groups said they were concerned that under
the guise of reform, the UN could start making aid contingent on progress
in those areas, which they said was ‘not acceptable to developing countries.’
… They said the world body's ‘overarching framework’ should be meeting
development targets, such as the MDGs….”
Meanwhile, Xinhua reports that Ban further
“… called for greater voice on Monday for developing countries in
international economic decision-making. In opening remarks to a special
meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council, Ban said that developing
countries, with 79 percent of the world's population, contribute 45 percent
of world output, when measured in terms of purchasing power parities. … He
also welcomed the recent resumption of the Doha Round of trade
negotiations. … He urged the world richest countries to ‘eliminate all
export and trade-distorting agricultural subsidies.’ The UN chief also
called for reforming the rules for intellectual property rights so as to
strengthen technological progress and to ensure that the poor have better
access to new technologies and products.” In a separate piece, Xinhua
writes that Ban further “urged the world's richest countries on Monday to
provide new Official Development Assistance (ODA) funding to developing
countries. Ban said he was ‘very concerned’ by the over 5 percent downfall
of ODA in 2006 despite the recent promises of increased aid flows by rich
countries. … The secretary general said the launch of the Development
Cooperation Forum later this year ‘should help improve international
oversight of development assistance.’”
From http://web.worldbank.org/
04/20/2007
TOP↑
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CHINA:
Strengthen Controls on Gov't Department Size, Spending
The Central Committee of the Communist
Party of China (CPC) and the Ministry of Supervision have jointly issued a
provisional regulation to strengthen control on the establishment of
government departments. The establishment, disbanding, merging and upgrading
of government departments without authorization would be punished under the
regulation, said an official with the Ministry of Supervision here on
Tuesday. The regulation, implemented last month, also prohibited the
appointment of government leaders beyond the personnel quota. Members of
the public could report violations of the regulation to supervision
departments or call a hotline number "12310", said the official.
Earlier this month, China's State Council approved a regulation on the establishment
and size of local governments, which requires local governments to set up
minimal, unified and efficient departments with reasonable numbers of
staff. The establishment of departments should be based on comprehensive
consideration of their responsibilities and ensure coordinated efforts in
carrying out policies and decisions. The regulation limits the authorized
size of local governments to within local financial resources, and
prohibits the establishment of additional departments or recruitment of
more staff.
From http://www.chinaview.cn 03/27/2007
TOP↑
Senior
Party Official Stresses Anti-corruption
A chief discipline inspector of the
Communist Party of China (CPC) on Wednesday called for more efforts to
fight corruption at its root. During an inspection to north China's Hebei
Province, Wu Guanzheng, secretary of the CPC Central Commission for
Discipline Inspection, said China should form an effective mechanism to
prevent corruption and punish those who are guilty of it. Wu, also member
of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central
Committee, said the Party pays great attention to the construction of a
clean Party and clean government. The fight against corruption should be
unremitting and combined with the economic, political, cultural, social and
Party construction, Wu added.
From http://www.chinaview.cn 04/04/2007
TOP↑
Gov't
Urged to Improve Rural Sanitation
China's vice minister of health says on
Friday the government should improve rural sanitation to prevent the spread
of infectious diseases. Wang Longde says the waste in less than a third of
all toilets in China's rural areas is properly treated, adding that the
situation is grim. Many people have been infected after eating fish raised
in water contaminated by human excrement, he said. "It is urgent for
Chinese government to popularize hygienic practices among rural
residents," Wang said. Wang says the Chinese government has helped
peasants renovate their toilets and build methane tanks. "It's not a
money problem so much as a lack of hygiene knowledge," said the vice
minister. "This year alone, China has invested 2.5 billion yuan (about
US$325 million) building methane tanks," he said, adding the
government provides a subsidy of 1,000 yuan to each needy family.
From http://www.china.org.cn/
04/08/2007
TOP↑
Crackdown
on Extravagance in Gov't Celebrations
China's State Council, or the central
government, has asked local governments to refrain from spending big sums
of money on celebrities for their performances in government-held
celebrations. The office of the State Council responsible for rectifying
malpractice gave the order in a national conference held on Tuesday. It has
been a popular practice in China to boost the popularity of an event with
the participation of celebrities, whom organizers may pay as much as
100,000 yuan for their "appearance". Local governments should also
control the number and scale of such celebrations and crack down on those
who seek benefits from them or whose malpractice has led to accidents or
negative social influences, said an official with the office. The office
has also ordered local governments to put a stop to extravagant activities
such as over-expending public receptions, tourism at public expense or
constructing luxurious office buildings.
From http://www.china.org.cn/
04/11/2007
TOP↑
China to
Intensify Crackdown on Rural Crime
China's police are to intensify crackdown
on rural crime after a string of incidents targeting farmers. The police
are ordered to "severely crack down on all sorts of crimes that affect
rural economic growth and infringe upon farmers' rights and
interests", according to a document of the Central Committee for the
Comprehensive Management of Public Security. Theft of livestock, irrigation
facilities, farm machinery and robbery are areas that need to be dealt with
more harshly, according to the document. It also orders cracking down on
prostitution, gambling, drug taking and buying or selling under coercion.
The document urges improving the system to dissolve disputes in the
countryside and take the initiative to tackle dispute-prone issues,
including burden on farmers, land contracts, land expropriation,
environmental pollution, unpaid wages and disposal of collective assets.
Security hardware, including iron door, iron window, iron cabinet, and
warning devices, should be promoted in some rural areas based on local
situations.
According to a meeting on public security
held on Monday in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi province, an
increasing number of pyramid selling schemes have emerged in rural areas. Last
year, police in Shandong Province broke up a pyramid selling scheme that
involved more than 160,000 mostly rural people from 15 provinces,
autonomous regions and municipalities. The organizers lured farmers with
promises of lucrative returns in return for a 2,900-yuan admission fee to
join a cosmetic selling scheme. The farmers were asked to persuade more
people to join, but the cosmetic under the brand "Duomeizi" was
fiction. The organizers pocketed more than 400 million yuan. Many farmers lost
their personal savings. Officials at the meeting urged the police to strike
hard on rural crimes, such as homicide, illegal explosive trade, robbery,
gambling, drug trafficking and pornographic publications, and to clamp down
on organized crime.
From http://www.chinaview.cn 04/16/2007
TOP↑
State
Council Appoints New Officials of Departments
China's State Council, the cabinet, has
recently appointed some high-ranking officials of government departments.
Wei Chuanzhong was appointed deputy head of the General Administration of
Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, replacing Ge Zhirong. Zheng
Guoguang was appointed head of the China Meteorological Administration,
replacing Qin Dahe. Ning Jizhe was appointed deputy head of the Research
Office of the State Council. Cui Dalin and Cai Zhenhua were appointed
deputy heads of the State General Administration of Sport. Tang Tiehan was
removed of the president of the National School of Administration and Ma
Zhongzhi of the chairman of the Board of Supervisors for Key Large-Sized
State-Owned Enterprises.
From http://www.chinaview.cn 04/16/2007
TOP↑
China
Tightens Supervision of Joint Educational Programs
China will tighten supervision of
education programs jointly operated by Chinese and foreign colleges to
ensure that students get quality teaching, the Ministry of Education said
here Thursday. The ministry said on its official website that a recent
investigation discovered a series of irregular operations by joint
educational institutions, some of which had triggered "mass
incidents". Citing examples, the ministry said some institutions
attracted many students with bold advertisements, but failed to deliver
high-quality teaching. Others, which promised to send students study
abroad, failed to do so or did not grant students diplomas after they
completed their studies. Such cases, in which students often paid over
hefty tuition fees, seriously damaged the interests of students and their
families and generated bitter complaints, the ministry said. The ministry
said it will not approve new Sino-foreign joint programs on higher
occupational education until 2009. Applications for new joint programs on
postgraduate education will be very carefully scrutinized. The ministry
said it has asked provincial educational departments to carry out thorough
investigations of current joint educational programs and clean up irregular
operations as soon as possible. It also said it is working on an evaluation
and sanction mechanism for joint educational institutions. But no details
were given.
From http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/
04/19/2007
TOP↑
China
Announces Rules to Require Government Disclosures
China on Tuesday announced far-reaching
new rules for disclosure of official information that would require local
governments to reveal their accounts and inform farmers about the finances
of often controversial land seizures. The decree, which takes effect May 1,
2008, would mark a dramatic change in the way Chinese officials work if it
were genuinely applied in Beijing and the hundreds of thousands of villages
and towns where governments and Communist Party committees make most of
their decisions in secrecy. The official New China News Agency called it a
"landmark" decision that makes "the most specific and
progressive" changes to China's tradition of official secrecy since
Communist rule began in 1949. "Governments at various levels are
required to give out information which involves the immediate interests of
individuals and groups, which should be known by the masses, and which
explains administrative institutions and procedures," the agency
quoted the decree as saying. The decree, signed by Premier Wen Jiabao,
listed requirements to reveal such subjects as local government plans for
handling emergencies, the allocation of government expenses and the results
of investigations into environmental threats, public health and tainted
medicines.
It also specified that local governments
must reveal the terms of land seizures and the amount of compensation paid
to farmers who lose their fields. This is an explosive issue, as thousands
of villages have risen up against local authorities over land seizures in
recent years. Typically, the farmers have alleged that officials abused
their authority to seize the land for resale to developers, compensating
the farmers at a low price and charging the developers much higher prices
-- then pocketing the difference. Enforcing a requirement that these
transactions be public would help halt such abuses. But China's recent
history has been filled with central government decrees that are not fully
enforced around the country. In that light, it remained unclear whether
Wen's decree would have the power to turn around a half-century of
traditional secrecy, particularly where corrupt local officials rely on
secrecy to cover collusion with businessmen and embezzlement of public
funds. In addition, the decree laid down potential restrictions for public
disclosure, saying any information that affects state security, public
safety, "normal economic operations" and social stability should
not be revealed.
If interpreted by local officials with
economic interests in illicit activity, those exceptions may create an area
where secrecy could still thrive. But the decree said local groups could
appeal to higher authorities if they are refused information they believe
they are entitled to. Wen and President Hu Jintao recently have urged what
they call public supervision of government actions, implying that China's
1.3 billion people have a right to point out malfeasance and lead
authorities to prosecute it. The decree issued Tuesday fit in with that
theme, saying citizens have a right to know what is going on in their
communities. In practice, however, most Chinese are deprived of that right
by rigorous party censorship of television stations and newspapers. The
decree did not explain how the new rules would fit in with that censorship.
From http://www.washingtonpost.com
04/24/2007
TOP↑
JAPAN:
GSDF Launches Quick Terror-Response Division
The Ground Self-Defense Force on Wednesday
launched a 3,200-member agile division to enhance Japan's capabilities in
dealing with terrorism and guerrilla attacks and to promote international
peacekeeping efforts. Gen. Joshu Yamaguchi assumed his duties as the first
commander of the so-called central quick-response division headquartered at
the GSDF's Asaka garrison in Tokyo's Nerima Ward. In an inauguration
ceremony held at the garrison, Yamaguchi said, "I will do my utmost to
train it into a powerful and energetic unit." Placed under the direct
control of the defense minister, the division includes a special
counterterrorism operation brigade, a convoy of helicopters and a training
unit for troops to be dispatched overseas for international peacekeeping
operations. The move came after overseas activities were upgraded in
January into one of the Self-Defense Forces' main duties from their
previous subordinate status in line with the former Defense Agency's
transformation into a ministry. The six GSDF officers to be sent to Nepal
in April for a U.N. military observer mission are also members of this
division. The division is planned to have 4,100 members by the end of March
next year by setting up additional units, such as one to be an advance team
for overseas deployment. Its headquarters will be relocated by fiscal 2012
to Camp Zama in Kanagawa Prefecture, where the U.S. Army in Japan is
headquartered.
From www.newsonjaan.com 03/28/2007
TOP↑
Tokyo
Governor Wins New Term
TOKYO Governor Shintaro Ishihara, an
outspoken nationalist who is fond of riling Japan's neighbours, easily
secured a third term leading the world's largest metropolis. Mr Ishihara,
who has used racial slurs for Chinese and Korean residents, vowed to devote
his fresh four-year mandate to his pet project of bringing the 2016 Summer
Olympics to Tokyo. "I have been continuously bashed by the media and
there have been regrettable misunderstandings and exaggerations. But the
public had good sense and saw through that," the
novelist-turned-politician said. Tokyo was one of 13 provinces holding
elections in the first nationwide test for embattled conservative Prime
Minister Shinzo Abe in the run-up to July's upper house vote. With 99 per
cent of votes counted, Mr Ishihara had 50.99 per cent of the total, 20.13
points more than his closest competitor in the 14-candidate race, the
election commission said. Mr Ishihara, 74, is supported by Mr Abe's Liberal
Democratic Party (LDP) but refused its outright nomination.
Despite recent scandals involving Mr
Ishihara, opinion polls show the Tokyo governor is more popular than Mr
Abe, who has faced questions about his authority. Lawmaker Yoshio Yatsu,
the LDP's chief election strategist, was quick to call Ishihara's win a
victory for the ruling party. "Tokyo is the face of Japan. This
victory should not harm us in the upper house elections," Mr Yatsu
said. Mr Ishihara, a bugbear for liberals with his outspoken criticism of
everything from China to feminism, has grown popular in part due to pushing
through policies such as banning diesel engines to improve air quality.
"I voted for Ishihara as I think Tokyo needs a leader who is
convincing and has strong leadership," said Manabu Koiso, a
24-year-old fish market worker. Mr Ishihara's platform called for tougher
measures against crime and bringing the Olympics to Tokyo, eight years
after the Beijing Games. After his re-election, he turned to his frequent
confrontational approach with reporters when one asked whether he would
alter the Olympic bid. "What part of it should I review? Tell me. What
do you know about the plan?" Mr Ishihara said of the Olympics. "I
think this will be a great treasure for Japan." Tokyo's 10.42 million
eligible voters had a choice of 14 candidates including a street musician,
a taxi driver, a feng shui expert and a fortune teller.
Mr Ishihara's most prominent rival was
Shiro Asano, a former governor of northern Miyagi prefecture supported by
the main opposition Democratic Party. Mr Asano had attacked the Olympic bid,
saying the money would be better spent on supporting lower-income people or
improving preventive measures against Tokyo's frequent earthquakes. "I
realise it was a loss by a significant margin. I apologise to those who
supported me and put their hopes in me," Mr Asano said. Mr Ishihara,
who said the third term will be his last, has long courted controversy with
blunt remarks. In one instance, he was hauled to court for describing women
past childbearing age as "hags".He has also come under fire
recently for awarding a government art project to his son and for racking
up large bills on overseas trips - paid for with taxpayers' money. Asked
about the scandals, Mr Ishihara said, "I've answered that question
many times in detail. Please go read the transcripts of the assembly
meetings".In other elections across Japan, all incumbents who ran
again won. Of the 13 races, nine winners were linked to the ruling bloc,
two were supported exclusively by the opposition and two governors were
backed by both sides.
From http://www.news.com.au 04/09/2007
TOP↑
SOUTH
KOREA: National Assembly Approves New Prime Minister
The National Assembly on Monday (April 2)
approved Han Duck-soo, former finance minister, as the nation's new prime
minister. Last month, President Roh Moo-hyun nominated Han as his new prime
minister to succeed Han Myeong-sook, who resigned amid reports she was
preparing to run in the December presidential election. In a 210-51 vote,
the single-chamber parliament endorsed the president's nomination, after
holding a two-day confirmation hearing on the nominee last week. Han, who
earned a doctorate in economics from Harvard University, has held a string
of top financial posts, such as a presidential advisor on free trade talks with
the United States, trade minister and ambassador to the Paris-based
Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development. The prime minister
takes over in the event that the president should become incapacitated.
From http://www.korea.net 04/02/2007
TOP↑
Top
Military Intelligence Officer Named to Lead Air Force
The Korean government on Thursday (April
5) nominated a three-star general, currently in charge of the Defense
Ministry's intelligence affairs, to lead the Air Force, heralding a
far-reaching shake-up of the organization, which has been marred by reports
of poor discipline and alleged corruption. The nomination of Lieutenant
General Kim Eun-gi, director of the Defense Ministry's Intelligence Agency,
is expected to force several other senior Air Force officers to resign,
analysts said. The Defense Ministry said that a personnel management
committee recommended Kim to President Roh Moo-hyun for the post earlier in
the day and received Roh's approval. However, the nomination also requires
the largely symbolic endorsement from the Cabinet, which is slated for next
Tuesday (April 10). If the nomination is approved, the 55-year-old will be
promoted to a four-star general and take office next Friday (April 13),
replacing Kim Sung-il, who resigned last month to take the responsibility
for a recent KF-16 jet crash caused by poor maintenance. Kim Eun-gi
graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1974. He received a master's degree
in physics at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in 1984. He served as an
intelligence officer in the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command from
2003-2005, and has been working as director of the Defense Ministry's
Intelligence Agency since last year. "Lt. Gen. Kim, as a specialist in
the military operations and policy fields, has been judged the most fit for
the post as a result of the collection of wide-ranging opinions and
thorough review," the ministry said in a press release. He also
possesses the strong leadership needed to spearhead the reform of the Air
Force, it added. The Air Force's troubles culminated in February when a
KF-16 fighter jet went down off the country's west coast during a training
flight, although its pilot survived by ejecting. The Air Force's discipline
has been called into question after investigators found that the accident
was attributable to poor maintenance. In a separate accident, the wing of a
Korean F-15K fighter jet was damaged last month when its rear wheels fell
into a manhole at an Air Force base in Daegu. The Defense Ministry has
already conducted an investigation into allegations that the Air Force
misused funds budgeted for the purchase of jet parts, but has yet to
announce its results. The state audit agency is also looking into the
suspicion. Meanwhile, the government promoted Vice Adm. Park In-yong, vice
head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to admiral.
From http://www.korea.net 04/05/2007
TOP↑
Rhyu
Submits His Resignation Due to Pension
Saying someone had to take the blame for
the National Assembly’s failure to approve a reform of the national pension
system, Health Minister Rhyu Si-min tendered his resignation. Rhyu called
the failure the “irrational” decision of the assembly, in a meeting with
reporters yesterday. Asked why he chose to resign, he said, “I thought
somebody had to take responsibility,” at a press conference yesterday. Rhyu
is a close aide to President Roh Moo-hyun. A Blue House official told the
JoongAng Ilbo that Roh has not yet decided whether to accept the resignation.
Under the current configuration, the national pension system is expected to
run dry by 2047. A bill to reform the system by raising the premiums and
lowering the pension paid out has long been pending, but the Assembly again
failed to pass the bill last Monday. The Assembly has faced criticism from
the news media that it did not pass the bill because it feared losing votes
before the presidential election in December and National Assembly
elections next April. Kang Gi-jung, an Uri Party legislator and member of
the Assembly’s health committee, said yesterday his party would present a
new bill for reform of the national pension “by Wednesday at the latest.”
Kang said his party would seek help from the Democratic Party and a group
made up of Uri defectors. Meanwhile, the chief policymaker of the Grand
National Party, Jeon Jae-hee, said her party would present another reform
bill “this month, if possible.” Still, the agreement that a bill is needed
appears to be the only consensus between the two parties, considering the
details of each of their plans. The Uri Party, supported by the Democratic
Party, and the government want to lower the pension and to raise the
premium.
In contrast, the Grand National Party
wants the pension payouts to be lowered, while offering more financial
support to low-income senior citizens than the Uri Party is suggesting. The
far-left Democratic Party supports the Grand National Party’s idea. The
health committee of the National Assembly has to present one bill to a
plenary voting session. That will not be easy, because the 10 members of
the committee are evenly split between the Uri-Democratic alliance and the
Grand National-Democratic Labor Parties. Yang Hyung-il, a legislator who
defected from the Uri Party, said yesterday that it may take “months” for
the bill to pass the Assembly. The Uri Party’s bill failed to pass the
Assembly last Monday. The bill was voted down because 18 legislators cast
blank votes.Most of the 18 votes came from Uri Party defectors, according
to the Assembly.Former Health Minister Kim Geun-tae, who once called it
“unethical” not to reform the pension system, did not vote, saying that his
health was not good following a hunger strike.Scholars urged the Assembly
to make a swift move. Kim Sang-ho, a professor at Kwandong University, said
there is a 30 trillion won ($32 billion) deficit every year coming from the
current low-premium, high-pension system. “If the National Assembly fails
to recognize this huge problem, we may only get into big trouble,” Kim said.
Kim Jin-soo, a Yonsei University professor, said, “The Assembly should
first try to make a compromise to reform the system.”
From http://joongangdaily.joins.com/
04/09/2007
TOP↑
Roh
Nominates New Culture, Maritime Affairs Ministers
President Roh Moo-hyun on Thursday (April
19) replaced four cabinet members, nominating Kim Jong-min, president of
the Korea Tourism Organization, as his new minister of Culture and Tourism,
the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said. The 58-year-old Kim, if
approved by the National Assembly at its confirmation hearing, will succeed
Kim Myung-gon. The president also appointed Kang Moo-hyun, former vice
minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, as chief of the ministry,
Cheong Wa Dae said. Kang succeeds Kim Sung-jin. The president replaced
Government Legislation Minister Kim Sun-wook and Patriots and Veterans
Affairs Minister Park Yu-chul with their vice ministers. Nam Ki-myoung was
named new minister of Government Legislation, while Kim Jung-bok was
promoted to minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs. "New Culture
Minister-designate Kim has displayed outstanding performance while serving
as vice culture minister, chief organizer of the World Ceramic Exposition
2001, chief of the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization and president of the Korea
Tourism Organization," said Park Nam-choon, senior presidential
secretary for personnel affairs. In particular, Kim lifted the operating
profit ratio of the Korea Tourism Organization by 780 percent last year, he
added. Regarding the new maritime affairs minister, the secretary said,
"Kang had served at key posts of the maritime affairs ministry over
the past three decades, and thus accumulated wide-ranging experience in overall
ministry affairs. "On the basis of his abundant experience, Kang is
expected to assist Yeosu's bid for the 2012 World Expo and spearhead the
nation's bid to build a Northeast logistics hub along the south
coast," said Park.
From http://www.korea.net 04/19/2007
TOP↑
Tourism
Head Named New Culture Minister
Kim Jong-min, president of the Korea
National Tourism Organization (KNTO), was appointed as the country's new
culture and tourism minister on Thursday (April 19). Kim, a 58-year-old
bureaucrat, also worked as a secretary for administrative and civil affairs
at the presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae, and served as vice culture
minister in 1996. Born in Yeongdong, Chungcheongnam-do (North Chungcheong
Province), he graduated from such elite schools as Gyeonggi High School and
Seoul National University. He received a master's degree in government
policy from the University of Minnesota in 1980.
From http://www.korea.net 04/19/2007
TOP↑
4 New
Cabinet Ministers Named
President Roh Moo-hyun yesterday replaced
four cabinet members, nominating Kim Jong-min, president of the Korea
Tourism Organization, as his new minister of culture and tourism, said Park
Nam-choon, senior presidential secretary for personnel affairs. The
58-year-old Kim will succeed Kim Myung-gon, following confirmation by the
National Assembly. The president also named Kang Moo-hyun, former vice
minister of maritime affairs and fisheries, as chief of that ministry, Park
said. Kang is a replacement for Kim Sung-jin. The president replaced
Government Legislation Minister Kim Sun-wook and Patriots and Veterans
Affairs Minister Park Yu-chul with their vice ministers. Nam Ki-myoung was
named the new minister of government legislation, while Kim Jung-bok was
promoted to minister of patriots and veterans affairs. “The new Culture
Minister-designate Kim has displayed outstanding performance while serving
as vice culture minister, chief organizer of the World Ceramic Exposition
2001, chief of the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization and president of the Korea
Tourism Organization,” Park said. In particular, Kim was credited with
raising the operating profit ratio of the Korea Tourism Organization by 780
percent last year, he added. Kim has also worked as a secretary for
administrative and civil affairs at the Blue House. Regarding the new
maritime affairs minister, Park said, “Kang has served at key posts in the
maritime affairs ministry over the past three decades, and accumulated
wide-ranging experience in ministry affairs. “On the basis of his
experience, Kang is expected to assist Yeosu’s bid for the 2012 World Expo
and spearhead the nation’s bid to build a Northeast Asia logistics hub,”
said Park. A native of Wonju, Gangwon province, the 56-year-old Kang began
working for the ministry in 1975 shortly after graduating from Yonsei
University in Seoul. From October 2004 to August 2006, he worked as vice
maritime minister.
From http://joongangdaily.joins.com
04/20/2007
TOP↑
Roh
Named His Spokesman, Presidential Secretaries
President Roh Moo-hyun on Friday (April
20) has appointed former presidential protocol secretary Chun Ho-sun as his
new spokesman, presidential Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Yoon Seung-yong said.
Yoon, who doubles as senior presidential secretary for public information
and Cheong Wa Dae spokesman, said he will be relieved of his spokesman's
post to concentrate on his duty as the senior information secretary.
"Cheong Wa Dae has decided to divide my dual roles. As the senior
presidential secretary for public information, I'll deepen responsibility
for my own original duties, such as the integration of broadcasting and
telecommunications. The new spokesman is expected to carry out the daily
media briefing more faithfully than I have," he said. Chun, a key
member of the president's inner circle, served as Roh's secretary in 1991
when Roh was a lawmaker. Since Roh's election in 2003, Chun has held
several key secretarial posts at Cheong Wa Dae. Meanwhile, Cheong Wa Dae
appointed executive officer Kwon Hae-sang as Secretary to the President for
Civil Petition and Institutional Innovation, executive officer Park
Sung-soo for Secretary to the President for Legal Affairs and Bae Ki-chan
for Secretary to the President for Northeast Asian Cooperation Initiative,
a newly established post.
From www.koreanet.net 04/20/2007
TOP↑
Illegal
Funds Probe Hampered
In a speech given to a college class,
former Prosecutor General Song Kwang-soo said the Blue House had complained
about an investigation by the prosecutor’s office into President Roh
Moo-hyun’s aides and illegal presidential election campaign funds, and
threatened to dissolve the investigation team. A Blue House spokesman, Yoon
Seung-yong, said Song’s claims were unfounded and he called on him to name
the individual whom he claimed pressured the investigation. The former head
of prosecutions, who served between April 2003 and April 2005, was giving a
special lecture at the graduate school of Soongsil University in Seoul.
“While investigating the illegal political funds donated by Nara Merchant
Bank, the prosecution requested an arrest warrant for the president’s close
aide, Ahn Hee-jung, three times, and was rejected every time. And [the Blue
House] expressed deep disappointment that we persisted and requested the
warrant three times,” said Song. “I vowed to protect [the prosecution’s]
independence from the president,” he said. “But about half the pledge
failed.” At the time, President Roh said he would end his political career
if his election campaign had received more than one-tenth of the amount of
illegal political funds as the Grand National Party. “Prosecutors did try
to find as much illegal money in Roh’s camp as possible, and found about
two- to three-tenths of the amount of money [that the Grand National Party
had],” said Song. Then the president’s aides said, “Prosecutors do not know
their limits,” claimed Song. “The aides argued that the Supreme Public
Prosecutors Office’s central investigation team should be dissolved. In a
telephone interview with the JoongAng Ilbo, Song said, “the lecture was
somewhat misunderstood... It was natural for [the Blue House] to dislike an
investigation.” In 2004, Ahn Hee-jung was convicted of receiving illegal
donations, including 390 million from the now-defunct Nara Merchant Bank.
He served a year in jail. The bank had been seeking government officials’
help in averting bankruptcy.
From http://joongangdaily.joins.com
04/21/2007
TOP↑
MONGOLIA:
New Governor Appointed
According to the related provisions of the
law of Mongolia on administrative and territorial units and their
management, the Mongolian Premier M.Enkhbold has dismissed the Governor of
Omnogobi aimag, M.Yadmaa from his post at his request. The Premier has appointed
Sumaagin Erdenebat as the Aimag Governor on the basis a proposal by the
aimag Khural (Assembly) of Citizens Representatives and the provision 26.3
of the above law. S.Erdenebat was born in 1972. He used to work in the
aimag s court and division for implementing the court decisions and in the
aimag Governor s Office. Since 2005, he has been working as the Chairman of
the aimag Khural (Assembly) of Citizens Representatives. B. Bolortuya
From http://www.montsame.mn 04/17/2007
TOP↑
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INDONESIA:
Govt to Provide Rp 700 Billion Quake Assistance for West Sumatra
The central government will allocate Rp
700 billion (US$76 million) to assist in the earthquake recovery efforts
currently underway in West Sumatra. West Sumatra Governor Gamawan Fauzi
said a schedule for the disbursement of the funds would be discussed at the
House of Representatives in Jakarta. The funds are covered by the 2007
state budget for natural disasters. He said the province suffered losses of
more than Rp 1.6 trillion following the March 6 earthquake. From 11
mayoralties and regencies hit by the earthquake, only Agam regency is still
at emergency status. The remaining regions have officially entered the
recovery phase. "The central government has agreed to provide Rp 700
billion in assistance. The government has a Rp 2 trillion budget for natural
disasters, but since the fund is also being used to assist other
disaster-hit areas, landslide victims in Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara,
West Sumatra, will receive Rp 700 billion for the first phase," he
said. Gamawan said he would also request the shifting of special budgets
allocated for non-physical purposes to aid the province's quake-hit
mayoralties and regencies.
These requests will be made to the
National Education Ministry, the Health Ministry and the State Ministry for
Resettlement. He said the funds shift should raise enough money to restore
schools, medical services, roads and markets affected by the disaster. He
said the Rp 700 billion channeled by the central government would be used
to restore educational facilities and housing for quake victims. The owners
of some 4,000 badly-damaged houses will receive Rp 15 million in cash
assistance. "The assistance will be directly distributed to each
mayoralty and regency. The local administration will be responsible for
dealing with the recovery work," Gamawan said. He said the owners of
damaged houses in Tanahdatar and Solok regencies would receive funds from
the Social Service Ministry's budget. He said third-party donations had
amounted to Rp 4 billion, excluding funds raised through cooperation with cell
phone operators. "The cash assistance was considered to be outside
emergency-phase aid, which is mostly logistic supplies and a total of 700
trucks that have been directly distributed to disaster sites," Gamawan
said.
He said management of the disaster
involves a five-stage process that will be completed in the next two years.
The process covers emergency, recovery, reconstruction, mitigation and
alert phases. During the mitigation phase, local administrations will be
instructed to prevent residents from building houses in quake-prone areas,
while the alert phase will involve training in schools and offices for
dealing with disasters. "I've sent letters to all mayors and regents
in West Sumatra to create a local ordinance on mitigation and disaster alerts,"
he said.
From http://www.thejakartapost.com/
04/07/2007
TOP↑
Govt to
Build Disaster Relief Depots
The government plans to set up a
nationwide network of depots for emergency relief supplies and form a new
national agency tasked with managing natural disasters in the country. The
"disaster logistics depots" will be established in each
provincial capital, Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Aburizal
Bakrie said. They will be stockpiled with enough food and medicine supplies
to handle the occurrence of a natural disaster in each region. The depots
will also be supplied with equipment and transportation vehicles to ensure
the quick and effective distribution of supplies to disaster victims during
emergency relief efforts. "This is part of our effort to improve
disaster management in the country, by `regionalizing' it," Aburizal
told reporters after a meeting Monday with Vice President Jusuf Kalla and
National Coordination Agency chief Syamsul Maarif. "The plan for the logistics
depots is to overcome logistics and transportation problems in relief
situations. These are areas which have hampered the quick mitigation of
disasters in the past," Aburizal said.
The government expects the establishment
of logistics depots to make future relief efforts more efficient and avoid
the high costs associated with "sending out Hercules planes from
Jakarta just to ship supplies of instant noodles," Aburizal said.
Managed as a network, the depots could support each other, with those in the
vicinity of a disaster-affected region serving as the nearest back-up
facility. However, he declined to mention how much the establishment of the
network of logistics depots would cost, or when operations would commence.
The government has allocated Rp 2 trillion (US$219 million) for disaster
mitigation purposes in this year's state budget, with several
disaster-affected regions already proposing an additional Rp 2.7 trillion
in funds. The government also plans to set up a nationwide early warning
system throughout the country by 2008. A string of disasters have hit the
country in recent years. The Coordinating Ministry Office has cited floods
as the most frequently occurring disaster, while earthquakes cause the most
human casualties and fires cause the greatest material losses.
Aburizal said the depots will be managed
locally in each region, but will remain under the auspices of the central
government -- in this case, the new National Disaster Management Agency
that will be formed. "We are still working out who will manage the
facilities. It may either be the local administration, or the local
military," he said. Aburizal also said the depots would be separate
from the rice stockpile depots managed by the National Logistics Agency,
although they may work in cooperation. Aburizal said the government expects
the new National Disaster Management Agency to be formed within 6 months,
as required by a new law on disaster management that the House of
Representatives passed in March. However, the government is still
discussing how it will replace the existing National Coordination Board
(Bakornas) and National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas).
From http://www.thejakartapost.com
04/10/2007
TOP↑
Govt
Sets Aside Rp 2.5t for Mud Projects
The government will set aside at least Rp
2.5 trillion (about US$275 million) from the national budget to reroute
infrastructure facilities that have been damaged by the mud volcano
disaster in Sidoarjo, East Java, a senior official said here Wednesday.
Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro said the
government, under a presidential decree issued April 8, would cover all the
costs of the relocation of the mud-affected infrastructure. Some Rp 800 billion
would be spent on rerouting an expressway, Rp 300 billion on the rerouting
of main roads, Rp 250 billion on the rerouting of a gas pipeline, Rp 450
billion on the rerouting of a rail line and Rp 700 billion on land
acquisition, said Purnomo, who is also a member of the supervisory board of
the newly established National Sidoarjo Mudflow Mitigation Agency. Public
Works Minister Djoko Kirmanto, who chairs the supervisory board, said that
the amounts involved could change in line with the real cost of the
rerouting work. However, he said that he had proposed to the finance
minister that at least 50 percent of the money be paid out in advance to
finance land acquisition for the rerouting of the infrastructure
facilities.
"We are hoping to start building the
facilities by the end of this year," Djoko said after a ceremony to
officially inaugurate the new agency, which was set up to replace the
national mudflow mitigation team. Djoko said that the new agency would
focus on reinforcing the containment embankments to prevent the further
spread of the mud. According to the presidential decree establishing the
new agency, Lapindo Brantas Inc., the operator of the gas field, which has
been widely blamed for causing the disaster, will only be liable for
compensating the residents of Porong whose lands and homes had been
inundated by the mud up until March 22, when the latest figures on the
damage caused by the disaster were released. According to the decree, the
government will be responsible for covering the cost of damage and
dislocation arising after March 22. Based on the latest figures, Lapindo
will have to pay compensation to more than 13,000 families in Porong that
have been displaced for almost a year by the mud.
Previous figures provided by the team in
December 2006 said that 6,000 families in four villages would be eligible
to receive compensation. The new decree also states that Lapindo will be
responsible for paying for the efforts to stem the mudflow and for the
construction of a spillway to the Porong river. Djoko said that the cost of
constructing the spillway would amount to Rp 500 billion. Mud has been
spewing out of the ground since May 29 last year, inundating homes, roads,
factories and rice fields. The government has estimated that the cost of
relocating key infrastructure facilities from inundated areas and
compensating those affected by the mudflow disaster will amount to more
than Rp 7 trillion.
From http://www.thejakartapost.com
04/12/2007
TOP↑
Government
Needs Priorities in Fight Against Graft
Indonesia is still fighting a battle
against corruption with some people seeing it as a losing cause and others
believing the government is on the right track. The Jakarta Post's Matheos
Viktor Messakh talked recently to Teten Masduki of the Indonesian
Corruption Watch on the progress in the war against corruption. Question:
Many officials are on trial for their involvement in graft. Is this a good
sign or just a political gimmick? Answer: These attempts should be viewed
as achieving limited progress in what is a difficult situation. It is
difficult because the war against graft is not supported by political
institutions and law enforcement agencies. Discrimination in the war
against graft is unavoidable because of reasons such as political reasoning
and accessibility to evidence. However, the war against graft in Indonesia
lacks solid guidelines to follow. An increasing number of graft cases are
being brought to courts, but there are no guidelines to follow on what kind
of cases should be tried first. There should be such guidelines in place,
otherwise the system will not be efficient.
Why do we need such guidelines? Legal
approach is an expensive approach and it's impossible to handle all graft
cases at once. The government should prioritize cases that have a
significant impact on society in terms of determent in order to encourage
fundamental changes in the country. For example, cases in which
high-ranking officials, incumbent ministers, the executives of state-owned
enterprises and law enforcement officials are implicated should be tried
first. Our system of law enforcement is currently quite powerless because
almost all of the connected apparatuses are corrupt. Therefore, cases
involving judges, prosecutors and police officers should also be
prioritized. If law enforcement officials were free of corruption, other
people may be frightened to engage in corruption because there would be no
guarantee they would get away with it if caught. Therefore, in order to
stamp out corruption in this country we need to establish greater
deterrents for such people. Aside from this, the government also needs to
prioritize economy-related sectors and sectors that have a wide social
impact such as in the areas of education and health.
While we may turn a blind eye to
corruption in other sectors, we should not ignore corruption in these
sectors. The country is facing economic hardship largely because such
sectors are not working to their full capacity. Therefore, we must
prioritize eradicating graft in the taxation, banking and financial sectors
and in state-owned enterprises? The health and education sectors are also
important because they influence the quality of our human resources. It
seems we are facing a contradiction between the necessity to eliminate
corruption and the need to maintain power in order to eliminate corruption.
Where should we start? Initially we placed our hopes on President Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono because he was elected directly by the people and
therefore would be more accountable to the people rather than to political
parties. In reality, instead of weighing up people's needs, he made
decisions based on political considerations. If he wants to make changes,
don't you think his political career will be like that of former president
Abdurrahman Wahid? I don't think so. It is more difficult to impeach a
president now. It is only possible if the law has been broken. To fight
corruption without discrimination is not breaking the law. On the contrary,
it would bring prosperity to the people. Some say that anti-graft activists
criticize the government without offering any real solutions. Is that true?
Non governmental organizations (NGOs) do
not just criticize the government but also offer solutions. They have, for
example, helped the government with draft bills on corruption in the past.
In the New Order era NGOs only criticized the government but they now play
a greater part in policy reform. However, lawmakers usually decide to spend
money on overseas study tours rather than utilizing the suggestions and
draft bills of NGOs. They are unwilling to heed such advice, not because
the quality of the draft bills is poor, but because they do not want to be
dictated to. There are many ways to eradicate corruption. Besides law
enforcement, policy reform and widening the public's participation in the
decision-making process are strategic moves in the fight against graft. In
1997 several state-owned banks collapsed because 11 tycoons failed to repay
their debts. But taking a look at the present policies in the financial and
banking sectors, there have been no major policy changes. Even BRI, which
has support from small and medium entrepreneurs, sees most of its credit
flowing to big conglomerates. How can we let this happen again? Does that
mean that we can expect more policy changes from lawmakers? Not only
lawmakers but also the government. For example, if business licensing now
involves hundreds of desks, why don't we cut the number down? We need to
shut down every opportunity for graft to occur.
Generally speaking, to eradicate
corruption would require closing the windows of opportunity, increasing the
risks involved and lessening relevant benefits. In order to close the
windows of opportunity, the government needs to pay more attention to
economic policies. For example, in the banking sector if big conglomerates
have caused trouble in the past, the government should limit their
maneuvers. For me, the president and his ministers can do this via policy
reform. Civil service reform should start at the bureaucratic level. For
example, why should driving licenses need to be renewed every five years?
Why not make them valid for life? The President could change the policy on
driving license renewal to eradicate this five-year cycle of corruption.
Regencies such as Jembrana in Bali and Solok in West Sumatra have proved
that by trimming down bureaucratic processes, there are less opportunities
for graft. We cannot rely only on the current laws and law enforcement apparatus
to eradicate corruption here. The President should also focus on
bureaucratic, policy and civil service reforms. How about widening the
public's participation? There are two important draft laws currently being
deliberated -- the bill on free access to information and the bill on the
Ombudsman -- that may enhance public participation. Unfortunately, the
government and the House have given no priority to these drafts.
Everywhere in the world, if people are
given free access to public documents, the number of corruption cases
decreases. The public can hold social audits if state institutions such as
the Development Finance Controller, Supreme Audit Agency and DPR do not
function well. As tax payers, the public has the right to question state
budget allocations to agencies such as these. But don't we have a draft on
state secrecy now? Such a law should not exist. It should only be a part of
the law on free access to information. All activities that are financed by
public funds should not be secret, with the exception of state security and
bank secrecy. Such information should be easily accessible to the public,
like in the U.S. There are many inconsistencies in the war against graft.
On one hand the government wants to eliminate graft, but on the other it
still protects corrupt high-ranking officers and does not place priority on
strategic regulations to eliminate graft. Many policies on the banking
sector protect big businesses rather than small and medium businesses. Do
you think it will be difficult to eliminate corruption because it is so
common? This excuse has been used by the government due to its inability to
eliminate graft. Many countries that have succeeded in eradicating graft
had conditions very similar to ours. Take Hong Kong for example. The
country's legal system was bankrupt because most of the law enforcement
apparatus were involved in corruption. But they were able to solve the
problem because they did the right thing. In a period of 10 years they
managed to eliminate graft because they prioritized cleaning up their law
enforcement apparatus.
But how do we create an apparatus free of
corruption? By offering good salaries? I don't believe in such a theory. If
there is a chance, there will be corruption. If corruption is caused
because of financial problems, why are there so many corrupt tycoons? The
root of bureaucratic corruption may be because of small salaries, but the
cause of high scale corruption is certainly not due to small salaries.
People engage in corrupt practices to secure their positions and their
businesses. There is a kind of cycle of corruption involving seizing power
in order to be corrupt and being corrupt in order to maintain power. And in
theory, such corrupt practices must be conducted on a large scale to gain
political protection by paying off politicians and portraying a good image
to the public. Only those who cannot afford to pay ever go to jail.
http://www.thejakartapost.com/
04/16/2007
TOP↑
MALAYSIA:
Government Offices to Open from 7.30am to 5.30pm
All government offices will open
half-an-hour earlier and close 30 minutes later from June. However, civil
servants will not be required to work longer hours. Instead, they will
clock in for work at three different times – from 7.30am till 4.30pm, from
8am till 5pm, and from 8.30am till 5.30pm. In effect, the offices will be
open from 7.30am to 5.30pm. The timetable is the same for those working in
Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu, except that they will observe Friday and
Saturday as the days off. Public Service Department corporate
communications unit chief Hasniah Rashid said the decision to implement the
system nationwide was taken after it was found that staggered working hours
had contributed to higher productivity among civil servants. “Civil
servants found that they were able to make better use of their time. We
also found that longer opening hours for our offices benefited our clients
and helped improve the public delivery system,” she said.
Currently, government offices in Kuala
Lumpur and Putrajaya open from 7.30am to 5.30pm with a lunch break between
1pm and 2pm. On Fridays, the lunch break is between 12.15pm and 2.45pm.
Staggered working hours from 7.30am to 6.30pm were introduced 10 years ago
in departments such as the National Registration and the Immigration
Departments, to provide longer hours of service to the public. About a year
later, the working hours were revised to 5.30pm and implemented in
government offices in Kuala Lumpur. Cuepacs welcomed the plan but said the
Government should consider problems faced by civil servants. “For instance,
staff whose houses are far from their offices, who have transportation
problem or who have to rush their children to school or the babysitter in
the morning should not be forced to work at 7.30am. They should be allowed
to choose working hours suitable for them. Otherwise, it will be a torture
for them,” Cuepacs president Omar Osman said. He also expressed regret that
Cuepacs was not briefed so that it could explain the matter to its 850,000 members.
MTUC president Syed Shahir Syed Mohd also
said the welfare of civil servants should be taken into consideration. “The
staff should be comfortable with their working hours. If they face problems
coming to work on time, the counter service will be affected. We should not
compromise the quality of service,” he said. Fomca secretary-general Mohd
Shani Abdullah said the Government should create public awareness of the
new working hours. It should also consider opening counters during lunch
hour, he said.
From
http://thestar.com.my 04/04/2007
TOP↑
Part-time
Judges to Be Appointed Soon
A move to appoint part-time judges from
various sectors of the legal profession is under way with the initial step
of engaging more probationary judges called judicial commissioners (JCs).
Chief Justice Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim said the plan would be
modelled after the British system where legally qualified people such as
lawyers would be paid to be judges on a flexible basis. He said the move
would go into full swing as soon as the Constitution and relevant laws were
amended. “In the meantime, 16 more JC positions will be filled very soon
because at the moment, the Constitution allows us to appoint JCs,” Ahmad
Fairuz said during the elevation ceremony of eight JCs to High Court judges
yesterday. Article 122B of the Federal Constitution empowers the King, on
the Prime Minister’s advice upon consultation with the Chief Justice, to
appoint a JC for a particular period. Ahmad Fairuz said the 16 new JCs were
needed to help clear the backlog of cases. There are 73 positions in the
High Courts, with 47 High Court judges, 10 serving JCs and 16 yet to be
engaged.
Yesterday, the eight JCs who were elevated
were Datuk Halim Aman, David Wong Dak Wah, Datuk Rohana Yusuf, Datuk Aziah
Ali, Datuk Nurchaya Arshad, Datuk Zulkifli Bakar, Datuk Mohd Zaki Md Yasin
and Datuk Mohd Azman Husin. Under the British system, the selected lawyers
would be required to sit as judges for a minimum period and the length of
service would be a key determinant of their competence and suitability for
a permanent judicial career. Ahmad Fairuz also advised the new judges to
carry out their duties honestly. He prayed that they would be spared from
“the ill-doings of slanderers.” “Slanderers are worse than murderers. They
are filled with falseness while we judges carry out justice based on
fairness,” he said. When asked about the case of Lina Joy, a Malay woman
who converted from Islam to Christianity and is seeking to restate her
religious status in her identity card, Ahmad Fairuz said the judgment would
be released soon.
From
http://thestar.com.my/ 04/12/2007
TOP↑
Kelantan
Red-tape Nightmare
Federal department directors posted to
Kelantan are in a spot as they have two governments with separate policies
to report to, causing unnecessary stress on the public delivery system. The
post of director at Federal agencies or departments in Kelantan, such as
welfare, social services, forestry and department of environment, are
appointed by Kuala Lumpur, while the rank and file are state positions. The
directors have to report to both the Federal and state governments and it
has become a recurring problem to find solutions since the governments are
administered by different political parties, state Umno Information head
Datuk Md Alwi Che Ahmad said. “It can work if both the Federal and state
governments can work together but in most cases they do not, causing the
directors much headache as they have to appease both sides,” Md Alwi said.
He was commenting on a statement by Natural Resources and Environment
Minister Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid that Kelantan had issued a directive to
forestry department officials here, asking them not to cooperate with the
Federal government over massive land clearing in Lojing Highlands.
“The ultimate victims are the people as
government departments cannot move effectively when they are restricted by
two different systems.” Md Alwi said he was sympathetic to the plight of
several directors here who had to report to both the Federal and state
administrations especially on public issues such as Lojing. He said if the
directors did not have a clear direction, the public delivery system would
be hindered and ultimately, the people will be the ones paying the price.
This is why Kelantan Umno is advising people here to choose “one
government, one system,” which will make the delivery system more efficient
and benefit the people, Md Alwi said. On the issue of Lojing, Md Alwi urged
people who had doubts to go and see for themselves, the extent of
deforestation that had taken place there. “Make your own conclusions,” he
said. In a related development, Kota Baru Umno division acting head Datuk
Mohd Fatmi Che Salleh has urged the state to take the lead in remedying the
damage to the highlands instead of blaming others over the issue.
From
http://thestar.com.my 04/17/2007
TOP↑
PKR to
Name Ljok Candidate Today
Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) treasurer Tan
Sri Khalid Ibrahim is most likely to be chosen to contest in the Ijok
by-election, its political bureau head Tian Chua said. He said that the
political bureau had briefed president Datin Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail. “We
expect to make a formal announcement today,” he said. The April 28
by-election was called following the death of incumbent state assemblyman
Datuk K. Sivalingam in Chennai, India on April 4. Khalid was formerly chief
executive of plantation giant Guthrie Group Bhd and group chief executive
of the Government-linked company Permodalan Nasional Bhd. There had been
reports that Khalid and businessman Datuk K.S. Nallakaruppan, both close
friends of former deputy prime minister and party advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim,
had been shortlisted for the seat. Party officials said PKR had wanted to
announce the candidate on Sunday but deferred the announcement following
demands for an Indian candidate to contest in Ijok. Nallakaruppan said he
would accept and support whichever candidate the party fielded for the
seat.
“Whatever the party leadership decides, we
have to follow. My followers will listen to me and back whatever decision
the party makes,” said Nallakaruppan, the party’s Kepong division chairman,
yesterday. While Nallakaruppan admitted that some Indian leaders in the
party had been pressing for him to contest, he pointed out that “others
(the Malays) will also ask for the same thing (for a Malay candidate).” “We
have to consider the party and let the leadership decide.” He believed once
PKR announced its candidate, the issue would be resolved and all members
would give their support. PKR vice-president Azmin Ali said the party took
into account the “political scenario” and the “political development” of
Barisan Nasional with regards to the Ijok seat. “ We are a multi-racial
party. Our choice of candidate will not be based on racial consideration.
We base our decision on the ‘win-ability’ factor, the credibility of the
candidate and the acceptance of the candidate (by the people),” he said.
He said he respected the views and
suggestions from all, adding that PKR would always defend and protect the
interests of the Indians and all communities, regardless of the ethnicity
of the candidate. He pointed out that in the last general election, PKR had
fielded Indian candidates in 14 Malay majority seats and the Malays in the
party had accepted that.
From
http://thestar.com.my 04/17/2007
TOP↑
PHILIPPINES:
Arroyo Appoints Fil-Am as Head of Gov’t Printing Office
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has
named Filipino-American investment advisor Enrique Agana as the new head of
the National Printing Office, nearly two months after the Presidential Anti-Graft
Commission recommended the dismissal of Felipe Evardone over allegations of
graft. Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye on Tuesday announced the appointment
of Agana as acting director IV of the NPO, the agency mandated to print
ballots and other election paraphernalia. He replaces Marietta de Guzman
who was appointed officer in charge following Evardone’s filing of a leave
of absence on March 1. Evardone is the elder brother of Eastern Samar Gov.
and TEAM Unity media director Ben Evardone. Executive Secretary Eduardo
Ermita said Agana’s appointment was signed by the President on March 8.
Agana’s résumé described him as a “registered investment advisor, licensed
real estate broker, certified internal auditor, certified fraud examiner,
well-versed in high-level sales and marketing activities, international
marketing agent and Filipino-American community leader.”
The résumé said he organized the “Elect
GMA in the OFW community” in the 2004 elections, and was previously
appointed by Ms Arroyo as private sector representative in the Global
Filipino Networking Convention of Filipinos overseas. It said he formed the
East Asia Financial Corp. based in San Diego, California, which generated
$14.3 million in sales in international finance and travel. It said the company
was closed when the 2004 presidential campaign started. Agana earned an
accounting degree from the University of the Philippines where he also
studied law for three years.
From
http://archive.inquirer.net 04/04/2007
TOP↑
Report
Gov’t Vehicles in Use During Holiday
The Office of the Ombudsman on Wednesday
warned all public officials against using government-issued vehicles for
out-of-town trips, vacations and other nonofficial business beginning
Thursday up to Easter Sunday. “Cars bearing red [government] plates should
not be seen around whether in Metro Manila or in the provinces,” said
Assistant Ombudsman Mark Jalandoni, who heads Task Force Red Plate. The
task force has fielded personnel who will conduct covert monitoring of
government vehicles on highways and other roadways during the Lenten break.
The Office of the Ombudsman estimates that the government loses P9 million
weekly in fuel costs and other expenditures due to the unauthorized use of
government vehicles nationwide. The public may report the illegal use of
red-plated vehicles through the Task Force Red Plate hotline nos. 426-7750,
926-9765 and 926-9032 local 411.
From
http://archive.inquirer.net/ 04/04/2007
TOP↑
Congress
Should Have Cut Number of Congressmen and Senators
Congressional leaders increased the pork
barrel from P6.2 billion to P11.4 billion in the 2007 budget. According to
Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr., the bicameral conference committee
that reconciled the House and the Senate versions of the 2007 budget bill,
restored the pork to its original allocations -- from P40 million to P70
million for each congressman and from P120 million to P200 million for each
senator. On the other hand, the allocation for the retirement and terminal
benefits of government workers was slashed by P3.6 billion from P18.7
billion to P15.1 billion. (Inquirer, 3/24/07) Instead of reducing the
retirement and terminal benefits of government employees, we should lower
the number of lawmakers. At present there are 236 congressmen (212 district
representatives and 24 party-list representatives) and 24 senators. Why not
reduce the number of congressmen to 76 (representing Metro Manila and 75
provinces) and the number of senators to 17 (representing 15 regular
regions and two autonomous regions)? This is possible by amending Sec. 2
and Sec. 5 Art. VI of the 1987 Constitution. According to Rep. Satur Ocampo
of the Bayan Muna party-list, when a congressman takes the stand to deliver
a privilege speech, all the others stand up and just chat around. Nobody
listens to the privilege speeches.
From
http://archive.inquirer.net 04/17/2007
TOP↑
SINGAPORE:
Supreme Court Judge Appointed as Second Judge of Appeal
Singapore now has two Judges of Appeal of
the Court of Appeal, with the appointment of Supreme Court Judge V K Rajah
which takes effect on Wednesday. Justice Rajah was among the first batch of
lawyers in Singapore to be appointed Senior Counsel in 1997. He joined the
Supreme Court Bench as a Judicial Commissioner on 2 January 2004. Justice
Rajah was appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court in November 2004. Since
he joined the Bench, he had presided over both civil and criminal cases in
the High Court as a trial judge. Justice Rajah was one of the specialist
judges designated to hear arbitration matters. He also presided over
Magistrate's Appeals. He also chairs the Ministry of Law Committee to
develop the Singapore legal services sector. Justice Rajah is also the
Deputy Chairman of the Board of Legal Education and a member of the
Advisory Board for the Singapore Management University's School of Law. He
is a member of the Executive Committee of the Singapore Academy of Law and
chairs its Professional Affairs Committee, Strategic Planning Committee and
International Promotion of Singapore Law Committee. Mr Rajah graduated from
NUS in 1982 and obtained his Masters of Law (First Class) from the
University of Cambridge in 1986.
From
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/ 04/11/2007
TOP↑
Leslie
Chew Appointed as Subordinate Courts District Judge
A new district judge has been appointed to
the Subordinate Courts. He is Mr Leslie Chew Kwee Hoe who was a senior
counsel with the private sector. Mr Chew specialised in the area of
commercial litigation. Some of his more notable cases include the Barings
collapse as well as an international commercial dispute valued over US$200
million. Mr Chew has also been a visiting professor and resource speaker
for leading law schools in the Philippines. His previous appointments
include deputy chairman of the Income Tax Board of Review. Mr Chew will be
sworn in into office on 16 April.
From
http://www.channelnewsasia.com 04/12/2007
TOP↑
THAILAND:
Cabinet Reshuffle Imminent
A cabinet reshuffle is imminent and Prime
Minister Surayud Chulanont is expected to discuss the matter at today's
cabinet meeting, Prime Minister's Office Minister Dhipavadee Meksawan said.
Gen Surayud had previously asked his ministers to produce reports on how
they could improve their work efficiency, in particular how to prioritise
their work, she said, adding the prime minister may ask to see their
progress. According to Khunying Dhipawadee, improving efficiency has been
discussed in small working groups in the cabinet. The move comes as
pressure for a reshuffle mounts. Pressure groups including the Campaign for
Popular Democracy (CPD) have stepped up calls for an overhaul of the
Surayud administration which they say is needed to avert political
confrontation. The latest opinion poll shows a majority of the public is in
favour of a shake-up. According to the Suan Dusit Poll, about 57% of the
respondents said it was time for a cabinet reshuffle to boost the
government's efficiency. Of this number, about 40% suggest a minor reshuffle
to fix the problems while about 23% want a major one.
There were 5,173 respondents in the poll
held from April 11-17 in 28 provinces. CPD secretary-general Suriyasai
Katasila said a major cabinet reshuffle was the only means for the interim
government and the Council for National Security (CNS) to survive the
current political crisis. ''A small reshuffle won't solve the problems and
will be seen only as a time-buying tactic before the general election,''
said Mr Suriyasai. He urged Gen Surayud and CNS chairman Gen Sonthi
Boonyaratkalin to work out decisive solutions while they still have the
chance. Mr Suriyasai said the country's political situation will heat up
after the Songkran holidays with four pressure groups likely to get
involved in mass confrontations. The four groups are the supporters of
deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, his opponents, people who are
impartial but are still giving the interim government and the CNS a chance,
and people opposed to both the Thaksin regime and the coup. Mr Suriyasai
said the important group was the middle class who had been hurt by the
Thaksin government's economic policies and had been optimistic about the
interim government.
"However, the sluggish economy over
the past six months had had a direct impact on them, causing them to feel
unease and lose confidence in the government," said Mr
Suriyasai."The middle class may not join the old force to topple the
interim government but they may no longer protect the government and in a
worse case, may form a new force to pressure it," he said. The old
power clique, including PTV executives, is mobilising people in the
provinces to prepare to move when the Constitution Tribunal hands down a
ruling on the dissolution of political parties, the Thai Rak Thai party in
particular, at the end of next month. The People's Alliance for Democracy
(PAD), which spearheaded a campaign to oust Mr Thaksin, is also ready to
return to the streets as it has no confidence in the country's political
future. Besides a major cabinet reshuffle to ease the tense situation, Mr
Suriyasai urged the CNS to stop distancing itself from the problems. The
failure to curb violence in the deep South reflects disunity between the
CNS and the interim government, he said.
"From now on, pressure will be
directed at the CNS rather than at the government. If the government fails,
the CNS cannot deny responsibility,"said Mr Suriyasai. Democrat party
spokesman Ong-art Klampaiboon said a cabinet shake-up was not enough to
turn the situation around. He said the prime minister should adjust his
working style and flex his muscles to spur cabinet ministers to work.
Deputy Prime Minister and Industry Minister Kosit Panpiemras said a
reshuffle involving economic ministers would be unnecessary. He added that existing
economic policies were clear, requiring nothing other than effective
implementation.
From
http://www.bangkokpost.com 04/18/2007
TOP↑
Thailand
to Host Global Corruption School
A three-day global congress on
transnational financial crimes kicked off on Tuesday in Bangkok, where
Interpol hopes to win financial support for the world's first
anti-corruption academy, scheduled to open in 2009. "Nobody will
dispute that corruption and financial crimes are closely
interrelated," said Ronald Noble, Interpol secretary general, in his
opening speech to the 4th Global Financial Crime Congress, co-hosted in
Bangkok by Interpol and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
(UNODC). The congress, which has drawn more than 200 experts from law
enforcement agencies, multinational organisations and the private sector,
will provide an opportunity to boost international cooperation against
financial crimes in the six areas covered by Interpol operations, including
terrorism, drug-trafficking, human trafficking, felony investigations,
high-tech crimes and corruption. Corruption was only added to Interpol's
crime list last year, when Austria, then holding the presidency of the
European Union, agreed to provide a site for the world's first
international anti-corruption academy.
"Interpol can play a crucial role in
education, training and capacity building and also on the operational
level, both in assisting investigators and in helping countries recover
assets that have been stolen by corrupt individuals," said Noble, of
Interpol's future role in the corruption-fighting academy. Students will be
instructed in proper investigation methods of political corruption cases
and in tracking money that has been socked away abroad by corrupt
officials, he added. Although Interpol's 168 members have unanimously
supported the new academy, and the new direction for the crime-fighting
organisation, it remains to be seen which governments will be willing to
make contributions to the 15 million euros needed to finance the school's
operational expenses during the first three years, Noble told a press
conference. The Interpol secretary general will use the three-day congress
in Bangkok to seek contributions to the anti-corruption academy, he said.
"The test is whether or not they are
going to give the money," Noble said of Asian government's commitment
to the new anti-corruption drive. The Asian region has a long history of
corrupt politicians earning illicit billions during their years in power,
and cleverly transferring their illicit gains to overseas bank accounts
that have proven untouchable or untraceable. "One of the best ways to
fight corruption is to follow the money to where it ends up and to recover
the assets that have been corruptly removed from a country, a government or
a people," said Noble.
From
http://www.bangkokpost.com/ 04/18/2007
TOP↑
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BANGLADESH:
Govt Prepares to Exile Khaleda by Sunday
Bangladesh's military-backed government
was Thursday completing negotiations with Saudi authorities for the exile
of outgoing premier Khaleda Zia, sources and reports said, reports AFP. The
former prime minister could spend the rest of her life in exile after the
interim authorities decided to expel her by Sunday as part of a major campaign
to clean up the country's dysfunctional and notoriously corrupt political
system.Her arch rival, Sheikh Hasina Wajed, is also likely to remain abroad
after she was charged with murder in absentia and the government said it
would bar her from returning from holiday in the United States.Reports said
Bangladesh's military-backed government had held talks to secure visas for
Zia and her family to live in Saudi Arabia."The authorities had a
lengthy important meeting with the Saudi embassy in Dhaka on Wednesday
where most of the things including visas for Khaleda Zia and her family
were finalised," a government source told the Daily Star
newspaper.Remaining formalities would be completed on Thursday, said the
source, adding that Zia's stay in Saudi Arabia was expected to be
"prolonged."Zia is expected to leave for the kingdom in return
for leniency for her two sons, who face corruption and extortion
allegations as part of the interim government's crackdown. The two women
are blamed by many for the political turmoil that ended in January with the
imposition of emergency rule and the cancellation of elections scheduled
for later that month.
"The government gave the ultimatum to
Khaleda Zia to leave by Sunday and they are preparing her visa and passport
details," one of Zia's aides told AFP."Khaleda Zia will not
oppose the will of the government and if it tells her to leave Thursday or
Friday she will be forced to go," the aide added.Zia was expected to
meet her influential eldest son Tareque Rahman at Dhaka's central jail
later Thursday. Corruption charges against him were frozen on Tuesday as
part in an apparent deal to secure Zia's departure.Media reports said Zia,
who held the premiership twice and is the widow of the assassinated former
president Ziaur Rahman, would leave with her younger son Arafat Rahman and
his two children.Tareque Rahman is expected to join the family in Saudi
Arabia at a later date.Tareque Rahman, a senior joint secretary of Zia's
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), had been groomed for the leadership
until his arrest earlier this year as part of the government's fight
against graft.Zia and Sheikh Hasina, leader of the Awami League, are each
members of political dynasties that have dominated the political landscape
since Bangladesh won independence in 1971.Sheikh Hasina is the daughter of
Bangladesh's independence leader and first president Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman.The two women have held power alternately since 1991 when democracy
was reinstated.Their leadership, however, has been blamed by many for the
country's recent political instability, which saw violent mass protests,
blockades and running battles between police and party activists. The
government has pledged to hold elections by the end of 2008 after it has
completed far-reaching reforms aimed at putting democracy back on track.
From http://www.bangladesh-web.com/
04/20/2007
TOP↑
Punjab
Gets 11 More Chief Parliamentary Secretaries
Chandigarh, April 16 : The Punjab
government Monday appointed 11 new chief parliamentary secretaries, taking
their total number to 14. They were sworn in by Chief Minister Parkash
Singh Badal here. The total strength of the state cabinet is 18, including
the chief minister, which is the maximum number of ministers that the
Punjab government can have. Eight of the new chief parliamentary
secretaries are from the Shiromani Akali Dal and three from alliance
partner Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Ironically, Badal used to criticise
the previous Congress government in the state for putting a burden on the
state exchequer by appointing parliamentary secretaries. His government
though has gone much ahead of the Congress in terms of the number of
appointments made. The strength of the Akali Dal-BJP alliance in the
117-member assembly is 68. Nearly half of them - 32 legislators - are
either ministers or parliamentary secretaries. The newly appointed CPS are
Harish Rai Dhanda, Nand Lal Garhdiwala, Des Raj Dhugga, Seetal Singh, Sher
Singh Joga, Jagdeep Singh Nakai, Bikramjit Singh Khalsa, Avinash Chander
(all Akali Dal), Arunesh Kumar Shakir, Sukhpal Singh Nannu and Raj Khurana.
Under the law relating to the size of ministries, the number of ministers
cannot exceed 15 percent of the legislature's strength. In the case of
Punjab, the allowed strength of ministers is only 18. Badal's government
has all the ministers in the cabinet rank. Four of them - Badal, his
son-in-law Adesh Pratap Singh, nephew Manpreet Badal and son Sukhbir
Badal's brother-in-law Bikram Singh Majithia - are from the chief minister's
family.
From http://www.newkerala.com/
04/16/2007
TOP↑
Seven
IAS, 11 IPS Officers Transferred in Bihar
Patna, Apr 18: In a major reshuffle, the
Bihar government today transferred seven senior IAS officers and 11 IPS
officers to tone up the civil and police administration in the state.
According to official sources, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Labour and Employment,
Ashok Kumar Chauhan has been made Commissioner of Saran division, while
Commissioner of Tirhut division C Lalsota has been sent to Darbhanga in the
same capacity. Sudhir Kumar, Commissioner of Darbhanga division, has been
sent to Tirhut division in the same capacity while Additional member, Board
of Revenue, Amita Paul has been made Director General (Prosecution).
Commissioner of Saran division K P Ramaiah has been made Executive Director
of State Health Society. C K Anil, who was waiting for posting, has been
made registrar co-operative. Vyasji, who was waiting for posting, has been
made Secretary, Labour Employment and Training. In a reshuffle in police
administration, Police Superintendent of Madhepura Anil Kishore Yadav has
been sent to Katihar in the same capacity, while Police Superintendent in
CID O N Bhasker has been made police superintendent of Madhepura. An
officer of the rank of Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Gopal
Prasad has been promoted to the rank of Police Superintendent and sent to
Naugachhia in that capacity. Ashok Kumar Singh, SP (Vigilance) has been
made commandant of BMP-16.
From http://www.newkerala.com/
04//18/2007
TOP↑
President
Kalam Appoints Judges for Bombay, Guwahati and Delhi High Courts
New Delhi, Apr 20 : President A P J Abdul
Kalam today appointed the judges of the Bombay High Court, the Gauhati High
Court and the Delhi High Court. Justice Vasanti Anil Naik, Justice
Jagmohansingh Hakamsingh Bhatia, Justice Ravindra Chandrakant Chavan and
Justice Roshan Shamim Dalvi have appointed, as the judges of the Bombay
High Court. Justice Jasti Chelameswar, a judge of the Andhra Pradesh High
Court has been appointed as the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court.
Justice Shiv Narayan Dhingra, Justice Sunder Lal Bhayana, Justice Jatinder
Mohan Malik, Justice Reva Khetrapal, Justice Sri Niwas Aggarwal and Justice
Pravesh Kumar Bhasin will be Judges of the Delhi High Court.
From http://www.newkerala.com/
04/20/2007
TOP↑
Bhandari
to Be Punjab BJP Unit Chief
New Delhi, Apr 21 : Rajinder Bhandari has
been appointed as the Bharatiya Janata Party's Punjab unit chief. Bhandari
is presently the general secretary of party's Punjab unit. He succeeds MP
Avinash Rai Khanna, who has completed his term. There was unanimity over
Bhandari's candidacy for the post as under his leadership BJP's performance
was remarkable in the recent Assembly elections in the State, sources in
the party said. BJP had won 19 out 23 seats it had contested in Punjab
Assembly elections. On March 2, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Prakash
Singh Badal was sworn in as Punjab's new Chief Minister for a record fourth
time after the SAD-BJP alliance won 71 out of 117 seats in the Punjab State
Assembly.
From http://www.newkerala.com/
04/21/2007
TOP↑
7,000
Rural Courts to Be Set Up:Law Minister
Chandigarh, April 21: The government is
planning to set up 7,000 rural courts across India to take justice to the
doorstep of the rural people, central law and justice minister H.R.
Bhardwaj said Saturday. Inaugurating a seminar on "ADR: arbitration,
conciliation and mediation" here, Bhardwaj said that providing speedy
and free justice to rural poor was the biggest challenge for the country's
judicial system. "A bill in this regard will be presented in the next
session of parliament," the law minister said here. He said that the
government wanted to re-orient the legal talent by providing them with
international legal systems. Bhardwaj said that the Lok Adalat system was
showing good results but an alternative dispute resolution system to be
managed by specially trained young lawyers with expertise in mediation and
conciliation to manage these centres is required. He hoped that the Punjab
and Haryana High Court would set up an ADR centre soon. Supreme Court judge
H.S. Bedi said that a large number of cases were pending before various
courts in the country and given the strength of judges available, it would
take 200 years to dispose them. Justice Ashok Bhan of the Supreme Court
said that alternative legal systems like ADR could reduce the rush of cases
before regular courts as petty cases could be disposed of by these. He said
that high court judges could sit for additional hours after court timings
to dispose of cases. He cited the example of Gujarat where 66,000 cases
were disposed in three months by judges who had put in extra working hours.
From http://www.newkerala.com/ 04/21/2007
TOP↑
INDIA:
20 Civil Service Officers Transferred in Punjab
Chandigarh, Apr 11: The Punjab government
today transferred 20 civil service officers, including eight IAS officers.
According to an official release here, Gurdev Singh Sidhu has been shifted
to the rural development and panchayats department as director while Iqbal
Singh Sidhu will be the Special Secretary, public grievances and pensions.
Anurag Verma, managing director of PSIDC will hold additional charge of
Director, Local government. R k Gupta is the new director for technical
education and industrial training while Raj Kumar Chaudhri has been posted
as executive director, Punjab Scheduled Caste Land Development and Finance
Corporation. Ms Manisha Trighatia has been posted as ACA with the Punjab
Urban Development Authority (PUDA) while Sukhvinder Pal Singh will be the
new ADC, Jalandhar. Ms Shruti Singh has been appointed as SDM, Chamkaur
Sahib. In addition the government also shifted 12 Punjab Civil Service
(PCS) officers. Through another order, Mr D S Guru, Principal Secretary to
the Chief Minister will hold additional charge of the Civil Aviation
department in the absence of Mr Vishwajit Khanna. Mr R L Mehta, Special
Secretary, Planning will also look after the working of the Punjab State
Election Commission in the absence of Mr Ashok Singla. Both Mr Khanna and
Mr Singla are away to Uttar Pradesh as Election Observers for the assembly
polls.
From http://www.newkerala.com/
04/11/2007
TOP↑
PAKISTAN:Prime
Minister Accepts PIA Chairman's Resignation
ISLAMABAD:Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has
accepted the resignation of Tariq Kirmani, the Pakistan International
Airlines (PIA) chairman. According to an official handout issued on
Saturday, Kirmani has been asked to continue serving until his replacement
is in place. Official sources said that Shaukat Tarin, who has served as
head of Union Bank, and Lt Gen (r) Hamid Nawaz Khan,a former defence
secretary, are being considered for the post. staff report
From http://www.pakistanlink.com/
04/01/2007
TOP↑
Musharraf
Will Be Re-elected Before Polls,Says Rashid
ISLAMABAD: Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid
Ahmed said on Wednesday that President Pervez Musharraf would be re-elected
this year before the next general elections. “Presidential elections will
be held this year before the general elections,” the minister told
reporters after inaugurating a train, Nishtar Express, which will run
between Rawalpindi and Karachi. He ruled out the possibility of withdrawal
of the presidential reference against the non-functional chief justice of
Pakistan (CJP). “Only those with vested interests are saying that the
reference would be withdrawn. The government will accept the decision of
the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) on this matter,” he said. He said
opposition parties were trying to politicise the CJP issue and that he would
not comment on a statement by Senator Dr Khalid Ranjha because the matter
was still in court. Rashid said the government’s present setup would not be
changed. “Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz is not going anywhere and the present
setup will not be changed before the general elections,” he said. He
rejected the reports that some cabinet members would resign or would be
sacked. “They are all my colleagues. I don’t want to go deeper into the
issue,” he said.
Speaking at the train’s opening ceremony
earlier, Rashid said Pakistan Railways (PR) was preparing a feasibility
report on the construction of a railway station near the New Islamabad
International Airport. He said his ministry was trying to develop a rail
link between Pakistan and Iran via Quetta and Zahidan, which in turn could
link the country with Europe. A Russian delegation, headed by its prime
minister, would visit Pakistan on Friday and would talk about the
possibility of replacing the country’s old railway lines with new ones, he
said. “I have told PR to prepare all documents regarding the replacement of
old railway lines because the matter will be discussed with the Russian
delegation,” he said. He said the government would renew the pay packages
of PR employees before the general elections, stressing the need for a
Railways Foundation for the welfare of PR employees. He said he had asked
the prime minister and the president to improve the standards of PR freight
services. He said PR covered only four percent of the country’s freight at
present. “PR will be counted among the best departments when it grabs 25
percent of the freight,” he said. He said the government had decided to
close down those railway stations where passengers were not keen on train
travel. The Nishtar Express would stop at Lahore, Multan, Rohri and
Haiderabad en route from Rawalpindi to Karachi. The train will also have a
mobile library and a dinning coach.
From http://www.pakistanlink.com/
04/05/2007
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IRAQ:
Justice Minister Resigns
Hashim al-Shibli has resigned as justice
minister, reportedly after a series of disputes with both the government
and Iyad Allawi's Iraqi National List, the London-based "Al-Sharq
al-Awsat" reported on April 1. Al-Shibli, who is affiliated with the
National Democratic Party, was nominated to his post by the National List.
Al-Shibli told the daily that his positions "are different and distinct
from those of the Iraqi National List," adding: "I have been in
disagreement with them since I took my post as justice minister. The [list]
wanted to dictate certain positions to me." The National List has
denied the claims. Regarding the government, al-Shibli said he has a good
relationship with Prime Minister al-Maliki but "I also had objections
to the government's performance in the political, security, and economic
fields, and also in the service sectors. I held different views regarding
the efforts to get a national-reconciliation process under way." He
also mentioned "other reasons" related to the need to improve the
ministry's performance. Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh claimed that
al-Shibli resigned when he learned he was to be replaced under the coming
cabinet reshuffle. Al-Dabbagh said the ministry under al-Shibli failed to
end violations of prisoners' rights in Iraqi prisons. KR
From http://www.rferl.org/ 04/02/2007
TOP↑
Iraqi
Official Proposes Federal System to End Violence
Ali Allawi, a top aide to Iraqi Prime
Minister al-Maliki, said on April 9 that a federal system of governance is
the only way for Iraq to escape the current cycle of violence,
international media reported on April 10. He described the Iraqi government
as being "paralyzed by power-sharing formulas," where the
"machinery of the government itself is too corrupt to manage the
country." Allawi proposed a federal system with regional governing
authorities being granted "wide powers," while federal
institutions would act as "adjudicators between the regions."
"Security must be decentralized until such time as confidence between
the communities is reestablished," he said. Only then can U.S. troops
withdraw and be replaced by an international force to help stabilize the
new federal system. SS
From http://www.rferl.org/ 04/11/2007
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IRAN:
Iranian Diplomat Held in Iraq Released
Iraqi Deputy Foreign Minister Labid Abawi
announced on April 3 that Iranian diplomat Jalal Sharafi has been released
from custody, international media reported the same day. Sharafi, who
worked as the second secretary at the Iranian Embassy in Baghdad, was
seized in the capital on February 4 by armed men wearing Iraqi uniforms.
Abawi gave no further details on the release of Sharafi, who has reportedly
returned to Tehran. An unidentified senior Iraqi official said Sharafi was
held by Iraqi intelligence, AP reported. Iranian officials have suggested a
U.S. role in the diplomat's detention, the "Los Angeles Times"
reported on April 4. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali
Hosseini said on April 3 that Sharafi was freed through the joint efforts
of Iranian and Iraqi authorities, IRNA reported. KR/VS
From http://www.rferl.org/ 04/04/2007
TOP↑
KYGRYZSTAN:
Opposition Establishes New Faction in Parliament
Kyrgyz parliament speaker Marat Sultanov
announced on April 3 the formation of a new opposition faction in
parliament, according to the 24.kg website. The new Ata-Meken Socialist
Party faction, led by Omurbek Tekebaev, incorporates a number of opposition
deputies who withdrew from several other existing factions and groups in
the parliament. Those deputies include Tayirbek Sarpashev, Erkinbek
Alymbekov, Bolotbek Sherniyazov, Janysh Kudaibergenov, Melis Eshimkanov,
and Karganbek Samakov, AKIpress reported. RG
From http://www.rferl.org/ 04/04/2007
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KAZAKHSTAN:
New Deputy Defense Minister Appointed
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev
issued a decree on April 4 appointing Azamat Oynarov as a new deputy
defense minister for economy and finance, Interfax reported. The
37-year-old Oynarov previously served as deputy finance minister and deputy
chairman of the State Agency on Regulating Natural Monopolies and
Protecting Competition. He replaces Kozy-Korpesh Dzhanburchin, who was
appointed in February to the position of deputy secretary of the National
Security Council. RG
From http://www.rferl.org/ 04/05/2007
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Kazakhstan
to Establish a State Commission on Economy Modernization
Kazakhstan is going to establish a State
Commission on Economy Modernization, reported yesterday on the briefing
after the meeting with the President on Annual Message realization RK
President Press-Secretary Erlan Baizhanov. "Today (on 12th of April,
2007) the President informed that the decree on establishment of a State
Commission on Economy Modernization headed by the Prime-Minister will be
signed", - informed Baizhanov. "Our economy is in the new period
when concrete breakthrough projects should be realized, and we are talking
about not only that state companies and holdings should do it. We are
talking about joint action of private sector and state enterprises", -
underlined "Samruk" State Holding director Sauat Mynbayev.
"State holdings plan to realize joint projects in energy,
infrastructure to make together with private sector those breakthrough
projects", - he added. This information may not be reproduced without
reference to Kazakhstan Today
From http://eng.gazeta.kz/ 04/13/2007
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TAJIKISTAN:
Ruling Party Wins Parliamentary By-Elections
Members of Tajikistan's ruling People's
Democratic Party have won in three April 1 parliamentary by-elections,
according to preliminary results, RFE/RL's Tajik Service reported on April
2. In Hamdoni district, Safarali Gulov won with 96 percent of the vote,
with his opponent, Abdulqodir Hasanpura of the Islamic Renaissance Party,
garnering just 2 percent of the vote, Regnum reported. In the remaining two
by-elections, in Dushanbe and Kulov, People's Democratic Party members ran
unopposed. DK
From http://www.rferl.org/ 04/03/2007
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TURKEY:
PM to Announce Presidential Candidate Next Week
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan said Wednesday he would announce his party's presidential candidate
next week as the secular nation nervously waits to see if the former
Islamist will run himself. "I will announce it (the candidate) on the
day when my party holds its parliamentary group meeting," Erdogan told
reporters, adding that this would be either next Tuesday or Wednesday. But
he did not say whether he would be the Justice and Development Party's
(AKP) candidate, a prospect that has struck at the heart of this Muslim
country's secular identity, with 500,000 people rallying in Ankara over the
weekend to urge the former Islamist to back off. Although Erdogan has
disowned his Islamist past and now describes himself as a
"conservative democrat," opponents still suspect him of seeking a
secret Islamist agenda. The ten-day period to register presidential
candidates ends at midnight next Wednesday. No one has registered so far.
Erdogan was speaking after the AKP's executive board gave him full
authority at a day-long meeting to decide on their presidential candidate.
"I should underline straight away
that no candidate names were discussed," Edibe Sozen, the AKP deputy
chairwoman told reporters here after the eight-hour meeting. "The AKP
executive board has given the chairman full authority to finalize the
process and consultations with civic bodies will continue until the last
day of registration" of presidential candidates on April 25, she
added. The AKP candidate is virtually certain to win the race thanks to the
party's comfortable majority in parliament, which elects the president. An
opposition leader who discussed the presidential elections with Erdogan
Tuesday said he believed Erdogan would not run. "I got the impression
that he would not be a candidate," Mehmet Agar, head of the small
center-right True Path Party, told the Sabah newspaper. Opponents say that
with Erdogan in the presidential palace, the AKP, which already dominates
parliament and local administrations, will seize the last secular bastion
of the state and advance an Islamist agenda.Along with ceremonial duties,
the president has the final word on appointing senior government officials
and a right to reject bills enacted by parliament.
Outgoing President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, a
hardline secularist whose seven-year term expires on May 16, has often put the
brakes on the AKP. He has sent back to parliament laws he considered
breaches of the secular constitution and blocked the appointment of
officials seen as Islamist government cronies. The AKP, offshoot of a
now-banned Islamist party, has disowned its roots, pledged commitment to
secularism and carried out a series of democracy reforms to boost Turkey's
bid to join the European Union. But it has come under fire from those who
say it is still pursuing Islamist ambitions. Erdogan, a practicing Muslim
who was once convicted for religious sedition, is strongly opposed to a
long-standing ban on the Islamic headscarf in government offices and
universities. But he has failed to abolish it, wary of the secular
establishment that sees the veil as a symbol of political Islam. His
government has also made unsuccessful attempts to criminalise adultery,
restrict places that serve alcohol and ease access to universities for
graduates of religious schools.
From http://www.bakutoday.net/
04/19/2007
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TURKMENISTAN:
President Chairs People's Council
Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov was
unanimously elected chairman of the Halk Maslahaty (People's Council) in
Mary on March 30, Turkmenistan's Altyn Asyr television reported. The
position had been vacant since the death of President Saparmurat Niyazov on
December 21, 2006 (see "RFE/RL Newsline," December 21, 2006). In
an address to the council, Berdymukhammedov pledged to provide rural areas
with Internet and telephone services. The council also passed a number of
changes to the constitution that increase the power of the president,
Deutsche Welle reported on April 1. DK
From http://www.rferl.org/ 04/02/2007
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UZBEKISTAN:
New Chief of State Insurance Inspectorate Appointed
New chief of State Insurance Inspectorate
was presented to the staff of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of
Uzbekistan on 9 April. Olim Ikramov has been appointed to the post of the
Chief of State Insurance Inspectorate under the Finance Ministry of
Uzbekistan. Prior to appointment Mr Ikramov had been working as the
Director of Uzbekinvest Hayot, a life subsidiary of Uzbekinvest national
export-import insurance company.
From http://insurance.uzreport.com/
04/13/2007
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AUSTRALIA:
Cutting the Red Tape on Record-Keeping
Minister for Employment and Workplace
Relations, Hon, Joe Hockey MP, today welcomed the commencement of the new
streamlined system for recording staff wages and hours working.
“Importantly these requirements are designed to ensure that workers receive
their correct pay and entitlements,” Minister Hockey said. The Australian
Government has listened to employees and employers on the new
record-keeping requirements and has simplified the system to make it easier
for companies to comply. “The new record keeping requirements maintain the
protection but remove the unnecessary burden on both employees and
employers,” Minister Hockey said. “This is just another example of how the
workplace relations system is designed to protect workers. The new
regulations will provide consistency for business with a single set of
regulations applied across Australia, instead of the current situation of a
diverse set of state regulations. “Most bosses are doing the right thing
and won’t have to change much of what they are doing. But for those that
aren’t, they will be caught and will have to pay the penalty for it. “It's
the ones who don't keep records and aren't paying staff correctly that
these new regulations are targeting. Further easing the burden for both
employees and employers is the introduction of a new regulation under the
guidelines that a pay slip may be issued in electronic form as well as hard
copy. “If any business is in doubt of their record-keeping obligations,
they should contact the Office of Workplace Services immediately,” Minister
Hockey said.
From http://mediacentre.dewr.gov.au/
03/27/2007
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Australian
Government Extends Skilled Migration Industry Outreach Officer Programme
The Australian Government has extended its
Skilled Migration Industry Outreach Officer programme by 18 months and
assigned officers to 25 industries around Australia. The programme provides
assistance and information to employers about temporary and permanent
skilled migration. Due to a strong economy and unemployment at a 30 year
low, some Australian industries are experiencing a temporary shortage of
skilled workers. Where employers have demonstrated that they are unable to
fill vacancies with local workers, Australia’s skilled migration program is
an alternate source of potential employees. It is important that employers
understand the immigration process and their obligations under the
programme. The extension of the industry outreach officer initiative is one
of the key strategies being used to target the Skill Stream of the
Migration Program. Industry Outreach Officers will be based in industry
groups covering a wide range of industries including engineering,
information technology and mining as well as state and territory Chambers
of Commerce. The network comprises of 16 industry outreach officers located
in Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Tasmania, Adelaide, Perth and
Darwin. The industry outreach program complements the regional outreach
officer network, which assists regional employers in each state and
territory.
From http://www.minister.immi.gov.au/
04/16/2007
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Research
Quality Framework Panel Chairs Announced
The Minister for Education, Science and
Training, the Hon Julie Bishop MP, today announced the Assessment Panel
Chairs for the Research Quality Framework (RQF) – the Australian
Government’s innovative model for assessing and funding research. The
Assessment Panel Chairs are senior researchers of international standing
who will guide the work of the panels in their judgements on the quality
and impact of research. These decisions will be based on sound, transparent
and accountable processes. Panel Chairs will also provide policy and
strategic advice prior to the assessment period. “We are fortunate to have
such prominent people willing to provide their time and expertise, not only
in the area of assessment, but also in developing guidance to deal with the
variety of discipline issues,” Minister Bishop said. “The work of the RQF
will be vital in seeking to recognise and reward the highest quality
Australian university research which delivers real benefits to the whole
community.” The Minister announced the Australian Government’s decision to
implement the RQF in November last year in a move that will restructure the
current quantitative-based research funding scheme to a process of expert
review which relies on assessors of international standing and
representatives of the end-users of that research.
From http://www.dest.gov.au/ 04/17/2007
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FIJI:
Study to Determine Public Rental Board and Housing Authority Merger
A study will be undertaken to consider the
merger of the Housing Authority and the Public Rental Board (PRB) into a
single entity. Cabinet approved the appointment of a three-member taskforce
to undertake the study, based on a submission by the Minister for Women,
Social Welfare and Housing, Adi Laufitu Malani. Adi Laufitu said that in
1989, the rental functions of the Housing Authority, was separated from its
core operations and Public Rental Board was created to form a separate
entity under the Housing (Amendment) Decree No 12 of 1989.” She said that
under the Public Enterprise Act of 1996, Housing Authority and PRB were
declared Commercial Statutory Authorities and are now required to provide
returns to Government. “As part of Public Sector Reform, the merger of the
two entities is aimed at improving their overall performance and their
overall service delivery at all levels. “A consolidated policy on National
Housing will enable the plight of the squatters and low income earners to
be better addressed. “Under one entity, functions and services would be
rationalized, thereby reducing operating costs. “A better coordination of
planning and development will eliminate any duplication of functions. In
addition the new entity can now service plots for HART, PRB Flats and
residential homes, embracing the concept of social housing.
“One entity would be practically better in
terms of accountability, reporting and monitoring of Government’s
interests.” Adi Laufitu said the study will focus on review of the relevant
legislations and reports and make recommendations for appropriate changes,
ensuring that the revised Housing Act is in harmony with other related
legislations in particular the Public Enterprise Act – 1996. “The study
will also focus on the review of the structure of both entities, benchmark
with similar entities overseas and recommend a new organizational structure
and physical location that will allow for better coordination and cost
rationalization; review of current HA and PRB policies and recommend changes
where appropriate that are aligned to the new structure and vision; review
of operational efficiency and recommend strategies to improve performance;
and review of funding sources and recommend on how the new entity can
ensure sustainability in the long term.” “The study will further examine
and identify major issues and constraints relating to accessibility of
public utilities (electricity, sewer, water etc) which impacts on service
delivery and performance for those in the business of housing development.”
The study will be submitted for Cabinet’s consideration upon completion.
From http://www.fiji.gov.fj/ 04/10/2007
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NEW
ZEALAND: ERMA New Zealand Alters Composition of 1080 Reassessment Committee
The Environmental Risk Management
Authority (ERMA New Zealand) is to confine its 1080 decision-making
committee to four Authority members. The Authority is hearing submissions
next month on an application from the Department of Conservation and the
Animal Health Board to reassess the risks, costs and benefits of the use of
1080 for animal pest control. The 1080 committee was originally to have
included two outside experts – Dr Richard Sadleir, ecologist and expert on
vertebrate pest management, and Mr James Doherty, a highly respected
kaumatua of Ngāi Tuhoe and an acknowledged expert on tikanga Maori. Dr
Sadleir and Mr Doherty will now join a panel of experts sitting outside the
decision-making process. The Chair of the Authority, Neil Walter, says the
decision to have Dr Sadleir and Mr Doherty sit outside the committee has
been arrived at by mutual agreement. "The Authority has received
complaints about the inclusion on the 1080 panel of people who have been
associated with the use of 1080 in the past or have expressed a view on its
use. This undoubtedly reflects the high degree of controversy surrounding
the issue and the strength of feeling in the debate.
"The Authority retains full
confidence in the integrity and impartiality of both Dr Sadleir and Mr
Doherty. However, because any perception of bias by some of those making
submissions might be considered to adversely affect the credibility of the
process and the decision, the Authority has decided to confine the
decision-making to Authority members only. It would also be unfair to
expose the two experts to continued attacks on their integrity." Mr
Walter says he is disappointed that it has become necessary to change the
composition of the committee. "The arrangement whereby outside experts
sit on decision-making committees has worked well in the past. New Zealand
has a limited pool of specialists on whom it can draw for this kind of work
and in many cases there will inevitably be some past or present linkage to
the substance or product under consideration. The work records of both Dr
Sadleir and Mr Doherty satisfied the Authority not just that they had the
requisite expertise, but that they would approach the decision in a fair
and balanced way and without bias." Mr Walter says the decision to
withdraw Dr Sadleir and Mr Doherty from the committee was made after
consultation with both men and with their full agreement. "They
readily agreed that it would be in the best interests of all concerned, and
in the best interests of the process, to make this change." Mr Walter
confirmed the Authority will have full access to the expertise of Dr
Sadleir and Mr Doherty in their capacity as appointed experts in the two
particularly important areas of vertebrate pest ecology and Maori concerns
and interests. "I hope that all interested parties will now feel able
to focus their activities on ensuring that the 1080 panel is provided with
the best possible information on 1080." The hearings will be held in a
number of locations around the country between 14 and 25 May.
From http://www.ermanz.govt.nz/
04/02/2007
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National
State of the Environment Reporting Programme Established
A core set of environmental indicators
have been confirmed. They will form the basis of the Ministry for the
Environment’s national state of the environment reporting programme. Waste,
fresh water quality and allocation, and air quality are among some of the
indicators that will be used to tell us about New Zealand’s environment, as
well as greenhouse gas emissions, stratospheric ozone, land cover and land
use, and indigenous biodiversity. These indicators enable information to be
compared across New Zealand and will be used in the future to show trends
or changes in our environment. “The indicators establish the foundations
for an ongoing national state of the environment programme. They help us
build on current reporting about vital aspects of our environment such as
air and water quality,” said Ministry Chief Executive Hugh Logan. This
month’s OECD Report on New Zealand’s environment recommends expanding the
availability of quantitative indicators and time series data related to
environmental quality. The Ministry's state of the environment reporting
programme shows that work is already well underway to ensure this goal is
met says Mr Logan. The confirmed set of indicators will form the basis of a
national state of the environment report due to be released by the Ministry
at the end of this year. The report called Environment New Zealand 2007
will provide information about our environment and adds to existing
topic-specific reports produced yearly by the Ministry. The indicators and
Environment New Zealand 2007 complement regional and local state of
environment reporting by local government. While councils have information
about their local environment, Environment New Zealand 2007 will provide a
national overview.
From http://www.mfe.govt.nz/ 04/20/2007
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SOLOMON
ISLANDS: Government Workers Deployed to Tsunami Stricken Areas
The National Government has deployed a
total of 87 public servants to assist provincial and overseas volunteers to
coordinate emergency relief efforts in the Tsunami stricken areas of
Western and Choiseul provinces. The National Disaster Council said public
servants specializing in various fields from at least 14 Ministries are
currently on the ground in the affected areas. The Disaster Management body
continues to identify trauma as a growing issue affecting displaced victims
of the tsunami. “Trauma counseling is one area we are not sure is being
well addressed,” NDC said in its latest situation report.
From http://www.pmc.gov.sb/ 04/11/2007
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Google
Announces Developer Day in Ten Cities Around the World
In recent months, many of us on Google's
developer teams have spent a lot of time pondering how we can bring our
teams and the developer community closer together. We wanted to share our
knowledge as well as learn from all of you who are out there expanding the
boundaries of web development. Our conclusion was simple: get everyone in
one room. But in our expanding and ever-more global community, there's no
one single place or time zone that could hold us all. So we're pleased
today to invite you to join us on May 31st, 2007 for a Google Developer Day
that will take place in ten locations around the world: Mountain View,
California； Sao
Paulo, Brazil；London,
United Kingdom； Paris,
France；Madrid,
Spain；Hamburg,
Germany；Moscow,
Russia；Tokyo,
Japan；Sydney,
Australia；Beijing,
China
From http://blogs.zdnet.com/ 04/11/2007
TOP↑
ASEAN
Business Awards Launched
SINGAPORE : A new award has been launched
for businesses in Southeast Asia. The inaugural ASEAN Business Awards will
be given out at the ASEAN Business & Investment Summit in November.
Organised by the ASEAN Business Advisory Council, the awards seek to
recognise the most outstanding and successful companies in Southeast Asia
which contribute to the region's economic growth and prosperity. Fang Ai
Lian, Chairman, Ernst & Young, Strategic Partner of ASEAN Business
Awards, said, "We are mindful that ASEAN comprises 10 countries which
are in different stages of economic development, and therefore it's
important that we set the criteria which will enable all countries to
participate, and for some countries their companies are going to be
smaller. "But the awards are in four categories: it's about growth;
it's about employment; it's about innovation; and it's about corporate
social responsibility. So the biggest the best companies may not win all
the awards. In fact, some of the smaller companies, because they are nimble
and in order to succeed, they have some of the best practices which should
be admired." Four winners will be named this year. The organisers hope
the awards will become a showcase for promising ASEAN SMEs with the
potential to be global players. To qualify for the awards, the nominees
must be ASEAN-incorporated enterprises with at least 40 percent ASEAN
equity. They must operate in two or more ASEAN countries and have been in
operation for at least five years. Finally, they must have annual revenue
of at least US$20 million or S$30 million. Alternatively, they must have
fixed assets of US$5 million or S$7.5 million or a minimum of 150
employees. (by Loh Kim Chin)
From
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/ 04/16/2007
TOP↑
Sixth
Annual Knowledge Economy Forum: Adopt or Innovate?
CAMBRIDGE, April 17, 2007 – The
acquisition of technology and know-how from around the world offers greater
potential for sustained economic growth in Europe and Central Asia (ECA) in
the short to medium term than innovation. While countries in ECA are striving
to emulate Western European and Asian approaches as they face the
challenges of competing in an increasingly integrated world, they cannot
afford to ignore what’s happening further east. China and India have vast,
increasingly well-educated populations whose talents are being tapped by
local and international firms flourishing in what are relentlessly
competitive business environments, which have developed largely thanks to
these economies’ ability to acquire cutting edge technology and eventually
innovate indigenously. Ongoing research by the World Bank suggests that
governments in ECA must do their part in supporting the catch-up process by
putting in place an incentive-compatible regulatory framework conducive to
technology acquisition by the private sector and the creation of networks
that can channel knowledge across countries.
The Sixth Annual Knowledge Economy Forum
(KEF VI) on “Technology Acquisition and Knowledge Networks” takes place in
Cambridge, England on April 17-19, 2007. Based on examples of international
best practice, the forum will discuss critical elements to enhance
absorption of technology and knowledge by firms and explore the policy
recommendations that support such processes in ECA. Cambridge’s experience
as one of the world’s leading hubs for enterprise innovation will provide
important insights on the role of universities, private entrepreneurs, and
government in facilitating technology and knowledge transfer to industry.
Over the past 30 years, the city has grown from a town with 20 high-tech
companies employing about 100 people, to a world class high-tech hub, which
is now among the wealthiest sub regions in the United Kingdom. In 2006,
Cambridge had about 1,500 high-tech companies employing 40,000 people.
Seventy companies were quoted on the stock market last year compared to a
single one in 1990.
The “Cambridge phenomenon” shows that an
enabling environment, i.e., close networks between industry and academia
that are working with the private sector, is essential to build absorptive
capacity to generate innovative processes and economic growth. Most
countries from Central Europe to Central Asia, however, share a legacy of
state planning, which has a poor record in supporting absorptive capacity
in the private sector or in building bridges between academia and the
private sector. Governments in ECA need therefore to allocate increased
resources to encourage private sector investments and research, and enable
enterprises to reorganize, absorb new technologies, expand their product
lines, increase exports, and grow. These public investments must be ‘smart’
and leverage their impact through incentive-compatible mechanisms, such as
matching grants and co-funding seed capital.
The sixth edition of the Knowledge Economy
Forum emphasizes that investment climate and structural reforms are
required for outlays on technology absorption and innovation to bear fruit.
The Forum also highlights the high correlation of investments in human
capital and labor productivity with growth. National education systems need
to be reformed to support the development of relevant qualifications in
order to respond to demands from knowledge-intensive firms in a changing
working environment. Forum participants will discuss paradigm shifts in
education to move from old bureaucratic systems to modern enabling
education. Other elements considered in this year’s Forum include issues of
intellectual property rights regimes and their impact on spin-off
formation; as well as standards and quality systems, transportation,
logistics and supply chain management and their impact on export
competitiveness.
Improving the absorptive capability of
firms—their ability to tap into the world technology pool—is an important
mechanism for increasing productivity growth and accelerating industrial
development. Trade flows, foreign direct investment (FDI), mobility,
training, brain circulation, networking, and other mechanisms for
transferring skills are conduits of knowledge absorption, but adoption also
requires a good investment climate, education and not infrequently some
R&D on the part of the absorbing firm. The Forum will address the
interplay of many of these elements and highlight those that have been most
successful in the Cambridge context. Over 120 participants from 17 countries
will evaluate their applicability for knowledge generators and users across
Europe and Central Asia.For further information about the Knowledge Economy
Forum, including the agenda and background papers, please visit:
http://www.worldbank.org/eca/ke
From
http://web.worldbank.org/ 04/17/2007
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CHINA:
To Monitor Ethnic Relations
A mechanism monitoring relations among
ethnic groups in China will be built to deal with emergencies resulting
from ethnic issues, according to a plan made public Thursday. The
monitoring mechanism aims to "clamp down on ethnic separatism so as to
safeguard ethnic unity, social stability and national security,"
according to the country's ethnic minorities affairs 11th Five-Year Plan
(2006-2010), which was approved by the State Council, or the cabinet,
earlier this year, and was made public at Thursday's regular news conference.
A sound social environment should be built to ensure the harmonious
development of all ethnic groups, Dainzhub Ongboin, vice director of the
State Ethnic Affairs Commission, told the news briefing, adding the Plan
represents a major step in the central government's efforts to develop the
country's ethnic minorities. The Chinese government attaches great
importance to the crackdown on the "three evil forces" of
terrorism, separatism and extremism, especially in the western region of
the country. Police in China's far west Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region
crushed a terrorist training camp in January, in which 18 terrorists were
killed and 17 others captured. The training camp was run by the East
Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), a group that the United Nations in 2002
labeled a terrorist organization. Leading terrorists in the camp were
trained by Taliban and Al-Qaeda representatives and later stole into
Xinjiang.
From http://www.chinaview.cn 03/29/2007
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Top
Advisor Urges Large Firms to Improve Innovative Capability
China's top political advisor Jia Qinglin
has urged large corporations to improve their innovative capability so as
to achieve sound and rapid economic growth. "Innovative capability is
the driving force of a company's restructuring and transformation of
economic growth pattern," Jia, chairman of the National Committee of
the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said during a visit
to north China's Shanxi Province from March 24 to 28. He also called on
large companies and corporations in Shanxi to develop a recycling economy
and urged industrial restructuring, energy conservation, and environmental
protection.
From http://www.chinaview.cn 03/29/2007
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Vice
Premier Calls for More Technological Innovation in Agriculture
Chinese vice premier Hui Liangyu called
Friday for more technological innovations in the agricultural sector to
ensure adequate food supplies and sharpen China's competitive edge in the
global market. Hui stressed the importance of technology in resolving
issues related to agriculture, rural areas and farmers. The vice premier
said the country needs to accelerate the building of a national mechanism
to promote innovation. He called on colleges and research institutes to
play an active role in spreading advanced technologies and encouraged
technologists to go to the countryside and serve needy farmers. He said the
government would finance public technology institutes and human resources
training to build a globally competitive expert team. Hui made the remarks
when meeting with a group of pacemaker technologists from across the nation
who received awards from the central government.
Despite serious natural disasters, China
last year reaped a rich grain harvest with total output reaching 497
billion kilograms, 13 billion kilograms up on the previous year. However,
observers warned that the country is not producing enough grain for its
huge population. The Study Times, a periodical affiliated to the Party
School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, predicted
that China could face a 4.8 million ton grain shortage in 2010, almost nine
percent of the country's grain consumption. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao
repeatedly stressed the "great importance" of agriculture at the
annual NPC session, saying that agriculture is the foundation of the
Chinese economy and directly concerns people's lives and social stability.
The premier said dwindling arable land, smaller sown areas of winter wheat,
a warm winter and prolonged drought had negatively impacted the country's
agricultural production.
From http://www.chinaview.cn 03/30/2007
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China
Brings in Qualified Investors to Manage Pension Funds
China plans to hand over to professional
investors a massive swathe of funds destined to finance Chinese pensions.
Every month, 24,000 Chinese enterprises and their employees pay money into
a corporate annuity fund, one of the pillars of the country's fledgling
insurance system for retirees. The corporate annuity fund, which covers
9.64 million people, had 91 billion yuan in assets at the end of 2006, but
only 15.8 billion yuan was being handled by professional investors --
endowment insurance companies, commercial banks and other qualified
investors. By the end of this year, after a further 75 billion yuan (9.62
billion U.S. dollars) has been transferred, the whole fund will be in the
hands of qualified investors. The time is ripe for handing over the
remaining 75 billion yuan to qualified investors because the prospects of
the capital market are good, stricter supervision is in readiness and
investment risks are under control, said Zuo Xiaolei, chief economist with
Galaxy Securities.
The corporate annuity fund must be managed
in a cautious, low risk manner, she added. The move seeks to ratchet up
investment returns while injecting money into China's capital market to
fuel the country's economic development. With regulations limiting stock
market investments to 20 percent of the fund's total assets, it is
estimated that 15 billion yuan can be invested in the stock market this
year. Fifteen billion yuan is not a huge sum but still significant for the
stock market, said Wang Deying, vice president of Bosera Funds, one of
China's first fund management companies established in 1998. China's
Ministry of Labor and Social Security (MLSS) approved 37 companies as
qualified managers and investors of corporate annuity funds in 2005. The
funds turned over to qualified investors in October last year yielded a
robust return of 9.6 percent over a period of three months, according to
the latest figures from the MLSS. Increasing the number of qualified
investors this year will give companies more options, said Liu Yongfu,
deputy minister of labor and social security, adding that more and more
enterprises, especially medium to small sized ones, will contribute to this
type of fund.
To secure the fund against losses and make
it profitable, China will strengthen supervision of these investors, urging
them to open management work to public scrutiny, said Liu. The investors
are required to file quarterly and annual reports with the MLSS specifying
how the funds have been utilized. The transfer has been under way since the
beginning of the year. In south China's Guangdong province, Shenzhen
Occupational Pension Fund Management Center started in January to transfer
its two billion yuan to Ping An Endowment Insurance Co. and China Merchants
Bank. Shanghai is planning to set up an endowment insurance company with
registered capital of 500 million yuan to manage a corporate annuity fund
worth 15 billion yuan on behalf of 7,000 enterprises.
From http://www.chinaview.cn 04/03/2007
TOP↑
New Tax
Return System Receives "Satisfactory" Declarations
A total of 255,000 Beijingers had filed
personal income tax returns to local taxation authorities before the
national deadline on Monday, officials said on Tuesday. The number,
slightly more than the forecast figure of 250,000, is "generally
satisfactory," said a senior official with the Beijing Local Taxation
Bureau. However, financial experts suggested on Thursday that the tax
department has received barely 15 percent of the number of returns it is
expecting. This is the first year the State Administration of Taxation
(SAT) is requiring high-income earners -- those whose annual incomes are
more than 120,000 yuan -- to file personal income statements. The national
tax department says as of March 26 it had received only 1.18 million tax
declarations. The director of SAT's press office Niu Xinwen said the number
of expected income tax returns is a secret but a professor of finance at
the People's University says there are likely six to seven million people
who earned more than 120,000 yuan last year in China.
The Beijing Local Taxation Bureau says
there are 350,000 people in the capital alone who earn more than 120,000
yuan a year. Those who did not file returns in time may do so after the
deadline, but have to explain the delay to taxation authorities. They are
liable to a fine of no more than 2,000 yuan, or a fine between 2,000 and
10,000 yuan if the error is considered of a serious nature. Among the
255,000 people who reported, 98 percent filed returns via the Internet with
others preferring to work by mail or by going in person to taxation
offices, according to the official with the Beijing Local Taxation Bureau.
China's new tax return system will ensure that those who earn the most pay
the most and will help narrow the gap between the rich and poor, observers
said.
From
http://www.chinaview.cn 04/03/2007
TOP↑
Net to
Prosecute IPR Pirates Widened
China's top court has stepped up the fight
against intellectual piracy by lowering the threshold to prosecute people
manufacture or sell counterfeit intellectual property products. A new
judicial interpretation issued by the Supreme People's Court on Thursday
states that anyone who manufactures 500 or more counterfeit copies (discs)
of computer software, music, movies, TV series and other audio-video
products can be prosecuted and faces a prison term of up to three years.
Despite repeated police raids, hawkers of pirated discs re-emerge on
Chinese streets as soon as the anti-piracy campaign begins to ebb. The
piracy issue has been a sore point in China-US trade relations and the
latest judicial change seems to be aimed at addressing overseas complaints
that the country is too lenient with IPR violators. According to judicial
sources, courts around China settled 17,769 IPR protection cases in 2006.
But most of these cases were handled by civil courts. There were only 2,277
criminal prosecutions, with 3,508 people convicted.
The new rules, jointly prepared by the
Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate, also widen
the definition of a "serious IPR offender" -- anyone who produces
more than 2,500 counterfeit copies can now be thrown into jail for up to
seven years. The rules are effective immediately, the top court said. They
replace the 2004 rules whose net only extended to infringers who produced
1,000 pirated discs and which defined "serious offenders" as
those who produced over 5,000 copies. Critics expect a new surge of IPR
cases in Chinese courts now that the new rules have come into effect. They
constitute a stern warning to pirates that the government will not go soft
on IPR infringement. Sources with the Supreme People's Court said they made
the change in order to deal with "new problems" in the crackdown
on piracy. "The courts will extend the protection of intellectual
property rights and play to the full their role in punishing infringers and
preventing crimes," a court spokesman said. To fight rampant piracy,
China lowered the counterfeit product threshold in 2004.
Official statistics show that IPR cases
that came to court in China rose 28 percent in 2005, the first year of the
new rules. That year, a total of 3,567 cases concerning the manufacture of
fake products and illegal sales of pirated products went to criminal
courts. Courts have also been instructed to raise fines for convicted
counterfeiters. "Fines can range from one to 15 times the illegal
gains, or from 50 to 200 percent of the business turnover," according
to the new judicial interpretation. This will be welcome news to those who
complain that monetary punishments for piracy violators are too low and
that "the cost of IPR crime" remains low. In January, the top
court issued a notice ordering stricter penalties for IPR violators, saying
"all illegal gains and manufacturing tools of IPR violators should be
confiscated and their pirated products destroyed." The new rules also
tighten the rules on the granting of probation. In another measure to cast
the anti-piracy net wider, the top court has instructed IPR criminal courts
to accept litigation cases filed by individual piracy victims, in addition
to those filed by procurators.
The judicial change came as the state
announced big seizures of pirated products and said it plans to improve the
transparency of IPR trials by allowing foreigners to sit in. Envoys of
foreign governments and representatives of international organizations will
be allowed to attend IPR trials if they wish, said Jiang Zengwei of the
State Office of Intellectual Property Protection on Wednesday. This will be
the first time overseas representatives have been allowed to attend public
IPR trials, an official from the top court told Xinhua. Major trials will
be publicized in the media. Meanwhile, in the largest single crackdown on
CD and DVD piracy in China's history, more than 1.81 million pirated CDs
and DVDs were seized in a production factory in Guangzhou, capital of south
China's Guangdong Province on March 17, the government announced on
Tuesday.
Thirty production machines in 11
warehouses were confiscated and 13 people arrested in the case. But a
circular from the police authority said the fight against piracy was still
very arduous, and should be a priority for public security departments
nationwide. The government has launched a "spring campaign"
against illegal and pirated publications that will last until May. People
providing information about piracy crimes that lead to convictions can be
rewarded by the police.
From http://www.china.org.cn/
04/06/2007
TOP↑
New
Moves to Improve Food Safety
A range of new measures are to be
introduced by the municipal health bureau to improve the Shenzhen City's
food safety. They include checks on pesticide residues through to new
canteens for industrial workers and increased checks on premises.
Shenzhen's municipal health bureau will begin checking restaurants with
areas ranging from 150 to 300 square meters and canteens accommodating
300-800 diners later this month. Restaurants and canteens passing the
inspection will be given different rankings according to quality and
service. The health bureau will finalize a pesticide training program for
large restaurants and canteens later in the year. The training includes
basic knowledge of pesticides and measures to control pesticide residues.
In addition, kitchenware sterilization rate must reach 87 percent and 98
percent of restaurant workers must possess health permits. According to the
plan, the health authority will also close unlicensed eateries around
industrial parks and open more canteens on the city's industrial parks.
The city has 857 industrial parks, housing
23,871 enterprises. Half of them had canteens by the end of last year,
offering places for 3.08 million diners, accounting for 70 percent of their
workforce. This year more canteens will be built, to cater for 80 percent.
The health authorities will tighten inspections on school canteens and
close unlicensed eateries within 200 meters of schools. In addition, the
bureau will set up 16 quality supervision points in farm markets,
supermarkets, restaurants and canteens to test vegetables, frozen and fried
foods, cooked foods, meat and fish products, and eggs.
From http://www.china.org.cn 04/12/2007
TOP↑
JAPAN:
Govt, Ruling Parties Agree on Public Servant Reforms
The government and the ruling parties on
Wednesday agreed on a broad policy on reforming the public servant system.
On the proposed human resources centers that would be given sole control of
reemployment assistance for national public servants, the government
decided to prohibit employees at the centers brokering reemployment of
officials of ministries and agencies for which they used work. Taking
Liberal Democratic Party members' concerns into account, the government and
ruling coalition parties also agreed to include a clause in the relevant
bill stipulating that a review be carried out a certain period after the
resources banks are established, to determine the efficiency and
effectiveness of the new system. The basic policy was agreed on late
Wednesday by Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki, LDP Secretary
General Hidenao Nakagawa and Toranosuke Katayama, secretary general of the
LDP caucus in the House of Councillors during the government and ruling
parties' working-level meeting on reforming the public servant system.
The policy is expected to be formally
agreed on Friday at a meeting between the government and the ruling
parties. A bill to revise the National Civil Service Law, which would be in
line with the agreed basic policy, is expected to be endorsed at a Cabinet
meeting on April 24. Under the basic policy, the bill revising the National
Civil Service Law to be submitted to the current Diet session focuses on
restricting reemployment of public servants and introducing a merit-based
personnel-management system. In addition, a panel of experts on the public
servant system would be established at the Cabinet Office under the prime
minister to study both the introduction of specialized positions for public
servants and the raising of their retirement age. The government also plans
to submit another set of bills to overhaul the national public servant
system during next year's ordinary Diet session.
From http://www.yomiuri.co.jp
04/13/2007
TOP↑
Unified
Elections 2007:Only 2 Municipalities Using E-voting
Voters in Rokunohe, Aomori Prefecture, had
some bizarre candidates to choose from after the April 8 prefectural
assembly election. On the touch panel before them were names of celebrities
of the Edo Period (1603-1867), including shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu and
scholar Yoshida Shoin with their (hypothetical) party affiliations. The
mock balloting was a trial for the town assembly election scheduled for
Sunday. The town of 11,000 is one of the only two places to use electronic
voting in the unified local elections this April. The other is Shiroishi,
Miyagi Prefecture, for the city assembly election on Sunday. Rokunohe has
used the system in two mayoral polls and given test runs at festivals and
senior citizens' gatherings. "It's easier than the post office
ATM," said an elderly resident. Electronic voting also reduces staff
numbers and the time to count ballots. So why are only two of the 1,100
elections in the two rounds of unified polls this year using electronic
voting? The main reason is that the system has been plagued with problems,
some leading to complete disaster.
The 2003 city assembly election in Kani,
Gifu Prefecture, for example, was thrown into confusion because of double
voting and operational errors. The Supreme Court ruled the election invalid
in 2005. Since 2002, when Niimi, Okayama Prefecture, adopted electronic
balloting, 10 municipalities have carried out 13 polls. Nine of the
elections experienced troubles of varying degrees. But Rokunohe Mayor
Yutaka Yoshida has confidence in the system. The past two elections have
been problem-free and it took only 10 minutes to count all the votes.
"If the staff understand the system and are well prepared, electronic
voting is never difficult," Yoshida says. The town allocated personal
computers to all employees in 2001 and has done most of the administrative
work electronically. What prompted Rokunohe to go electronic in elections
was a bitter experience in a town assembly poll eight years ago. A mere 23
votes separated the last successful candidate and the runner-up. Invalid
votes totaled 69; names were not recognizable in 27 of the ballots. Clearer
handwriting could have made a difference. But about 26 percent of Rokunohe
residents are 65 or older, and many of them have difficulty writing
clearly. Similar to other rural areas, candidates in Rokunohe often have
the same surname. Town officials say balloting with touch-screen panels
leaves no such ambiguities. Based on their experiences in the past two
polls, Shiroishi city officials also say the system ensures "accurate
results." Internal affairs ministry papers show 451 local governments
considered introducing electronic voting in 2002. The number fell to 80
after the Supreme Court ruling in 2005. The central government has just set
up a program to certify electronic voting systems. But Yoshida says it
should have done much more."If the state makes an all-out effort
nationwide, costs to install the system will be lower," he says.
"But it entrusts everything to municipalities."
From http://www.asahi.com 04/18/2007
TOP↑
Govt
Panel Talks on Taxation Reform Not Concrete
The government's Tax Commission, an
advisory panel to the prime minister, is preparing to reform the taxation
system after autumn, but currently is only studying and analyzing the
current situation, and has not yet begun discussing concrete measures. The
commission has held five meetings since Yutaka Kosai became chairman,
focusing on the analysis and confirmation of basic data, including future
population estimates and previous cases of taxation system reforms. The
commission also dispatched a team of research and analysis experts,
established in March, to three European countries--France, Germany and the
Netherlands. The team will visit Singapore and other Asian countries this
month. Since the Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy has to map out a
so-called large-boned policy--which will serve as basic guidelines for
economic and fiscal management--in the run-up to the summit of industrial
countries in early June, the council has asked the commission to report its
basic taxation reform policies by April. As such, Kosai plans to spell out
his opinion at a commission meeting next week, saying he can report on
studies carried out on foreign countries, but that the commission has not
yet discussed future policies, which indicates he will not discuss concrete
steps.
Under the present circumstances it is
highly unlikely details of the big-boned policies will be revealed. As the
government and ruling coalition parties have decided to shelf discussions
on taxation reforms, including the consumption tax, until after the House
of Councillors election in July, the council's focus on studies and
analyses is consistent with their approach. Since consumption tax has
proved a political problem in the past, Yuji Tsushima, chairman of the
Liberal Democratic Party's Research Council on the Tax System, made a good
point when he said consumption tax should not become an issue in the upper
house election. However, regarding the schedule for drastic reforms,
including a consumption tax rate increase, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and
the ruling coalition parties said they would present the overall picture
during next year's reforms. If so, there is only a three-month period for
actual discussions--from late August to mid-December. Considering the
importance of a consumption tax increase and the lengthy time-frame for
discussing past raises, the government may have to make a quick policy
decision. The government and ruling coalition parties must soon spell out
current fiscal needs; tax items for reforming; and the direction such
reforms will take, or most people may consider the consumption tax hike as
coming out of the blue--a scenario that may lead to reform opposition.
There are three scenarios in which the
consumption tax is expected to be discussed. The first is that the rate of
consumption tax is raised by 5 percent to 10 percent, which will bring in
12.5 trillion yen in tax revenues and raise concerns over the impact of the
hike on the economy. Some government officials believe the government must
keep the actual tax increases below 10 trillion yen, along with tax cuts.
If so, what tax items will benefit from tax cuts? Corporate and income
taxes will be cut, but because it takes time to decide tax items and change
tax brackets, it will be difficult for the government to complete the work this
year. The second scenario is that the consumption tax rate is raised by 2
percent or 3 percent. It is practical to seek a small tax rate hike to
secure tax revenues for the purpose of covering an increase of about 2.5
trillion yen in basic pension funds in fiscal 2009. However, consumption
tax has never been introduced or raised in isolation, and is always
increased along with income tax cuts. So, it will take time to handle the
problem.
The last scenario is to not raise the tax
rate at all. In addition to the natural increase in tax revenues, which are
higher than the forecast figures, major banks, which struggled to dispose
of bad loans, are expected to pay corporate taxes again after March 2008.
As such, a consumption tax increase can be shelved, depending on the
political situation. This case does not need much time to discuss
implementation measures, but it departs slightly from Abe's policy speech
in which he said he would spell out his direction for tax reforms this
fiscal year. Unless a consumption tax rate hike is shelved, there will not
be much time for discussions if they begin after autumn. The tax reforms
for fiscal 2008 also include discussions on how to deal with a special
measure that gives a 10 percent reduced tax rate to capital gains. From a
viewpoint of narrowing the gap between rich and poor, there are voices
calling to raise anew rich people's inheritance tax. Some are concerned
about the gap in local tax revenues among municipalities. As such, many
issues in connection with the taxation system have to be addressed for next
fiscal year's tax reforms. While it makes sense for the ruling coalition
parties to refrain from talking about the consumption tax as a strategy for
the upper house election, the government and Tax Commission should discuss
measures and issues for tax reforms before the election.
From http://www.yomiuri.co.jp
04/21/2007
TOP↑
Reform
or Punishment: How Young Is Too Young to Send Kids to Reformatories?
A bill to revise the Juvenile Law, featuring
stricter provisions to deal with minors under 14, is expected to be passed
during the current Diet session following its approval by the House of
Representatives on Thursday. The provisions lower the minimum age of minors
who can be sent to reformatories and give police powers to investigate
them. At a meeting of the Judicial Affairs Committee of the lower house on
March 28, an opposition party lawmaker pressed Justice Minister Jinen
Nagase for an answer, asking if a 5-year-old could be sent to a reformatory,
as the government proposed a plan to abolish any age limit for sending
minors to reformatories. Nagase responded he could not definitively rule
out such a possibility. This in turn sparked discussions on the minimum age
for sending minors to reformatories. Under the current law, minors under 14
who have violated laws are sent to children's self-reliance support centers
or placed on parole in the care of their families with visits by parole
officers. However, self-reliance support centers focus on protecting and
educating juvenile delinquents by letting them live in the facilities in a
homelike atmosphere, and help their rehabilitation through study and
farming. Reformatories, however, focus on imbuing children with discipline
by allowing them to live together and helping them correct themselves
through job training.
In light of heinous crimes committed by
minors under 14, including the 2003 abduction and murder of a boy in
Nagasaki, the government proposed a plan to abolish age limits for sending
children to reformatories on the grounds that they need corrective measures
at such facilities. On April 13, the opposition Democratic Party of Japan
submitted a proposal to revise the government plan to set the minimum age
at about 14, arguing that since welfare and educational support was
necessary for younger children, rehabilitation at self-reliance support
centers should be improved first. The ruling coalition, meanwhile, passed a
proposal submitted Wednesday to revise the government plan to set the minimum
age at about 12. The revision also sparked discussions on whether primary
school students should also be sent to reformatories. Since both the ruling
and opposition parties explained the word "about" as a range of
one year, the passed revision bill could send sixth-year and some
fifth-year primary students to reformatories. However, because the Justice
Ministry will only send to reformatories minors under 14 who have committed
heinous crimes, such as murder, and have been tried at family court, it is
believed there will be only several such cases a year. The number of minors
under 14 who have been questioned and put into custody by police peaked at
67,906 in 1981. The number dropped to below 30,000 in 1990 and has recently
lingered around 20,000.
The number of murders committed by such
minors was about two a year between 1990 and 2000, but it jumped to 10 in
2001. Since then, it has fluctuated between three and six. Under the
current law, police do not have the authority to search houses of juvenile offenders
or to confiscate material as evidence, leading to complaints about police
failures to shed light on juvenile crimes. As such, the revision bill
includes a provision allowing police to search and confiscate--provided
they have a warrant. Even after the implementation of the revised law,
minors who have broken laws still cannot be held criminally accountable and
arrested. But a Justice Ministry official said the revised law would enable
police to gather evidence to contribute to investigations. "As a
result, courts will be able to hand down appropriate penalties," he
said.
Different cases, different needs While
victims of juvenile offenders hope for the law's revision, experts point
out the need to balance punishment with appropriate welfare provision for
children. Yoshimitsu Tamoto, 56, whose second son, then 14, was killed by
nine middle school students in Ishigaki, Okinawa Prefecture, in 1992, said
he still does not know the full story of the murder. "I hope police
access will be strengthened to bring all the facts to light," he said.
Ruriko Take, a representative of the association of victims of juvenile
crimes and whose oldest son was beaten to death by 16-year-olds, said she
supports the law revision. "This will give law enforcement officers
more options when dealing with juvenile offenders," she said. However,
regarding the issue of drawing a line to determine the minimum age for
sending minors to reformatories, Take said punishment should be meted out
in accordance with the severity and nature of the crime. "I hoped the
issue would be discussed from such a viewpoint," she said. Lawyer Yuri
Kawamura, who has defended minors in many cases, said sending minors to
reformatories would not help them rehabilitate into society. "Twelve is
too young," she said. Kawamura became the guardian of a female
second-year middle school student who pushed a boy off a building in
Taka-danobaba, Tokyo, in 2004, when she was 13 years old. "After
receiving reeducation at a homely children's self-reliance support center,
the girl has returned to society to lead a normal life. She might not be
able to do so at a strict reformatory," she said. Regarding the
investigation of juvenile offenders, former Tohoku University Prof. Toyoji
Saito, an expert on criminal law, said younger juveniles could be
manipulated by adults.
From http://www.yomiuri.co.jp
04/21/2007
TOP↑
SOUTH
KOREA: Lawmakers Ready New Pension Reform Measure
After the legislature struck down two
bills on pension reform, the Roh Moo-hyun administration said yesterday
that it will restart efforts to rescue the state-run retirement annuity
fund from projected bankruptcy. The Uri Party also said it will introduce a
new reform bill to the National Assembly. On Monday, lawmakers voted down two
bills on pension reform. One was jointly submitted by the administration
and the Uri Party, with the Grand National and Democratic Labor parties
presenting the other. Both bills were intended to save the pension fund
from bankruptcy; the Ministry of Health and Welfare has forecast that the
shrinking fund will dry up by 2047. Yesterday morning, the cabinet’s budget
and welfare ministers released a statement saying, “We must revise the
pension program so that the next generation will not come under excessive
financial burden.” “I will do my best to reopen the discussion on pension
reform at the National Assembly as soon as possible,” Health and Welfare
Minister Rhyu Si-min said at a press conference in the afternoon. The
administration and Uri Party’s bill called for increasing the premium
payment while decreasing annuities to pension policy holders. Of the 270
lawmakers who voted, 123 supported the bill.The Uri Party said yesterday
that it will submit a new bill. “Instead of paying more and receiving less,
we are drafting a bill for the same [premiums, with pensioners] receiving
less,” Uri’s Representative Kang Gi-jung said. In principle, the new bill
is practically identical to the Grand National and Democratic Labor
parties’ bill, which was struck down Monday by a vote of 139 to 131. After
counting the votes, Rhyu yesterday accepted responsibility for the results.
Most lawmakers who recently severed ties with the Uri Party had abstained,
and Rhyu said, “this demonstrates my failing.” A former Uri lawmaker who
abstained said Rhyu’s personality was a factor in the vote. “Because of
Rhyu’s [past] actions and remarks, some hate him,” the lawmaker said.
“Former Uri members largely abstained because it doesn’t appear to help us
to back Rhyu and Roh Moo-hyun at this point.”
From http://joongangdaily.joins.com/
04/04/2007
TOP↑
Roh
Pledges Aggressive State Investments in English Education
President Roh Moo-hyun said Friday (April
6) that the Korean government will systematically build a nationwide
infrastructure for English-language education, stressing that the English
proficiency of the Korean people is indispensable to the nation's survival
in the future. "English is a must in order to catch up with the
globalization stream. The biggest competitive edge of Finland and other
rapidly growing advanced countries is English-speaking people," the
president said. "Korean students spend over 10 trillion won ($10.5
billion) annually on private English study lectures and programs, but they
are still considered weak in English. The government will gradually expand
investments in social infrastructure for English education." Roh made
the remarks during his congratulatory speech on the opening of an all-day
English education television channel by state-funded EBS-TV on Friday
(April 6). The president said the nation's first English-only ground wave
television channel, EBS English, was designed to revamp the nation's
foreign language education method and remedy regional and class disparities
in English education. "By 2009, an English experience center will be
built at about 1,300 elementary schools nationwide at an expense of 240
billion won. In addition, all domestic middle schools will have at least
one native English-speaking teacher by 2010," Roh said.
He said the basic concept of a large-scale
English education town on Jeju Island, which will be designed to
accommodate about 9,000 students at a time, will be established in the
first half of the year. "The construction of the Jeju English town
will largely substitute for overseas English study trips by Korean
students." The Education Ministry said in a press release that EBS
English will broadcast a wide range of English education programs for 18
hours, between six in the morning and midnight. "In the initial stage,
the nation's first English-only ground wave television is available to
subscribers of the SkyLife digital broadcasting service, starting on Friday
(April 6). But it is simultaneously offered on the Web site of EBS English,
www.ebse.co.kr, and will soon be available to ordinary TV viewers through
cable TV services," the ministry said. It also noted that Korean
midfielder Park Ji-sung of Manchester United has agreed to work as a public
relations ambassador for EBS English. "Programs on EBS English will be
designed to accommodate demands for English study from all levels of
students, as well as teachers and ordinary citizens." The opening
ceremony for EBS English was also attended by first lady Kwon Yang-sook,
Education Minister Kim Shin-il and hundreds of other guests.
From http://www.korea.net 04/06/2007
TOP↑
NORTH
KOREA: Change at Top a Sign of Reform
North Korea has appointed a new premier,
which analysts said suggests that it wants to open up and bring in economic
reform. A brief mention at the end of a state news agency report on a
meeting of the Supreme People's Assembly on Wednesday said Pak Pong-ju had
been replaced by the Land and Transport Minister, Kim Yong-il. No reason
was given. Once seen as a rising star to lead the country's nascent
economic reforms, analysts said Mr Pak might have fallen foul of the
military, and some cited speculation that he was sacked for corruption.
Others said he might simply have been removed for failing to do the job of
reforming the destitute economy. Analysts focused on the transport
expertise of his successor as suggesting a change of focus. Some said he
could be given the task of pushing ahead with train links with the South.
That would meet a long-held aim of Seoul to link to the Trans-Siberian
railway system via the North. "This strongly reflects their desire to
focus more on economic development than aid," said Kim Young-yoon, at
the Korea Institute for National Unification. This point was stressed by
the leader Kim Jong-il making a rare public appearance at an assembly
session on boosting the moribund economy, Yoo Ho-yeol, professor of North
Korean studies at Korea University said. "Kim Jong-il being present at
the assembly itself proves that the country is emphasising this change in
order. "It reflects the will of the ruler and the ruling party to
speed up or emphasise more on economic growth," he said. The new
premier's appointment comes amid haggling over an international agreement
that gives Pyongyang a deadline of tomorrow to start closing the Yongbyon
nuclear plant in return for massive energy aid. The state has serious
energy shortages, and satellite photos show the North in near darkness at
night.
From http://www.smh.com.au 04/13/2007
TOP↑
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INDONESIA:
Aceh Opens New Office to Attract Investors
The Nangroe Aceh Darussalam provincial
government has stepped up its efforts to strengthen the region's fragile
economy by launching an "Investor Outreach Office" (IOO) on
Monday to attract foreign investors. "We are now officially open for
business and are opening our doors to investment for the benefit and
welfare of the people of Aceh," Deputy Governor Muhammad Nazar said
during the ceremony to mark to launching of the IOO. Nazar said that until
recently Aceh had been focusing on rehabilitating the region following the
long period of civil unrest, and the 2004 tsunami disaster. However, the
province was now aiming for more sustainable economic development through
cooperation with both local and overseas firms. The IOO's main functions
would be to generate investment, to provide a one-stop information service,
business matchmaking assistance, assistance with regulatory requirements
and aftercare service to investors, and to play a policy-advocacy role.
Apart from the provincial government, the
creation of the IOO also involved other agencies, including the Aceh and
Nias Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Agency (BRR), Aceh Investment
Coordinating Board (BKPMD) and the World Bank's private sector development
arm, the International Finance Corporation (IFC). In its operations, the
IOO would collaborate closely with the BKPMD, Aceh Chamber of Commerce and
other institutions, both domestic and foreign, with information on the IOO
available online at www.investinaceh.org. IFC business enabling operations
officer Greg Elms said that the IFC had already started to put Aceh on the
investor interest map. "Aceh's IOO is truly the first of its kind
anywhere in Indonesia. The secret of this model is the marriage of a government
mandate to increase investment, together with sales, marketing and
customer-service expertise from the private sector," he explained. He
added that the IFC's cumulative investment in Indonesia had reached US$2.3
billion for 84 projects over 35 years.
New commitments were currently averaging
$250 million per year. During its launching ceremony, the IOO signed seven
memorandums of understanding on cooperation and promotion programs with the
British Chamber of Commerce, Germany's EKONID, the European Chamber of
Commerce, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, the Netherlands' INA,
Malaysia's MCJ and Norway's NIA. The IOO also signed an agreement with
Australia's THP Group, which promised to secure 2 Australian investments
involving a total of US$3 million. As part of its promotional program, the
IOO together with other relevant institutions will host the Aceh Merchants
Seminar in May and June, and the first-ever Aceh Investment Summit later
this year. Following the tsunami disaster, there have been large inflows of
foreign funds in the form of aid to rehabilitate infrastructure and other
assets. An IFC study found that about 78 percent of the losses were
suffered by the private sector. In April 2005, the BRR was established as
the authority responsible for carrying out the rehabilitation work, and is
expected to complete its mandate in April 2009.
The BRR is responsible for managing a
total of between Rp 60 trillion and Rp 80 trillion in rehabilitation funds,
with about Rp 21 trillion provided by the national budget, and the rest by
mostly overseas donors. For this year, total BRR spending is expected to
amount to about Rp 23.5 trillion. Concerns have been voiced that the
province has become too dependent on massive inflows of foreign aid, and
that a sudden halt to this could severely impact on its weak economy.
Speaking to The Jakarta Post earlier, BRR deputy for economics and business
Said Faisal Baabud said that the BRR would focus in 2007 on strengthening
the social economy through increased investment in projects that would
increase the value of Acehese products in various sectors, particularly the
agricultural and fisheries sectors. This would involve collaboration with
local and foreign investors so that the province could lessen its
dependence on other provinces and on foreign aid. "Aceh's experience
in interacting with the international community is one of its strongest
assets, which will help a great deal in the endeavor," he said.
From http://www.thejakartapost.com/
04/17/2007
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PHILIPPINES:
DA to Expand Biotechnology Network
The Department of Agriculture plans to
rely more on biotechnology to raise the income of farmers, particularly in
the 10 poorest provinces in the country. Agriculture Assistant Secretary
for Policy and Planning Josyline Javelosa said in a statement that the plan
was to maximize the benefits of agricultural innovations. “The agricultural
sector has become conscious of its potent role in national development and
aware that the unity of producers, academe, scientific community, private
sector and government would bring to fruition our collective desire to
promote biotechnology,” said Javelosa during the 1st Biotechnology
Information and Organization Network (BIONet) National Congress held last
Monday at the University of the Philippines. According to Javelosa, biotechnology
has become a significant factor in increasing farmers’ incomes through
wider propagation of new crop varieties, which are developed through
genetic engineering, tissue culture and cross-breeding. These new crop
varieties are expected to translate into higher yields and better-tasting
and nutritious food, thus assuring higher income for producers.
She added that thousands of hectares had
already become BIOCommerce hubs, and many more farmlands would eventually
turn to biotechnology to produce crops, fruits and other agricultural
commodities that have higher demand in both the domestic and foreign
markets. “With the high demand in both the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical
industries for natural ingredients like papain from papaya, the nation would
soon be a key player in the multibillion-dollar global market,” she added.
She also lauded the effort of BIONet members to expand their existing
networks and promote the idea of cultivating agricultural biotechnology
products in many farmlands in the country. Javelosa said that along with
the scientific work is the task of convincing, arguing and encouraging more
producers to accept the legitimacy, viability and necessity of
biotechnology products. She added that BIONet had already convinced a
number of local government units to organize themselves as part of the
network.
To date, the biotechnology revolution has
found havens in Negros Oriental, Laguna, Southern Luzon, Northern Luzon,
Central Luzon, Caraga region, Mindoro, Bulacan, the two Lanao provinces,
Davao and Nueva Vizcaya. “With the commitment of the scientific community
to promote biotechnology products and the pledge of companies to market
natural ingredients and processed biotechnology products, it is not
far-fetched to project that in a generation or two, the Philippines would
have a distinct advantage and higher market share in the global market,”
she declared.
From http://archive.inquirer.net
04/04/2007
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SINGAPORE:
Special Police Training for Community Leaders
A stint at the Home Team Academy is on the
cards for some community leaders, starting this month. The Singapore Police
Force will train them in mediation and conflict management so that they can
help resolve incidents relating to race and religion. This is part of the
move to build a resilient community that can "bounce back quickly in
the aftermath of an incident," said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister
for Home Affairs Wong Kan Seng at the annual Police Workplan Seminar
yesterday. The Community Engagement Executive Development Programme will
"minimise the likelihood of inter-communal conflicts arising from
crises", he said. Another benefit of training the community leaders is
that it will enable them to mediate in minor disputes and misunderstanding
so as to "free up police resources, which would help the police to
deal with urgent and critical tasks", said Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon,
Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports, who also officiated
the event.
She added: "In the early stages of
any crisis, such as a flu pandemic, terrorist incident, or natural
disaster, authorities like the police will naturally be heavily
engaged." Mr Wong also revealed that the police would embark on two
other drives. They will work closely with mayors and councillors in the
five Community Development Councils, alerting them to places that could be
used for criminal activities, for example, dimly lit and unfenced areas.
The police will also tap into the expertise of their NSmen. Citing past
examples, Mr Wong said some had conducted law training for police trainees
even after completing their reservist cycle. He added: "Other than
deploying Police NSmen for law enforcement and protection duties, we will
explore how we can tap on them in building community resilience.
Especially when many of them play
leadership roles in the community and commercial sectors." A closer
working relationship with the public has already yielded positive results.
Last year, about 40 per cent of public arrests for major crimes such as
murder, rape and vehicle theft were made with help from the public. On the
whole, crime rate fell by 10 per cent last year compared to 2005.
From http://www.channelnewsasia.com/
04/13/2007
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New
Areas Unveiled as Part of National Plan to Make S'pore More Energy
Efficient
Your house is among the next in line to
become more energy efficient. The National Environment Agency is
formulating a list of areas to apply the national energy efficiency plan.
The details were released at a forum on Corporate Social Responsibility and
the Environment. Singapore's national energy efficiency plan is still in
its infancy, but the idea is to help reduce its emissions of carbon dioxide
and other gases that cause global warming. The objective of the plan is to
improve energy efficiency in homes and in industries. Other areas mentioned
include transport, buildings and energy generation, and pharmaceuticals.
For industry, the NEA is exploring how to encourage companies to adopt
methods to capture as much energy during the generation process as possible
through tri- and co-generation production. Talking about the national
energy efficiency plan, Dr Amy Khor, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the
Environment and Water Resources, said: "We hope it will be ready soon.
There is no target date at the moment. But
what the NEA is doing, as the lead agency for formulating a plan for energy
conservation and efficiency, is that it is looking at different sectors. We
recognise there's no one-size-fits-all and different sectors of the economy
will have different challenges and circumstances that have to be met."
The master plan, which has been in the pipeline over the last few years,
encompasses previous Government efforts to mitigate the effects of climate
change, like NEA's various energy saving programmes throughout different
departments and agencies. But the master plan was only one of the issues
raised at the Corporate Social Responsibility and the Environment forum.
Companies in Indonesia were highlighted for using slash and burn methods as
well as the burning of peat to clear land.
To help the Indonesians hammer out a plan
to tackle the fires, NEA staff were sent to Jambi province, one of the
fire-prone provinces. Even so, the haze is likely to return this year.
Speakers at the forum laid out solutions to tackle the haze, by using
satellite imagery to identify burning hotspots and to help the enforcement
of a no-burn policy.
From http://www.channelnewsasia.com
04/17/2007
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THAILAND:
Banks Adopting Risk Management Tools
Thai banks are adapting quickly to new
regulations related to risk management and are catching up with financial
markets in places like Singapore and Malaysia, according to Jeffrey Hoo,
regional compliance and security field director for Symantec, which
recently released its latest IT Risk Management report.
From http://archives.mybangkokpost.com
04/04/2007
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BANGLADESH:
Training Programme for ISP, Telecoms Engineers
In a bid to provide training facilities
for the engineers working in the ISP (internet service provider) and
telecommunication sectors in IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6), ISP
Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB) organised a five-day training programme
that ended in Dhaka on Thursday. Commissioner of Bangladesh
Telecommunication Regulatory Commission Md Abdus Salam presided over the
opening ceremony of the programme, which was participated by around 50
engineers from home and abroad, says a press release. MA Salam, president
of the ISPAB, and Ashish Shah of South Asia UTStar Com, which was the
platinum sponsor of the programme, were present among others.
From http://www.thedailystar.net/
04/17/2007
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INDIA:
Step Up Surveillance to Prevent Bird Flu Outbreak
New Delhi, Apr 11: India has stepped up
surveillance activities and border states alerted to take precautionary
measures in view of the incidents of bird flu outbreak in Myanmar,
Bangladesh and Pakistan, Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said today. Dr
Ramadoss told reporters here that the Ministries of Enviornment,Agriculture
and Health are working in tandem to check any outbreak of the infectious
disease in the country. Surveillance has been strengthened and besides
checking poultry for any infections, people admitted to hospitals with
pneumonia are also being tested for bird flu, he said. Pointing out that no
case of bird flu among humans have been reported from any neighbouring
countries, Dr Ramadoss said that only advice regarding import of birds have
been issued but no travel advisory to humans till now was required. He said
once the bird flu outbreak in Myanmar and Thailand came to light, and after
it was reported in Pakistan, the border districts in North East, and border
along Punjab, Gujarat and Rajasthan have been put on alert. The concerned
state governments have been aksed to take specific action.
From http://www.newkerala.com/
04/11/2007
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Free
Computer Training for Chhattisgarh Teachers
Raipur, April 20 : Thousands of primary
school teachers in Chhattisgarh will become computer savvy with the
government and Intel Corp signing a pact to provide computer training to
them. "We want teachers to be computer savvy and updated on all the
latest in IT so that they can pass on the knowledge to the 3.4 million
students in primary schools," Education Minister Medharam Sahu told
IANS. The state has 31,086 primary schools, including 9,263 located in
backward areas dominated by tribal population, "The government has
signed a MoU with Intel to impart free training to primary school
teachers," Sahu said. "Computer trained teachers will bring a
revolution in the state." Intel will train teachers under its 'World
Ahead Programme'. The teachers will also attend workshops and seminars.
Sahu said: "For a poverty-hit state like Chhattisgarh where school
dropout rates are always of major concern, computer-trained teachers will
help inspire the students to attend classes regularly."
From http://www.newkerala.com/
04/20/2007
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Green
Delhi: Earth Charter Launched in City Schools
New Delhi, Apr 20: 'Catch them young' is
what the Delhi Government is doing as it launched today the 'Earth Charter'
for Eco-clubs in city schools, to sensitise children on environmental
issues and inculcate in them a love for nature. Chief Minister Sheila
Dikshit, while launching the Charter as part of Earth Day celebrations,
exhorted school children to take care of Mother Earth and reminded them
about the dangers of global warming. She said the Charter is a people's
treaty, that provides a new framework for addressing the issues of
environmental protection, human rights, equitable human development and
peace. Calling upon the youth to inculcate the habit of conservation of
natural resources, she hoped the inclusion of the Earth Charter in
educational system will add an important dimension towards sustainability.
She also announced that one million saplings will be planted by 2010 in
Delhi and called upon city schools to become nature's park. The Earth
Charter is an integrated ethical framework to guide towards globalisation
and sustainable living. It disseminates values and principles for a
sustainable future. The preparation of the first draft of the Earth Charter
began during the Rio-Earth summit in 1992. Earth Charter Commission was
formed in 1997 to oversee the project. Thousands of individuals and
organisations from different regions, apart from many world leaders,
experts and representatives from grassroot communities have given the shape
to the charter. Development Alternatives has been designated as India
Affiliate by the Earth Charter Commission.
From http://www.newkerala.com/
04/20/2007
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India'
First Automated Multi-level Car Park Inaugurated in Kolkata
Kolkata, Apr 20: West Bengal Chief
Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee inaugurated the country's first automated
multi-level car parking system here today. Speaking on the occasion, the
Chief Minister said the new system, set up by the Simplex group, would accommodate
280 cars on Build-own-operate and Transfer (BOOT) basis for a period of 20
years at New Market. Senior vice-president (Finance and Accounts) K Mishra
said the company would bring four prototype models from the Korean firm.
''Once the technology transfer is over, we will start manufacturing the
entire system in Kolkata. '' Yesterday, Simplex signed a technology
transfer agreement with EWW, a Dutch company, for a fully automated car
parking system. It will sign another agreement with the Korean company for
the technology transfer of the semi-automated parking system. The company
was working with the Delhi Municipality Corp as a consultant for
development of 11 car-parking zones. Simplex will develop another three
zones itself.
From http://www.newkerala.com/
04/20/2007
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Edusat
Scheme for Schools in Tribal Madhya Pradesh
Bhopal, April 21 : The Madhya Pradesh
government is planning to launch the Edusat scheme to improve quality of
instruction and capacity building in schools in the state's tribal
districts. The state tribal welfare department plans to introduce the
central government scheme in 50 schools of 19 tribal districts in
establishing teaching aid and 50 satellite interactive terminals (SIT) in
the state on a budget of Rs. 16 million, officials said. Edusat is the
first Indian satellite designed and developed exclusively for serving the
educational sector. Established by Indian Space Research Organisation
(ISRO), it provides virtual classroom through satellite linkage.
"Edusat would be utilised by tribal welfare, higher education and
state education centre jointly," Edusat co-ordinator Pratibha
Rajgopalan said here Friday. The SIT terminals, Rajgopalan said, would
facilitate transmission of audio visual from both the ends and students
would be able to get quality education by subject specialists. Also,
training could be imparted to the teachers through this advance system.
"It would help to spread quality education to schools in rural areas
and reduce the dearth of good teachers," School Education Minister
Narottam Mishra said Friday.
"However, the objective is not only
to make up for the dearth of good teachers but also to develop excellence,
capacity building and an academic atmosphere throughout the state," he
added. Necessary equipment to establish SIT would be brought from Bangalore
and Rs.20,000 for each terminal has been allocated to the district
collectors," said J.J. Prabhakar, the deputy commissioner of education
training, tribal development department. Besides, from July, the state
government plans to reach out to the students in rural areas through the
Information Technology Enabled Learning Laboratory (ITELL), which will make
use of Edusat. "The ITELL scheme costing Rs.50 million has been
approved by the state planning board and a provision of Rs.10 million is
being made in the state budget for the 2007-08 fiscal," said an
official source. The scheme envisages providing an Internet and a dish TV
connection in selected high and higher secondary schools in rural areas.
These would be connected to the Edusat facility at the Madhya Pradesh Bhoj
(Open) University. A complete set-up at each school, costing Rs.600,000
each, will entail a big room, five computers, a dish TV and also a
generator to meet power requirements, the source added.
From http://www.newkerala.com/
04/21/2007
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Regulatory
Mechanism for Protection of Wetlands Soon
New Delhi, Apr 21: The government is
preparing a regulatory framework for wetlands which have in recent decades
sufferred massive degradation.The need for a legal framework to protect and
conserve the wetlands was being felt for a long time. So far, nine meetings
to discuss the regulatory frameworks have been held in the Ministry of
Environment and Forests to prepare a draft notification, which was now
being given final shape.The regulatory mechanisms would work at the
Central, state and local level, the Ministry said.The government has
identified 94 wetlands for conservation, as recommended by the National
Committee on Wetlands.Wetlands are the transitional zones between aquatic
and dry terrestrial ecosystems. India has a wide variety of wetlands like
marshes, open water bodies, mangroves, swamps and and salt marshes
etc.Wetlands are essential for environmental balance. They help to retain
water during dry season, thus helping in maintaining the water table.
During floods, they act to reduce flood levels and to trap suspended solids
and nutrients to the lakes. The wetalnds have suferred alarming decline because
of the rapidly expanding human population, large scale changes in land use
and land cover and implementation of development projects. An scheme on
conservation and management of wetlands was initiated in 1987.A Research
sub-committee on wetlands has also been constituted to identify more
wetlands of national importance and to supplement management action plan
for intensive conservation.Guidelines for the preparation of comprehensive
management action plans for identified wetlands have been formulated for
the use of user agencies.
From http://www.newkerala.com/
04/21/2007
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AFGHANISTAN:
Forums Aim to Set Priorities for Development
The Afghan-American Chamber of Commerce
announced it will organize two U.S. forums to prioritize and emphasize
Afghanistan's developmental needs, the Bakhtar News Agency reported on
April 1. The first forum, "Reassessing Priorities for U.S. Funding in
Afghanistan," is scheduled for April 14 in Washington and will be
attended by key U.S. policymakers, members of the Bush administration, and
business-community representatives. The second forum will focus on
"security and economic development" and will be held in May. Atiq
Panjshiri, president and CEO of the chamber, indicated recently that the
forums are needed because much of the U.S. funding for Afghanistan is being
spent on "security issues, while development comes second in the list
of priorities." CJ
From http://www.rferl.org/ 04/02/2007
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Afghan
National Police to Receive New Training
German authorities will provide new
training to members of the Afghan National Police in northern Afghanistan,
Pajhwak Afghan News reported on April 1. Police officers will be shown how
to handle citizen complaints and will learn techniques to use while
searching houses and vehicles, as well as other policing methods. One
German police expert, speaking at a news conference in Mazar-e Sharif on
April 1, indicated that about 30 German police trainers will be involved.
German officials trained approximately 1,500 Afghan police personnel last
year in northern Afghanistan, Pajhwak reported. CJ
From http://www.rferl.org/ 04/03/2007
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IRAN:
Interior Ministry Plans Electoral Reforms
Iranian Interior Minister Mostafa
Purmohammadi told reporters in Tehran on April 18 that the ministry is
drafting amendments to the country's electoral laws that will be presented
to the cabinet and then parliament for ratification, ISNA reported. Two of
the issues the ministry's proposed amendments will try and regulate, he
said, are the timing of resignation of officials who wish to run for
elected offices and the present use of election posters, which some in Iran
have said is excessive and disorderly. At present, officials must resign
six months before the formal registration date for candidates, but
Purmohammadi said the ministry has proposed to shorten this period. The
current resignation deadline creates a lengthy "electoral"
atmosphere that the minister says is bad for the country. He said
amendments will also seek to regulate the proliferation of election
posters, which often become rubbish on the street within days.
"Elections need publicity and presentation," not just posters, he
said, although he added that posters will not be banned. VS
From http://www.rferl.org/ 04/20/2007
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KAZAKHSTAN:
WTO Accession Discussed in the Government
Meeting on Kazakhstan World Trade
Organization (WTO) accession passed in the government yesterday, reported
RK Prime-Minister press-service. According to the press-service, "in
particular, questions of systematic character tightened with external trade
legislation and law enforcement practice in Kazakhstan adjustment to WTO
norms were discussed". On the meeting results Prime-Minister Karim
Massimov ordered to all branch ministries and departments examine all questionable
positions during Kazakhstan WTO accession process. This information may not
be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today
From http://eng.gazeta.kz/ 04/11/2007
TOP↑
Administrative
Reform Concept Will Be Presented to the President in 2008
Administrative reform concept will be
presented to the President in 2008, informed vice Prime-Minister, Economy
and Budgetary Planning Minister Aslan Musin taking a floor today on the
governmental hour, reports KZ-today correspondent. "We have to deliver
the final draft for the President signature in the beginning of 2008",
- said Musin. Vice Prime-Minister underlined that by now the detailed
discussion of the concept with all interested parties takes place to reach
"common understanding" of forthcoming reform. Before signature
state management system, according to his words, will be corrected,
separate elements of forthcoming administrative reform will be implemented
for which purpose 3 pilot ministries are already defined. This information
may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today
From http://eng.gazeta.kz/ 04/16/2007
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UZBEKISTAN:
Draft Customs Code to Be Discussed at Roundtable
A roundtable in Tashkent will discuss
draft Customs Code in new edition at Dedeman Silk Road Tashkent on 19
April. The roundtable will be attended by representatives of the Uzbek
government, businesses and scientists. The organizers of the event are State
Customs Committee of Uzbekistan and UNDP Project "Improvement of
customs administration system in Uzbekistan". The roundtable aimed at
continuation of dialogue among state bodies, responsible for development of
new code, and private businesses, attraction of businesses and other
interested sides in consideration and discussion of new Customs Code, as
well as develop opinions and recommendations to improvement of the bill.
From http://business.uzreport.com/
04/17/2007
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AUSTRALIA:
Grants to Help Young Innovators
Young Australians with innovative ideas to
improve the competitiveness of our rural industries are invited to apply
for grants of up to $10,000 to help develop them. Minister for Agriculture,
Fisheries and Forestry, Peter McGauran, said a national awards programme –
the Science and Innovation Awards for Young People in Agriculture,
Fisheries and Forestry – provided grants for scientific research and work
to develop better on-farm technology and practices. “The awards are open to
people aged 18 to 35 who have ideas for projects that will deliver
long-term benefits to our agriculture, fisheries, forestry, food and
natural resource management industries,” Mr McGauran said. “This year,
there are 18 awards on offer – 10 that are industry-based, as well as one from
each State and Territory. “The awards not only help kick-start the careers
of talented young Australians, but deliver long-term benefits to our
farmers and rural communities." Previous Science and Innovation Award
projects include research into: using everyday cattleyard equipment to
remotely track and monitor individual cattle performance, for more
efficient stock management; testing aerial photography as an alternative
way to estimate timber volume in commercial forest plantations; developing
a measuring technique for selective harvesting of premium mud crabs;
investigating a monitoring system to identify the individual eating
patterns of feedlot cattle to identify ‘shy feeders’. The awards are
sponsored by the Government and rural Research and Development Corporations
(RDCs) including Australian Pork Ltd, Cotton RDC, Fisheries RDC, Forest
& Wood Products RDC, Grains RDC, Grape & Wine RDC, Land & Water
Australia, Meat and Livestock Australia, the Rural Industries RDC and Sugar
RDC. The Bureau of Rural Sciences, part of the Government’s Department of
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, coordinates the awards.
From http://www.maff.gov.au/ 03/29/2007
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New Food
Logo to Benefit Tasmanian Growers
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and
Forestry, Peter McGauran, has today told Tasmanian horticulturalists of the
great benefits the proposed ‘Australian Grown’ logo will provide to
Australian farmers. Mr McGauran, who was in Forth, Tasmania, to meet with
local industry groups, said the new logo was a major breakthrough for both
farmers and consumers. “Tasmanian vegetable growers, such as carrot, pea
and broccoli producers, have much to gain from clearer food labelling,” Mr
McGauran said. “Consumers are keen to support Australian farmers and will
find it easier to do so if, at a glance, they can quickly establish which
packaged food product on the supermarket shelf has been grown in Australia.
“Currently, consumers often cannot clearly tell from labels whether the
product they are buying really is grown in Australia, as existing labelling
laws include the packaging itself as part of the product. “Under the
proposed new rules, the logo and the words ‘Australian Grown’ could be used
on products where all of the ingredients are grown in Australia and
virtually all of the cost of production is incurred in Australia.” The
proposal has been submitted to the Australian Competition and Consumer
Commission for final approval, with a decision expected by the middle of
the year. Meanwhile, Mr McGauran reassured Tasmanian apple growers that the
proposed inspection procedures for imported New Zealand apples would be the
most rigorous anywhere in the world. “What’s proposed for New Zealand
amounts to an unprecedented level of Australian Quarantine and Inspection
Service offshore inspection,” he said. “New Zealand would have to prove to
us that its proposed inspection system was of the most stringent order
before trade would start”
From http://www.maff.gov.au/ 04/02/2007
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Media
Reform–Moving into the Digital Age
The commencement of media ownership laws
today marks an historic day for Australia’s media industry the Minister for
Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Helen Coonan
said today. “Consumers will be the big winners from the reforms. For twenty
years Australia has had a set of media control rules which amount to a
major restriction on how media markets and companies operate. Now, with the
lifting of those restrictions, existing companies will be able to invest,
and new players will be free to enter the media marketplace,” Senator
Coonan said. “However, the Government is mindful of the need to protect
diversity in media, and for the sector to operate competitively, and in the
national interest. Accordingly, numerous safeguards are built into these
reforms. “A ‘5/4’ floor will be placed under the number of mergers that
could take place and this will be policed by ACMA. This means six voices
for Sydney and Melbourne, five for other capitals and four for regional
markets. And no more than two of the three regulated platforms (that is,
commercial radio, commercial television and Associated Newspapers) can be
controlled by the same person or organisation in any one licence area.
“Localism and diversity will also be maintained, particularly in respect of
rural and regional Australia. Just last week, ACMA imposed a licence
condition requiring regional radio broadcasters to maintain their staffing
levels and studio numbers in licence areas following a trigger event. This
condition will ensure that regional radio stations will continue to have a
presence in their local communities following any changes in ownership.”
Senator Coonan said the ACCC would play a critical role in assessing
competition issues associated with mergers, including in regional areas
where media markets operate on lower revenue and higher costs.
“Importantly this new regulatory framework
also recognises the significance of new digital media. The old regulatory
framework based around radio, television and newspapers had become outdated
and ineffective.” “The media reform package also underpins Australia’s
conversion to digital broadcasting. Last year, I launched an action plan
for Australia’s conversion to digital television. “A key step in this plan
is the establishment of Digital Australia, a dedicated switchover body
within my Department to coordinate and oversee Australia’s transition to
digital television. It will be located in Sydney and its establishment is
well underway. “Today I am also announcing membership of the Industry
Advisory Group which is being established to work with Digital Australia.
“I have received nominations from industry for this group and membership
details are attached. I also intend to appoint an appropriate person or
organisation to the group to represent the interests of consumers,” Senator
Coonan said. The Industry Advisory Group will meet regularly to consider
matters referred to it by Digital Australia, or issues which its members
may identify as requiring consideration. The group is expected to provide
advice on issues of concern to industry and strategies for meeting the
switchover timetable, including ways to coordinate information campaigns
for consumers. “As part of the media reform proposals, I also announced in
2006 that two currently unassigned channels of television broadcasting
spectrum would be allocated to provide new digital services for Australian
consumers,” Senator Coonan said. “The allocation of the channels will be
conducted ACMA later this year, and I hope that new services will be
available by 2008.
From http://www.minister.dcita.gov.au/
04/04/2007
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A
Bushfire Management Strategy for the 21st Century
State based land management agencies need
to adopt a new land management approach if we are to avoid increasing
numbers of ‘mega fires’ over coming bushfire seasons. Speaking at Timber
Towns Victoria Annual General Meeting in Melbourne today, Federal Minister
for Forestry and Conservation, Senator Eric Abetz, said that the ‘lock-up
and forget’ land management approach of the 1980s and 1990s had been shown
to be a complete failure. “We need to abandon the now discredited ‘lock up
and forget’ approach of the 1980s and 1990s, which has only resulted in an
increasing frequency of mega-fires,” the Minister said. “In addition to the
devastating social and economic damage caused by recent mega fires, such as
the 2002/03 and 2006/07 Victorian mega fires, this strategy has had the
perverse environmental outcome of destroying forests and their ecosystems,
rather than conserving them as their proponents claimed they would. “For
example, as a result of these mega fires some of the magnificent Alpine Ash
forests of the Victorian Alps have been destroyed forever, and three
endangered Victorian species – the Spotted Tree Frog, the Long-footed
Potoroo and the Pygmy Possum have all been pushed closer to extinction by
this summer’s fires.” The Minister highlighted the fact that prescribed
burning has fallen and/or not reached targets over recent years as evidence
of the fact that the ‘lock-up and forget’ mentality was still dominant. “In
NSW, prescribed burning in National Parks has fallen by one third over the
past four years, while in Victoria last year only a little over a third of
the prescribed burning target was reached. “Rural communities don’t want
excuses, they want to know that State Governments and their various
departments and agencies have taken all humanly available action to try and
prevent mega fires taking place.”
From http://www.mffc.gov.au/ 04/13/2007
TOP↑
Telecommunications
Safeguards: Pointing You in the Right Direction
The Minister for Communications,
Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Helen Coonan, today launched
the regional telecommunications campaign: Your telecommunications
safeguards: pointing you in the right direction. "Telecommunication
services are essential for all individuals and businesses so it is
important that they understand their rights and how to exercise them,"
Senator Helen Coonan said. The campaign will consist of targeted television
and radio advertisements, alerting people living in rural and regional
Australia to the publication and distribution of a guide which provides
details of how the Australian Government protects everyone’s right to
essential telecommunications services. "More than 3 million residents
across regional Australia will receive the guide over the following months.
The guide explains what to do if you have a problem and also the safeguards
for consumers which include: A guarantee that all Australians are entitled
to reasonable access to basic fixed phone services and to payphones. fixed
timeframes for fixing phones and meeting appointment times. If these are
not met, you may be entitled to compensation. faster phone connections for
consumers certain medical conditions. untimed local calls in most
circumstances and capped local call prices for fixed phones. A dedicated
Ombudsman to handle complaints about telecommunications. "The Australian
Government is committed to consumer safeguards which deliver basic, vital
telecommunications services to Australians, regardless of where they
live," Senator Helen Coonan said. "We are also committed to
investing in infrastructure so that all Australians have access to world
class telecommunications services at a price point they can afford.
"The Government, through the $1.1 billion Connect Australia package
and the $162.5 million Australian Broadband Guarantee will improve existing
infrastructure to enhance all telecommunication services to regional, rural
and remote Australia. "This investment will deliver more affordable
and available broadband services, improved access to mobile phone services,
the connection of schools, hospitals and universities to high speed
networks, and the extension of vital telecommunications services to remote
Indigenous communities."
From http://www.minister.dcita.gov.au/
04/15/2007
TOP↑
$12.3
Million for First Solar City in Central Australia
The Australian Government will provide
more than $12 million in funding to support the first SolarCity in central
Australia, the Minister for Environment Malcolm Turnbull, and the Minister
for Industry Ian Macfarlane, announced today. International tourists and
residents flying into Alice Springs will soon see two solar dishes at the
Airport where solar energy concentrator dishes will be installed in up to
four locations to harness sunlight for energy needs. “I congratulate the
Alice Springs community for embracing the Solar Cities concept. The Alice
Springs Solar City project joins Adelaide, Townsville and Blacktown as the
first four Australian Solar Cities,” Mr Turnbull said. “Together these
Solar Cities will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 76,000 tonnes each
year. These Solar Cities will install over 3,200 solar photovoltaic panels
on private and public housing and other buildings, conduct almost 7,000
energy efficiency consultations and assist more than 250,000 residents and
businesses to learn how to reduce their energy use and save money.” Mr
Turnbull said the Alice Springs Solar City will install solar photovoltaic
panels on 230 homes and businesses, 1000 solar hot water systems, roll-out
400 smart meters and provide solar installations to generate heat and power
for the Alice Springs Airport, the Araluen Arts Precinct, the Town Pool and
the Ilparpa Sewerage Treatment facility. “Alice Springs has the ingredients
for a successful Solar City - the highest concentration of sun in
Australia, an international tourist hub with a rich natural and cultural
heritage, and a committed and enthusiastic consortium willing to put the
project into action,” Mr Turnbull said.
“Alice Springs is a town that has embraced
solar energy technology; half of its households already use solar hot water
systems, and this support is expected to deliver annual savings of around
10,500kWh in electricity demand and 12,000 tonnes in greenhouse gas
emissions.” Mr Macfarlane said the Alice Springs – Australia’s Solar Centre
Consortium, will receive $12.3 million in Australian Government funding to
help change the way individuals, communities, businesses and governments
think about and use energy. The consortium, consisting of the Alice Springs
Town Council, Northern Territory Government, Northern Territory Power and
Water Corporation, the Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre, Arid
Lands Environment Centre, Tangentyere Council and the Northern Territory
Chamber of Commerce will contribute an additional $17 million to the
project. Mr Macfarlane said the Alice Springs Solar City project will boost
many local industries, not only through the supply of products to
consumers, but through energy efficiency and smart metering. “Solar Cities
is an innovative way to bring together solar technologies, energy
efficiency, smart metering and better electricity pricing to create more
energy sustainable communities," Mr Macfarlane said. "The level
of interest shown in Solar Cities highlights that business and the broader
community are keen to examine all options to determine the best energy mix
for the future." The Alice Springs Solar City will receive funding
through the Australian Government’s $75 million Solar Cities initiative and
the Renewable Remote Power Generation Programme. The Australian Government’s
$328.5 million Renewable Remote Power Generation Programme aims to increase
the uptake of renewable energy technologies in remote areas of Australia
that presently rely on fossil fuel for electricity generation. Both
programmes are part of the Australian Government’s climate change strategy
that has committed more than $2 billion to develop clean, low emission
technologies; build an effective global response to the issue; increase
understanding of climate change science; and help communities adapt to the
impact of climate change.
From http://www.environment.gov.au/
04/16/2007
TOP↑
Australian
Government's Job Seeker Account - Getting People off Welfare and into Work
The Minister for Workforce Participation,
Dr Sharman Stone, today welcomed the recommendations of the Australian
National Audit Office (ANAO) report into the administration of the
Australian Government’s Job Seeker Account. “The report, released today,
confirms as sound the overall approach taken by the Department of
Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) in administering the Job Seeker
Account,” Minister Stone said. “The Report also recognises the considerable
priority that DEWR gives to monitoring usage of the Job Seeker Account, the
structured approach it has to risk management and to providing guidance to
Job Network Members in the use of Job Seeker Account. “The Job Seeker
Account continues to be an integral part of Job Network’s record success in
helping job seekers into sustainable work.” The Job Seeker Account is a
quarantined pool of funds that can be used by Job Network members to help
job seekers gain employment. It focuses on getting the most disadvantaged
job seekers into work. Job Network Members are reimbursed by DEWR for goods
and services purchased for individual job seekers to help them secure or
maintain employment. In the 12 months to end February 2007, a total of over
650,900 job placements were recorded. Moreover, more than 182,800 long-term
jobs were achieved for disadvantaged job seekers and those unemployed more
than three months.
“The Job Seeker Account is a vital tool
for Job Network members, with 73% of job seekers assisted by the Job Seeker
Account in the twelve months to December 2006 being placed into sustainable
jobs,” Minister Stone said. The flexibility of the Job Seeker Account gives
Job Network Members the ability to individually tailor assistance to job
seekers – such as assistance with transport, wage subsidies, training or
equipment – to successfully assist the job seeker into work. With the
seasonally adjusted unemployment rate at 4.5 % in March - its equal lowest
level since May 1976 – it is clear the Australian Government’s employment
policies are getting people off welfare and into work. “While the Job
Network meets with world’s best practice in employment services, we are
always willing to examine new ways to improve what is already an extremely
efficient and effective system,” Minister Stone said.
From http://mediacentre.dewr.gov.au/
04/17/2007
TOP↑
Landcare
Projects Leading the Way in Northern Rivers
An innovative recycling system that saves
11,000 litres of water a day for a northern NSW dairy farm shows the huge
benefits of landcare projects, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister
for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Sussan Ley says. Ms Ley
participating in the tenth annual Pollie Pedal to raise funds for breast
cancer research took the opportunity today to inspect projects around
Grafton funded through the Australian Government’s National Landcare
Programme and Natural Heritage Trust Envirofund. “Landcare projects like
these in the Northern Rivers region are helping Australian farms be more
productive, more profitable and more sustainable by improving the condition
of soil, water and vegetation,” she said. One programme at the Weatherstone
family’s Orana Park dairy involves an effluent management system that
contains and recycles all effluent and nutrients generated by the farm. The
waste is spread over 12 hectares of fodder crops, cutting the farm’s water
use by 11,000 litres a day, improving soil health and minimising the use of
chemicals. Ms Ley also visited Pauline and Vincent Wallace’s property
Boonooloo – part of an Envirofund supported project in the district that
has helped stabilise riverbanks, protect vegetation and plant thousands of
native trees, shrubs and grasses. Ms Ley paid tribute to the 130,000
landcarers in 4,000 groups around Australia who are improving their
environments. “It’s the members of these groups who are doing the hard
yakka – they are out there weeding and planting and making a difference on
the ground,” she said. “The Landcare movement is not only changing the
Australian landscape, but may also be a vital factor in helping our agriculture
industries and our environment survive climatic changes.” Both projects
near Grafton were developed through the local Waterlands Landcare Group.
Envirofund has committed around $7 million to more than 500 projects in the
Northern Rivers region since 2002. Howard Government support for Landcare
nationally will top $700 million by mid-2008.
From http://www.psmaff.gov.au/
04/17/2006
TOP↑
New
Project to Save Two Billion Litres of Wa Water Annually
The Australian Government will contribute
more than $6 million to a $48 million innovative urban development design
in Western Australia to save up to two billion litres of water each year.
Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Malcolm Turnbull today
announced the Brookdale Water Cycle project in Western Australia would
receive $6.19 million from the Australian Government Water Fund. “Many
urban communities are feeling the effects of low rainfall and are looking
for ways to be more sustainable and self-sufficient,” Mr Turnbull said.
“This project is an excellent example of water sensitive urban design that
will contribute to improved water management and reduce reliance on
drinking water supplies.” “I am very pleased to announce this funding for
Western Australia. It brings total investment for Western Australia under
the Water Smart Australia component of the Australian Government Water Fund
to more than $37 million, for projects valued at more than $113 million.”
Australian Government funding, to be matched by the Western Australian
Government, will assist the Armadale Redevelopment Authority put in place
stormwater capture, filtering and groundwater recharge, extraction and
monitoring components of the development. Water will be extracted from the
groundwater for non-potable residential and community uses through the
establishment of community bores. “The water cycle will be closely
monitored to ensure it is efficient and sustainable,” Mr Turnbull said.
“The use of groundwater for purposes other than drinking will substitute up
to 2 billion litres per year of drinking water from Perth’s water supply,
and the project will also replenish the groundwater which forms part of
Perth’s drinking water system.” Today’s announcement follows the Australian
Government’s commitment to contribute $15.75 million to the Beenyup Reverse
Osmosis Groundwater Replenishment Project and almost $15 million to
accelerate water planning in four priority water systems – the Pilbara,
Gnangara Mound, south west Western Australia and the Collie Catchment. This
announcement means the Australian Government has committed more than $50
million under the Australian Government Water Fund to projects in Western
Australia valued at almost $143 million. In addition to more than $37
million under the Water Smart Australia Programme, $12.5 million has been
committed by the Australian Government under the Community Water Grants
Programme and $165,000 under the Raising National Water Standards
Programme.
From http://www.environment.gov.au/
04/18/2007
TOP↑
NEW
ZEALAND: Stronger Fire and Rescue Services for NZ
A new way to manage fire risk and
strengthen rescue services in New Zealand is outlined in a public
discussion document released today by Internal Affairs Minister Rick
Barker. “Under the proposals there will be a new national fire and rescue
service, based on delivery of services by local brigades with strong
central support,” Rick Barker said. “The new national fire and rescue
service would have a pivotal leadership role. Around eighty-six management
systems are currently in place for fire services and the proposed new
structure will ensure resources are allocated more efficiency. “A key
strength of our fire service is that it is highly responsive to community
needs. The proposed ‘local delivery-central support’ structure builds on
this strength by ensuring local communities remain engaged in their own
protection. “The proposed structure provides a great opportunity for fire
and rescue services to work with local Civil Defence and Emergency
Management groups to both improve readiness and help recover from
emergencies. “Rural fire authorities would continue to look after some
important aspects of fire risk management but could opt to transfer
responsibilities to the new service. The Department of Conservation and the
New Zealand Defence Force would continue to manage fire risk in
conservation and defence areas. Forest owners current arrangements are
largely unaffected, as they wished.
“A new funding system is also proposed to
ensure the national service is supported from a fair and sustainable base.
“At the moment our fire and rescue services are funded through fire-insured
property. This fails to reflect the mandate of today’s fire services, which
includes attendance at floods, hazardous substance incidents and car
crashes. “Under the proposals contributions would come from an expanded
base of insured property and from a larger pool of motor vehicles. “The
proposals represent a new way forward that will meet New Zealand’s needs
for the next 30 years and beyond,” said Rick Barker. Main benefits of the
proposal would be: A stronger national organisation to lead regional
planning and coordinate fire services, developing minimum national
standards for all providers A wide mandate for rescue and legal protection
for fire and rescue workers Standardised brigade system and support for all
volunteers Flow on benefits to civil defence emergency management More
equitable funding system
From http://www.beehive.govt.nz/
04/17/2007
TOP↑
Launch
of Licence Card Next Step in Building Sector Reform
Building and Construction Minister Clayton
Cosgrove today released the Licence Card that will be issued to Licensed
Building Practitioners from November this year, an important next step in
the reform of the building and construction sector. "Builders are practical,
down-to-earth people, and after all of the months of consultation with the
industry about how the licensing regime will work, the release of the
Licence Card is another tangible step showing that licensing is actually on
the way," Mr Cosgrove said. Addressing the Registered Master Builders
Federation Annual Conference in New Plymouth, Mr Cosgrove told delegates
that the voluntary phase for licensing for designers, site leads and
carpenters will start from November this year, with other trades to follow,
and licensing becoming compulsory after that. "Licensing will lift
skills and professionalism, and enhance accountability in the industry, and
raise consumer protection, while at the same time, protect every Kiwi's
do-it-yourself (DIY) right to have a go. As a first step, it is intended to
help ensure that people doing core work in the building sector are
competent. That is our bottom line," Mr Cosgrove said.
"In the longer term, it will raise
skill levels across the sector. It will promote, recognise and support
professional skills. Over time, we will see increased emphasis on education
and training, along with better career pathways. I envisage that in years
to come, once the licensing system is up and running, eventually new
entrants to licensing may be required to have completed apprenticeships or
trade training." "Licence holders will quickly gain a marketing
advantage in terms of enhanced credibility with customers, clients or
employers. It would be a brave person indeed who would undervalue the
credibility and professional standing that will come with being a licensed
builder." Mr Cosgrove also reminded builders of the government's
position on do-it-yourself builders. "Let me make our position crystal
clear; we have absolutely no intention of undermining the Kiwi DIY
tradition of having a go. I have given the public a commitment that DIY
will be protected, and I will honour that commitment." Mr Cosgrove
said the licensing regime is part of the Government's suite of reforms to
transform the building sector. Other reforms include the top-to-bottom
review of the Building Code, accreditation and registration of Building
Consent Authorities, the revamp of the Weathertight Homes Resolution
Service, the introduction of a financial assistance pilot for eligible
owners of leaky homes, a voluntary product certification scheme, energy
efficiency proposals for homes and workplaces, and investigating a home
warranty insurance scheme.
From http://www.beehive.govt.nz/
04/19/2007
TOP↑
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APEC
Economies to Reduce Aviation Greenhouse Emissions
Chair of the APEC Transport Ministers
meeting and Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, Mark Vaile announced today
that the 21 APEC economies, which represent more than a third of the
world's population, have agreed to work cooperatively on practical measures
to reduce aviation greenhouse gas emissions. Mr. Vaile said, in summing up
the outcomes of the conference, that he was delighted that the APEC
economies have taken this important step in combating the effects of
greenhouse gas emissions on climate change.” The commitment today from the
APEC economies, is a major step forward in adopting a global approach to
climate change and Australia will do all it can to help support practical
and realistic initiatives that meet the environmental challenges of the
future.” Yesterday Australia announced a range of measures to reduce
aviation greenhouse emissions including improving fuel efficiency through
more flexible flight tracks, improving aircraft air traffic control
sequencing to reduce fuel burn/emissions, more efficient runway use and
continuous descent approaches which minimise speed changes. "These
measures will reduce aviation greenhouse gas emissions by hundreds of
thousands of tonnes," Mr. Vaile said.
BIOFUELS
The 21 APEC economies also agreed to continue to actively work at
increasing the take up of biofuels as a means of dealing with emissions in
their land transport industries and agreed on further work to progress this
initiative.
TRANSPORT SECURITY
On transport security, the APEC Ministers agreed on a range of specific
commitments to strengthen transport security across the Asia-Pacific
region. Ministers noted the particular challenges for commerce and
passengers of the new restrictions on liquids, aerosols and gels (LAGS) in
airline passengers' carry-on baggage. The meeting agreed that economies
would work together to harmonise security arrangements, including the LAGS
measures, to balance effective security with efficient commerce and trade.
ROAD SAFETY
There was unanimous agreement to the development of proactive road safety
strategies in all APEC member economies. Ministers agreed to set targets
for casualty reductions and to report regularly to APEC on progress. The
meeting noted that APEC low and middle income economies bear a large
portion of the world-wide 1.2 million road deaths each year. Ministers
agreed on the common features of the strategies - ensuring that they are
comprehensive and effective.
TRADE LIBERALISATION
Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to trade liberalisation with a strong
focus on facilitation, recognising the importance of transport to free
trade. The meeting also reaffirmed that transport is essential to efficient
trade and regional integration. The Transportation Ministers meeting - held
in Adelaide 28-30 March - was attended by 250 Ministers and delegates from
all 21 APEC member economies. The meeting was characterised by active and
open discussion and a strong spirit of cooperation reflected in a shared
approach to the major transport issues common to many economies. The
meeting agreed to a detailed Ministerial statement which sets out a plan of
action against the three themes of the meeting - transport's role in trade
liberalisation and facilitation, transport safety, and transport security.
(By Adelaide)
From http://www.apecsec.org.sg/
03/30/2007
TOP↑
ITU
Forum Tackles Challenge of Low-Cost Telecom Access
Geneva, 2 April 2007 —
Telecommunication/ICT Industry and Government experts are meeting in New
Delhi 3-5 April at a Regional Forum on promoting low-cost
telecommunication/ICT access in the Asian and Pacific region. The Forum is
being co-organized by ITU and the Cellular Operators Association of India
(COAI), an ITU Sector Member, under the aegis and support of the Department
of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Communications & Information
Technology, India. The Chairman of the Forum, Mr D. S. Mathur, Secretary,
Ministry of Communication and Information Technology of India, which is
hosting the meeting, will deliver the inaugural address along with a
keynote speech by Mr Nirpendra Misra, Chairman of the Telecommunication
Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). It is expected that around 200
participants from across the Asia-Pacific region will participate in the
Forum. "This is an excellent opportunity to pull together our
collective minds and resources to address the critical issues of low-cost
connectivity in order to make the benefits of telecommunication and ICT
available to everyone. We are grateful to the Government of India for
hosting this important meeting and to COAI as co-organizer" said Mr
Sami Al-Basheer, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau.
Participants will consider innovative
solutions for expanding access to telecommunication services, including
low-cost handsets, shared infrastructure, wireless broadband and mobile
communications for rural connectivity. The meeting will examine how
countries can more effectively support the migration from legacy
telecommunication networks to next-generation broadband networks to expand
connectivity, including in rural and remote areas. It is intended to drive
growth and innovation in emerging applications for businesses and
consumers, as well as for services, such as e-learning, e-health and
e-government. The Forum will explore how telecommunications can best be
leveraged to improve disaster prevention and mitigation and will also examine
health concerns related to electromagnetic radiation emanating from mobile
phones and other devices."We are very pleased to co-organize this
event with ITU," said Mr T. V. Ramachandran, Chairman of the Regional
Working Group and Director-General, Cellular Operators Association of
India. "We believe the private sector can play a major role in helping
connect the unconnected, in collaboration with governments and other
stakeholders, by applying innovative solutions and business models. The
powerful combination of wireless connectivity and next-generation networks
holds enormous promise for the future." Mr Mathur remarked that the
role of ICT cannot be over-emphasized. He praised ITU for taking various
initiatives towards bridging the digital divide, and added that
telecommunications is the "nervous system" of an integrated
ICT-based economy while computing is its "brain". He said that
India is committed to supporting the rapid growth of telecommunications and
ICT as these are the new engines for sustained economic growth.
From
http://www.itu.int/ 04/02/2007
TOP↑
Asia
Pacific Region Plans for Next-Generation Networks
Geneva, 12 April 2007 — ITU and the Asia
Pacific Telecommunity (APT) jointly organized a workshop in Bangkok,
Thailand to plan for the implementation and development of Next-Generation
Networks (NGN) in the region. Over 180 experts from 24 countries
representing APT and ITU Members, international organizations and the
private sector joined the forum, which was inaugurated by Mr Kraisorn
Pornsutee, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Communication
Technology, Royal Government of Thailand. NGN is a catch phrase for the
network infrastructure that will enable advanced new services offered by
mobile and fixed network operators in the future, while continuing to
support all existing services. This next-generation architecture will help
leverage new technologies to dramatically reduce the cost of market entry,
increase flexibility and accommodate seamlessly in a single multiservice
network both voice and data.
Future direction for NGN
The ITU/APT Workshop on NGN Planning made some key
recommendations:Regulators and policy makers to provide clear and
consistent enabling environments for NGN and be involved in the NGN planning,
implementation and educational process;Develop standardized planning tools
to assist developing countries to migrate from traditional
telecommunication networks to NGN ; Regulators to ensure that service
providers meet agreed quality of service standards equivalent to
traditional circuit switched voice networks ;NGN Requirements to include
security levels that meet the needs of end users and provide confidence in
the use of applications and services in NGN-compliant networks ;Establish
NGN standards to make emergency and location-based services available
seamlessly and reliably across the entire network ;Raise greater awareness
on the various issues related to NGN planning . Mr Malcolm Johnson,
Director of the ITU Telecommunication Standardization Bureau, said,
"NGN has the potential to accelerate the deployment of
telecommunication networks and services in developing countries." As
cost and revenue are the drivers of this development, the capital cost of
deploying NGN technology, both in the core of the network, and the
operating costs are significantly lower than circuit switched technologies.
"This will enable rapid expansion of network capabilities," Mr
Johnson added. "NGN will also enable a range of multimedia services to
be provided more easily and with less cost, and so increase potential
revenues. It offers the opportunity for developing countries to leapfrog
several generations of technology." He also stressed the importance of
"bridging the standardization gap" by planning for NGN at regional
levels.
Executive Director of APT, Mr Amarendra
Narayan said, "We need to urgently address the needs of the
Asia-Pacific region for cost effective options of Broadband access while
finalizing the international standardization framework for NGN. This is particularly
important for developing countries and rural and remote areas. APT and ITU
can play a key role in ascertaining Asia Pacific regional needs". He
added that a range of APT programmes are already heavily involved in NGN
standardization as well as policy and regulatory issues. This includes the
work being undertaken by the Asia Pacific Telecommunity Standardization
Programme (ASTAP) and associated policy and regulatory forums. Ms Kim
Eun-Ju, Head of the ITU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, said,
"This is the first step towards meeting the main objectives of the
Asia-Pacific Regional Initiative on NGN Planning, which was adopted at the
World Telecommunication Development Conference in Doha in 2006. It aims to
assist developing countries in our region to migrate smoothly from existing
networks to NGN." She urged participating State and Sector Members to
be more pro-active in implementing next-generation networks by building
partnerships to satisfy the paradigm shifts in the NGN era. The Workshop
served as a platform for discussion and exchange of views on practical
guidelines on NGN planning, exploration of ways to deploy cost-effective
NGN technologies and to find solutions for NGN implementation in rural and
remote areas. (by ITU and APT)
From
http://www.itu.int/ 04/12/2007
TOP↑
International
Community to Step Up Action on Water and Sanitation Agenda
WASHINGTON, APRIL 14, 2007 – New
commitments were today expressed by donors, international development
institutions and developing countries to tackle the water and sanitation
crisis that affects the world’s poor. Over a billion people in developing
countries lack access to a reliable water supply and half the population of
developing countries are without proper sanitation.This global response
took shape during a special event held during the World Bank and IMF Spring
Meetings co-hosted by the World Bank, the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP), and the UK Department for International Development
(DFID). The meeting brought together developed and developing country
government representatives along with civil society leaders and development
agencies to galvanize common action on access to clean water and
sanitation.
A number of donors present committed to
increase and improve support to countries to expand water and sanitation
services, including:
? Supporting those governments which already have plans in place and have
committed to invest their own resources;
? Helping countries without water and sanitation plans to prepare them;
? Renewing commitment to the African Development Bank’s Rural Water Supply
and Sanitation Initiative. This provides a unique opportunity to harmonize,
increase and improve donor support behind national plans;
? Giving special treatment to those countries that, despite their needs, do
not receive sufficient attention from donors. As a first step this will
include, reporting shortfalls in their funding and agreeing who will do
what.
? Focusing on sanitation services and hygiene education. Both are
cost-efficient and effective live savers.
From
http://www.zdnetasia.com/ 03/21/2007
TOP↑
Extreme
Poverty in the World Reduced by 21 Percent Between 1990 and 2004
“The percentage of those who live on less
than two dollars a day also has diminished, although it is estimated that
in 2004 2.6 billion people, almost half of the population in the developing
world, still are living below that threshold.These are some of the
conclusions of the World Development Indicators 2007 report made public by
the World Bank. The study credits the progress in poverty reduction to the
‘respectable’ average annual growth in GDP per capita that has reached an
average rate of 3.9 percent since 2000. …” [El Mundo (Spain) and
EFE/Factiva] Xinhua adds that the report, “… which provides a detailed
picture of the world through data, finds strong performers in all regions,
with notably fast growth in GDP per capita among many states of Eastern
Europe and the former Soviet Union. But it also finds that the countries
with the highest rates of under-5 mortality a decade ago have, on average,
made the slowest reduction in mortality. … Despite the remarkable progress
in the poverty reduction, the World Bank has warned that many challenges
ahead before reaching the Millennium Development Goals (MDG). …”
The Daily Telegraph writes that the report
“… showed that the main reason for the drop in poverty was rising living
standards in the booming east Asian economies such as China. Meanwhile, the
number of people living in extreme poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa rose to
298 million - a record high. …” [The Daily Telegraph (UK)/Factiva] The
Guardian adds that “… The report found that in the past decade growth has
not always guaranteed a reduction in poverty, with poor people failing to
reap the fruits of economic expansion due to a lack of job opportunities,
limited education or bad health. ‘Growth is essential to reducing poverty,’
said the Bank's chief economist, Francois Bourguignon. ‘The World
Development Indicators go beyond growth and poverty rates to ask how income
is distributed, whether health care and education are improving, and to
assess the business climate. These factors all affect the quality of
people's lives.’”
From
http://web.worldbank.org/ 04/16/2007
TOP↑
Melting
Himalayan Glaciers Pose Security Risk –UNEP
SINGAPORE, April 17 (Reuters) - Global
warming will cause the Himalayan glaciers to melt, leading to mass
migration and possibly conflicts over valuable resources such as
agricultural land and fresh water, the U.N. Environment Programme chief
said. Achim Steiner, speaking ahead of the U.N. Security Council's
first-ever debate on climate change, said that global warming should be
considered a security issue as shortages of water and fertile land in the
next 10 to 20 years may lead to conflicts. The melting of the Himalayan
glaciers is expected to displace millions of people from low-lying land as
sea levels rise, and will disrupt river flows and irrigation of
agricultural land. "When people start moving, it puts people into
competition with one another," Steiner told Reuters in a phone
interview from Nairobi. "Where will these people go? Where will they
run to where other communities want them?" The Himalayan glaciers,
which feed rivers in India and China, are among the fastest-melting in the
world. Scientists have said the Himalayan glaciers could shrink to 100,000
square km (38,610 square miles) by the 2030s, from 500,000 square km
(193,100 square miles) now, if the current pace of global warming
continues. Former World Bank chief economist Nicholas Stern warned last
year that the melting of Himalayan glaciers could cause serious flooding in
Bangladesh, sparking a mass migration into India.
RICH-POOR DIVIDE
Steiner, who will be in Singapore on Thursday for the Champions of the
Earth awards that are presented each year to seven environmental leaders,
cited Africa as an example of how climate change could threaten peace and
security. He said fights over agricultural land have led to some of the
conflicts in Sudan, and that climate change could lead to an even bigger
flood of illegal immigrants from Africa into Europe. He also warned that
global warming, largely caused by industrialised countries, would hit
developing countries hardest, stoking tensions between rich and poor
nations. As a result, the OECD nations need to help developing countries in
Asia and elsewhere adopt environmentally friendly technology, and provide
subsidies to help countries invest in wind and solar farms. "The OECD
nations should have a vested interest in supporting countries in Asia in
the future of energy management," he said. The U.N. climate panel
earlier this month issued its strongest warning yet about the impact of
global warming. The report, based on the findings of 2,500 scientists, said
that more than one billion people may face a shortage of fresh water by
2050, and that millions will be threatened by floods as sea levels rise by
the 2080s. While the U.N. meeting on Tuesday is a sign that governments are
paying more attention to environmental concerns, an international deal on
how to tackle climate change will depend in part on the outcome of world
trade talks because they will decide the concessions that countries want to
take, Steiner said. "They define to a great extent the climate of
compromise and the willingness to negotiate," he said. ( by Koh Gui
Qing)
From
http://www.alertnet.org/ 04/17/2007
TOP↑
ADB,
Microsoft Forge Partnership to Promote ICT in Asia and the Pacific
BEIJING, PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA -
Asian Development Bank and Microsoft Corp. have forged a partnership to
enable countries in the Asia Pacific region to benefit from new
opportunities created by Information and Communications Technologies (ICT),
which ADB views as a critical component in ensuring sustainable economic
growth in the region. "In the Asia and Pacific region, concerns are
mounting over the growing 'digital divide,' the difference between those
developing member countries of the ADB that have the capacity and resources
to access ICT and those that do not," said ADB Vice President C.
Lawrence Greenwood, Jr. Numerous studies from the World Summit on
Information Societies and the multi-stakeholder Global Alliance for ICT for
Development (GAID) have shown that economic performance hinges much on ICT,
as it provides developing nations with a wide range of opportunities to
meet vital development goals, including poverty reduction, bridging the
digital divide and developing content for e-services.
"Information and Communications
Technologies play an important role in fighting poverty and fostering
development in the Asia Pacific region," said Mr. Greenwood. "ADB
is pleased to partner with Microsoft to bridge the digital divide and help
deliver on this promise." Through the partnership, ADB and Microsoft
will jointly undertake projects, studies and capacity building initiatives
in five strategic areas of common interest, including innovation, ICT and
governance, ICT and education, enabling jobs and opportunity, and regional
integration and trade. "We share the tremendous optimism evident in
this region, and look forward to working with the Asian Development Bank to
ensure that every citizen in the region has the chance to realize their
full potential" said Gerri Elliot, Corporate Vice President, Worldwide
Public Sector, Microsoft Corp. Based on ADB’s policy paper Toward
E-development in Asia and the Pacific: A Strategic Approach for ICT, three
strategic thrusts were proposed, including the creation of an enabling
environment by fostering the development of innovative sector policies, the
strengthening of public institutions and promoting the development of ICT
facilities and related infrastructure networks, building human resources,
and developing ICT applications and information contents. Since 1971, ADB
assistance in the telecommunications and ICT sectors has reached $1.8
billion, or 1.5% of ADB’s total assistance for the period. The
telecommunications sector accounted for 86% of that amount from the 1970s
to the mid-1990s, while ICT applications received 14% since 2000.
From
http://www.adb.org/ 04/19/2007
TOP↑
|
|
|
|
CHINA:
E-channels for Tourists to Go on Trial in HK
Hong Kong Acting Director of Immigration
Peh Yun-lu said on Saturday that an automated passenger-clearance system
for tourists who frequently visit Hong Kong will be put on trial in the
second half of this year. Speaking on a radio talk show Saturday morning,
Peh said tourists who wish to use the system should register with the
Immigration Department, providing their travel document data and personal
particulars. The department will also store their fingerprints and photos.
When the tourists enter or leave Hong Kong, they can insert their travel
documents into a newly designed e-channel machine which will verify their
information. Under the trial scheme, the new e-channel machines will be
installed in some busy check points, such as Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau that
border Shenzhen city in south China's Guangdong province. If the initial
response is positive, the department may consider expanding the scheme. On
the identity-card-replacement scheme, Peh said the scheme will come to an
end on Saturday. About 500,000 eligible people still have not replaced
their old ID cards, he said, adding some of them are senior citizens and
residents who have emigrated to other countries.
From http://www.chinaview.cn 03/31/2007
TOP↑
Forex
Watchdog Warns Online Fund Fraud
China's forex watchdog has alerted
investors to the growing number of online scams involving foreign funds.
Illegal funds purporting to offer investments in foreign assets and
guaranteeing high returns have succeeded in tricking some investors, said
the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) on Monday. The illegal
funds used pyramid selling techniques, said SAFE. The pyramids would
quickly collapse once money stopped flowing in, spelling disaster for
investors, SAFE warned. The administration asked investors to be alert to
the risks. China Central Television (CCTV) reported last month that an
illegal fund named Switzerland Mutual Fund had promised internet investors
a hefty 300 percent yield within 450 days. Claiming to have been founded in
1948, the fund has raised over 100 million yuan on the mainland since it
entered the market last year. But, according to CCTV, the fund has never
been approved by the China Securities Regulatory Commission. Currently,
Chinese individuals who want to invest abroad can only buy investment
products provided by banks and fund management companies under a Qualified
Domestic Institutional Investor (QDII) scheme.
From
http://www.chinaview.cn 03/28/2007
TOP↑
China
Launches 6th On-line Public Memorial for Martyrs
China launched its sixth on-line public
memorial for national martyrs here Sunday four days ahead of China's
traditional day to honor ancestors, Qingming Festival. The on-line memorial
allows Chinese to show their respect for China's national martyrs through
the website, www.china5000.org.cn, from April 1 to 6. Visitors to the
website could make comments and tributes, said the Chinese Communist Youth
League (CCYL), one of the website's initiators. The website had received
135 million visits from Internet users in the past five years, sources with
the CCYL said. Qingming Festival or Tomb-Sweeping Day is the time for
Chinese people to honor their ancestors and it falls on April 5 this year.
Traditionally, tens of millions of Chinese
visit the tombs of their forbears and students gather to honor martyrs
around Qingming Day. In recent years, the government has advised people to
avoid lighting funerary money at grave sites and to pay their respects via
the Internet as more on-line funerary sites have opened. The on-line
memorial, jointly initiated by the CCYL and the office on building an
advanced culture and ideology of the Communist Party of China Central
Committee, is co-organized by more than 1,000 websites including
xinhuanet.com, people.com.cn and sina.com.cn.
From
http://www.chinaview.cn 04/01/2007
TOP↑
China is
Top Global Performer in E-ticketing: IATA chief
China is one of the world's top users of
electronic plane tickets, but the rest of Asia Pacific is on the same
uptake level as Africa, the International Air Transport Association (IATA)
chief said Wednesday. "China is the top performer on e-ticketing. At
95 percent, it is well ahead of the global average of 78 percent,"
IATA director-general Giovanni Bisignani said. "The rest of the Asia
Pacific is a disappointment. At 68 percent, it is (on) the same level as
Africa. This is largely because of a slow uptake in Japan, the region's
biggest market, and a slow start in Malaysia," he said at an industry
event here. Bisignani said Asia needs to use technology, including
"biometric" passports, to ease movement because by 2010, airports
in the region will have to handle 250 million more passengers that it
currently deals with. "Building infrastructure is a costly part of the
solution. We need effective systems to get passengers through the system,
and technology can help," he said.
From http://news.yahoo.com/ 04/04/2007
TOP↑
E-traders
Team Up in Fraud Fight
E-commerce giants eBay Inc and Taobao.com
are working on a joint plan to crack down on user-account fraud in what
would be the first cooperation between the two rivals.The cyber sites have
reached an agreement in principal to remove improper listings and warn
offenders to refrain from such practices, eBay said in a statement.
"Trading in e-commerce user accounts disrupts the online trading order
and could facilitate fraud," said Liu Yan, a spokeswoman for eBay
Inc's China division. The auction sites' user accounts have become a commodity
offered for sale to netizens who want to avoid registration procedures.
Without a proper paper trail, authorities have a hard time tracking down
the sellers of shoddy goods. Liu said eBay has noticed "a considerable
number" of online postings regarding sales of its accounts. EBay has
been losing ground in China since it took over market leader Eachnet.com
and merged it into its global trading system in 2003. It held a 29 percent
share in the fourth quarter last year, compared with Taobao's 60 percent,
according to Analysys International consultants.
From http://www.chinaview.cn 04/05/2007
TOP↑
World's
Biggest ID Database Complete
In a modest 200-square meters enclosure,
the National Citizen Identity Information Center (NCIIC) in Beijing hosts
the world's biggest ID database, with over 1.3 billion entries. "By
collecting the identity information of China's 1.3 billion population in
five years, through an investment amounting to tens of millions yuan, we
have succeeded in collating the world's biggest ID database in full
compliance with international standards," said Lu Subing, vice
director of NCIIC. In recent times, China has been at significant risk from
fraudulent ID cards, which allow swindlers to make illicit gains from
social security, banking and telecommunication industries. Police figures
have placed at 90 percent the amount of premeditated crimes involving false
ID cards, a bane which has cost hundreds of millions of yuan in economic
losses annually. Back in 2001, the Ministry of Public Security conducted a
feasibility study of an ID database scheme, jointly carried out across 30
departments and units tackling civil affairs, social security, industry and
commerce.
At the end of May 2003, NCIIC's four
departments reported in, having completed initial work on software research
and development, equipment distribution and hardware purchase as well as
having begun trial operation. By the end of 2003, the database had garnered
information on 210 million people across 42 cities. The pride in Lu's voice
was audible as he revealed that "by the end of last year, the identity
information of nearly 1.3 billion people was stored in the database, thus
marking the completion of the whole system. Since then, the database has
been on the front-lines of identity theft and economic crime
prevention." According to Lu, NCIIC has helped to investigate over
1,100 individuals from all walks of life including banking, communication,
auto industry, financial inspection, e-commerce, personal investigation and
logistics. Explaining the services available to the public, Lu explained
that "sending the name and ID number of the person you wish to inquire
about in a message to 5110 (for China Mobile users) or 9951 (for China
Unicom users), you will receive an answer as to whether your information
was a match or not. If the result matched the database, you may ask for a
further photo comparison.”"
Many examples on the center's website
testify to satisfied users of the initiative. One customer cancelled the
purchase of a house, worth 500,000 yuan, after he used the center to
discover his client had provided him with false ID. "In the past, I
always worried some clients might steal my cars by leaving a false ID
number. I feel much safe now I can confirm their information at the
center," wrote the manager of a car leasing company. According to Lu,
the coverage provided by the inquiry service covers 0.97 billion mobile
phones, telecom and Internet clients and its services range beyond text
messages to the Internet, MMS, WAP and IVR. However, due to privacy and
security concerns, a user cannot obtain a name using just an ID number or
vice versa. The next step is already being worked on by NCIIC and the Bank
of Communication who are teaming up to create an anti-fraud ID information
system, aiming to reduce credit card application scams.
NCIIC's influence has also extended to
telecom, education and social security sectors, aiming to provide
comprehensive anti-fraud services. "Under the coordination of the State
Council Information Office, we will gradually expand our service and share
more data with other departments," said Lu.
From
http://www.china.org.cn/ 04/11/2007
TOP↑
China
Begins Crackdown on Internet Porn
The Chinese government is launching a new
crackdown on online pornography which it says has "perverted China's
young minds," a state news agency said Friday. The Ministry of Public
Security says the six-month campaign will target cyber strip shows and sexually
explicit images, stories and audio and video clips, according to the Xinhua
News Agency. "The boom of pornographic content on the Internet has
contaminated cyberspace and perverted China's young minds," Zhang
Xinfeng, a deputy public security minister, was quoted as saying Thursday.
The campaign also will target illegal online lotteries and contraband
trade, fraud and "content that spreads rumors and is of a slanderous
nature," Zhang said at a news conference.
In China's biggest online porn case to date,
a Web site operator, Chen Hui, was sentenced in November to life in prison.
The government said Chen's Web site had more than 9 million pornographic
images and more than 600,000 registered users. China has the world's
second-biggest population of Internet users after the United States, with
137 million people online. The communist government encourages Internet use
for education and business but tries to block access to material considered
obscene or subversive. "The inflow of pornographic materials from
abroad and lax domestic control are to blame for the existing problems in
China's cyberspace," Zhang said. According to Xinhua, the Beijing
Reformatory for Juvenile Delinquents said 33.5 percent of its detainees
were influenced by violent online games or erotic Web sites when they
committed crimes such as robbery and rape.
From
http://news.yahoo.com/ 04/13/2007
TOP↑
China's
Online Game Industry on A Roll
Revenue from China's online gaming
industry reached 8 billion yuan (about 1.04 billion U.S. dollars) in 2006
and could quadruple by 2010 as Internet access becomes more widespread.
Online gaming revenue in China will grow 30 percent annually to reach 30 billion
yuan (3.9 billion U.S. dollars) by 2010, said Wu Shulin, the deputy
director of the General Administration of Press and Publication, on Friday.
The rapid growth in online gaming has created opportunities for telecom,
internet, computer, software and consumer electronics firms, which earned
33 billion yuan (4.3 billion U.S. dollars) from online gaming in 2006,
according to the official, who attended the 2007 China International
Audio-Video and Electronic Publishing Expo in Shanghai on Friday. Statistics
from the China National Network Information Center showed that the number
of computers hooked up to the worldwide web had reached 59.4 million by
January 2007 and there were 137 million Internet surfers.
Young people between the ages of 18 and 30
account for the majority of the estimated 31 million people playing games
online in China, according to U.S.-based information technology market
research house International Data Corporation (IDC). Internet cafes across
the country are often packed with people playing online games till the
early hours. Previously, American and Japanese games dominated the market,
but China-made online games held 65 percent of the domestic market in 2006
and had export revenues of 20 million U.S. dollars last year. "Navigation
World," a game produced by Suzhou Snail Network Game Technology Co.,
has been successfully exported to Europe and the United States, the first
time a Chinese company has entered the "kingdom of games".
Following "Legend of Knights Online", the first online game
developed by Beijing-based Kingsoft Company in 2003, Chinese game makers
have developed over 40 online games. The Information Industry Ministry has
included online gaming in the 2006-2010 plan for software and information
service development and will support the healthy development of the
industry, according to Wu.
From http://www.chinaview.cn 04/13/2007
TOP↑
Chinese
Police Crack Down on Internet Crimes
China's Ministry of Public Security Friday
gave details of 10 major criminal cases involving the internet,
pornography, gambling and fraud. Zhang Xuhui from Xuchang City, in central
China's Henan Province, set up a "blue" website with more than
120 pornographic movies in October 2006. More than 5,600 netizens visited
the website shortly after it was opened. Zhang was arrested by local police
in October 2006, and sentenced to one year in prison with a year reprieve
by the local court. Zhang Yuancheng from Jingzhou City in central China's
Hubei Province opened two pornographic websites in 2006, offering cyber
strip shows. When local police shut down the websites and arrested Zhang,
the two websites had more than 4,000 members and 400 performers. The daily
profit of each website exceeded 10,000 yuan (about 1,300 U.S. dollars). Zhang
Yuancheng was sentenced to four years in prison by the local court.
A man named Wang in Yichang City of Hubei
Province had a no-clothes chat with a woman on the internet during which he
took photos of his naked companion, and afterwards sent her the photos in
order to extort money from her. Local police arrested Wang on Sept. 21 last
year. The case, the first of its kind in the province, is still under
investigation. Police in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province,
captured 12 members of a prostitution gang in January 2007 and confiscated
five computers. The gang was using the web to provide prostitution
services. A criminal surnamed Li opened a pornographic website in north
China's Tianjin Municipality to distribute pornographic materials. When
police shut down the website and arrested Li in May 2006, the website had
more than 260,000 members. Li was sentenced to four years in prison by a
local court.
Police in Changchun, capital of northeast
China's Jilin Province, arrested four suspects accused of sending a large
number of pornographic emails, and confiscated more than 400 computers used
by the suspects. The case is undergoing further investigation. In January
2007, Beijing police swooped on a gang that used the internet to organize
prostitution activities on a wide scale. A total of 151 people including
organizers, prostitutes and their clients were arrested, and 42 mobile
phones and 195 computers confiscated. Police in Yangzhou City, in east
China's Jiangsu Province, cracked a web gambling case in October 2006,
arresting 37 suspects. The suspects ran the on-line gambling site for
nearly two years, with more than 4 billion yuan involved. Two other cases
involving web fraud and theft were cracked in Mudanjiang City, in northeast
China's Heilongjiang Province, and Xuzhou City, in east China's Jiangsu
Province. Several hundred people were cheated in the two cases.
From http://www.chinaview.cn 04/13/2007
TOP↑
Security
Concerns Abound About Online Banking
Online banking is often equated with
instant, convenient and personalized service. At least, that is the
impression adverts try to create. For many members of the public, it seems
it is a double-edged sword as a survey recently showed 89.7 percent of
respondents concerned about financial security when using online banking.
According to Zhu Ying, deputy director for Shanghai's Bureau of Public
Security, 925 cases involving online banking fraud were registered in 2006,
involving around 13.65 million yuan (about US$1.707 million). A joint
survey by China Youth Daily and www.qq.com polled 6,212 people, with 89.7
percent showing severe security concerns about online banking. Huang
Donghui, a senior IT engineer in Beijing told China.org.cn, "My major
is Internet Technology. From this, I think the process is too risky since
hackers can very easily get hold of your number and password. I'd much
rather just use a bank." Lu Yang, a student from Beijing University of
Posts and Telecommunications, seemed to disagree in part, citing the public
nature of the Internet.
"Online banking is still my second
choice. As long as a bank provides reliable Internet services, I would
consider using it. But I am still concerned about security." However,
61.2 percent of those polled said their fears would not stop them using the
Internet. The scope of online banking in China has been growing rapidly of
late with China Construction Bank reporting 43 million online customers in
2006, involving 30 trillion yuan (US$3.75 trillion) in funds. Financial
experts have highlighted the cost-effectiveness of online banking, since it
costs far less in human resources than the physical presence of a bank
clerk. For customers, the rapidity of online banking explains why 42.7
percent of people chose online banking since over 70 percent complained of
the waiting periods seen in banks. According to an investigation from
People's Daily, most customers wait 85 minutes on average before being
served in Beijing branches of the big four state-owned banks, namely the China
Construction Bank, the Agricultural Bank of China, the Bank of China and
the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC).
The shortest registered time was 56
minutes and some poor souls had to wait 167 minutes. "I usually cannot
afford to wait such a long time," Internet editor Chen Weisong in
Beijing told China.org.cn. "Compared with such a long wait, I choose
the online service. I think its security is OK and I have used it for
several years. Banks often provide professional service systems to help minimize
related crimes. Security is an issue but it doesn't really worry me."
Addressing the responsibility that banks bear in ensuring financial
security, during the Parliament session in March this year, Deputy Zhao
Pengcheng, president of the ICBC branch bank in Anhui said that if the
customer had not committed any fault, then any losses due to technical
problems should be fully compensated by the bank itself. In the survey,
participants asked the government to ensure that, in case of accidents, the
banks should firstly have to prove whether they are at fault or not. 2006
stats emanating from the China Financial Certification Authority showed
that due to security fears, around 61 percent of bank customers deserted
the online service.
From
http://www.china.org.cn/ 04/14/2007
TOP↑
China to
Help Clean up the Internet
China is calling on its officials to help
make the Internet more civilized and less decadent, state media reported
Monday, the latest push in a campaign to sanitize behavior on and off the
Web. At a meeting of top Communist Party leaders chaired by President Hu
Jintao, officials were told to build "an Internet culture with Chinese
characteristics," and to "curb the spread of decadent and
backward ideological and cultural material online," the official
Xinhua News Agency said. The report didn't quote Hu directly or specify the
types of offensive material that would be targeted. Hu has made improving
moral education a signature theme of his administration, an effort that
appears to be intensifying ahead of a once-in-every-five-years party
meeting scheduled for later this year. Hu and others in the leadership will
seek a renewed mandate during the meeting. In January, the government
ordered prime time television programming this year to be "ethically
inspiring" and Internet regulators were told to promote a "healthy
online culture" to protect the government's stability.
The Chinese government promotes Internet
use for education and business, but tries to block the public from seeing
material online that is deemed subversive or pornographic. Nudity,
profanity, illegal gambling and pirated music, books and film have
proliferated on Chinese servers despite the controls. Xinhua said Communist
Party committees, government officials at all levels and cultural
institutions would all be expected to step up management of the Internet
and make it more civilized. China's online population grew by 23.4% last
year to 137 million people, about 10% of its 1.3 billion population. The
figure puts China on track to surpass the U.S. in the next two years as the
nation with the most Internet users, the government has said.
From http://www.usatoday.com 04/24/2007
TOP↑
JAPAN:
Political Gender Equality Takes a Turn
Political activities aimed at introducing
more women into the nation's political arena are gathering pace in the wake
of the official launch of campaigning for the quadrennial nationwide local
elections. This year, many citizens' groups are increasingly questioning
not only the number of female candidates, but also the views of such
candidates, indicating the nation's gender equality movement may have
reached a turning point. "Although half the people in our society are
women, there are very few women participating in politics," said a
participant speaking through a public address system as part of the 2007
Women and Politics Campaign held earlier this month on a busy street near
Shibuya Station in Tokyo. Campaigners from the group argue that both sexes
must participate equally in legislative assemblies, citing statistics
showing that women occupy less than 10 percent of seats in local
assemblies, and 40 percent of local assemblies have no female member. The
campaign for gender equality in the political world, organized by local
assembly members and various citizens groups, is being held for the third
time since starting in 1999. Held every four years in conjunction with the
unified local elections, it aims to help as many women win seats in
legislative assemblies as possible, with the ultimate goal of raising the
percentage of female assembly members to 50 percent.
During the street event, the group for the
first time called for the election of "women who will implement
policies on gender equality." "On the premise that raising the
number of female assembly members is our basic goal, we want people who are
supportive of gender equality," said Setsuko Nishitake, a member of
the campaign group. Midori Teramachi, a member of another nonpartisan group
based in Gifu Prefecture, which supports female election candidates by
providing lectures on election tactics and holding street events, also
stresses the importance of the candidates' political stance. "We don't
support someone just because they're female. Even if there's an increase in
the number of female assembly members, there won't be a change in the current
political situation, or our lives, if they're people who prioritize the
logic of political parties or other organizations," she said. Such
remarks reflect the wide diversity of female politicians, some of whom are
not necessarily committed to policies related to gender equality. The
activists believe that female politicians who fall into line with ideas on
fixed gender roles, or who disagree with the idea of gender equality, have
gradually been gaining ground over the past few years.
Commentator Keiko Higuchi said:
"Increasing the number [of female politicians] used to be the priority
goal for women, because they have long been a minority in the political
arena. But as the number of female assembly members has increased, women
have discovered there are people with many different views and ideologies.
The goal of raising the number of female politicians has reached a turning
point." "I hope people will give some thought to the meaning
behind dispatching women to the political stage during this year's unified
local elections, and cast their votes after carefully assessing the
candidates' views," Higuchi said. According to a government survey, in
November 2006, the percentage of female politicians in the House of
Representatives stood at 9.4, and 14.2 in the House of Councillors. In
December 2005, the figure stood at 7.2 percent in prefectural assemblies;
11 percent in municipal and ward assemblies in urbanized areas; and 6.4
percent in municipal assemblies in rural areas . The government aims to
raise the percentage of women in leading positions--including assembly
members--to 30 percent by 2020, according to its basic plan for gender
equality.
From
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp 03/28/2007
TOP↑
Think
Tanks Offer Japan Plenty of Personnel with Policymaking Potential
The 21st Century Public Policy Institute
(21PPI) is a think tank established by Keidanren in 1997. As it enters its
10th year this month, a revamp is in progress to beef up its activities.
Over the past decade, the institute has worked on a wide range of topics
ranging from structural reforms of the Japanese economy to international
relations. When it was founded, the bad-loan woes of the banking sector and
Japan's options for averting a financial crisis were the main topics of
discussion. In recent years, it has organized symposiums and other events
to promote the privatization of the state-run postal services. Effective
April 1, Kenji Miyahara, chairman of Sumitomo Corp. and a Keidanren vice
chairman, became the new president of 21PPI. Under his leadership, the
institute plans to build a new research system that will allow it to work
with researchers from both Japanese and foreign universities as well as
think tanks. For the time being, it is working on six new research projects
that include tax and fiscal reforms, administrative reforms, the labor
market and technological innovations. In the past, it was often said that
Kasumigaseki -- the district that serves as home to the central government
bureaucracy -- was Japan's most powerful think tank. But government
bureaucrats aren't up to providing what the Japanese economy needs today --
a revamping of the nation's socioeconomic machinery.
21PPI will try to gather the wisdom of
various sectors of the market to ensure private-sector voices are heard.
These activities will also help foster human resources capable of filling
government positions as political appointees. Nippon Keidanren plans to
maximize the results of the research conducted by 21PPI. Today's government
must contend with a mountain of challenges, including globalization and the
aging of society. To beef up its policy-proposing functions, it is
important that Keidanren utilize the wide range of policy research networks
available at home and abroad. In western countries, think tanks play an
important role in policymaking decisions. In many cases, lawmakers push for
legislation based on the ideas they propose. These institutions constitute
a sort of revolving door in the political world, one from which many
researchers are appointed government jobs. Today, the Japanese political
scene is changing rapidly, and policies -- rather than special interests,
family and local community ties -- are beginning to hold the key to
political victory. Proof of this was seen recently in the national
elections, where voters paid keen attention to the parties'
"manifestos." Also, individuals from the private sectors are
beginning to play increasingly important roles in policymaking, as illustrated
by the inclusion of business leaders in the Council on Economic and Fiscal
Policy. These developments indicate that think tanks can play even greater
roles in this country. To accelerate reforms, Keidanren plans to support
the activities of 21PPI while strengthening its own policy-formulating
functions.
From http://search.japantimes.co.jp
04/02/2007
TOP↑
Government
to Map Out Crisis Data System
The central government will start building
an advanced map information system this fiscal year by compiling a database
of information drawn from maps owned by the central and municipal
governments, with an eye to building a system by fiscal 2010, to be used
for disaster prevention and welfare services. With the exception of maps
that include personal information, the government plans to make the on-line
system free to access, with several maps accessible at the same time. The
system is also expected to stimulate businesses that use maps. As the
accuracy of maps vary because of scale and usage, even maps of the same
area have differences when one map is compared with another. Furthermore,
digitalized maps are often stored in different formats. As such, there is
no system enabling users to piece together a number of maps easily or
search for several maps at the same time. However, when floods strike an
area, if a map showing the location of a submerged district and another
outlining the whereabouts of elderly people in the same district can be put
together, authorities will be able to come up with effective disaster
prevention and rescue measures. If road conditions, including whether they
are well maintained or uneven, and traffic congestion are accessible at the
same time, wheelchair users can plan the best route for journeys in
advance. The central government plans to unify the standard methods for
producing maps as well as data storage formats this fiscal year and start
making an "electronic white map" containing basic data of
coastlines and roads. The central and municipal governments will unify
their map production formats so that information-sharing and multiple maps
are accessible.
From
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp 04/03/2007
TOP↑
MONGOLIA:
Standards of Skills Approved
The National Standardization and
Measurement Council has approved the first national standards, which are
much significant to develop human resource of the information technology
sector and bring skills of specialists up to the international level. The standards
Skills of IT engineers: common IT knowledge and Skills of IT engineers: IT
basic engineering have been worked out by the National Information
Technology Park. The standards of skills are an important to determine the
level of required knowledge and skills of specialists, create an evaluation
on skills, and improve their qualifications. Possibilities have also been
created to let vocational educational organizations renovate their training
contents and curriculums relaying on these standards, which are used for a
united test that is organized by the Examination Council of IT Specialists
of Asian countries. B. Bolortuya
From
http://www.montsame.mn/ 04/20/2007
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INDONESIA:
More Telephone Services for Remote Areas, Minister Says
The government is forging ahead with its
policy of developing telephone and information technology services in all
rural areas in Indonesia by 2015, despite many regions still lacking basic
infrastructure such as electricity and water services. State Minister for
the Development of Disadvantaged Regions Saifullah Yusuf said the program
was part of the government's mission to provide low-income consumers with
better access to telecommunication services. "In addition to improving
quality of life, wider access can have a significant positive impact on
health, productivity, education and entrepreneurship," Saifullah said
during a round table discussion at Yarsi University to celebrate its 40th
anniversary on Monday. "There will be a positive effect if the program
meets the specific needs of the poor population. In theory, three percent
of telecommunications development will contribute to one percent of
economic growth. At the same time, with telecommunications infrastructure,
people will have more choices in building their lives," said
Saifullah.
The policy is based on an international
program known as Universal Service Obligation (USO) concerning the
provision of telecommunication networks by operators so that the
telecommunication needs of remote communities can be fulfilled. In response
to the minister's comments, Marsudi Wahyu Kisworo, a telecommunications
expert form the University of Indonesia, warned that inappropriate
technology has the potential to exacerbate existing social and economic
problems due to the diversity of the nation's population and their needs.
"Information and telecommunications are not everything when we talk
about Indonesia. The important thing is we must meet the basic needs of the
people, which are different in every region," said Kisworo. He also
said that the USO program, which initially aimed to be non-commercial,
would eventually become commercial as the government would offer tenders to
get new service providers for the program.
When the program commenced in 2004, its
funding came from the state budget, but under a 2005 regulation, every
telecommunications service provider is obliged to hand over 0.75 percent of
their gross income for the development of the program. Under a 1999
telecommunications law, every telecommunications network operator and
service operator is obliged to contribute to the universal service. Until
now, the government has received Rp 80 billion (approximately US$8.7
million) of an expected Rp 500 billion. "The main problem is the
continuity of operations and maintenance of infrastructure because programs
are put under the supervision of local leaders. But we hope service
providers will take full responsibility of infrastructure to ensure the
continuity of the service," said PT Indosat Regulatory Group Head Dayu
P. Rengganis. About 43,000 out of 73,000 villages in Indonesia currently
have no access to telecommunication services.
From http://www.thejakartapost.com/
04/10/2007
TOP↑
RI
Prepares Laws to Battle Cybercrime
The government and the House of
Representatives are deliberating a cyberlaw bill and revising a number of
related laws in an effort to win the battle against cybercrime. Information
and Communications Minister Sofyan Djalil admitted Indonesia still lacked
the legal infrastructure necessary to protect Indonesians from cybercrime.
"The government is working hard with the House to speed up the
deliberation of the bill on information and electronic transactions to help
minimize computer-related offenses in all sectors. "For the time
being, the bill will be the first cyberlaw to mandate preventive and
repressive measures for handling cybercrime. With the law, the government
will issue relevant regulations on crimes committed in cyberspace," he
told a seminar on cybercrime Thursday. Sofyan said the government was
deeply concerned over the increasing prevalence of cybercrime and the
extensive negative impact it has on the country.
He was pessimistic, however, of the
likelihood of the formation of comprehensive cybercrime legislation that
would be in line with current political conditions inside the legislative
body. Sofyan said many cybercrimes -- ranging from pornography, child and
women trafficking, illegal drug trading and defamation to hacking, fraud,
money laundering and terrorist financing -- are not covered by the current
laws. Organized by the Golkar Party, the seminar was opened by Vice
President Jusuf Kalla, who is also the political party's chairman.
"The Indonesian cyberlaw must refer to, and be in harmony with, international
conventions and similar (laws) in other countries to allow a joint war on
cybercrime," Kalla said. Theo Sambuaga, chairman of the foreign
affairs, defense and information commission at the House, said Indonesia
was in dire need of a specialized cyberlaw, and that it should ratify
international conventions and enhance its ties with foreign governments to
battle borderless cybercrime.
Theo said the government and the House
should also immediately revise laws on intellectual and property rights,
state secrets and patent rights, as well as the Criminal Code and the
free-flow of information bill, to provide a legal basis for law enforcers
to impose harsh penalties on computer-related offenders. He called on the
government and the House to ratify the UN Convention on Combating Criminal
Misuse of Information Technology, the 2001 Council of Europe Convention on
Cybercrimes and the EU Council's Decision on Attacks on Information Systems
as the first step to back up the information and electronic transaction bill.
This would create an unprecedented legal basis to enhance cooperation with
foreign governments in the battle against cybercrime. Meanwhile, the
National Police and Bank Indonesia said they were central stakeholders in
the matter and required a cyberlaw to help eliminate major cybercrimes.
Comr. Gen. Bambang Hendarto Danuri, National Police chief detective, said
that beside increasing levels of cybercrime at home, they have received
reports of 20 computer-related fraud cases from other countries, but could
settle only a single hacking case because of the absence of a cyberlaw.
Bank Indonesia's senior deputy governor,
Miranda S. Goeltom, said the central bank was unable to detect banking
fraud, money laundering and terrorist financing because of increases in the
electronic transfer of funds. "With the integration of international
economic development into the global financial market, Indonesia needs a
law on fund transfers to regulate the crowded traffic of capital to protect
its national interests," she said. "We have frequently received
complaints in international fiscal and monetary meetings over the absence
of a strict regulation on funds transfers."
From http://www.thejakartapost.com/
04/13/2007
TOP↑
MALAYSIA:
Internet Centre Among the Best
The Desa Balik Pulau Internet Centre was
among four organisations in Penang named as winners of the Chief Minister’s
K-ICT Award. The other winners were Pentamaster In-formation Technology Bhd
(e-Business), Pe-nang Port Commission (e-Service) and Motorola Technology
Sdn Bhd (Knowledge Worker Development). Representatives of the
organisations received their awards from the Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh
Tsu Koon at City Bayview Hotel in Penang on Wednesday. They received
RM10,000 and a trophy each. The award, organised by the state government
under the Penang K-ICT Council, is one of the programmes to highlight the
critical role that ICT will play as a driver to the Penang's economic
growth. The council also launched its logo that night. Dr Koh said K-ICT
plan was aimed at transforming the is-land into an ‘Intelli-gent Land
(i-Land)’ by 2010. “For the next five years, we will em- phasise bridging
the knowledge and digital divides by promoting local content development and
reliable, fast and affordable broadband network infrastructures and ICT
products,” he said.
From
http://thestar.com.my 03/31/2007
TOP↑
RM5m to
Speed up Services
The Education Services Commission will be
able to offer faster and more efficient services to the public with the
setting up of three IT systems. The e-mobile system, file search system and
support staff information system costing the Government RM5mil will
expedite processes such as interviews, retrieving past records and new job
applications. Under the e-mobile system, the Personal Digital Assistant
will be used as the medium to update information. The systems were launched
by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Tan Sri Bernard Dompok in
conjunction with the commission’s 33rd anniversary here yesterday. “The IT
systems are meant to save time and cost, and to satisfy the public’s
expectation of Government services such as efficient counter services,
friendly customer service and usage of effective information technology,”
he said. Speaking to reporters later, Dompok said no names had been
shortlisted to fill the post of commission chairman, made vacant by the
death of Tan Sri Abdul Rafie Mahat on March 8 this year. The Prime Minister
and the Conference of Rulers, he said, would decide on the candidate. On
application for teacher training, he said the Government received more than
100,000 online applications and 80 sacks full of postal applications. It
was a challenge to fill up the vacancies within six months, he said.
From
http://thestar.com.my 04/18/2007
TOP↑
PHILIPPINES:
DEPED to Train Senior Officials on IT
While students are taking their summer
vacation, the Department of Education (DEPED) might start training its
senior officials on information and communications technology (ICT). In a
statement, DEPED Secretary Jesli Lapus said all department heads in the central
DEPED office will be undergoing ICT training to prepare them for handling
policy creation related to ICT. The DEPED plans to conduct a
seminar-workshop on ICT governance, which would be aimed at addressing
specifying decision rights and accountability frameworks on ICT
development. The DEPED had worked with the Commission on Information and
Communications Technology (CICT) for the supplementary materials that will
be used for the training. The topics that will be discussed include
governance decisions on ICT principles; enterprise architecture or the
organizing logic for business processes; ICT infrastructure; specific ICT
applications needed by the department; and ICT investment and
prioritization. "This seminar will also provide inputs for the effective
planning and implementation of current and future ICT programs of the
department," Lapus added. Lapus supports the creation of an
ICT-capable student population and has declared that one of his priorities
is to put more computers in schools.
From http://archive.inquirer.net/
04/11/2007
TOP↑
SINGAPORE:
Launch First Global Convention on Technology for Disabled with Thailand
Singapore and Thailand will launch the
first International Convention for Rehabilitation Engineering &
Assistive Technology (i-Create). The three-day exhibition and conference is
the first joint effort by both countries to promote technology for people
with disabilities and the elderly in Southeast Asia. It will showcase the
latest state-of-the-art equipment in the field of Assistive and
Rehabilitative Technology. 10 workshops will also be held by well-known
experts on the technology. i-Create will be held at the National Library
from April 24-26. Guests of honour include Singapore's Community Development,
Youth and Sports Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan and Thailand's Princess
Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.
From
http://www.channelnewsasia.com 04/11/2007
TOP↑
SME
Development Survey 2007 to Focus on Cost, Competition
The 5th SME Development Survey was
launched on Friday. This year's survey will focus on the key issues of cost
and competition. The annual nation-wide poll, which started in 2003, is
conducted by DP Information Group with the support from SPRING Singapore
and IE Singapore. Questionaires will be sent out to 10,000 SMEs. They will
be asked for their feedback on issues such as the impact of rising rental
and manpower costs, the GST increase and the corporate tax cut. The survey
will also touch on the difficulties faced by SMEs in recruiting talent and
the adoption of new technologies to sharpen their competitive edge. DP Info
said this year's focus areas differ from previous surveys which largely
concentrated on internal challenges for SMEs such as gaining access to
financing. Chen Yew Nah, Managing Director, DP Information Group, said:
"The economy has improved. Many segments of the SMEs have also have
benefited from it, hence it's not surprising that their concerns get a bit
more external – concerns such as competition, both domestically and
internationally." The 2007 SME Development Survey will be conducted
over a 3-month period. The results of the survey will be announced in
September.
From
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/ 04/13/2007
TOP↑
New
Online Portal to Help Govt Pensioners Manage Healthcare Bills
Tracking pensions payments and healthcare
bills is now more convenient for government pensioners. From Monday, they
can access information on monthly bills at restructured hospitals and medical
reimbursements, through a new online portal pac.gov.sg. They can also
update personal details online, as well as receive free email alerts on
pensions-related information. The portal will benefit over 30,000 Singapore
government pensioners. Also from Monday, pensioners have been included
under the civil service medical billing system (MBS@Gov), making it easier
for them to claim reimbursements for visits to private clinics. All they
need is to show their Public Service card at participating clinics, and pay
for their portion of the bill upfront. This means they no longer have to
submit receipts to the Pensions Branch, and wait for the reimbursements to
be credited into their account in the next month.
From http://www.channelnewsasia.com
04/16/2007
TOP↑
S'pore
Economy Expected to Grow Yearly at Around 5% over Next 5 Years: PM
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said
Singapore's economy is expected to grow annually at around 5 per cent or
maybe more over the next five years. Speaking to The Wall Street Journal,
he said the growth forecast for this year is 4.5% to 6.5%. Mr Lee also saw
the next three to four years as good growth years. On balance, he said,
unless there is a disaster, Singapore will be doing OK. Mr Lee added that,
like other nations, Singapore's economy could be affected by adverse global
economic conditions such as a possible recession in the United States,
worldwide currency instability, a major terrorist attack in the region or a
falling out between the US and China.
From http://www.channelnewsasia.com
04/17/2007
TOP↑
S'pore
to Focus on More International Collaborations to Fight Cyber Threats
Singapore will focus on more international
collaborations to improve its ability to combat cyber threats. This was
revealed by Vivian Balakrishnan, Second Minister for Information,
Communications and the Arts. He was speaking at an annual Infocomm Security
Seminar in Singapore on Tuesday. Dr Balakrishnan also said the government
is looking at a new 5-year Infocomm Security Masterplan that is expected to
be launched next year. With more people going online, it has become
increasingly urgent to make cyberspace more secure. Dr Balakrishnan said:
"We cannot afford to be complacent, especially with new and dangerous
threats that continue to evolve and grow, and grow at such an alarming
rate." But to fight various kinds of cyber threats, the government
believes it needs to join hands with other countries. "Moving forward,
we hope to engage our international counterparts even more actively so that
we can improve our collective abilities to combat cyber threats," said
Dr Balakrishnan.
"And I'm glad to announce that Singapore
has been chosen to host the Meridian 2008 Conference, an international
community for governments to discuss the protection of critical infocomm
infrastructures," he added. Singapore has been actively collaborating
with international teams. Just last year, Singapore signed an agreement
with the French government to share information and assessments on cyber
threats. More such international agreements may be in the offing. The new
masterplan also aims to ensure a more secure environment for new innovative
services that ride on Singapore's national infocomm infrastructure. That
initiative, called iN2015, was launched last year and aims to transform
Singapore into an intelligent nation by 2015.
From http://www.channelnewsasia.com/
04/17/2007
TOP↑
3D
Digital Navigation Maps for Cars by 2009
Getting lost will soon be a thing of the
past for drivers, with a software that looks set to take them closer to the
future. They will no longer need to ask for directions when they are behind
the wheel, thanks to the introduction of 3D digital maps. Tele Atlas is the
company responsible for the software. It has hooked up with BMW to install
the 3D software in its next generation cars in Singapore and Malaysia in
two years' time. And it is not just drivers who will be able to use the
software. The company is also aiming to install it in hand-held devices
like the Blackberry, the Mio, as well as Nokia mobile phones. Tele Atlas
has yet to disclose the cost of using the 3D digital maps.
From http://www.channelnewsasia.com/
04/16/2007
TOP↑
VIET
NAM: 3,000 Businesses to Attend Brand Awards
The "Viet Nam Excellent Brand
2006" awards for the country’s most successful enterprises will be
held on April 7. Co-organised by the Viet Nam Economic Times and Viet Nam
Trade Promotion Agency, the annual event is designed to help domestic firms
raise their profiles and promote their products and services. This year’s
event has attracted some 3,000 enterprises - 98 of which have already
received recognition for excellence this year. Among those are:
Refrigeration and Electrical Engineering Corporation (REE), Viet Nam Post
and Communication Group (VNPT), Viet Nam Diary Products Corporation
(Vinamilk) and the Bank for Foreign Trade of Viet Nam (Vietcombank). Nguyen
Van Thong, deputy director of Credit Information Centre (CIC), said:
"‘Excellent enterprises’ this year were successful in their financial
activities and are well known in the market, according to the State Bank of
Viet Nam’s (SBV) data." Organisers said the awards are based on
evaluations by customers and the Trade Promotion Department. Firms are
evaluated on their leadership, financial results, staff and business
innovation.
Other criteria include ratings based on
their financial and securities index, which is supplied by the CIC and SBV.
For the first time, provincial enterprises are in the running for awards -
demonstrating how the event has grown, said organisers. "The criteria
used to determine excellence are based on the enterprise’s business
performance and its success in building its brand," said Nguyen Si
Dung, deputy chairman of the National Assembly Office. Among last year’s
winners were Trung Nguyen Coffee, Sai Gon Jewellery Company and Vinamilk.
http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn
03/30/2007
TOP↑
Hung Yen
Becomes E-friendly
The northern province of Hung Yen
officially launched its Business and Investment Information Portal
yesterday, said Director of the Provincial Department of Planning and
Investment Doan Anh Quan. The project is part of the province’s plan to
modernise public services for local businesses, the director said, adding
that the portal would simplify business and tax code registration. Quan
said the province is taking steps to improve information transparency and
reduce business costs. The portal can be reached at
www.hungyen.gov.vn/doanhnghiep and www.hungyen.gov.vn/business. Enterprises
can now register their businesses online, which should help to cut at least
30 per cent off the time it used to take to register, he said. There are
nearly 1,700 enterprises in Hung Yen, and that number is expected to rise
to 3,000 by 2010, said Quan. According to a recent study by the Central
Institute for Economic Management and the German Technical Co-operation, 41
per cent of enterprises said it took too long and was too costly to start
up their businesses.
The study also found that most official
procedures were conducted manually. Furthermore, the absence of a shared
business database has made it difficult for local authorities to exchange
information, Quan said. "Through the portal, investors can quickly
obtain information on business and investment registration and appraisal in
the province," said Provincial People’s Committee Chairman Nguyen Van
Cuong. "This will create a convenient, cost saving one-stop-shop model.
It will also form an on-line forum to enable exchanges between authorities
and enterprises and allow real-time solutions," said Cuong. Investment
registration and appraisal will shortly be possible online, said Quan,
adding that a B2B Platform would be developed, enabling enterprises to
advertise products and carry out business transactions. From the portal,
users can easily access national programmes, such as the National Business
Information Network, he said. Hung Yen was the leading Red River Delta
province in terms of transparency and access to information last year,
according to the USAID-funded Viet Nam Competitiveness Initiative.
From http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn
04/05/2007
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INDIA:
World Bank Calls for Improving Environment Norms
“The World Bank on Wednesday suggested
improvement of regulatory framework to increase compliance of environmental
guidelines by corporate, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and units in
the unorganized sector. India needs to ‘explore innovative regulatory
approaches to overcome the lack of credible sanctions,’ the Bank's report on
Strengthening institutions for sustainable growth: Country environment
analysis for India said. The average compliance ratio of industries
monitored with respect to environmental standards was 50 percent, World
Bank's Lead Environmental Economist and Team Leader of the report, Kseniya
Lvovsky said while addressing a press conference. The World Bank report was
released by secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests Prodipto Ghosh
at a workshop held earlier in the day [in New Delhi]. …” [The Press Trust of
India and Asia Pulse (Australia)/Factiva] The Financial Express reports
that “… The SMEs, which have an enormous impact on the environment, most
often cannot afford clean technology and pollution controls, [the report]
pointed out. Rachid Benmessaoud, Operations Advisor for India, World Bank
said that there is an increasing demand for a better environment with the
boom in the economy and increased growth levels.” [The Financial Express
(India)/Factiva]
The Hindu writes that “… The report says
that owing to high population density, India's rapidly growing economy
would put unprecedented pressure on its environment and natural resources
such as land, water, air, soil and forests. These pressures are projected
to become the highest in the world by 2020. … The report highlights the
urgent need to develop specialized environmental programs for SMEs that
take account of their constraints and help improve their environmental
performance without adversely affecting their business. …” [The Hindu
(India)/Factiva] Reuters notes that “… Industries like electronics and
information technology - one of India's flagship growth sectors - textiles,
pharmaceuticals, and basic chemicals, belong to the ‘red category’ of major
polluting processes, the report said. These sectors are significantly
polluting water and air and causing more hazardous waste. Increased
investment in the construction, mining and iron and steel sectors is
leading to a mushrooming of brick-making units, iron plants and steel
mills, many of which use highly polluting processes, it said. …”
[Reuters/Factiva] Indo-Asian News Service adds that “… Coal, the report
says, will remain the dominant fuel to cater to India's energy needs for
its growing population, despite attempts to develop an alternative energy source.
It goes on to say that the demand for coal will in fact increase three-fold
in the next 20 years. …” [Indo-Asian News Service (India)/Factiva]
From http://web.worldbank.org/
04/11/2007
TOP↑
Punjab
Government to Make State a Cotton Hub
Bathinda, April 14 : The Punjab government
has ambitious plans to turn the state into a cotton hub with
state-of-the-art technology for commercial designing, manufacturing and
finishing of cotton goods. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal announced
here Saturday that Punjab would convert into the cotton capital of India
"within a definite timeframe". The Malwa belt of the state -
comprising districts like Bathinda, Mansa, Ferozepore and others - are
known for their cotton production. The cotton output of this belt has been
good in the last 2-3 years. "We are not only trying to tie-up with
major players in the cotton industry but are also planning to send
progressive cotton growers and industrialists to China, Australia, United
States, Britain, Europe and other countries. They will look into the
upgradation of technology for quality cotton production and also explore
market potential for cotton products," Badal told cotton growers and
industrialists here. He urged agriculture scientists to find new techniques
to increase cotton production.
From http://www.newkerala.com/
04/14/2007
TOP↑
IT Parks
Will Be Set Up in 4 Regions of UT: Shahjahan
Puducherry, Apr 17: The Puducherry
administration is taking steps to set up IT parks in all the four regions
of the Union Territory, Minister for IT M O H F Shajahan told the assembly
today. Replying to a question, Mr Shajahan said 44 acres of education department
land acquired at Kalapet near here and five acres in Mahe region were
diverted for establishing IT parks and a suitable site was being searched
in Karaikal region. For Yanam, the government would consider if there was
feasibility. Congress member M Kandasamy said one IT park should be set up
either at Bahour or Villianur, following which Chief Minister N Rangasamy
intervened and said that the land for setting up IT parks was being
demanded on the East Coast Road and the administration would consider the
setting up of one IT park on the Cuddalore road. Replying to another
question, the Chief Minister ruled out provision of temple lands to those
settled there free of cost. Only with a mission the land was donated to the
temples and their desire to conduct special poojas or provision of
annadanams, he said adding the government would transfer the property to
those settled on the lands on payment of a reasonable rate.
From
http://www.newkerala.com/ 04/17/2007
TOP↑
Punjab
Govt to Establish Punjab Institute of Sports
Chandigarh, Apr 18: Keeping in mind the
present state government's manifesto, the Punjab Government has decided to
establish Punjab Institute of Sports on the pattern of National Institute
of Sports, which would serve as Centre of Excellence to mould the state
players into world beaters. The ambitious proposal was discussed in detail
at a meeting which was chaired by Sports Minister Gulzar Singh Ranike at
Punjab Bhawan here today. Among those present at the meeting were Principal
Secretary Sports and Youth Services R P S Pawar, Joint Director Sports
Chanchal Randhawa, Assistant Director Sports S L Lotey, Joint Secretary
Punjab State Sports Council Kehar Singh and District Sports Officers. The
ideal location to establish the proposed Punjab Institute of Sports is
State Sports School/College and Burlton Park in Jalandhar where all modern
sports infrastructure could be easily raised for residential training and
state of art medical centre. Giving details of the meeting, Mr Pawar said
that the Minister was keen that the various projects of the Punjab Sports
Department should be taken up on priority basis and the work should start
with immediate effect under proper supervision. It was decided that the
Maharaja Ranjit Singh Award for 2005 and 2006, the highest state sports
recognition, should be presented to the outstanding persons after receiving
applications from eligible persons at the earliest. The process will take a
couple of months to finalise the names of the eligible sportspersons Mr
Pawar said that the Sports Department has already conferred the Maharaja
Ranjit Singh Award up to 2004. The Department will also disburse cash
awards to the winners of Doha Asian Games 2006 and National Games at a
function to be organised soon.
From http://www.newkerala.com/ 04/18/2007
TOP↑
Education
Receive Top Priority in J and K, Minister
Srinagar, Apr 21: The education sector,
which was badly hit during the 17-year-long militancy, will receive special
attention of the Congress led coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking after inaugurating newly-constructed rooms at the government High
School, Rajpura, state Health and Education Minister Mangat Ram said that
the education sector is being strengthened by constructing additional
accommodation and creating other requisite infrastructure. ''In the first
phase a number of schools at all levels have been upgraded to next higher
status as per demand of the people,'' he said, adding that now they were
working on the 2nd phase in which it has been decided to provide
accommodations and other allied infrastructure so that educational
institutions function properly as per the modern need. He said for this
purpose, funds have been kept for education sector of district plan to
execute construction of additional buildings. Mr Sharma asked students to
give special attention towards imparting modern and scientific education to
the children and prepare them to compete in the fast emerging era of
science and technology. He advised the students not to indulge in bad
habits and concentrate on their studies to excel in the academic field and
become good citizens of tomorrow.
From http://www.newkerala.com/
04/21/2007
TOP↑
State
Govt Takes Up Various Package for Reang Tribes
Agartala, Apr 21: The Tripura Government
has initiated a number of packages for the socio-economic development of
Reang tribals of the state. A high-level meeting, presided by Tribal
Welfare Minister Jitendra Chowdhury, yesterday decided that this year the
state government would help the 350 'Adim jati' Reang families for their
socio-economic development. Besides, the state government also decided to
extend various helps to the students of the Reang, including special
coaching camp for six months to those studying between classes one to eight
mainly in rural areas, official sources said.
From
http://www.newkerala.com/ 04/21/2007
TOP↑
PAKISTAN:
Government Committed to Welfare of Lawyers
ISLAMABAD, Apr 2 (APP): Minister for Law,
Justice and Human Rights, Wasi Zafar Monday said the government will
continue working for welfare of the lawyers community. “Like in the past,
the government will continue steps for their welfare in future as well,”
the minister said, talking to Chaudhry Zulfiqar Sidhu, Secretary General
Muslim League Lawyers Wing, Multan. Sidhu called on the Minister along with
Jalil Ahmed Wayens and Chaudhry Muhammad Siddique Bhatti advocates. Wasi
Zafar assured the visiting delegation that the decision of the Supreme
Judicial Council will be acceptable to the government and it will ensure
implementation of the Council decision. He said lack of confidence by the
lawyers in the supreme judiciary, is contrary to their profession and
stature. He called upon the lawyers wing to stand united and convey the
government’s stance to the Bar Associations.
From http://www.pakistanlink.com/
04/02/2007
TOP↑
Musharraf
Laid Groundwork for Islamabad's New Airport
ISLAMABAD: President Gen Pervez Musharraf
Saturday laid the foundation stone for the new Islamabad International
Airport at Fateh Jang. Speaking at this occasion, Musharrraf said that new
airport would bring prosperity and progress in the region. The airport will
be constructed in two phases of two years each at an estimated cost of Rs
35 billion.
From http://www.pakistanlink.com/
04/07/2007
TOP↑
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AZERBAIJAN:
Opposition Party Publishes New Newspaper
The opposition Musavat party held on April
2 an inaugural meeting in Baku marking the publishing of a new daily
newspaper, day.az reported. The new editor of the "Parallel"
newspaper, Tadiq Abbas, announced that the staff is largely composed of
Musavat party activists and officials and explained that the launch of the
paper stems from dissatisfaction from the "independent line"
followed by the party's main "Yeni Musavat" newspaper and its
editor, Rauf Arifoglu. RG
From http://www.rferl.org/ 04/04/2007
TOP↑
UZBEKISTAN:
3.4m People Use Services of Mobile Companies
Number of mobile users in Uzbekistan
reached 3.4 million users as of 1 April 2007, a session of Cabinet
Ministers' complex on information-communication technologies said. The
session, which summed up results of January-March 2007, the number of
internet users made up 1.745 million people in the reporting period. It was
said that industries of the complex produced services and products for
172.14 billion soums in the first quarter 2007 or up 50.2% year-on-year.
From http://business.uzreport.com/
04/17/2007
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AUSTRALIA:
500,000 Customers Access Family Assistance via Medicare Service
Human Services Minister, Senator Chris
Ellison, has welcomed the 500,000th customer accessing Family Assistance
services, which are now available in all 238 Medicare Australia offices
nationwide. Family Assistance services, which have traditionally been provided
by Centrelink, provide customers with the opportunity to process claims for
the Maternity Payment, Maternity Immunisation Allowance, Child Care
Benefits and Family Tax Benefits. Enabling Family Assistance to be accessed
via Medicare Australia is intended to make life easier for those who find
it more convenient to visit a Medicare shopfront than a Centrelink office.
“People appreciate the convenience and friendly service available at
Medicare offices. That great service has now been enjoyed by half a million
people needing Family Assistance services who have been able to get them at
their local Medicare office," Senator Ellison said. “It is one of the
many ways in which this government is making it quicker and easier for
Australians to do business with us.” "The Australian Government is
leading the way in providing faster, easier services to families and
individuals, and using Medicare offices for Family Assistance is just one
of them," Senator Ellison said. "From mid-2007 people will be
able to lodge claims and receive benefits straight into their bank account
via an EFTPOS system at their doctor’s surgery. Electronic Medicare
claiming will deliver greater convenience to Australians, and will give
Medicare office staff more time to help the public with more complex
inquiries. “Medicare offices are diversifying the services they offer and
are now providing a much wider range of face-to-face services than ever
before,” Senator Ellison said.
From
http://www.humanservices.gov.au/ 03/27/2007
TOP↑
New
Online Consultation Site for Small Business
A new website to improve consultation with
small business - www.consultation.business.gov.au - was launched today at
the National Small Business Forum in Canberra. The site allows businesses
to be consulted about new or existing regulations. The aim is to reduce the
burden of red tape through early consultation.
"www.consultation.business.gov.au will allow small business to be
consulted early on about proposed regulations. If there's a problem with a
regulation, or there's a better way to do it, I want to know about it
straight away," Fran Bailey, Minister for Small Business and Tourism,
said today. "I would encourage small businesses and their industry
associations to log on to www.consultation.business.gov.au. The more
consultation and feedback we receive, the better the end product will
be." This site is part of the Howard Government's strong commitment to
listening to small business and acting on their concerns. "The Howard
Government has listened to the concerns of small business on unfair
dismissals and delivered an exemption. We listened to concerns about
unfettered union access to the worksite and we protected small business.
It’s a disgrace the Opposition cannot say the same," Fran Bailey said.
"Any political party aspiring to government must listen to small
business and act on those concerns. If a political party fails the
consultation test, they do so at their own peril. With 1.88 million small
businesses providing employment to 3 million Australians, the sector must
be listened to and their concerns acted on. If any political party won't do
it, it's sayonara to government." Fran Bailey said the new site was
part of the Government's E-business strategy, with the $29 million VANguard
program set to kick off pilot projects shortly following strong support
from small business. "VANguard will save small business time and
money. It's as simple as that. As Small Business Minister, I am focussed on
this aim. In contrast, the Opposition wants to de-rail VANguard and its
aims by abolishing the program - very short-sighted in my books," Fran
Bailey concluded.
From http://minister.industry.gov.au/
03/30/2007
TOP↑
Australian
Government Committed to 21st Century Rail
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for
Transport and Regional Services, Mark Vaile, today announced a further
$27.6 million for new wireless digital technology for the national rail
network as part of his determination to bring rail into the 21st Century.
Mr Vaile said the additional funding for new technology based on 3G 850
wireless mobile phone platform brings the Australian Government's
commitment to ARTC to deliver its national freight train communications
project to $69.6 million. "This will allow us to provide a modern
train communications system that will significantly enhance rail freight
efficiency to reduce the future burden on our roads," Mr Vaile said.
"This single system – due for completion mid 2009 – will replace outdated
state-based operations on the interstate and Hunter Valley rail networks,
which use a variety of communications systems and services. For freight
trains, this means the replacement of seven communication systems on the
ARTC's interstate rail network and interoperability with other existing
systems", he said. Mr Vaile said the project is a further example of
the Coalition Government's commitment to rebuilding Australia's rail
infrastructure which is important to economic growth. "The Australian
Government is spending over $2.4 billion on rail infrastructure projects on
the AusLink National Network over a five year period to June 2009, which
represents the largest single investment in rail freight in Australian
history," Mr Vaile said. "As a direct result of a record
investment programme, modern technology is being installed into our rail
systems including new automated remote train control and signalling
systems, replacing old 19th century manual systems. "For example, new
train control systems will enable all signalling and train control for the
interstate rail network from Campbelltown to Melbourne to be centralised at
Junee, maximising efficiency and providing for improved safety for the rail
network. "Improvements to technology are being complemented by much
needed upgrading of the AusLink rail network including recent funding
commitments to the Wodonga Rail Bypass and Tasmanian Rail System," Mr
Vaile said.
From
http://www.ministers.dotars.gov.au/ 04/02/2007
TOP↑
More
than 125,000 Australians Walk Away from the Unions
Australians are turning their backs on the
trade union movement. ABS statistics out today show that the proportion of
private sector employees who are trade union members has declined from 16.8
per cent in August 2005 to a record low of 15.2 per cent in August 2006*.
Overall union membership in Australia decreased from 1,911,900 in August
2005 to 1,786,000 in August 2006 – a fall of 125,900 members. “These ABS
figures show that the union bosses’ real motive for the anti-government
campaign is to drum up membership at a time when their grip on power is
waning,’’ Minister Hockey said. “Perhaps they should spend more time
worrying about representing their members’ interests rather than taxing
them to pay for misleading television advertisements.” “There is little
doubt that the naked political ambition displayed by Bill Shorten, Greg
Combet, Doug Cameron and a range of others is due to falling membership.”
“It’s not surprising they want to control the Labor Party when their own membership
base is shrinking.”
The latest figures continue the long-term
trend of steadily declining union membership in this country. Union density
in Australia has fallen every reported period since 1976, when it stood at
51 per cent. Only around one in five workers are now trade union members.
Only 15.2 per cent of private sector employees choose to join. “This
substantial drop in membership is particularly significant given it
occurred in the middle of an unprecedented $30 million-plus scare campaign
directed at the Australian Government’s workplace relations reforms,”
Minister Hockey said. “These figures also explain why some unions are
employing underhand campaign tactics.” “In recent months, Unions NSW’s John
Robertson has been caught campaigning at a state high school while the NSW
Nurses Federation spent more than $1.2 million campaigning against federal
laws that do not affect its members.” “It is important to remember that the
Australian Government’s workplace relation reforms enshrine freedom of
association. They also preserve the right of employees to call on a union
rep or bargaining agent if they choose.” “Despite this, Australian workers
are walking away from the union movement.”
From http://mediacentre.dewr.gov.au/
04/03/2007
TOP↑
Clever
Networks - Smart Broadband Solutions for Rural and Regional Australia
The Minister for Communications, Information
Technology and the Arts, Senator the Hon Helen Coonan, today announced that
sixteen projects have been successful under the first round of funding for
the $113 million Clever Networks program. “Along with the Government’s
Australian Broadband Guarantee, Clever Networks continues the rollout of
broadband access to all Australians wherever they live,” Senator Coonan
said. “And a number of these projects are only possible as a result of
previous Australian Government funding that has promoted the development
and adoption of advanced tele-health and online-education services”.
Senator Coonan said the following projects funded under the Coordinated
Communications Infrastructure Fund (CCIF) provide a great example of what
might be achieved under the Clever Networks Program. Charles Darwin
University’s CCIF project - enabled a 17 km broadband fibre optic backbone
between the University and a series of research and educational
institutions, in the Desert Knowledge Precinct, to help improve educational
services in the region and in the Northern Territory. The Loddon Connect
CCIF project - provided 33 Victorian communities with access to a business
grade DSL service providing clinical and administrative benefits to health
service providers. The District Council of the Yorke Peninsula CCIF project
- provided enhanced community access to data, voice and video capabilities
within a 10 km wireless local loop around the towns of Maitland, Minlaton,
Yorketown and Warooka in South Australia.
“The 16 successful Clever Networks
projects will use the latest in broadband technology to improve service
delivery in the areas of health, education, government and emergency
services for communities throughout rural and regional Australia,” Senator
Coonan said. “As a result of the coordinated approach promoted by the
Australian Government, $49 million from the Australian Government’s Clever
Networks program has been boosted to a total of $145 million over the next
three years, delivering broadband to communities across Australia far and
wide”. Included in the range of successful applications are projects that
will provide: improved technology in public hospitals and health care
facilities a llowing doctors and health care providers to share patient
records and x-rays across secure networks—delivering better patient
services for communities in regional and remote Australia remote diagnostic
services to local communities and rural homesteads; improved care and
services to clients of health and disability services with encouraged flexible
learning for therapists; improved communications to better deliver local
business and community-wide benefits in regional centres; supporting
integrated emergency services management to improve coordination of police,
fire and emergency services; and enhanced broadband connections to many
regional and remote schools, including those in Indigenous communities. “I
will be announcing the successful projects individually over coming weeks,”
Senator Coonan said. “Clever Networks is part of the Australian Government’s
broadband services that will ensure all Australians can benefit from fast
broadband regardless of where they live.”
From http://www.minister.dcita.gov.au/
04/17/2007
TOP↑
Labor
Broadband Blowout
A LABOR government is likely to face a
huge cost blowout if it goes ahead with plans to partner the private sector
in a broadband fibre network delivering a 12Mbps internet service to 98 per
cent of Australians, networking companies and analysts say. Network
infrastructure specialist Pipe Networks has released a conservative
estimate of the cost of building the net that values the work required for
access components at upwards of $15-$16 billion - nearly double Labor's
current estimate of $9 billion. Pipe Networks chief executive Bevan
Slattery said he would be very surprised if the network could be
constructed for $9 billion. "I think nine billion dollars would be
very optimistic," Mr Slattery said. Opposition communications
spokesman Stephen Conroy announced that the Labor's proposal late last
month. Under the proposal, Labor said it would invest $4.7 billion in a
public-private partnership to build a fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) network, if
it won the coming federal election. Labor's proposal was based on cost
estimates carried by Telstra and released in August 2005. At the time,
Telstra said it would need a $4.7 billion capital injection from government
to lift broadband speeds to 12Mbps for about 94 per cent of the population.
Shara Evans, chief executive of telecommunications industry research group
Market Clarity, said Telstra's cost estimates lacked detail required to
build "any sort of realistic network cost model".
"There is insufficient detail to
determine how these budgetary figures were calculated or what is included
and excluded," she said. A spokesman for Senator Conroy defended the
Labor plan late yesterday. He said that Telstra was the only company that
had done due diligence required to estimate the cost of the network.
"The only (company) that has done the modelling for a national network
is Telstra and if the other guys have done the modelling we'll look at that
but they haven't," the spokesman said. At least three FTTN proposals
have been put into public arena for consideration in the last 18 months.
All of them seek to remove broadband speed bottlenecks in Telstra's copper
network by running lengths of fibre from the carrier's exchanges to
cabinets or nodes closer to homes and businesses. Telstra was the first to
announce plans for an FTTN, unveiling a $4.2 billion proposal to build on
FTTN in November 2005. It shelved the plans after the federal Government
refused to relax regulations to ensure it could recoup what the carrier
considered an adequate return on its investment. Fearing Telstra was trying
to reinstate a monopoly on its network of telephone exchanges, a consortium
led by Optus, known as the G9 announced its own proposal to build an FTTN
under a funding model that would allow it to be run a separate
infrastructure company. Mr Slattery said that a basic "back of the
serviette" costing of the network would reveal the problem with the
costing model adopted by Telstra.
He said Pipe Networks initial estimates
indicated that a carrier would require a minimum of about 350,000 fibre
nodes to cover the land mass required to reach 98 per cent of homes and
businesses, at a cost of at least around $50,000 each - or around $17.5
billion dollars. Mr Slattery said that Labor's proposal was an indication
that debate over FTTN had become irrational. "As an industry I think we've
probably failed to articulate the issues that surround FTTN," he said.
Market Clarity also questioned whether Labor's proposal had included the
cost of providing backhaul - the high-speed links connecting broadband
services in regional and rural areas back to the cities. "If we look
at a proposal that's on the table to devote $9 billion to building an
access network, that money isn't sufficient because none of that money is
addressing the problem of backhaul," a spokesman for Market Clarity
said. Ms Evans said that at best Labor's proposal was likely to based on a
scenario in which Telstra calculated the cost of bringing its own backhaul
to the partnership. She said it wasn't clear how an alternative provider
would be able to fulfil Labor's proposal.
"My best professional judgment is
that Telstra would not have included extra backhaul costs because they
would have included their own backhaul. If someone else were to build a
similar network not using Telstra's backhaul the cost would be quite high,"
Ms Evans said. Telstra owns nearly 80 per cent of all the major long-haul
fibre and microwave points of presence across Australia, Market Clarity
said. Senator Conroy's spokesman said it was "ridiculous" to
suggest that Senator Conroy had not considered the cost of providing
backhaul. He said that there was nothing preventing alternative providers
piggy-backing Telstra's backhaul network to provide the access service.
Market Clarity said that the scenario was likely to lead to a high price
for broadband services in rural areas under Labor's plan. "If you're
build only a new access network and you're not doing anything to enhance on
provide competitive pricing in the backhaul then you end up with an
expensive service," Ms Evans said. "A service that existing access
providers are saying uniformly is very expensive in the areas where there's
no competition in backhaul."
From
http://australianit.news.com.au/ 04/17/2007
TOP↑
Latest
Performance Figures Show Continued Success of Job Network
Job Network is continuing to provide
excellent results for job seekers as shown in the latest performance
figures, Minister for Workforce Participation, Dr Sharman Stone, said
today. The latest release of the Job Network Performance Profile shows
record performance levels being achieved by Job Network members across
Australia. “In the 12 months to end February 2007, over 1.051 million new
vacancies were lodged on the national database – an increase of three per
cent of the 1.016 million vacancies lodged in the corresponding period last
year. This represents a new annual record,” Minister Stone said. “In the
same time, a total of over 650 900 job placements were recorded which is in
line with the places recorded to end February 2006. “As well, over 182 800 long-term
jobs were achieved for disadvantaged job seekers and those unemployed more
than three months,” Minister Stone said. Minister Stone said the success of
Job Network in assisting those who are most disadvantaged in the labour
market is shown in the large number of placements recorded for all job
seekers. Over 16 200 long term jobs were recorded for sole parent job
seekers receiving Parenting Payments – an increase of 29 per cent on the 12
600 recorded in the previous 12 month period and a new annual record. over
13, 600 long term jobs were achieved for Indigenous job seekers – an
increase of seven per cent on the 12 700 achieved in the previous 12 month
period and a new annual record. As well, 24 300 long term jobs were
achieved for Mature Age job seekers – an increase in the previous 12 month
period. “Job Network is performing well right across Australia. It is
helping more Australians find real jobs in good time. It is also providing
targeted personalised assistance to those needing a hand to find a full-time
or part-time job,” Minister Stone said.
From
http://mediacentre.dewr.gov.au/ 04/17/2007
TOP↑
NEW
ZEALAND: OECD Report Confirms NZ Is on Path to Sustainability
An independent international report
indicates that New Zealand is on the way to become a sustainable nation,
says Environment Minister David Benson-Pope. The Organisation for Economic
Cooperation and Development (OECD)’s Environmental Performance Review for
New Zealand was released today. The Review finds that the Government's
efforts to limit pollution, to protect nature and biodiversity, and to make
economic development more environmentally sustainable have resulted in
clear improvements. “The launch of this review is timely and provides
additional impetus to this government’s aspiration to be the first country
to be fully sustainable," said Mr Benson-Pope. “The OECD says more
work needs to be done and I am pleased to say that work to fulfil many of
the Review's 38 recommendations is already underway, and where we are
unlikely to fulfil the OECD recommendations, alternative actions are in
place." The environmental strengths identified by the OECD include New
Zealand’s management of water resources and the value placed on its
protected areas and conservation lands. Over 32 per cent of New Zealand’s
land area and 7.5 per cent of territorial sea is protected – more than
twice the OECD average.
"I am also pleased that the Review
has identified our partnership approach to environmental management,
linking local and central government, industry, business and communities,
as being key to our significant achievements. "Key initiatives like
the Clean Streams Accord, the Business Partnerships for Sustainability
programme and the Household Sustainability Campaign are based on a
co-ordinated, partnership approach to improving our overall sustainability.
"The Review is very encouraging but Government acknowledges that much
more needs to be done before we can lay claim to being the first country to
be sustainable across the four pillars of environment, economy, society and
nationhood. "In particular we are already focussing on reducing
greenhouse gas emissions, improving recycling and cutting waste, and
strengthening environmental monitoring and the national reporting of key environmental
indicators, such as the state of the environment report to be released
later this year."
From
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/ 04/05/2007
TOP↑
Views
Sought on Telecom Operational Separation - Minister of Communications Media
Statement
Communications Minister David Cunliffe has
released the government's consultation document on the operational
separation of Telecom New Zealand. "The operational separation of
Telecom is one of a number of reforms this Labour-led government is
implementing following last year's Stocktake review and the passage of the
enabling legislation," Mr Cunliffe said. "The reforms are
expected to deliver a more effective telecommunications sector with
increased competition and efficient investment in infrastructure and
services for the long-term benefit of end-users. "For too long, we
have languished near the bottom of the OECD tables for broadband and
telecommunications sector performance, and it became clear that without
significant change to the competitive environment, our poor performance was
destined to continue." Part 2A of the act sets out the legislative
process for the minister to approve binding and enforceable operational
separation undertakings (which form part of a "separation plan")
made by Telecom. The process provides for the minister to issue a detailed
determination of further requirements, over and above those already set out
in the act, with which Telecom's operational separation plan must comply.
"Since the passing of the legislation last December, the government
has been doing the detailed work on how best to separate Telecom New
Zealand into at least three separate business units," Mr Cunliffe said.
"I welcome public and industry views on whether the draft proposals
strike the right balance given New Zealand's unique circumstances. Those
views will help guide me as I decide on the requirements that will be built
into my determination. "Following the issuing of the final
determination, Telecom will have 20 working days to prepare a draft
separation plan. Industry stakeholders and the public will be invited to
provide their views and comments on the draft separation plan."
Consultation on the initial model for separation will be conducted over the
next three weeks, with submissions to be provided to the Ministry of
Economic Development no later than 5:00pm on Friday 27 April 2007.
From
http://www.med.govt.nz/ 04/05/2007
TOP↑
Broadband
Wireless Spectrum Auction Process Starts
Broadband wireless access (BWA) services
will be boosted by the new allocation of 2.3 GHz spectrum, Communications
Minister David Cunliffe says. "Management rights bands in the 2.3 GHz
spectrum band will be allocated as soon as practicable, enabling emerging
wireless broadband technologies such as WiMAX," the minister said.
"BWA technology for this band is only just starting to become
available. It is critical that we create the right conditions for its future
deployment by giving a range of players the opportunity and the certainty
they need to make a long-term investment." Details of the proposed
auction are now available for comment prior to final government decisions
being taken on the auction arrangements. The overall process of increasing
spectrum availability for BWA services was announced in December 2006 with
the publication of a series of Cabinet decisions. "This announcement
gives more details on the specific auction arrangements and timing for the
2.3 GHz band. "While some of the spectrum rights to be allocated may
not commence until 2010, the early auction will allow purchasers to plan
their implementation with certainty. "We need advanced broadband
services and wireless technologies are a part of the overall mix that can
help us achieve this. This allocation of spectrum is an important step in
allowing industry to plan and build the necessary infrastructure." The
minister encouraged people with an interest in the area or companies that
might provide such services to read the Auction Proposal and to submit
comments.
From
http://www.rsm.govt.nz/ 04/10/2007
TOP↑
Housing
Costs Drive Inflation
The Consumers Price Index (CPI) increased
0.5 percent in the March 2007 quarter, Statistics New Zealand said today.
Housing and household utilities prices made the most significant upward
contribution to the CPI this quarter. Housing and household utilities
prices were up 1.1 percent in the March 2007 quarter, mainly due to price
increases for actual rentals for housing (up 1.0 percent), and purchase of
new housing (up 1.3 percent). Food prices increased 1.1 percent in the
March 2007 quarter, with the main contributions coming from increases in
poultry prices (up 15.2 percent), and grocery foods (up 1.0 percent). Of
the remaining nine groups five recorded increases: miscellaneous goods and
services (up 1.2 percent), education (up 3.4 percent), alcoholic beverages
and tobacco (up 1.0 percent), health (up 1.1 percent) and communication (up
0.1 percent). Four groups recorded price falls: recreation and culture
(down 0.7 percent), household contents and services (down 1.0 percent),
transport (down 0.2 percent) and clothing and footwear (down 0.5 percent).
Over the 12 months to the March 2007 quarter, the CPI increased 2.5
percent, following a rise of 2.6 percent for the year to the December 2006
quarter.
From
http://www.stats.govt.nz/ 04/18/2007
TOP↑
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Ten
Years After the Financial Crisis, East Asian Economies Are Going Strong
Tokyo, April 5, 2007 — A decade after the
financial crisis which devastated East Asia in mid-1997, the region is much
wealthier, has fewer poor people and a larger global role than ever before,
says the World Bank's latest East Asia & Pacific Update - a six-monthly
report on the region's economic and social health. But with this success,
comes a new wave of challenges for countries trying to avoid the
'middle-income trap'. The report finds that growth in Emerging East
Asia1reached 8.1 percent in 2006 - the strongest in the past 10 years and
it is likely to slow only modestly to 7.3 percent in 2007 (see table). Per
capita incomes in the former crisis-affected economies2have significantly
exceeded their pre-crisis levels and are growing steadily nearly
everywhere. In China and low-income transition economies like Vietnam,
Cambodia and Lao PDR, incomes have grown at 'exceptional rates', the report
says. "The region has grappled with and overcome the crisis to return
to solid growth," says the report's principal author and lead
economist for the World Bank's East Asia and Pacific region, Milan
Brahmbhatt. "The past 10 years have seen the emergence of China as a
major global economic power, a doubling in the value of regional output
levels, a halving in poverty rates, a jump in global and regional
integration and accumulation of over $2 trillion in foreign reserves."
But the report warns new challenges are
arising which could slow or even derail growth if not handled properly.
"The idea of a 'middle income trap,'" says Brahmbhatt "is
that the strategies that allow countries to grow from low income to middle
income are not enough to get them to high income. Historically, few countries
have mastered the complex technical, social and political challenges that
arise." By 2010, more than nine in 10 East Asians will be living in a
middle income economy. To move out of the middle-income trap, a key
challenge is maintaining high growth in a sustainable way. In China, this
means new strategies to tackle severe environmental problems and other
stresses and imbalances that have emerged during the last 20 years of very
rapid growth. Elsewhere in East Asia, the challenges are different. In
several economies which have been growing at 2 per cent less than before
the crisis, investment has been relatively weak and firms have been facing
big competitive pressures in world markets, not least from China's booming
economy. In these economies, a strong focus on strengthening the investment
climate and improving labor force skills is key, allowing firms to find new
competitive advantages.
Another challenge is to combine growth
with equity. Before the crisis, half the people of East Asia lived on less
than $2 a day while today poverty is down to 29 percent of the population.
But income inequality is rising in many East Asian economies - in some
cases, sharply. "High inequality can hamper growth as poor people
without access to credit may be unable to exploit investment
opportunities," says Brahmbhatt. "It can also be a source of
political and social unrest that stymies investment and growth." A
third challenge is the need to manage vulnerability and prevent new crises.
Since 1997, countries have built up large foreign exchange reserves as a
buffer against further crises but this could have the unwanted side effects
- overheating economies and asset price bubbles, the report says. Further,
while countries have been strengthening their financial and banking sectors
since the crisis, many economies need to pick up the pace of this effort.
The report says countries in East Asia need to push ahead with their reform
programs, especially in improving the governance and investment climate;
developing more diversified capital markets including credit access for the
poor; liberalizing services trade; boosting education systems to address
skilled labor shortages; and emphasizing prudent macroeconomic policies.
"Ten years after confronting the
reforms needed to rebound from the financial crisis, East Asia must now
confront a new wave of reforms, some of which will be at least as
challenging as those enacted in the months after July, 1997," says
Brahmbhatt. In a special focus section, titled "Sustainable
Development in East Asia's Urban Fringe" the report analyzes the
staggering projections for urbanization in the region. By 2025, the urban
population is expected to jump by 65 percent or 500 million people, placing
huge strains on already inadequate road, electricity, water and sanitation
systems. The report also looks at the smaller economies of the region,
including those of the Pacific Islands, PNG and Timor-Leste. Growth has
picked up in a number of these economies over the last few years, in part
due to higher commodity prices. But political instability and social
tensions continue to undermine the outlook in some countries.
From http://web.worldbank.org/
04/05/2007
TOP↑
Reform
of IMF and Stalled Doha Talks Top G7 Agenda
“Reform of the International Monetary Fund
(IMF) and the need to kick-start stalled trade talks headed the agenda of
[Fri]day's gathering in Washington of finance ministers and central bank
governors from the Group of Seven (G7) industrialized countries, ahead of
the spring meetings of the IMF and World Bank this weekend. … IMF reform is
likely to remain the main issue for discussion both at the G7 and at the
meeting [Saturday] of the International Monetary and Financial Committee
(IMFC), the IMF's governing body. The IMFC is expected to announce an
agreement on the IMF's surveillance role - a shift away from its
traditional focus on countries with balance of payments problems towards
monitoring the spillover effects that financial problems in one country can
have on others. In an interview with the FT, John Lipsky, First Deputy
Managing Director of the IMF, said the IMF had made progress in persuading
skeptical countries that a rewrite of the Fund's surveillance mandate would
not be a Trojan horse for pressure on China or Japan over exchange rates or
general interference in domestic policies, and that it would ensure that
surveillance was applied equally to powerful and weak countries. …”
Kyodo News reports that “G7 financial
leaders displayed their confidence in the health of the global economy
during their meeting Friday in Washington, declaring the economy is
experiencing ‘its strongest expansion in more than 30 years’ while saying
little about the weakness of the yen. Although the G7 financial leaders
acknowledged some risks remain, the wording [about] the global economy in
their statement is stronger than that adopted in their previous gathering
in Essen, Germany, in February. US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, who
chaired the one-day meeting, told a news conference that ‘We have a global
economy that is strong in terms of growth. Inflation around the world is
relatively contained. Liquidity is high.’ The upbeat tone apparently
indicates the G7 financial chiefs are confident that the world economy has
overcome the recent global stock falls from late February to early March.
…” AFP writes that “The world's seven richest nations said Friday a World
Trade Organization deal to tear down global trade barriers was
‘imperative,’ following a measure of progress achieved by leading players
at talks in India. … ‘We are committed to resisting protectionist
sentiment. Substantially lowering tariffs and other barriers is essential
to spur new growth in global trade and reduce poverty,’ the G7 ministers
said after their latest talks. ‘We welcome recent steps to intensify
engagement, recognizing that substantive movement towards a comprehensive
final outcome requires all parties to make additional efforts.’ Paulson
urged fellow finance ministers ‘to encourage their trade ministers to
achieve an ambitious (Doha) deal because of the round's potential to
stimulate growth and economic development.’ …”
AP notes that “… In advance of the weekend
meetings of the IMF and the World Bank, finance ministers from the world's
seven leading industrial countries - the US, Japan, Germany, Britain,
France, Italy and Canada - projected confidence that the various troubles
such as soaring trade deficits, jittery financial markets and a slumping
housing market in the United States would not be enough to derail strong
growth in the world's economy. The G7 finance ministers pledged to make
structural reforms in their own economies to reduce the yawning trade gaps
and called on China to do more to introduce flexibility into its currency
system, which US manufacturers believe is necessary to curb China's huge
trade surpluses. …” The BBC writes that “… The G7 ministers remained
divided on a number of subjects - including currency volatility,
protectionism and regulation of the trillion-dollar hedge fund industry.
Germany has been calling for tighter regulations to control hedge funds,
claiming that should one major hedge fund collapse it could have severe
consequences for global finances. Over the past year, international concern
has grown over the level of risk investors are exposed to by the
lightly-regulated investment schemes, which as both high-return and
high-risk are popular with wealthy investors. However, both the US and IMF
have resisted calls for tighter regulation of the sector, claiming that
market forces are sufficient means to control it.”
From http://web.worldbank.org/
04/14/2007
TOP↑
Options
on Regional Bond Settlement Discussed at ADB Conference
SINGAPORE - Officials from central banks,
regulatory agencies, global clearing houses and investment banks met in
Singapore today to explore whether Asia needs a regional bond clearing and
settlement system to reduce foreign exchange risks to investors and make
them less vulnerable to market fluctuations. At a conference organized by
ADB, experts from government and private sector discussed whether a
regional settlement system would help strengthen market infrastructure for
bond trading in Asia. The participants at the conference discussed current
developments, challenges and risks and ways to improve the region's bond
clearing and settlement infrastructure. The impressive growth and high
returns offered by local currency denominated Asian bonds in recent years
has caught the attention of both global and regional investors. “Asian debt
as an asset class is maturing. The growing number of first time issuers
underscores the shift away from excessive dependence on bank financing,”
said Foong Hock Meng, President & Director of PIMCO Asia Pte Ltd.
As Asian investors, both institutions and
individuals, buy more foreign currency and regional bonds, both private
sector and governments are looking to reduce financial vulnerabilities and
improve efficiency of regional bond markets. “The buildup of a
cost-effective and secure settlement system can significantly improve
investors' confidence, and this in turn can contribute to the development
of domestic and regional bond markets in the region,” said Mr. Jong-Wha
Lee, Head of ADB’s Office of Regional Economic Integration. Under the
ASEAN+3 Asian Bond Markets Initiative, ADB was requested to examine the
linkage between cash and securities settlement and also look into the
option of setting up a regional settlement system. While local settlement
arrangement systems for various instruments, regional and global custodians
can handle current transaction volumes, as regional markets mature and
investors do more cross-border transactions, the importance of a regional
settlement system will assume significance. Investment banks and global
custodians have also lent their support to efforts to improve the regional
settlement and clearing system as it could help improve trading of foreign
currency bonds in the Asian time zone and improve the depth of the market.
“A full range of securities finance
possibilities is necessary for the trading activity that generates
liquidity. Securities finance requires collateral to alleviate risks, so a
regional solution that could provide centralized collateral management
services will help to enhance liquidity in the region’s bond market,” said
Diana Chan, Managing Director of Global Transaction Services at CITI in
London. A regional system could also be a conduit to international markets
for issuers and investors in the less-developed parts of the region. “In a
world of index funds, ETFs, CDOs, and complex cross border transactions,
the creation of robust clearing and settlement platforms becomes a critical
success factor,” said Hon Cheung, Regional Director of the Official
Institutions Group for State Street Global Advisors in Asia. The inputs
gathered from the conference will be used by ADB, regional government
officials and central banks to help formulate policies to strengthen market
infrastructure for more vibrant Asian bond markets.
From http://www.adb.org/ 04/16/2007
TOP↑
Securitization
Can Help Regional Development, Says ADB Report
HONG KONG, CHINA - Securitization of
assets in emerging East Asian bond markets have gathered pace after the
1997/98 financial crisis and has the potential to be used as a tool to fund
the region’s massive infrastructure needs, provide support to microfinance
and human resource development, a report issued by ADB says. Despite its
growth, Asia’s use of securitization is far more modest than in Europe and
North America. Yet structured finance holds considerable potential for
regional development. For securitization to take hold in the region,
governments and regulators need to develop transparent legal and taxation
framework, clear accounting principles and promote common standards across
the region, the April edition of Asia Bond Monitor (ABM) says. “It is also
crucial for the governments and the financial industry to support
standardization of credit assessment and documentation across the region,”
says Jong-Wha Lee, Head of ADB’s Office of Regional Economic Integration
(OREI). The ADB has taken several initiatives to support the development of
securitization in Asia and the Pacific, including legal and technical in
asset-backed securitization in the PRC, securitization of diversified
payments rights in Kazakhstan and the Asian Currency Note Program. ABM says
governments should explore new initiatives to use securitization to support
refunding through microfinance, providing credit and structuring long-term
bank loans to students and for human resource development and to diversify
financing infrastructure investment.
Securitization of assets gained some
momentum in Asia after the 1997/98 financial crisis, particularly in debt
workouts in South Korea and in some instances as an instrument to recycle
non-performing loans. The result was a wave of new asset management
companies (AMCs), publicly capitalized companies charged with acquiring and
restructuring impaired assets. In developed East Asia, commercial and
residential mortgage-backed securities dominate in Hong Kong, People’s
Republic of China, Japan and Singapore, while asset backed securities
dominate in Korea. The introduction of Basel I norms triggered more
sophistication and regulation across the region, providing investors with
some protection and confidence in increasing their appetite for
securitization. Basel II hopes to create common standards for compliance
and supervision, but its impact on small and medium enterprises is yet to
be known. ABM also highlights that emerging Asian bond markets expanded
robustly in the second half of 2006, lifting the full year growth of 32.4
percent, well above the rates for 2004 and 2005. ABM examines local
currency bond market developments in Emerging East Asia, defined as the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations member countries, plus the People’s
Republic of China (PRC); Hong Kong, China; and Republic of Korea.
Government bond markets in the region grew 30 percent in 2006 on the back
of strong issuance from government agencies and several local governments.
Corporate bonds outstanding surged 36 percent in 2006, largely due to
increased issuance in the PRC and the trend of quasi-government companies to
issue under corporate market regulations. Asia’s debt markets will continue
to attract global investors searching for yields, but increased market
volatility may raise cost of financing, giving policymakers an incentive to
take measures to deepen financial markets, ABM says.
From http://www.adb.org/ 04/18/2007
TOP↑
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CHINA:
Try to Slow Economy Again with Bank Reserve Hike
China's central bank on Thursday ordered
major commercial banks to set aside more money in reserves in an effort to
slow its economy, the third such cooling measure of 2007. The People's Bank
of China said in a statement the action was designed to enhance bank
liquidity management and prevent excessively fast credit growth. It said
the required deposit reserve ratio for most commercial lenders would rise
on April 16 by 0.5 percentage point to 10.5 percent. The required deposit
ratio was raised a similar 0.5 percentage point in January and February
this year and three times in 2006. Last month, the benchmark one-year
lending rate was raised by 0.27 percentage points. China's booming economy,
the world's fourth largest, expanded by 10.7 percent in 2006 and is likely
to grow by 10 percent in 2007, the central bank said last week. The central
bank is fighting a rising tide of liquidity stemming from export earnings
as well as outstanding sterilisation paper that is reaching maturity.
Sterilisation is a technical term for
central bank operations aimed at curbing liquidity rising as a result of an
influx of foreign funds in a tightly controlled exchange rate regime such
as China's. It issued 966 billion yuan (125 billion dollars) worth of
sterilisation paper in March alone, for a total of approximately 1.82
trillion yuan so far this year, according to Stone and McCarthy Research
Associates. That marks a new record and is equivalent to half of last
year's estimated 3.65 trillion yuan worth of central bank paper sold into
the market. A trader with one large state-owned commercial bank in Shanghai
said that reserve requirement adjustments will become an increasingly
common occurrence. "We're getting used to this by now," he said,
noting that over 900 billion yuan in maturing sterilisation paper alone is
due to hit the market in the current quarter.
From http://news.yahoo.com/ 04/05/2007
TOP↑
Tax
Policy Issued for Wholly-owned Banks Transformed from Foreign Bank Branches
China's Ministry of Finance and State
Administration of Taxation has jointly issued a circular on taxation for
wholly-owned foreign banks that are transformed from foreign bank branches.
The circular involves business tax, value-added tax, enterprise income tax,
stamp tax, and tax on real estate transfer. According to the Regulations on
Foreign-funded Banks promulgated in November 2006, eligible foreign banks
are allowed to incorporate as wholly-owned banks in China, and foreign bank
branches are permitted to be transformed into wholly-owned foreign banks.
In the process of transformation, the circular says, the transfer of
property rights and equities from a former bank branch to the transformed
wholly-owned bank are exempted from business and value-added taxes. A
transformed wholly-owned foreign bank should continue to enjoy tax holidays
the former bank branch was being enjoyed. If the tax holidays expired
before the transformation, the new wholly-owned foreign bank should not to
enjoy them, according to the circular.
From http://www.china.org.cn/
04/07/2007
TOP↑
Long-awaited
News for Bank Customers
The pledge by eight Chinese banks in
Shanghai to reduce queuing time for its customers this week is welcome
news. The Shanghai Municipal Finance Industry Office recently brought
together 16 Chinese banks to find ways to handle growing complaints from
customers about long queues. According to a recent study of 100 local bank
outlets, the average customer queues for 52 minutes. And seven of the 16
banks reported an average waiting time of over 30 minutes. Not enough
counters for individual services and poor management are among the major
problems at the banks, the study found. An "ultimatum" issued by
Shanghai's finance industry office last Friday called on local banks to
take measures to improve the situation, or face punishment. On Saturday,
eight Chinese banks announced plans to rectify the situation, including
revamping outlets, optimizing business processes, adding more staff and
automatic banking equipment.
The Industrial and Commercial Bank of
China said it would extend its business hours, set up a non-stop service in
all its outlets during lunch hours and provide some evening services. China
Construction Bank said it would add more bank tellers as well as 350
automatic banking machines. In the last few years, banks have paid more
attention to high-end customers the profit center of their business while
ignoring the massive number of low-end customers. As a result, banking in
Shanghai has become an unpleasant experience for many customers. This is
certainly damaging to a city that aspires to become a financial center.
While profitability is important to banks, winning the respect of customers
big or small is crucial to the long-term survival and growth of banks. In
this sense, the Chinese banks are taking the right step this week. Foreign
banks, which have big plans in China, should also bear this in mind. They
should not just keep their eyes on lucrative high-end customers while
shirking their responsibility to the rest of their clients.
From http://www.china.org.cn 04/17/2007
TOP↑
Pressure
on Central Bank to Up Rates
Increasing inflation risks have fuelled
market expectation of a new interest rate hike to prevent the national
economy from overheating. Economists believe that higher consumer price
index (CPI) inflation, in addition to concerns on rapid loan expansion, will
push the central bank to further tighten monetary policies. "If the
actual CPI inflation exceeds 3 percent, we believe it could be a stress
test on the People's Bank of China's comfort zone for inflation,"
Liang Hong, chief China economist with Goldman Sachs, said. Economic data
for the first quarter has yet to be released, but observers at home and
abroad have already revised upwards their forecasts for GDP growth.
"Continued inflationary pressures have increased the risks of another
sooner-than-expected interest rate hike and/or reserve requirement ratio
hike," Liang said. China's CPI, the main inflation gauge, grew by 2.7
percent year on year in February, 50 basis points more than in previous
months. But the country's strong growth momentum indicates that
inflationary risks are on the upside. The economy grew 10.7 percent to 20.9
trillion yuan (US$2.7 trillion) last year, the fastest rate since 1995.
In spite of a spate of tightening measures
to keep the pace of expansion in check, the economy still registered
another strong start this year: in the first two months, almost all major
economic data rebounded significantly. Industrial production, urban
fixed-asset investment and industrial profits increased by 18.5 percent,
23.4 percent and 43.8 percent, respectively. Underpinning such strong
growth in real sectors were fast bank lending growth and increased money
supply driven by a surge in foreign exchange reserves. "An interest
rate hike is now just a matter of time," Stephen Green, a senior
economist with Standard Chartered, said, citing concerns about asset price
inflation. The People's Bank of China, the central bank, raised interest
rates on March 18. Yet, the country's real interest rates as measured by
deposit rates minus the inflation rate have now become negative. And that
is believed to be an underlying driving force in the boom of domestic
equity markets that continue to reach new highs nowadays.
While agreeing that inflation will be
high, not all economists think the central bank will have another interest
rate hike. "We expect CPI inflation to rise to 2.5 percent in 2007
from 1.5 percent in 2006, as a result of recent surges in food
prices," Sun Mingchun, an economist with Lehman Brothers, said. But
Sun expects that the CPI will decline in the second half of this year and
thus there will be no further rate hikes in 2007.
From http://www.china.org.cn 04/17/2007
TOP↑
Banks
Cash in on the Mainland
The mainland is and will continue to be a
key profit driver for listed banks at home and abroad, as robust economic
growth boosts domestic banks' results and foreign lenders compete for
market share, according to a KPMG report. But mainland banks and their
newly arrived foreign counterparts will become rivals as well as cooperative
partners, said KPMG, one of the largest professional services firms in the
world. "There is strong competition between mainland banks and newly
arrived foreign banks, but mainland banks will have the advantage in terms
of customers because they have already won their trust over the
decades," said Walkman Lee, a partner at KPMG's financial services
division in Hong Kong. "People are more likely to entrust their money
to someone they know rather than someone they don't," Lee added. But
they are also ideal working partners, as foreign lenders bring advanced
banking management know-how and mainland banks offer vast networks
throughout the country, said Babak Nikzad, another partner at KPMG's
financial services division in Hong Kong.
Foreign banks "provide great
incentives for Chinese banks, as Chinese banks are still lagging behind
their overseas peers in areas like financial products", said Nikzad.
But he said that "Chinese banks shouldn't be worried at all because
they have built up a massive network in the country, their footprint is
very hard for newcomers to beat". KPMG also released the 2006
financial results for Hong Kong-listed banks, with all 18 lenders posting
another year of good results. Four of the five Hong Kong-listed mainland
banks saw double-digit leaps in profit last year, with increases in both
net interest and non-interest earnings. Listed banks continued to expand
their balance sheets by over 17 percent, and their loan books by 6 percent,
on the previous year. The strongest growth was achieved in loans for use
outside Hong Kong and in unsecured personal credit including credit cards,
KPMG said in its report. More listed banks see the mainland as their key
development destination, according to KPMG.
"They have adopted dual strategies on
the mainland to grow both organically and also through equity investments
in a mainland commercial bank," the report said. "In order to
benefit from full liberalization of the mainland market, seven listed banks
have either applied for or obtained approval to incorporate locally on the
mainland." HSBC, Standard Chartered Bank and Bank of East Asia were
the first three Hong Kong-listed banks to get the nod from the banking
authorities.
From
http://www.china.org.cn 04/20/2007
TOP↑
Foreign
Banks Go Local Today
Four foreign banks will provide retail
yuan services to people across China from today. HSBC, Citigroup, Standard
Chartered Bank and Bank of East Asia passed the regulator's audit last
Thursday and now have unlimited access to the country's US$2-trillion
domestic household savings. The banks, however, have said they mainly
intend to promote wealth management services and target China's wealthier
customers. Domestic lenders, trying to fend off competition in the retail
market, are also stepping up their efforts to court higher-end customers
with services such as private banking. The regulator said Chinese
institutions should provide personalized products and services, and added
that the banking sector in Shanghai is benefiting from a great climate of
innovation and development, attributed partly to anticipated competition
from the foreign banks. The four overseas institutions have more than 100
outlets across China. They said over the weekend that their Shanghai
branches would offer full yuan services from today while others are
expected to do so shortly. "It's an important milestone in our bank's
development and a significant beginning for us to provide full banking
service to large numbers of domestic residents," said Yu Xueqiang,
head of Bank of East Asia's China business.
In addition to wealth management, the four
banks can now provide a wide range of services, including mortgage loans.
They could also expand their funding sources for corporate banking business
by gaining access to personal savings and inter-bank borrowing. The four
banks, however, have fewer branches than their established domestic rivals.
As such, they plan to highlight their wealth management services and target
high-end customers by requiring high minimums. Standard Chartered said it
would roll out various renminbi products for customers under two retail
brands -- Priority Banking and Excel Banking. HSBC will concentrate on its
Premier Wealth Management service for its retail banking business and
charge 300 yuan (US$38.8) a month to handle accounts with less than 500,000
yuan (US$64,717.4). Last week, Citigroup became the first foreign bank in
China to offer a yuan-denominated investment-linked insurance product. The
bank, the largest in the US, is providing the service with the United
MetLife Insurance Company. Domestic banks are foraying into the super
high-end sector. Bank of China, the nation's second largest lender,
launched a private banking service for millionaires in Beijing and Shanghai
last month. China Banking Regulatory Commission's Shanghai bureau said some
domestic institutions need to move faster to enhance their services.
From http://www.china.org.cn 04/23/2007
TOP↑
Bank of
East Asia Opens in Shenyang
Bank of East Asia (BEA) set up a branch in
this northeastern city yesterday in an effort to extend its mainland
network. "The Shenyang branch is in an excellent position to extend
its coverage and services to customers throughout northeastern China,"
said David KP Li, chairman and chief executive officer of BEA. BEA, the
largest independent local bank in Hong Kong, began its mainland business in
1992. Today its network includes 13 branches and 14 sub-branches on the
Chinese mainland. It set up its locally incorporated Bank of East Asia
(China) in Shanghai on April 2. "In recent years we've seen rapid
growth in our mainland business. So we will reinforce our mainland network
and provide more services for customers," said Chan Kay-cheung, deputy
chief executive officer of BEA. Chan said the bank's mainland operation had
seen double-digit growth in annual profit over the past few years,
outperforming other areas in its global network. "We plan to expand
our mainland offices to 30 in three to five years," said Chan.
More and more international investors are
setting up businesses in the country's northeastern region, especially from
Hong Kong, South Korea and Japan. Another two foreign banks plan to open
branches in Shenyang by the end of this year HSBC and Singapore's United
Overseas Bank Ltd. Tang Sing Yu, general manager of the new branch, was
cautiously optimistic about the mainland market. "The amount deposited
in accounts is usually not that big on the mainland, but this will
change," said Tang. BEA, along with other foreign lenders HSBC,
Citibank and Standard Chartered Bank, were approved by the China Banking
Regulatory Commission to conduct renminbi retail business on the mainland
from yesterday.
From http://www.china.org.cn 04/24/2007
TOP↑
JAPAN:
Deputy Bank Manager Stole 70 Mil. Yen over 10 Years
A deputy manager at the Kanuma branch of
Ashikaga Bank in Tochigi Prefecture embezzled more than 70 million yen over
the past 10 years, it was learned Thursday. The deputy branch manager, who
is in her 40s, revealed the embezzlement. The bank intends to file criminal
complaints against her on suspicion of fraud. The fraud was discovered when
a customer tried to withdraw money from a fixed deposit account late last month,
only to find the balance too low. An internal investigation found that the
deputy branch manager had embezzled money from a dozen customers' saving
accounts, beginning about 10 years ago. The Utsunomiya-based bank went bust
in November 2003, has temporarily been nationalized, and is now being
rehabilitated. Bank officials are currently looking into the woman's
motives and methods, as well as how she used the money.
From http://www.yomiuri.co.jp
04/13/2007
TOP↑
SOUTH
KOREA: Fiscal Spending Misses Target in Early 2007
Korea's budget spending fell short of its
goal in the first two months of the year, but expenditures for job creation
and infrastructure exceeded targets, the budget ministry said Wednesday
(March 28). The government spent a combined 28 trillion won ($29.9 billion)
for major state projects during January and February, or 81.9 percent of
its initial plan, according to the Ministry of Planning and Budget. The
government plans to front-load its budget in the first half to create more
jobs and boost consumer spending. According to the government forecast, the
economy is expected to grow at a rate of 4.5 percent this year, down from a
5 percent advance last year, due to sluggish consumer spending and cooling
exports. According to the report, the government created a total of 101,000
jobs in the social service sector in January and February, more than half
of the 201,000 jobs that the government planned to create this year. For
social infrastructure, the government spent a higher-than-expected 5
trillion won during the period. From its budget earmarked for this year,
the government spent 17.7 trillion won, while it spent another 3 trillion
won from government funds. State-owned companies also spent 7.2 trillion
won for government projects, the report showed
From http://www.korea.net/ 03/28/2007
TOP↑
Korea’s
Financial Holding Firms Post Strong Earnings in 2006
Korea’s four financial holding companies
recorded bumper profits in 2006 on strong banking, credit card and
insurance operations, the financial watchdog said Thursday (April 19). The
consolidated net profits of industry leader Shinhan Financial Group, No. 2
Woori Finance Holdings and Korea Investment Holdings totaled 3.99 trillion won
($4.29 billion) last year, up 14.9 percent from a year earlier, the
Financial Supervisory Service said. No. 3 Hana Financial Group, which was
established in December 2005, chalked up 1.03 trillion won in earnings last
year. The net profit of Korea Investment Holdings covered only the
April-December period since it closes its books in March. According to the
regulator, Shinhan Financial Group’s consolidated net profit amounted to
1.83 trillion won, with Woori Finance Holdings’ bottom line reaching 2.03 trillion
won. The consolidated assets of the four companies totaled 515.3 trillion
won as of the end of last year, up 20.7 percent from a year earlier.
Shinhan Financial Group’s assets rose 10.4 percent on-year to 177.7
trillion won, while those of Woori Finance Holdings jumped 28.8 percent to
212.0 trillion won. Hana Financial Group’s assets rose 21.1 percent on-year
to 116.1 trillion won, with Korea Investment holdings seeing its assets
soar 70.9 percent to 9.4 trillion won, the watchdog said.
From http://www.korea.net/ 04/19/2007
TOP↑
Political
Fraudsters Hit Local Government Finances
By-elections are a massive headache for
some financially challenged local governments, such as Bonghwa County in
North Gyeongsang province. With its population of 35,000, the small
county’s existing financial difficulties grew worse recently, due to the 75
million won ($803,000) it has to pay for a by-election on April 25. The
cost takes up 6.5 percent of the county government’s annual total revenues.
Kim Hee-moon was elected Bonghwa county head in the May 31 local elections
last year. Kim, however, was found to have offered a 50-million-won bribe
to a Grand National Party official in a bid to win the party nomination.
Kim won the election, but he was indicted on a bribery charge and his
election was declared invalid. Bonghwa is just one of 56 constituencies
scheduled to hold elections on April 25. Up for grabs are three National
Assembly seats, six city or county governorships, nine seats in metropolitan
or provincial councils and 38 seats in municipal and district councils;
most vacancies are due to electoral fraud. The elections are estimated to
cost a total 20 billion won. According to local governments, it may cost
Daejeon city 1.8 billion won and Seosan 1 billion won to elect a mayor in
South Cheongcheong province. Under current election laws, the national
treasury pays the cost of by-elections for National Assembly seats.
However, local governments must shoulder the costs of by-elections for local
governments and councils . A Bonghwa county government official who
declined to be named said the county first resisted paying, but had to
concede, as the payment is prescribed by law. “With the same amount of
money,” the official complained, “we could have built a bridge or welfare
facilities for residents.” Yook Dong-il, a professor of local government
administration at Chungnam National University, said, “It costs [money] to
run a democracy, and the cost is bound to snowball in a vicious circle when
the voters make the wrong choices.” Voter turnout for by-elections has been
low in recent years, at less than 30 percent. Last July turnout on average
was 24.8 percent. Park Myung-jae, the home minister, said he is considering
action on the issue. “Where a winner of an election loses his or her post
because of electoral fraud, maybe the government can have that person pay
the cost of repeat elections,” Park said.
From http://joongangdaily.joins.com/
04/10/2007
TOP↑
National
Debt Reaches New High
This year’s interest on the national debt
will be around 13 trillion won ($14 billion), five times as much as the
national budget for unification and foreign policy, according to a
government estimate released yesterday. The Finance Ministry and Planning
Ministry said the total national debt has now reached nearly 300 trillion
won, a record high, as the combined value of outstanding treasuries has
increased by 9 trillion won and other government debts have also expanded
since the end of last year. At the end of last year, the total national
debt stood at 283 trillion won. The ministries predicted the national debt
will reach 301.1 trillion won by the end of this year, costing around 13
trillion won in annual interest. Planning Minister Jang Byung-wan said in a
report to the National Assembly on Tuesday that the debt expanded due to
bond issues to make up for the unpaid public loans that the government has
provided to troubled companies since the financial crisis, and bond issues
to finance stabilizing the Korean won against foreign currencies.“Now the
national debt is equal to 33 percent of the gross domestic product. We will
manage the debt so that its ratio to the GDP does not rise further from the
current level,” he said.The government had said the ratio in Korea is much
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