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Memo to Brown and Darling

Monday, October 20, 2008
Hie yourselves to Douglas, as the good people of the Isle of Man are hosting a financial training programme for governments:

"A five-year training programme for 100 government officials from small states which will focus on financial management and negotiating skills has been announced.

The programme is expected to strengthen the financial sector and negotiating ability of small states, to foster a well-governed and regulated environment conducive to the effective use of public funds and private sector investment.

The programme will include training on sound regulatory practices, financial legislation, the role of the courts, tax policy, public sector reform, and improving the performance of government agencies in the financial sector".

The course only takes two weeks and is residential, and promises to teach you much. Really, we can spare you - and doubtless an awful lot less damage would be turn to the economy in your absence.


NB - I know the IoM has got caught up in the Iceland banking collapse, but they have made rather less of a hash of it all than the dynamic duo.

As a footnote, the economic adviser to the Commonwealth Secretariat rejoices in the glorious name of Constance Vigilance. I am not making this up.

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Here come the land grabs

Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Two veritable relics of the 1940s (1) have just spotted that something big has happened over the last few weeks:

The UN -

"Meanwhile, the ad hoc manner in which Governments have had to respond to the management of this crisis is reflective of serious lacunae in the current world financial system. To ensure continued stability and protect the economic gains of both developed and developing countries, we need to consider deep and systemic reforms based on an inclusive multilateralism for a global financial system that can better meet the challenges of the twenty-first century".

And the Commonwealth -

"Mr Sharma further stressed the overarching need for a response that is truly global. “Some people are already comparing the situation facing the world now with that of 1929. We must learn the lessons of that time and recommit ourselves to work collectively to tackle this crisis for the benefit of world, constraining its worst effects. Decisive multilateralism is more important than ever...bring about the reform of international financial institutions. These, he said, must shape global responses to crisis, and be representative of the entire global community, promising equal voice and equal benefit for all their members".

Can't see it happening, frankly, and a world order that affords micro states in the Caribbean and the Pacific the same clout as the US and China is a recipe for disaster.

The EU, a relic from the 50s, has been merrily land grabbing - on this one - for days.

(1) I'm dating the Commonwealth to the London Declaration, that is post Indian independence.

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Oh dear....

Saturday, August 09, 2008
More fun and games with grotesquely inappropriate visuals at the Commonwealth Secretariat's site:
Looks an awful lot like the declaration of Independence, doesn't it? - "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America".

The Commonwealth Secretary General thinks the new constitution is a corker: "“This is a major milestone in the history of the Republic of Maldives. It represents the beginning of a new phase in Maldives' journey to democracy. Multi-party politics and the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms will be strengthened,” said Kamalesh Sharma".

And have the Solons of Malé created a document that betters that of the Philadelphia Convention? Let's see.....

Maldives -

  • 1 "The Maldives is a sovereign, independent, democratic Republic based on the principles of Islam".
  • 9(c) "Despite the provisions of article (a) a non-Muslim may not become a citizen of the Maldives"
  • 10(a) "The religion of the State of the Maldives is Islam. Islam shall be one of the basis (sic) of all the laws of the Maldives"
  • 10(b) "No law contrary to any tenet of Islam shall be enacted in the Maldives"
  • 11 The national language of the Maldives is Dhivehi
  • 27 Everyone has the right to freedom of thought (NB - NOT speech. C) and the freedom to communicate opinions and expression in a manner that is not contrary to any tenet of Islam.
  • 36 (c) Education shall strive to inculcate obedience to Islam, instil love for Islam, foster respect for human rights, and promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all people"

And what did our American friends have to say?

US of A: First amendment "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances".


And to think that Commonwealth apologists get upset when it is called a dictators' club......

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posted by Croydonian

Oh dear....

Tuesday, July 22, 2008
While I will not always agree with every judicial decision, I think it is fair to aver that our Lords and Dames of the higher judiciary have pretty sharp minds. This might not be the case in the South Pacific, judging from this photograph hosted at the Commonwealth Secretariat in its report on 'the annual meeting of the heads of the South Pacific Council of Youth and Children’s Courts'.

Firstly they have allowed themselves to be bamboozled into wearing fancy dress, but much, much better still they have been photographed under a fascia board that says 'Barlow's Rehab Centre - Moemoe Fou'.


(Snigger).

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posted by Croydonian