First Parliamentary Sketch

As we hurtle into the frenzy that surrounds Gordon Brown’s first Queen’s speech, it may be instructive to step back and wonder why we, as a nation, are so dreadfully eager to hear what he will have to say. His party has been the governing party for the last ten years – so why the media storm? All our broadsheets are consumed with Brown’s plans to differentiate himself from his predecessor – and this notion, that he must appear as Blair’s opposite – remains unchallenged. One could be forgiven for assuming the two hail from different parties, from the accounts of the animosity between them. Is it no longer possible to expect two leaders from the same party to support similar policies? And if not, what has the office of Prime Minister morphed into?

In the campaign spirit, I pulled out an old VHS of Parliamentary Political Broadcasts ranging from McMillan to Blair, and watched as Prime Ministers mutated from erudite and unreachable statesmen, to demagogues whose thirst for power was equalled only by their need to be loved by the masses. One particularly overwrought montage showed nothing but vanity shots of Lady Thatcher set to triumphalist music. Watching this exercise in idol-worship, it is certainly no surprise that John Major’s government floundered, and even less surprising that the public turned to a similarly swaggering Blair, who certainly fancied himself a divinity-in-the-making.

Academics refer to this phenomenon – that of politicians individualising campaigns at the expense of the party – as the personalisation of politics. Increasingly, it appears to be more like the celebritisation of politics. Though we’re far removed from asking our leaders their preferred choice of undergarment –information too eagerly offered by an American president who was only too happy to remove them – we are still veering dangerously close to the point where personal approval matters more than the viability of economic and social policies. Yes, the media will diligently report on proposals for education reform and economic growth in Tuesday’s speech, but it will be just as focused on the sourness of Brown’s expression and the smoothness of his delivery, as if expecting a seasoned actor to enchant this national audience.

Where does the blame lie for this shift in expectations? The political party as the gatekeeper to power has ceased to function – John Major himself has decried them as “moribund, near-bankrupt, unrepresentative and ill-equipped to enthuse the electorate.” Some would argue that the arrival of mass elections is the reason why voters look for the face of Errol Flynn and statesmanship of Churchill in a government leader. Either way, expect David Cameron to continue to pose with an actual movie-star-turned-politician Arnold Schwarzenegger in his quest to be Prime Minister, or as it may yet be termed, the Minister of Prime Time.

Muslim Burial Site Story

“Most religious communities are unhappy” with cramped cemetery spaces that impinge on religious burial traditions, says Sheikh Ibrahim Mogra, an imam and member of the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB). “There will be a need by Muslims for special burial areas in the new Muslim communities” in Britain, he said.

His remarks come as the debate over the re-opening of Bow Cemetery Park in Tower Hamlets heats up. Bow Cemetery has been closed to new burials since 1966. As the Muslim population continues to swell, Tower Hamlets Council has been swarmed by requests to re-open the space as a Muslim burial ground.

“The MCB has been in ongoing negotiations with the Department of Trade and Industry [now the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform,” to create more spaces for Muslim burials, says Sheikh Mogra. The sheikh said more Muslims are turning to private burial grounds, like the Gardens of Peace in Ilford.

The sheikh is also concerned that cemeteries are finding new ways of increasing burial space, such as burying the dead body in an upright position. “I find that unnerving,” he said.

However, the sheikh believes a solution may be at hand. “It can be worked out,” he said.

Spitalfields Holds Policing Meeting

by Jackie Jacobsen

Spitalfield residents berated the Tower Hamlets Chief Superintendent of Police for ignoring repeated requests for more street police in a meeting held Tuesday night in Hanbury Hall. “There will be a murder on Commercial Street, and I will blame the local police,” said David Donoghue, of the Spitalfield Society.

Complaints ranged from police failure to respond to 999 calls, to the repeated use of a telephone box by drug dealers in Puma Court. Residents also complained that the neighbourhood is used a public toilet by visitors to local bars. “Allowing open drinking in the street means the whole area operates as an open bar,” said Jane Curtis. “Nobody enforces the law.”

Superintendent Jerry Savill insisted that local police have made progress in the area. “We have done incrementally more than we have previously done” to curb drug offences, said Superintendent Savill.

A follow-up meeting is scheduled to take place in two months.

Launch of "The Big Draw East"

Children, balloons, and paper doves took centre-stage in yesterday’s launch of “The Big Draw East” at the V&A Museum of Childhood, kicking off a national month-long celebration of creative doodling sponsored by the Campaign for Drawing. “We’re trying to encourage children to see things in a new way,” said Rev Regan O’Callaghan of neighbouring St. John’s, which also hosted sketching events.

“The Big Draw” organized 20 locations throughout London where artists promoted drawing as a booster for creativity and academic success among children. Crayons, pencils and blank drawing boards were also available at the Bishopsgate Institute and Spitalfields Market.

“It takes a lot to get him excited,” said Tim Morris, pointing to his 18-month-old son Evan. “He was very excited.”

Review: The Merchant of Venice

By Jackie Jacobsen

In theory, a modern-day adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice should benefit richly from the interaction between a Holocaust survivor and Merchant’s most unsavoury characters. As a play-within-a-play, where a 78-year old survivor of the Warsaw Ghetto observes a rehearsal of Shakespeare’s most controversial work in Venice, the production is well-placed to juxtapose medieval anti-Semitism with its horrific endpoint. Unfortunately, Julia Pascal’s production at the Arcola Theatre dulls this simmering tension by experimenting with too many artistic directions and plot enhancements.

Having the small cast perform as the house band is distracting, and the choice of ‘40s jazz ditties does much to dispel the ambience provided by the actors’ capable rendition of the drama. A lustful kiss between Antonio and his friend Bassanio is entirely gratuitous and adds nothing to the plot. The new scenes between Shylock and his beloved daughter are obviously inserted to soften his character, but feel contrived and forced.

It is worth sitting through these moments of lost direction, however, to witness the electric moment when the nameless Holocaust survivor, played by a poignant Ruth Posner, stands face-to-face with Antonio in the midst of his impassioned anti-Semitic soliloquy. It is in these moments when the play regains its heart and rewards the audience with a truly mesmerizing theatre experience.

Pharmacogenetics Op-Ed

Bring up “genetic testing” at any dinner party, and talk will most likely turn to the Home Office’s attempt to create a national DNA databank. But genetic testing may well result in conflicts of a more personal nature – privacy rights within families.
Unlike individualized medical tests, genetic tests measure the susceptibility of entire families to certain illnesses, throwing privacy rights into a boil.

“If two or more people have a claim [to privacy], most of our laws are inadequate,” says Graeme Laurie, Professor of Medical Jurisprudence at the University of Edinburgh.

This is precisely why lawmakers must anticipate medical breakthroughs, to provide a framework by which to decide these disputes. Professor Laurie notes. “The problem with our privacy laws ... is that it is very much geared to the protection of individual rights.” As genetic information becomes more freely available to employers and governments, privacy rights must be legally clarified.

Advances in Genetic Testing Fraught with Privacy Issues

Advances in genetic medicine can create their own side-effect – privacy disputes within families. Genetic information, that allow scientists to isolate and treat the genes that cause disease, may impinge on relatives’ right to privacy if a tested individual chooses to make his results public, says a professor of Medical Jurisprudence at the University of Edinburgh.

“Most of our privacy laws focus on protecting the individual,” says Professor Graeme Laurie. “It’s not clear what happens when these rights conflict.”

Professor Laurie explains that family members may not want sensitive genetic information, such as the presence of a cancer-causing gene, to be easily accessible.

A 2004 report released by the European Commission on the protection of genetic data suggests a way of resolving the quandary, by making a distinction between the rights of the individual patient while acknowledging that relations should have an interest in, but not control over, protecting genetic data.

New mission

I will be using this blog to be posting my journalism-related thoughts and observations, as well as my (published and unpublished) assignments from City, as well as other assignments I might come upon. Thanks for reading!

Laptop Prices and New Gadgets

by Jaclyn Jacobsen
Debonair Magazine

Few items tickle the hearts of New Yorkers like a brand new laptop or a top-of-the-line gadget. But are current laptop prices justified? It is every consumer’s dream that the longer technology is on the market, the lower the amount they will pay less money for that shimmering Dell or Compaq they’ve had their eye on. However, despite certain chains, namely Wal-Mart and Best Buy, that have radically slashed laptop prices to meet the Christmas rush, most portable computers will cost upwards of $700.

Laptop prices have sparked a concern over the growing ‘digital divide,’ present in New York City and throughout the country. According to the National Telecom and Information Administration, “The ‘digital divide’ (the disparities in access to telephones, personal computers (PCs), and the Internet across certain demographic groups) still exists, and in many cases, has widened significantly. The gap for computer and Internet access has generally grown larger by categories of education, income, and race.”

A study released by the Department of Education found that, while two-thirds of white children had access to the Internet at home and used it regularly, only 44% of Hispanics and 47% of blacks currently use the Internet. Only 26% of Hispanic students, and 27% of black youth, use the Internet at home, a figure related to the availability of computing technology within schools and residences.

New programs, such as “One to One in Ten” (One Laptop for Every Child in School Region Ten) are hoping to bridge this technological divide. Other programs, such as the One Laptop Per Child program, seeks to create a $100 laptop, available to children in the developing world. But even these programs can cost upwards of a million dollars (the current pilot program for “One to One in Ten” costs $1.3 million), and is not immediately available for all school districts within the city. So why are laptops still an unattainable commodity for many potential consumers?

“I think they haven't dropped because laptops aren't as easily customizable as desktop PC's, and therefore don't have a demand for cheap and affordable parts,” explains IT professional Kris Meyers. Web designer Christina Hope agrees. “They [laptops] are [too expensive], depending upon what type you get,” she said. “But I also don’t know how much it costs to produce the technology.”

Another professional web developer, who requested anonymity, narrowed that statement. “Yes, they are [too expensive]. Apple laptops are overpriced because their parts are proprietary.”

Essentially, proprietary parts are the components of a computer that cannot be duplicated by competing companies for cheaper prices. While Apple computers were the vanguards in the use of proprietary parts, other computer manufacturers like Dell and Compaq have increasingly adopted proprietary designs.

Still, others do not believe laptops are prohibitively pricey. Chris Cavallari, Executive Producer of Filmosity Productions, believes laptop prices are just about right. “They’ve pretty much hovered around the same prices for years,” he said. “Prices might be slightly inflated, but considering manufacturers are getting more into a smaller package, I think prices are about right.”

Industry analysts believe advances in cellular phone technology, such as the ability to import music, take pictures, and store increasing amounts of memory, may threaten the predominance of laptop computers in the near future. New products, like Sidekick phones, Sony Mylos, or Palm Treos, have consolidated their sizes while offering email, messaging services, and significant storage space, which could potentially decrease the demand for portable laptops.

The Sidekick phone, distributed by T-Mobile, is quickly growing in popularity throughout the university population. Measuring 5.1 x 2.6 x 0.9 inches, this compact phone comes complete with a full QWERTY keyboard, AOL Messenger, speakerphone, a color screen, web browser, and 6 MB of email storage space. Sidekick phones are usually available for $49.99, without a service plan.

Following the success of Sidekick phones, Sony has unveiled a competitor product – the Mylo (My Life Online). In addition to offering the same features as a T-Mobile Sidekick phone, the Sony Mylo stores music, takes video, and has a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. In addition, Mylos have the capacity to both take, and edit, digital photographs. Mylo hopes to entice new consumers by promising no monthly service fees, as Mylos are compatible with wi-fi networks. Mylos are available for $350.

Finally, the Palm Treo 600 and 700 series Smartphone has essentially the same features as the Mylo, but does not have a separate slide-out QWERTY keyboard. The Palm Treo is shaped like the Blackberry, ubiquitous in all urban areas, with a smaller, more condensed keyboard than its competitors. The Treo also features an Intel processor and Bluetooth technology – enabling all Treo owners to be directly connected to each other. Palm Treos start at $199, while the color-customized 680 is available for $399, not including service plans.

The Economist, among other media, has been increasingly optimistic about the potential of cell phones and their capacity to replace current laptop technologies. Citing the use of cell phones to stimulate business development in Africa, the newspaper believes that the evolution of mobile technology can result in tiny machines executing the many functions carried out by laptops today.

Others aren’t so sure. Hope does not believe these gadgets could become a real replacement for current laptops. “It’s also nice to have a large screen and to have multiple applications,” she said. “Sidekicks are good for games and quick emails and IM,” but for more specialized programs, they are not sufficient.

Cavallari explains, “SmartPhones … are meant to complement desktops and laptops, not replace them. For example, a Blackberry is a super portable pocket computer, but its limited functionality really doesn’t suit it to the larger functions of laptops and desktops.”

Therefore, consumers are still better off with a sturdy laptop, although these accessories can also serve as fun gifts for any holiday.

Montreal: Vibrant City, Cold Temps

by Jackie Jacobsen
for Debonaire Magazine

Montreal in late autumn may not be on the “must see” list of most tour books, which extol the city’s summertime festival culture and pulsating nightlife on every day of the week. In October, the famed outdoor cafes have begun to recede from the sidewalks, and the temperatures prepare for the winter season as they plunge sharply at nightfall.

But for those looking for the true Montrealers’ art de vivre, autumn is a prime occasion. The throngs of tourists have returned to their southern homes, and Quebeckers once again reclaim the streets as they return from their summer holidays. The crisp fall air, a welcome reprieve from the stifling humidity of the Montreal summer, propels the crowds to horde the city streets, eager to enjoy the last of the good weather.

The spirit of Montreal, however, continues going strong well into the autumn months. Bars and clubs remain crowded even at the lowest of temperatures, while the city’s restaurateurs and jazz enthusiasts remain active despite the cold weather. Centuries of weathering extreme temperatures have left Montrealers with a hardiness, and a clear determination to enjoy the fruits of their city, that amaze visitors.

WHERE TO STAY For a real taste of Canadian luxury, the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth (900 Rene Levesque Blvd. W.; 514-861-3511; http://www.fairmont.com/queenelizabeth) is the epitome of Montreal style. Situated at the very heart of downtown, it has direct connections to Rue McGill and the famed “underground city” shopping complex. Rooms start at $279 (CAD) and include access to three restaurants, ranging from casual to haute couture dining.

For the more frugal traveler, there is any number of familiar chains from which to choose. The Marriott Residence Inn, on Rue Peel, provides the best value for your money, as suites are expansive and come equipped with kitchenettes (2045 Peel Street; 514-982-6064; www.residenceinn-mtl.com). Offering free wiresless high-speed Internet access and a free “hot and cold” breakfast buffet, the Residence Inn is a favorite hotel of most travelers. Four Points Sheraton (475 Sherbrooke Street West; 514-842-3961) and the Delta Montreal Hotel (475 President Kennedy Avenue; 514-286-1986; www.deltamontreal.com) are also located downtown and occasionally have discounted fares.

WHERE TO EAT Montreal has nearly 3,000 restaurants, an astounding figure considering its small population (1.5 million). Nearly every ethnic group is represented among this sea of gastronomic luxury. Here are some hidden gems:

Zen Ya Hidden in an office building on St. Catherine’s Street (486 St. Catherine’s Street, 2^nd Floor; 514-904-1363), few newcomers are lucky enough to discover the rich Eastern aura and sumptuous fare of this Japanese restaurant. Sushi options are plentiful, while a selection for the non-sushi enthusiasts is diverse.

Café El Dorado Located in “The Plateau,” a Montreal neighborhood claimed by students, artists, and musicians, El Dorado exudes a laid-back charm to accompany its homestyle menu, filled with comfort food choices and local Quebec staples, including the infamous poutine (fries with gravy and cheese curds). Come for breakfast, which is served until 3 pm. (921 rue Mont-Royal Est; 514-598-8282; www.cafeeldorado.ca)

BYOW Brasseries For a real taste of Quebec cuisine, brasseries like Alexandre (1454 Peel Street; 514-288-5105), Au Vieux Duluth (351 Duluth Est; 514-842-5390, www.auvieuxduluth.ca), and L’Academie (4051 rue St. Denis; 514-849-2249)are excellent choices. Each offers an array of brochette dishes – overloaded plates of rice, meat, gravy and the ever-present cheese curds. “BYOW” refers to “Bring Your Own Wine,” so remember to pick up a bottle at the SAQ (government-operated located stores, located on nearly every corner) or the local dépanneur.

MUST SEE

The Magic of Lanterns Every September and October, the Montreal Botanical Garden creates a lantern show in its Chinese Garden. Using hand-crafted artworks that are lit every night, the Botanical Garden celebrates a centuries-old Chinese tradition while illuminating the Quebec darkness. The Park is open until 9 pm, and entrance fees range from $6 to $13. (http://www2.ville.montreal.qc.ca/jardin/en/menu.htm)

WHAT TO DO AT NIGHT

Jazz Bars The jazz scene continues long after the end of the famous International Jazz Fest, in two landmark locations. Le Maison de Jazz, originally Biddle’s, sports a 1920s- décor, with overly ornate glass chandeliers and deep red plush mahogany chairs reminisce of Prohibition-era speakeasies. Many of Montreal’s most famous jazz musicians, including Oscar Peterson and Michelle Sweeney, have been known to perform here regularly. Cover charge during showtime is $5, while food and drink are available for a moderate price. (2060 Aylmer; 514-842-8656, www.houseofjazz.ca)

Upstairs For a more demure jazz evening, head to Upstairs (located downstairs) just off of Crescent Street (1254 MacKay; 514-931-6808; www.upstairsjazz.com). Upstairs offers a much more intimate evening, with fewer tables and close proximity to the jazz performers. Dinners cost around $10, and drinks are inexpensive. Be sure to catch Dawn Taylor Watson and Kevin Dean.

Crescent Street/St. Laurent Bars and Clubs Montreal sports two major hubs of nighttime haunts, to fit nearly all preferences. On Crescent, between Sherbrooke and Rene-Levesque, establishments run the gamut, and cater to students (Sir Winnie’s and Mad Hatter) to genteel sophisticates (Newtown and Pino) to Celtic paradise (Hurley’s and Brutopia). St. Laurent, known as “The Main” that separates English Montreal from French Montreal, offers dozens of nightlife choices. The best bars are the Go Go Bar, with its celebrated martini varieties; Laika, an industrial space converted into urban chic; and Rouge, a 2-floor club for the over-25 club.

WHERE TO SHOP

As the sister city of Paris, it’s no wonder Montreal is an oasis of high-line designers and fashion boutiques. Walking on east on St. Cat’s from Avenue du Parc, there are five department stores through which to peruse – Les Ailes de la Mode (Wings of Fashion), La Baie (Hudson Bay Company), Simon’s, Ogilvie’s, and Holt Renfrew. For those seeking discounts, La Baie and Les Ailes offer the best selection. Simon’s is quickly becoming the centre for affordable Montreal fashion, while Ogilvie’s and Holt Renfrew cater to very rich clientele. Specialty boutiques are found throughout the length of St. Cat’s – Guess and Mexx both have stores here, alongside more local gems like Jacob’s, Le Garage, and Parasuco.

FREE ATTRACTIONS

Old Part/Vieux Montreal Head to the river to Jacques Cartier Square to enjoy a vision of Old Montreal, with its cobbled streets and great riverfront views. Bicycles and skates are still available to rent, while restaurants flank both sides of the square.

Mont Royal Park Designed by Frederick Law Olmstead, whose other landscape work includes Central Park, Mont Royal offers unbelievable views of the city, as well as an opportunity to become acquainted with Quebec’s natural side. Head to the chalet to take incredible pictures, and also walk around the Croix sur le Mont (Cross on the Mountain) that is visible from nearly every point in Montreal.

Cathedrals Mark Twain once said, “You can’t throw a rock in Montreal without hitting stained glass.” Ornate churches are prolific throughout downtown, and are worth a look. Mary, Queen of the World, is an exact one-quarter replica of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, while Christ Church Cathedral, on St. Catherine’s and Parc, offers a more modern spiritual experience. St. James United Church on St. Catherine’s, has recently removed the commercial storefronts blocking its front entrance, exposing its decorative entranceway

HOW TO GET THERE

From New York, a car trip to Montreal takes around 6 hours, not counting time spent at customs. Daily trains are available from Amtrak, but these usually take 10-12 hours to arrive. Flights to Montreal are only 45 minutes long. Air Canada and Delta Airlines run shuttles (read: 12-seaters) from NY to Montreal airports (ranging from $150 and above for one-way flights). WestJet, a Canadian discount airline, will soon be providing flights from JFK to Trudeau airport in Montreal, costing less than $200 round trip.

HOW TO GET AROUND

Montreal is a pedestrian city, with the bulk of its downtown attractions within a five-mile radius. When traveling to the outer edges of the city, the metro system is easily accessible throughout downtown. Consisting of just four lines, it is nearly impossible to get lost. Taxis are also plentiful throughout town.

The Key to Eradicating Poverty in Developing States

Extreme poverty continues to blight vulnerable countries in the global South, as an estimated 500 million people suffer from extreme hunger. Nearly 15 million children die of hunger each year, as states struggle to provide the adequate resources for their citizens. However, by devoting a greater percentage of GDP towards the provision of social services, development specialists maintain that extreme hunger can be lessened significantly.

Botswana serves as a vanguard in this approach. Although 30% Botswanans lives on less than $1 a day, and nearly 25% of the population is afflicted with HIV, Botswana became the first African country in which the state provided anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs). This national treatment plan began in 2002 by providing ARVs to just a few patients. In 2005, this program now successfully provides medication for nearly 85% of those suffering from HIV/AIDS.

Sri Lanka has also increased its spending on public health measures. While Sri Lanka’s GDP ranks 98^th in the global economy, it has still devoted significant public resources to financing a functioning health care system, accessible by all citizens. Sri Lanka now has only 60 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, placing it in the upper third of all nations.

However, the majority of developing nations have not focused their resources on strengthening the public sector and social services for their citizens. Faced with escalating conflicts and power-hungry faction leaders, a projected $22 billion will be spent on the acquisition of arms throughout Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Sub-Saharan Africa witnessed a surge of 47% in arms purchases in the late 1990s alone.

Many development advocates and specialists also look to the International Monetary Fund as the prime cause behind the inability of vulnerable states to extend the provision of social services. A critical component of receiving IMF loans is the willingness to implement extensive economic liberalization, or “structural adjustment programs” (SAPs), freeing enterprise and economic activity from government control. States receiving financial assistance are mandated to scale back their social expenditures, and sectors such as health care and education deteriorate.

One country which has keenly perceived the destabilizing effects of these reforms is Zambia. “It is this paralysis in being fixed within one paradigm, which is responsible for the implementation of pernicious economic policies that not only hurt the poorest of our people, but challenge the social contract between the state and the citizens, that is, to provide them with security and social welfare,” said Dr. Neo Simutanyi of the University of Zambia. He decries the IMF as unable to perceive any other functional economic system by which to achieve development goals, and blames the rapid privatization of public services for the rapid decline in the Zambian standard of living.

The factors that have led states to diminish their social provisions has led to a greater degree of food insecurity as well. According to Oxfam, “The UN estimates that 16 million people are at immediate risk in ten neglected and under-funded emergencies in Africa.” Nearly 33% of Sub-Saharan Africa’s population suffers from malnourishment. Subsistence farming and the failure of states to implement nation-wide irrigation schemes has contributed to this crisis. As independent farmers in more remote areas are eclipsed by growing agribusinesses in more commercial regions, food availability becomes a major concern for village inhabitants.

Also contributing to food insecurity is the rampant spread of the HIV/AIDS epidemic which continues to rage throughout the African continent. As young workers fall prey to this ferocious ailment, fewer workers are available to complete the necessary farm work, thus significantly decreasing the amount of food grown and collected in a given region. Botswana’s ARV program, in addition to providing the much-needed treatment for those afflicted with AIDS, also ensures the availability of more workers as the quality of AIDS patients lives improve. Botswana demonstrates how greater investment in social services is essential to preventing famine in developing nations.

Global Village Council Initiates Bottom-Up Approach to Development

Great strides have been made in the rising awareness of the need for aid in the least developed states over the past year. The enormous success of the Live 8 concert, which pressured G-8 leaders at the Gleneagles conference to embrace debt cancellation, has led to a new round in IMF negotiations for similarly afflicted debtor states. Foreign aid has also reached new levels, marking a significant change in global attitudes in assisting struggling states.

While aid has enabled nations to finance much-needed public programs, such as education and health care, global advocates warn that a dangerous divide is being solidified – that between rural and urban. “We are deeply concerned that foreign aid contributions by over 20 rich countries and other development agencies, including the World Bank, private and corporate funders are not reaching desperate villages,” said Goodluck Diigbo, Executive Director of the Foundation of the Global Village Congress. “The failure stems in large part from a misconception that the main poverty problem has moved from the countryside to the burgeoning megacities of the developing world,” said Fawzi Hamad Al-Sultan, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

The global rural population constitutes the overwhelming majority of those suffering from extreme poverty and hunger. IFAD estimates, in its Rural Poverty Report, that nearly 75% of those suffering from malnutrition and ill health, the clearest indicators of extreme poverty, reside in rural communities. These 900 million individuals must rely on agriculture for subsistence, which is rarely sufficient to meet basic needs because of the soil quality and the limited plot sizes. Yet, least developed countries, which contain 86% of the poorest individuals, are currently only receiving 63% of the foreign aid dispensed by wealthier nations.

The Global Village Congress, founded this year by Mr. Diigbo, hopes to reverse the trend of increasing urban funding at the expense of the poor. Working in conjunction with the Partnership for Indigenous Peoples Environment, the GVC is working to reinstate a bottom-up development model, where the needs of small villages are met on a case-by-case basis. “[GVC] has the power to make the task of rural transformation a shared responsibility between the government and local peoples,” said Ronald H. Field, Chair of the United States National Inter-Faith Coalition of the Ageing. By attracting more donors to local village needs, and enabling villagers to take a more active approach in determining how the funds are utilized, GVC is confident that rural economic sustainability can be achieved. Mr. Diigbo has initiated the creation of a Dataset Development Mechanism Bank, which integrates data collected from villagers regarding which development projects would be most beneficial to the region.

By directly involving the villagers in this new development model, Mr. Diigbo hopes to meet a greater degree of success than more traditional, top-down approaches. Empowering locals to determine their own economic paths enables individuals to rely less on the government and more on their neighbors. Also, by “owning” these particular projects, villagers are more likely to want these projects to succeed. GVC also encourages individual villages to work in conjunction with other villages, in an effort to encourage cooperation and peace. The UN recently heralded this organization at its headquarters on September 28, to coincide with the celebration of GVC’s declaration of “World Village Day.”

The success of rural regions is a critical component of overall economic growth. World Bank statistics clearly indicate that development in non-agricultural sectors, such as industry and construction, sustained a substantial boost when agricultural markets performed well. As a result of this increase, employment figures rose while poverty levels fell. The growth in farmers’ income will also rejuvenate the economy, which will further propel developing economies. Also, the additional availability of food insulates rural societies from the shock associated with unpredictable weather changes and natural disasters.

Oil Profits a New Way to Save LDCs

by Jackie Jacobsen
for MediaGlobal

In the ongoing search for necessary aid to the world's LDCs, UN officials are optimistic that they have discovered a new source for development funds. As the price of oil continues to escalate to previously unseen levels, Anwarul Karim Chowdhury, the UN under-secretary-general for LDCs has suggested that oil companies contribute a small proportion of their profits to assist vulnerable states.

Chowdhury suggests oil companies donate 10 cents a barrel to forward to a development fund for these states. Currently, the average price of a barrel is $72, tripling in price since 2001. "This is a part of our efforts to secure new sources of development finance for LDCs," he said. "We need an expressed willingness on the part of producers and companies directly involved in oil production."

As oil prices have soared, critics have become more vocal about the severity of the global wealth disparity between oil-producing states and states with no petroleum reserves. It is estimated that Middle Eastern states will have exported nearly $400 bn in oil by the end of 2006, up from $307 bn in 2005. Because oil is the fuel of choice for 96% of all transportation and production technologies in the world, oil-producing nations can expect their economies to be buoyed by petroleum for many years to come.

In stark contrast, the potential for economic growth is significantly less promising for those developing states without oil reserves. According to UNDP statistics, the poorest 20% of the world's population only maintained a share of 1.2% of the global income in 1998. Roughly 50% of the global population now survives with less than $2 a day. In Zambia, nearly 67% of the population lives under this internationally recognized poverty line. "Extreme poverty appears to be decreasing in very few of the LDCs, and increasing in many," said UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

The plan for lessening this looming disparity comes at a period when oil profits have exceeded all forecasts, and their share in global wealth generation has swelled. "This [contribution from oil companies] will help raise a special fund without affecting any other earmarked funding," said Arjun Karki, president of Nepal-based NGO LDC Watch. Karki emphasizes, though, that alternative sources for LDC funding should also be pursued.

This UN directive comes at a time when popular opinion has swung decisively against big oil companies. With leaping prices for automobile petrol and heat pinching the wallets of the developed world, and the increasingly outlandish bonuses received by oil company CEOs, individuals are calling for a change in oil distribution policies. ExxonMobil alone recorded $5.18 bn in profits for this year, up 65% from last year's figures. According to the Christian Science Monitor, 63% of Americans held oil companies to be solely responsible for the rise in gas prices.

A backlash against these wide profit margins is only natural, maintains critics. "It's not demonizing profit," said Tyson Slocum, an energy policy analyst at the consumer group Public Citizen. "It's talking about what level of profit is reasonable in a special commodity." Because so few states actually reap the benefit from surges in oil prices, and so many depend on petroleum in order to maintain economic productivity, it is only just to earmark a small percentage to enable LDCs to provide vital and basic services for their citizens.

Directors on the Executive board of the IMF, in a seminar on oil market developments, “agreed that the response by importing countries to higher oil prices will continue to require some combination of increased foreign borrowing, reserve drawdown, and adjustment, including allowing of real exchange rate depreciation.” The International Energy Agency estimates that a rise in petroleum prices has minimal effects on developed economies, but that the most vulnerable economies stand to lose 1.6% of their GDP, while the most heavily indebted sub-Saharan states may lose up to 3% of their GDP. Overall, with every $10 increase in oil prices, the world economy loses an equivalent of $255 bn.

Chowdhury maintains that there is a precedent for providing these resources so that developing states can withstand an increase in oil rates. The Common Fund for Commodities was established in 1982 by OPEC states, and is committed to enabling energy-dependent LDCs on diversifying their products and energy sources. However, the scope of the CFC's mission is too narrow to meet the growing needs of vulnerable states, and a new system of dispensing a percentage of oil profits is needed to further close the gap in global income disparity.