This call was part of the deliberations made after a three days capacity building for small miners that was organized by three NGOs namely Policy Forum, HakiMadini and Interfaith Standing Committee for Economic Justice and Integrity at the Ubungo Plaza.

Listening to various experiences from best practices namely from Ghana and South Africa they resolved that they will find ways so as to strengthen their organizations and face their challenges more professionally.

From Ghana was Ms Hanna Koranteng from Wassa Association of Communities Affected by Mining (WACAM) who said even in her country the relationship between small miners and that of the central government is that of mutual suspicion and constant conflicts

There are constant evictions of small miners to the extent that human rights lawyers and activists have always come for their rescue.

“Prior to forming strong unions of small miners in order to promote their rights the tendency was that large scale miners could use arbitrary laws not only to erode the benefits of small miners but also to humiliate them,” she commented.

With an intervention of human rights lawyers there are positive developments not only of inhibiting arbitrary arrests and detention of small miners but also protection against environmental destruction and pollution caused by mining activities.

She revisited a nasty experience in her country in 2006 when various NGOs revealed that military brutality had even led to the death of some small-scale miners. This then led to the formation of a formal partnership with the Ghana Armed Forces and the Ghana Police Service in September 2008.

She acknowledges that this experience generated great concern for how artisanal miners would be treated. However she admits that this was after a bitter struggle after the common citizenry complained that they were not seeing direct benefit to their lives due to big scale mining.

“My people complained that big scale mining did not only deny them land for agriculture but also meat that they used to get freely from the wild forests which now were taken for mining purposes.

Moreover even water was no longer safe for use after spill of cyanide in Dumasi and surrounding villages which occurred on June 16, 2006. In another incident cyanide was spilled in Bogosu Gold new tailings dam and it washed into the Ajoo stream,

This was the only stream that was left in the community. The deadly chemical killed fish, crabs and lobsters and polluted the stream, which is the source of drinking water for the Dumasi community and its environment.

Dumisani Mngandi from South Africa gave an experience in South Africa and said the associated problems apart from causing land grabbing were capital flight, natural replenishment and corruption.

He said that instead of job creation the reverse has always been the case citing the ongoing crisis now in his country, to the extent that there is job loss and in many cases under invoicing as a strategy to evade tax.

For his side Bishop Dr Stephen Munga from the Interfaith Standing Committee for Economic Justice and Integrity said that the small miner groups have so far done a recommendable job after having pressurized for mining companies to use local content than imported ones as it used to be previously.

“Let me congratulate all groups be it in Mara, Arusha, Morogoro, Tanga, Geita, Mnyara and Singida, the language has always been the same that small miners opinion must be taken into serious consideration and that the government interaction with them,” he commented.

For his side Zephania Mgaya from small miners in Manyara said that in almost all mining sites in Tanzania it is the small miners who detect them but once the Government come to know this it always kick them out without giving them deserving compensations.

”We need to have solidarity and how the Government has treated small miners during their eviction. We must ensure that there are contracts of how the indigenous people will benefit from the big scale investments,” he commented.

He lamented that small miners are always treated as intruders although the Government collects tax from them. “We make direct contribution to this country, but big scale miners take resources away and they send them abroad,” he added.

A prominent lawyer and lecturer Prof Chris Peter Maina said that one problem with the Government in Tanzania is that it enters into contract without conducting first proper evaluation processes.

“It is strange that today Corporate Social Responsibility is taken as if it is a favour, in reality this is a lawful payment, Tanzanians are accustomed to begging in situations that they should be negotiating,” he concluded.

Representative of the Government Mr Ally Samaje, Acting Commissioner for minerals from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral said that the Government has enacted various laws including the Mining Act of 2010 in order to accommodate artisans and small miners.

AUTHOR: Elias Mhegera
URL: http://mhegeraelias.blogspot.com
E-MAIL: mhegeraelias [at] yahoo.com

After pressure from BDS activists, several Danish clients have terminated contracts with British-Danish security company G4S for the company’s role in the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

Meanwhile, the UK Home Affairs Committee last week published a damning report about the failure of G4S to deliver on a contract to secure the London Olympics. The committee recommends the government “establish a register of high-risk companies that have failed in the delivery of public services.”

Such blacklisting will have serious consequences for G4S, a major service provider to British government bodies.

Danish G4S clients end contracts for role in Israeli occupation

After sustained media attention on G4S’s role in the Israeli occupation, several Danish charities and a bank have decided to end security service contracts with the company.

The latest such BDS success dates from two months ago, when Danish Merkur Bank decided to terminate its contract with G4S. Spokesperson Karl Johnsen told me that the bank had canceled the contract “because of G4S’s involvement in the Israeli occupation of Palestine.” Merkur Bank is an ethical bank committed to social justice.

On 18 July, Henrik Stubkjær, general director of Danish Church Aid (DCA) told Danish newspaper Berlingske Business that his organization had not renewed its contract with G4S. DCA had engaged with G4S in a dialogue about its activities in the West Bank. But DCA was unhappy at G4S for its continuing activity in Israeli settlements there.

Earlier this year, Amnesty International Denmark terminated its contract with G4S, after initially trying to influence their policies. “We do not want to work with G4S because the company’s global activities do not live up to Amnesty International’s requirements for corporate action in relation to human rights,” commented Amnesty secretary Lars Normann Jørgensen to Berlingske Business (translated from Danish).

The same article mentions that  the Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims (RCT) also ended its contract with G4S. Pat Nissen, RCT’s project manager for the Middle East said in November 2010 that “G4S as a company is helping to facilitate torture.”

Danish activists and trade unionists turn G4S headquarters into a prison to protest the security company’s role in the Israeli occupation. (Boykot G4S Denmark)

Boycot G4S Denmark intensifies campaign

Earlier this month, Palestine solidarity activists in Denmark took to the streets to campaign against G4S for its role in the Israeli occupation of Palestine. As seen in this video, Boykot G4S Denmark, a network of solidarity groups and individuals, distributed stickers and pamphlets with information about G4S activities in the West Bank and ideas to take action.

In a creative action, trade unionists from the scaffolding industry joined activists to transform G4S headquarters into a prison, locking up the staff in their offices. Two activists portraying Palestinian political prisoners under administrative detention were on the scene and banners read “G4S protects Israeli prisons of torture.”

In an open letter that was sent to all 100 municipalities in Denmark, Boykot G4S Denmark calls on local authorities to do no business with G4S.

G4S solely responsible for London Olympics fiasco

Meanwhile, the UK parliament’s Home Affairs Committee investigated Olympics security and concludes in its damning report: “The blame for G4S’s failure to deliver on its contract rests firmly and solely with the company. All our witnesses, including those from G4S, were in agreement on this point,” concludes the committee.

The committee is tasked to examine the expenditure, administration, and policy of the Home Office, a ministerial department of the government.

In a press release, committee chair Keith Vaz calls G4S’s performance “a fiasco.”

The data the company provided to the Olympic Security Board was at best unreliable, at worst downright misleading. 24 hours before they admitted their failure, [G4S chief executive] Nick Buckles met with the Home Secretary and did not bother to inform her that they were unable to deliver on their contract, even though he knew about the shortfall a week before.”

The committee recommends the government establish a register of high-risk providers, who have a track-record of failure in the delivery of public services.

The government should not be in the business of rewarding failure with taxpayers’ money. As private sector providers play an increasingly important role in the delivery of police and criminal justice services, it is vital that those commissioning services look at the track-records of prospective providers.

G4S’s London Olympics fiasco comes on top of severe criticism for the company’s operations in the occupied Palestinian territories and in prisons and detention centers in Israel. It should be sufficient to convince governments, local authorities, state institutions and other public contractors not to do business with G4S.

First published at The Electronic Intifada.

AUTHOR: Adri Nieuwhof
URL: http://www.samora.org
E-MAIL: a.nieuwhof [at] samora.org

Right before it begins its drilling operations in August, Shell is trying to change the terms under which it was granted permission to drill. In an application to the agency, dated June 28, Shell said they cannot meet the requirements for emissions of nitrogen oxide and ammonia of an air permit granted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in January. Shell has asked the EPA to loosen air pollution requirements for its Discoverer drill rig and to a lesser extent its Kulluk drill ship. “This is a classic bait-and-switch.”

“Shell promises the E.P.A. — and by extension, the American people — anything that will allow it to get permits to drill the Arctic, and then at the last minute, Shell says it won’t abide by its agreement and wants the E.P.A. to issue watered-down permits with no process whatsoever,” Greenpeace’s executive director, Phil Radford said.

“This is just one more in a litany of broken promises from Shell when it comes to drilling in the Arctic,” Radford said.

Shell has run into problems even before drilling begins. The Discoverer, one of the ships shell is using to explore the Arctic Ocean, slipped its mooring and drifted close to one of Alaska’s Aleutian Islands.

Questions have also been raised in June about the durability of one of Shell’s underwater oil spill containment vessels in severe weather.

These events are leading many to question Shell’s ability to protect the Arctic from its oil and gas drilling operations. As one Shell official stated, “even a near miss is unacceptable.”

AUTHOR: Richard Matthews
URL: http://thegreenmarket.blogspot.com/
E-MAIL: smallbusinessconsultants [at] gmail.com

Well, if our usually reliable source proves correct, yesterday ENAMI took the first step in stablishling a presence in Intag. They allegedly met with a few people in a very small village close to Garcia Moreno (Villadorita), and, according to our source, said they were interested in establishing an office. They also offered to help the communities with all kinds of things,. Plus..blablablablablabla. Not very creative. The same sh..,, just a different bull.

As soon as I get a confirmation or more news Ill post.

RADIO INTAG. Is the local radio station that has been around for about 8 or 10 years. It’s the only radio station that comes in clear in most of Intag, and one that at least DECOIN has used a lot of in the past, and supported for all these years buying air time. It is also the baby of a very proud Inteño, who has shelled out a lof of money from his own pocket to maintain it. It is also a radio station threatend by sick politics of the Correa gov. I supposed most of you don’t know that the Ecuadorian government- led by Correa himself- has an very nasty and abusive campaign meant to silence all but the government media. He lashes out several times a week against the “corrupt press”, publicly insults journalists (TV, radio and paper) and even tells his loyal followers not to buy certain, non-governmental press. Well, lately the government has closed down six radio stations for, allegedly, not complying with regulations. As you might have guessed, they are almost exclusively critical of the regime. In order to keep doing our part in supporting the Radio, we are going to start buying more air time to broadcast environmental messages. We hope other organizations also help, but it seems we are the only ones right now helping the radio. If you are interested in helping out, please get in touch.

Otherwise, it seems like a El Niño weather phenomenon is heading our way, which means more rain, less crops, and ruined roads. Last year was wet enough to significantly impact good Intag’s coffee harvest.

Even though it’s becoming more difficult to buy land because land price rise and bureacratic hassles, we are still trying to set up community reserves to protect biodiversity and water. Just the parish of Cuellaje has some 3,600 hectares owned and administered by them, and something like 40 communities own their own watershed and or forests reserves. The Apuela Parish government has over a thousand hectares in their name.

Good bye to a good friend and backer.

One of our most important backers helping us set up dozens of community reserves, just left Ecuador for home (England). We wish Fiona all the best, and are sincerely and deeply grateful for her and Rainforest Concern’s support all these years. They will still be involved in Ecuador, but much less than the past few years.

By the way, we are trying to get enough funding to kick off an environmental education project off the ground. Please don’t be shy if you want to help. We want to visit 15 schools and share with them information about Intag’s biodiversity, give away books and posters, and hopefully, go for walks in the forets with the kids. Thank you Angela Lee for teaching our people about how to do this invaluable work!!!

This is it for now. Too tired. More as soon as I confirm the news about ENAMI.

AUTHOR: Carlos Zorrilla
URL: http://decoin.org
E-MAIL: toisan06 [at] gmail.com

The Minister of Forestry and Wildlife, Philip Ngole Ngwese, has launched an information campaign and awareness-raising about the organization, operation and implementation of Cameroon’s Domestic Timber Market, known by its French acronym as MIB, in a bid to enhance its functioning.

Like in other sectors, lack of information in the forestry sector slowed the development of the domestic market. Despite that the cooperation and support of partners has intensified over the past ten years, the need to revitalize the market continues to shape government decisions since 2012.

In 2004, Cameroon became the first producer of logs from Central Africa, with 2,731,000 cubic metres for a forest covering more than 22.5 million hectares. At the processing level, the installed capacity in 2007 rose to 2.2 million cubic metres.

The local timber market is marked by exports, due to the high demand for forest products outside the country, and the great potential of wood to generate foreign exchange. According to a 2005 study, the operationalization of MIB will enable the enhancement and further processing of timber and forest species.

“The forest sector needs to undertake a radical change to move from the current low competitiveness. Characterized by major international challenges, the domestic timber market and wood craft is an indispensable promotional product, as it promotes transparency, fair competition and legality of timber traded,” the Minister Ngole Ngwese noted. He pointed to the fact that “The production of the timber industry is in a stagnant trend if not downward because of the persistent logging of natural forests at the expense of the establishment of forest plantations, and the absence of local processing “.

Given this situation, the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife has undertaken a series of reforms and actions to encourage sustainable transformation of wood. Some results have been recorded. Of the current 21.5 million hectares of forests of which 17.5 million hectares are commercial forests, to date 114 Forest Management Units have been created over an area of ​​7,252,759 hectares. Ninety-nine of them are assigned, while about 43 are under certification. Forty-five per cent of concessions are granted to nationals and 55 per cent expatriates.

The Minister also visited some decentralized services of the Ministry in Douala, where he instructed for greater transparency in the sector. The contribution of the forestry sector to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is estimated at 40 billion in terms of direct taxes annually. Additionally it contributes to job creation, fuel consumption, creating business opportunities, among others.

AUTHOR: Shout Africa
URL: http://www.shout-africa.com
E-MAIL: news [at] shout-africa.com

The fortunes of the comprador socioeconomic class were totally dependent on the colonial economic system that also gave rise to a comprador political class when decolonization took place in the 20th century, especially after WWII. Through the formation of such a class, the Great Powers were able to reduce the dependent country’s economic system into an extension of the mother country under the imperial system as we can see by examining the global operations of the European colonial powers since the 16th century as well as US after the Spanish-American War.

This is not to suggest that the market economy has not rested since its inception on uneven development, uneven terms of trade, and preponderate influence of market forces on state policy. As the cradle of capitalism, northwest Europe became the core of a world economy that began to integrate the rest of the world into its system, an integration process that usually entailed colonization, or division of markets into spheres of influence. The process of integration into the world economic system means that the local and national economies would be subservient to the international one. In the absence of a local and national cooperation by middlemen – comprador class whose fortunes depended on the foreign capitalist system – the process of integration would not be possible.

It would not be possible for England to operate in 19th century China without comprador bourgeoisie any more than it would be for the US to operate in Latin America after the Spanish-American War. Both puppet bourgeois class and puppet regimes were and are necessary for the operation of the polarizing global system. This means that while capitalism operates under a more representative model in the advanced countries, there is considerably less representation and less sovereignty in the countries under the comprador class.

In the early 21st century, we have many examples of this process not just in Africa, but also in Latin America and Europe as well. This became evident when Hungarian Premier Viktor Orban blatantly stated in a Budapest rally that: “We will not be a colony. We will not be second class citizens”. Orban made these comments to more than 100,000 cheering Hungarians on the anniversary of the Revolution of 1848, a revolution that swept across Europe and marked the publication of the Communist Manifesto by Marx and Engels. Similar speeches have been made by politicians in Spain, Portugal, Greece, Ireland, and East European countries that are under the economic hegemony of northwest Europe; a northwest Europe dominated by Germany operating as a patron over client member EU states.While Southern and Eastern Europe undergo austerity measures that in essence entail weakening the middle class and national bourgeoisie, the beneficiaries short and longer-term are international capital concentrated in Germany and Northwest Europe.

In the early 21st century, governments of the Great Powers (G-8) struggle to strengthen the national capitalist class by providing varieties of assistance, ranging from diplomatic and other ministerial services such as Commerce and Trade departments provide, to pouring money in the national capitalist class through the fiscal system. The same holds true for nations pursuing quasi-statist policies, including China, India, Russia and Brazil; all nations that endeavor to escape the fate of having the Great Powers impose their hegemony by using the integrative market system, namely, globalization under neoliberalism.

Within the Great Powers there is global competition for market share and the way to achieve the goal is by having a strong state structure while endeavoring to weaken the state structure of ‘dependent societies’. Whether it is the UK, US, or Germany, the goal is the same, given that the state – mainstream political parties in power -  is the pillar of the economic system whose backbone is banking and the ultimate goal is capital accumulation concentrated in core nations where there is a strong national bourgeoisie. Naturally, without the state behind it, the national bourgeoisie would be unable to survive, just as the comprador bourgeoisie would be equally unable to survive in the absence of the state supporting it.

In the case of the weaker countries, the bottom 180 nations that collectively own 20% of the world’s assets owing to the economic system rooted in grossly uneven distribution of wealth, the struggle is to opt for development by following the rules of dependent capitalism – comprador politics and economics – that the Great Powers impose, or to deviate from those rules by trying to strengthen national capitalism.

In mid-April 2012, Argentina announced nationalization of YPF, the oil and gas company that was part of Spanish energy giant REPSOL company since 1999 when Argentina was undergoing very serious financial and economic problems operating under IMF austerity. Considering that US-led sanctions on Iran have meant that the Islamic Republic recently decided to cut off oil supplies to Spain’s REPSOL, the YPF expropriation is more bad news for debt-ridden Spain, which has replaced some of the lost Iranian supply with Saudi oil.

Not just Spain, but the entire EU argued that Argentina’s move signals a violation of the rules of international free enterprise economic system; a system that has always worked to keep dependent capitalist countries like Argentina from having a strong national economy that caters to internal needs of society. By making the bold move to nationalize a privately-owned oil company under foreign ownership, Argentina asserted state-supported economic nationalism, a long-standing tradition in Latin America, and one that is not associated with Mexico in the 1930s or Cuba in the 1960s, but more recently with Venezuela, Bolivia and other republics.

Argentina has been on the path of national capitalism for about a decade when it decided to throw out the IMF and try its fate with a different policy mix that would afford it greater control over the economy and society. National capitalism is antithetical to the neo-liberal ideology and to globalization that helps to strengthen multinational corporations and international finance capitalism intended to transfer wealth from the bottom 180 nations of the world to the top 20 nations.

The Argentinian example is the one that the Great Powers, along with the WTO, IMF and World Bank do not want other countries to follow, for it would mean the undermining of international capitalism benefiting the core nations. While the Great Powers and the IMF encourage privatizing public enterprises and deregulating the economy while making assets cheaper for foreign ownership, Argentina is trying to go the opposite direction as a means to gain control of its assets. Note that one reason for the expropriation of YPF is that new oil and natural gas reserves would fall under national control instead of going to foreign-owned REPSOL.

Comprador politics and economics is not merely a question of economic and political dependency as we see in the case of hegemonic US over some Latin American countries or northwest Europe (mainly Germany) over Southern and Eastern Europe, but it is also a question of national sovereignty. The issue of national sovereignty was at the root of Arab uprisings, although the US and northwest Europe made sure that they were involved in the opposition so they can integrated those economies into the international market system once the dust settled. The global division between strong national sovereign countries limited to the G-20 and within those the G-8, on the one hand, and the weak comprador nations as represented by the bottom 180 poses a major question of whether democracy can exist in societies whose destiny rests in the hands of the Great Powers.

The most significant question is whether the model of a divided world between national and comprador bourgeoisie, strong national state structures confined mainly to the G-8 vs. weak ones for all others can yield global economic development, and social harmony that is essential to political stability. The signs we have so far from the situations in the Arab Spring uprisings, in the European grassroots movements and other popular protests from Russia to Chile is that the global model of concentrated capitalism that divides the world geographically and politically results in lack of development and lack of stability. One solution on the part of the Great Powers to impose the polarizing world order is to wage war and use military means combined with or independently of economic sanctions.

There are of course limits to military solutions – judging by results in Iraq and Afghanistan – and the question still remains whether growth and development on a sustainable basis can be achieved under the polarizing model of national vs. comprador bourgeoisie. Now that China has opted for an imperial expansionist economic model so it can compete with Japan, EU and US, the global division becomes even more intense. How long will the waning middle and lower classes endure exploitation before they take to the streets to overthrow a system of socioeconomic and political inequality?

Revolution may be inevitable in the 21st century, and as was the case in the 20th century, it will come from countries where the state is weak and dependent and society operates under a comprador political economic model. The comprador societal model was the root cause of revolutions in Russia, China, Vietnam, Cuba, and it will be so again in this century. More than Communist revolutions, these were anti-imperialist-nationalist revolts intended to take back the national sovereignty from the Great Powers. We are at the beginning of a new era of revolution in the early 21st century, a  revolution that can be prevented if the global polarizing model is somehow modified to permit for the social contract to accommodate the majority of the people.

AUTHOR: Jon Kofas
URL: http://jonkofas.blogspot.com
E-MAIL: jonkofas [at] yahoo.com

Coming in fifth is Botswana, which does not have oil like the other four, but it does have abundant natural resources, a fast-growing economy in a stable society, and a desire for strong investment partnerships. China is happy to reciprocate. Anyone who has spent time in Gabarone and has visited the University of Botswana or the National Stadium has seen the almost stunning volume of building that Chinese companies are carrying out.

Chinese involvement in Africa is a dual-edged sword. After all, looking beyond the West for investment and other partnerships makes complete sense, especially in a post-Cold War world where the bilateral struggle for dominance by the superpowers that led to considerable (if oftentimes deleterious) attention from the United States and Soviet Union gave way to not-so-benign neglect. But the question remains whether many African states are inviting unintended consequences much like those they faced during the Cold War when they largely represented pawns in a  geo-political game. It’s savvy to look east as long as doing so does not preclude continuing to peer westward as well. Indeed, looking both ways and not going all-in with any particular partner, however seductive, might just provide the best path for true growth, development, and political autonomy.

AUTHOR: Derek Charles Catsam
URL: http://africa.foreignpolicyblogs.com
E-MAIL: derekcatsam [at] hotmail.com

In the Anandabazar report there is no effort to condemn this brutality, they are concerned only how the video got leaked.Graph showing the number of killings by BSF from March 2009 to February 2012. Image courtesy Dhushor Godhuli

He adds [bn]:

The BSF tortures our people standing on the basis of what they think about Bangladeshis socially, their experience, and according to their training and direction. The BSF does not treat Bangladeshis as equal. There are many places in the world where there are borders of a large country with a small one. But their border patrol do not fire on adolescents, torture naked youths. This thrashing is not by BSF to cattle smugglers, but the Indian bureaucracy to the Bangladeshis. [..] The main driving force behind this brutality is not only hatred, but apathy.

Blogger Dhushor Godhuli [bn] talks about an archive where all the atrocities of BSF are being chronicled. The blogger points out that the claims of the number of deaths are different between Indian and Bangladeshi authorities. The actual numbers quoted by the human rights organizations are much higher. The recent remarks by the BSF chief that the shootings will not stop has created much more anger amongst Bangladeshis. So the netizens have decided to launch a campaign to stop the killings at border. Blogger Himu writes [bn]:

Let March 1, 2012 be the day to Boycott India. On this day we will not buy anything Indian, will not use any Indian service, will not watch Indian TV channels. Let us spread the words, let everybody know. Let us remind everybody of their self respect. We are not dogs, but human beings. You have to respect us as human beings.

In another post Himu explains [bn] why the boycott is needed:

This boycott is being undertaken in protest of the wanton killings and tortures of Indian Border Force on Bangladeshis. [..] Questions may arise, if only some people starts this campaign what impact will it bring to India. [..] The answer is that we don’t expect that we will get the result in a day. [..] This boycott is a peaceful but strong tool in our hands. It will gradually send a strong message to the political and bureaucratic powerhouses of India.

Mukti blog does not think that such boycott is really going to work up the Indian businesses enough to lobby the Indian government to discipline BSF. However, the blogger adds:

Hmm, I suppose some folks will still believe that, just as others will continue to believe that Indian foreign policy establishment is always scheming to subjugate Bangladesh. But to the more reality-based-people, I submit that boycotting Indian goods has limited effectiveness beyond symbolism. And yet, the energy and passion behind this activism shouldn’t be underestimated. This kind of citizens’ activism — initiated by bloggers — can actually make a difference.

Diganta responds in a comment in the above post:

BSF has built up what I can call world’s largest extortion racket. Only way to stop this could be to legalize cattle trade between India and Bangladesh. [..]

Blogger Asif Mohiuddin at Somehwhereinblog.net endorses the boycott saying people should join it out of humanity, not nationalist jingoism. He appeals to Indians:

I am appealing to the friendly Indian citizens, please raise your voice to stop these acts against humanity. Kindly do not let your tax money waste bullets on our body. Please ask your government to stop these killings. We know that you are not in favor of these brutality by BSF, but we want to hear it loud and clear.

Also published in Global Voices Online

AUTHOR: Rezwan
URL: http://rezwanul.blogspot.com/
E-MAIL: i_rezwan [at] hotmail.com

“SOE compliance with codes of good governance is a fundamental aspect,” says Sandra Burmeister, CEO of the Landelahni Recruitment Group. “It is one of the most important SOE issues currently under review.”

The Presidential State Owned Enterprises Review Committee, tasked with exploring sustainable SOE business models that strike a balance between commercial, developmental and shareholder objectives, is expected to release its report shortly. This will include recommendations on shareholder oversight and governance, recruitment, selection and appointment of boards, and executive management of SOEs.

One option under discussion is the grouping of SOEs under a central authority “Should this make it possible to put in place more effective and accountable leadership and allow for a sound governance structure, it may be deserving of support,” says Burmeister. “Similarly, proposed strategic groupings of SOEs may lead to more effective collaboration between SOEs in the same industry sector, in this way avoiding replication of services and generating an improvement in efficiencies.

“The crucial issue is one of governance. A shareholder charter, which clearly defines the roles and responsibilities of the shareholder and of the board, is an essential in enabling the board to function effectively.

However, there has been a blurring of lines between the shareholders’ responsibilities and those of the board, and this has prejudiced operational effectiveness. What we have seen in the past is a case of shareholders’ delegating responsibility without authority.

“It is the shareholder’s role to appoint the board, comprising experienced, qualified and capable board members who are equipped to ensure the organisation is managed according to sound governance principles. It should be the board that nominates the chairperson and appoints – or dismisses – the CEO and other executive directors. If the board itself is not performing, government as the shareholder can remove directors, preferably at a properly-constituted annual general meeting.

“The state should not play the dual role of the shareholder and the board, since this leads to the kind of conflict of interest evidenced at SOEs such as the SABC, Telkom, Eskom and Transnet, which reached a flashpoint when the state interfered in the process of appointing the CEO.

“To run effectively, government must delegate authority and accountability to the SOE and then let the board do its job. Otherwise it may as well make the enterprise a government department and take over full control, together with the responsibility for service delivery.”

The critical issue, says Landelahni director Alan Witherden is how SOEs can be governed effectively, whether the leadership is in place to ensure sound governance, and whether sound processes are in place to mitigate against risk, fraud and corruption.

Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba has indicated he favours retaining the current arrangement where CEOs are appointed by the Minister after recommendations from the board and consultations with Cabinet. This is aligned with government’s vision of South Africa as a developmental state propelled by a state-driven capitalist economy.

“In this scenario, the board becomes accountable for the performance of the organisation under a CEO it may have had no hand in appointing and whom it is unable to replace in the case of non-performance,” says Witherden.

SOEs fall under the ambit of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), in addition to the Companies Act, which distinguishes clearly between board and shareholders. The King Report on Governance (King III) is also relevant for SOEs. In terms of King III, it is the duty of the board to ensure that the company complies with all governance requirements. “When the state is involved, adherence to standards in executing such duties is even more critical,” says Witherden.

“The shareholder charter should set out a clear framework outlining the state’s expectations aligned to strategic government policies. It should define deliverables and specify the delegation of authority to the board. The CEO employment agreement should reinforce the view that the CEO is accountable and must report to the board.

“This would go a long to ensuring SOEs begin to fulfil their potential in infrastructure expansion aligned to the country’s economic development programme.”

AUTHOR: Shout Africa
URL: http://www.shout-africa.com
E-MAIL: news [at] shout-africa.com

Indonesia Financial Audit Agency reported that the purchase payment using debt and somewhat how the investigation show the government hide something from the public (intransparency). The overall cost reported to the DPR the price shall not more than US$ 85 million for single aircraft. Indonesia Goverrnement defended by saying the price is estimated to be US$ 85 million but doesn’t said it is the net price.

AUTHOR: Ricky
URL: http://semoa.wordpress.com
E-MAIL: ricky_flanker [at] yahoo.com