Comments on: Livelihoods v Lives http://www.mentalacrobatics.com/think/archives/2009/04/livelihoods_v_lives.php Mentalacrobatics - The deepest pothole on the information superhighway Tue, 16 Mar 2010 07:41:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Tamtam http://www.mentalacrobatics.com/think/archives/2009/04/livelihoods_v_lives.php/comment-page-1#comment-41687 Tamtam Sun, 17 May 2009 23:56:59 +0000 702347292#comment-41687 Daudi, I have tagged you for the honest scrap award http://concernedkenyan.blogspot.com/2009/05/honest-scrap-award.html Daudi,

I have tagged you for the honest scrap award

http://concernedkenyan.blogspot.com/2009/05/honest-scrap-award.html

]]> By: andruid http://www.mentalacrobatics.com/think/archives/2009/04/livelihoods_v_lives.php/comment-page-1#comment-41090 andruid Sat, 25 Apr 2009 10:30:58 +0000 702347292#comment-41090 Excuse me for asking, but if the nations under Alexander's watch deserve to have their point of view put across why then did they not have their own direct representation at the conference. It was all very well that NEPAD was there as an avenue for Africans to put in their direct input, but Aolexander's definition ssounds ominously like the sort you would expect to justify those missionaries who would represent 'native' affairs in the long dead colonial governments. Excuse me for asking, but if the nations under Alexander’s watch deserve to have their point of view put across why then did they not have their own direct representation at the conference. It was all very well that NEPAD was there as an avenue for Africans to put in their direct input, but Aolexander’s definition ssounds ominously like the sort you would expect to justify those missionaries who would represent ‘native’ affairs in the long dead colonial governments.

]]> By: Darius Stone http://www.mentalacrobatics.com/think/archives/2009/04/livelihoods_v_lives.php/comment-page-1#comment-40648 Darius Stone Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:19:40 +0000 702347292#comment-40648 Douglas Alexander has the job everyone loves to hate in the cabinet. The British tax payer is in the same position as most other tax payers in developed countries in that they will soon fully expect their governments to focus and prioritize on matters at home before saving the world....all the talk about avoiding protectionism so far is rhetoric that still can't be backed up mainly because the economy is still in intensive care. Most of the money and initiatives announced at the G20 summit are a smoke screen for the simple reason that a huge proportion of it is not new money...and the extension of lending rights to the IMF is a euphemism for printing money at a global scale. The UK and US are already doing it now anyway. Chasing tax havens at this point in time is a red herring. They've had years to do it and need to be seen to be doing something now. The crux of this matter is that people don't trust each other enough to lend money to each other and it really doesn't matter what the politicians say, until the credit pipelines are defrosted and money starts flowing, the economy is going to stay in intensive care. What would have been more useful is for the g20 leaders to wrap up the Doha round of World trade talks once and for all and show the developing world they are actually serious. Mandating the IMF to drive these proposed changes is just crazy. Significant reforms are needed to change the culture of the Brettenwood institutions and shift its power base. The IMF and the World Bank have a major problem in being part of the solution. Their make up and structure were never designed with the developing world's interests at heart - but clearly, they'll argue otherwise. The evidence of their failure is here today for everyone to see. Douglas Alexander has the job everyone loves to hate in the cabinet.

The British tax payer is in the same position as most other tax payers in developed countries in that they will soon fully expect their governments to focus and prioritize on matters at home before saving the world….all the talk about avoiding protectionism so far is rhetoric that still can’t be backed up mainly because the economy is still in intensive care.

Most of the money and initiatives announced at the G20 summit are a smoke screen for the simple reason that a huge proportion of it is not new money…and the extension of lending rights to the IMF is a euphemism for printing money at a global scale. The UK and US are already doing it now anyway.

Chasing tax havens at this point in time is a red herring. They’ve had years to do it and need to be seen to be doing something now. The crux of this matter is that people don’t trust each other enough to lend money to each other and it really doesn’t matter what the politicians say, until the credit pipelines are defrosted and money starts flowing, the economy is going to stay in intensive care.

What would have been more useful is for the g20 leaders to wrap up the Doha round of World trade talks once and for all and show the developing world they are actually serious.

Mandating the IMF to drive these proposed changes is just crazy. Significant reforms are needed to change the culture of the Brettenwood institutions and shift its power base. The IMF and the World Bank have a major problem in being part of the solution. Their make up and structure were never designed with the developing world’s interests at heart – but clearly, they’ll argue otherwise. The evidence of their failure is here today for everyone to see.

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