In the past Mexican farmers made dangerous trips to the United States, hoping they would earn enough money by doing different jobs to cover make sure they could pay their debts. At home, they were cultivating small plots of land that has been in their family for generations. More recently, these farmers could stay home instead of making the dangerous trips because of a new venture with PepsiCo, which buys their crops. The farmers sell their corn directly to PepsiCo, which guarantees the price it will pay for the crops. This is a new approach for trying to maintain their business edge while theyre helping farmers and their families.
This is a very good idea of PepsiCo. Because PepsiCo now buys their crops directly from the farmers in Mexico, these farmers can now take care of their family and their farm. This will also give the farmers the opportunity to get the correct price for their crops and they will also be sure that the crops they have produced are going to get sold. Now, the farmers dont have to worry anymore about their debts that have to be paid. Because of this deal, the farmers can now grow varieties of crops that are better suited for the Mexican climate. There is also a benefit for PepsiCo. This project saves PepsiCo a lot of transportation costs because the farms in Mexico are close to several of its factories. Another advantage is that because PepsiCo made a deal with local farms, they are sure that they have access to the types of corn that are the best suited for their products. There are also some social benefits because of this deal. The farmers who work for PepsiCo now have a higher income. This has as a result that they have more money that they can give for their children and their education. Several other companies are now following the example of PepsiCo.
Guerrero election kicks off weighty Mexico political year
Summary :
Due to the presidential elections in 2012
in Mexico, political parties already started a campaign in the state Guerrero
in the south of Mexico. The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) hopes to
continue their success like the 3 last years. The PRIs target is to recapture the
presidency, 12 years after the historic election that ended its seven-decade
governing.
Guerrero, is one of the three states in Mexico, next to Guerrero you have Baja
California Sur, Michoacán. Nowadays Guerrero is leaded by a left party namely
the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) and counts 2.4 million voters.
By soundings it is clear that the election goes between PRI candidate Manuel
Anorve and PRD candidate Angel Aguirre (used to be PRI member). The Mexican
President Felipe Calderon, whos member of the National Action Party (PAN)
didnt succeed very well in leading the country, decided that he doesnt go for
a second term and that he supports the PRD candidate Angel Aguirre.
Since January 12th there has been some clashes between the two
political parties, a member of the PRD has been beaten by a PRI member, but
they deny this accusation. And the PRD also revealed that the PRI did some effort
to buy votes after finding a cache of food boxes bearing the logo of a social
service agency from the state of Mexico. PRD asked to invest this case
properly, but the markings on the boxes were false and the content didnt match
the food packets they normally distribute.
And despite there arent enough problems, Mexico knows a lot of drug-related
murders. The last two years there were more than 2000 murders and this month in
the city Acapulco there were at least 30 people murdered in one weekend. Anyhow
this major problem seems to have no importance in the political campaigns.
My opinion:
From
the moment I started to write for this blog, I found so many articles about
corruption then I ever saw or heard on television or in the newspapers in my
whole life. Its really shocking that bribery and corruption is so presently in
politics. Probably theres in Belgium also corruption within the politicians,
but I still believe in our government.
According to me theres a need to reorganize the Mexican system. Corruption
pervades the political system, maybe its because of the low wages? Or because
of intern pressure? I dont know, but
there must be a solution to end this.
Also the slathering of more than 2000 people in two years is alarming and Im
shocked that the world doesnt do anything and especially the Mexican
government. Please make the people aware of this major problem and take some
severe measures. For instance the zero tolerance principle, like we do in
Brussels or like in New York (U.S.).
What bothers me a lot is the fact that the political campaigns dont mention
anything about the drug-related killing. Hello? Is this normal? Everyday
theres at least someone whos killed by these criminals who deserve to be in
jail! And not only has the citizens of Mexico risk their lives but maybe also
tourists. I could not imagine that I would be on a holiday in Mexico and I or
someone of my family would be killed by these torturers! So I beg the
politicians all over the world and especially those from Mexico please do
something to stop these murders, corruption, bribery and false accusations.
I wonder if theres an organization thats occupied with the task to battle
these murders? Because its unlikely to me that no one is worried about this
situation.
Further I hope that the elections in Mexico will be fair and that the murders
stop, so the people can breathe again.
I found an
article about Mexicos drug war. The Mexican president Felipe Calderon has
been fighting against drugs cartels for four years now and he has announced
that he will keep on fighting until he has eliminated all drugs cartels once
and for all. Those fights have unfortunately cost tens of thousands of deaths
in Mexico, including innocent people. Felipe Calderon says that the amounts of
deaths are painful, but that theres no other alternative.
The inhabitants and the US say that Felipe Calderon has made the wrong decision
to start his drugs war and that he has to search another alternative.
I agree with the US and the inhabitants because there have already been a lot
of innocent people killed. The people of Mexico cant live their lives like
theyre used to anymore, they have to be more careful and more wary about
things . For example, the people were warned to keep off the streets because it
was too dangerous. Felipe Calderon is right that things have to change and that
the drugs cartels have to be eliminated but I certainly think that there are
other alternatives for that.
I think that Felipe Calderon was just desperate, he didnt know what to do to
stop the drugs cartels, so he just started a war against the drugs cartels.
But the drugs cartels are not that easy to stop, and they started to commit
more crimes like massacre.
The president is now cleaning house in Mexico. He will not rest until Mexico is
safe but he has to sit together with his peers to find other solutions.
The drugs war has to be stopped as soon as possible but other measures have to
be found! The government of the US offered already its help to Mexico but
Felipe Calderon did refuse that because he said the drugs war is the best and
only solution for the problem.
Mexicos oil exports could end within decade Mexico could lose the capacity to export crude altogether within a decade without major new investments in exploration and production. The countrys shift form exporter to importer would deal a severe blow to Mexicos federal government, which depends on oil sales for roughly a third of its budget. Production by Pemex, the national oil company, has fallen 25 per cent from its peak in 2004, while internal demand has climbed, sharply curtailing the amount of crude available for export. The drop in supply is largely due to steep declines at Cantarell, an aging super giant field formerly responsible for the bulk of Mexicos oil output My opinion
In my opinion it is pity for Mexico that this happens, but it proves once again that building materials arent self-evident, they are not inexhaustible. So I believe we should keep on investing in more natural way of gaining energy such as wind and solar energy, ultimately Fukushima has proven that nuclear energy is dangerous. Gaining oil isnt save ether has proven the recent disaster of British Petrol in the Gulf of Mexico.
Mexico should take matters in hand if it doesnt want to shift towards oil importer. This would be a severe burden on the Mexican government and curb its ability to provide important services, both related to social programs and internal peace and security. What Mexico can do is keep on gaining oil out of the Gulf of Mexico. But perhaps it would not be wrong to set their pride aside and ask more experienced companies for help and guidance, because surely we dont want another BP incident. Of course Pemex has its knowhow, but for drilling on land, not in the ocean.
So I wish Mexico the best of luck and hopefully they succeed, without serious problems or accidents.
The President of Cuba, Raul Castro (brother of the previous President Fidel Castro), has rejected large-scale market reforms to revive the struggling economy of the country. The state wouldnt control everything anymore in some areas so that more workers are allowed to be self-employed or they can even set up small businesses. The Cuban people expected some measures from the President to get the country out of its deep economic crisis. He answered to that by telling the people that some restriction to start small businesses would be ceased and that the small businesses could also employ staff. Unproductive or under-employed workers would also have to find another job.
I personally think that the President did a good thing when he said that there wouldnt be some major large-scale market reforms to get the economy out of the crisis. Making some major reforms could lead to several people losing their job, more unemployed people, ... This is certainly not helpful for a country that is already in crisis. Those actions would only do the economy more harm. In stead, the Cuban President chose to reduce the role of the state in some areas so that the people would be more free to do what they want for a living. Now that people can start their own small businesses, that will be good for the economy. These businesses can help the country get out of the crisis. Workers can also employ staff, which means that there will be less unemployed workers left on the market. That is stimulating for the economy because these people will receive a salary and with that salary, they can buy new products or even a new house. I think that it is also a good decision that unproductive and under-employed workers need to look for another job. Unproductive workers cost enterprises a lot of money. That money, the enterprise cant use to invest so thats a loss for the economy. In my opinion, these measures will help Cuba get out of its economic crisis.
My article is about a project in Holguin to create bamboo forests. The project
is called Bamboo Biomass and the
coordinator is Raul Figueredo. Raul Figueredo created the project because
bamboo is environmentally friendly and is also a good alternative for wood.
He has chosen bamboo because bamboo is a plant who grows very fast, so it can
provide big volumes in a short time compared to wood.
There have been already 3 centers opened where theyproduce the bamboo-plants and the goal is to
open 10 small centers this year.
I think the idea of Raul Figueredo is a very good idea. Its necessary that we
find an alternative for wood because there is already a lack of wood and its
still growing.
Our planet is already polluted and thats why we have to find an
environmentally friendly solution, and I think Raul Figueredo found that
solution.
The bamboo of this project can be used to make decorations, to make furniture,
for flooring, to make energy by burning the bamboo, so its a great
alternative.
I dont think that bamboo can totally replace wood but it can replace a part of
it and we can go on searching other ways to replace wood. The governments can
also take some measures like rules considering the amount of wood that can be
chopped.I think that there are already
rules like that but there also have to be a good control about that. Many
people just chop wood illegal and that shouldnt be happening so the
governments have to focus more about the control of their own rules.
Bamboo grows faster than wood and it purifies the soil, that causes that the
water resources will also improve. This is a great advantage because in a lot
of countries, the ground and the water is badly polluted.
I dont really see any disadvantages of the Bamboo Biomass project ant I think
every country should take such initiatives like Cuba and Raul Figueredo did.
Lastly, I think that this project brings employment, and for the people of Cuba
thats great news.
Cuba Said
Still Holding Around 100 Political Prisoners
Summary:
The opposition Cuban
Commission on Human Rights and National Reconciliation assess that the
communistic island Cuba holds more than 100 prisoners. This is still a lot
because the Cuban government had released dozens of political prisoners. These
numbers are written in a new report that has been launched by the Commission of
Human Rights.
The commission regrets that theres no respect for the civil, political and
cultural opinions despite the number of political prisoners are declined from
201 ,in January 2010, to 105 now. And the commission thinks that there will be
no improvement against the opinions of the people. But how come that theres a
decline? Well, last year the government of Raul Castro talked to the Spanish
and Catholic Church officials. This led to the release of some political
prisoners, according to the Commission this was a positive step towards human rights.
41 considered prisoners of conscience by Amnesty International have left prison
for exile in Spain in recent months. But there were 11 prisoners who didnt
accept to leave prison for exile in Spain and 8 other prisoners are free on
probation.
Fariñas, winner of the European Parliaments 2010 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of
Conscience, has been arrested after he and a group protested against the
eviction of a single, pregnant mother of two who had moved into an abandoned
home, accusing them of causing a public disturbance. The pregnant women had
ask for help from the human rights assistant, Fariñas and his companionsreact to her call for help. Fariñas has been
arrested by the police and got away with it, he just got a warning andwithin 6 hours he was released.
Fariñas manifests also by doing a hunger strike, to demand the release of the
most ill political prisoners. After that in February, the political prisoner Orlando
Zapata Tamayo died following an 85-day fast. Fariñas persevered his hunger
strike after that Castros government promised to release 52 prisoners following
the church-state talks. But in the mean time
Havana denies that theyre holding political prisoners.
Opinion:
I think that radical political movements like
the communistic government in Cuba must be disapproved internationally. Its
good that theres a Commision for Human Rights, Amnesty International and
people like Fariñas to protest
against this regime who keep political prisoners.
If you cant have an opinion that doesnt fit to the political regime its
really pity that they might arrest you or even abuse you. I hope that the
regime of Castro brothers falls after a leadership of more than 30 years. The
fact that the world accept dictators raise some questions in my head.
Dictator? Yes, his regime suppresses feeling of the inhabitants and I think the
people need to stand up and demand their rights.
Although the Cuban constitution freedom of expression knows,
laws like national security or the
banning of 'hostile propaganda' are abused to put
dissidents behind bars. I guess its maybe easy to say that people
need to stand up for their rights because of many people support the
communistic regime, but that might be because they do not know any better. If
youve only knew the Castro regime its hard to imagine that there are other
ways to lead a country and with respect for the inhabitants political, social,
economical, civil, preferences.
In the case of Fariñas I would continue to protest and make the people of Cuba
aware that theres a need to change the rule of life. And I would suggest him
to cooperate with international Human Right organizations, so they can put some
pressure on the government and make the world aware of the violation of the
human right in Cuba.
Cuban government outlines steps towards a freer market. For the first time since the Communist revolution 52 years ago, Cubans will be allowed to buy and sell houses and newer automobiles, and they may be able to travel abroad as tourists more freely, under policy changes that are intended to shake up the countrys foundering economy. Cubans lined up at kiosks to buy booklets outlining 313 guidelines approved at a historic Communist Party congress last month. However, this publication lacks many details on what the restrictions, taxes and other potential roadblocks the initiatives might include. But analysts said that simply bringing into the open what had been a black market of house and automobile swaps could be one of the most significant changes to the economy in decades and could inject badly needed cash into the system. In the speeches, President Castro declared that Cuba, hit hard by the global recession, deteriorating sugar market and, the government says, repercussions of the United States economic embargo, must move form an almost entirely state based economy towards one allowing at least a little more free enterprise.
My opinion
I believe that this is a very large step forward for Cubans. For decades they were not able to buy or sell cars manufactured after the 1959 revolution. The housing market wasnt much better, since the revolution there has been no housing market to speak of. In Cuba, people are born in the same house they die in. All of this had as result that many Cubans hardly ever move, and they often are stuck driving crumbling Soviet-era cars bought form state dealers. So it would be a real progress if they are back allowed to buy and sell houses and cars. But just as the New York Times I have my doubts about the real impact these policy changes will have. Especially because the publication lacks many details on what restrictions, taxes and other potential roadblocks the initiatives might include. And if I bear in mind that most of the Cubans are poor, I wonder whether they will able to buy a car or a house even if they want to. Maybe this is what the government is hoping for: to soften restrictions, knowing few people will be able to benefit from them. This way they send out the positive message of being willing to chance when there is actually few risks involved. So my conclusion is that its a good step forward, but that Cubans still have a long way ahead.
The article
handles about the fact that there is a high unemployment rate in Tunesia, during
60 % of the inhabitants are younger than 30 years old. The French newspaper Le
Monde did an investigation about the unemployment ratesand why the higher education system is ill-matched
to the job market.
1/3 of the
people under the age of 30 years old are unemployed. While in 1987 when Ben Ali
started to rule, the future looked bright due to a growth of the economy of 6
%, and there was a big middle class population.
The main reason for the economic instability is that there is no good
repatriation of generated employment. At the coast there is wealth because of
the tourism, but in the center of Tunesia the unemployment rate is 4 times
higher than at the coast.
Despite there is higher education in Tunisia, it doesnt guarantee the people
that they will have work. Since the middle of the nineties the education level
became poor. The reason for this was that Ben Ali didnt invest in education
but in control over the society.
In adjacent states like Morocco and Algeria theres less unemployment when
people did higher education. And this
leads that a lot of young people study in foreign countries like France.
Because Ben
Ali has quitted the political scene, the interviewer goes to 4 Tunisian
students who stays in France and ask them what their vision is on the current
situation. The most of them would like to return to their home country, they
belief that the economy will improve. While one thinks the situation will not change
within 5 years and likes his life in France.
opinion:
At first I
would like to say that I support the demonstrations in the Arabic world. If I
would life in a country with no future prospects, I would also protest against
the political regime or leave my country.
As I think of our own situation in Belgium, we might live in a state without no
government, and we may have big political problems. The country does well
economically and theres generally wealth in comparison with other countries
all over the world.
For the Tunisian people its good that Ben Ali has quitted his political career
and that gives the option to change the current situation. Its historical and
political an important point to change and to give the people a new future.
My suggestion for the Tunisian government is that they should upgrade the
education system, so they can compete with the other countries and become
international player in the world market. And I think theres a lot of
potential because of the youth of the population. Of course this problem will
not be solved within 5 years. I think the current situation probably will hold
on for 10 years. This might be exaggerated, but I think the economical recovery
will go slow. And first a lot of things need to be changed before this
recaptured can be started.
I dont have the same opinion as the students who live in France. I guess
theyre a little bit too enthusiastic. Its wrong to think that because Ben Ali
has left his political position, that there will be soon a drastic change in
the unemployment rate, so would not go back within 5 years. I share the same
opinion of Sami, if I would be a Tunisian student.
In the capital of Tunisia, Tunis, is now dealing with some mayor protests. The civilians want their President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali to quit immediately. The demonstrators say that Tunisia cant have a true democracy when the current president remains in charge. The president himself, announced that he would resign in 2014. The civilians are also protesting over corruption, unemployment and high food prices. The protest began when an unemployed graduate set himself on fire, after the police told him he couldnt sell vegetables without a permit. The president has swore that he would take action on food prices.
I personally think that the demonstrators had a good reason to protest. It cant be done that food prices have gone up fourfold in just a few weeks time. If the prices continue to rise, people cant afford to buy food anymore. This will be very bad for the economy. Another negative affect for the economy is that several tour operators have returned their customers back home and cancelled departures to Tunisia. Tourism is the key in the Tunisian economy and its also a very important source of jobs and salary. In Tunisia there has always been censure. Several incidents have already been censured from reaching the people before. Now, with the case of the young Mohamed Bouazizi, the Tunisian people wanted to be heard and they didnt want that this was going to be censured, so they came out on the streets. I believe that the right of free speech applies to each and anyone of us and so I think that its good that theTunisian people stood up for theirs. Following the example of the Tunisians, several other countries had to deal with protests of their inhabitants like there was in Egypt, Algeria, Iraq and now also in Lybia.
