Entries from March 2007 ↓

I know that a number of you, including me, see the dominance of Microsoft over the world business with a bad eye; unfair and heavy handed. To a large extent, I abhor the idea that the winner takes all and leaves the losers will absolutely nothing. Microsoft continues to cream the market using its dominant position in spite of drastic legislation to balance the effect of its “unfair” control over the world’ scene. Last week again, we saw on the news that the EC imposed yet another heavy fine on Microsoft which answered back by filing some other legal proceedings.

Every cloud has a silvery lining. The Microsoft situation to a large degree accelerated the development of Linux which itself gave the invention of a new collaborative way of operating with the different “wikis”.

Another of the silver lining in the case of Bill Gates over rich situation would be: had it not been the world record of wealth accumulated by Bill would we have seen the vast amount of money deployed on eradicating diseases in very poor countries? The formation of a new type of Global alliance to fight the world’s calamity has now been created. A new formula respecting all parties’ dignity binds together governments from the rich countries, NGO s, the private funds, and the world’s largest drug manufacturers, the low cost drug manufacturers in the third world countries and the poor countries to produce at very low cost vaccines to free the world from nasty diseases. In a way, we have found the solution to the dilemma of payment of hefty royalties due to the drug companies and the disposal and use of cures for the less fortunate of the world. GAVI has paved the way.

Q: What is Gavi?

The Global Alliance was set up in 1999 with a donation of $750m from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

It is a non-profit making body with links to United Nation’s Children’s Fund (Unicef), and the World Health Organization (WHO), as well as governments of developing and industrialised countries, vaccine manufacturers, research groups and other organisations providing health aid to countries.

It says its mission is to “focus on those areas where no one partner can work effectively alone and to add value to what partners are already doing”.

In addition to Norway, other countries including Canada, Denmark, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, the UK and the US, as well as private donors have given funding to Gavi.

The pharmaceutical industry has been very involved since the beginning of Gavi. They have helped to improve the accuracy of demand forecasts for vaccines, and provide credible evidence of a market for vaccines in low-income countries.

A lack of this kind of evidence had previously meant the industry had to some degree turned away from these lower-priced traditional vaccines to more expensive newer ones targeted mainly at developed countries.

Q: Why was it set up?

In 2002, around 10.5 million children aged five or under died. Of these, around 1.4 million died from vaccine-preventable diseases.

Data for 2003 showed 27 million children did not receive any vaccinations in their first year of life.

Q: What does it do?

Gavi created the Vaccine Fund to provide funding to countries in the developing world to fund the purchase of vaccines and to provide the infrastructure to distribute them.

It has given grants to 70 of the world’s poorest countries – those with a Gross National Income (GNI) of less than $1,000 (£532) a year.

By December 2004, it had raised around $1.3m and distributed over $530m.

Q: What has this achieved?

Gavi claims to have ensured an additional four million children in developing countries received routine childhood immunisations, such as diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough) that they would otherwise not have had access to.

In addition, it says 42 million were immunised against hepatitis B, five million against Hib and over three million against yellow fever.

The WHO estimates this could have prevented 670,000 premature deaths in children born between 2001 and 2003.

On average, it costs $ 20 (including delivery costs) to fully immunise a child against diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, measles and tuberculosis.

Q: What do other health bodies think of Gavi?

When it was launched in 2000, the then Director-General of the WHO, Dr Gro-Harlem Brundtland, said: “Gavi is a true partnership between public and private sectors.

“It is one based on enlightened self-interest, but it is also one that recognises the moral responsibility we all have for a world where all children receive a basic chance of survival and health.”

A report from Save the Children in 2002 raised concerns of a conflict of interest for representatives of the pharmaceutical industry involved in Gavi, because their companies could be making products which Gavi would distribute.

But the WHO and International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturer’s Association said an initiative such as Gavi needed representatives of the industry among its leadership.

We have once more the honor and great pleasure in welcoming Imai Masaaki the Japanese top management guru and his team in Mauritius to lecture on “Survival of the fittest- STRATEGIES OF A LION”.

Should you have the time I would highly recommend that you attend this lecture which will be held at the cyber Tower on the 6^th March from 17.00- 19.00.

The Kaizen Institute has chosen Mauritius to conduct their worldwide meeting this semester and we are benefiting of this event.

During the days I was still active in business, a few Gemba Kaizen workshops and programs were run in some of the units, I used to manage. The Gemba Kaizen exercises gave excellent results on the overall performance fast and at almost no cost.

Elimination of wastes ( MUDA) and running a continuous improvement system in any business unit have worked and is still working miracles all over the world. I recall with much pleasure that in May 2001, SEBNA a bottle plant situated in the Rogers industrial zone were the first unit in Mauritius to contract the program which was brilliantly conducted by Jayen Murthy of the Kaizen Institute.

More so, in today’s difficult times, lean management is the way to remain competitive. This system of operation is often also called the Toyota way as most of the tools proposed by the Kaizen Institute were originally inspired by Toyota manufacturing methods.

This year 2007,today we celebrate at the same time the Chinese Lantern festival and the Indian Holi Festival.In Beau Bassin,this afternoon, I could continuously hear the drumming of the Chinese Lion dances and the firing of the crackers.
Whilst the meanings and traditions of these festivities abound on the web, I would like to highlight what aroused me on the Holi festivities:

Social Significance
Holi helps to bring the society together and strengthen the secular fabric of our country. For, the festival is celebrated by non-Hindus also as everybody like to be a part of such a colourful and joyous festival.
Also, the tradition of the Holi is that even the enemies turn friends on Holi and forget any feeling of hardship that may be present. Besides, on this day people do not differentiate between the rich and poor and everybody celebrate the festival together with a spirit of bonhomie and brotherhood.
In the evening people visit friends and relatives and exchange gifts, sweets and greetings. This helps in revitalizing relationships and strengthening emotional bonds between people.

Biological Significance
It is interesting to note that the festival of Holi is significant for our lives and body in many other ways than providing joy and fun.
We also need to thank our forefathers who started the trend of celebrating Holi at such a scientifically accurate time. And, also for incorporating so much fun in the festival.

As Holi comes at a time of the year when people have a tendency to feel sleepy and lazy. This is natural for the body to experiences some tardiness due to the change from the cold to the heat in the atmosphere. To counteract this tardiness of the body, people sing loudly or even speak loudly. Their movements are brisk and their music is loud. All of this helps to rejuvenate the system of the human body.

Besides, the colours when sprayed on the body have a great impact on it. Biologists believe the liquid dye or Abeer penetrates the body and enters into the pores. It has the effect of strengthening the ions in the body and adds health and beauty to it.

There is yet another scientific reason for celebrating the Holi, this however pertains to the tradition of Holika Dahan. The mutation period of winter and spring, induces the growth of bacteria in the atmosphere as well as in the body. When Holika is burnt, temperature rises to about 145 degrees Fahrenhiet. Following the tradition when people perform Parikrima (circumambulation or going around) around the fire, the heat from the fire kills the bacteria in the body thus, cleansing it.

The way Holi is celebrated in south, the festival also promotes good health. For, the day after the burning of Holika people put ash (Vibhuti) on their forehead and they would mix Chandan (sandalpaste) with the young leaves and flowers of the Mango tree and consume it to promote good health.

Some also believe that play with colours help to promote good health as colours are said to have great impact on our body and our health. Western-Physicians and doctors believe that for a healthy body, colours too have an important place besides the other vital elements. Deficiency of a particular colour in our body causes ailment, which can be cured only after supplementing the body with that particular colour.

People also clean-up their houses on Holi which helps in clearing up the dust and mess in the house and get rid of mosquitoes and others pests. A clean house generally makes the residents feel good and generate positive energies.

I have the feeling that our dear country needs to live more of the spirit of the Holi Festivities…..more so within the goverment majority.

C’est avec une grande joie, empreinte de signification, que j’accueille ce saint dimanche aujourd’hui. Premier jour ensoleillé après une semaine post Gemede maussade. Dieu soit loué ! Le 2 Mars 1947, jour de ma naissance était également un dimanche et la liturgie de la 2eme dimanche de carême, proposée par l’église ce jour là est la même d’aujourd’hui. Pour mémoire la lecture de la messe était dite en latin en 1947 et que peu de fidèles lisent la traduction. Merci chers parents, Papa et Maman, pour m’avoir donne le jour et de m’avoir bien éduqué et tout donné. Ils étaient bien parmi ce peu de fidèles choisis !

Maman dans une lettre qu’elle écrivit à son frère aîné, Ignace pour qui elle avait une affection particulière et une immense gratitude fit allusion à ma naissance en ces termes : « mon fils est né a l’hôpital de Moyen, tenu par le religieuses allemandes le jour de la célébration de la Transfiguration ». A cela Tonton Ignace lui répondit : « Heureuse soit tu car le fils que tu as donné vie, fils du premier fils de la famille, transformera ta vie et les relations avec la belle famille ».

Vraiment, ces paroles échangées à mon sujet, transmises plus tard, par Maman sont restées ma moto pour la vie. Cette transfiguration de Jésus continue de signifier pour moi : « quand on se laisse inonder par la présence de Dieu, Il nous rend blanc et éclatant comme neige et nous ne pouvons que rejaillir transformer de Sa lumière ». Ainsi ma mission dans la vie est d’être un catalyseur, qui au contact, avec la force reçu de Lui transforme positivement les êtres.

Do you know who is Yan Kwok?

I propose that all Mauritians bloggers and all those who has some interest in the internet and related technology should know of Yan KWOK. I only met him a couple of times in 1997. Hats off to him for what he has done when he was still a student in Cape Town. If I am not mistaken all of you who are using the .mu are contributing to Yan KWOK’s  wealth.

Through linkedin, I managed to trace him up.

The question I am asking myself is: Does Mauritius need persons of his competence and experience? Why have the authorities of Mauritius acted in such a manner to keep  Yan KWOK away from Mauritius?

Yes indeed, we need brains and drive for our country to prosper. So Mauritius needs the competency and experience of people the like of Yan.

I am of opinion that the authorities have been unfair to Yan. He was foresighted enough during his university days to see potential in making some money out of the then upcoming ICANN whilst all the government authorities ,I presume were completely out of the picture.Should Yan be penalized for his business acumen  and initiative?

I move that the authorities in spite of the ego and arrogance that they hold would do well to recognize Yan’s deeds and publicly welcome him to put his knowledge to the service of the nation. Perhaps, then. the action could be set as an example for our bright stars evolving in the world to come home to set up shop.

In a day’s time, I shall major to what some people calls “age d’or”. Yes, I shall be entitled to the special treatments given to senior citizen: a government pension, free traveling on the public bus and reduced fare for air travel. Tom Peters, one of the business management gurus who I have been reading for years, also turned Sixty a few months ago. On the occasion he published a book which is a compilation of things he believes. “In search of excellence” was the first book I read from Tom Peters. Through the years I kept on reading his books and watching the videos of his seminars I could lay my hands on. Up till now I read his blog regularly. Like him I am still thriving and am still in search of excellence.Wow!