I am very pleased to read on Le Mauricien of today the 14 July 2007 a report on Aquaculture which is of great interest to me. Let us hope that Ferme de Mahebourg will flourish into a money making company whilst generating economic growth to the nation.

Soon as I heard of this project some 5 years ago, I immediately joined in. I have invested some of my savings therein. Up till now, unlike some of the other small investors who believed in the project without showing a continued interest, I keep updating myself on the development of the company and this industry in the world. Internet has provided me with a tool which opened up a new world to me on this fast transforming industry.

Hats off to Michel Jory,James Ngan, Chris Lee who are the visionary promoters and leaders of this laudable venture. Indeed they took up the challenge of proving that a serious, world class aquaculture is feasible technically in Mauritius and now they still have to make the venture an economic success.
I would be very glad to exchange with anyone who shares the same interest in Aquaculture. I shall be delighted to Drum up the success of Red Drum in Mauritius.
I have to reproduce the text as Le Mauricien does not keep the article as an html file which could be access later.

Des poissons dans des cages

A Pointe-aux-Feuilles, Mahébourg, où se trouve cette ferme marine, il se passe des choses que les Mauriciens ne connaissent pas. On élève des poissons d’après un procédé technologique moderne : des géniteurs pondent des oeufs qui sont recueillis et transférés dans l’écloserie où ils deviennent des petits poissons qui vont être élevés durant deux mois environ avant d’être mis en cage dans le lagon. Ils continuent à être nourris et surveillés de près, comme des petits bébés, jusqu’à ce qu’ils atteignent la taille voulue de vente. Pour l’instant, ils sont vendus en entier aux hôtels touristiques et exportés vers Dubai, l’Afrique du Sud et les Etats-Unis et bientôt vers l’Europe.

C’est un Français, Michel Jory, qui a travaillé dans les télécommunications à Maurice pendant une dizaine d’années qui a lancé cette idée de pratiquer l’aquaculture. Il avait trouvé drôle que l’île était entourée de mer mais personne n’exploitait cette vaste ressource. Il a fait un partenariat avec le PDG d’Allied Motors, James Ngan, et a lancé ce projet en 1999. Chris Lee Sin Cheong, comptable de profession, et directeur à FMM, a été amené dans le projet pour mener une étude de faisabilité et pour chercher des actionnaires potentiels. ” Il nous a fallu convaincre le gouvernement d’alors de ce que nous voulions faire. Après maintes démarches, nous avons obtenu une concession de 15 hectares en mer et de cinq arpents sur terre où monter notre écloserie “, indique ce dernier. Le projet a été conçu avec des investissements initiaux de Rs 75M qui ont atteints aujourd’hui les Rs 300M, avec la construction de l’usine de traitement qui est en cours.

La ferme a démarré ses activités avec l’élevage du Red Drum (Ombrine), dont les géniteurs ont été importés des Etats-Unis. Vu sa réussite en termes de grossissement rapide, la FMM a essayé la reproduction d’un espèce local, le Gueule Pavé, que des pêcheurs de la localité ont mis à sa disposition. ” Aujourd’hui, nous maîtrisons également l’élevage de ce poisson “, souligne M. Lee Sin Cheong. Du point de vue technologigue et recherche, la ferme est un succès, ajoute-t-il, mais sur le plan commercial, ” c’est maintenant qu’on va le savoir. ” ” Notre usine de traitement, aux normes européennes, qui sera opérationnel bientôt va nous permettre d’exporter du poisson vers l’Europe en barquettes et sous d’autres formes “, ajoute-t-il.

Pour notre interlocuteur, outre l’emploi et les devises que l’aquaculture peut apporter au pays, ” il faut penser à l’avenir. “ Selon lui, il n’y en a plus dans la canne à sucre. ” Ce sera fini dans 20 ans “, estime-t-il. ” Que faire, après ? Il faut trouver d’autres créneaux économiques. L’aquaculture, avec le projet de loi qui vient, sera un nouveau pilier économique pour notre pays “, affirme-t-il. Il cite le cas de la Thaïlande, où selon lui, cette activité a été pratiquée d’une façon désordonnée et a finalement dégradé l’environnement. ” Vingt ans après, on ne peut plus utiliser cette mer “, ajoute-t-il. Quant à Maurice, pays touristique, il déclare que si l’environnement est affecté, ” nous serons tous perdants et c’est la dernière des choses que nous voulons faire. ” M. Lee Sin Cheong est d’avis que le gouvernement est en train de préparer le terrain pour faire venir des investisseurs dans ce domaine. La dizaine qui s’y intéresse devrait aider, ajoute-t-il, à développer cette activité pour en faire une industrie.

Esprit d’entreprise

Cette activité économique n’est pas réservée uniquement aux investisseurs qui visent les grands hôtels et l’exportation vers des marchés rémunérateurs. Selon le directeur de la FMM, il y a de réels possibilités pour des petites et moyennes entreprises également. ” Savez-vous qu’on a fait une dégustation d’ombrine en vindaye lors d’une exposition au centre Swami Vivekananda ? Environ 12 000 personnes ont goûté ce poisson et elles croyaient que nous produisions du vindaye. Ceux qui ont l’esprit d’entreprise peuvent faire beaucoup d’argent avec cette idée. Moi, je ne peux le faire car ce n’est pas ma priorité “, dit-il, en ajoutant que le potentiel est là : 1,9 million de km carrés de mer pour faire beaucoup de choses dans des conditions appropriées.

Une industrie qui va polluer l’environnement ? Non, répond-t-il. C’est quand il n’y a pas de cadre légal que ceux intéressés lancent leurs projets où ils veulent et font n’importe quoi. ” Ce sont de très petites zones où la profondeur est de trente mètres qui ne dérangent pas l’environnement “, déclare, pour sa part, le responsable de la ferme, Fabrice Zarour, biologiste marin de formation. ” C’est vrai que les poissons sont nourris avec des granulées mais il faut savoir que pour être rentable, nous ne pouvons gaspiller une seule granulée. Nous faisons de sorte qu’aucune granulée, qui coute très chère d’ailleurs, ne sorte des cages. Toutes sont mangées par les tonnes de poisson qui se trouvent dans une seule cage. Nous sommes obligés de les nourrir correctement. Au cas contraire, c’est la faillite “, affirme-t-il. M. Lee Sin Cheong indique que des éléments de la Mauritius Marine Conservation Society (MMCS) viennent souvent plonger en mer à Mahebourg pour étudier l’environnement où opère la FMM. ” Nous les invitons à le faire pour qu’ils puissent nous dire ce qu’ils voient au fond de la mer “, dit-il.

Autre préoccupation : les requins. Il y a eu toujours des requins dans le lagon ici, affirment-ils. ” Ce n’est pas à cause de nos cages qu’ils sont venus ici “, déclare M. Lee Sin Cheng. A M. Zarour d’ajouter : ” Nous avons déjà pêché quelques petits requins de 7 à 10 kg qui sont nés dans le lagon. Plus ils grandissent, plus ils quittent le lagon pour s’éloigner vers le large. Donc, ce ne sont pas des requins qui sont entrés dans le lagon à cause des cages. Ils vivent dans ce lagon. Il y aura toujours des requins dans le lagon, même sans cette ferme marine. “

S’agissant du projet de loi, Fabrice Zarour estime qu’il a été mal expliqué à la population car, dit-il, il n’y a pas beaucoup d’endroits en mer à Maurice où l’on peut pratiquer l’aquaculture. La dizaine de sites identifiés ce n’est rien, selon lui, ” ce sont des têtes d’épingles vues d’en haut qui ne vont pas gêner la circulation et la pêche artisanale. ” ” Nous ne pouvons pas priver les Mauriceins de leur espace et de leur liberté “, lance-t-il

On the news of Radio Canada last night, I was much surprised to hear that of the Industrial world countries Canada tops the list in consumption of cannabis. I would have thought that Holland where smoking Cannabis in not a legal offense, would have come up first. Is it the proof that changing the law to make users not prosecuted for possession of small quantity of soft drug does not promote the usage of the drug?

Gandia as cannabis is commonly called in Mauritius were in the past almost openly available. I recalled in my school days we used to know the places where the famous pot were sold for a little as .50 cents. Today with the crack down this business went underground and the prices have become very high. The gandia business has become a very lucrative for big drug barons who are upgrading to harder drugs. Should we in Mauritius adopt the Dutch Drug Policy (DDP)? The question is “does smoking of tobacco or taking soft drug promote usage of harder drug?” Do we have to consider the drug addicts as patients suffering from a disease or a criminal to be jailed? We know today in Mauritius, that HIV propagation is mainly through exchange of needles by the drug addicts. There again will the Dutch Drug Policy be studied as a possible solution for us?

Pils, the organization defending HIV patients, has been campaigning in the direction of the DDP. Looks like Rama Valayden our Minister of Justice is for the amendment of the law. Yet nothing is happening. Is it time for a national debate on the subject and the start of solving one of plague of our society?

In Canada 1in 6 persons have tried pot smoking. Luckily I had only 4 brothers & 1 sister in Canada! But today with their children’ number aggregated with my own children living in Canada, the numbers are playing against by my folks!

C for Cannabis in Canada. M for Mass in Mauritius

“Maurice connaîtra un boom économique d’ici 2010’’ je lis là : un message d’espoir d’ Eric Ng, économiste et directeur de Pluri Conseil dans un interview qu’il a livré au Mauritius Times du 06 Juillet et ce dans le cadre du budget 07-08 de notre Ministre de Finance Rama Sithanen.

La lecture du document m’a donné une envolée rapide de la situation économique du pays, ses enjeux et ses alternatives et options choisies par le présent gouvernement. Je reste quelque peu sceptique à quelques uns des avancés du gouvernement, cependant je pense qu’il vaut mieux croire dans l’avenir du pays.

La création d’emploi au cours des années futures a été pensée et des mesures sont prises pour résorber le problème d’emploi. Ce qui m’inquiète : c’est la dégradation des valeurs societales. J’entends bien que le budget n’est peut être pas le forum ou le lieu où on pose le problème des valeurs de societe. A-t-on inclus dans les finances le budget pour la promotion des valeurs qui feront avancer notre sociéte ?

Boeing 787

Is Boeing ahead of Airbus technologically? Composite commercial aircraft of this size with its enhanced fuel efficiency is definitely a technological breakthrough that will be changing the scene of the industry. Yes! Boeing with the new B787 family of aircraft is ahead. It will take some years for Airbus to catch up. Will the introduction of B787 in May 2008 be construed by future historians as the revealing event which brought about a new era in manufacturing of aircraft? Are we turning a new leaf from the usage of aluminum and rivets?

I was so excited to see the ceremony of the unveiling of the new aircraft last night of the television. It reminds me in the 1954 when the first B707 was introduced with its jet engines and we gradually saw the end of the propeller aircraft.

Saint Pierre Chrysologue (vers 406-450), évêque de Ravenne, docteur de l’Église
Sermon 30 : PL 52, 285-286 (trad. En Calcat rev.)
« Il mange avec les publicains et les pécheurs ! »
Dieu est accusé de se pencher vers l’homme, de s’asseoir près du
pécheur, d’avoir faim de sa conversion et soif de son retour, de prendre l’aliment de la miséricorde et la coupe de la bienveillance. Mais le Christ, mes frères, est venu à ce repas; la Vie est venue parmi ces convives pour que, condamnés à mort, ils vivent avec la Vie ; la
Résurrection s’est couchée pour que ceux qui gisaient se lèvent de leurs tombes ; la Bonté s’est abaissée pour élever les pécheurs jusqu’au pardon ; Dieu est venu à l’homme pour que l’homme parvienne à Dieu ; le juge est venu au repas des coupables pour soustraire l’humanité à la sentence de condamnation ; le médecin est venu chez les malades pour les rétablir en mangeant avec eux ; le Bon Pasteur a penché l’épaule pour rapporter la brebis perdue au bercail du salut.
« Il mange avec les publicains et les pécheurs ! » Mais qui est
pécheur, sinon celui qui refuse de se voir tel ? N’est-ce pas s’enfoncer
dans son péché, et à vrai dire s’identifier à lui, que cesser de se
reconnaître pécheur ? Et qui est injuste, sinon celui qui s’estime juste ?
Allons, pharisien, confesse ton péché, et tu pourras venir à la table
du Christ ; le Christ pour toi se fera pain, ce pain qui sera rompu pour le pardon de tes péchés ; le Christ deviendra pour toi la coupe, cette coupe qui sera versée pour la rémission de tes fautes. Allons, pharisien, partage le repas des pécheurs, et le Christ partagera ton repas ; reconnais-toi pécheur, et le Christ mangera avec toi ; entre avec les pécheurs au festin de ton Seigneur, et tu pourras ne plus être pécheur ; entre avec le pardon du Christ dans la maison de la miséricorde.

J’ai retenu ce texte de Matthieu que j’avais lu dans la semaine car à travers ce texte j’avais retenu deux mots qui me trottaient dans la tête pour plusieurs jours.
Le premier mot est « Mission ». « Suis-moi. » L’homme se leva et le suivit. Quelle est ma mission ? Oui ! Essentiellement la même que Matthieu car je souhaite être parmi les disciples de Jésus. Cependant est-ce que je réponds avec la promptitude de Matthieu ? Est-ce que j’ai de la persévérance pour mener à bien ma mission ? Suis-je acharné par ma mission ? ‘Suis moi’ est vraiment vivre les pas du Seigneur maintenant et à jamais.

Le deuxième mot est « miséricorde ». « C’est la miséricorde que je désire ». Ce deuxième mot m’a livré le message du ‘comment’ vivre les pas du Seigneur. Oui ! Dieu est le sommet de la miséricorde. Pratiquer la miséricorde en tout temps, n’est pas ce qui nous est demandé ? Pardonner à ceux qui nous ont offensé. Ce n’est certes pas facile de pardonner car nous devons vaincre sans cesse notre orgueil et égoïsme qui nous hantent et rongent. La paix se trouve-t- elle pas derrière la porte de la miséricorde ? La voie de déjà indiquée ; il nous suffit de suivre. Le Seigneur nous a déjà pardonné car Il est venu pour nous pécheurs. ‘Un peu effort l’ami !’ entends- je de notre Seigneur d’une voie douce et encourageante ! Confesse toi et tu passeras a ma table!

I spent an hour or so watching a seminar given to Microsoft staff at the academy given by Kathryn Cramer on Asset Based thinking. The download was good enough as I did not have many interruptions or lag delay on account of internet communications. Should be able to afford the time, I recommend you to watch it and become a better person :an asset based thinker instead of a deficit based thinker.

Description:
Dr. Kathryn Cramer, founder of The Cramer Institute, has developed and brought to life a revolutionary (and refreshingly simple) concept called Asset-Based Thinking – a practical approach to taking the positive side of life?s ledger and using it to full advantage in everything you do. Asset-Based Thinking calls for small shifts in the way people absorb, perceive, filter, and interpret information. It changes the way we see everything, leading to dramatic improvements in the way we live and work. Asset-Based Thinking zeros in on what?s working rather than what?s not (Deficit-Based Thinking) and favors inspiration and aspiration over desperation?and it is infectious. Through Asset-Based Thinking anyone can lead more productive and personally fulfilling lives. Throughout this talk, Kathy will teach the audience members how to tap the power of Asset-Based Thinking and apply it to their personal and professional lives. This program is divided into three parts: Change the way you see yourself Change the way you see others Change the way you see situations Within each part, Kathy provides practical advice, case studies, and exercises that help participants modify their management, leadership, communication skills, performance, and satisfaction, and take them to the next level.

Speaker(s):
Kathryn D. Cramer, Ph.D., licensed psychologist and founder, The Cramer Institute

My “Confucius” back ground in which at a very early age I was lucky to have been raised place “learning” as the top of my life priority. Thanks to my grand father who used to say that after having satisfied your physical needs of survival, a human immediate need should be learning. Living for him means growing and going forward. Growth can only be achieved by learning. More so, in this fast changing world of today, it has become even more important and pressing to focus our effort to acquire new skills through learning.

Most people find it natural to learn when one is young and attending school. How many stop learning once they strike the working life? Is it because of the sloth of people or their unconscious mind, that the need to create the learning organisation came in the work place environment? I have not stop learning and will not ever to do.Learning is natural to me. I choose to think that Peter Senge and his team coined “the learning organisation” more so for the methodology of learning in a work environment rather than the necessity to motivate the human to keep on learning.

In the final years to my working career, I had the chance to reconvert myself into a coach and got very interested in learning about learning. Very much in the line of my dear friend Penny Vingoe an accomplished teacher who is now running the coaching organisation “learn to learn”.

I enjoyed the article of Vaughan Waller of the topic of learning which I would like to share with you. Much emphasis and effort is now placed in training programmes. I would rather come back to basics and place the focus on learning programmes. Mauritians enterprises are spending so much in training these days. HRDC or the competent authorities would be failing to their tasks if they are not ensuring the quality of the design of the training given by the numerous mushroom grown training institutes in Mauritius.

In the Shoes of the Learner

By Vaughan Waller

The available methodologies to deliver learning in the workplace are now more plentiful than ever and most organizations now realize, that not offering learning opportunities to their staff is potentially more costly than doing so. Enabling staff to develop their skills or acquire new ones is an important way of keeping companies fresh, adaptable to change and thereby remain competitive. So there appears to be very little argument against making learning an integral part of our daily working lives, in the same way that e-mail is currently, to most of us. But, as always, this is easier said than done. In my experience making the time for learning (since that is what managers invariably tell their team to do) only means that something else is not done or not done as well. Learning in the workplace, usually because of the small amount of available time, has to be delivered in a way that will enable learners to integrate it into their day – and this process is the responsibility of the learning designer.

Every learning programme designer wants the project to succeed in its objectives and to be used, enjoyed and talked about in a positive sense from then on. The factors that cause learning programmes to be unsuccessful are many and various : –

• Learning styles
• Personality preferences
• Peer pressure in a classroom environment
• Dislike of learning via a computer
• Learners’ minds on other things
• Using of the wrong training medium
• Poor course design
• Not enough time to do it properly
• Lack of motivation
• Level of computer literacy
• Ability of the learner to self study
• Etc etc.

Therefore, it is one thing to design a programme of instruction but also ensuring that it is succeeds for a variety of learner types is a critical part of the overall process. So how do you ensure that learners will learn what they need to learn?

Unfortunately, the answer to the latter question is often difficult to find. There is a plethora of educational psychological data on how humans learn. There is plenty on pedagogy and the processes whereby information in one person’s head is transferred into the head of the learner. But ask most people in what way they like to learn or in what circumstances they learn best and it is likely that they will call to mind either a good or a poor learning experience. Most people will remember a learning experience in which they were having fun. If someone has had a really successful golfing lesson which produces results, then that person will remember the lesson because they were enjoying themselves. Conversely, we can all remember a crushingly boring training course where the tutor did not connect with the learners, the course was badly designed and perhaps, as a consequence, very little was learnt. Delve further however and ask what is your learning style preference and what is their Myers Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®) assessment and you will be met by blank looks. The learners would have to go on a course just to answer these questions!

More to the point, if you did have the answers to these questions and they can be found using a variety of means, how do you design or adapt the learning programme to suit what will almost certainly be a mix of these preferences? It is near impossible to make a programme of instruction that will appeal equally to every learning style and all personality preferences. Furthermore, at the present time it is required that all learning programmes must also be accessible to everyone regardless of any learning or physical impairment too.

The popular answer that is always trotted out is “blended learning”, a combination of learning media, an “e-learning sandwich” or a “bit of this and a bit of that”. Blended learning is one of those terms that most people connected with training within an organization, will profess to know at least something about. Yet it is nothing new and is one of those things which have become caught up with e-learning and other learning activities which has made some think that it is a new 21st century buzzword.

But in my opinion this is no answer to the learning designer who wants easy and straightforward answers to the question “Which way, or mix of ways is best to deliver this learning effectively?”. The answers to the question become a lot easier if they are answered from the perspective of the learner. That may seem obvious but it has to be said that in reality few people in an organization’s learning or training department do or perhaps we should say can design learning from the learners’ perspective. In an organization there are time pressures, budgetary pressures, lack of resources or even perhaps in some cases knowledge. It is easy to write down here that you should do this or do that when in realty that is not always realistic. But in the analysis, design and development stages of the most well known instructional design model, it is possible to consider learners at every point of the way.

This may sound like difficult work but it should not be shirked. And in the way of things that are not particularly fun to do the timescale for all this should not be rushed either. It has been seen repeatedly, ever since computers were first used in learning that trying to rush the boring bits to get to the “nicer” parts of the process, normally spells disaster.

Sticking to an instructional design process will determine the best way to get the learning to the learners in a way that will overcome as many of the problems listed above as possible. Nothing should be ruled out within reason. If you do define e-learning as learning delivered digitally with additional support and services then this can cover a host of options. You could choose from dozens of possible methods many of which are as valid now as they have ever been including : –

• Web based learning content – to be accessed in whatever way is most effective for the learner
• Learning simulations – enabling learners to experience what they have to learn
• Virtual learning – virtual classrooms, conference telephone calls, video conferencing etc enabling learners to work as far as possible with others
• Easy access to reference material such as websites, intranet pages, books and videos
• Informal learning – access to “someone who knows what you need to know”
• Coaches, tutors and mentors – as part of the programme not just when the learner needs help
• Instructor-led “conventional” training – not just the ubiquitous “e-learning sandwich” but as part of the programme

Another possible way to make the choice easier is to use an adaptation of the four-stage process often used in marketing which is : –

• Where are we now?
• Where do we want to be?
• How will we get there?
• How can we ensure arrival?

This can be adapted for this purpose to : –

• What training need do we need to address?
• What will be the specific objectives we want to achieve?
• What delivery method will work best from the learners’ perspective?
• How can I measure its effectiveness simply?

The third question of course is the important one here but if you put yourself in the shoes of the learner consider these questions : –

• Would I enjoy doing it this way?
• What’s in it for me – what is the reward to me by doing it?
• Will it challenge me or bore me brainless?
• What will motivate me to do it?

After all if you consider e-learning, it is meant to be learner-centric – that is allowing learners to pull learning to them rather than having it pushed at them. Except in those organizations where everyone designs their own personal development plans learning is something that employees are asked to do or perhaps told to do and this makes all the difference. Those taking an Open University course do so because they are personally motivated to complete the course but in other situations the motivation has to come from elsewhere.

One of the big challenges of a using a variety of learning methods in one programme is to integrate the various platforms together in one seamless package. This is always tricky but consider as you go along the limitations of each delivery method. It should be remembered that learning on a computer is at its best when used to transfer facts and concepts. The real thinking and analysis type of learning has to be done away from the computer screen. That is why in most cases the computer part is used in a pretest or assessment role to ensure that when the students come to the next part they are all, more or less at the same level of knowledge on the subject.

In this article I have tried to avoid as much as possible the term blended learning since learning has been blended for many decades now. Learning doesn’t need to be “designed using a blended learning approach” since good instructional design would do this anyway. As long as the learning designer puts himself or herself “in the learners’ shoes” then most of the time the outcomes will be successful.

In its issue of June 28, CG Lynch commented in CIO — Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales discusses what it takes for effective groups to work, why speed is a big deal and more.He summed up: the 5 winning strategies of online collaboration.

1) You need mechanisms in place for effective collaboration. Certainly, people can post bad things onto a wiki, a message board, or a mailing list. The real question is, what systems are in place to deal with this? The mechanisms of a wiki have proven highly effective and have to do with the ability of the community to revise the content or revert to a prior state, and the ability to block communication by people who are causing trouble.

2) Online identity is important. But requiring people to use real names online seems to be a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist. When people decide to interact anonymously with no stable identity, then bad behavior is the usual result. The safeguard mechanisms mentioned above can address such a situation. Meanwhile, contributors who use a steady pseudonym can and do gain reputation capital in a way that establishes credibility just as a real name would offline.

3) A successful collaboration requires a shared vision. A good example of this is a successful wiki called wowwiki.com , a wiki about the online computer game World of Warcraft. There, participants work together successfully because they have a shared vision of the kind of work they are trying to complete: a comprehensive guide to all things World of Warcraft. We see the same pattern over and over: A charitable goal like that of Wikipedia is not necessary. Neutrality is not necessary. But a shared vision is.

4) Organizations are becoming flatter. Flat hierarchies are incredibly powerful and, due to technologies like wikis that allow peer-to-peer communication without a lot of barriers, flat hierarchies are taking hold across the business world. Maybe some people are hesitant, but there is an overwhelming adoption of collaborative technologies going on right now. If old-fashioned CIOs are not seeing this, they should be replaced.

5) Speed is incredibly important. A fast and flexible system will always beat a paranoid system that wants to get everything right before publication.

Last week with great pomp Hong Kong celebrated the 10th year of the reunification of Hong Kong to mainland China. I eagerly watched the celebration ceremonies on both CCTV9 and the BBC during the past weekend. A few days ago, on the French radio, I heard an interview of the director of Alliance Francaise in Hong Kong giving his views on the one country 2 systems as lived in the (SAR) Special Administration Region.

On the one hand, I am still in admiration of Deng Xiao Ping’s idea of creating the one Country 2 systems in the SAR, on the other hand have to admit that it is not an ideal situation whilst democracy is flouted on and off by the central government. I do accept that it is a transitional period signed for 50 years with the SAR communities that has brought economic expansion to Hong Kong and the relative peace to all concerned.

Of course, the situation, as in most compromises, does not bring complete happiness to either side. Not quite a Win-Win situation which brings satisfaction albeit bliss on each side.

Political Democracy

The democratic party of Hong Kong, whose aim is to reach full democratic representation with an independent government, continues to press the central government to reduce the number of nominees in the SAR’s government. SAR’s residents enjoy freedoms which are far greater than their fellow citizens of the main land. Depending on one’s lieu of abode though being in the same country one would enjoy differentiated fundamental freedom rights and be subjected to another set of constitutional(basic) law.

Freedom of Speech

They have a freedom of expression and views, unacceptable on the main land, yet not as extensive as a full western democratic country would allow. China Government does not allow any opposing view to their policy and will suppress any attempt to any criticism.

Freedom of Religion

In opposition to the main land rule, SAR’s residents are free to adhere to any religious denominations. Hong Kong’s Catholic Cardinal Zen is allowed to voice out and comment on China’s action. He has been subjected to high pressure from the central government but still allowed to perform his duty. In China the Patriotic Catholic Church is under the government’s control and the Roman Catholic Church with allegiance to the Vatican is officially not recognised.

Cardinal Zen has long been known as the “new conscience of Hong Kong” for his unflinching defence of human rights, political freedom, and religious liberty in the face of criticism from China’s communist government. He has bluntly said that the Chinese crackdown on pro-democracy protestors in Tiananmen Square was “a big mistake,” and called on the government to “tell the truth” about those events. He was also a leading opponent of Hong Kong Basic Law Article 23, a since-shelved national security bill, which in 2003 prompted an anti-government protest by half a million people. Zen is a vocal proponent of a push for universal suffrage in Hong Kong, telling his flock in a 2005 homily that “a path will appear when enough people walk on it.” He has publicly called on officials in Hong Kong to support the aspirations of the people, rather than functioning as spokespersons for the central government in Beijing. At a personal level, he is described by John L. Allen Jr., a Vatican watcher, as “a gracious, humble man, a moderate on most issues. (Extracted from Wikipedia)

Freedom of Entreprise

It would appear that Hong Kong has made its mark as the premium location for Finance and services. Hong Kong financial services’ platform is reckoned to have channelled 60% of FDI of China. At some stage, Hong Kong feared that it would have been superseded by the power and large invested in Shanghai. By the way, let us not forget the ever existing rivalry that has always existed between the north and south population.

So far so good for SAR Hong Kong.

One French commenter said that “You would have thought that main land China with its will and power would have souped up tiny Hong Kong, on the contrary Hong Kong is influencing China to move to greater freedom. With its economic success coupled with the ingenuity, flexibility, efficiency and swiftness the people Hong Kong have become a model for the whole country.”

Who knows may be one day Hong Kong might lead the main land to a new form of Democracy? The Moon Festival,a Chinese traditional has not reentered the Chinese Culture in China from Hong Kong after having been banned by the communist China for decades.

My early work life in aviation has given me a continued interest in the world of aviation. I lived in the 60’s the transition from the propeller aircraft to the jets and the transition when air transport was of the domain of the select few ‘rich and mighty’ to the domain of almost all.

It is forecasted that China would require some 2900 wide bodied aircrafts by 2025 for its needs, based by the trend drawn from the curve of the last decade. No wonder the two world aircraft manufacturers, Airbus and Boeing are focusing on the China market. China itself with such a large market and having achieved a level of technology, it would be natural for China to eye entering the aircraft manufacturing market. From last week world news, it would appear that Boeing is ahead of the game as they have entered into an agreement with the Chinese authorities for exchange of know-how to allow China to enter the industry. Analysts at Airfinance Journal are now evaluating when China will be the number three world plane maker?

The Boeing Company recently held a conference in Beijing to discuss the design and construction of its new 7E7 jetliner. The 7E7 is to be a super-efficient, long-range aircraft pushing the edge in aviation technology. Boeing China president David Wang was quoted in China Daily as saying that Boeing wants more Chinese participation in the program because it sees Beijing as a strategically important part of its globalization strategy. “Boeing should become more Chinese in China,” said Wang, “Twenty years from now, China will view Boeing as a global China brand, not just a global brand….We must be more Chinese in our leadership, and in content… have more designs, capability coming from China in the long term.”

Extracted from China Brief of James town Foundation

At the 2007 Paris Air Show, where Airbus booked firm order of over 400 aircrafts, it was reported that Russian aircraft manufacturers seem to have made some progress in re-organising themselves. The Italians have signed in with the Russians for a fleet of medium size aircraft. Would there be a market large enough for this type of aircraft for China to get involved?