Convict Wins Prison Beauty Pageant

No doubt, fashion and beauty have their place in boosting self-esteem, but a university or high school diploma would do better in preparing these women for life after prison.

Angélica Mazua, a cocaine smuggler from Angola, after winning the Miss Penitenciária title in São Paulo.

Link

Liechtenstein Moves Into the 20th Century

While everywhere else in the 21st century, the moral majority seeks to limit the right to an abortion.

Defying Church, Voters Endorse Abortion Law

Voters in the tiny Alpine principality of Liechtenstein overwhelmingly endorsed a law authorizing abortion during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Antiabortion advocates, led by the Roman Catholic archbishop, had proposed a different text to prohibit abortion under any circumstances. It was rejected by 81% of voters.
Liechtenstein is now in agreement with the rest of Western Europe — except for Ireland — in legalizing abortion early in pregnancy. Liechtenstein has about 33,000 people and is three-quarters Catholic.

From Times Wire Reports

New S.F. Museum Explores African Diaspora

In light of all the African-American history archives damaged or destroyed due to hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, this museum opening is good news. I've never been to California, but the MoAD looks like it would be well worth a visit.

November 26,2005 | SAN FRANCISCO -- A new museum dedicated to Africa's history and influence opened Saturday in a neighborhood that's fast becoming the city's cultural center.

The Museum of the African Diaspora is aimed at exploring how Africa, where some of the oldest human remains have been discovered, has influenced the world as people left the continent and settled elsewhere.

"Just the way that 'Roots' made us think about our ancestry, we hope this museum will help deepen people's understanding of their place in the human family and evolution," said Belva Davis, president of the museum's board of directors.

The museum, known as MoAD, depicts the struggle and violence that has marked the African continent and the human experience.

Its displays range from ancient stone tools found in Tanzania's Olduvai Gorge to contemporary African art depicting the exploitation of black women. An oral history project will collect stories from Hurricane Katrina survivors who relocated to the Bay Area.

The three-story museum opened near the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and Yerba Buena Gardens in the heart of downtown.

Source

Caribbean Brain Drain Part II

The Jamaica Gleaner business commentator, Aubyn Hill, discusses the latest wave of departures and the sentiments that lead Jamaican professionals to leave their country.

Crime and "Five Flights"

When people are driven out by crime, they tend to wash their feet of the country. The particular incident or set of incidents that caused them to leave remain awfully fresh for a very long time in their minds. They take all their assets - education, experience and cash (after selling all tangible non-cash assets) as well as their goodwill - and leave for good. When people leave under this kind of criminal duress, they, at best, remain silent about Jamaica and some become almost anti-Jamaican in their sentiments. Our fellow countrymen who leave because of crime harbour a sadness in their hearts for the country and serious antipathy to those whom they believe should have protected them from criminals.

These new emigrants wonder out aloud why the leaders of our country, particularly the political leaders from both parties, have allowed the criminal networks to develop to the point where they have a seeming stranglehold on the welfare and the death of our citizens.

Those leaving no longer want to deal with or live in a country where the criminal-political nexus is so strong that criminals believe they can get away with anything - including the death of upright and honest citizens.

The power of the state must be used to protect law-abiding Jamaicans in order to keep our most capable countrymen and women safely at home in Jamaica.

Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend

South Africa diamond giant De Beers has announced the sale of 26% (for a total of 3.8 billion rands or 478 million euros) of its mining operations to a black empowerment firm.

Black firm gains De Beers stake

The deal represents the biggest change to De Beers' ownership since the company's foundation in 1888.

South Africa's government has embraced black economic empowerment (BEE) as a means of giving economic as well as political power to the black majority.

Critics say the policy has only benefited a small elite of wealthy people close to the ruling ANC.

The deal announced on Tuesday appears to have been designed at least partly to address these concerns.

Ponahalo Investment Holdings, which will acquire a 26% share in De Beers Consolidated Mines (DBCM), will be 50% owned by South African-based De Beers employees and pensioners.

Cheryl Carolus, member of the
Peotona Capital consortium which
is one of the shareholders in
Ponahalo Investment Holdings.
Other consortium members are
Dolly Mokgatle, Wendy Lucas-Bull
and Thandi Orleyn

The shareholders include three "broad-based trusts" benefiting disadvantaged women, people with disabilities, and the communities living around DCBM mines.

"Ponahalo wants a qualitative change and, in partnership with De Beers, to bring in the value to make a change in the lives of people," Ponahalo chairman Manne Dipico said.

Mr Dipico is a prominent figure in the governing ANC party, and was formerly premier of Northern Cape province, in which De Beers' flagship Kimberley mining operations are situated.

However, Mr Dipico has not been a prominent player in previous BEE deals.

Speaking after the announcement of the sale, Minerals and Energy Minister Lindiwe Hendricks expressed satisfaction at the plans to bring benefit to communities, and also that the "usual suspects" associated with many previous BEE deals were not involved.

Minerals and Energy Minister
Lindiwe Hendricks

The government has previously accused De Beers of being slow to change.

De Beers controls nearly 50 % of the world's diamond market and made a profit of 670 million dollars in 2003.

Sources:

• Black firm gains De Beers stake (2005/11/08)
  
• Le Black Economic Empowerment pour De Beers (2005/11/10)

Caribbean Brain Drain Part I

Well-educated and middle- to upper-class citizens are fleeing their Caribbean homes. Crime, lack of opportunities, and western nations' active recruitment of the best and brightest are the main reasons cited. As the "professional class" shrinks, the social conditions that result in increased crime worsen. Will it ever end?

Brain drain takes heavy toll on poor countries

As reported in Hot Calaloo, Caribbean countries are among the worst affected. A recent World Bank study reveals that the countries of the Caribbean, as well as other developing countries across the globe, are losing large proportions of their college educated workers to wealthy democracies.

The study, International Migration, Remittances and the Brain Drain, was based on census and survey data from 30 organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. It traced a massive exodus of professionals from some of the worlds most vulnerable low- income countries. For example, eight out of ten Haitians and Jamaicans with college degrees live outside of their respective countries. In Guyana, 89 per cent of the skilled workforce has left the country, the study found.

Larger countries like China and India, show only 3 to 5 per cent of graduates are abroad. Brazil, India, Indonesia, and the former Soviet Union countries also have low migration rates among the educated.