The politics behind Zimbabwe’s cholera epidemic The root cause of recent cholera outbreaks in Zimbabwe, according to the non-governmental „Community Working Group on Health“ (CWGH), is politics. In an attempt to weaken local authorities and thus thwart opposition influence, President Robert Mugabe’s government is blamed of having centralised jurisdiction over water utilities. As result, the NGO argues, services have deteriorated, with the capital city Harare in particular being affected by lack of safe water. In mid-December, health-staff protested because the country’s government- run health facilities were no longer capable of providing relief (see picture). According to medico international, a Frankfurt-based NGO, 800 people had died of Cholera at the time, and 16,000 were infected. The numbers were expected to rise further. cir

When privatisation makes sense Privatising public utilities, such as water supply and sanitary facilities, is only acceptable if the basic parameters prioritise the needs of the poorest people, according to a recent report by the Brasilia-based International Poverty Centre (IPC). Contracts with investors should therefore be designed accordingly. It makes sense to reform public services, such as water supply or waste disposal, the document states. Even privatisations are considered okay, especially where heavily indebted countries cannot provide adequate services themselves. However, the authors note that private-sector investments in rural and poor areas do not tend to be profitable, so that there is a lack of incentives to become active there. According to the IPC, privatisation should depend on a number of preconditions – the main priority being an undisputed right to water and sanitary facilities. Moreover, it makes sense to evaluate the needs of the local people and determine to what extent they can contribute to bearing the costs before embarking on a project. This is a way to prevent conflicts. Transparency in the allocation of the proejct and communication with the end-users are also deemed essential. Consumer should always be informed about plans and the consequential rights and obligations involved. A lesson can be learned from the Bolivian town of Cochabamba, where the privatisation of the water supply took place eight years ago. Besides the non-transparent call for tenders – with a single candidate – the requirements of the donors did not allow for any subsidies for the project, leaving the Bolivians with enormous additional costs. cir
»» www.undp-povertycentre.org/ pub.do#brief

Cuban voted best blogger “Generacion Y”, a blog by Cuban Yoani Sanchez about daily life on the Caribbean island has been voted the best weblog of the year. In the entries she posts to her blog, 32-year-old Sanchez examines the realities of the life Cubans lead. She has to overcome obstacles to do so. She cannot post the entries herself, for example, but has to mail them to friends, who then put them online. In spring, Yoani Sanchez also won Spain’s Ortega y Gasset Award for the best Spanish-language online journalism. She was unable to attend the award ceremony, however, because she was denied a visa. The BOBs – the “Best of the Blogs” – are the world's largest international awards for weblogs, podcasts and videoblogs. Organised by Deutsche Welle, Germany’s international broadcaster, they are presen­ted annually in 11 language categories. The prize for special commitment to freedom of speech, the Reporters Without Borders Award, is shared by two nominees in 2008: the Persian blog “4equality”, which aims to collect a million signatures for more rights for women in Iran, and Chinese blogger Zeng Jinyang, who describes life under constant surveillance by state security services. cir
»» www.thebobs.com

TI’s most recent Bribe Payers Index Transparency International (TI) published its latest Bribe Payers Index (BPI) in December. The BPI measures the willingness of firms from the 22 leading export nations to pay bribes abroad. For the ranking, Transparency International interviewed executives about their experiences with corruption. Roughly 100 persons were surveyed in each country, and the total number was nearly 2, 500. The last BPI assessment was done two years ago. This year, companies in Belgium, Canada and the Netherlands had the best scores, as they were least prepared to pay bribes abroad. In emerging-market nations, on the other hand, bribes are an every-day occurrence. Mexico, China and Russia thus rank lowest in the recent BPI. Germany once again ranks fifth, together with Japan and Britain. TI also examined various economic sectors. Most bribes occur in the construction industry, which according to TI also displays the strongest influence on political decisionmaking. Information-technology and fishing companies are among the least corrupt. The banking and financial sector is also not prone to bribing officials, but it enjoys greater lobbying influence on political decisionmaking than any other industry. TI lambasts the German government for still not having ratified the UN convention against corruption. Almost 130 other nations have done so. The chairperson of TI-Germany, Sylvia Schenk, ex­pressed her regret that “we have not made a step forward.” jw

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