Contributory Factors To Formation Of ECOWAS

Contributory Factors To Formation Of ECOWAS Economic of West African State ECOWAS and SADC Southern African Development are two of the numerous regional integration bodies in Africa. While ECOWAS is one of the bodies that focus on West African economies, SADC focuses on southern African Economies. ECOWAS is a regional body created on 25th May, 1975 during its first conference in Lagos, where it treaty was signed. The idea of having a united west African body was first proposed by the then Nigerian head of staff, Yakubu Gowon. His idea was to collectively achieve a self-sufficiency through integration of the sixteen West African countries into an economic block with a single market controlled around an economic and monetary union.the community started with a5 members. Later on Cape Verde joined in 1976, but Mutituana withdrew it membership in December 2000. At the moment, the commission has 15 members namely Benin, Ghana, Benin, Nigeria, Sierra Leone ,Liberia, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Senegal, Togo, Gambia, Cape Verde and Burkina Faso. Niger and Guinea have both been suspended due to coup dà ©tat incidences. in detail, the main objective of ECOWAS is to promote co-operation and integration in order to create an economic and monetary union for encouraging economic growth and develo pment in West Africa, through: The suppression of customs duties and equivalent taxes the establishment of a common external tariff; the harmonization of economic and financial policies the creation of a monetary zone. However, due to the slow pace encountered in implementing this treaties, the treaty was revised in Continuo in Benin on July 23, 1993. The new treaty adopted a less rigid collaboration. The new treaty subdivided ECOWAS into The Commission, The Community Parliament, The Community Court OF Justice, ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID). These institutions are intended to be the tools used to implement their policies. Southern African Development Community (SADC), in like manner, is a regional integration body that encapsulates Southern African countries. It is an intergovernmental organization that primarily aims at achieving greater socio-economic corporation and integration as well as political and security collaborations among it 15 member states. The current day SADC is actually product of the formerly existing Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC), which was formed in 1980. As the name of SADCC implies, it was only a conference since 1980 until the treaty was signed in Windhoek, Namibia, on 17th august, 1992 and SADC was formally created. After the signing of the treaty, it seized from being a coordinated conference to being a development community. The members are mainly southern African countries, namely: Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, United Republi c of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The core objectives of SADC are: Harmonise political and socio-economic policies and plans of Member States; Mobilise the peoples of the region and their institutions to take initiatives to develop economic, social and cultural ties across the region, and to participate fully in the implementation of the programmes and projects of SADC; Create appropriate institutions and mechanisms for the mobilisation of requisite resources for the implementation of the programmes and operations of SADC and its institutions; Develop policies aimed at the progressive elimination of obstacles to free movement of capital and labour, goods and services, and of the peoples of the region generally within Member States; Promote the development of human resources; Promote the development, transfer and mastery of technology; Improve economic management and performance through regional cooperation; Promote the coordination and harmonisation of the international relations of Member States; Secure international understanding, cooperation and support, mobilise the inflow of public and private resources into the region; and Develop such other activities as Member States may decide in furtherance of the objectives of SADC. On 14 August 2001, the 1992 SADC treaty was revised. The revision shows a change in the structure, policies and measures of SADC. One of the transformations is that political and security cooperation is included in the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security (OPDS). To achieve it objectives, the organisation was subdivided into 8 bodies. i.e. The Summit, comprising heads of state or heads of government, are at the top .OPDS, the Council of Ministers, Tribunal, SADC National Committees (SNCs), and the Secretariat. The formation of both bodies (ECOWAS and SADC) have been necessitated and expedited by many factors ranging from social, geographic, economic, political and security factors. In the subsequent chapter, we shall discuss these factors in detail. Discussion Economic Factors Economic factor is one important factor that contributed to the formation of ECOWAS and SADC. Normally countries where they form economic Integration they have stable and close economic condition. The aim of this chapter is to compare the economic condition of member of ECOWAS and SADC. In this chapter we will investigate about key economic Indicators such as GDP (PPP), GDP (real growth rate), and Inflation Rate, Exchange rate, Current account balance and Central bank discount rate. ECOWAS GDP (Purchasing power parity ) First Key indicator is GDP (PPP). Following graph shows the difference between members of ECOWAS. The average GDP of ECOWAS is 35.63 Billion. Nigeria got the highest GDP between member countries.bot rest of countries are bellow 50 billion USD per year. So we can say somehow they have similar condition in GDP (PPP) and their GDP is almost close to each other. GDP Real growth rate Second Economic factor is Real GDP growth rate, because of 2009 finical crisis we cannot have clear picture of economic growth of ECOWAS, however the graph shows that only one member of ECOWAS experienced negative growth rate in 2009 and rest of countries experienced positive growth rate. The average growth rate is 3.2 Inflation rate Average inflation in ECOWAS is 6.08% and Ghana got the highest inflation rate in ECOWAS which is 19.6% , and Niger got the lowest interest rate which is 0.1% Exchange Rate 6 members of 15 members of ECOWAS use one kind of currency which Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) and their exchange rate is 1 USD = 481.35 XOF. So using one single currency make it easier for countries to form and an economic integration and member of ECOWAS have this advantage and it make them to be more successful to reach their economic goals Current Account Balance: Following graph shows the current account balance of ECOWAS member. CoteDIvoire is the only country which had positive current account balance in year 2009 which was 65 Million USD. Average current account balance is negative $16440 million. Central Bank Discount rate 8 members of ECOWAS have same central bank discount rate which is 4.75%. highest discount rate between member countries belongs to Ghana. Having same discount rate is positive points for countries where they want to form an Economic Integration. SADC GDP (Purchasing power parity ) First Kye indicator is GDP (PPP). Following graph shows the difference between members of SADC. The average GDP of ECOWAS is 76.67 Billion. South Africa got the highest GDP between member countries.bot most of countries are bellow 25 billion USD per year. So we can say somehow they have similar condition in GDP (PPP) and their GDP is almost close to each other. GDP Real growth rate Second Economic factor is Real GDP growth rate, because of 2009 finical crisis we cannot have clear picture of economic growth of SADC, however the graph shows that 6 members of SADC experienced negative growth rate in 2009 and rest of countries experienced positive growth rate. The average growth rate is 0.33 Inflation rate Average inflation in SADC is 10.51%. Seychelles got the highest inflation rate in SADC which is 34%, In other hand Mauritius got the lowest interest rate which is 0.1%. over all they have similar condition. Exchange Rate Average exchange rate between SADC member countries is 1 USD = 836.1. The highest rate belongs to Lesotho and the lowest rate is for Zambia. Current Account Balance: Following graph shows the current account balance of SADC members. 3 countries have positive current account balance in year 2009. The average Current account balance is $165 Million. Angola got the best situation which shows that Angolas export is higher than its Import. However the rest of members got almost similar condition and their balance is almost near each other Central Bank Discount rate Following graph shows central banks discount rate of SADC members the lowest rate belongs to Mozambique which is 9.95 and highest belongs to Angola which is 19.57. the average rate is 13.65%.If we look closely we can see that the rates are very close to each other. and lending condition is almost similar in members country. Social and cultural factor By overview the factor of formation of both African union (ECOWAS and SADC), similarity of society can be claim as one of the factor toward the formation for both of the union. Due to geographical reason, nations that locate in same regions will affect each other in any of their decision making. Moreover, society daily activity or culture may also spread easier from one nation to another within a region due to easier of contact in geographical reason. Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was created on May 28, 1975 by signed of Treaty of Lagos. It is a regional group of 16 West African countries namely, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote d ivore, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and lastly Togo. ECOWAS was form for the purpose to achieve collective self-sufficient for the member states by means of economic and monetary union creating a single large trading bloc. Despite the wide variety of cultures in West Africa, from Nigeria through to Senegal, there are general similarities in dress, cuisine, music and culture that are not shared extensively with groups outside the geographic region. Islam is the predominant historical religion of the West African interior and the far west coast of the continent; Christianity is the predominant religion in coastal regions of Nigeria, Ghana, and Cote dIvoire; and elements of indigenous religions are practiced throughout. Along with historic migrations, these religions have culturally linked the peoples of West Africa more than those in other parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. Traditionally, musical and oral history as conveyed over generations by Griots are typical of West African culture. Many of the religious practices are Islamic, but most are Christian. However, over 50% of the West African populations are Islamic. Mbalax, Highlife, Fuji and Afro beat are all modern musical genres which enjoin listeners in this region. A typical formal attire worn in this region is the flowing Boubou (also known as Agbada and Babariga), which has its origins in the clothing of nobility of various West African empires in the 12th century. The Djembe drum, whose origins lie with the Mandinka peoples, is now a popularly played drum among many West African ethnic groups. The Kora is a 21-string harp-lute of Mandinkan origin, played by various groups in the region. The Djembe, Kora, the silk Kente cloth of the Akan. Peoples of Ghana and the distinct Sudano-Sahelian architectural style seen in the many mosques of the region are the primary symbolic icons of West African culture. The game Oware is quite popular in many parts of West Africa. Soccer is also a pastime enjoyed by many, either spectating or playing. The national teams of some West African nations, especially Nigeria, Ghana and the Ivory Coast, regularly qu alify for the World Cup. Britain controlled The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Ghana, and Nigeria throughout the colonial era, while France unified Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, Benin, Cà ´te dIvoire and Niger into French West Africa. Portugal founded the colony of Guinea-Bissau, while Germany claimed Togoland, but was forced to divide it between France and Britain following First World War. Only Liberia retained its independence, at the price of major territorial concessions. Southern African Development Community (SADC) was formed in 1980. The origins of SADC lie in the 1960s and 1970s, when the leaders of majority-ruled countries and national liberation movements coordinated their political, diplomatic and military struggles to bring an end to colonial and white-minority rule in southern Africa. The immediate forerunner of the political and security cooperation leg of todays SADC was the informal Front Line States (FLS) grouping. SADC do have 15 members (Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, South Africa, Mauritius, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Seychelles, and Madagascar(suspended)) which all of them are from southern part of Africa. Southern Africa is home to many cultures and people. It was once populated by San, Namaqua and Pygmies in widely-dispersed concentrations. Due to the Bantu expansion which edged the previous peoples to the more remote areas of the region, the majority of ethnic groups in this region, including the Zulu, Xhosa, Swazi, Ndebele, Tswana, Sotho, and Shona people, BaLunda, Mbundu, Kikuyu and Luo, speak languages which share common Bantu language traits. The process of colonization and settling resulted in a significant population of European (Afrikaners, Anglo-Africans, Portuguese Africans, etc.) and Asian descent (Cape Malays, Koreans, Indians, etc.) in many southern African countries. The region has a wide diversity of ecoregions including grassland, bushveld, karoo, savanna and riparian zones. Even though considerable disturbance has occurred in some regions from habitat loss due to human overpopulation, there remain significant numbers of various wildlife species, including White Rhino , lion, leopard, impala, kudu, blue Wildebeest, Vervet monkey and elephant. Moreover most of the southern Africa country did produce raw material like gold, diamonds, and iron ore. Political and security factors Besides trade and the benefit of the efficiencies of a regional market, the reason for the establishment of a regional block, is to promote political progress, more especially for government which have been installed due to majority votes of its electorates and the population in a democratic election. The report stresses democratically elected government for a few reasons: To ensure that checks and balances are properly in place, thereby preventing against the concentration of power in a particular political office. To ensure that the views of the people are properly addressed, somewhat ensuring that the government is installed to ensure socio-economic development. These and some others are the reasons why we focus on democratically elected government. Furthermore, there are presently 16 countries in the ECOWAS, with the exception of Republic of Guinea and the Republic of Niger which recently were taken over by military juntas ( more on these nations will follow ) all the other members of the ECOWAS countries are ruled by democratically elected governments. REPUBLIC OF GUINEA In December of 2008 a military coup led by a junior officer in the Guinean army, Captain Moussa Dadis Camara, seized power in a bloodless coup after the death of president Lansana conte, after years of hanging on to power. As mention earlier, the report focuses on democratic governments and this was displayed when people were killed by the military under the new government. Human Rights Watch accused members of the presidential guard of carrying out a premeditated massacre of at least 150 people at the rally and raping dozens of women. REPUBLIC OF NIGER The ousted president of the republic is president Mamadou Tandja, who dissolved parliament after the countrys constitutional court ruled against plans to hold a referendum on whether to allow him a third term in office. According to the constitution, a new parliament was elected within three months.This touched off a political struggle between Tandja, trying to extend his term-limited authority beyond 2009 through the establishment of a Sixth Republic, and his opponents who demanded that he step down at the end of his second term in December 2009. Besides the example of Guinea and Niger, the political situation in the western Africa sub region, have been marred by conflicts, civil, societal, political and violent changes in government and revolts. In Sierra Leone, the Congo and Liberia, we have conflicts that erupted from the disagreements for the control of the nations vast deposits of Diamonds. This act put these countries in a state of chaos, and also led to the enslavement of individuals, some of whom were used to mine for diamonds at gun point. There were also reports of child soldiers in Liberia and Sierra Leone. The conflict in sierra loane was reportedly initiated by a former corporal in the sierra leoeneian army, Foday Sanko, and he was rumored to be supported by former rebel leader and president of Liberia president Charles Taylor. After years of conflicts, these nations have however achieved relative peace, with new and hopefully stable democratic governments. The political situation in the southern region of Africa is one of relative peace and stability. With the exception of Zimbabwe which has had some unrest due to a change in government policies and a shift in the political situation of the nation. The same also lies for Madagascar, which had a change of government in a bloodless coup, by the mayor of the capital (Antananarivo); the nation was subsequently suspended from the SADC after the fact. Regional peace and security ECOWAS became concerned early on with peace and regional security which are necessary factors in the socio-economic development of the Member States. Thus, the Authority of Heads of State and Government adopted a non-aggression protocol in 1978, a defence assistance protocol in 1981 and a declaration of political principles in July 1991. This declaration which is a plea for democratic principles in the sub-region condemns unequivocally any seizure of power by force of arms. It must also be pointed out that in 1990 the Authority of Heads of State and Government created an ECOWAS cease-fire follow-up group called ECOMOG. This peace-keeping force had cause to intervene in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea Bissau. LIBERIA After it had been deployed in the Republic of Liberia in August 1990, ECOMOG worked there to restore peace, ensure security and law and order. It also engaged in many humanitarian activities aimed at reducing the sufferings of the people. In sum, ECOMOG helped considerably to create favourable conditions for the holding in Liberia of the free and democratic presidential and parliamentary elections of 19 July 1997. Eleven Member States of ECOWAS provided contingents for the operations in Liberia these are: Burkina Faso, Cà ´te dIvoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo.Two other African States also participated, Uganda and Tanzania. SIERRA LEONE The intervention of ECOMOG forces in Sierra Leone occurred following the overthrow of the lawful government of this country headed by President Ahmed Teejan KABBAH. In February 1998, ECOMOG restored constitutional legality and reinstated the government of the democratically elected President. All the antagonists in the conflict, namely, the lawful government, the RUF rebels and the members of the (AFRC) military Junta signed in Lome in September 1999 an agreement protocol on the final settlement of the Sierra Leonean crisis. Following the appeals made to the international community for it to give meaningful assistance for a final restoration of peace, a United Nations peace-keeping force UNAMSIL replaced ECOMOG forces in Sierra Leone. The ECOWAS countries which provided contingents for ECOMOG operations in Sierra Leone are Ghana, Guinea, Mali and Nigeria. GUINEA BISSAU In June 1998, units of the armed forces of Guinea Bissau led by the former Chief of Defence Staff went into rebellion. On account of the bilateral defence and security agreements that linked his country to Guinea and Senegal, President Joao Bernardo Vieira asked for the intervention of the armed forces of these two countries. At the request of the lawful authorities of Guinea Bissau and in order to reaffirm its support for the elected government of Guinea Bissau, the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government decided to restore peace and reinstate President Vieira in authority over the entire country. A mechanism for supervision and control of the cease-fire was set up by ECOWAS with the contingents of soldiers sent by Benin, Niger and Togo. In spite of the numerous cease-fire agreements signed between the parties to the conflict in Guinea Bissau, the democratically elected government of President Vieira was finally overthrown. Drawing lessons from this failure and in order to reinforce peace and security in West Africa, the Executive Secretariat of ECOWAS initiated the establishment of a mechanism for the prevention, management and settlement of conflicts and for the maintenance of peace and security in the sub-region. The ECOWAS Mechanism For Conflict Prevention, Management And Resolution, Peace-Keeping And Security Our sub-region has been ravaged in recent times by violent upheavals which, each time, have resulted in the wholesale loss of human lives, wanton destruction of property, and suffering and desolation for the innocent civilian population. These civilians are frequently pushed by famine and disease into taking refuge in neighboring countries or becoming displaced persons within their own countries. It is fortunate that on each occasion, the ECOWAS sub-region, unlike the other regions in Africa, has been able to set in motion ad hoc conflict resolution procedures which have made it possible to circumscribe its crises. ECOWAS peace-keeping activities have in the main been considered commendable despite a few shortcomings noted. However, in view of the heavy human, material and financial cost of such conflicts and their negative impact on the development of the states concerned and on the sub-regional integration process, it has now become necessary to shift emphasis from conflict resolution to conflict prevention. To this end, but also for better management of full scale conflicts as well as internal crises which are now the most common, the Heads of States and Government decided at their meeting in Lome on 17 December 1997, to establish a mechanism for conflict prevention, management and resolution and for peace-keeping. The scope of the mechanism would be extended to include security-related issues. With respect to conflict prevention, management and resolution, appropriate proposals were advanced regarding the establishment of an observation and monitoring system and a number of organs that would assist in containing and defusing imminent conflicts. The observation system would consist essentially in the establishment of a regional network within which states would be grouped into zones. A Regional Observation and Monitoring Centre should be established within the Executive Secretariat to give warning of impending crisis. All information having a bearing on regional peace an security collected by zonal bureaux would be transmitted to the centre. The centre will record and analyze all such data and take action on any signs of a breakdown in relations between Member States or of alarming socio-political developments within Member States. Four (4) observation centers were created with headquarters in Banjul (The Gambia), Cotonou (Benin), Monrovia (Liberia) and Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso). The necessary political implications can quickly be drawn and appropriate measures taken. To facilitate this process, it is proposed that a Council of Elders and a Mediation and Security Council should be established. It was proposed to use African traditional practice as a guide and establish a Committee of Elders made up of eminent personalities from the sub-region, Africa and beyond, who would use their vast experience, good offices and competence on behalf of ECOWAS to play the role of mediator, conciliator and arbiter. Its members would be chosen by the Executive Secretary in consultation with the Chairman of Council as and when the need arose. A Mediation and Security Council comprising nine Member States will be empowered, on behalf of the Authority of Heads of State and Government, to take such emergency decisions as may be required in crisis situations. It is proposed that the Mediation and Security Council should consist of 9 Member States elected for a two year mandate, and that the current and immediate past chair should have automatic membership on the Council. The Council may consider and make recommendations on issues within its area of competence within any or all of the following bodies: the Committee of Ambassadors of the nine (9) Member States; the Committee of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Defence, Internal Affairs and Security, and the meeting of Heads of State of the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council. These different bodies may solicit the opinion of defense and Security Commission. Membership of the Commission shall be dictated by the issues for discussion. Member States may therefore be represented by their Chief of Staff, security chiefs, experts from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, heads of immigration, Customs, narcotics, or border patrols. The Commission shall examine the technical aspects of defense matters and advise on the requirements of the administration and logistics support for peace-keeping operations. In cases of armed conflict, ECOWAS shall employ both political and military intervention. The term ECOMOG shall continue to designate the military instrument of ECOWAS. ECOMOG shall be based on a standby arrangement involving the use of national contingents that shall be earmarked, trained and equipped, and organised for deployment at short notice. Another major innovation is the proposal that ECOWAS should intervene to undertake peace-keeping operations in internal conflict where the situation: threatens to trigger a humanitarian disaster; pose a serious threat to peace and security in the sub-region; erupts following the overthrow or attempted overthrow of a democratically-elected government. The draft mechanism lays down the procedure to be followed where the decision is taken to intervene. Proposals are also made regarding the composition of ECOMOG, its chain of command, duties and functions and funding for administrative and logistics support. In order to correct the impression that ECOWAS has failed, in previous operations, to adequately support its peace-keeping operations with humanitarian action, it is suggested that, in situations of conflicts or natural disasters, ECOWAS should ensure a high profile with regard to alleviating the suffering of the populace and hastening the return of normalcy. A number of recommendations were made in respect of this and of peace-building. The scope of the mechanism was widened to include security issues, in accordance with the directives of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Internal Affairs and Security. A number of recommendations in the draft mechanism attempt to address the concerns of our leaders concerning the movement of light weapons and ammunitions and the increasing incidence of cross-border crime. The Executive Secretariat has sought to combat small arms proliferation more effectively by preparing a draft declaration of a moratorium on light weapons based on the moratorium presented by Mali on the importation, exportation and manufacture of light weapons and the Programme for Coordination and Assistance for Security and Development (PCASED). The draft declaration has been adopted by the Heads of State and Government. The European Union generously made available to ECOWAS an amount of 1.9 million Euros for undertaking certain operational activities of the mechanism. Having addressed the issue of a security outfit in western Africa, it is worthy to note that the SADC does not have an established military outfit. RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION SADC The community adopted objectives to look out for the welfare of the member states. In dealing with matters of anything against this i.e violation of human rights all must be put in correcting and condemning such situations. However this has not been the case on the ongoing Zimbabwean catastrophe, in fact this is one of SADC s biggest failures. In attending to the matter in which Robert Mugabe has been in power for 40years now, in which he unlawfully took land from white people who contributed a lot to the economy through farming giving it to poor black people who cannot even do anything with it, breaking his own black peoples houses. The opposition took a stand against all the wrong that was going wrong in the country earning many of them brutal military attacks, many died, many imprisoned for no good reason the opposition leader even ran to Botswana after alleged rumors of plots to kill him by the Robert-led millitary. All that SADC did was send the former South-African president Th abo Mbeki for peace talks between the ruling ZANUPF and the opposition MDC. This effort could be applauded however Thabo Mbeki happens to be one of Roberts best friends back from the colonialism days they fought for freedom together, which is why he and SADC adopted the silent diplomacy way to go about the matter. This proved very useless the situation worsened civilians were killed everyday for opposing the ruling party, many people died of diseases even worse the economy collapsed, taking things to the core the world imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe. The world spoke SADC kept saying we will do things our way. This is to say SADC needs more efficient, effective and stronger methods in matters involving peoples lives. They should condemn when democracy is not well practiced only Botswana and Namibia took a strong stance to say this is inhuman and the situation should be given more seriousness. Silent diplomacy is not working more power-backed methods must be put in place to see to it t hat peoples rights are not violated ,democracy an rule of law are seen to. There is a continuing loss of millions of lives to HIV/AIDS but the message is being spread on how to prevent infection. It then becomes a problem when a prominent leader in society like Jacob Zuma the current South-African president promotes promiscuity otherwise. The man is married to five women but 2years back he was involved in a rape scandal in which he was alleged to have raped an HIV positive women knowing of her status but not caring to get infected and passing it on to his wife. The man hid behind culture

Blue Collar vs. White Collar Work Essay

Throughout history the lives of the people in the working class have not always been easy. People always work hard to earn money and support their families; however, people don’t always work in a suitable working area. The term â€Å"Blue Collar† is jobs that require manual labor from people. The problem with these kinds of jobs is that the places the people work in can be extremely unsanitary and may cause a bad working environment for the people in it. Blue collar work is also the work most people do not want to do but it is needed for the people who do white collar jobs to prosper. Also blue collar workers are known as people who did not do well in school or people that aren’t smart. Well that is not the case with these workers because without them we wouldn’t be able to do some of the things we do now or be able to survive. Also some blue collar workers are called undocumented workers in which they don’t have any documents to prove that they can work or are from this country but help the country in doing jobs that are needed for a low wage. Therefore blue collar workers are a very important part to society and we need them to thrive. For example in â€Å"Made in L.A† there are 3 young Latina immigrants who work in Los Angeles sweatshops they do manual labor for an extremely low wage. Even though they did the same work as others they got paid less because they are immigrants, it is hard work with low wages but they continue to do it to support themselves and their family just like the blue collar workers do nowadays. With the little voice they had, they protested and tried to make a difference for all future immigrant workers not to be treated inferior to them. People in blue collar jobs get paid less than white collar workers which are office work but they enjoy their job other than others even though it is dirty. Even though the U.S has strict policies on immigrants, they are actually needed because they do many of the blue collar jobs that are needed in the country. For example in the article â€Å"Putting a S top to Slave Labor† it says that† If we required good documents starting tomorrow, the nation would plunge into an instantaneous economic crisis† (p156). This would happen due the fact that they do most of the jobs that people don’t want to do and get low wages also which are blue collar jobs. There are many instances of unsanitary work places. In the article â€Å"Migrant Farm Worker,† by Studs Terkel shows the conditions of the working place and also shows child labor. He says the animals were being treated better than the workers themselves. â€Å"Veterinarians tend to the needs of domestic animals but they can’t have medical care for the workers.†(p133) this shows that the bosses who supply these people with blue collar jobs are being taken advantage of and that the animals are living better than the workers. Also this goes to show what little care the bosses had for their people and that they only cared about the money instead of the needs of these people. People need to see the working class as people rather than machines that do something over and over again. Just because someone has to work hours in front of a machine and have a dirty job does not mean that the person is not a human being. There are many people needed in the world to do some jobs that which most people would not do. If we didn’t have those kind of people and if everyone wanted to do the same thing as everyone else than we would have a hard time surviving since it is needed to be done. â€Å"The case for working with your Hands,† states â€Å"More fundamentally, now as ever, somebody has to actually do things: fix our cars, unclog our toilets, and build our houses.†(18) This goes to show that if no one does those jobs there would be a lot of problems and that we always are going to need blue collar workers perhaps more than white collar in most cases. â€Å"The Case for Working with Your Hands,† also states â€Å"The trades suffer from low prestige and I believe this is based on a simple mistake. Because work is dirty, many people assume it is also stupid.†(19) The thing that people don’t realize is that not every job is going to appeal to them because we are all different and different people do different things, just as some people like to sit behind a computer everyday some people will not do that. The treatment of workers is a growing issue and it’s going to keep on growing and growing if people don’t realize what these big companies are doing and put a stop to it. For example the shoe company Nike employs many people but the thing people don’t know is that there are 12,000 young women in Indonesia making the lowest amount of money and working long tiring shifts. Every $80 sneaker Nike makes it only costs them 12 cents for the labor. This shows the unfair treatment of these workers and how the company is taking advantage of them and it is not only Nike doing this but any major company uses the same force of labor. In â€Å"Who Makes the Clothes We Wear?† it says â€Å"Government officials raided a sweatshop filled with immigrant Thai women laboring as little as 59 cents per hour.†Also not only were they being taken advantage of the discipline was enforced by threats of rape and beatings.(26) This goes to show the little care they have for these workers and the actions that are being taken against them. It also shows a dark side to these companies in which the workers are being treated worst than dogs. In the article â€Å"Reapers† by Jean Toomer it says that â€Å"Black horses drive a mower through the weeds and there, a field rat, startled, squealing bleeds, His belly close to ground. I see the blade, Blood-stained, continue cutting weeds and shade.† (37) This article shows tough field work for black people back around the 60s. They were bleeding but their determination was too great and they continued to go and do their work. Slavery could be identified as blue collar work also. In the article â€Å"What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?† Frederick Douglass says â€Å"There is not a man beneath the canopy of heaven who does not know that slavery is wrong for him.† (140)This shows that everyone knows that slavery is wrong but they continue to do it disregard the health of the workers but the financial health of a company or a person. Slaves have to endure much pain and long haggard days with little to no pay working out on the fields and any other job that another man won’t do. Just like the slaves do these kinds of work the women in Indonesia could be compared to them because of the long working hours and the little pay with strict discipline. There is a growing problem with Third World women and how they are being used. The companies get young girls and give them work usually being blue collar work with bad working conditions and poor pay. In the article â€Å"Life on the Global Assembly Line,† it says â€Å"Older† women, aged 23 or 24, are likely to be laid off and not rehired. The lucky ones find husbands. The unlucky ones find themselves at the margins of society-as bar girls, â€Å"hostesses,† or prostitutes.†(29) This displays the women as disposable workers; once they get too old they are thrown out and out of a job. After that these women don’t have anywhere to go, some get a husband and are being taken care of and others have to resort to whatever that is needed to be done to get by. Although the problems to these blue collar workers are plain to see, the fact is that the country needs them for the economy to thrive. Even if blue collar workers are needed to have a successful economy it doesn’t change the fact that they need to be treated like people and not like dogs on the street.

High-Risk Family Assessment Essay

Homelessness can occur even in the most stable income families. Families that have a one income household can find themselves without employment suddenly from companies that are experiencing economic difficulties which lead to reduction in forces. The United States homeless populations decreased by one percent in 2011. The nation went from 643,067 homeless people to 636,017. The largest decrease was among homeless veterans. The number of homeless veterans declined from 75,609 in 2009 to 67,495 in 2011 (US Bureau of Statistics, 2012). Homeless families have many medical needs that need to be addressed by a health care provider. Nursing plans are based on the assessment of family needed and interventions should be individualized. In the following paper, the writer will provide an assessment of how homelessness affects family processes. Healthy People 2020 objectives related to homelessness are identified and, a list of nursing interventions was developed. Homeless families are mostly s ingle parent families with women as head of household. The age range is 20-35 years old. Members of the family are often from minority groups. The primary causes of homelessness are the inability to pay rent, overcrowding and family conflict. Homeless families experience extreme poverty which put the family at risk for numerous health conditions (US Bureau of Statistics, 2012). The more serious acute and chronic illnesses as well as mental illness and children are vulnerable for a wide range of disease processes. It is estimated that 90 percent of homeless mothers has a mental illness with substance abuse and children have a high rate of development impairment (Wagner & Menke, 2002). Mothers demonstrate a high level of intense stress along with inability to cope. Children react to their homeless condition through hyperactive and aggressive behavior; their behavior can range from being withdrawn to becoming emotionally clinging (Wagner & Menke, 1992). The family’s life is marked by confusion, turmoil, constant chaos and stress so that family violence is common. Their  lives are also commonly marked by crime and victimization. Homeless families commonly suffer from malnutrition, infections, a wide number of diseases, and mental health problems (Cotton & Roden, 2007). The Homeless Family Assessment Assessment can be performed from several approaches. Wagner and Menke (1992) emphasize the value of case management because it is a holistic approach, uses comprehensive knowledge of health and illness, and has the capability to screen for deviations from the norm. Case management is able to take into account the fragmented nature of the homeless family and the use of many different agencies in care. Because homeless families are extremely vulnerable populations with highly complex needs, the clinical nurse specialist is the most appropriate health care provider for these families (Wagner & Menke). Healthy People 2020 Objectives Healthy People 2020 has the general goal of improving mental health and access to mental health services. Among the objectives is the improvement of people with co-occurring mental disorders and substance abuse problems. Another objective is to make assessment, diagnosis, and treatment available for these people. Nursing Interventions Nursing interventions need to focus on the mother’s strengths and allow her to maintain control over the family’s functioning. When homeless mothers have mental health problems, the first intervention should be providing access to care. Ensure a safe place for medications and adapt medication regimen. Provide for patient education and screen the children for physical and mental problems. Most especially, the clinical nurse specialist needs to collaborate and coordinate with ancillary care as the family will have ongoing issues. Health teaching must include all the psychosocial aspects of care and certain problems experienced by the family will require advocacy. Nutrition should be the first concern after shelter and the strategies may involve coordination, referrals and advocacy as well as guidance and teaching. Lack of good nutrition and an adequate daily diet is a source of impairment in all areas. The clinical nurse specialist will also act as advocate both for individual homeless families and all families that  require solutions to problems brought on by homelessness. Nurse Case Manager and the Homeless Family The homeless family would benefit from the assignment of a case-manager. The case manager may encounter the homeless mother with children on the streets in a situation of extreme instability. The case manager will follow the family and monitor any physical and mental health issues and make sure that the family is having proper care. Conclusion Although homeless families are decreasing slightly in the United States, it is still a high-risk area. A large proportion of these families are made up of single mothers with at least one child. The families are very vulnerable to acute and chronic physical and mental conditions while they have little or no access to care. Families can find themselves abruptly in the most extreme and stressful situation but they still have certain strengths as is observed in the fact that these families are intact. Single mothers of these families manage to maintain family functioning despite the odds. Stress as experienced by homeless mothers is intense and can lead to or exacerbate mental illness. Rather than focusing on mental illness, the health care provider needs to make shelter, nutrition and rest the main priorities because they contribute to mental health. Case management is the best approach to serve the needs of the homeless families. The health care provider’s role is teaching and counseling. One of the most valuable roles to the family is for the health care provider to be an advocate for them. References Amerson, R. (2008). Mental illness in homeless families. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 4(2), 109-114. Cotton, A. & Roden, J. (2007). Using patterns of knowing in nursing as a possible framework for nursing care of homeless families with children. Contemporary Nurse, 23(2), 331-342. Healthy people 2020: The road ahead. (2008). Journal of Environmental Health, 70(10), 82. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/219721672?accountid=458 United States Bureau of Statistics, 2012 retrieved from www.usbureauofstatistics.gov Wagner, J. & Menke, E. (1992). Case management of homeless families. Clinical Nurse Specialist, 6(2), 65-71.

TOURISM INCENTIVE GOOD OR BAD INITIATIVE IN TOURISM INDUSTRY - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 2241 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Tourism Essay Type Analytical essay Did you like this example? TOURISM INCENTIVE: GOOD OR BAD INITIATIVE IN TOURISM INDUSTRY ABSTRACT Tourism industry is sixth largest contributor to the national revenue. The industry is geared by various key players. Many factor affecting the increased demand and successful operation of tourism industry. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "TOURISM INCENTIVE: GOOD OR BAD INITIATIVE IN TOURISM INDUSTRY" essay for you Create order The factors are wide coverage of promotion, better public and tourist-related services and grant of funds and incentives. Is there any subsidies involve; as subsidies sometimes may result to an inappropriate end. In addition, does the funds and incentives given is the main pulling factors of increased revenue in tourism industry. Thus, the paper will explore the good and the bad side, if any, of the funding and incentives initiative in tourism industry. The discussing also covers the implementation of the incentive and the achievement of it. Keywords: tourism industry, funds and incentives, tourism promotion. ABSTRAK Industri pelancongan merupakan penyumbang terbesar keenam kepada pendapatan negara. Industri ini digerakkan oleh pelbagai pihak secara langsung dan tidak langsung. Banyak faktor yang mempengaruhi peningkatan permintaan dan kejayaan operasi industri pelancongan. Antara faktor-faktor tersebut adalah liputan promosi yang meluas, penyediaan perkhidmatan awam dan perkhidmatan berkaitan pelancongan yang lebih baik dan pemberian dana dan insentif. Adakah terdapat apa-apa dana dan insentif yang melibatkan pemberian subsidi, kerana kadang kala ia boleh mengakibatkan kesan luar jangka yang berlainan dan tidak dikehendaki. Walau bagaimanapun, adakah dana dan insentif yang diberikan adalah faktor utama menarik peningkatan pendapatan dalam industri pelancongan. Oleh itu, kertas itu akan meneroka kesan baik dan buruk, jika ada, pembiayaan dan inisiatif insentif dalam industri pelancongan. Perbincangan juga meliputi pelaksanaan insentif dan pencapaian dalam pelaksanaan insentif yang terlibat. Kata kunci: pelancongan, dana dan insentif, promosi pelancongan. INTRODUCTION Malaysiaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s planning towards Vision 2020 is a noble intention to be a developed nation as well as high-income nation. As such, Malaysia had undergone several transformation and reformation in policy and way forward. The planning gradually changes from agricul tural centric to industrial centric. From small scale to a larger high-end scale. All these effort done to gain better revenue for the country, to provide better living and achieving high-income nation in the near future. There are several means and sources of nation revenue in order to gain rapid economic growth. One of the sources is from tourism industry. Tourism industry plays a vital role for the economic development and economic growth. Therefore, a special and dedicated ministry and organizations have been established to work on the tourism industry. Different organization tackles different elements and parts of the tourism industry. Some organization provides facilities while the other provides services such as promotion. On the hand, government usually provides funds and incentives as well as promotion of the tourism industry. Legal framework also provided and put in place in order to control and manage the tourism industry. The effectiveness of the role by the player s is a must. Public awareness and promotion must be handled properly and runs as wide as possible; nationally and internationally. Thus, the objective of this paper is to look into the implementation of incentive programs by the agencies; government and non-government organization. The paper try to examine whether there is adverse impact, side impact or bad impact through the implementation of the incentive program. References have been made to several materials from articles, journals and websites to gain information on the subject matter. TOURISM INCENTIVE PROGRAMS AND FUNDS INITIATIVES There are several incentive and funds provided by the government to the tourism industry player. Such incentives have been introduced to promote the tourism industry. In fact, there is a special act enacted to promote investment including tourism sector. One of it, Promotion and Investment Act 1986, hotel businesses and tourism related activities are eligible for pioneer status or investme nt tax allowance to promote the sector[1]. Tax incentive have been define as provisions in the tax legislation that give privileges treatment to specific industries and activities considered crucial for development[2]. The investment tax allowance as stated above is given for establishment of medium and low cost hotels, tourist projects, conventions centres and recreational campus. In addition, it includes the expansion of existing hotels and the modernisation of tourist projects. Such projects are very important to promote tourism industry to local inbound and outbound tourist. Furthermore, this allowance does not end there. The hotels which have been granted with these status can further apply and eligible for Industrial Building Allowances (IBA)[3]. The hotels operator or owner will be given 2% annual allowance on the capital expenditure on the construction or purchase of a building used in the hotel business. There are also incentives for reinvestment in hotel. This inc entive is above and over the investment tax allowance which have been discussed earlier. This is another round of allowance. All these allowance incentive; pioneer status, investment tax allowance and incentive for reinvestment, are available upon application to be submitted to Malaysia Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and applicable until 2016[4]. Besides that, there are other incentives for the tourism industry. Income Tax Act 1967 provides incentives of exemption from tax as statutory income level. The exemption includes group and domestic tours. Companies which handled at least 500 foreign tourists a year will be exempted from tax. Same goes to domestic tour package with at least 1200 local tourist per year. However, this exemption tax incentive is only up to year 2006 only. These incentive falls under several government agencies in Malaysia. Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE), Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and Ministry of Tourism and Culture (MOTAC) are several government agencies that involve directly in tourism industry. They provide the incentive in tourism sector to promote, upgrade and develop the industry. Hotel and tours operators are the main beneficiaries from the incentive and fund provided by the government. They can have double deduction for promoting tourism in overseas[5]. For example, they can benefit from double deduction of tax for expenditure on publicity and advertisement in any mass media outside Malaysia. Similarly, any expenditure on market research for new markets overseas may have benefited by the deduction too. These deductions incentive is given to acknowledge the promotion of Malaysian tourism outside Malaysia. Moreover, MOTAC also provide Tourism Infrastructure Funds. It is purposely initiated to assist tourism entrepreneurs to develop or expand the tourism-related projects development[6]. This program is a financing program to tourism project including acquisition o f land up to 40% maximum from the actual cost. This fund is eligible for projects in Malaysia for integrated and regional tourism centre, attractions, facilities and complexes. On the other hands, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) which is operating transnationally also provides fund for tourism industry. But, the fund is more on the nature protection purposes. The WWF is reported to assist hotels and destination for environment upgrading[7]. It is the objective of the organization to promote and protect the environmental be it flora or fauna. As such, there are a lot of incentive and funds provided in Malaysia for tourism industry. Only several of them are briefly discussed as per above writing. Other incentives are expected to be provided until the targets for tourism industry are fully achieved. INCENTIVE: ARE THERE ANY CONSs OVER PROs? Reviewing the incentive and funds provided above, it shows that the incentive had contributed to the increased revenue from the tourism secto r. The tourism sector revenue increased from year to year. In 2013, the tourism industry ranked as sixth largest contributor to the national economy[8]. It is 8.1% growth increased from 2012 foreign exchange earnings. This increment is partly resulted from the incentives programs and funds provided. It is also agreed by some scholars that hotel and other services are influenced by the tourism industry. A strong tourism industry and growth of the sector ensured rapid expansion of development of hotel[9]. Not only hotels are built, other ancillary services are also rapidly built up due to the rapid growth of the industry. However, does the implementation of the incentive and funds run smoothly? It is reported that 3648 new 4-5 star hotel have been built and completed in 2012 coming from the fund and incentive introduced by the government[10]. Despite the completed project, there are also hotel which still under construction which is expected to be delivered in early 2014. The go vernment believe in the successful of this program and looking forward to bring more 4-5 star hotels. In the implementation of the incentive, there is at least a dispute among the hotel operators. The dispute might be between the ministry or Inland Revenue Department. In Saujana Hotel Sdn Bhd v Ketua Pengarah Hasil Dalam Negeri[11], the eligibility of the allowance has been questioned. It is fact that the Saujana Hotel Sdn Bhd (Saujana Hotel) had applied for investment tax allowance and been granted. However, the application for industrial building allowance have been rejected or stopped after the expiration of five (5) years investment tax allowance. The court held that Promotion of Investment Act 1986 did not restrict time period as limitation imposed to investment tax allowance. Meanwhile, there are debates on the pioneer status incentive or also known as tax holiday in international arena. It is argued and critics that tax holiday incentive are one of least efficient and t he most costly[12]. This incentive is said to be unnecessary as the profitable projects would be pursued regardless of the incentives. The business in the tourism industry of hotel operators and building of it is a profitable one. Thus, the incentive is no more efficient to be out into the picture. CONCLUSION The initiative to provide incentives and funds program under tourism industry have developed the tourism industry in Malaysia. There are no forms of subsidies-like incentive as the literatures have been reviewed. The incentive program turn to be a good starting point to further upgrade the tourism sector and industry in order to achieved high income nations as well as developed nation. The incentive does give a handful help towards tourism player. Tourism business which is formed part and parcel of the tourism industry might benefited a lot from the steps taken. There are still a room for improvement. Destination branding is one of major part in packaging tourism for t he domestic and inbound outside tourists. There is research done to associate destination brand images to the business[13]. This association are rarely apprehend in Malaysia, or might been look into indirectly. We usually see that our tourism destination is not properly managed. The destination brand images should be one of the opportunities under the incentive program to sustain and maintain the tourism destination. Projects need to be relooked most probably every year to accommodate more tourists in the future. A mass use of the tourist destination surely need time to be regenerated and refresh to a new look. Currently, the incentive program is only focussing on the hotel and tour operators. It is high time that the incentive should be widen to cover the nature protection as well similar to the move by WWF side by side with the maintenance of the site. As environmental law and issue might grow stronger and louder, the steps to protect nature and the environment need to be gr anting some funds or incentives, especially from government agencies. Besides, the incentive towards low cost facilities should also been continued. It should not stop like the group tour operators because the incentive might be good for small and medium enterprises. The small companies need some pump-in to score goals in their business as the incentive given to bigger companies to erect 4-5 star hotels. Thus, it would be much appreciated if the incentive also covers the SMEs. Finally, the government and the private sectors need to work hand in hand and not only chasing the incentive but rather focussing to upgrade and develop the tourism industry in particular and the nation in a whole. REFERENCES Anne-Mette Hjalager , MCB University Press, Quality In Tourism Through The Empowerment Of Tourists, Managing Service Quality, Volume 11, Number 4, 2001, pp. 287-295 Brendan Williams, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Fiscal Incentives And Urban Regeneration In Dublin 1986-2 005, Journal of Property Investment Finance, Vol. 24 No. 6, 2006, pp. 542-558. Graham Hankison, Journal of Service Marketing, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Destination Brand Images: A Business Tourism Perpective, 19/1 (2005) 24-32. Lydia Thiagarajah, Jeyapalan Kasipillai, Malaysian Law Journal Articles [2012] 4 MLJ ixx, Malaysiaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Tax Holiday Incentive: A Bouquet Or A Brickbat?, 2012. Saujana Hotel Sdn Bhd v Ketua Pengarah Hasil Dalam Negeri [2011] 9 MLJ 213 www.kpmg.com.my/kpmg/publications/tax/tm/chapter5.pdf www.matrade.gov.my, Hotel and Tour Operators. www.mida.gov.my, Incentive For Tourism Industry. www.motac.gov.my, Tourism Infrastructure Funds. www.pemandu.gov.my, ETP Annual Report 2012, page 127. www.tourism.gov.my, Media Release, 27 February 2014. [1] www.kpmg.com.my/kpmg/publications/tax/tm/chapter5.pdf [2] Lydia Thiagarajah, Jeyapalan Kasipillai, Malaysian Law Journal Articles [2012] 4 MLJ ixx, Malaysiaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Tax Holiday Incentive: A bouquet or a brickbat?, 2012. [3] Supra, page 48. [4] Incentive For Tourism Industry (www.mida.gov.my) [5] Hotel and tour operators (www.matrade.gov.my) [6] Tourism Infrastructure Funds (www.motac.gov.my) [7] Anne-Mette Hjalager , MCB University Press, Quality In Tourism Through The Empowerment Of Tourists, Managing Service Quality, Volume 11, Number 4, 2001, pp. 287-295 [8] Media Release, 27 February 2014 (www.tourism.gov.my) [9] Brendan Williams, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Fiscal Incentives And Urban Regeneration In Dublin 1986-2005, Journal of Property Investment Finance, Vol. 24 No. 6, 2006, pp. 542-558. [10] ETP Annual Report 2012, page 127 (www.pemandu.gov.my) [11] [2011] 9 MLJ 213 [12] Lydia Thiagarajah, Jeyapalan Kasipillai, Ma laysian Law Journal Articles, [2012] 4 MLJ ixx, Malaysiaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Tax Holiday Incentive: A Bouquet Or A Brickbat?, 2012. [13] Graham Hankison, Journal of Service Marketing, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Destination Brand Images: A Business Tourism Perpective, 19/1 (2005) 24-32.