| However, in
Latin American megacities those sophisticated security measures are presumably
considered necessary to protect you from the fragmented social structure.
In short, when
I leave in Colima my familiar turf – e.g. the campus, my fortress, my favourite
restaurants, the places of friends of mine – and venture into less pleasant
neighbourhoods, it is easy to realise that there are two worlds. And I
feel a little out of place in the other world.
My humble self
feels more than just a little out of place at the post office in Colima
as well, which is situated in “el centro”, the city centre. I just
have to watch how folks tend to work there – though work is not the word
that comes to mind for what is going on there – and I know why I usually
receive my Christmas cards around Eastern. How folks can walk and act as
slowly as the clerks there is beyond my limited ability to comprehend.
However, I manage not to pop in there more often than twice or three times
a year. Anyway, who wants to associate with post office clerks?
One of the
things that I try to drill into students is that they should think in bigger
terms than most folks. The reason? Quite simple. Think in small terms and
your world will stay small. And you are likely to end up wasting your talent.
Think in bigger terms than most of your valued contemporaries and your
world will grow. The world of a post office and post office clerks doesn’t
match with the concept of thinking in bigger terms.
Social Democracy
In Latin America
There appears
to be a trend emerging in Latin America similar to New Zealand and the
United Kingdom. After implementing the market revolution in these countries,
social democratic governments came to power there. These social democratic
governments didn’t put the economic clock back. They have rather accepted
market principles whilst trying to combat poverty and social ills at the
same time.
At the moment,
this trend can be generally noticed throughout Latin America. After implementing
radical economic reforms, countries like Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay
are now run by centre-left governments. In Mexico, the presidential candidate
leading in the polls for the election in 2006, the current mayor of Mexico
City, reflects a similar attitude. These emerging centre left governments
seem to resemble social democrats in Europe, not the previous loony left
in Latin America.
To quote Peter
Hakim, president of the Inter–American Dialogue in Washington:They are
“….saying a stronger commitment is needed to address the social needs”.
In case Peter’s impression is right, the economic clock in Latin America
is not going to be put back. The sequence of implementing radical market
reforms, which are followed by social democracy seems to be a trend throughout
the world.
Please do not
get me wrong. Yours truly is not inclined to sympathise with social democratic
parties. No matter what the economic trouble is social democrats always
find a tax increase as a remedy. Instead, my humble self comes quite close
to a true believer in the market. The best policy to alleviate poverty
may be low tax – and inflation rates.
Even though
it does not appear to be very popular, I tend to agree with the concept
of a flat tax. Vladimir Putin implemented a flat tax of thirteen percent
in Russia in 2001. The result? As Daniel Mitchell – from The Frontier Centre
for Public Policy – noted: ”Russia’s economy has expanded by about ten
percent since it adopted a flat tax”. As far as I am aware, Hong Kong enjoyed
a flat tax for quite a while. Do you reckon it is a coincidence that Hong
Kong has been one of the fastest growing economies for quite some time?
You might come
up with the objection that a flat tax may not be socially just (whatever
that may mean) and that primarily well heeled folks will benefit from it.
To counter that argument, I refer to Martin Murenbeeld, who notes:”….the
actual rate and basic exemption can be juggled to help low – income earners.
The higher the basic deduction, the more lower – income earners fall off
the tax roll, but the higher the flat tax would probably be”. Napoleon
once made the remark that a constitution was not worth the paper it was
written on if it could not be understood by the peasants. Can you understand
your current tax code?
Restaurants
In Johannesburg
South Africa
continues to be one of my favourite countries. When you fly to South Africa,
you are likely to fly into the city of gold, Johannesburg. In case you
are in South Africa on holiday/vacation for just a few weeks, get out of
Jo’burg as fast as you can. In case you are on business in South Africa,
you may have to spend some time in Egoli, which is the Zulu name for the
city of gold. When you are in Egoli, you may feel like sussing a
few restaurants out.
For a business
lunch or dinner, do give “Gatrile’s “ restaurant in Sandown a go.
The outfit has been around already for a little more than twenty five years.
“Gatrile’s” menu offers a mixture of South African and French cuisine.
It certainly does not lack style and tends to attract movers and shakers
as well as those who reckon that they are movers and shakers.
To enjoy Japanese
food – e.g. sushi and noodles – in a restaurant with a relaxed ambience,
suss “Ohsho” out. “Ohsho” is situated in the Rosebank Mall,
which buzzes during the day. Sushi at “Ohsho” leaves nothing to be desired.
For breakfast
or brunch it may be worth having a go at “Fournos”, which is located
in the Rosebank Mall as well. “Fournos” is something like a chain
of bakery – deli – restaurant and enjoys a stellar reputation for its bread
and pastries in Jo’burg. It tends to attract all sorts of folks ranging
from professionals grabbing lunch to folks who spend a couple of hours
there. The latter may be my soul mates. They may be enjoying the lifestyle
of a junior elder.
The following
is a list of articles written by Jurgen for the magazine:
To contact Jurgen
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