Singapore: Day 1
Peter Hardstaff, Saturday 16th September
Its been a day of travel. Or is it two days of travel? I’m not entirely sure. After a 15 hour plane journey to Singapore (via Kuala Lumpur) I had no problems getting through passport control and managed to pick up my accreditation for the World Bank and IMF annual meetings without any fuss.
After that, it was down to the harbour front and onto a ferry for a trip across to the island of Batam (governed by Indonesia). I was temporarily diverted from feeling tired by a brief battle to keep my lunch down – I’m not good on ferries.
The reason for the boat trip is that an international civil society meeting has been organised in Batam to coincide with the Bank and Fund meetings. It’s kind of like an alternative summit. The Singapore government was not happy about such an event being staged on its shores so a resourceful coalition of organizations have arranged for it to take place just across the water.
As ever, it’s a lively and informative event and a great opportunity to meet like minded campaigners from across the world – all working in various different ways to challenge the IMF and World Bank. I’ve spoken to Thomas from Zimbabwe, Rose from Kenya, Lidy from the Philippines and several others, all of whom are fed up with the way these two institutions are interfering in their countries and in their lives.
In this context, the new WDM report providing a damning critique of the Bank and Fund and proposing that they be replaced with very different organizations is being well received.
Hopefully, I will be able to get some interviews on camera so that we can post them on the web site and give you a chance to hear different perspectives from around the world.
A group of ‘banned’ people set off earlier from Batam to brave Singapore customs control. Here’s hoping they get through.
Tomorrow promises to be busy – its Gordon Brown’s big day. As chair if the IMF’s top decision-making body he will give a press conference to talk up a minor change in the voting shares for a few larger developing countries.
Watch (or read) this space.
Stumble It!
Its been a day of travel. Or is it two days of travel? I’m not entirely sure. After a 15 hour plane journey to Singapore (via Kuala Lumpur) I had no problems getting through passport control and managed to pick up my accreditation for the World Bank and IMF annual meetings without any fuss.
After that, it was down to the harbour front and onto a ferry for a trip across to the island of Batam (governed by Indonesia). I was temporarily diverted from feeling tired by a brief battle to keep my lunch down – I’m not good on ferries.
The reason for the boat trip is that an international civil society meeting has been organised in Batam to coincide with the Bank and Fund meetings. It’s kind of like an alternative summit. The Singapore government was not happy about such an event being staged on its shores so a resourceful coalition of organizations have arranged for it to take place just across the water.
As ever, it’s a lively and informative event and a great opportunity to meet like minded campaigners from across the world – all working in various different ways to challenge the IMF and World Bank. I’ve spoken to Thomas from Zimbabwe, Rose from Kenya, Lidy from the Philippines and several others, all of whom are fed up with the way these two institutions are interfering in their countries and in their lives.
In this context, the new WDM report providing a damning critique of the Bank and Fund and proposing that they be replaced with very different organizations is being well received.
Hopefully, I will be able to get some interviews on camera so that we can post them on the web site and give you a chance to hear different perspectives from around the world.
A group of ‘banned’ people set off earlier from Batam to brave Singapore customs control. Here’s hoping they get through.
Tomorrow promises to be busy – its Gordon Brown’s big day. As chair if the IMF’s top decision-making body he will give a press conference to talk up a minor change in the voting shares for a few larger developing countries.
Watch (or read) this space.
Stumble It!
posted by World Development Movement at 12:08 PM
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