Derisive Driving of other people’s cars

Dear Editors,

Last Sunday, November 22, 2009, I came near to suffering a permanent "power cut" when on my way home from the Great Ethiopian Run reception at the Hilton.
 

Driving from the direction of the Jupiter Hotel to Kazanchis, on Marshal Tito Street, though I had the right of way, I slowed down as I approached the intersection at the Adwa Hotel. That probably saved my life, or at least saved me from serious injury. A pick up bearing the logo of the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo), coming from my left, rocketed at high speed across the junction in the direction of the Intercontinental Hotel, and "rearranged" the front of my car.
 

A second earlier, I would have been hit broadside on the driver's door.
 

The driver employed by EEPCo lost control of his vehicle and ended up in the ditch at the side of the road. Another vehicle from EEPCo soon appeared on the scene, and when one of my company drivers, whom I had called to provide me with transport, pointed out that there was a give-way sign which the EEPCo vehicle should have respected, the EEPCo staff abused him and wanted to fight him.
 

The point here is not to raise sympathy for my trials and tribulations. It is to raise the issue of the appalling driving standards of many "Code 4" vehicles, in particular those of EEPCo and the Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation (ETC).

There is clearly a need to orient the drivers of these institutions about the need to observe speed limits in town and to respect the rights of other road users. It also should be asked why government vehicles seem to be used for social outings.
 

If the Traffic Police bought some radar guns to detect speeding vehicles in the capital, with on-the-spot fines, the costs would be covered within a week, and eventually median speed would come down. 

Of course, when it comes to speeding and dangerous driving, vehicles owned by EEPCo and ETC are not the only offenders. There are minibus taxis (indeed add the notorious Higer buses), NGO and UN vehicles. What they all have in common is that the driver is not the owner.
 

While these vehicles have some way to go before they earn the al-Qa'ida sobriquet of the Isuzu light trucks, it seems to me that they do deserve to be called Taliban or something similar.

Tony Hickey
Ethiopian Quadrants PLC

Rejecting Politics of Rejection

Dear Editors,

We already know the political inclination of one of your columnists, Lulit Amdemariam, when she told us Addis Neger is her favourite newspaper.
 

In her recent column headlined "Yearning" [Volume 10 Number 499, November 22, 2009] she seems to go further by showing her disappointment that Meles Zenawi, Hailu Shawel, Lidetu Ayalew, and Ayele Chamiso have signed an agreement on the electoral code of conduct. Not only that; she crowned Siye Abraha's Medrek (Forum for Democracy and Dialogue) as the most viable opposition party in town.

Ethiopia deserves the kind of rapprochement the four political parties displayed by signing the electoral code of conduct. Those in the rejection politics she seems to support are a detriment to democracy. Siye is a nefarious authoritarian whose sole purpose in life, these days, seems to be to exact revenge on his former comrades at any cost. That is not the kind of political thinking Ethiopia needs.
 

The political culture of the 1960s is outdated and destructive. It is time to turn the pages.

Alebachew Gibray

Smuggling Statute Spot-on

Dear Editors,

Reading the "Economic Commentary" headlined, "Contraband Clause Caustic for Conveyance Carriers," [Volume 10, Number 498, November 17, 2009] left me with an impression.

The writer criticised the penalizing of an owner of a method of transportation used in conducting an illegal activity - even if the owner is not involved nor has knowledge of the illegal activity. At a first glance, it is easy to see his criticism as a valid exercise of judgment.

Yet, a closer look at the law (both the imperial and updated versions) reveals that the law is formulated properly. It seems that the framers intended to [give an] incentive [to] owners of methods of transportation to inquire as to the lawful use of their property before relinquishing its control to others.

Since the owners are best positioned to make such inquiries and so protect against unlawful use, it is logical to subject them to a penalty if they fail to do so. This is a strategy used by many legislatures - in many countries. For instance, some state laws in the United States require the seizure of any method of transport used in carrying illegal drugs.

Menalaw Hig

I Can’t Believe I’m Writing This

Dear Editors,
 

I once heard about an incident that had driven Oprah Winfrey mad when she came to visit Addis Abeba. The alleged story had it that she was infuriated by customs officers at the airport, who apparently did not recognize who she was, for they ignored her while giving priority to other arrivals who happened to be whites; little did they know that they were her security personnel.

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Bole Customs Frustrates Customers

Dear Editors,

I arrived at Bole International Airport on an international flight early on the morning of September 4, 2009. I had to seek Customs clearance for an exercise equipment which I had brought with me.

The clerk on duty in the ‘assessment’ booth did not seem to know how to locate the described items on the computer. This process took a long time. Altogether the process took almost 90 minutes due to the inefficiency of the Customs officers there.

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Cultures: Adapt the Best, Omit the Worst 

 

Dear Editors,

I read the views of Getachew T. Alemu headlined “Ethiopia Should Brace for Disciplinary Revolution” [Volume 10, Number 488, September 6, 2009].

I agree with him on several aspects: The equality of women and men; the need for a tolerant society which accommodates different views; the importance of time consciousness; respect for customers and the flawed frame of mind of assuming children as retirement assets.

However, I strongly disagree with him when it comes to recognition of homosexuality as a legal right. I do not think that Ethiopians need any revolution to recognize such an evil act as a legal right. It is against nature, our culture and religion. It creates social confusion and disorder. Such a wicked act undermines the sacred institution called ‘marriage’ and human reproduction.

It is also a cause of several transmittable diseases. Even animals never commit such an evil act. Please let us be responsible when we propose something for our country. Let us copy the positive culture of the west but not the worst  traits.

Abdulmena Mohammed Hamza

Indians are Not Stranger to Ethiopia

Dear Editors,
 

We would like to draw your kind attention towards the news story published in your newspaper headlined, “Stranger Comes to Town” [Volume 10 Number 486, August 23, 2009], and further a letter from a reader headlined, “India, International Standards Differ” [Volume 10, Number 487, August 30, 2009].

The Embassy of India would like to express its disagreement regarding both the printed items, as they have incorporated wrong facts, baseless allegations, and a biased story. 

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Is Fortune's Case Really Historic?

Dear Editors,
 

Your news story headlined, "Fortune Wins Landmark Case against Ayat" [Volume 10, No. 476, June 14, 2009] gives extensive coverage to the court battle your publisher has fought against Ayat Share Company.

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Pankhurst Family Distances Itself from Memorial Institute

Dear Editors,

My attention has been drawn to an advertisement by the Sylvia Pankhurst Education and Training Institute entitled Sylvia Pankhurst Memorial Institute, on page 11 of your issue of June 7, 2009 [Volume 10 Number 475].
 

Though I have given my approval to naming a school after my mother, I have not been asked, and have not agreed to the use of my mother's name for the said Sylvia Pankhurst Education and Training Institute. Neither I, nor members of my family, hold any position or have any affiliation with the Institute share company.

Thank you

Richard Pankhurst (Professor)

A Case for Telecom Privatization

Dear Editors,
 

I read the news headlined, “Amharic Office Word Application Software Almost Complete” [Volume 10, Number 473, May 24, 2009]. It was great to know that the age old language of Ethiopia is entering the information age. My appreciation to the three organizations: Microsoft Inc., the Ethiopian Information Communications Technology Development Agency (EICTDA) and the Addis Abeba University (AAU).
 

However, all this effort is of no use as long as a single monopoly operator owns the generation and transmission of information and networks without the involvement of the private sector. As a result of such a policy, Ethiopia, with telecommunications services for over a century, is now known as a prime example of least developed countries (LDCs) in the information communications technology sector.
 

The private sector is excluded from owning a network, and small and medium enterprises, which could provide local language based content services, are absent from the scene. Perhaps Microsoft Inc. and the other influential organizations should clearly take a stand against the disabling policy on telecom and ICT monopoly in Ethiopia.

Only then can we talk and expect innovative and sustainable development through ICT.   

Asteway  Abebe
Nairobia

Is AU's Priority Cash or Development?

Dear Editors,

When I was covering the 4th African Health Ministers Conference for my government earlier this month, I was delighted to meet African officials in large numbers for the first time. I felt blessed for being assigned to Addis Abeba, as my first African posting. In naivety, I used to think Africa was as homogenous as are most European countries. I was fortunate to learn that the diversity is immense, and incredible.

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Ethiopian Journalists Must Support Each Other

Dear Editor
 

I read the commentary by Lulit Amdemariam headlined, “Ethiopian Journalism” [Volume10, Number 473, May 24, 2009]. It was a timely and fascinating piece.

Most media houses usually ignore such indispensable issues. Journalists in our country are seen complaining about their profession only when they are imprisoned, charges are pressed or when a new media law is imposed on them.

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Textile Labour Union Needs Reality Check

Dear Editor
 

I was amazed to read a story headlined, "Local Textile Labour Case May Go International" [Volume 10, Number 470, May 3, 2009]. This story says a local employer and union's case may go international because the case was not getting resolved here in Ethiopia.
 

I cannot believe the union chose this particular time to take it that far. Its leaders are thinking about getting in touch with the employer's clients through the International Conference of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) in order to urge them not to buy the product from the local factory.
 

What are they thinking? Where have they come from? Do they live in the same world we live in? Do they follow the news on what is going on around the world, that countries are doing all they could to make it through this turbulent times? Have they heard stories of employees losing their jobs, in millions, and companies getting bankrupt? Do they know that employers and employees are working together to avoid bankruptcy of their companies so employees have job security (even on a concession basis) during these trying times?
 

Besides, when they say they will contact the exporter's clients and ask them not to buy the product, have they not heard about the foreign exchange crunch this country is facing?
 

Maybe they were not aware that the products exported by individual companies do bring back the hard currency we all (as a country) depend on. I suggest they should get a reality check; they should also be thankful that their members do have jobs during these tough times while millions are desperately looking for one.
 

Their timing is so bad that instead of taking their case to international level, they should rather focus on increasing productivity. Our work attitude should change too. Working together with management, we should find a way we could be more a productive workforce.
 

Our industrial production output is too low, even when compared to other Third World countries.

We should keep in mind that our industries, all imported machineries purchased with foreign exchange, are established after consuming huge investment capital. If the exported products were not competitive enough, those industries could get bankrupt and close their doors with loss of jobs as avoidable consequences. It is in all our interest to see the success of these companies.

We should also be careful not to send the wrong signal to prospective investors, both domestic and foreign.

Ayenew Awole