Loud Thinking

Archive for April, 2014

Pakistan 7th Top Nation in Global remittances in 2013

WASHINGTON: India received foreign exchange remittances worth $70 billion in 2013 from its migratory workforce to retain the top spot in the world amid a broad slowdown caused by regulatory hindrances on both movement of people and capital. China ($60 billion), the Philippines ($25 billion), Mexico ($22 billion), Nigeria ($21 billion), Egypt ($17 billion), Pakistan ($15 billion), Bangladesh ($14 billion), Vietnam ($11 billion) and Ukraine ($10 billion), rounded up the Top 10 remittance recipient nations, according to a World Bank report released on Friday.

The report, an annual World Bank exercise that underscores the point that remittances are an important source of foreign exchange often surpassing earnings from major exports, said India’s $70 billion in remittance receipts in 2013 was “more than the $65 billion earned from the country’s flagship software services exports”.

Such trajectory was even greater in countries such as Nepal, where remittances are nearly double the country’s revenues from exports of goods and services, while in Sri Lanka and the Philippines, they are over 50% and 38%, respectively. In Uganda, remittances are double the country’s income from its main export of coffee.

In terms of remittances as a share of GDP, the top recipients were Tajikistan (52%), Kyrgyz Republic (31%), Nepal and Moldova (both 25%), Samoa and Lesotho (both 23%), Armenia and Haiti (both 21%), Liberia (20%) and Kosovo (17%). Authors of the report said recipient countries could do much more to enhance remittances while obliquely criticizing the roadblocks in terms of high costs and increased restrictions on movement of people, including a surge in deportations.

“In addition to the large annual flows of remittances, migrants living in high income countries are estimated to hold savings in excess of $500 billion annually. These savings represent a huge pool of funds that developing countries can do much more to tap into,” said Dilip Ratha, manager of the migration and remittances team at the bank’s Development Prospects Group, and an authority on remittances.

The report also noted that Nigeria is readying a diaspora bond issue to mobilize diaspora savings and boost financing for development.

On its part, the World Bank has launched what it called a KNOMAD (Knowledge Partnership on Migration and Development) initiative to organize, analyze, and make available remittance data, given its growing importance to nation economies. “Remittances have become a major component of the balance of payments of nations. There is no doubt that these flows act as an antidote to poverty and promote prosperity. Remittances and migration data are also barometers of global peace and turmoil and this is what makes World Bank’s KNOMAD initiative so important,” said Kaushik Basu, senior vice-president and chief economist of the World Bank.

According to the WB report, growth in remittances to the South Asia region has slowed, rising by a modest 2.3% to $111 billion in 2013, compared with an average annual increase of more than 13% during the previous three years. The slowdown was driven by a marginal increase in India of 1.7% in 2013, and a decline in Bangladesh of 2.4%. The depreciation of the Indian rupee during 2013 appears to have attracted inflows through a surge in the deposits of non-resident Indians rather than remittances.

The brief notes that while the medium-term outlook for remittances is strong, downside risks loom mainly from migrants’ return to their home countries as a result of conflict or deportation from host countries. Last year saw an intensification of deportations, with more than 370,000 migrants sent back to their home countries from Saudi Arabia alone in the five months since November 2013.

Mr. Ishfaq Dar finance Minister of Pakistan please explain:

You took last year $6.7 billion loan from IMF at 3% interest rate, when in December 2012, IMF had decided to offer loan to poor countries at 0% interest rate.

Now this year, why you have floated bonds in the international market for a 10 year period for $1 billion at 8.25%interest?

Ladies and girls beware

Since government has failed its a fit case for the judiciary for the Suo Moto action

An eye opening letter published by the daily “Pakistan Today”

Hazardous henna

Comment Editor’s Mail12 HOURS AGO BY PAKISTAN TODAY

A heart-wrenching incident of a girl from Karachi who had to get her arms removed surgically as a result of applying chemical-infested mehndi has caused me to draw attention of the people towards the dangers of using emergency cones and instant henna (mehndi).

A number of mehndi and black mehndi brands in the market are adulterated with toxic and carcinogenic substances which not only cause instant allergic reactions but may also enter the blood stream via the skin which is even more detrimental. The widespread sale of such hazardous dyes is made easier by the fact that there is no law concerning the adulteration of cosmetic products.

In recent times many hospitals have reported a large number of cases in which people’s skins have been damaged or scarred after using such adulterated henna.

The underlying purpose of sending this piece in is to pull people out of oblivion and to request the government of Pakistan to ban all such harmful products which do not provide a detailed list of ingredients and side effects. I also request the public to be careful and prefer traditional natural form of henna over instant form.

MIRAL AJMAL

KC, Lahore

Develop All Your Leaders (Even Those Who Aren’t Managers)

Most organizations have outstanding individual contributors — developers, salespeople, engineers — who wield great influence and offer critical support to the firm. Though they don’t have managerial titles, their departure would be a huge loss. These individuals meet the criteria for true leaders, but when it comes to leadership development opportunities, they may fall off the radar because they don’t supervise anyone. Even if they have chosen not to pursue a management path, they will still benefit from leadership development — as will your company. Leadership development can make them better team players, improve their communication skills, and teach them to be better coaches. What’s more, as they become more effective interpersonally, they may embrace their management potential and pursue formal leadership roles.

Adapted by HBR from “ Develop the Leaders You’ve Been Overlooking” by Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman.

“If you really want something you can figure out how to make it happen.”

— Cher

Humility is to be modest, meek, teachable and humble.

“It’s good to have money and the things that money can buy, but it’s good, too, to make sure that you haven’t lost the things that money can’t buy.”

George Horace Lorimer (1899-1937);
editor

Key No. 21:

Everything Big Starts with Something Little

from An Enemy Called Average
by John Mason

All successful people are faithful in the small things. There is power in taking small steps.

Many people are not moving forward today simply because they were not willing to take the small step placed before them. If you have a dream to go into any particular area, you should leap at the opportunity—no matter how small—to move in the direction of your dream. For example: if you dream of being a college basketball coach and are sitting at home waiting for an invitation from Roy Williams at North Carolina University, you should know that call will never come. You need to find an opportunity to coach somewhere, anywhere. Find a young person, a young team. Jump in and coach with all of your heart, like you would if you were coaching at the highest level.

Don’t be afraid to take small steps. There’s something powerful about momentum…no matter how small. Many times the impossible is simply the untried.

I can remember a time in my life when I was immobilized with fear, consumed with what I was supposed to do. It seemed so huge a task; I was unable to bring myself to face it. A friend came to me and spoke two words that broke that paralysis in my life. He said, “Do something!” I’ll never forget that day…taking some small, seemingly insignificant steps. Momentum began to come into my life.

If you are at a point of paralysis in your life because of what you feel you’re supposed to do, the words today are, “Do something!” Don’t worry about the long-term goal right now; just take the steps that take you past the starting point. Soon you’ll get to a point of no return. As you climb higher, you’ll be able to see much farther.

As you begin, don’t be afraid. Eric Hoffer said, “Fear of becoming a ‘has-been’ keeps some people from becoming anything.” Every great idea is impossible from where you are starting today. But little goals add up, and they add up rapidly. Most people don’t succeed because they are too afraid to even try. As incredible as it sounds, they decide in advance they’re going to fail.

Many times the final goal seems so unreachable we don’t even make an effort. But once you’ve made your decision and have started, it’s like you’re halfway there. Start—no matter what your circumstances. Take that first step!

It’s simple. Grow wherever you’re planted.

My letter published by the English daily “Dawn” on April 10, 2014.

‘Utterly disgraceful’

FROM THE NEWSPAPER
Share Email 2 Comment(s) Print
Published
2014-04-10 06:57:04

THIS is apropos your editorial ‘Utterly disgraceful’ ( April 3). The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, instead of squarely taking over the responsibilities of the Dhaka disaster, where the Pakistan team meekly surrendered in the last but most vital game against the West Indies team, has now announced an internal inquiry.

It is a known fact that internal inquiries are mostly a facade to cover up glaring deficiencies of senior people and to put the blame on certain scapegoats. Moreover, no internal inquiry either had the mandate or possesses the courage to fix the responsibility of the disaster on the top man of the organisation.

Under the circumstances, when the entire nation wants to know the raw facts about the debacle in Dhaka, the cricket-mad people of Pakistan expect and earnestly appeal to the prime minister and chief patron of the PCB, Nawaz Sharif, who always has a hand on the pulse of the nation and knows what people want, to immediately appoint an independent inquiry commission, headed by an honourable person like former chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry or Justice Rana Bhagwandas, to find out (in a short time-bound inquiry) the causes of the cricket disaster, clearly fix the responsibilities of the failures on the persons concerned, suggest penalties/punishments and also remedial measures, for the future betterment of the game and the improved working of the PCB (which currently is a sinking ship), as a world-class professional organisation of Pakistan.

The nation hopes its cricket-loving prime minister will not be contented with and also not fall into the trap of the public relations exercise of the PCB chairman, who has announced a cosmetic and meaningless internal inquiry, with the obvious aim to hide the failures of the top PCB bosses.

S. Nayyaruddin Ahmad
Lahore

A blue print for the PCB’s revamping..!

Pakistani cricketers always bear the burden of representing the image and the hopes of millions of fans. Their on and off the field behaviours, have a social and political significance, that goes well beyond the field and enters into the homes of all the citizens and the most powerful institutions. The victory in a world cup ODI or T20 contest, can move nearly all sections of the Pakistani nation, in an incomparable manner.

Thus, for the ordinary Pakistani cricket fan, PCB is not just an organisation; rather, it is looked upon like the institution of the Pakistani armed forces, where they can’t imagine, any compromise shall be made, on the image and reputation of the country; and where rather than lowering the national flag and pride, our sons sacrifice their lives.

Hence, the PCB and not the players…. needs a turn around..!

We should not be so naive to expect production of a Mercedes car from the manufacturing plant of a motorcycle. Moreover, as Albert Einstein defined insanity as “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” As such, we must not expect miracles by sending players to army institutions, for some rigorous training. If that was the case, why armed forces sports teams world over and in Pakistan, are NOT the number one teams, in all the sports they participate?

Nowadays, like the management, sports is a science and the role of the amateur handlers is over. Only QUALIFIED professionals can train sportsmen, for producing world beaters.

Until and unless, PCB itself is turned upside down, our cricketing standards will keep on sliding into the abyss. The culture of taking work from the qualified professionals can NOT be handed over to the existing SENIOR staff of the PCB, who can’t even develop a multi-media presentation. Everyone knows how many managers and above in the PCB, can truly handle the computers, beyond the emails reading?

It is suggested that PCB must be totally revamped (with a vision statement of BETTER THAN THE BEST) from the top to the bottom, to make it function like a top class world level organisation, with zero tolerance for old amateur and bureaucratic style of working, which breeds intellectual, moral and financial corruption, nepotism and favouritism, in each and every sphere of its operations. Right now, PCB has become the last and final resting place of the great nincompoops of Pakistan.

However, the greatest harm the PCB is doing to the nation is that it is being run on a system, which is doing double damage; in the shape of production of mediocre run of the mill players; and at the same time, talented players are facing hurdles, in coming into the lime light.

If the PCB wants to survive in the fast changing world of competition, it must change its old habits and rebuild itself inside out. PCB must know that a professional organisation is “of and for professional people”

For the inside out rebuilding, the PCB must come out in a crystal clear manner that “how it want to be thought of” and then consider every thing that the PCB “say and do.”

Every PCB department must also be converted into a “cost center” responsible for its revenues and expenses.

Side by side, the PCB must also shun its CULTURE of politics and self serving policies. This is absolutely necessary, because culture of an organisation is the environment under which all it’s employes perform their duties. What is needed by the PCB is to create a culture of team work, which stimulates the employees for working with absolute honesty and recognises and rewards employee efforts and permeates the entire organisation.

While chaos, politics and leg pulling is rampant in the rank and file employees of the PCB, how it can be expected to produce players, who will not be equally, if not more, afflicted by these malaise? As they say in the IT jargon, garbage in garbage out, or output can not be more than the input.

However, the top notches of the government and the PCB, must know very clearly that the PCB can not be turned out into a first class world level organisation, by just transfers, postings, change of designations, hiring or firing of employees. In fact, such steps breeds even more discontent and ill will, among the employees and the general masses. To achieve the desired results, PCB needs a total and complete overhaul, disregarding any political or other pressures for serving any vested interest(s), examples of which (running the organisation on an absolutely 100% merit basis) can be seen in many Pakistani organisations like LUMS, SKMCH & RC, IBA and the GIK etc.

Till such time, the PCB itself is turned into a center of excellence, it can’t produce a bunch of players, who can be the world beaters, on a consistent level.

In any team game, a team do not need champions like Don Bradman or David Beckham to be the world beaters. But, greats like Don Bradman and David Beckham in any team, can not excel, without the cooperation of other team members.

For our players to consistently excel at the international arena, PCB coaches need to repeatedly hammer into the minds of the players, the following famous quote of Aristotle.

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.”

Now world over competitive sports is not considered just a past time hobby or entertainment and fitness activity. Rather, sports activities are considered and handled as a science. As such, the PCB must shun business as usual, decades old approach. Moreover, the PCB think tank must “PLAN FOR SUCCESS” with clear and measurable objectives.

The PCB must also not forget that the world’s best and most expensive coaches are NOT the recipe for the success. If this notion was true, rich countries like the USA and the Saudi Arabia, would have been the world champions, in many sports like football etc.

The recipe for success mostly lies in the smooth working of a well defined system, lead for which must come from none other than the PCB chairman.

Gone are the old decadent ways of assembling players for a camp, just before the tour to show their fitness and playing abilities. It must be the specified duty of the think tank and the selectors to devise a plan to monitor 24/7 the health, eating habits, general behaviour and performance of the CONTRACTED players, in a scientific manner. These contracted players must not be allowed to have a free reign, even during the off days, as they are almost like paid employees of the PCB.

Moreover, the FINE TUNING and grooming of the marked pool of all the talented and upcoming players (non-contracted) should be the SPECIFIC responsibility of the NCA staff, who must constantly produce, highest calibre five players, for each position of the game, both for the men and the ladies teams.

As such, rather than hiring a foreign coach for the national team, we need to hire an experienced and QUALIFIED foreign expert, who has the experience of running the sports academy on professional lines, may be from Australia. This expert should be assigned the task to turn the academy into a center of excellence.

It will not be out of place to conclude, by mentioning the quotes of the two famous sports coaches, for the motivation of our players, who are under tremendous pressure to perform on a consistent level.

“Life’s battles don’t always go to the stronger or faster man. But sooner or later the man who wins, is the man who thinks he can.”

– Vince Lombardi

“When you’re playing against a stacked deck, compete even harder. Show the world how much you’ll fight for the winners circle. If you do, someday the cellophane will crackle off a fresh pack, one that belongs to you, and the cards will be stacked in your favor.”

– Pat Riley