Author: Matthias Offodile

Michel Barnier’s appointment as markets commissioner has worried many

By Kabir Chibber
Business reporter, BBC News

"The zeitgeist has changed."

Indeed it has. Before late 2008, the UK’s economy – the second-largest in the European Union (EU) – was the envy of most of its neighbours.

The financial sector was booming, fuelling a decade of growth. Proud British officials in Brussels would push other countries to open their economies and curb protectionism. Make your economy more like ours, they argued.

Now, the collapse of the UK economy has been averted with an unprecedented level of taxpayer intervention. Which has in turn fuelled unprecedented levels of government debt. Unemployment is at the highest since 1995.

Suddenly, the neighbours are not so envious anymore.

"The crisis has made people question whether there is something wrong with the Anglo-Saxon model," said Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform.

‘Rush of blood’

His pro-European think tank was the co-organiser of a conference in central London on Thursday to discuss the UK’s role in the EU as the financial crisis recedes from memory.

Many of the delegates seemed jittery.

In their views, the French and the Germans are in the ascendancy in Europe, while the British influence is fading.

We have to show more humility, but this underlines the fact that we need to be more engaged
Roland Rudd, Business for New Europe

They fear France and Germany are out for revenge, leading to a flood of new Europe-wide regulation aimed at preventing a future crisis that will drive banks out of the City of London and overwhelm UK businesses with red tape.

Business Secretary Lord Mandelson, one of the keynote speakers, was keen to emphasise that the UK’s voice was still strong in Europe.

"People do listen to us when we are thinking European," he said, arguing that the UK could fight off more regulation.

"We need to push back against this – intelligently," he said. "We need to guide that debate… rather than join some unthinking rush of blood to the head."

Whereas the UK is expected to exit recession only in the last three months of 2009 – after the longest contraction since records began in 1955 – France and Germany both returned to growth in the April-to-June quarter.

The much stricter regulatory regime and greater role of the state in the economy of both eurozone countries was attributed for this quick recovery.

"Frankly, I don’t think there’s a great deal we can learn from the French on banks," Lord Mandelson said, though he added that "they have a lot of sense" and much to contribute to the regulatory debate.

But he quickly followed with: "We do have a lot to learn from the French about long-term investment in the industry," he said.

"There is a case for the design – but not the implementation – of regulation to be at the level of the single market," Lord Mandelson argued.

His more contrite comments reflect the new reality: the UK cannot tell its neighbours what is best with its economy in tatters.😆

It has lost the moral high ground.

New commissioner

Much of the worry the UK is feeling comes from the appointment of France’s Michel Barnier as the EU’s internal markets commissioner.

Peter Mandelson
Lord Mandelson says the UK’s interests will be protected

French President Nicolas Sarkozy described the UK as the "losers" when it was announced that the make-up of the new European Commission included Mr Barnier, Mr Sarkozy’s former agriculture minister.

France as been a proponent of heavier regulation of banks since the crisis started in 2008 – pushing for taxes on banker bonuses and global supervision.

Mr Barnier’s appointment was reported in the British press as an arch-socialist seizing control of the European economy.

But the new commissioner moved to allay concerns in testimony before the European Parliament on Wednesday.

"I’m not going to be taking orders from Paris, London or anywhere else," Mr Barnier said, telling UK conservative MEP Syed Kamall that he believed in a "strong City".

Lord Mandelson also had praise for Mr Barnier, saying there was nothing for the UK to worry about from the man that he dealt with regularly while Lord Mandelson was at the European Commission.

"Don’t be fooled by the media," he said. "I worked closely with him and he’s going to bring a lot of forward-looking common sense."

"The next five years – the life and tenure of this commission – are going to be incredibly important."

Yet Mr Barnier made it clear that things would change.

"It is in the interests of Europe’s financial sector to be regulated smartly and efficiently," he said.

More humility

Whatever happens, it is clear that the conversations between the financial services sector in London and regulators in Brussels will be quite different.

One panellist – a Financial Times journalist – jokingly noted that in Mr Bernier’s French-language testimony, he used the terms ‘hedge fund’ and ‘private equity’. Apparently, there are no equivalents in his native tongue.

Many British companies and lobbyists are worried about whether they will have a voice at all in Europe, with so many blaming free market orthodoxy for the woes that most countries are still only just emerging from.

There is also the issue of the UK elections this year, which might produce a Conservative government that would be much more sceptical towards Europe.

Godfrey Bloom, the MEP for the UK Independence Party – which wants the UK to leave the EU – was particularly scathing about Mr Barnier’s views during this week’s hearings at the European Parliament, and warned him against introducing excessive regulation.

So, how will the UK find itself treated in the future?

"We have to show more humility," according to Roland Rudd, chairman of Business for New Europe, the other pro-Europe think tank to host the conference.

"But this underlines the fact that we need to be more engaged."

11 January 2010

The oil deals between Nigeria and the United States (U.S) are on under threat following the ongoing diplomatic tussle between the two countries over U.S. listing of Nigeria as a terror nation, Daily Independent gathered at the weekend.

Nigeria, which exports over 1 million barrels out of its 1.7 million barrels daily oil production to the U.S. was placed on America’s terror list by the White House after a foiled terror attempt by 23-year old Nigerian, Farouk Abdul Mutallab on Christmas Day.

The Africa’s biggest oil producer has, through its National Assembly, threatened a break of diplomatic ties with the US, if it did not, within one week, remove its name from the list.

A highly dependable source in the Presidency told **Daily Independent** that the "issue about withholding oil to the US is on the cards".

Although this action may, according to the source, "be the last resort, it cannot, however, be ruled out," he emphasised.

Nigeria planned to export about 1.7 per cent more of its 14 biggest crude types per day to the United States in February compared with the previous monthed

A preliminary loading schedule obtained by Daily Independent showed that the country, a favoured supplier of oil to the U.S. refiners will, according to the document, have shipments of "Nigeria’s 14 biggest crude grades averaging about 1.965 million barrels a day".

This new data, according to the loading plans, is equivalent to 55 million barrels for the month; that include at least four cargoes of Forcados delayed from January, meaning 1.931 million barrels a day will load in that month.

Nigerian crude is the light, sweet variety of oil favoured by U.S. refiners for the quantity of gasoline it produces. Production is rising as the country restores output shuttered by rebel attacks earlier last year. The schedules for Pennington, Okono, EA and Abo crude exports in February were not available.

In January, exports of those grades are scheduled to average 203,226 barrels a day. Loading programmes are subject to change. Nigeria has an Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries’ (OPEC’s) production target of 1.673 million barrels a day.

Meanwhile, China, whose oil demand has been soaring, has been positioning itself to take full advantage of the impending diplomatic disagreement between Nigeria and the United States.

According to Platts, China’s apparent oil demand in November soared 18.7 per cent from a year ago as the country’s economic recovery picked up momentum. November’s surge in oil demand marked the third straight month that the world’s second largest oil consumer posted double-digit yearly growth in oil demand.

Chinese oil demand was estimated to reach 33.67 million mt (8.22 million barrels per day) in November, versus 28.36 million mt a year ago, a Platts analysis of official data showed on December 21.

November oil demand was slightly less than the 33.89 million metric tons (8.01 million b/d) seen in October.

"China has pulled out all the stops this year to be sure that its economy has performed well throughout the global financial crisis. That has had a dramatic impact on oil demand in the country," said Dave Ernsberger, Platts senior editorial director for Asia. "Lifting demand for oil by double-digits month after month was not Beijing’s goal when it injected half a trillion dollars into its economy this year, but it was one of the most significant consequences."
Relevant Links

The Chinese government’s Yuan 4 trillion ($586 billion) stimulus programme to boost domestic spending and consumption has resulted in greater use of oil products from naphtha to jet fuel, prompting the International Energy Agency (IEA) to raise its forecast for China’s oil demand by about 80,000 b/d on average for both this year and 2010, the agency said in its December monthly report released earlier this month.

Meanwhile, China seemed to be tapping into its inventory to feed the strong crude throughput appetite in November as the government reported a drop in both crude imports and production versus October.

Chinese customs tallied 17.12 million mt (4.06 million b/d) of crude imports last month, down 11.4% from 19.33 million mt in October. Crude production also slipped 3.6 per cenrduring the comparison period to 15.67 million mt (3.7 million b/d).

The amount of oil products imports last month, at 2.62 million mt, was at its lowest since November 2008, suggesting that the country was looking less to overseas markets to meet domestic oil products requirement.

By Pamela Geller

"The Europe as you know it from visiting, from your parents or friends is on the verge of collapsing," Geert Wilders said in a speech in the United States last year.

The leader of the Netherlands’ populist Party for Freedom added: "We are now witnessing profound changes that will forever alter Europe’s destiny and might send the Continent in what Ronald Reagan called ‘a thousand years of darkness.’ " And not just Europe, but America as well.

Been to Europe lately? Thought it was bad? You ain’t seen nothing yet. The passage of the Lisbon Treaty, hailed by President Obama, nailed the coffin shut on national sovereignty in Europe. The people of Europe fought it, but were overwhelmed by their political elites and the lack of American leadership in this age of our rather Marxist, collectivist U.S. president.

Come Jan. 1, 2010, a disastrous and suicidal pact called the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (Europe/Mediterranean) goes into effect with little fanfare or examination. It boggles the mind that such a consequential and seismic cultural shift could be mandated and put into play without so much as a murmur from the mainstream media.

Why should Americans care about this? Americans have to care because this global gobbledygook is coming to our shores, thanks to our globalist president.

The European human rights group called Stop the Islamization of Europe (SIOE) has been working tirelessly to expose the mass Muslim immigration plan of the Euro-Med Partnership.:ohno:

A statement on the SIOE Web site criticizes the secrecy of the process: "It was shocking to hear about the plans and at the same time knowing that Danish politicians and a [cowardly] Danish press – who is otherwise proud to be critical – has told nothing to the Danish people about this project which begins in January.

This also showed clearly at the conference. Only very few politicians showed up and no media. Those politicians who showed up had obviously never heard about the Euro-Mediterranean project.

The goal of the Euro-Mediterranean cooperation is to create a new Greater European Union encompassing both Europe and North Africa, with the Mediterranean Sea becoming a domestic Eurabian sea. The goal is to establish a "comprehensive political partnership," including a "free trade area and economic integration"; "considerably more money for the partners" (that is, more European money flowing into North Africa); and "cultural partnership" – that is, importation of Islamic culture into post-Christian Europe.

According to the SIOE, in the Euro-Med plan "Europe is to be islamized. Democracy, Christianity, European culture and Europeans are to be driven out of Europe. Fifty million North Africans from Muslim countries are to be imported into the EU.":nuts:

Skeptical? It’s already happening. The British newspaper the Daily Express reported in October 2008 on "a controversial taxpayer-funded ‘job centre’ " that opened in Mali at that time as "just the first step towards promoting ‘free movement of people in Africa and the EU.‘ Brussels economists claim Britain and other EU states will ‘need’ 56 million immigrant workers between them by 2050 to make up for the ‘demographic decline’ due to falling birthrates and rising death rates across Europe."

To offset this decline, a "blue card" system is to be created that will allow card holders to travel freely within the European Union and have full rights to work – as well as the full right to collect welfare benefits.

A Muslim population from Africa moving freely into Europe threatens America. On Christmas Day, a Nigerian Muslim flew from Amsterdam to Detroit and tried to explode a bomb on the plane – after he was allowed to board the plane without a passport. The Euro-Mediterranean Partnership will make jihad attacks like this one all the easier.

And once in Europe, Muslims have already begun demanding special privileges and accommodations. IslamOnline reported on Dec. 21 that "Muslims activists from 26 European countries have come together to launch the first rights council to enlighten European Muslims about their rights, monitor rising Islamophobia and defend Muslim rights in European courts of law."

Ali Abu Shwaima, a Muslim leader in Italy, explained: "We think European human rights groups are not doing enough to defend the rights of Muslims. Therefore we thought that we need this new council, especially that all laws and constitutions in Europe respect freedom of religion and oppose all forms of discrimination and racism."

"Islamophobia," "discrimination" and "racism" are all terms Muslims in Europe and America use to confuse people into thinking that the perpetrators of Islamic terrorism are the real victims. And it is working: Mr. Wilders is going on trial in the Netherlands, instead of all the Islamic hate sponsors he is fighting against. It has to be this way, to increase harmony among the Muslim and non-Muslim member states of the Euro-Med Partnership.

This internationalism is already destroying what has made Europe free and great. And now Mr. Obama seems to want to do the same to America.

Pamela Geller is the editor and publisher of the Atlas Shrugs Web site. She is the author (with Robert Spencer) of the forthcoming book "The Post-American Presidency: The Obama Administration’s War on America" (Simon and Schuster, July 2010).

Senegal Airlines presented to global media at 2009 Dubai Air Show

* United Arab Emirates: Monday, November 16 – 2009 at 15:25

Dubai Air Show witnessed a truly historical event today at the official public unveiling of the new national carrier of the Republic of Senegal, Senegal Airlines. Established to commercially exploit the gap left with the departure of Air Senegal International, the new airline will take to the skies in early 2010.

Addressing the media today, Senior State Minister Karim Wade elaborated on the shape and form of the company that will be Senegal Airlines and under the GAS – Group Air Senegal umbrella: "The Government united some of the leading private investment firms and individuals in the country and delivered a solid platform from which they will build and develop Senegal’s new national airline. The new carrier is of national economic and social interest and, very importantly, is also demanded by the market that it will serve."

Senegal Government will not take part in the daily running of the new carrier but will retain a minority stake in Senegal Airlines. The company’s founding capital is valued at $34m, with the private sector retaining the majority 64% stake holding; Public Sector will hold a 15% share, while the employees will have their own allocation equivalent to 5%. The Government will retain the remaining 16% as a sign of its confidence in the flag carrier and its intention for continuous future support of the company.

Wide reach – from Senegal to Africa and Europe, in comfort and style

The new airline is expected to gradually introduce a comprehensive network from Dakar to more than 20 destinations that will include regional capitals such as Abidjan, Bamako and Banjul, as well as other major points in West Africa – such as Accra and Lagos. Intercontinental services will ultimately reach Paris, Nice, Milan and Brussels amongst others. A fleet plan that includes new, modern single-aisle medium range and wide-body long-range airliners will be announced tomorrow, at a separate press conference.

Flying Senegal Airlines will give passengers a truly memorable travel experience and reaffirm the fact that modern, dynamic and safe airlines are present on the continent. Passengers will have a choice of two-class cabins on all flights. A state-of-the-art Business Class – "ClasseAvant", will unite comfortable seating, latest in-flight entertainment and onboard communications with the finest culinary experience while economy class passengers too can expect their journeys to be a remarkable voyage of fine dining and blockbuster entertainment at 35,000 feet.

The proud colours of the nation – Celebrating the Senegal Airlines identity

The new airline’s acting CEO, Mr Modou Khaya, proudly presented the new corporate logo and aircraft livery of Senegal Airlines which showcases the rich and colorful African traditions, blended with the spirit and national insignia of Senegal; "The livery of Senegal Airlines symbolizes motion, progress and striving for success. The logo of the airline contains two out of the three national colours, reaffirming the company’s origins and home base. The title "Senegal Airlines" in the logo is supported and given lift by a graphical image that depicts the three colour patches which represent the national flag of Senegal. The logo, due to its wing shape, also symbolizes flying and aviation. From another perspective, this graphical image is also envisaged to represent the waves of the Atlantic and the beautiful Senegalese coastline. Finally, the waving/spreading feathers of a wing symbolism is there to graphically depict the friendly reach of Senegal to the rest of the world, thanks to the national airline, bridging the geographical and cultural gaps between nations.

The slogan and motto of the new Senegalese flag carrier is "Join the skies in celebration"; and we trust that you will all do just that with us.
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December 17, 2009

AOL’s job site reports the following:

Nearly one out of two workers in Detroit are unemployed, according to a report by The Detroit News. It’s a figure far higher than the government’s official figure, which is still close to a staggering 30 percent.

But the newspaper says that rate doesn’t take everything into account. For every person who is still looking and collecting unemployment, there are scores of others who have had benefits run out, accepted a part-time position, taken early retirement or a job outside of their regular field.

This is higher than the unemployment during the Great Depression. In 1931, the official unemployment rate was 24.9%. It took a world war to bring it down to 4.7%.

A look into Infowars.com exclusive footage documenting the collapse of Detroit, a case in the deindustrialization of America. Several key cities in the "Rust Belt"– once the backbone of U.S. industry– are now scheduled to be bulldozed and shrunk, destroying abandoned homes and re-wilding large portions of these industrial urban areas.

"Isnt the only hope for the planet that the industrialized civilization collapse? Isnt it our responsibility to bring that about? Maurice Strong, 1992. Deindustrialization in the United States is key to the UNITED NATIONS/CLUB OF ROME run sustainablility agenda.

On March 20, 1969, Dr. Richard Day, the National Medical Director of the Rockefeller-sponsored Planned Parenthood told a meeting that American industry will be sabotaged and shown to be uncompetitive.

The stated plan was that different parts of the world would be assigned different roles of industry and commerce in a unified global system. The continued preeminence of the United States and the relative independence and self-sufficiency of the United States would have to be changed in order to create a new structure, you first have to tear down the old, and American industry was one example of that.

Each part of the world will have a specialty and thus become inter-dependent, he said. The US will remain a center for agriculture, high tech, communications, and education but heavy industry would be transported out.

Reuters

By Linel Kwatsi Linel Kwatsi – Mon Jan 4, 1:47 pm ET

LIBREVILLE (Reuters) – Gabonese workers reluctantly gave up their traditional two-hour lunch breaks as of Monday under a government plan to increase productivity and help diversify the central African country’s oil-driven economy.

"A 30-minute lunch break is too short," civil servant Maurice Koumba, 30, grumbled on the first day of the new regime instituted by President Ali Ben Bongo, who won the election to succeed his long-ruling late father.

With 2010 output growth projected at a mere 2.6 percent, compared to the 10 percent annual growth the government is targeting, Bongo, whose election pledge was to promote an "Emerging Gabon," has set his sights on trimming a heavily bloated civil service and encouraging enterprise to diversify.

Under the new government ruling, the working day starts at 7:30 a.m. local time and ends at 3:30 p.m., an early finish to compensate for the loss of the generous two-hour lunch break common to francophone African countries, when shops and businesses routinely close.

"A break of 30 minutes will be taken, according to the appropriate rhythm of work, between 1130 and 1330," the directive said.

Previously, work started later in the morning, and, after returning from lunch, employees would leave at around 6 p.m.

Private companies and government agencies must conform to the timetable, but some professions say they should be exempt.

"It’s difficult for lawyers to stop working in the afternoon if they have a court hearing," barrister Jean Rémy Bantsantsa said.

A meeting between officials and business leaders will be held on Monday to discuss how the ruling, which was made public in late December, will be applied in practice.

Bongo is in a race against time to come up with new sources of revenue for Gabon, one of the few sub-Saharan countries to have successfully launched a Eurobond.

Initial steps to root out corruption, cap the salaries of the chiefs of state corporations and slim the size of a civil service have won plaudits.

While the impact of the new ruling on productivity is unclear, some welcomed the earlier end to the working day.

"It’s a good decision," said Yves Pambo, 32, another civil servant. "It will allow us to spend time with our families, to visit our parents, and to launch small businesses."

(Writing by Daniel Magnowski; Editing by Michael Roddy)

A UAU! TV é o primeiro serviço de televisão por satélite totalmente angolano. Com tecnologia topo de gama para este tipo de serviço é feito por angolanos em Angola e emitido para todo território nacional apartir de Talatona. Luanda – Angola
12 canais de televisão e 9 de rádio. Tudo via satélite.
Os 4 cantos de Angola já podem ver televisão de qualidade.

Este é o vídeo da equipa da InfraSat que faz a UAU! TV, o primeiro serviço de televisão por satélite totalmente angolano.

Nascido em Luanda há 31 anos no seio de uma família numerosa, desde a sua adolescência que Pedro Hossi alimenta o “bichinho do cinema”. A sua carreira de actor começou, no entanto, no teatro. Em 2001 chega ao teatro português através do encenador brasileiro António Terra e com várias peças de Nelson Rodrigues.

Em 2002 dá-se a grande viragem na sua carreira. Pedro Hossi abandonou as terras lusitanas e foi à procura de um novo desafio, sendo aceite no prestigiado Lee Strasberg Institute em Nova Iorque. Trata-se de uma escola de actores que formou gigantes do cinema como Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Dustin Hoffman, Harvey Keitel, entre outros. Foi o realizar de um sonho para Pedro Hossi que sempre quis profissionalizar-se e seguir uma carreira internacional.

DE PARIS A NOVA IORQUE

O actor viveu em Nova Iorque durante dois anos sendo solicitado para várias peças de teatro: Modigliani, The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel, entre outras. Na opinião de Pedro, “Nova Iorque foi uma cidade que me inspirou bastante pela sua diversidade e magnitude”.

No final da sua formação foi surpreendido com a mais alta distinção que este instituto concede a um estudante. Pedro Hossi foi o primeiro estrangeiro a receber o The Lee Strasberg Award of Merit.

De seguida, o artista segue para Paris, à procura de novas experiências tendo chegando a trabalhar com o famoso director de teatro Jack Waltzer. “Durante seis meses consegui perceber a beleza do teatro francês muito centrado na nobreza dos temas e no prestígio da fonte literária. É uma escola diferente da norte-americana mais focalizada na linguagem cinematográfica”, esclarece.

Apesar da passagem por Paris ter sido uma experiência interessante para o seu currículo, Pedro Hossi sentia crescer dentro de si uma inquietação crescente.

NA CIDADE DOS ANJOS

É então que, em 2005, decide voar até Los Angeles onde se estabeleceu até hoje. Sempre com os pés bem assentes na terra, o actor tentou a sorte e logrou ter êxito na “terra da oportunidades”. Ele acredita que hoje há mais trabalho para actores estrangeiros na “meca” da indústria cinematográfica mundial, embora acrescente que “foi muitas vezes preterido pelos traços mais clássicos dos actores norte-americanos”.

Em Los Angeles começa por trabalhar com David Lee Strasberg, filho do lendário Lee Strasberg, que o dirigiu na peça The Lover, de Harold Pinter. Pedro Hossi voltou ao palcos posteriormente com a peça Woyzeck dirigida pelo director Juan Carlos Malpeli.

Em 2006, fruto do trabalho árduo e da auto-confiança que o caracterizam, Pedro entra no primeiro filme realizado pelo Mexicano Diego Ibarrola: Celluloid Filth. De seguida trabalha em La Fiesta de Su Hermano, filme que concorreu para vários festivais nos Estados Unidos. A partir daqui “o meu sonho começava a concretizar-se e os desafios intensificam-se. Hoje pretendo investir mais tempo no cinema o que não significa que não aceite um bom desafio em teatro”, justifica.

NOVO FILME EM FEVEREIRO

Pedro Hossi esteve recentemente no México a filmar Borderline tendo obtido o papel principal (a personagem chama-se Damian). O filme é baseado numa história verídica e foi rodado no Golfo do México. Tem um elenco de luxo com Adriana Diaz, Litzy Dominguuez, Luís Arrieta e a grande dama do cinema mexicano, Helena Rojo.

A película estreia no festival de cinema de Sonara (Estados Unidos) em Fevereiro de 2010. Ao que tudo indica a longa–metragem poderá marcar a transição de estatuto de Pedro Hossi: de uma jovem promessa a um talento confirmado. O seu estilo assemelha-se ao de um bom rebelde que tem prazer no que faz, perfeccionista na sua forma de viver e altamente determinado em conseguir sempre o que pretende.

Enquanto o novo filme não estreia Pedro Hossi encontra- -se a filmar a série de televisão The C World com o realizador americano Bill Condon que já foi galardoado com um Óscar. Para este actor em plena ascensão “não há limites para o sonho. Simplesmente pretendo continuar focado na minha carreira, inspirar–me no trabalho de grandes profissionais com quem tenho aprendido muito e, sobretudo, distinguir-me junto do grande público e da critica especializada“, diz.

VIDA PESSOAL RESGUARDADA

Pedro Hossi faz questão de resguardar a sua intimidade ao máximo. Mas sempre que pode vem a Luanda visitar a família de quem é muito próximo e que o apoia a todos os níveis. “Já se olha para esta profissão com mais dignidade”, confirma.

Apesar de ser considerado uma pessoa extremamente independente e responsável, tem na sua mãe a orientação de que necessita para singrar na carreira. Pedro acrescenta, porém, que “nunca um familiar teve qualquer interferência nas suas decisões. Afirma para finalizar que “em Los Angeles, o clima é muito parecido ao de Angola, a diversidade cultural é enorme e também tenho pessoas muito especiais que me apoiam no dia-a-dia.”, concluiu o actor angolano.

Nicole Lagrifa

some of his films

1. The C Word (2010) (TV) (shooting)
2. Borderline (2009/II) (Postproduction) …. Damian

3. La fiesta de su hermana (2009) …. Enrrique
4. Celluloid Filth (2007) …. Roman Reed

Page last updated at 10:47 GMT, Sunday, 3 January 2010

Fire has destroyed parts of one of Africa’s biggest markets, at Ghana’s second city of Kumasi.

The fire is reported to have lasted for several hours, but so far no casualties have been reported.

A fire officer told local radio station Joy FM the market’s haphazard layout made it difficult to get to the blaze.

The station said it was the second fire at the market in less than a year, and after the last blaze the authorities had promised to redevelop the site.

Overcrowded

Kumasi’s market attracts traders from all over West Africa.

The fire is believed to have gutted parts of the market occupied by many hide-dealers and shoe-sellers, who told the Ghana News Agency their businesses had been destroyed.

They said they were hoping the National Disaster Management Organisation (Nadmo) would help them.

The cause of Saturday’s fire is not yet known, but deputy police commissioner Patrick Timbillah said an investigation was under way.

Whatever the reason, the overcrowded conditions common in many African markets meant the fire spread easily and was hard to tackle, says the BBC’s Caspar Leighton in Accra.

After the last fire, an investigation committee had recommended improving access for the emergency services. But reorganising markets is fraught with difficulty as resistance from traders is often stiff and well-organised, our correspondent says.

Improving safety inevitably means a reduction in stalls and traders losing out. Profit and politics usually win over prudence, he adds.