Government and Society – Page 12 – Welcome to Cambodia, and…..

So he says….

Hun Sen is the prime minister of Cambodia and has been since 1997. He is the longest-serving head of state in Asia and everything–good and bad–in Cambodia can be attributed to him. One wonders what he means when he avers he will never sacrifice the national interest. The prime minister has his hands deep in the pockets of China and so he has to go wherever China goes. The Chinese set up huge gambling operations in Sihanoukville and took over everything. A newspaper article reported that 90%+ of the businesses in Sihanoukville are now Chinese owned and half the population is Chinese. That’s in Cambodia’s national interest?

Disgusting, Shameful

“…Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and his Republican caucus opted, in an outrageous dereliction of duty, not to hear from further witnesses, thereby continuing the effort to suppress the facts that began when Trump ordered members of the executive branch not to cooperate with the House inquiry.

If Republican senators were so concerned, as they have repeatedly claimed to be, about the lack of direct evidence, why in the world would they vote against summoning Bolton and other witnesses who spoke directly to the president? The only possible answer: Their priority was to protect Trump (and their own political fortunes), not to establish the truth.”

~ Los Angeles Times editorial

Slow going…

At the end of the year, many organizations, government offices, and NGOs reported their activities for 2019. CMAC (the Cambodian Mine Action Centre) reported that they had cleared more than 36,000 mines and UXOs in the year just ended. (UXO=Unexploded Ordnance). The front-page article above explained that 67 square kilometers of land had been de-mined. It then restated the government’s commitment to completely clear the remaining mine-contaminated 2,100 sq km by 2025! Having cleared only 67 sq km in 2019 and 72 sq km in 2018, that seems like an impossible goal! (As a footnote to this situation, remember that these mines were put down 35-45 years ago! Mines are insidious and rightfully banned by most of the world. The US is one of the few nations that has refused to sign on to the ban-landmine treaty.)

Integrity? No….

“I solemnly swear (or affirm) that in all things appertaining to the trial of _ , now pending, I will do impartial justice to the Constitution and laws, so help me God.”
— oath required of senators by Senate Rules in Impeachment Trials

“There will be no difference between the president’s position and our position as to how to handle this…We’ll be working through this process… in total coordination with the White House counsel’s office and the people representing the president in the well of the Senate… There is no chance the president is going to be removed from office.”
— Sen. Mitch McConnell

~ from Doonesbury.WashingtonPost.com

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

Yesterday, 20 November 2019, was the 30th anniversary of the adoption by the UN General Assembly of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. On that day the convention was submitted to the nations of the world to be signed and ratified. As of today, 196 countries have ratified it, including every member of the United Nations except the United States.

Smuggled? No problem!

A not uncommon sight in Cambodia is an individual on the street selling gasoline in plastic bottles or jerry cans. The presumption is that it is smuggled in from Vietnam or Thailand to avoid paying taxes.

Who would buy illegal smuggled gasoline?

Cambodia’s Economy

These are some economic indicators that were published recently. Note the 6.9% economic growth. Cambodia has averaged more than that for the past decade. Unfortunately the money does not flow freely through the economy but ends up in the pockets of the government officials and business tycoons. Notable also is the low median age and the low average income.

Topics: Traffic Rules

Motorcycle Mirrors

About nine or ten years ago there was a new law that motorcycles have to have rearview mirrors. There’s no law that says people have to use them and there’s no enforcement so check these pictures to see the effect of the law.

The Government needs help

This is a really good example of what’s wrong with Cambodia. I have no problem with respecting the culture and traditions of a nation–I encourage it–but….pointing your foot at a car? Who was offended? The government makes a big deal of things like this to convince the populace that the government is with them and protecting them. And such antics distract from the failures of the government to do all the things it should be doing: providing schools, insuring medical care, protecting the forests and rivers, preventing land grabs, etc.

Topics: Traffic Rules

Driving on sidewalks

There is little law enforcement in Cambodia and especially with traffic law there is a general do-as-you-please attitude, as is evidenced by all these people driving on the sidewalks. Click here to see the pictures.