Grybauskaitė for President

Last week in Lithuania, the main headlines were occupied by sole person. Dalia Grybauskaite, Lithuanian, European Union Commissioner has finally announced that she is going to stand in the election for the Presidency of Lithuania, ending months of speculations whether or not she will compete for the top job. This decision marks a beginning of the campaigning, unofficial as it is, it will slowly start gathering speed.
Ms. Grybauskaite is ahead in all published opinion polls by a substantial margin from any possible contender. Political commentators even speculate whether the 2nd round of elections will be necessary. Whether on the 17 May 2009, Ms. Grybauskaite will gather the necessary votes it is not yet clear, it is however fair to say that she will compete in the second round if such would be needed.
Ms. Grybauskaite is running on a non-partisan ticket. She has been involved with both Conservative and Social democrat led governments, but never has she joined a political party. Educated economist, highly experienced in the field of finances and now with the experience of EU Commission she has a very solid profile that could offer Lithuania a safe pair of hands that the country needs in the period of financial turmoil and political instability.

Sergio Fajardo: From Fear to Hope

the word starts with "C"

2008 ended with it and 2009 has had it all over, so far!

What is the word? CRISIS! CREDIT CRUNCH! CRASH! CATASTROPHE! etc. etc. etc.

Recently, I was reading a new book of Fareed Zakaria "Post-American World", where author rightly points out that while we scream and shout about contracting economies and free fall of our markets in fact it all is a matter of perspective. Truly. Zakaria and I trust he is right, points out that on the world scale economy grows with an impressive percentage, which I accept might shrink now, but it will not decline.

C words have put number of countries into C mode and number of governments into deep C. Latvia is on the verge of bancrupcy, Lithuania struggles on by installing strictest fiscal discipline. EU seems to be slowly plunging into nationalistic rhetoric and protectionism is back heralds "The Economist". I might greatly underestimate the scale of the situation. But I think the other C should be more prominent on the agenda!

Sorry to all those that rightly speak of the C societies, but we do need to CONSUME more. Consume for the sake of greater cash turnovers in the financial markets, consume in order to restore confidence, consume in order to boost industry and production.

Happy "C" year!