Go.Armenia: Posts

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Posts

August Posts

Georgia - Another World-

Through recent weeks, it has been disturbing to meet with the ever-increasing number of Armenian’s, who now travel to and from Armenia’s Northern neighbor, either to visit their friends, or of late, to look at how they might develop a foothold in the Georgian Republic.

Click for More .................. Georgia - Another World

July Posts

The Great Armenian Economic Boom

Armenia leads the way in economic development, ahead of all other Republics of the Former Soviet Union. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is at the head of the charge. But is it all what the Armenian authorities would have you to believe?

Click the link for more ………. The Great Armenian Economic Boom

Who owns the Yerevan Water Utility?

If you are following my efforts with the World Bank’s Department of Institutional Integrity, for them to send a team to Armenia and investigate the Municipal Development Project, then you will see that I make an issue about a ‘Security Agreement’ which the Yerevan Water & Sewerage Company should have entered into with the Ministry of Finance & Economy, pledging its assets against the World Bank loan. This is of considerable significance, and our children will thank us - if we can succeed?

Click the link for more ............. Who Owns the Yerevan Water Utility

The Never-Ending Sugar Saga

Running up to the recent Parliamentary elections the media was filled with all manner of impressive new investment projects for Armenia; oil exploration, a new oil refinery, production of high-tech products, and the return of the Armenian sugar industry. The latter is of particular interest -

Click the link for more ……… The Never-Ending Sugar Saga

A New Ethanol Industry for Armenia

The World Bank in Armenia refers to ethanol as a high-quality ecologically clean renewable fuel substitute. It’s made from a variety of vegetable Feedstock and now it’s cheaper and better than gasoline. Through the past five years, a World Leader in Ethanol Technology has studied the potential for Armenia and is now ready to invest in a Sustainable Armenian Ethanol Industry, using Sugar Beets as the Agricultural Feedstock.

Click the link for more ………A New Ethanol Industry for Armenia

Going Underground

Walking through Yerevan’s North Eastern Parkway and trying to navigate a passage around the Nalbandian Street construction site, I was prompted to think more deeply about why our authorities had decided to apparently spend a not insignificant amount of money and the best part of two years, digging up two major intersections to make a couple of pedestrian underpasses.
Click the link for more ……… Going Underground

A Parliamentary Commission Study

In January 2004, an 'Ad-Hoc' Parliamentary Commission initiated a study into the World Bank financed Municipal Development Project. The International Operator was involved in a wide-ranging program of Fraud and Corruption, plus a scheme to Embezzle Tens of Millions of Dollars of Public Funds

Click the link for more …………… Municipal Development Project

Pumping up the Pressure

In 2004 a study into the Yerevan Water Company found that the Company Management was abusing the water system by pumping up the pressure in the distribution pipeline. After a period of lobbying the water authorities, a program to upgrade Yerevan’s system of Booster Pumps was agreed and the water pressure in the distribution pipeline was reduced to its original design level.

Click the link for more ………Pumping Up the Pressure

Heating 21 Schools in Syunik Marz

This program is associated with the work with the Armenian State Water Committee, when the water authorities were persuaded to reduce the water pressure in Yerevan’s distribution pipeline and to upgrade the system of Booster Pumps.

Click on link for more ………. Heating 21 Schools in Syunk Marz

My First Taste of Armenia

My first taste of Armenia was actually in Russia, when I spent several months with Bagrad, an Artic fellow doing business in Voronezh. Bagrad and I did a bit of business together and in 1992 he and his wife spent a few weeks at my home in the

Click the Link for More ............ My first Taste of Armenia

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My Time in Armenia

Living in Armenia since 1994, as a member of an Armenian family has not only been a most pleasant experience, but an ideal way to muster an insight into the Armenian Way of Life; its history, its culture, its people, the problems, the joys, and what is always foremost on peoples minds - its politics.

In1994, Armenia was a New Independent State with a recently elected President, trying to revive a collapsed economy after independence from the Soviet Union, which led to a hard-fought war over Nagorny Karabagh. At that time, Armenia was still suffered long, cold, dark winters - without gas and electricity, and Armenia’s shops were all but empty because of a virtual blockade.

My time in Armenia has been spent Writing and Implementing Humanitarian Programs; helping to Build a Precious Mineral Processing Plant; being Adviser to a Prime Minister; Managing a Program to Re-Establish the Armenian Sugar Industry, including a USTDA Feasibility Study; and later Designing and Piloting a Water Project, for Government Approval and Implementation. But my year studying the convoluted workings of the Government for a Parliamentary Commission led to the realization that the Government is more akin to a State Conglomerate, with the Armenian people as its Captive Market, rather than a Custodian of State Assets, serving the needs of it’s electorate. Not surprising that Armenia did not get its sugar industry.

Today, with these experiences, and together with my Local and International Associates, we continue to fight the cause of the common folk by promoting the Establishment of a New Ethanol Industry, a Major Agricultural Development Project, to substitute the wanting sugar industry, and using the same Sugar Beets as the Agricultural Feedstock. But the road ahead is not easy; the State Dominates all worthwhile enterprise, so what may be desperately needed by Armenia’s farmers, and what may be important for real economic development, is not necessarily of value to those in power.

Armenia has come a long way since 1994, and although the economy is ‘Apparently’ booming, there is increasing anxiety that life for Armenia’s common folk is not developing altogether in the right direction?

Rafik and his Brother Haik – Some of their Life experiences

Rafik and Haik Growing up

Rafik and his brother Haik were sitting watching the television when suddenly Rafik grabs hold of his smaller brothers arm and says - Sava Tanem - Come on Haik

Haik dutifully jumps to his feet and follows his older brother out of the door.

Where are we going? - asks Haik.

We’ve got to find a pharmacy - Says Rafik

What for? - asks Haik.

Sava Tanem - exclaims Rafik - Mirrum Jan!!

Haik runs after Rafik and eventually after asking a few friends on the street, Rafik finds a pharmacy

Inside the pharmacy, Rafik looks feverishly around the shelves.

The lady comes out from behind the counter and asks - Balik Jan - What are you looking for?

Rafik says - We need a box of Tampax!

The lady asks - Who are the Tampax for?

Rafik says - They’re for my little brother Haik.

The lady asks - How old are you?

Rafik says - I’m eight and my little brother is four.

So, Balik Jan, what do you need the Tampax for? - Asks the lady.

Rafik Says - We were watching the television. An advert came on and they said that if you wear Tampax you can swim and you can ride a bicycle!

The lady says – Balik Jan, Sava Tanem, That’s right – Mirrum Jan.

Rafik exclaims – Haik can’t do either!!

Rafik and Haik doing business – Armenian style

Rafik asks his brother Haik for a loan.

Haik asks: How much?

Rafik replies: fifty thousand dollars

Haik asks: what for?

Rafik says: My best friend works at the customs in Moscow. A container of clothes has come to the customhouse without documents. They are worth 150 thousand dollars, but my friend can buy the whole consignment and have it flown to Yerevan for $50,000.

Haik asks: How long do you need the money for?.

Rafik says: Three months maximum – I have a buyer waiting in Yerevan; the whole process is agreed - I’ll give you 10% a month interest.

Haik gives Rafik the money and he goes off to get on with the deal.

Three months pass and Haik meets with Rafik to ask him for the money. Rafik explains that his friend in Moscow was having difficulty getting the goods released to Yerevan and he needs another month. Haik agrees. The month passes and the two brothers meet again. Rafik explains that the goods are already in Yerevan, but he is having trouble getting them released from customs. He asks Haik for another month. The next month passes and they meet again. Rafik explains that the goods had been released from customs, but his buyer had let him down, so he had distributed the clothes to a number of shops. He will get his money when they are sold and Rafik asks Haik for another month.

Haik says: That will be six months – at 10% a month you will owe me 50 thousand plus six months at 10% per month, which will be a total of $80,000.

The brothers meet again the next month and again Rafik makes excuses about why he can’t repay the loan.

Haik says: Rafik, forget about the interest; just let me have my money back.

Another month goes by and Rafik makes more excuses. Haik starts getting annoyed and says: Rafik, it is time you did something about this loan – it is already eight months. Let me have half my money back and we’ll call it quits.

Rafik starts to feel a bit affronted by his brothers attitude and asks: Haik, tell me - How much is $50,000 with eight months interest at 10%. Haik says: 90,000 dollars. Rafik then says; Today I should have owed you 90 thousand dollars Right? Haik agrees. Then Rafik exclaimed: I don’t understand why you are getting so angry. I’ve already managed to get it down to 25 thousand – what are you complaining about?

This could not be Haik and Rafik - So it is Lord Spencer

Here’s a little Ditty that I thought I’d include about Haik and Rafik – But then it came to me that this is exactly the type of story that Armenians would find offensive, whereas we Brits don’t mind making fun of ourselves. So this one is a typical example of the differences between English and Armenian humour - and it’s not about Haik and Rafik, it’s about Lord Spencer and his chauffeur.

One afternoon Lord Spencer was riding on his way home in his limousine when he saw a man bending down along the roadside. He ordered his driver to stop and he got out to talk to the man. My man, he said, What are you doing down there? The man looked up and said – I’m eating The Lord asked - But why are you eating grass? The poor man replied - I don't have any money for food, so I have to eat grass. Lord Spencer said - Well then, you can come with me to my house and I'll feed you. The man replied - But sir, I have a wife and two children with me. They are over there, under that tree. The Lord asked – What are they doing? The man said – They’re eating too In disbelief, the Lord asked – Are they eating grass too? The man replied – Yes Sir. The Lord said - Bring them along too. The man gathered his family together and as they climbed into Lord Spencer’s Limousine, he yelled – See you later Mike. Lord Spencer asked - Who is Mike? The man said - That’s my friend, he’s in among the trees. Lord Spencer asked - What is he doing? The man said - He’s eating grass. The Lord said - Well let him come with us. The man called Mike and said – Come on, were going with his Lordship for something to eat.

The man came out from the woods and said in a pitiful voice - "But sir, I have a wife and four children with me! - Lord Spencer answered - That’s not a problems, bring them all.

Mike and his wife and four children all climbed into the car, which was a bit of a squeeze, even for a car as large as the Lord’s limousine. On the way, one of the wives said to the Lord - Sir, you are so kind. Thank you for taking all of us with you The Lord replied, Glad to do it. You'll really love my place. The grass is almost a foot high.