Editor,
The argument and counter argument on the issue of the right of street vendors does not seems to end. The recent write-up by Patricia Mukhim reflects the reality that street vendors have never cared a damn about the law and in the face of eviction by the district authorities they come out with a hue and cry that they are poverty driven, have low-incomes, and that hawking is livelihood forced on them etc. Anyone of these so-called champions should walk up and down the stretch between Motphran (Bara Bazar) area up to Police Bazar and see for themselves whether pedestrians are able to walk freely in the crowded midst of cars, buses, vendors and beggars all around. Another point to make is, a number of these vendors on the road have doubtful antecedents and many, I presume, are illegal Bangladeshi migrants from parts of Assam and across the border. Can representatives of TUR and other champions verify this or what responsibility do they have towards social security? None pay taxes to the municipality or to the KHADC while those who rightfully have a shop on the same stretch continue to pay taxes of all hues. Why aren’t these champions taking this into consideration when arguing on behalf of the hawkers? To sympathize with their needs is a different issue but to take undue advantage of the system is fraught with danger.
Yours etc….
Dominic S. Wankhar
Shillong-3
Brexit referendum
Editor,
Apropos the editorial, “ The Brexit Referendum “ (ST June 25, 2016), it is correct to state that “ the toll the Brexit will take cannot be readily assessed” and this is because there is no historical precedent. Brexit could lower Eurozone GDP between 0.01 and 0.03% annually and make Britain poorer. The effect on the rest of the world depends on psychology and the ultimate effect depends entirely on how Central Banks react. Brexit is not a disaster for the world economy. Nouriel Roubini, the economist famed for predicting the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) rightly said, “the decision of Britian to leave EU has created a whole bunch of financial, economic, political and geopolitical uncertainties”. “It could be the beginning of the disintegration of the bloc of countries, the Eurozone or UK”. The EU is full of hot air and the biggest question now is what happens if other EU Members decide to leave.
Brexit will not bring global recession or another GFC. The impact of Brexit is significant but not of the size and magnitude of the one the world had experienced in 2007 – 2009. It could have a ripple effect and the crunch is that Britain could lose it favourable access to European Markets; uncertainty and dry up business investment. The country could tumble in recession. But nothing as such has happened. Some economist has already suggested that one of the options Britain could follow in the wake of Brexit vote is the Norway model. Norway along with Liechtenstein and Iceland are members of European Economic Area (EEA). They have access to the single market while staying out of the EU. If Britain is to leave EU but join EEA, it will be a half-in-and-half-out arrangement, and the long term impact on either side will be minimal. Once actual talk begins, grounds for compromise could emerge.
Yours etc.,
V K Lyngdoh,
Via email
UK’s exit
Editor
Brexit is not just going to end up in the exit of UK from the EU. The referendum is going to have far reaching impacts than just exit of Britain from the European economic forum. Whether Great Britain will continue to remain as Great Britain or United Kingdom in the near future is a million dollar question. The referendum of Scotland to remain as part of UK was won with a thin margin with significant support for Scottish independence. The western media strongly suspects that Brexit will strengthen the demands for a new referendum for Scottish independence once again. If Scotland follows the independence path, can Ireland be far behind? Whatever may be the future, socio-economic or geopolitical consequence, I view this as a historic justice. Great Britain and for that matter all the European colonial powers have been responsible for the partition of so many countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America; the most prominent being the tragic partition of the Indian subcontinent. It is quite an irony that history repeats itself paying back in the same coin for those who contributed to such divisions among other communities. Let the European colonial masters feel the pain of partition as countless millions endured across India.
Yours etc.,
Saikat Kumar Basu
Lethbridge AB Canada