Hurray! It's Over!

Isn't it an irony that the G20 meeting took place during April Fool’s Day?

Measures worth $1.1 trillion are promised to tackle the deepening recession. The figure is impressive but how are they going to cough up the money?

The G20 meeting is held on the premise that 20 countries – 19 if you discount the EU - by virtue of making up 85% of the world economy, offer the best solutions to the current economic crisis. Considering that the world is made up of nearly 200 countries and only the top 5 to 10% is invited to the ball, this smacks of elitism. Surely the G20 will want to look after their own interests first. They keep going on about the importance of not implementing protectionism, but 17 of these 20 have already taken such measures. The remaining 160 plus nations are apparently too inferior to contribute, even though they live on the same planet as their richer counterparts. Capitalism at its best.

America think they got plenty of solutions, so do their buddy Britain. If you think about it, when they are not invading other countries and bombing their infrastructure and people to smithereens, they actually do have a sense of humor. Somehow with a whacked financial sector, with millions of Americans losing their jobs and homes, and their car industry begging for handouts like hobos, they presume to tell everybody what to do. (Let’s give it up for Uncle Sam folks! By the way, why isn’t Madoff invited?)

For all our sakes, I do hope that whatever the US dreams up succeeds. Its economy comprises 20% of the world economy after all. Same goes for the $1.1 trillion dollars and relevant measures the G20 use for this little purpose of lifting the world from the Great Depression 2008 - ?.

As usual Africa are demanding a louder voice. We are the fastest growing economies they say. We demand to be heard. Yabba yak yak. The industrialization notwithstanding, Africa have been begging for handouts for decades and if they have any shame, they should shut up and clean up the shit in their own backyard first before hollering for this and that. Corruption, high crime rate, superstitious beliefs(religious stupidity) of some of its people, famine, disease, war and countless problems continue to plague the still Dark Continent. Massive amounts of money, intended to improve the living conditions of the Africans have gone into fattening the wallets of totalitarian regimes and corrupt bureaucrats instead. How can anyone in their right mind take these jokers seriously?

So Africa, shut up and stop being parasites! If you are as industrialized as you say, surely you don’t need to beg anymore. How about some spare change for a change eh?

Anyway, more money ($500 billion) is promised to developing nations. The rest goes to the IMF, international banks, promoting of international trade etc. (Africa should just shut up and take the loot.) And lending to poorest nations, is this a good or bad thing? How much will go to the people? I suspect that more than a handful of dictators are looking forward to a nice holiday in the Caribbean.

France and Germany want stricter financial controls whereas America and Britain still seem nostalgic on their Anglo-Saxon style capitalism. Despite their apparent divergence, they have reached a ‘compromise’ fairly quickly. Again, much of what was supposed to be discussed in the Summit was already decided beforehand. Much bluster, posturing and playing to the crowd are what this meeting is all about. (*Waves to the camera* ‘OMG I’m on CNN mum!’) For all the rhetoric, how much good will this meeting actually do for the world economy? Will things actually be done?

Sanctions against tax havens will be set – er…okay. At least this issue was actually discussed. According to a BBC broadcaster last night the ‘green economy’ issue was only mentioned – and brusquely – in the 28^th paragraph in the 29 paragraphed communiqué. So much for environmental issues. So let us cut down more forests to create more jobs for loggers. We cannot afford to reduce pollution! Millions in sweat-shop factories around the world would lose their jobs! We should deplete our natural resources and reserves. Make way for shopping malls and mines. Who cares about the animals? They got nowhere to go they will just die quietly. They don’t pay tax, don’t buy stuff and contribute to the economy, why bother?

I am just glad that this meeting is over and done with. I’m getting sick of the massive coverage of the London Summit. Now, on to more important news. Newcastle vs. Chelsea should be a cracking game!