Musing Over the News

Ethanol
I was really happy to read that the Jamaican government is piloting the use of ethanol for fuel. If this works out it could really put a dent in what is becoming an increasingly punishing fuel bill.

According to the editorial in today’s Observer, using ethanol ‘has the potential of saving the country close to US$40 million annually.’ Money that hopefully will be used in other areas where it is sorely needed.

Ethanol is an alcohol-based form of energy which is produced by fermenting and distilling starch crops, it is also environmentally friendly. Another advantage is the boost to the local sugar cane industry as sugar cane would be one of the crops used to produce the ethanol.

Honesty
Read about the customs officer who returned $1.3m he found and turned down the $100k reward money saying that that ‘he had done the honest thing and did not need to be rewarded.’ Extremely honest or daft? He was honest in returned the money which I agree with, but if it was me and the owner offered to reward me with $100k I would have taken it with a clear conscience and used it to secure my or my family’s future or at least given it to charity. $100k even $100kJA could do someone a great deal of good. Instead it went to the organisers of the awards event, which is good in a way, but still, perhaps someone else needier could have benefited? Anyway, it wasn’t me so who am I to make pronouncements? Well done indeed to the guy for staying true to his convictions!

Keeping Your Own Wealth
Big up to Bolivian President Evo Morales for fulfilling his election promise to take back control of his country’s natural resources. It may be unpopular with the wealthy companies who own them but it is right. Too many cash poor but resource rich countries are taken advantage of by the world’s already wealthy. It is time they realised that they do not have an inherent right to buy people’s birthrights but must pay the appropriate price in cash and percentage of ownership (never the majority share) so that the citizens of poor countries can have a part in their home’s natural wealth. It now remains for President Morales to ensure that any forthcoming wealth is evenly and fairly distributed to a cross section of the society and not to a new elite. I wish him good luck in his endeavours.