Your Canterbury Article, May 2008


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Policy #5: Development not Over-Development

As MP I will halt the development boom of Concrete Kent in Thanet. We are overbuilding far beyond South East targets as mere property speculation for the construction industry. I will insist construction is refocused on renovating both public housing and empty properties: over 3,000 empty properties in Thanet - for years - before one brick is laid on new build. The idea of a 4th Town at Westwood Cross should also be ripped up as property and Planning overkill given vacant properties, an ageing population and a failed economy. And on prime farmland when Climate Change is a major issue and Food Security in preserving our farmland to reduce food imports. And of course major derelict brownfield sites such as Manston airport, Richboro: derelict longer than in operation, and many more. Councils are notorious for being focused on property and construction where the main parties get their kickbacks for handing out Planning permissions. Far greater scrutiny of the Planning system is required. A...
Read more

UN reform overdue after Gaza and Ukraine

  10 UN Reforms for a Leaner, Fairer, Future-Ready UN UN is slow to act on genocide in Gaza and Ukraine after 2 years of warfare. While Myanmar, Sudans and Haiti conflicts rumble on with minimal action. Even basics such as food and vaxx are delayed. Time for substantial reform beyond ineffective bureaucracy. 1. Open Elections for UN Secretary-General Replace backroom Security Council selection with General Assembly-wide voting . Candidates should publish manifestos, undergo public debates, and face term limits. 2. Permanent Seats for Africa, India, and Global South Expand UNSC to include 2 African nations (or a revamped African Union) , India , and Latin America . End the WWII victor monopoly — reflect today’s geopolitical realities. 3. Audit and Reduce UN’s 30,000+ Vehicle Fleet Many UN agencies maintain fleets far exceeding operational needs - certainly beyond Africa. Propose a global audit , with fleet downsizing and transition to EVs or shared logistics . 4. Merge Overlapping D...
Read more

After the Guns Fall Silent: What the Thai–Khmer Ceasefire Means for Isaan and the Borderlands

  After the Guns Fall Silent: What the Thai–Khmer Ceasefire Means for Isaan and the Borderlands The July 28 ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia marked a fragile pause in a conflict that displaced over 300,000 civilians and left dozens dead. Brokered under pressure from Malaysia, China, and the U.S. , the agreement includes a freeze on troop movements, a ban on attacks against civilians, and the deployment of ASEAN observers .  But for communities along the border—especially in Thailand’s Isaan region —the real question is: what now? The future all the more uncertain with PM Paetongtarn forced out of power by the Constitutional Court from the leaked Hun Sen phone call.  The PM role is vacant and presumably her Soft Power role with the former an interim PM role just for the next 4 months, possibly a Pheu Thai-Move Forward coalition then Charter reform and elections. So stasis for Thailand until early 2026 at best on major issues on Land Bridge, Digital Wallet etc and f...
Read more