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Business Recorder
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Power versus people
There is a standoff between power and people, each holding on to its domain. In a democratic dispensation, power flourishes from the support of the people. Misuse of power creates ill-will that is usually difficult to bridge. Without the effective support of people, power tends to adopt extortion methods to fulfil its needs, which then leads to a clash. The mantra of 'Sub Theek Hay' (all is well) does not hold ground when people are made to suffer by the misuse of power. For the country to flourish the two must work with understanding; otherwise, the decline cannot be reversed. Irreversible declines invariably lead to a collapse. Major course correction is needed before it is too late. I remember the fall of the all-powerful Field Marshal Muhammad Ayub Khan. After completing ten years in power, he decided to celebrate his decade of progress. Little did he know it would prove to be the decay of his rule. While it was the best of times for few, it was the worst of times for many. When people took to the streets he was baffled. All was not well as he was made to believe by the sycophants that surrounded him. By March 1969, he was powered out by the powerful as he had lost public trust and support. It was indeed a sad ending for an individual who had supported his master's will against the will of the people he was required to serve. His 'Friends not Masters, a Political Autobiography' failed to restore the people's trust in him. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto (ZAB) emerged from the ashes of the Ayub regime. I remember the day in November 1967 at the YMCA hall on the Mall where he announced the formation of his party. It was the first real political party of the country based on people's power. His anti-establishment stance was well taken by the masses. When he came into power he called his regime 'Awami Hakumat' (people's government) which indeed it was. In the words of his own Comrade Hanif Ramay, ZAB then drifted towards power and was ultimately eliminated. The 'Mazboot Kursi' (strong seat of power) could not save him. Yayha Khan, the second usurper, had to surrender to the will of the people in East Pakistan. The third usurper who considered himself to be above the constitution met a tragic end. Pervez Musharraf had to live in exile after his trial and conviction under Article 6. His supra-constitutional acts could not save him. It is widely believed that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. People provide the umbilical cord to power, which cannot be disrupted. Power itself is always a burden which is carried by the people; in other words, it is a cost on their head which must be borne by the people willingly in the best national interests. Unwilling extortion leads to turmoil. The US war of independence started on the principle of 'No Taxation without Representation'. In other words, people decide the distribution and utilization of their tax money collected by the powerful, not the other way around as has been the case in the land of the pure. Despite widespread suffering of the people, the party is unending for the individuals enjoying power. To determine the will of the people, votes are counted. Credible elections are the only means of determining the people's mandate. The Islamic Republic of Pakistan has a track record of manipulated electoral exercises, only the contests in 1970 and 2024 count as credible, but both failed to strike the much-needed balance between power and people. It is widely believed that the US Constitution enacted in 1787 is the best written document ever. It starts with the words, 'We the people allow the government'. In other words, the power always remains subservient to the people as regulated by the agreement between the rulers and the ruled. No one has ever dared to cross the constitutional boundaries in over two centuries of its enactment. The balance between power and people is remarkable. The law enforcement agencies are allowed to use guns, so are the people under the right to bear arms. There are no exit-control lists; no one can be stopped from leaving the country under the right to travel. Exit stamps are not required. The US Constitution is hailed as the 'Miracle of Philadelphia' but unfortunately the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan remains under constant threat of the powerful while the people helplessly watch. Both Zia and Musharraf introduced amendments at will, while under the so-called 'Hybrid System' they are being forced through the parliament. The 26th amendment and now the 27th is being worked upon by the powers under the unwilling gaze of the people. Such gross imbalances lead to instability. Absolute power can never lead to stability. Investors, both local and foreign, shy away from conflicts. Even the best intentions fail in an environment of tussle. I remember during my days at the Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF) we were involved in building a model farm near Ormara in Baluchistan. Wind pumps were to be used to extract groundwater, combined with drip irrigation technology. As we were driving down the picturesque coastal highway, the road suddenly ended. While going through the detour, I asked our local contact about the washing away of the road. With remorse, he said, the plans are made in Islamabad to be implemented by NHA (National Highway Authority); no one ever consults the locals who know the ground realities. The first major rainfall and the portion of the highway was swept away by the gushing water. No power could come in the way. Man-made power has serious limitations which must be understood. There is a concept of 'Awaz-e-Khalq' (voice of the people), which must be heard; otherwise, power is toppled like the washing away of the coastal highway of Baluchistan by the gushing waters. No nation can sustain such continuous losses by not reaching out to the very people the power is meant to serve. Yes, power is needed to run the affairs of the state but not without the support of the people; it is the lesson of history, which cannot and should not be ignored. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
NZ Herald
6 hours ago
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Top teams ease to victory in Gisborne Premier Grade midweek netball
Top-of-the-table teams YMP and Waikohu cruised to cakewalk wins in in Premier Grade netball games in the YMCA on Wednesday. Claydens Waikohu put away Horouta Gold 67-39 and Turanga FM YMP outgunned Gisborne Girls' High Senior A 48-26. After a close first quarter that ended 13-12 to Waikohu, the defending
CBC
20 hours ago
- Health
- CBC
How cities in northern Ontario solved their lifeguard shortage
After years of grappling with lifeguard shortages, several cities in northern Ontario say they've finally turned a corner, with fully staffed pools and supervised beaches this summer. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated lifeguard shortages across the country, leading some cities and town to scale back programming or leave certain waterfronts unsupervised. But cities like North Bay, Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury say targeted changes, including free certification courses, boosted wages and changes to training have improved the situation in the last year. Rebuilding after the pandemic "We definitely noticed [the shortage] coming out of COVID. There was such a long period of time where we weren't able to operate," said Kendra MacIsaac, vice-president of health and wellness for the YMCA of northeastern Ontario. She said during the pandemic, many lifeguards found different jobs because they were unable to work and their certifications eventually expired. Due to that shortage, the YMCA's downtown Sudbury location had to reduce their schedule or close the pool on some occasions. In the last few years, MacIsaac said the YMCA of northeastern Ontario has worked tirelessly to run ongoing certification courses in order to recruit enough lifeguards to be able to run aquatic programs and services at pre-pandemic levels. Usually after years of swimming lessons, 13-year-olds can start the lifeguard certification process by taking the bronze medallion and emergency first aid course. After that they can immediately take the bronze cross certification course, standard first aid and CPR ahead of the national lifeguard certification at 15 years old. In 2023, the provincial government lowered the age requirement for lifeguards to address the staffing shortages across Ontario. MacIsaac said that made a "big difference." But she said maintaining interest between swim lessons and lifeguard certifications is still a challenge. "There's often a gap when kids stop lessons and aren't quite old enough for bronze medallion," MacIsaac said. To bridge that, the YMCA is offering junior lifeguard clubs and other leadership programs to keep kids engaged between the ages of 10 and 13. Various strategies For the first time in several years, the City of North Bay's supervised beaches are fully staffed. "In recent years, only two of the three beaches were staffed due to the widespread shortage of lifeguards," said a city spokesperson in a statement to CBC News. "The City of North Bay has had a full complement of lifeguards across all three of its supervised beaches — Shabogesic Beach on Lake Nipissing, as well as The Cove and Olmsted Beach on Trout Lake." To address this shortage, in 2024 North Bay raised the hourly wage for lifeguards from the provincial minimum of $17.20 per hour to $19.50. The city says it has also benefited from the temporary closure of its indoor pool at the North Bay YMCA, allowing more certified guards to work outdoors. Sault Ste. Marie has seen similar success. The city's aquatic supervisor, Benjamin Ayton, said staffing levels have returned to what they were before the pandemic. "We're back to pre-COVID levels and we're doing all right, at least for the municipality," Ayton said. "Some of the summer camps are still having a hard time, but we've been trying to help them out by getting them certified people." To boost interest and lower financial barriers, the Sault began offering all bronze and advanced lifeguard courses for free. Even when only a few people signed up, Ayton said, the city made sure the courses still ran. "Even though not everyone would go on to work for us, we did offer all these courses for free and that really helped our area," he said. Greater Sudbury isn't currently facing a lifeguard shortage affecting their programming, according to Jessica Watts, manager of recreation with the city. She explained that as COVID-19 restrictions eased, the city returned to offering advanced life guarding certification courses. "We can train people more regularly and have them prepared to qualify for those lifeguard positions to build internal capacity and reduce reliance on external instructors," Watts said. "We also started training our own staff to teach those more advanced levels, which allowed us to deliver those advanced courses in house." Both Ayton and MacIsaac said life guarding is a public safety service that plays a critical role in preventing drownings and ensuring access to water-based recreation. "Most of our job is prevention," Ayton said. "It's not a pleasant experience to have to deal with [an emergency] situation like that, but you do the best you can and it is rewarding when you are able to assist."
Eyewitness News
a day ago
- Business
- Eyewitness News
Trump 2.0 has no qualms about making money on the side
BALMEDIE - Donald Trump has abandoned any qualms he had in his first term about making money on the side while serving as president, as he unabashedly promotes his business interests. In the latest instance of him blending diplomacy, pageant and the profit motive, Trump on Tuesday inaugurated another golf course bearing his name in the town of Balmedie as he concluded a five-day visit to Scotland. The ceremony, which featured bagpipes, fireworks and a Trump campaign song -- the Village People's "YMCA" -- was broadcast live on the White House YouTube channel. Trump had led UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on a tour of the course on Monday. And Trump on Tuesday welcomed Scotland's leader, First Minister John Swinney, who has ruffled feathers by granting subsidies to hold a golf tournament at the Trump property. 'DEEPLY TROUBLING' "All of this looks like foreign governments paying, or paying tribute to, Donald Trump's businesses in apparent attempts to curry favor with him and receive better treatment from him on key policy issues including trade deals," said Noah Bookbinder, head of an NGO called Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW). Bookbinder called it "deeply troubling" that US diplomacy could be guided by the financial interests of the Trump family. A White House official denied there was anything awry in Trump's golf diplomacy stay in Scotland, saying the president's assets are in a trust managed by his children and there is no conflict of interest. The 79-year-old president teed off Tuedsay to play the new golf course with his son Eric, who led the project. "We wanted this to be the greatest 36 holes anywhere on Earth. And there's no question that that's been achieved," said the younger Trump. A journalist then asked Trump if blurring the line between his official duty as president and trying to make money amounted to a conflict of interest. "I haven't heard that," Trump said, immediately changing the subject to his golf game. "Did you get to see my drive in the first hole? ... Pretty long, pretty long," Trump said. Eric and Donald Trump Jr, who was also here for the course inauguration, are both executive vice presidents of the Trump Organization, a holding company that features a wide range of Trump properties and other assets. During his stay in Scotland, Trump also received European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen at another opulent Trump golf resort in the southwestern town of Turnberry. CRYPTOCURRENCIES The Trump family has more than a dozen ritzy golf resorts scattered around the world that can host receptions or tournaments, and the president has expressed hopes that the British Open will be played at their property in Turnberry one day. Trump's sons are involved in a range of other businesses, encouraged openly by their father from the White House. The president in particular has gotten involved in a number of cryptocurrency endeavors that have inflated his wealth as his government actively promotes the burgeoning sector of the economy. Trump was roundly criticized for hosting a private dinner in April for the top 25 holders of $TRUMP, a crypto product associated with him and called a meme coin. He has promoted this product on his social media platform Truth Social, which is part of the company Trump Media. Trump also uses the platform for official government announcements on anything from tariffs to ties with Russia. WORLD LIBERTY FINANCIAL Trump's wife Melania is also involved in moneymaking endeavors, including a new documentary series produced by Amazon. The president and Steve Witkoff, his envoy for Russia and the Middle East, are linked through their families to a cryptocurrency company called World Liberty Financial. The company -- which lists Trump as "co-founder emeritus" on its website -- came under virulent criticism over a recent transaction with a company in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates. During a spring tour of the Middle East, Trump agreed to a request from UAE authorities to be able to buy cutting-edge US electronics. While on the same trip, Trump agreed to accept a Boeing jetliner as a gift from Qatar to the United States, dismissing howls of protest from the Democrats over a gesture which they called a blatant conflict of interest. During Trump's first term in office from 2017-2021, the Trump Organization declared a moratorium on investments with private companies in other countries. This time around there is no such abstention.
The Sun
a day ago
- Business
- The Sun
Trump opens Scottish golf course amid global diplomacy push
BALMEDIE: US President Donald Trump officially opened his new golf course in Scotland on Tuesday, capping a five-day trip that included high-stakes diplomacy and business dealings. The event, marked by bagpipes and fireworks, saw Trump praising the transformation of the coastal landscape while reaffirming his global agenda. 'We started with a beautiful piece of land, but we made it much more beautiful, and the area has really, really welcomed us,' Trump said before cutting the ribbon. He later teed off with his son Eric, who oversaw the project, calling the course 'the greatest 36 holes anywhere on Earth.' The opening blurred the lines between Trump's presidency and private business interests, a recurring theme during his visit. His campaign anthem, 'YMCA,' played as fireworks lit up the sky, creating a celebratory atmosphere. Beyond golf, Trump engaged in diplomatic talks, including discussions with Scotland's First Minister John Swinney on whisky tariffs and Gaza. He also hosted European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, announcing a contentious trade deal imposing 15% tariffs on EU goods entering the US. Trump's ultimatum to Russia over Ukraine dominated headlines. 'I really felt it was going to end. But every time I think it's going to end, he kills people,' Trump said of Russian President Vladimir Putin. 'I'm not so interested in talking to him anymore.' The president also reignited his opposition to wind energy, calling turbines 'ugly monsters' and urging the UK to prioritise North Sea oil drilling. 'Incentivize the drillers, FAST. A VAST FORTUNE TO BE MADE for the UK, and far lower energy costs for the people,' he wrote on Truth Social. The new course, featuring the world's largest natural bunker, emphasises environmental sensitivity—a contrast to Trump's vocal criticism of renewable energy. Visible offshore wind turbines, which he previously tried to block, stood as a reminder of ongoing policy clashes. - AFP
