8/23/08


How Bureaucrats Are Wrecking French WineIt's time to throw out the rule book.


Grapes. Click image to expand.

Jean-Paul Brun, one of the leading winemakers in Beaujolais, France, is just weeks away from picking this year's grapes, but he is also dealing with a major hangover from last year's harvest: Most of the 2007 version of his signature red, the L'Ancien Vieilles Vignes, has been denied Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée, or AOC, status.

The AOC designation is the highest in French winemaking. AOCs are geographic zones within which certain types of premium wines are made. Wines produced in these areas are not automatically entitled to advertise their noble roots; in order to claim the AOC imprimatur, they must, among other things, pass a taste test meant to ensure that they conform to the standards of the appellation—that they exhibit sufficient typicité. Two of the three samples of the '07 L'Ancien that Brun submitted were rejected because they allegedly had off aromas, even though they were the exact same wine as the third, approved sample, and I'm unaware of anyone else who has tried the '07 L'Ancien and found it to be anything but delicious. Brun has thrice appealed the verdict and lost every time, and the result of a fourth and final appeal is expected next month. If the original judgment is upheld again, around 5,200 of the 7,500 cases of the '07 L'Ancien will have to be sold as vin de table. That's the lowest classification in French wine and one that permits neither the vintage nor the appellation name (in this case "Beaujolais") to appear on the label, omissions that could seriously impede sales.

It is possible Brun is the victim of an innocent mistake or one aberrant decision. However, this sort of thing keeps happening to talented French winemakers. In recent years, stars like Jean Thevenet, Didier Dagueneau, Eloi Dürrbach, Marcel Lapierre, Thierry and Jean-Marie Puzelat, Marcel Richaud, Georges Descombes, and Philippe Jambon have all had wines turned down for being insufficiently representative of their respective appellations. So they were: They were excellent wines produced in districts that mostly churn out swill. This curious trend comes at a time when much of the French wine industry is in crisis, and the economic gap between good producers and not-so-good ones is becoming a chasm. The taste tastes are conducted by committees made up of appellation insiders, and in any given year, 95 percent to 99 percent of the wines submitted are approved. The evaluations are done blind (that is, the names of the producers are concealed), but in light of all these facts, it doesn't take a conspiracy theorist to wonder what exactly is tripping up vintners like Brun. This much is clear: The system for classifying and administering French wines is broken and in dire need of reform.





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8/22/08

Crash de Madrid : un passager, inquiet, n'avait pu quitter l'avion avant le décollage

NOUVELOBS.COM | 22.08.2008 | 15:13

"Ils ne nous laissent pas sortir", a indiqué dans son dernier message Ruben Santana à sa femme qui lui demandait de ne pas monter dans l'avion, alors qu'il l'avait prévenue d'un problème technique. Par ailleurs, l'avion n'a pas pris feu au décollage : des pièces du moteur gauche se seraient détachées.

Des proches des victimes de la catastrophe aérienne de Madrid

Des proches des victimes de la catastrophe aérienne de Madrid

(c) Reuters
Un passager, inquiet, a voulu quitter l'avion de Spanair accidenté mercredi à Madrid (153 morts), mais n'a pas été autorisé à le faire, rapportent vendredi 22 août les médias espagnols.
Cette information a été transmise par les proches de la victime décédée, qui affirment avoir reçu de lui des messages SMS en ce sens, alors que l'appareil MD-82 était révisé à la suite d'un problème signalé par le pilote.
"Ils ne nous laissent pas sortir, tout est fermé", a indiqué dans son dernier message Ruben Santana, en réponse à sa femme qui lui demandait de ne pas monter dans l'avion, alors qu'il l'avait prévenue que le vol était en retard en raison d'un problème technique.
Ruben Santana, selon son fils, aurait précisé que le pilote leur avait affirmé qu'il ne voulait pas décoller en raison d'un problème au moteur gauche, ont précisé les médias espagnols.
Plusieurs autres passagers n'ont pas pu descendre de l'avion avant le décollage alors qu'ils l'auraient souhaité, a affirmé vendredi le quotidien ABC. Selon le journal, la décision appartient au commandant de bord, qui peut accepter de laisser sortir les passagers qui le demandent.

Pas d'incendie au décollage

Par ailleurs, toujours selon les médias, citant notamment des experts ayant visionné des vidéos de l'accident, le moteur gauche de l'avion n'a pas pris feu au décollage, contrairement aux premiers témoignages.
Selon le quotidien El Mundo, citant des sources de l'aviation civile, des pièces du moteur gauche se seraient détachées et auraient endommagé le gouvernail de la queue de l'appareil, le déséquilibrant et entraînant sa chute.
Les images enregistrées par la direction des aéroports espagnols (Aena), non diffusées au public, ne montrent pas d'incendie au niveau du moteur de l'avion MD-82 de la compagnie Spanair, indique pour sa part le quotidien El Pais. "L'avion s'est élevé puis s'est écrasé au sol et a pris feu", affirme le journal.
Le directeur de l'Aviation civile, Manuel Bautista, interrogé par El Pais, assure qu'il y a eu "plus d'un dysfonctionnement" et qu'un "problème à un moteur ne peut pas être la cause d'un accident". "En ajoutant d'autres causes, l'avion peut effectivement tomber", précise-t-il.
L'avion n'aurait pas eu suffisamment de puissance au décollage, selon le journal ABC, qui cite des sources proches de l'enquête.

Respect des "règles et des normes"

Le directeur général de Spanair, Marcus Hedblom, a déclaré jeudi à Madrid que "tout ce (qu'ils avaient) fait avec cet avion, (ils l'avaient) fait en respectant les règles et les normes".
Spanair a reconnu que le pilote avait signalé avant le décollage un problème de surchauffe sur une prise d'air mais que ce problème avait été "résolu en accord avec les règlements".
Le MD-82 qui devait rejoindre Las Palmas, dans l'archipel espagnol des Canaries, s'est écrasé mercredi au décollage, tuant 153 personnes, la pire tragédie aérienne espagnole depuis 25 ans.
La ministre des Infrastructures Magdalena Alvarez a indiqué jeudi, concernant l'accident, que l'avion était "monté à 200 pieds, environ 50 mètres avant de tomber".





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Jean-Louis Kayitenkore
Procurement Consultant
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East Africa: EA Breweries Told to Set Up Rwanda Plant


New Vision (Kampala)
 

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George Kalisa
Kampala

EAST African Breweries should set up plants in Rwanda to meet the shortage of beers and beverages there.

"It is difficult for them to establish a strong distribution network when they produce from outside. They must set up plants," Francis Gatare, the director general of the Rwanda Investment and Export Promotion Agency, said during an interview.

With a capacity of 30,000 bottles per hour, the Dutch-brewery company, Rwanda Breweries, and soft drink manufacturers, BRALIRWA, no longer meet the ever increasing demand.

Gatare said Rwanda's location at the heart of the Great Lakes Region makes it economic for most companies that eye the regional market to put up headquarters there.

BRALIRWA in which the government has minority shares, has been enjoying monopoly and protection for the last five decades.

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Gatare blamed the situation on the genocide regimes which ran a closed economy, adding that before Rwanda embraced liberalisation after the 1994 genocide, little was known about the country.






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Jean-Louis Kayitenkore
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Rwanda: Athletes Told to Forget IOC Money


The New Times (Kigali)
 

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Bonnie Mugabe
Kigali

Rwanda National Olympic Committee has told local athletes (who competed in the ongoing Beijing Olympic Games) not to even think of getting their hands of the money provided by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for athletes who take in Olympic Games.

Rwanda's Chef de Mission to the Beijing Games told Times Sport yesterday that the $1200 (Frw0.66 million) given to the local Olympic Committee for each athlete who participates in the Olympic Games does not go directly to the athletes but to the NOC to prepare them for the next Games.

"IOC gives $1200 to each athlete who takes part in the Games but the money doesn't go directly to the athlete, instead it is goes to National Olympic Committee to prepare them (athletes)," Thierry Ntwali stated.

He added, "In simple words, the money is participation fee for the NOCs for taking part in the Games not the athletes," Ntwali said.

Ntwali further added Rwandan athletes were informed earlier before heading to Beijing to forget about the IOC money.

During the former regime of Gideon Rudahugwa, athletes who took part in the Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000 Olympic Games were given $1200 each for their participation.

But things changed when the current administration led by Igance Beraho took office with the IOC money for the 2004 Athens going into the RNOC coffers.

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"In the past the athletes were given that money (IOC money) as pocket money but now the athletes were given their pocket money as they came to Beijing Games," Ntwali clarified.






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Rwanda: NUR to Launch Genocide Course


The New Times (Kigali)
 

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Edmund Kagire
Kigali

The National University of Rwanda is set to introduce two Masters programs on Genocide Prevention, Peace and Development beginning with the 2009 academic year. This was revealed to The New Times on phone by Professor Anastase Shyaka.

Prof. Shyaka said that the two programs; Genocide Studies and Prevention and; Peace and Development Studies, have been in the pipeline at Centre for Conflict Management since 2006.

The professor, who is also the centre's Director, said that it came up with the idea in order to support the national development efforts in building research and analytical capacities in the areas of peace, development and genocide studies.

"We believe that these two programs will be very critical to the national sustainable development process. That's why we are very committed to their implementation and the sooner the better. The programs match very well with the Vision 2020 and Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategic goals, the reason we think that they are very important," remarked Prof. Shyaka.

The programs, currently undergoing the validation process, will be run by the NUR CCM in partnership with other Universities in the United States of America, Europe and other development agencies as soon as the university endorses them.

The New Times has also learnt that the M.sc Peace and Development Studies will be run hand in hand with the Institute of Global Studies at Gothenburg University of Sweden and will be supported by the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) under the SIDA-SAREC partnership with NUR. On the other hand, the Msc.Genocide Studies and Prevention is a brainchild of the US Embassy in Rwanda.

In 2007 and earlier this year, the US Embassy and the Department of State sent a Fulbright Genocide scholar teaching at the University of Arkansas, Prof. Sam Totten to Rwanda and he came up with recommendations on the course.

Prof. Shyaka revealed that the Ministry of Education has already approved the two programs and that the course designs are already in place. He added that Professors and Lecturers have already been identified.

The courses which will have a two year duration targets Junior academic staff, policy analysts, civil society actors, community development actors, staff of different national institutions, different stakeholders in peace and development , government sectors and international students, to name but a few.

Prof. Shyaka said that a number of American and European Institutions and Universities have already shown interest in supporting the first ever Genocide studies program in Africa and are ready to send teaching staff and research students.

He also said that for strategic and accessibility purposes, plans are underway to relocate the centre from Butare to Kigali when the programs begins.

Prof.Shyaka that the Kigali centre extension will work towards reinforcing policy research and debate under its three units that are currently conducting an outreach program called 'Community Dialogue for Peace' in the Districts of Nyamagabe, Huye and Gisagara within communities and Secondary schools.

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The three units at the CMC are: the Genocide Studies Unit, the Internal Processes of Socio-Political Development and; the Peace, Security and Governance Studies in the Great Lakes Region Unit.






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Jean-Louis Kayitenkore
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Rwanda: ECD to Be Implemented


The New Times (Kigali)
 

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Dan Ngabonziza
Kigali

The Early Childhood Development program will soon be implemented, Rwanda- UNESCO commission's Permanent Secretary, Eliphaz Bahizi has said.

He said this on Monday during a five-day workshop that brought together all school inspectors across the country, at the National Examinations Council Headquarters in Gasabo District.

The workshop aimed at training Inspectors who will also train teachers from the schools under their inspection. According to Bahizi, Rwanda, like other countries striving for quality education need to implement ECD that sets children to reach their academic standard tremendously.

"The government has not yet given attention to ECD, but we hope that in collaboration with UNESCO it will be recognised," he said.

The workshop that was facilitated by UNESCO is being conducted by Barbara Koech, a professor at the Kenyatta University where ECD is taught at Doctoral level. According to Prof. Koech, ECD will help Rwandan Children to get a good quality education background.

"There is need for more efforts in training Rwandan Educationists who will successfully guide children in their education. ECD is the best foundation for children's cducation," she underscored.

Prof. Koech added that the government should invest in the ECD program to make it more productive.

"At Kenyatta University, we have successfully taught this program and we hope it will be productive to Rwandans," she added.

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Pascal Rwayitare, one of the trainees said that the experience he got from some of the schools practicing the ECD program showed him that it will bring a lot to Rwandan children




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Jean-Louis Kayitenkore
Procurement Consultant
Gsm: +250-08470205
Home: +250-55104140
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Kigali-Rwanda
East Africa
Blog: http://www.cepgl.blogspot.com
Skype ID : Kayisa66