PRESS/PUBLICATIONS

A SELECTION OF RELATED COMMENTARIES & PUBLICATIONS

12th January, 2010

International Jazz Festival, musical highlight of Punta del Este

David P. Michaels for MercoPress News Agency

International celebrities visiting the Latin American “jet-set” resort of Punta del Este in Uruguay come and go with the fashions. However one of the permanent attractions of the Punta del Este season is the “must see” International Jazz Festival.

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28th September, 2009

Uruguayan Tourism &Business Delegation visit USA

by David P. Michaels for MercoPress News Agency

A delegation from the Uruguayan tourism and business sectors recently concluded a successful visit to Miami, Puerto Rico, and New York. The tour was organized by the Uruguayan Ministry of Tourism & Sports, in association with the Ministry of Economy & Finance, with logistical support sponsored by American Airlines.

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27th August, 2009

Uruguayan Independence Day in New York City

David P. Michaels for MercoPress News Agency

For many Uruguayans living in the New York area, the 25th August is not only an important day to remember their origins, but also a day to meet old and new friends, alike.

On this sunny day, next to the statue of Uruguay’s National Hero, General Artigas, a normally happy day in the annual calendar of events was sadly “shadowed” by a discreet disapproval of the “politicizing” of this important day, by the presence of a wreath from the Frente Amplio.

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January 6th 2009

Sir Alan Walters, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s personal economic advisor, dies aged 82

David P. Michaels for MercoPress News Agency

Professor Sir Alan Walters, former personal economic advisor to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and credited with being an architect of the 1980’s renaissance of the economy of the United Kingdom, died peacefully at home on Saturday at the age of 82.

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January 6th 2009

Wall Street Ratings agencies threatened? Standards too Poor?

David P. Michaels for MercoPress News Agency

Ratings companies used to have a great name. No longer. The subprime mortgage crisis has seen to that. Once seen as being blue chip companies with a sterling reputation, the ratings companies have now come to be seen as part of the sordid network of double dealing in Wall Street in which conflicts of interest and outright dishonesty led to millions losing money, while the fat cats of the ratings companies raked it all in.

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Investment in Latin America: History repeating itself?

David P. Michaels

Initially, I was delighted to receive the invitation to chair the plenary morning session of the Hedge Funds World LatAm 2008, however, I immediately questioned why I had received the invitation rather than someone from the hedge funds world. Perhaps it was because of my many decades of experience in the Latin American region, and in particular, my knowledge of the many differing business cultures. Perhaps it was also because I advised on a number of problem investments on behalf of limited partners, and do not want a repeat of previous Latin American investment (so called) “strategies” promoted by a number of fund managers that concluded in many write-offs for investors, and negative consequences for portfolio companies.

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September 22nd 2008

US Cancer Institute interested in research program in Uruguay

David P. Michaels for MercoPress News Agency

PHOTO: Uruguay’s Foreign Minister Gonzalo Fernandez

An initiative from the United States National Cancer Institute to establish an extensive cancer research program in Uruguay was the foremost of several expanded scientific cooperation initiatives considered by US and Uruguayan officials meeting in New York.

[An exclusive interview for MercoPress]

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2007 & EARLIER

GLOBAL DEBT: RELATED PUBLICATIONS

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“FORTRESS U.N: THE NEW WORLD ORDER AND THE FIEFDOMS OF THE UNITED NATIONS”

Provides insight into the U.N.’s ‘organizational gridlock’ and offers practical proposals to produce positive modification of the U.N. ‘system’ in support of the Secretary-General’s desire for productive change.

(Introduction by Sir Alan Walters)

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“2001: A SPACED ECONOMY”
Suggests that the inequalities of economic skills, experience, and growth between regional ‘developed’ and ‘developing’ nations will be recognized as the principal stumbling block in the inability to maintain any continued and paced global economic growth.

Offers direction to create an equitable balance between nations of unequal economic status, as a firm foundation for sustainable economic growth.

The commentary also states that many companies will be faced with shifts in markets, competition, technology, communications, and politics, which will create the need to develop pro-active responses to progressive adjustments focused on three key areas related to change.

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“HUMAN RESOURCES ACCOUNTING & THE HIDDEN ASSET.”
Company performance is assessed in terms of the Balance Sheet and Profit & Loss Account. This approach serves a useful purpose in that it provides a ‘snapshot’ of performance at any given point of time. But the process measures only what can conveniently be measured. It omits the human factor.“Human Resources Accounting & The Hidden Asset” comments on probably the single most important contributor to good company performance and the best predictor of future performance.

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[URUGUAY] “DEMOCRACY or BUREAUCRACY & MEDIOCRITY”
A commentary in answer to the following questions:

- What are the key components in the renaissance of Uruguay’s economy?

- How can Uruguay obtain investment during these turbulent economic times?

- What are the key components in a foreign investment promotion strategy?

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MERCOSUR”S FREIGHT PROBLEM? URUGUAY’S SOLUTION!
Indispensable to Mercosur’s continued success is a fast and affordable freight transportation network that will permit industrial integration and “just-in-time” delivery of components to assembly plants throughout the region.

Economic development experts have concluded that proposed improvements in Mercosur’s existing rail and road connections are not a satisfactory answer, and that a revolutionary change in freight transport technology is required. Pipeline Freight Transportation (“PFT”) appears to be the only technology that meets the experts’ criteria.

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ECONOMIC SOLUTION TO THE FALKLANDS/MALVINAS DILEMMA

A principal step towards a ‘diplomatic’ solution to the dilemma is to invite the Islands to become a member of Mercosur, the South American common market. Since sovereignty is becoming less important in a global economy, the differences over the Falkland’s/Malvinas sovereignty can be mitigated by including the islands into a regional trading block. In time the Falklands/Malvinas will be considered politically aligned with the Mercosur countries, while maintaining its traditional ties with Britain. With its rich natural resources, it will be a boon for the entire region and the friction over their sovereignty will be reduced.

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