Switzerland’s Legendary banking secrecy is saving our corrupt politicians and others. “The blackTrillion” article in Tehelka says that The US Justice Department is trying to break this to go after American Tax evaders (52,000 customers with $14.8 billion) as compared to $ 1.45 trillion ( numbers- GOK) from Indian Customers. Though UBS is prepared to pay $ 780 million tax fraud amount to USA, it cannot reveal the names of depositors under the law. Swiss court has blocked the move to release the details of depositors. Court order that arms the European Country’s National Regulator, FINMA in this regard will protect the secrecy of corrupt Indians depositors though Americans, by and large, deposit in Swiss banks to evade Tax. Good news is that The Banks will in future monitor future deposits origin, stringently (safe haven for Drug money). Hence, those who are optimistic in getting the details of $1.45 Trillion by pushing Indian Govt may relax till International pressure, mainly American pressure is there on Swiss Govt. Since we are discussing everything under the sky I thought that this piece of info reg. legality is needed . T.Vidyadhar
--- On Tue, 3/3/09, Promod Kapur <[email protected]> wrote: From: Promod Kapur <[email protected]> Subject: CAF3080 Re: Abide ..the papers themselves. To: [email protected] Date: Tuesday, 3 March, 2009, 12:32 PM Well said and well done Vijay. Very little to choose between Status quo-ists and habitual cribbers these days, who often times call themselves critiques. Major Kapur On Tue, Mar 3, 2009 at 10:30 AM, Vijay Menon <[email protected]> wrote: Sorry all...a very long note. Maybe some of u will have the patience!! Elsewhere in this group, the whole democratic/constitutional/ transparent aspects of Abide/Jangaraha etc are being discussed. I have my personal views on this. Essentially that, say Abide is, as at least as constitutional/ democratic/ transparent as anything else we have. Also for me after years of working in an imperfect but highly demanding world , I have preferred to look at results rather than minute hair splitting on the method, within some set of basic norms. However I do not want to get too much into that, but into another aspect....the actual papers/recommendations that abide have brought out and which are in public domain. Interestingly there is no comment / study or a critique of this in our group. (NOTE:I have uploaded some files on the files section. but could not load the larger files .Do go to www.abidebengaluru.in to see the whole files/papers etc. My "umble" feeling is that if all of us at CAF had spent the same energy and time in looking and commenting on the final papers rather than a debate on the genesis of Abide, we could serve both ours and the public at large interests better .In that I would want to ask CAF to consider if we are in the danger of being cribbers rather than a group that engages constructively. So here goes..Only to get this going... (If there is such an interest in the group).And below are my initial opinions A) Govern Blre paper: Perhaps the best one I have seen so far on the topic.Borrrows heavily from kasturirangan recommendations, but differ at crucial areas especially in --"single authority "concepts. --responsibilities and accountabilities of the system (elected mayor etc) --Strengthening of ward concepts. --introduction of “neighborhood area committee" under ward to decide at a very local level what they want (even up to land use conversions/ commercial usage of space) --Broad guidelines for contracting. --Strengthening of transparency and discloure..Including Strengthening of lok ayuktha act. --Focus on environment, heritage and beauty...restarting of "Bangalore Urban arts commission" Note: I suspect that the financing portion will come under some criticism from the proverbial "status quoist" ,"Pseudo --socialist” because there is more than a small mention of User fees.!!! B) Road and traffic management. Some of the main guiding directive principles are --"public transport and pedestrian amenities are of prime importance" --"Equip suburban areas so as to decongest core city" ---'Elimination of silos in public administration of traffic and transport" --"Improve utilization of existing capacities" A good paper with a fair amount of specific worked out proposals ..rther than just directions.and these will tend to happen , in my opinion. And quite a bit more> Note: I suspect however the naysayers will pick on one issue; Say the BIG 10 arterial roads, to focus efforts of their general abhorrence with Abide! And there are 2 other papers: -Secure Bangalore: (law enforcement paper)I think this is the weakest document. -Urban poor: A tome..I guess Anita Reddy had a hand in this. and I would baulk at even considering commenting on her work. and any way I do not know much in this area. So the important issues: a) Are abides plans /reccos really elitist or is it just that we cannot stomach page 3 personlaities.Perhaps we need to separate persons from the plan. b) Do we focus one some of the not so great aspects of the plans to bring down the entire Abide initiative? c) Do we recognize that Abide also needs support to get some of the more radical, new methods proposals (which by the way are not elitist)...And do we try to give that support. d) And does CAF participate actively in this planning and administration process or sit by the wayside cribbing. Decide… the Abide process is very much on in Bangalore, one way or another. Vijayan Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Go to http://messenger.yahoo.com/invite/ --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Citizens' Action Forum" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/citizens-action-forum?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
