Comments on: African Renaissance statue in Dakar angers locals http://cyrusfarivar.com/blog/2009/09/29/african-renaissance-statue-in-dakar-angers-locals/ "Being a good writer is 3% talent, 97% not being distracted by the Internet." Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:59:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Zayd http://cyrusfarivar.com/blog/2009/09/29/african-renaissance-statue-in-dakar-angers-locals/#comment-1586 Zayd Thu, 14 Jan 2010 11:47:27 +0000 http://cyrusfarivar.com/blog/?p=2578#comment-1586 Ozzie, im sorry you had a bad run in Senegal and yes there is a fair bit of corruption in Africa thats in your face where in other countries its less obvious. but ..... "And the sad thing is, Wade and Senegal are probably the best example of African leader and national governance on the continent." I dont know where you get this from. Its a very uninformed and reductionist. You obviously havent been to many countries in Africa or gone in with very blinkered eyes. There are some well run democracies in Africa - some albeit with challenges and deficiencies - and with good leaders. Ozzie, im sorry you had a bad run in Senegal and yes there is a fair bit of corruption in Africa thats in your face where in other countries its less obvious.

but …..

“And the sad thing is, Wade and Senegal are probably the best example of African leader and national governance on the continent.”

I dont know where you get this from. Its a very uninformed and reductionist. You obviously havent been to many countries in Africa or gone in with very blinkered eyes. There are some well run democracies in Africa – some albeit with challenges and deficiencies – and with good leaders.

]]> By: Ozzie http://cyrusfarivar.com/blog/2009/09/29/african-renaissance-statue-in-dakar-angers-locals/#comment-1585 Ozzie Thu, 31 Dec 2009 10:58:42 +0000 http://cyrusfarivar.com/blog/?p=2578#comment-1585 I was recently in Dakar. President Wade should be ashamed of himself for building such a monstrosity while city lacks basis public services like trash removal, sewage processing, electricity and potable water. I was there for only 3 days and there had to be over one dozen power outages. I saw a open channel in which there was what had to be raw sewage. There are no traffic lights in Dakar and driving is like every man for himself out there. Barkers come up to your car trying to sell everything from phone cards to t-shirts. The airport is horrible. Just as you come out you are accosted multiple times by men trying to sell you cab rides, currency exchange services, and phone cards. And I am sure someone went through my luggage and removed a few items. It is a fine 'how do you do' for an incoming tourist or business traveler. The streets are just plain filthy...and what covers up the filth is a lot of sand. I guess because it is an ocean coastal city Dakar is windswept. But it seems that no thought is given to sweeping up the sand that is everywhere on the streets, or erecting some kind of barriers so that sand from the beach does make it inland. And if it is the inland top soil that is sandy there is no smart land-use program to speak of. I managed to see the presidential motorcade while I was there. From the car that he has, a late model Mercedes stretch, I can tell that Wade likes nice things. He is well traveled to the West in his genuflecting for donors. So I know he knows how things could be better. But he just does not care...and as I look on the web and find pictures of him in the White House with President Bush, it seems like the West does not care either. As for my business there in Senegal. It is clear that nothing will happen unless there is some personal enrichment for Wade and his son, and probably every little minion below them. Pay the play was the call of the day. And the sad thing is, Wade and Senegal are probably the best example of African leader and national governance on the continent. I was recently in Dakar. President Wade should be ashamed of himself for building such a monstrosity while city lacks basis public services like trash removal, sewage processing, electricity and potable water. I was there for only 3 days and there had to be over one dozen power outages. I saw a open channel in which there was what had to be raw sewage. There are no traffic lights in Dakar and driving is like every man for himself out there. Barkers come up to your car trying to sell everything from phone cards to t-shirts.

The airport is horrible. Just as you come out you are accosted multiple times by men trying to sell you cab rides, currency exchange services, and phone cards. And I am sure someone went through my luggage and removed a few items. It is a fine ‘how do you do’ for an incoming tourist or business traveler.

The streets are just plain filthy…and what covers up the filth is a lot of sand. I guess because it is an ocean coastal city Dakar is windswept. But it seems that no thought is given to sweeping up the sand that is everywhere on the streets, or erecting some kind of barriers so that sand from the beach does make it inland. And if it is the inland top soil that is sandy there is no smart land-use program to speak of.

I managed to see the presidential motorcade while I was there. From the car that he has, a late model Mercedes stretch, I can tell that Wade likes nice things. He is well traveled to the West in his genuflecting for donors. So I know he knows how things could be better. But he just does not care…and as I look on the web and find pictures of him in the White House with President Bush, it seems like the West does not care either.

As for my business there in Senegal. It is clear that nothing will happen unless there is some personal enrichment for Wade and his son, and probably every little minion below them. Pay the play was the call of the day.

And the sad thing is, Wade and Senegal are probably the best example of African leader and national governance on the continent.

]]> By: nathalie http://cyrusfarivar.com/blog/2009/09/29/african-renaissance-statue-in-dakar-angers-locals/#comment-1584 nathalie Sat, 19 Dec 2009 22:06:15 +0000 http://cyrusfarivar.com/blog/?p=2578#comment-1584 where is the statue located exactly? where is the statue located exactly?

]]> By: Lucy http://cyrusfarivar.com/blog/2009/09/29/african-renaissance-statue-in-dakar-angers-locals/#comment-1583 Lucy Mon, 12 Oct 2009 01:41:47 +0000 http://cyrusfarivar.com/blog/?p=2578#comment-1583 Crazeeeeeeeee. All nonsense-- given the resources spent to build this and the poverty that's visible among nationals. http://manchestersquare.blogspot.com Crazeeeeeeeee. All nonsense– given the resources spent to build this and the poverty that’s visible among nationals.

http://manchestersquare.blogspot.com

]]> By: Senegal: President builds $27 million statue, claims tourism profits over "intellectual rights." | Newsblog http://cyrusfarivar.com/blog/2009/09/29/african-renaissance-statue-in-dakar-angers-locals/#comment-1582 Senegal: President builds $27 million statue, claims tourism profits over "intellectual rights." | Newsblog Wed, 07 Oct 2009 07:00:45 +0000 http://cyrusfarivar.com/blog/?p=2578#comment-1582 [...] African Renaissance statue in Dakar angers locals [...] [...] African Renaissance statue in Dakar angers locals [...]

]]> By: Twitted by theMTA http://cyrusfarivar.com/blog/2009/09/29/african-renaissance-statue-in-dakar-angers-locals/#comment-1581 Twitted by theMTA Wed, 07 Oct 2009 03:18:30 +0000 http://cyrusfarivar.com/blog/?p=2578#comment-1581 [...] This post was Twitted by theMTA [...] [...] This post was Twitted by theMTA [...]

]]> By: Senegal: President builds $27 million statue, claims tourism profits over "intellectual rights." | Geek News and Musings http://cyrusfarivar.com/blog/2009/09/29/african-renaissance-statue-in-dakar-angers-locals/#comment-1580 Senegal: President builds $27 million statue, claims tourism profits over "intellectual rights." | Geek News and Musings Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:00:40 +0000 http://cyrusfarivar.com/blog/?p=2578#comment-1580 [...] African Renaissance statue in Dakar angers locals [...] [...] African Renaissance statue in Dakar angers locals [...]

]]> By: Senegal: President builds $27 million statue, claims tourism profits over "intellectual rights." | dv8-designs http://cyrusfarivar.com/blog/2009/09/29/african-renaissance-statue-in-dakar-angers-locals/#comment-1579 Senegal: President builds $27 million statue, claims tourism profits over "intellectual rights." | dv8-designs Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:40:41 +0000 http://cyrusfarivar.com/blog/?p=2578#comment-1579 [...] African Renaissance statue in Dakar angers locals [...] [...] African Renaissance statue in Dakar angers locals [...]

]]> By: Senegal: President builds $27 million statue, claims tourism profits over "intellectual rights." | timnhanh.us http://cyrusfarivar.com/blog/2009/09/29/african-renaissance-statue-in-dakar-angers-locals/#comment-1578 Senegal: President builds $27 million statue, claims tourism profits over "intellectual rights." | timnhanh.us Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:06:02 +0000 http://cyrusfarivar.com/blog/?p=2578#comment-1578 [...] African Renaissance statue in Dakar angers locals [...] [...] African Renaissance statue in Dakar angers locals [...]

]]> By: Juliana http://cyrusfarivar.com/blog/2009/09/29/african-renaissance-statue-in-dakar-angers-locals/#comment-1577 Juliana Tue, 29 Sep 2009 20:51:26 +0000 http://cyrusfarivar.com/blog/?p=2578#comment-1577 I think I may have seen the sculpture from the Dakar airport... misplaced priorities, laid to bare in just one picture... well, the soccer game is a nice addition to the celebrations I think I may have seen the sculpture from the Dakar airport…
misplaced priorities, laid to bare in just one picture… well, the soccer game is a nice addition to the celebrations

]]>