I hope Ghanaians aren't offended by this comparison. Spiders play an important role in Akan culture, having apparently inspired the invention of weaving, and the famous folklore trickster Ananse is a spider.  I think they are pretty cool too. But not on your car windscreen while you're driving.

Ghana is a densely populated country, with approximately the same population as Australia (22 million) in an area not that much bigger than the state of Victoria (Ghana: 238,540 sq km, Vic: 227,600 Sq km). That's a tight squeeze. Perhaps not as tight as the LA basin, where my niece told me that about 20 million people live, but there's virtually no high rise accommodation here, plus in LA it's probably more true to say you are never more than a few metres from a car.

I was shocked the first couple of times I came here. Being surrounded by people almost all the time was one of the things I found most confronting. Although when I returned to Oz I was almost equally shocked by the absence of people from the streets except in shopping centres.

Even on the road to Mensakrom, which is, if not remote, at least off the beaten track, you can't drive more than a kilometre without seeing people: women with babies on their backs and baskets of farm produce on their heads, school children walking to or from school, men with cutlasses on their way to the farm or weeding the verge.

On my trip north, we could drive further without seeing people – but not much. We spotted cowherds with their animals, farmers bent over the newly planted fields, bicycles and people propped against mango trees, children playing and adults working near small family compounds. If anything, people were more visible in this savannah country than in the thick foliage of the rainforest zone.

But it is in the cities and towns, and along major roads, that you really notice the population. Like in the country, there are people engaged in their day to day business by the roadside. Schools, shops, light industry and manufacturing, food vendors, bars, and anywhere that the traffic slows down or stops, hawkers. This is a good thing, because it means you can buy almost any household item or snack that you require, without leaving your vehicle. As long as you're on the ball and have spare change handy. Morning commuters could easily purchase a cheap and nutritious breakfast of snacks on the way to work without leaving their car.

Hawkers, mostly young women, run to the side of your vehicle with iced filtered water (sold in 500ml plastic bags), bofrots (basically donut holes sweetened with honey) peanuts in the shell and boiled eggs. These are the staples of roadside sales everywhere I've been so far, although North of Tamale, on bus stops at river crossings, there were few bofrots but plenty of fish. Fried fish, dried fish, smoked fish, take your pick. I didn't. But I did say to ActionMan, who was absorbed in his PSP and trying to shut it all out, "You know your'e in Ghana when complete strangers thrust gaping fish heads through your bus window."

If your vehicle starts to move while you are in the middle of a sale, the vendor will run beside it until the transaction's completed, with passengers yelling out to the driver that he can't speed up yet. Sometimes the driver ignores or doesn't hear this plea, with the result that either buyer or, more commonly, seller, is disgruntled.

Recently I saw a man haggling over the piece of fish he was buying, and I'm sure he ended up with the one he didn't really want, because the bus took off too soon. Another time, I witnessed a plastic ice-cream sachet hurtling through the air – the buyer had thrown it out of the car, in the middle of a busy road, either because he changed his mind or discovered he didn't have the right change. The hawker was justifiably annoyed, although luckily the sachet didn't break, so perhaps he could resell it. But mostly the system seems to work, and of course if you are in a private taxi or car, you can stop as often and for as long as you like.

The Sunyani Road, which we take into the city, gets very congested for a stretch where the road is being widened and a new overpass is being built. You can buy yellow Vicks cough lozenges there – they seem to be a local speciality. You can lean out the window and gesture to women sitting by the road selling roasted corn or yams or fruit, and call “fa bre me barkun” (bring me one). The current roundabout - the one that's to be replaced - serves as a stop for trotros, and there you can buy T-rolls (toilet paper), biscuits, bread, plantain chips, bofrots, yams and cement. One day I spotted a man with pink and white blow up plastic .... maybe they were swans .... or perhaps herons ....

There's also a young man with a special spot beside one of the huge red mounds of earth that's waiting to be levelled on Sunyani Road. He stands there wearing a small backpack, offering a single pair of very tiny, very clean, toddler's running shoes for inspection by the passing traffic. Unless selling toiletres or stationery, people are usually only selling one product.

The closer you get to the city the more you can buy: Ghana brand chocolates, handkerchiefs, document folders, towels, tissues, dust brushes and sometimes pillows, twelve at a time stacked improbably on young men's heads. In one hand they carry the rope that ties the bundle and helps them balance it. There seems to be a gender division of labour, with women monopolising the food items and water, and men, except for ice cream and chocolate, mostly selling the non-edible items.

At lorry and taxi parks there is even more variety, and a lot more noise, as with greater competition, people seem to feel the need for loud promotions: “nsuooooo – puuure watair”, “bofrooots”, “ akosua-ni-markooo” (boiled eggs & chilli), “biscuit”, “Fan Ice Yogo” (icecream & frozen yoghurt), “sweet abrobe” (sliced pineapple). I guess they also have to be loud to get the attention of the bored passengers waiting for their buses to depart, and to compete against the trotro conductors who are calling out destinations: “Nkawka-Nkawkaw-Nkawkaw”, “K'dua-K'dua-K'dua”, “Goaso-Goaso-Goaso".

At Kejetia (which always sounds like “Ketia” to me), the main trotro station in Kumasi, you can buy, as well as everything above mentioned, toys, dolls, pens, notebooks, mobile phone accessories, torches, gadgets, soap, toothpaste & brushes, razors, perfume, skin creams, detergent sachets, newspapers, juice, meat pies, condensed milk lollies, sponges, jewelery, sunglasses and more, mostly sold from aluminium bowls or trays, or perspex and wooden boxes, carried on the head. Of course. Sometimes in huge stacks. Jewelery is one of the exceptions, being sold in small, glass fronted display cases.

When sitting in a stationary vehicle in a bus station – or in slow moving traffic anywhere – it's important to ignore the hawkers unless you actually want something. This is easy for Ghanaians, because they are used to it, but it's all so new to me, and I'm so fascinated that I just want to look, look, look. However even looking is construed as an invitation by the hawkers. It's a bit like being at an auction, where the slightest gesture is loaded with meaning, and can bring a crowd surging towards you.

Around the perimeter of the station and along some of the bus stalls, women sit surrounded by aluminium basins and closed plastic containers of rice, yams, salads and stews, which you can eat in – from a bowl on a wooden bench behind the stall – or out, from a plastic bag. Some of the larger stalls even have little cafes attached, so you really can eat inside, at plastic clothed tables, with religious posters or sporting calendars to look at, and plastic bowls of water in which to wash your hands.

Kejetia tro-tro station is adjacent to the market of the same name, allegedly the biggest market in all of West Africa, and it is there that you really feel the pressure of population. The whole area around the market and the station is packed with people. Here, you are rarely more than a centimetre from another human being. Perhaps that should be millimetre. This intimacy is complicated from above and below by people's head loads and the uneven ground: disused railway tracks, broken concrete, puddles, holes in the ground, semi-open drains. You can't avoid being close. And I haven't yet even ventured into the middle of the market, just skirted the edges. When I plunge into the centre, which I plan to do soon, you'll be hearing about it. If I get out alive.

So really, when you sum it all up, a household of 20 people is quite a tranquil place to come home to.

不設劃位

與現代化的管理”體系”剛好相反, 走鬼檔缺乏管理, 沒有守則, 這裏不會有人跟你說只准做這, 不准做那, 但這裏衣然是午飯時段工廠妹的消費旺地。這裏不設劃位, 但每天他們都回到他們所在應有的位置。今天你在這裏擺, 你要是本來在這裏走開了幾天, “隔離鄰舍”會替你看守幾日, 那才不會被人佔用。這種管理模式, 當然和領匯和現今的物業管理思維(例如每日每小時有人看管和簽到)不能同日而喻。

小販與使用者的共識

這裏的小販, 既有規律性地出現, 亦同時得到小販的使用者和街道的使用者的肯定。附近的工人就是小販區的使用者- 他們會知道”到時到候”, 中午吃飯時段的空檔, 這裏會有賣雞腳的阿叔, 有賣咸濕野(零食)的伯伯, 有賣衣服的阿姐, 還有其他賣玉器, 日常小用品(指甲鉗、梳之類)的攤檔。

而這條明明其他時間都是車行路。貨車, 在這個工廠區, 他們是馬路的主要使用者。但一到中午時段, 巧明街忽然成了行人專用區, 似乎都有了不而言喻的默契。車輛知道這個時段穿不過, 索性改行其他通道, 又或者轉一個時段再來。這是行人權和車行權共享的一個曾經活生生的例子。在繁忙的工廠區街道, 在需要上落貨的工廠門口, 沒有開過多少次會, 沒有談判桌, 但這種人和車的共識, 還是在這條街體現出來。

關於社區共識, 近年我們常常見政府官員高姿態地與各組織開戶, 謀求”達成共識”, 但究竟共識是要閉門坐在圓枱上談出來, 還是我們只要開放空間讓大家在生活中協調出來? 這裏似乎與現在的談判和會談之外, 多了另一種選擇。

在工廠門口擺檔的轉型期

直至九十年代中, 政府收緊了管理無牌小販, 檔口買少見少。為求繼續生計, 較幸運的, 例如賣衫阿姐, 在停車場口的看更阿叔默許下,在門口擺一個小檔。這是走鬼小販和”梗位”之間的一個轉型期。

這些門口位既有走鬼成份(並非正式租戶), 需要面對市政的阻街檢控(如出了工廠範圍, 把部份貨品擺到街上), 但同時”有瓦遮頭”, 有了一個相對固定的地方。只是這個轉型期並不長久, 沒多長時間, 由於其他人投訴, 這些門口臨時檔位亦逐部萎縮。事實上, 隨上傳統工廈被新的商廈取代, 停車場入門由變成見到阿叔到只見到八達通機, 工廠門口檔進一步被取替。取而代之的是只能向地舖進發。

但做一個小商販, 又有多少個可以付得地舖的租去賣老花鏡和指甲鉗?

從街道, 到門口位, 到梗舖, 我們正在慢慢吞噬空間的使用而不自知。

見證觀塘工廠區二十年的賣衫阿姐

走鬼檔(無牌小販)在今時今日的觀塘買少見少。曾幾何時，觀塘工廠區的小販成行成市。巧明街的賣衫阿姐, 見證著這區的小販的興衰。在筆者眼中, 阿姐絕對不是小人物....

(閱讀全文)

寫在阿姐退休之前

2008年6月28日將是阿姐榮休的日子。女兒己長大成人她, 沒有了擔子, 面臨加租50%的壓力, 阿姐決定提早退休。不過說到為何提早退休, 阿姐第一件事提到的是: 這裏空氣差了很多, 特別是建了那麼多商業大廈之後。究竟觀塘工廠區的發展發生了什麼事? 還是在2008年, 我們應該叫它作”觀塘商業區”?重建後的觀塘市中心會令這情況惡化嗎?

從工廠妹到小販

盡管阿姐現在租梗位賣時裝, 八十年代末, 阿姐在這區打工時正是這一帶的工業興旺期。A廠要人便到那兒車衣, B廠要做加工, 便到B工工作, 據阿姐所講, 真的”唔休冇野做”。阿姐性格開朗, 在工作期間認識了不少廠家, 而剛巧當時的巧明街兩旁有不少流動小販, 與其四出替人打工, 不如自己做一個小老闆, 於是便跟各認識的廠商買辦, 在巧明街擺檔賣衣飾, 一做便做了二十多年。

在特定時間和特定地點出現的小販

一說到當年的小販, 阿姐便露出喜悅的神色, 說過不停。在駿業里和開源道短短一節的巧明街, 每逢12:00-2:00的時間, 沒有約定, 沒有張揚, 小販們推著車仔, 從附近出租擺放車仔的工廠單位, 來到這裏擺檔。

怎樣才可以在這裏擺檔呢? 阿姐說, 外面都說要交什麼”砣地”,又品流複雜之類,可她一直都沒有見過。一開始時是”見有空位,迫下迫下,大家又沒出聲,便擺下來了!”原來,就是這麼簡單!(還是我們想得複雜了?!) 相比”現代化”的今天,我們都慣了講程序和步驟, 但在這裏, 顯然有他們的另一套邏輯。

小販、道友和市政的共生關係

今天的食環(食物及環境衞生署的簡稱), 以前的, 叫市政(前市政局負責管理小販事宜)。今天, 我們拉人封艇,充公物品。被市政捉過的阿姐說, 以前只是閒事, 市政會沒收部份的東西, 最多也是給數百元的堂費, 做小販的待遇還不算太差。阿姐會用”有人情味”來形容以前的市政, 大家都”揾食”,不會做得太過份。只要在市政走過來之前用綠色帆布蓋著貨品, 那便沒事。

更何況有人負責”睇水”:他們就是附近的道友。小販們夾錢”請”他們幫忙在小販檔的外圍睇水,一有市政來便大叫”走鬼啊”,他們便收拾行裝。阿姐稱這些日子”好好玩”。小販們一檔夾五元找道友睇水, 而他們又有一份另類的工作, 各有各揾食。

在工廠區變天和重建在即的今天

聽著阿姐說著當年的事而眉飛色舞, 聽著她說現在生意很難做、各樣條件都不利在街上工作時皺著眉頭, 究竟街道的空間是為誰而設? 我們杜絕小販在街上; 我們在四圍建盡是玻璃幕場的高樓把熱氣都排在街上; 我們的高地價把工業都迫走, 工廠區人去留空; 我們重建舊區, 將小店子趕走, 連鎖店佔據各大商場...

我們還留了什麼在街道? 我們還有讓人們在街上行走的空間嗎?

Hawkers leaders from around the country met the Home Minister, Mr. Shivraj Patil, who has been made the Chairman of Empowered Group of Ministers to draft Livelihood Protection and Regulation of Street Vending Bill and discussed the threats to hawkers.

The hawkers leaders were lead by Medha Patkar, Working President, National Hawkers Federation and Saktiman Ghosh, General Secretary, National Hawkers Federation. The leaders were joined by Mr. Abani Roy, Prominent Parliamentarian, Raju Bhise, President, YUVA, Dharmendra Kumar, Director, India FDI Watch and Cheryl of Socialist Hawkers Union.

The leaders demanded mandatory implementation of the National Policy on Urban Street Vendors by all States and Municipalities and called for decriminalization of street vending by amendment to the Indian Penal Code, Police Act, and all relevant state and Municipal acts. They demanded a complete ban on foreign direct investment in retail and comprehensive regulation of domestic corporations who are hijacking the retail trade of hawkers.

The leaders demanded a complete ban on all corporations selling fruits, vegetables, groceries, and daily use goods. The leaders also demanded social security for hawkers, including pension, maternity, and health benefits.

The Home Minister assured the delegation to incorporate their demands in the proposed draft.

Addressing a press conference later, Medha Patkar accused Mukesh Ambani of being shameless to announce to "double" their profit from Reliance Fresh. Shaktiman Ghosh announced a march to parliament during its winter session to forward hawkers demands.

Hawkers represent one of the largest contingents of the unorganized sector, which constitutes 93% of the workforce and contributes 65% of the country’s GDP.

In Solidarity !

Dharmendra Kumar
Director
India FDI Watch
M-9871179084
Email :
dkfordignity@yahoo.co.uk
dkfordignity@gmail.com

The committee has already heard some oral evidence and has also undertaken on the spot study visits to some places. The Committee would also like to receive inputs from a wider cross section of stakeholders and the public at large.

Please do submit your views and suggestions to the Committee. You may send your written memoranda (either in English or Hindi) on the above subject to :

Shri Surinder Kumar Watts
Director
Rajya Sabha Secretariat
240, Second Floor
Parliament House Annexe
New Delhi-110001
Tel: 011-23034240
Fax: 011-23013158

You can also email at watts@sansad.nic.in

Those desirous of being heard in person may indicate their willingness in their written suggestions / views.

Note: The last date for submission is 12 July 2008.

( A reference draft is given below. You are welcome to use it for drafting your memorandum )

In Solidarity !
Dharmendra Kumar
Director
India FDI Watch
M-9871179084
Email: dkfordignity@yahoo.co.uk

dkfordignity@gmail.com
======================

Memorandum to the Standing Committee on Commerce on Foreign and domestic investment in retail sector

To,

Shri Surinder Kumar Watts
Director
Rajya Sabha Secretariat
240, Second Floor
Parliament House Annexe
New Delhi-110001
Tel: 011-23034240
Fax: 011-23013158

Email: watts@sansad.nic.in

Sir,

India is a land of retail democracy- hundreds of thousands of weekly haats and bazaars are located across the length and breadth of our country by people's own self-organizational capacities.
Our streets are bazaars / open markets - lively, vibrant, safe and the source of livelihood for millions.

In a country with large numbers of people, and high levels of poverty, the existing model of retail democracy is the most appropriate in terms of economic viability and ecological sustainability. The huge hype of the entry of corporate retail into India is infact nothing but a HIJACK of our vibrant, well organized, multi faceted, quality conscious, consumer friendly, Retail Service Economy.
Corporate retail will not create two million jobs -- it will destroy 38 million livelihoods - the backbone of Indian unorganized retail economy.
People involved in running small shops, redis and street markets. The growth being projected as a new contribution to the economy hides the destruction of the contribution of the 40 million people involved in small retail to the Indian economy. Indian trade is highly organized and has existed for centuries on the basis of low cost and high efficiency. India needs the self organized skills of our traders, shopkeeper, hawkers and vendors both to provide employment to millions and affordable friendly community service for basic needs to society.

Our retail democracy is characterized by :

1. High levels of livelihoods in retail with nearly 40 million employed which accounts for 8% of the employment and 4% of the entire population.
2. High levels of self organisation.
3. Low capital input
4. High levels of decentralization

India has the highest shop density in the world, with 11 outlets per 1000 people. This number is very high compared to international average. It is the high level of decentralization in Indian market that keeps all these businesses running.
The existing decentralized retail environment in India, is the model for the future democratic, decentralized markets of the world.
Certainly not the so called "Undeveloped Retail", requiring massive inputs of centralized, global, whimsical, unregulated, injection of speculative capital and logistics operations, governed by investor board rooms.
Unfortunately, there are people who are favouring the model that is increasingly being rejected by the developed countries and large sections of civil society in developed countries, who do not want to be force fed by a handful of consolidated retail chains.

The entry of the giant corporate retail in India's food market will have direct impact on India's 650 million farmers and 40 million people employed in retail. If we take examples of other countries, we can see that nowhere ( YES NOWHERE in the developed world, even where sophisticated Independent Market Regulatory Policies and Anti Monopoly regimes, with legal teeth and crippling penalty imposing powers, are in place ! ) have these corporations ever thought about the fragile connections between the People, Society and the Ecology.
Entry of Mega Corporations in Indian food market, will have disastrous political, social, economic and ecological outcomes in time to come, going much beyond the existing stakeholders.

IMPACTS OF CORPORATE ENTRY INTO RETAIL :

SOCIO - ECONOMIC IMPACT :

Livelihood of millions of small and big shopkeepers will be uprooted to set up the chain of corporation owned retail.

After farming, retailing is India's major occupation. Census 2001 provides us the most authentic data on people involved in retail. According to it, there were 269 lakh `main' and 24 lakh marginal workers in wholesale and retail trade. That is, nearly three crore people depend on trade, 1.1 crore in the urban and 1.9 crore in the rural areas. Of the total, nearly 1.7 crore are not even matriculates. Thus, the livelihood of more than 30 million is involved and if we count the dependents, in the form of children and others, at least 120 million will be impacted by the retail revolution created by the large corporations. The growth of corporate retail will take place by destroying the self-organized small retail in India.

In past researches have shown us that a growth in unemployment leads to a series of social problems, like rise in poverty, alcoholism, domestic violence, indebtedness, suicides, crime and have major implications by even making the political situation unstable. If we are following the American model of Walmart where the store employee gets a salary which is below the poverty line and the top management gets millions of dollars every year. We are following a trend that increases the divide between rich and the poor and history has shown us that these divide have always led to social unrest and political turmoil of a nation.

In the long run the independence of the farmer will be lost

Reliance and Walmart are presenting themselves as friends and liberators of farmers and they refer to small traders as middleman, as if they are not giant middleman. Atleast in the case of small traders, farmers have a choice in terms of whom to sell. The APMC Acts also ensures that farmers would get a fair price and there would be no single buyer. In contrast, Reliance and Walmart are monopolistic (a situation when there is one buyer and too many sellers) buyers who in due course of time will drive down procurement prices of agricultural and manufactured products.

They claim that they are paying more to the farmers, but the truth is that they are at present procuring from the existing mandis all across the nation, and not straight from the farmers, so there is no question of paying better returns to the farmers.

We have seen the dismantling of mandis in last couple of years in various parts of the country. The primary force behind this was the corporate entry into the supply chain management of food. It is true that this year they have paid better prices to the farmers than the mandis, what is threatening is the reduction in the number of options the farmer is left with to sell his/her crop. Similarly for the manufactured goods, the prices paid by the retails giants might be more competitive than others, but after other retails are wiped out, how many options will the producer have to sell his/her products. Farmers will be bound to produce as per the will of these corporations and have to sell at cheaper prices as decided by them. The experience of farmers of west has been the like this. If we also keep moving in the same fashion and there is no doubt that our farmers will also have to face such situation.

Threat to the existing industries :

Moreover another threat that we will be facing is the opening of a giant pipeline of cheaply sourced goods from China, Thailand, ASEAN, etc., leading to livelihood losses on a massive scale in India. This will be very harmful for our manufacturing sector and specifically our small scale industries. Our manufacturing sector is not as developed as these countries and competing with them at this time means wiping out our manufacturing industries.

ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH IMPACT :

Climate change :

Climate change due to air pollution is already becoming a threat to human life. Temperatures are rising, sea level is rising and glaciers are melting. The imperative in the contaxt of climate change is to prevent increase of use of fossil fuel. Our hawker, redi wala and kirana store is the solution to climate change.The Reliance , Bharti- Walmart model will increase fossil fuel use and carbon emissions. Further destabilizing the climate the super market Lorries will consume huge amount of fuel and lead to enormous pollution. Even if we go by conservative estimates the super market Lorries in India will generate more than 7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, adding more problems to the already fragile environment of the country. When petroleum is becoming more and scarcer, the Lorries of these supermarkets will consume more than 1 billion litre of petroleum per year.

For refrigeration of the vegetables and fruits, and for air-conditioning the retail outlets atleast 20,000 megawatt of additional electricity will be needed. We need to burn millions of tonnes of coal everyday to get this energy; the carbon-di-oxide released from burning this coal will substantially affect the climate patterns of the country. We are already in a stage where the present levels of pollution, and carbon-di-oxide emissions is going to wipe out the human existence out of world in a few years, at this point creating any model that increases carbon-di-oxide in the environment will be disastrous to all of us, even the propagators of this model.

Excessive Pesticides and Preservative in our food : The giant retail chains have their own standards of buying farm produce impacting on agricultural practices of independent farmers. Without using excessive pesticides it is very difficult for a farmer to produce fruits and vegetable which fits into the standards, so they are forced to use excessive insecticides and pesticides. Once these farm produce come to the retail giants, they sell it throughout the year, by preserving them in cold storage, but in the process a lot of preservatives are also added to the food. So at the end when a consumer gets a “preserved†vegetable from these giant stores, it is full of toxic material harmful for consumption.

Packaging of food creates a huge amount of unnecessary waste in the already polluted cities, woefully lacking, immense investments in waste recycling and disposal of food packagings.
At a time when every city and City Municipal Council, in the country is struggling to solve the problem of solid waste and refuse from urban environments, increase in the packaging waste, due to the mall culture will add to their woes.
Will these corporates and investment barons carry the financial and health burden of this packaging waste recycling and food wastage ?

The existing land fills are getting filled and then more land of the poor farmers will be acquired to make landfills for Reliance's and Walmart's packaging waste.

Sir, Corporate Retail giants like Walmart, Carrefour, Reliance and Tesco have become agents of destruction of skilled and semi skilled employment, community sharing practices, and respect for the local environment.
These mega retail brands have become known as Big Brands, in developed economies for all the wrong reasons, leaving behind, priced out Farmers forced to leave farming, and consumers identified by Shopper ID and Shopping Points !!
Across the world, movements are going on to create local farmers markets and street markets to resist the monoculture and monopolies of supermarkets. But alas, they come too late in the developed world, where only a small minority of overall population, constitutes the farming community and merchants.
Farmers in developed countries have been priced out of sustainable farming by food retail companies, into social security nets of developed countries.
Not so in India, which lacks even a semblance of legal infrastructure, citizen livelihood security, unemployment benefits and social security investments by federal or state governments !!
India has the diversity and the decentralization that large sections of increasingly restive civil society of the developed countries are seeking.
Let us not allow the destruction of our rich and robust small scale retail at this important and decisive phase of our collective retail democracy.
Let us not vote for monopolies, trade blocs, angel investors, venture funds, hedge fund investors, speculators, and invisible corporate boardroom investors, by playing illogically and against our collective self interest, with the diversity of our existing retail infrastructure.
Let us protect our diversified, decentralized retail democracy. Save our livelihoods, save our farmers, save our traders, save our communities, save our citizens. Save India.
Charter of Demands :

A Enact strict law to ban all corporations in retail and agriculture

B Cancel all Wholesale Cash-N-Carry permission granted to foreign corporations & immediately stop the backdoor entry of Wal-Mart

C Formulate a National Policy on Regulating Retail Trade and Small Manufacturing Industries

D Implement the National Policy on Urban Street Vendors in all states and municipalities with central financial support.

E Institute Independent Special Task Force comprising representatives of stakeholders to Study on the Socio-Economic-Environmental and Cultural Impact of Corporate Retail

F Enact stiff binding laws against predatory pricing, cartelization, price fixation, speculation, mergers and anti-competitive conduct of corporations

G Repeal the APMC Model Act

H Decriminalize street vending by amendment to the Indian Penal Code, Police Act, and all relevant State and Municipal acts.

I Protect natural markets

Provide social security for hawkers, including pension, maternity, and health benefits

Then we were off to the Fragrant Harbour. We stayed at Holiday Inn again and proceeded to revisit familiar haunts nearby. Stocked up at the outlets at Nathan Road, ran through Canton Road, then on to the promenade for coffee in time for the Symphony of Lights.

Since the kids weren't around this time, my husband and I decided to skip the tourist traps. We ventured outside of the city map and looked up the address of Bowling City via GPRS. The hunt for the newest bowling lanes in Hongkong took us to Kowloon Bay in East Kowloon. A little off the beaten track, but totally worth the trip. Marc loved the flatscreens that instantaneously displayed not only the scoresheet, but even the player's statistics, such as average ball speeds, percentages of split conversions, etc. Giant murals fronting each of the 48 lanes, colored lanterns and leather seats completed the interior. At HK$42 per game, the diversion was a bit pricey, but the new synthetic lanes allowed for easier strikes. My husband was even thrilled to chance upon the Chinese national bowling team practising at the center lanes.

Ordinarily, I would not have gone to Festival Walk in Kowloon Tong. I'm glad we went there, though, since I found an H&M outlet there that provided me with inexpensive but fashionable finds.

Tired of traipsing around, my husband went back to The Gateway to watch What Happens In Vegas, while I merrily returned to scour my favorite shops in Harbour City.

Tsim Tsa Tsui is as comfortably crowded and oriental as it gets and we opted to have some of our meals at the small diners that abound in the area, especially when we got hungry at 2 a.m.. Some restaurants did not have English menus, so we just pointed to the pictures and crossed our fingers, hoping that the chicken-looking dish was really chicken and not some exotic frog. Luckily, the photos on the menus did not disappoint and we were treated to good Cantonese cooking. Some of the tea served tasted like sewage, though.

Of course, we had gambling in mind when we went to Macau. We made the obligatory pit stops in the ruins of St. Paul's cathedral and the Senate Square, munching on an egg tart along the way. We found the Grand Lisboa and Casino Lisboa to be somewhat of a letdown, as they were no different from regular casinos.

But the Venetian was simply sensational! Sister to the Sands and located at Taipa Island, the Venetian offers something for every whim and for every price. It is a hotel, shopping destination, giant casino, resort and entertainment venue--all designed to titillate your senses and empty your pockets. The golden-rimmed murals at the lobby was one thing; the blue skies and overcast clouds at the canals fueled one's imagination. The gondolas and the singing gondola drivers clad in striped shirts and red scarves certainly aimed to conjure up images of Venice with their operatic voices. That is, if you overlook the distinctly Filipino features of the gondola drivers. And the man on the stilts who called me "Madam Kabayan". And the mime. The singing gondola drivers were so good that they must have been music majors once upon a time. If memory serves me right, when my daughter and I went to HongKong Disneyland two years ago, the singing and dancing Disney characters were also Filipino.

So much for Venice in a teacup.

Which is why I had Vietnamese barbecue at the Venetian. It just felt right.

The decision has hit the hawkers hard, they have completely refused to budge from their present locations.
“There is no other place more profitable than these sites. No customer would travel all the way to Ghoom or Lebong to buy goods from us. It is unjust and we will be deprived of our livelihood,” said Mr Dilip Pradhan, secretary of the Hawkers’ Union, Darjeeling.

The hawkers have already cut down on the space they use on the roads to display their wares. “Earlier our shops extended to about two feet on the road but now we have reduced it to one foot. The municipality can work on widening the space of the road in these locations instead of removing us,” said Mr Basant Chettri, a stall owner at Orient Line.

“We will not create any trouble and will follow every norm and rule set by the municipality if it allows us to trade from here. Our families sustain on this business,” added another stall owner, Mrs Buddhimaya Sarki. The Darjeeling Municipality's decision has raised the obvious question of who allowed the hawker's to establish their shops in the first place. “These people have been holding stalls in the streets since ages. It seems that the administration has suddenly woken up to this fact. Didn't they think of this problem when they were accepting salamis from these hawkers,” questioned Mrs Khudu Pradhan, president of the Pathpasal Sangh. [The Statesman]

Arvind Singhal: Liberating the retail sector

http://www.business-standard.com/common/news_article.php?leftnm=lmnu2&subLeft=3&autono=324337&tab=r

The report must be read more carefully, and with an open mind, by those vociferous elements in the UPA government (read: Left parties), Mayawati of BSP, and our own Don Quixotes going by names such as India FDI Watch.

Retail giants operating without license
Making the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation a captive, retail giants are setting up shops in various centres in the city. Big Bazaar still functions without the Corporation’s licence, said Mayor C. Jayan Babu.

ITC Chaupal Fresh expansion on hold

ITC, the fresh vegetable retailer under the brands Choupal Fresh have hit a pause on their expansion plans. Currently the company operates 24 Choupal Sagars - large format rural stores that complement the e-choupal initiative. It also has 27 Choupal Fresh stores in Hyderabad, Pune and Chandigarh.

Australian farmers "ripped off" by supermarkets

In Australia, the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) has told the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission into grocery pricing that the major grocery chains are ripping off consumers and farmers by labelling the same products differently.

K. RAHEJA HyperCity to abandon neighbourhood store format

K. Raheja-owned HyperCITY Retail has abandoned plans announced last year to launch a neighbourhodd store format under the ExpressCITY banner.

Food prices are growing, but farmers' share of the profit is not

The farmer's share of the retail food dollar is about the same today as it was in the 1970s. Take corn, for example. According to economists at the American Farm Bureau Federation, the farmer receives less than 8 cents for the corn used in an 18-ounce box of corn flakes selling for $3.30 at the grocery store. It is pretty much the same for a loaf of bread. The farmer receives about 16 cents from a loaf of bread that sells for $1.78. The farmer's share of a 5-pound bag of flour costing $2.39 is $1.10.

Govt needs to chalk out national retail policy: Assocham

The government needs to formulate a national retail policy to facilitate co-existence of both organised and unorganised retail, besides setting up an independent regulator for governing the retailing sector, a report by industry body Assocham says.

Decision on FDI in retail unlikely in UPA regime

apart from the broad political opposition, the Government has come under severe pressure from scores of trade and industry bodies from across the country against FDI in retail. A total of 44 trade and industry associations have represented to the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP)

Organised retail to capture 25 pc market by 2011

In a surprise finding that organised retail is growing faster than expected in India, a study has forecast that this segment could account for a quarter of the total retail revenues by 2011 from the current 8 per cent share.

Retail will drive growth of fruits and vegetables: Pawar

According to the ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, about 72 per cent of the fruit and vegetable produced in the country goes waste because of lack of proper retailing and adequate storage capacity. P K Mishra, secretary in the ministry's department of agriculture and co-operation, said so while was speaking at a Fruit and Vegetable Summit organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

Indian Railways offering retail space
The Indian Railways is soon going to offer around 4,800 hectares of land to retail and logistics companies to set up retail outlets, agri-retail infrastructure and warehouses. Around 3,000 sites have already been identified by the railways across the country for the purpose.

Mom & Pop shops eye cooperatives to take on big retailers

Bhartiya Udyog Vyapar Mandal (BUVM), the biggest national-level association of mom and pop stores (kirana stores) that comprises 17,000 state- and district-level associations across 27 states, is planning to form co-operatives throughout India helping its members benefit from a common sourcing and shared infrastructure (logistics, storage and billing) platform.

AUSTRALIA calls for overhaul of planning laws

A report in Australia, commissioned by Urban Taskforce Australia, recommends a review of state planning laws regulating new supermarkets and large food stores.

Reliance to invest Rs 5,000 crore in converting 700-odd closed fuel pumps into malls/ multiplexes

Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) which incurred a loss of about Rs 800 crore on operations of its 1,432 fuel stations during 2007-08 is looking at converting about 700 to 800 of them into shopping malls and multiplex halls.

Wal-Mart joins the dairy retail club

Wal-mart is the newest entrant in the diary procurement and retail business in Punjab. Wal-mart has been buying milk directly from cooperatives rather than from farmers.

RPG plans Rs 1000 crore expansion; revamping old stores

Eyeing Rs 1,800 crore turnover this fiscal, RPG group has planned aggressive expansion plans for its retail business.

VISHAL turnover amibitions

Vishal Group plans to increase its turnover from the current INR1,000 crore (USD248 million) to INR5,000 crore (USD1,240 million) by 2011. Vishal is having a revenue growth of 90-100% every year.

In Solidarity!

Dharmendra Kumar

Director

India FDI Watch

M-9871179084

Email:

dkfordignity@yahoo.co.uk

dkfordignity@gmail.com

Lest one might think that this blog has any point, it doesn't. I'm not even gonna whine about how I've stopped counting my age since I turned 25 last year. Or how I'm luckier than those leggy, flat-bellied girls who look good in two-piece swimsuits because I'm not in any danger of being anorexic. I'm not even gonna pretend that I'm wiser now than I was last year. No, that would be whining, and I'm not blogging to whine.

Not tonight. Maybe some other night. But, not tonight.

Fast forward to D-day, I made a list of things I want to, and could actually, do to help me delude myself into thinking that I can distort the time-space continuum and preserve my twenty-something glow (yeeeeeeha!):

• Ride the Zipline at Camp Sabros, Kapatagan and hope to still be on it on the way back.
• Throw a large party for family and friends and friends' friends.
• Throw an intimate party for family only.
• Throw a fabulous pahr-tay for friends only, dah-lings.
• Shop the sales in Manila and endure the cabdrivers.
• Shop the sales in Hongkong and endure the cost.
• Shop the sales in Davao and find out that there are none.
• Feast on Seafood Pasta & Beer at Hawkers.
• Feast on Macanese Tempura & Beer near Largo do Senado.
• Feast on Potato Skins, Buffalo Wings & Beer at Tony Roma's.
• Just drink beer in the tub at home.
• Just drink the water in the tub that tastes like beer.
• Check in at a Marriott.
• Check in at a Holiday Inn.
• Check in at a Marco Polo.
• Check in at Hotel California.
• Read an interesting book.
• Read an interesting menu.
• Read an interesting map.
• Read a magazine in the tub at home.

Hmmm...Decision time...

I think it's time for CSI.

I was obviously very late for my coaching class so I thought of buying garland and offering to the idol. I asked her name. She giggled and said- 'Dolly'. Her enthusiasm was reflecting brighter than the soil on her torn frock and higher than her small structure. She quickly took the five rupee coin and kept it safely inside her basket. She took a piece of newspaper and quickly rolled a garland with white twine. I secretly wished if I could solve the data interpretation questions with the speed with which she tied the twine around the paper. I went inside the temple and actually prayed for my success in the CAT examination.

She was talking to another young boy when I came out.She was saying with great prominence that her garland were a proved key to success in the Devi maa temple. The boy nodded and immediately gave her a ten rupee note.

I went to her and asked her why doesn't she goes to the school. She looked at me and answered in her same feeble voice- 'Baba got his leg amputated in the factory......how can I go to the school..who will feed my little brother?'. I was about to ask her another question when she spotted another young girl and yelled- 'Aye didi'. She went to her and came back with another ten rupees.

Before I could talk to her anymore I saw Dolly walking to an old man and saying -'Baba buy garlands for devi - your children will take care of you'.

I wasn't interested in her sad little story or her struggle for survival. I wasn't feeling any pity also. I was sure of her because I knew she was an MBA with specialization in life. Her marketing concepts were far clearer than mine. She knew advertising and knew her target audience very well. Her positioning strategy was clear and she was already an expert in Consumer Behavior. And here I was standing wondering over fate of even getting an admission in a reputed institute. I looked at the remaining flower petals which Pujari ji had given me and thought- may be I still have a chance!

Samantha Eng and Aw Cheng Wei scoured hawker centres and coffeeshops around the island in search of really cheap hawker fare.

They found 27 which have kept prices at $2 and below, two that sell Western-style food for $3 and $2.90, and one selling Japanese-style dishes at $3.

Some areas like Bedok had a rash of such stalls, no doubt because of competition. At other areas like Hougang and Thomson, they were hard to come by

Video

I've been eating a lot recently at the hawker centre next to Allson Hotel(the one with a 4-faced buddha alter). The white fried carrot cake is pretty decent. The prawn noodles and fish bee hoon (sliced fish/fried fish/fish head) is really delicious. My friend Calin Chua recommends it here too.

This makes doing projects in school till after midnight that much easier to bear.

The good people at Haiya! polled to find out how we feel about them:

If this is anything to go by, we are hopelessly divided as to whether we want the hawkers to leave the city centre, or to continue wading through them every time. Me, I have made up my mind, OK I just changed it just as I was about to write my decision here.

There are so many reasons for and against them! Man, my head hurts! Can we have some resolution on this, anyone?

Corp. Quit Retail !!                                                                             Wal-Mart Quit India!

Total Shut Down and Mammoth Rally of 150,000 Traders in Kerala on Halla Bol

Feb 23, 2008: Traders in Kerala today downed shutters as part of the nation-wide Halla Bol protest against the entry of retail giants into the retail trade. Reports from various parts of the state said the shut down was total. The Kerala Vyapari Vyvasayi Ekopana Samithi (KVVES) and the Kerala State Vyapari Vyvasayi Samithi (KSVVS) had together called for the strike demanding that the Government enact a law to prevent the entry of retail giants. The shut down had support of both the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) in the state.

More than 150,000 traders marched in Thrissur held a mammoth rally. The speaker of the Kerala Legislative Assembly inaugurated the rally. Many members of parliament and members of Legislative Assemblies were present in the historical rally. Sri Shyam Bihari Mishra, President, Bhartiya Udyog Vyapar Mandal was chief speaker. After the meeting, all the 150,000 people gathered in the meeting lighted candles and pledged to resist the corporate hijack of retail.

Protest marches were also taken out by the KSVVS in different parts of the state. In Thiruvananthapuram, the KSVVS marched to the secretariat. The traders demanded a legislation during the present Assembly session itself. "Now we have thought of approaching the Union Government since the state administration has not heeded our request. Why should corporate entities enter into our retail-trading sector that we have been efficiently managing? Until our demands not to let such big players snatch our livelihood are met, we will carry on our crusade against the entry of Reliance and others," said Panangottukonam Vijayan, Secretary, Kerala State Vyapari Vyvasai Samithi. The protesters walked to the government secretariat holding banners and shouting slogans against the entry of big retail giants.

The policy of the state government is to see that these retail giants are kept out of the state, Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPI-M) state secretary Pinnarayi Vijayan said at a mammoth gathering of traders in front of Raj Bhavan, the official residence of the Kerala Governor. “The Left is of the firm view that not a single such unit - national or international - be allowed entry into Kerala,” he said. “We at the Left Democratic Front meeting have decided that the local self-governments should not give sanction to such units.”

Only a few days back, Deputy Mayor of Kochi C.K. Mani Shankar had announced opening of retail outlet of the Reliance fresh. But today, Shankar was in the forefront of a protest march in Kochi. 

Reliance, Subhiksha, More were locked and ten headed effigy of corp. burnt in Delhi

Delhi-23 Feb: On the heels of the visit of Michael Duke, Vice Chairman of Walmart, hundreds of small shopkeepers and hawkers staged militant protest at the doorsteps of Reliance Fresh, Subhiksha and More in Shakarpur area of Delhi. The protesters forced corporations to down their shutters and locked them. A ten headed tall effigy was also burnt. Each head of the effigy was symbolizing corporations namely Wal-Mart, Tesco, Reliance Fresh, Big Bazaar, Subhiksha, More, Spencers, Big Apple, Metro and Carrefour.

Addressing the protesters, Vijay Prakash Jain, General Secretary, Bhartiya Udyog Vyapar Mandal said "The livelihood of retail traders are at stake. If big corporations like Wal-Mart and Reliance are allowed to enter into the retail trade, small traders and street vendors would be finished. We warn the govt. not to play with the livelihood of traders, manufacturers, hawkers and suppliers. We demand to enact strict law to ban all corporations in retail trade and formulate a National Policy for Retail Trade and Small Manufacturing Industries.” Mr. Jain announced that to strike back and make corporations realise that we will not let them ruin our livelihoods a national mass rally of hundreds of thousands of people will be organized in the Ram Lila ground of Delhi on 23^rd April this year. 

Ashwani Jain, Convenor of the Halla Bol protest stated “There are 40 million people depending on the retail sector. There are no employment avenues available for our youths and crores of families survive on the retail trade. Those who are saying that new jobs will be created by big corporations in retail need to realize that thousands more will be lost. Mr. Jain further said, “To justify themselves corporations are creating myths. They are creating the myth that they will sell cheap and fresh. But, consumers will have to pay for the high input of corporate retail such as real estate, air conditioning, educated salesmen and women, wasteful consumption of electricity and many more. In the long run, consumers will be the ultimate looser, as once corporate retail drive out their competitors and their monopoly is established they will buy low and sell at high price. 

Dharmendra Kumar, Director of India FDI Watch and Convenor of National Movement for Retail Democracy said, “We have gathered here to tell the govt. that traders are ready to come on the streets if monopoly of a few corporations is favoured in the retail sector. The infamous retail giant of the world Wal-Mart has entered from the back door using Bharti-Airtel as its fig leaf circumventing the wholesale cash & Carry permission. This is a gross transgression of the intention behind Wholesale Cash and Carry Permission. Bharti will only be a thin cover for Wal-Mart’s profit making proclivities. Bharti will only function as a fixed margin operator. The warning bells are dire for our small manufacturers, suppliers, shopkeepers and street vendors.” 

Hakim Singh Rawat, President, Delhi Hawkers welfare Association said, “Corporate retail intent to hijack the whole supply chain from ‘Farm to Folk’ and establish monopoly by becoming producer, wholesaler, distributor and retailer and targets to dictate the market to fulfill their greed. The hawker sells much fresher than any of these shops. Long distance supply chain and refrigeration means stale fruits and vegetables. 

Mr. Prem Arora, President, Kirana Committee Delhi, Mr. Ajay Arora, President, Federation of Traders Associations of Delhi, Shafik Ahmad, General Secretary, Delhi Hawkers Union, Mr. Jindal Singh, President, East Delhi Hawkers Union also addressed the protesters. 

Motor Cycle/car rally of Traders, Mathadi Workers, and Hawkers Closed Down Corporate Stores in Navi Mumbai

In a spectacular road show one of the first in the history of navi Mumbai one hundred motor bikes and 25 cars took to the streets and demonsrated outside various outlets of corporates. Starting from the CBD Belapur outlet of RELIANCE Fresh and followed by the CENTRE-ONE Mall, MORE, FOODLAND and a mini Rasta Roko otside the D-Mart outlet, nearly all the outlets had closed their shutters in order to avoid any damage to their stores.

The traders, workers and hawkers were demanding the protection of APMC markets, against entry of multinational and national corporations into the retail trade. The Halla Bol programme was attended by hundreds of retail and wholesale traders, Chemists, mathadi workers and hawkers. The rally was flagged off from the Mathadi Bhavan, APMC Market, navi Mumbai by senior leader of the Traders Shri Chandrakant Sanghavi and Shri Popatrao Dhonde President of the Mathadi workers union.

The Traders and mathadi workers took out a disciplined and  peaceful Motor Cycle/car rally from Mathadi Bhavan , APMC market, Navi Mumbai to Khoparkairne, the rally started  at 11.30 am and travel along the route covering CBD- Belapur-Seawood-Centreone-  Arenjia Circl-Shivaji Maharaj Chowk- Khoparkairne and ended at 2pm at the Dana Bunder APMC Market .

The Garherings were addressed by leaders of the Traders Shri Mohan Gurnani, Shri Sharad Maru, Shri Ashok Baria, Shri Nilesh Vera and Shri Pramod Joshi. Shri Narendra Patil from the Mathadi Workers Union and Shri Prafula Mhatre and Shri Rambabu Gupta spoke on behalf of the hawkersand Shri Gawand from the cooperative sector. 

Freedom Fighter led the Halla Bol Protest in Bangalore

Bangalore 23^rd Feb 08: Street hawkers, retailers and other people joined at Yashawanthpur railway station to protest against corporate retails as a part of national programme of Halla bol. Shouted slogans against the fresh malls. Freedom fighter Mr. Doraiswamy, addressed the gathering and during his speech, said that, already many corporate retail companies have arrived to Bangalore and have started the business but the government is not taking any action to support the local street hawkers, retailers. He requested the mass to continue the struggle to curb the corporate retails and also raised question against police system (because police has threatened the organizers to post pone or cancel the programme and not ready to give the permission for the rally because of Lorry strike. But organizers took firm decision to continue the programme and have done it. Prior to the rally on 22^nd of Feb 2008, 3 volunteers along with auto taken to the police station while canvassing the programme. They were arrested and criminal cases under KPA 92(I) were framed against them.) Mr. Doraiswamy further said, “police should give the support and security for the common people. Most of the police force of country belongs to agriculturist’s family. These companies through contract farming also cheat our farmers. I am here, let the police arrest me first, I am heading this demonstration, let the police arrest. He told that, these are always happens why should go to police and ask their permission. There is no need to ask the permission, we are the people who are protecting democracy and also electing the people to serve the people. 

Ex corporator and opposition leader of Bangalore city corporation Mr.D.M. Nanjundappa,  one of the guests addressed the gathering and told he will be with the hawkers and retailers of the area whenever needed and suggested the  gathering not to bother about police, crores of  small traders, retailers and hawkers are  depending on this trade for survival. It is our right to protest and give warning to the companies that are demolishing the livelihoods.

During his speech Mr. A.K.Himakar told, if we believe in democracy it is our right to save our livelihood, we are not living in dictators country, irony is that, our people like hawkers, street vendors, retailers are struggling to lead the life where as these corporates are enjoying all the benefits of the government. Whole system of this country is supporting the corporates, what is the alternative left for the people? Government should seriously think on this issue otherwise in near future our hawkers; retailers and traders including farmers are going to hit the corporate stores like Uttar Pradesh. 

Secretary of ASTRA K, Mr. K.C. Venkatesh also addressed the meeting and said, “Our food security, livelihood, our agriculture is facing serious problems because of the entry of large multinationals in retail and in agriculture if the process continue like this, we don’t know what will happened to our people. We are raising our voices to protect ourselves, our livelihoods are under threat. We are not asking any mercy or any favor from the government. It is our right to protest and we are demanding for national policy on retail.”  

President of ASTRA K, Mr. Abdul Hammed addressed the gathering and told, if not today, tomorrow we are going to hit the corporate retails particularly reliance. We made a plan to go in a protest march but the police who should protect us are protecting the companies. Enough is enough in nearby days don’t expect us to follow the rules and regulation and law we are going to break the law let police arrest us. At least we will get food in jail. Retailers, hawkers and traders are under serious crises, does not know what to do, but as a trader I am ready for violence also if our voice is not heard.

President of Dalit Mahasabha Karnataka Siddaramaiah, Mr. S. Babu of India FDI Watch, Mr. Shiva Prasad of SUCI, trader leader Mr. Ramu from Nelamangala and local trader leaders also addressed the gathering. 

Hawkers staged two rallies in Kolkata

Under the banner of National Hawkers Federation, hawkers of Kolkata staged two rallies in the Kolkata city. Mr. Shaktiman Ghosh, General Secretary, NHF led the rallies.

Similar protests were also held in different cities across India including Allahabad, Kanpur, Hyderabad, Chennai, Nagpur, Bhuvneshwar.

India FDI Watch along with its partner organizations calls for Halla Bol on 23rd February 2008 in all the major cities of India taking demonstrations to the doorstep of corporate stores. Militant demonstrations will be organized before the corporate stores as part of the action. In Kerala, Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samiti will organize a Halla Bol rally in Trichur on 23rd Feb. Lakhs of small shopkeepers are expected to join the rally to raise their voice against corporate retail.

The political resolution draft for XIX Party Congress of CPM says, "The Party firmly opposes FDI in retail trade as it will seriously affect the livelihood of millions of shopkeepers and small traders. The entry of big Indian corporates into retail trade has a similar effect. At present there is no law to restrict the entry of corporate sector. Taking advantage of this, companies like Reliance have entered retail trade in a big way. The CPI(M) has set out a policy document for licensing and regulating the entry of corporates in retail trade. Till the Central Government puts in place such a policy, the Left led governments should take steps to regulate their entry." Leaders of the party informed India FDI Watch that West Bengal Govt. has decided to regulate the entry of corporates in retail trade according to its policy draft and a committee will be formed having traders and hawkers to issue licenses to corporations to do retail.

National Statistical Office (NSO) of South Korea reported that, Mom-and-Pop shops are disappearing from neighborhoods, losing to cutthroat competition against giant retail outlets and convenience stores. Korean Mom-and-pop shops are seeing sales drop. It says, - Losing the competition, these small retailers are disappearing from the market. According to the Bank of Korea, the number of these shops dropped to 585,996 in 2005, from 739,059 in 1995. Another statistic showed that an average 6.3 mom-and-pop shops closed down everyday between 2001 and 2006. The number of corporate stores, meanwhile, surged to 8,855 from 1,557, increasing 20 percent on average every year during the last 10 years.

Below is the link of an informative short video, reflective of the unsustainable wasteful consumption culture being developed by corporate retailers: - www.storyofstuff.org

In Solidarity !
Dharmendra Kumar
Director
India FDI Watch
M-09871179084
Email:dkfordignity@yahoo.co.uk, dkfordignity@gmail.com

Drug wholesalers of Mumbai boycott Subhiksha :
http://www.planetretail.net/NewsFeed/NewNewsFeed.aspx
Drug wholesalers of Mumbai have boycotted Subhiksha. Subhiksha has sent legal notices to drug wholesalers in Mumbai for withholding supplies. Subhiksha Managing Director R Subramanian said, "wholesalers have boycotted us and have stopped supplying medicines.
Wal-Mart did lobby Blair over Asda

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2008/01/27/cnasda127.xml

Details of a secret Downing Street meeting held between Tony Blair, the then prime minister, and a senior Wal-Mart executive just months before the world's biggest retailer pounced on Asda have finally been released, some nine years after the £7bn deal was struck. The Sunday Telegraph can reveal that Bob Martin, the then chief executive of Wal-Mart International, complained at the meeting to Tony Blair about Britain's restrictive planning rules. The minutes of the meeting, released last month by the Cabinet Office after a direct order from the information watchdog, lay bare the lobbying strategy employed by Wal-Mart before it bought Asda in July 1999. The three-page document exposes the frantic lobbying of a country's leaders that top executives carry out before making a major acquisition.

Mom-and-Pop Shops Disappear As Giant Retail Shops Pop Up :

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2008/02/123_18403.html

Mom-and-pop shops are disappearing from neighborhoods, losing to cutthroat competition against giant retail outlets and convenience stores. According to the National Statistical Office (NSO), huge retail outlets like E-Mart posted sales growth of 9.8 percent last year. Mom-and-pop shops, meanwhile, are seeing sales drop. Small markets below 50 pyeong (165.3 square meters), excluding convenience stores, saw sales decrease of 2.9 percent. They were the only retailers to see sales fall. Losing the competition, these small retailers are disappearing from the market. According to the Bank of Korea, the number of the