Piracy hits Puntland economy, brings vices

[ailamos]

Piracy off the coast of Somalia has damaged livestock exports and the fishing industry in semi-autonomous Puntland, bringing vices like alcohol and prostitution, the region's president said.

 

A cash bonanza from millions of dollars in ransoms has filled pirate coffers and led to an influx of gleaming cars, new villas and luxury goods into Puntland, which declared itself independent in the early 1990s when the Horn of Africa nation was plunged into anarchy and civil war.

 

Puntland President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole told Reuters that piracy had emerged as an industry for a wide range of people, including brokers and facilitators, disrupting the region's traditional economy.

 

"They have disrupted our economy, which traditionally is based on livestock export and fisheries. No one is fishing on the waters now," he said in the interview conducted late on Thursday. "They have spoiled the cultural and religious values, and introduced drugs, alcohol and prostitution." Somalia's economy is based almost entirely on remittances, livestock exports to Gulf Arab countries and donor inflows. But the threat of hijackings in the dangerous waters of the Gulf of Aden has deterred livestock traders from crossing the waterway, hitting trade volumes.

 

Farole rejected accusations by the United Nations that pirates may be collaborating with officials in Puntland and criticized the lack of aid from foreign powers to help the region fight piracy.

 

He said said his government's $20 million plan to train a 600-strong anti-piracy force and put dozens of speedboats on 80 coastguard stations had failed to attract donor attention.

 

"We brought this plan to many organizations including governments and the (United Nations). Everybody appreciated it but up to now we have not got any assistance," Farole said.

 

The northern region has been relatively peaceful compared with southern Somalia. But Farole, who was in Kenya to meet with donors, said prisons were stretched to their limits with 264 arrested pirates and Puntland needed assistance to increase its jail capacity.

 

Australia's Range Resources and partner Africa Oil Corp are exploring for crude oil in Puntland and Farole said there was a "good prospect" that their efforts would yield results.

 

Somalia has no proven oil reserves but a joint World Bank/UN survey of northeast Africa 16 years ago ranked it second only to Sudan as the top prospective producer. Geologically-similar formations in Yemen, across the Gulf of Aden, hold nearly 4 billion barrels.

 

http://arabnews.com/economy/article41007.ece

[ailamos]

Originally posted by Sherban Shabeel:

That's BS. Vices introduce themselves, they don't need people to introduce them, and to blame it all on piracy is plain simplistic thinking.

 

These are just the jealous cats who aren't getting any money. I bet Prez Farole would like nothing more than to jump in a skiff and get some pirate money, but he can't because he's the President of PL. Can you blame him?

 

Hell, I'd like nothing more than to jump in a skiff and get some pirate money.

[Napoleon]

Who said vice is bad? Vice is good. Vice keeps cities vibrant and alive. Vice jump-starts economies and creates jobs. Just look at what piracy has done for that region, not only did the pirates and those who helped them get rich off terrorizing the oceans, but now that corrupt government in that region can also bring in some money from western governments to fight off pirates and create 'anti-piracy' coast guards, from NGO's, which in the end means, more jobs, more money for a fragile regional state. Other than remittance from back home, the piracy industry and the khat industry are the main reasons somali's survive today.

[Showqi]

Originally posted by Napoleon:

Who said vice is bad? Vice is good. Vice keeps cities vibrant and alive. Vice jump-starts economies and creates jobs. Just look at what piracy has done for that region, not only did the pirates and those who helped them get rich off terrorizing the oceans, but now that corrupt government in that region can also bring in some money from western governments to fight off pirates and create 'anti-piracy' coast guards, from NGO's, which in the end means, more jobs, more money for a fragile regional state. Other than remittance from back home, the piracy industry and the khat industry are the main

reasons somali's survive today.

:mad: What a backward thinking, narrow-minded. Listen my friend you are promotin vice here. And when you do that remember that you are giving Thugs, Murderers, and Drug Dealers a play-ground. This will affect our countrys future economic development. Please stop chasing the quick buck and think about the long term.

[Napoleon]

Saxiib. I'm promoting controlled vice, not out of control vice. Besides in the long term, our reliance on these vice industries will fade as better industries develop. But right now they are required to kick-start the economy. It's a natural step to nationhood.

[Showqi]

There is no such thing, Controlled vice. At the end it's gonna kill you sxb. Soomaalidu waxay ku maah maahda: Booraan hadimo ha qodin, hadaad qodidna ha dheerayn ku dhici doontana ma'ogide.

 

Originally posted by Napoleon:

Besides in the long term, our reliance on these vice industries will fade as better industries develop.

So you still belief other people will come and build our country? :rolleyes: :rolleyes: tell me sxb, why would they do that? Waxaan hubaa adiga shaqsi ahaan in'aanad marnaba ogolaan doonin in nin kale gurigaaga masruufkiisa bixiyo, caruurtaadana nacnac u soo iibiyo. Hadaba Wadankeenu inaga ayuun buu ina sugayaa.

 

Saaxiib baryada aynu iska deeyno oo aynu wadankeenii dhisano. Xitaa Cariish ama Mudul(Aqal Soomaali) ba ha noqotee.

[RedSea]

Puntland, which declared itself independent in the early 1990s when the Horn of Africa nation was plunged into anarchy and civil war.

How occurate is the rest of the article? :rolleyes:

[ailamos]

Originally posted by Qhalib:

quote: Puntland, which declared itself independent in the early 1990s when the Horn of Africa nation was plunged into anarchy and civil war.

How occurate is the rest of the article? :rolleyes:

I was waiting to see how long it would take for someone to notice that... it took a while :eek:

[Jacaylbaro]

^ ^