Politicians in Iceland are discussing whose decision it will be to decide whether to grant Chinese investor Huang Nubo’s controversial request to buy a large tract of land in the country.
Icelandic Minister for the Interior, Ogmundur Jonasson, should take careful account of the opinions of other government ministers when taking the decision of whether or not to sell Grimsstadir a Fjollum to Nubo for a giant hotel and tourism complex, colleagues are saying. Jonasson has implied that he is not in favour of the deal on a personal level.
Arni Pall Arnason, the country’s trade and economy minister, brought up the issue at a cabinet meeting yesterday with a formal memo. He said that there is no political doubt that the final decision on land sales to non-EEA individuals or entities lies with the interior ministry; but added that general public opinion should also guide Jonasson’s decision, as well as the opinion of other ministries. Foreign investment in business, for example, comes under his ministry, Arnason argued. The Nubo deal would also impact international trade agreements, which come under the foreign ministry.
Arnason refused to explicitly tell Visir.is how he feels the Nubo application should be processed — re-emphasising that the final decision will fall to the Ministry of the Interior. There is a general need, however, for Icelanders to be welcoming towards investors who are willing to put their money in Iceland, he said. “We haven’t had masses of such opportunities in the past and it is important that we get these investments which also bring new knowledge in new economic fields. And there needs to be extremely good reasons to reject such [offers],” he said.
I agree with Amason when he said “We haven’t had masses of such opportunities in the past and it is important that we get these investments which also bring new knowledge in new economic fields. And there needs to be extremely good reasons to reject such [offers].” I totally agree with him because sometimes we need this investor for our economic growth though we also need to remember that this has to be limitations because local investor might get affected in the near future.
I would advise the people of Iceland to take advantage of such an opportunity but to do so carefully with one’s own interests in mind. Additionally, it seems you need to catch up with Chinese culture quite a bit. I don’t think you are personally acquainted with Mr. Huang. Huang is his family name and he should be addressed as ‘Mr. Huang,’ ‘to Huang,’ and ‘the Huang deal.’ My language consulting agency was until last year based in Taiwan, (so-called “Republic of China”) and I for one would love to come and set up business and train people in Chinese for the hospitality industry. Iceland is a wonderful nation with one of the most vibrant democracies in the world. I applaud you and wish you well.
“most vibrant democracies in the world.”
Thats debatable, its more like a country that is so in control of its population that they can present any image they want, even if the reality is quite different.
Peter, somewhere between London and Krackow, if you’d care to elaborate upon your statement that Iceland is “more like a country that is so in control of its population, that they can present any image they want” I would love to know about it. Do you care to enlighten us? I hardly think your statement correct seeing as only a few years ago the Icelandic population converged in protest at the Althing over the banking debacle. Moreover it is my understanding that there is an initiative to allow everyone to participate in drawing up constitutional reform. In addition, I read recently where Iceland is one of the best countries to be as a woman. A country that has nearer to equal representation among genders in elected bodies indicates to me a vibrant democracy. Moreover, Iceland and Switzerland have had a representative form of government far predating any other such institutions in all of Europe. Of course I’m an outsider so I would very much like to hear anyone and everyone’s opinion on these matters.
I was informed that it is Icelandic custom to call people by their given name hence in the above article perhaps it was not a mistake on the writers part. Personally, I think it is a fine custom. But when and if “Nubo” arrives I doubt he would agree.
>Do you care to enlighten us?
Say what you will about the UK political parties (dysfunctional and antagonistic spring to mind), the one thing you can’t accuse them of is “Samtrygging”.
Axel’s recent post gives you the gist of what that means. I suspect it is this that Peter refers to – certainly, that’s my understanding. Relative gender equality doesn’t diminish it, neither does a change of government in a system where they’ve traditionally shared the loot.
http://www.icenews.is/index.php/2011/10/04/speaker-icelandic-parliament-deserves-better-treatment/#comment-554999
The only viable alternative to the established parties in the 2009 elections, the Citizen’s Movement, almost immediately dumped the requirement to consult with its members and its MPs instead vote as they wish (they even dropped the “Citizen” from their name, just to make it clear :) ).
If Icelanders were as happy with their political system as you are, it seems unlikely that they’d have voted in the Best party during the Reykjavik election. Despite the Wiki entry, a self-acknowledged joke party, albeit one more serious then than the Monster Raving Loony party. (I expect some will argue that that didn’t change when they entered office, although they’ve tried to make a go of it.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Best_Party
BTW, so what that Iceland had representative government well before others? Baghdad used to be a centre of enlightenment and learning. Things change.
All this political puppet show does demonstate is that this Red-Green coalition needs to go as soon as possible.
Message sent about current government ( now they are not restricted by IMF shackles ) is :
” our left hand and right hand dance to a different tune from each other and like to punch each other and end hitting ourself as a government in the face “.
>should take careful account of the opinions of other government ministers when taking the decision of whether or not to sell
No you self important politicians it should be property owner and local people that decide about sales like this.
The rubber stamp from Ministry of Interior should just be that — after local people neigbours consulation.
>he final decision on land sales to non-EEA individuals or entities lies with the >interior ministry
It used to be the Minister of Justice that need to give permission but since 1st January 2011 that ministry was merged with Ministry of Transport, Communications and Local Government to form the Ministry of Interior.
Jón Bjarnason, Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture does not have the final say.
Lord help us, it is Ögmundur.
Minister of the Interior Ögmundur Jónasson was asked by radio station Bylgjan why it has taken the ministry five weeks to respond to Nubo, and to do so by asking for more information on him. The minister was frank in his response.
“We are talking about a very big case here. A matter that has not just received a lot of attention in Iceland, but also the world over. People are investigating this, and it’s been a very controversial issue here. We intend to handle it well. We’re not procrastinating or delaying in any way. We are showing it the proper treatment.”
Ögmundur added that parliament has just recently reconvened, and that other matters are in need of more urgent attention. Also, some matters – such as the issuing of residence permits – take entirely too long to process.
“There are far too many matters at the ministry which take far too much time to deal with. So I prioritise the cases of other individuals over that of this Chinese man.”+
Important matters like rejecting the residentce permits of people he doesn’t like look of and spending tax payer money on the Left Green pet proejcts.
Just to show how far away from what is reasonable is Ögmundur I do this case find myself agreeing with kisser of EU commision rings Árni Páll Árnason !
+http://visir.is/nubo-faer-enga-forgangsmedferd-hja-ogmundi/article/2011111019680
Brumley wroet :
>If Icelanders were as happy with their political system as you are
We will demand and get the right of initiative ( in addition to that of referndums ) with power of president to act as the guardian of our rights if necessary increased.
Difference of Icelander vs other systems is that we will actually get this done as we already have ground work in our constitution fmor 1944.
The latest manudacturing of consent so called constitutional assemby is nonsense. But we will get our right to initiatives — do you hear us you useless politicans !
http://www.icenews.is/index.php/2011/02/21/icesave-puts-icelandic-president-in-world-spotlight-once-again/#comment-546161
http://www.icenews.is/index.php/2011/02/28/opposition-mp-says-yes-on-icesave/#comment-546882
Bromley said “the one thing you can’t accuse them of is “Samtrygging”
What about this Bromley, did this only exist whithin the circle of politicians, or did you know about this ?.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_parliamentary_expenses_scandal
Politics in the west are very similar, in Iceland we are just a couple of years ahead of you in seeing trough the bs.
You will catch up soon, when the sh*t hits the fan.
Well, indeed, I am enlightened! “bromley86″ thank you for taking the time and making the effort to give me a much clearer picture of the state of things. According to popular narratives in alternative media (I can think of three documentaries and five lengthy, detailed articles which included some interviews.) we out here are led to believe that Iceland had overcome cronyism post-2008, and has a glowing rejuvenated democracy. Two recent articles — one in the Guardian and another in a sociological organization’s journal from South Africa — led me to come to my previous conclusion, along with other input (college classmate said the “best six months of his life” was spent on exchange in Iceland;German co-worker repeated the entire history to me crossing the Pacific; an exchange student who said he really loved his country but was a bit bored there). It only goes to show that perhaps it is human nature to see the grass greener on the other side! Currently I’m in East Asia. Corruption is very bad even at the local level. Seems Iceland suffers from the illusion / delusion of choice. Now, I understand why a “da-ban” big boss would be ready to invest. Chinese of that ilk usually only invest when they are sure they have secured their interests through bribery, ingratiation to powerful figures, or outright deceit. ha! Now it adds up. Finally I’m Alaskan and inclined to view Alaska as more democratic and egalitarian — along with our near neighbours in Canada… And why then grant Bobby Fisher citizenship? ha! The way you write of Iceland makes me think of how it was in the rural south of the US, and many feel in the States today that the parties merely take turns fleecing the people.
Time then for change? Will you “Occupy Iceland”? Join us in protest!
P.S.:Iceland’s history is fairly unbroken(right?); Baghdad suffered at least ten dynasties and Turkish, Mongol, etc etc invasions, since its golden age under the Abbasids. Some things change, some remain the same.
robert wadleigh :
>we out here are led to believe that Iceland had overcome cronyism post-2008, and
>has a glowing rejuvenated democracy.
There is a new awareness of need for more direct democracy. But it does not come from established parties — and certainly not from Social Demicrats currently the senior partner in the Red – Green coaliton.
Their aim is to centralize power and move decision making to the EU commission — but Icelander voter is not interested in that. We are quite okay with EFTA membership.
>The way you write of Iceland makes me think of how it was in the rural south of
>the US, and many feel in the States today that the parties merely take turns
>fleecing the people.
Brumley perceives what he does perceive. However he does not live in Iceland.
There is a healthy contempt for all politicans in Iceland, particularly ones who are the so called professional politicans who have never done any thing else in their live except work for government agency, union, or think tank before beomcing MP.
That contempt for the political class has always been the case here.
Our existing 1944 constitution has been run through its paces since 2008 and held up well in protecting rights of tax payers and also investors too.
The unravelling of the mess of ” free money ” era 2001 until 2008 that the whole world has just lived through is going OK here. The Eurozone country for example have just taken their private bank debt to be tax payer debt and that is why they are in so much trouble.
Icelandic taxpayer did not take on the outside private debt of the banks in that time like EU member state and US did ( and Japan before them in 1990s). Instead it put them into receviership.
This was painful at time and we did have harsh couple of years — and still things are being unwinded. But it was the correct thing to do as shareholders were wiped out, bank managers fired and those that took risk lie bond holder having to take a loss .
Geir Haarde – Ingibjörg Sólrún government of 2007 – 2009 did it but yet now Geir Haarde is only prime minister in whole world on trial because of the banking crisis ( and only minister in Iceland from that time ) !
That gives you and idea how Stalinist current Red – Green government are.
There is posibility that Independence Party will reingage with its roots since 1991 as part of indivualism and back the constitutional modification to allow us the right of initiative to keep the politicans in parliament in check.
If you want to read about how direct democracy can keep the political class in check and the parlientary oligarches from abusing they power it works well in Swiss but most of all in Liechtenstein ( fellow EFTA members both ).
http://www.icenews.is/index.php/2010/09/24/iceland-hopes-to-learn-from-malta-in-eu-accession-bid/#comment-332304
” The growth of democracy from the smallest political unit, the community, upward is probably critical if a state based on democracy and the rule of law is to remain stable over long period of time.
This assumes, however, that the leadership from above encourages the growth of a state based on democracy and the rule of law.
Democracy in the smallest political unit is only viable if the voter also has the right to make financial decisions for this political unit.
In a strong centralized state, where the smallest political units are merely the recipient of orders and money, democracy and the rule of law will sooner or later be undermined. ”
( The State in the Third Millenium by Hans-Adam II, 2009, van Eck Publishers ISBN 978-3-905881-04-2 )
eBook :
http://www.vaneckverlag.li/eBooks.aspx?Isbn=978-3-905881-04-2
Fisy is right, I’ve no personal knowledge of Iceland. I’ve read a lot in the past few years though and, although by definition the stuff I’ve been reading has been about failures (as it related to bank failures), it’s not painted a good picture.
Two things I always remember are the reelection of an ex-MP who’d gone to prison for stealing goods from his department and, far more importantly, the resignation of the chap in charge of the privatisation of the banks because he disapproved of the way they were being gifted to party supporters.
(That last one is actually an example of good behaviour. The bad behaviour is that the process continued.)
@Axel. The expenses scandal was a product of mistakes made in the past. No way should UK MPs be paid the £65k basic pittance that they’re on – that’s entry level Senior Manager grade in a London audit firm. So expenses were always meant to be a way of padding that salary.
Unfortunately, when you start using expenses as a way to pad salaries, you encourage the wrong sort of behaviour. However I hardly think it’s the same as gifting banks to your buddies. Also, unlike that Icelandic MP who actually stole physical goods and went to jail for it, I doubt Chaytor will make it back into parliament.