The Commonwealth - does anyone bother?

People tend to be more curious about the US, China, Euro these days I think. How about the Commonwealth of Nations? Do you care about their agenda? Goals? Many residents in Canada don't even know wtf it is (esp. those with Italian, Espaniol backgrounds). How about Sgns? You care about it?

Cheers!


http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2011/10/29/commonwealth.html

Commonwealth fails to reach human rights consensus

CBC News
Posted: Oct 29, 2011 9:45 AM ET
Last Updated: Oct 29, 2011 11:59 AM ET

Commonwealth leaders meeting in Perth, Australia, have wrapped up their discussions for the day without being able to settle the most contentious issues dealing with human rights.
They did not adopt a charter of rights nor appoint a human rights commissioner despite Australia, Britain and Canada's backing for the proposals, which were floated in a report aimed at making the Commonwealth more relevant in the modern age.
Commonwealth leaders remained undecided Saturday over what to do with the report, even though they commissioned the 11-member Eminent Persons Group, or EPG, two years ago to study human rights in member countries.
The group recommended leaders become more aggressive in monitoring and policing human rights violations among the 54 member states, but smaller countries balked at those proposals, saying it's a matter once again of rich nations telling poorer ones how to behave.
So the summit's final communiqué to be issued Sunday will likely pledge to examine the issue further, rather than actually move on it.
Zimbabwe, Pakistan and South Africa have all run afoul of other Commonwealth leaders in the past and have been booted out of the organization at various times until issues were addressed.
Former British foreign secretary Malcolm Rifkind of the EPG called it a "disgrace" that the Commonwealth failed to even publish the report, which is aimed at making the Commonwealth more relevant in the modern age. That's not a surprise to many, considering Commonwealth countries operate by consensus.
Sri Lanka — which stands accused of war crimes for its 2009 military offensive to end a civial war — has been invited to host the next Commonwealth summit, a meeting Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper says he'll boycott unless that country's human rights record is addressed.
Harper scrubbed plans for an early departure from Perth because key details remained on the table for Sunday's closing session.
Rifkind condemned the Commonwealth for being silent on Sri Lankan human rights abuses and said a permanent commissioner would have avoided that silence.
Earlier in their meetings, the leaders of the Commonwealth's 16 realms — the countries that have Queen Elizabeth as their head of state — agreed on a succession change that will see first-born daughters ascend to the throne over a younger brother.

The Summit is practically all that Singapore is involved in. Once Singapore achieved developed status, a lot of the programmes meant for helping developing members are no more relevant.

Every years thousands of bright kids take advantage of various scholarships, relaxed employment and visa schemes to make a better and brighter future. All made possible courtesy of various organisations under the umbrella of the Commonwealth. Businesses and entrepreneurs also benefit due to schemes and preferred tariffs.

If you are smart or business minded you will know how to take advantage of it.

i thought commonwealth is near queenstown that side? no...?:*:

Actually its also is the Commonwealth worth bothering about?

Common wealth is useless. All is British Ang Moh try to tell what other nation need to. British cant even manage their own economy .
And Commonwealth country is scatter around the world make it hard to meet and agree.

Cestbon said:

Common wealth is useless. All is British Ang Moh try to tell what other nation need to. British cant even manage their own economy .
And Commonwealth country is scatter around the world make it hard to meet and agree.

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What has Commonwealth got to do with economy or enconomies? It's just a loose association of former empire dominions and colonies. Every country has to take care of their own economies since they asked for independence themselves and that's what independence means, nothing to do with Commonwealth.

It is a totally out of date concept - there is no more sharing of common wealth.
Any more than when the stupid ang mohs say they are from the UK, when the Kingdom is no longer United.
At even Manchester city itself is not united, don't even have to talk about Scotland and Ireland.

The Commonwealth was set up for Britain to engage its ex-colonies, on one hand so that Britain can continue to trade with the newly formed countries and on the hand these new nations can learn the art and science of governance and administration from Britain. This they did through various Commonwealth programmes. In the earlier days, Singapore participated in all these but as Singapore developed its own system of governance and administration, it stopped becoming a recepient and also when its system got more and more unique to its own situation, it also lost its role as a giver. So one by one, Singapore pulled out of such programmes. If any participation is still left, it is more for its symbolic nature. Trade with Britain is now dominated by international trade, Britain remaining just one of the key trading partners but not the largest, even within Europe. Commonwealth scholarships given to students from poorer countries have been replaced by Singapore Govt scholarships. Simpler visa arrangement is probably still held on to because of its convenience but there again Singapore visa facilities with most countries are very well negotiated. The Britain Commonwealth did serve its purpose of maintaining engagement between Britain and its ex-colonial members. This is something Britain has done well compared to others, like France and Portugal who struggled to maintain their empires and eventually got thrown out by their ex-colonies - witness Indo-China, East Timor where they really screwed up their relationship with these new economies. But things would not be this way if Winston Churchill were in charge as he was a great belover of the old British Empire. Luckily it was Clement Attlee who in one magic window in time became Prime Minister and set things moving. When Winston Churchill regained Premiership, the Independence of its ex-colonies and the development of the Commonwealth was running on its own steam.

Let's just put it that way. It's for old times' sake.

Thanks for all your feedback.

So, the British Commonwealth has its purpose post-war and Britain still has maintained good relations with her ex-colonies. Any gatheringl nowadays is for old-time sake.

My Ak Kong long time ago told me that UK started this idea of the Commonwealth when the richest of her colonies - The Yankees fought the War of Independence and won. UK could not afford this to happen to Oz, South Africa, India, and so started the Commonwealth giving the conquered lands enough face so they won't break off.

Cheers!

Ramseth said:

Let's just put it that way. It's for old times' sake.

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The commonwealth is for the british to feel good about themselves.....so they can harp on that once upon a time they used to own half of the world.....delusional losers who still think Britain is great.

Narong Wongwan said:

The commonwealth is for the british to feel good about themselves.....so they can harp on that once upon a time they used to own half of the world.....delusional losers who still think Britain is great.

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It was great and still is. Forget your ethnic pride and face reality and history. That's how we improve ourselves. Never before nor after had any country so small ruled so much of the world with its language becoming standard for international communication. Even after dismantling of empire, it remains top five five in the world whether in military or economic terms Face your denial yourself. Self-denial is is worst enemy to reality and progress. It's yours to choose and face. Not my problem except a passing a remark. The stubborness of anything Chinese must be good and better is what's holding Chinese backwards. You can can stick to that for all I care.

Ramseth said:

It was great and still is. Forget your ethnic pride and face reality and history. That's how we improve ourselves. Never before nor after had any country so small ruled so much of the world with its language becoming standard for international communication. Even after dismantling of empire, it remains top five five in the world whether in military or economic terms Face your denial yourself. Self-denial is is worst enemy to reality and progress. It's yours to choose and face. Not my problem except a passing a remark. The stubborness of anything Chinese must be good and better is what's holding Chinese backwards. You can can stick to that for all I care.

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keep harping on past achievements is not healthy....like what PAP is doing.
I dun see the french,Spanish,Dutch or whoever still clinging on past granduer like the British

Narong Wongwan said:

keep harping on past achievements is not healthy....like what PAP is doing.
I dun see the french,Spanish,Dutch or whoever still clinging on past granduer like the British

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They have nothing as grand as that that harp on. In any case, I'm not harping. I'm just learning.

Ramseth said:

It was great and still is. Forget your ethnic pride and face reality and history. That's how we improve ourselves. Never before nor after had any country so small ruled so much of the world with its language becoming standard for international communication. Even after dismantling of empire, it remains top five five in the world whether in military or economic terms Face your denial yourself. Self-denial is is worst enemy to reality and progress. It's yours to choose and face. Not my problem except a passing a remark. The stubborness of anything Chinese must be good and better is what's holding Chinese backwards. You can can stick to that for all I care.

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Ramseth said:

They have nothing as grand as that that harp on. In any case, I'm not harping. I'm just learning.

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I'm beginning to like to you.

commonlan got lah. bloody old angmoh gang of no use at all. only exploit people.what commonwealth. commonlampar got lah...all bloody so poor after being enslaved, exploited and abused for centuries....

Forvendet said:

What has Commonwealth got to do with economy or enconomies? It's just a loose association of former empire dominions and colonies. Every country has to take care of their own economies since they asked for independence themselves and that's what independence means, nothing to do with Commonwealth.

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Why has it got nothing to do with economy or economies man!?
One of the key purpose of the commonwealth is to facilitate free trade among member nations and of course with the british themselves

It is not so relevant now since the UK is wanning

Nobody pays much attnetion to commonwealth nowadays as the UK is wanning.

It has become a lap dog of one of its former colony, the Unities State....ironic indeed....

Did you know the French has La Francophonie??? The Spannidh has something like the Ibero America summit?? Oh did you know King Juam Carlos
actually told Venezula's Hugo Chavez to 'shut up' and stop acting like a spoil kid . Google if you don't belive me. Can even look up in youtube

Narong Wongwan said:

keep harping on past achievements is not healthy....like what PAP is doing.
I dun see the french,Spanish,Dutch or whoever still clinging on past granduer like the British

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