Jerusalem.- Dominican Republic president Leonel Fernandez called "financial speculation" one of humanity’s most gripping challenges and an evil that drags millions of people to hunger, and means profits for speculators.
Fernandez, speaking in an international conference in Jerusalem Wednesday, called the international community’s lack of fight against that phenomenon, "an issue which has been discarded from the global agenda."
In a speech to for the Presidential Conference "Facing Tomorrow," the Dominican leader warned of the consequences "the excessive financial speculation has on basic foods and other staples," and cited as an example the sudden jumps in oil prices in a time of crisis, not from market demand, but from "excessive speculation" instead.
"It’s all about an error of speculation, to 'perceptions' of what’s going to occur and not what really occurs," he said on market reactions to crises such as Libya, which he affirms unleash unnecessary spikes with ominous consequences for the weakest societies.
Fernandez urged the international community to fulfill their commitments of two and three years ago to put the brakes on excessive speculation so that "betting on hunger" isn’t profitable.
Fernandez, speaking in the conference hosted by Israeli president Simón Peres, added that beyond the world economic crisis humanity faces challenges such as social progress, climatic change, energy and regional conflicts.
The Head of State is slated to meet with other Israeli leaders today, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense chief Ehud Barak among them. After his second visit to Israel in the last two years, he will fly to France tomorrow, in the last stop of his tour.
Written by: DomVilla, 22 Jun 2011 11:06 AM
From: United States, Maryland
Nothing New Leonel, the same as DR go, you PLD is an example, every day more money for the Class on top.
Written by: BASTA, 22 Jun 2011 11:09 AM
From: Dominican Republic, =Ghetto/Legalize Drugs
I wonder why the Israelis have not noticed the small swastika tattooed on his ass. What’s for lunch? Kosher pork
Written by: riosm, 22 Jun 2011 11:14 AM
From: United States
Say what ?
As a Teacher once told me back in 1969 during a class room discussion on the tilting of world power "IN THE FUTURE" he said "FOOD WILL BECOME THE ULTIMATE WEAPON OF WORLD POWER" and to think the U.N has the worlds largest collection and storage of fruits and vegetable seeds.
The spread of livestock deceases, we witnessed in Europe weeks ago where thousands of livestock were eliminated for health reasons thus adding to the food shortage.
Also he read to our class a book [I can't remember the name] where the world governments unite [NWO] would then enact laws that would out law personal victory gardens and the private ownership of livestock through massive regulations and control again all under a large one controlled government for total control. All under the guise the Gov. knows what's best for you.
A CONSPIRACY THEORIST PLAY GROUND ?
Written by: THINK, 22 Jun 2011 11:30 AM
From: United States, SDQ -- Mia --NY
People who steals always yelling "SOMEONE ELSE IS STEALING" simply "PRETENDS" he is the honest man and with fair mind.
Does Lie-onel ever think about the hardship of the living for most of the people in Dominican Republic?
This article is reflecting he himself in DR.
From: United States
i wonder if Leo will slash his wrists if he is not offered the post of Secretary General of the UN. hmmmm..
Written by: anthonyC, 22 Jun 2011 11:42 AM
From: United States
"Speculators profit from hunger"
Yea! So?
It can also be said that the Hungry are fed by Speculators.
Written by: riosm, 22 Jun 2011 11:58 AM
From: United States
LOL it sounds to me more like a confession.
It would be nice if he could use the DR as a model of what to do.
All should read my last post....really scary stuff.
From: Dominican Republic, vieja Santo Domingo
ah Dreads you have hit the nail on the head ,,,this is a cruel plan by LF to use the income of the DR simply to foster his own ambitions ,,it is so obvious to see and is not nice to see .I am sure other leaders world wide must see through these jaunts .
If we can actually examine his statement that the world food price and supply is being manipulated by speculators , it is easy to see that it is not right . We have had natural disasters in most of the food producing countries ..floods and drought as well as diseases .. In Australia, Africa and the USA there have been huge problems and in Europe we have seen thousands of tons of food thrown away with the fear that the new E coli outbreak is from vegetables .
I would like to see examples of speculation in food because it is my view that most producers and sellers meet market demand . Oil is a different story
From: Botswana, La reconnaissance est une lachete'
If this guy wants to be taking seriously instead of bashing the commodity market let's talk about the fact half of humanity lives on less than two dollars a day.
From: United States
PatDiamond reminds
If this guy wants to be taking seriously instead of bashing the commodity market let's talk about the fact half of humanity lives on less than two dollars a day.
yes, Pat, and many of them are in his own country. maybe instead of lecturing to the world about the speculators, he should lecture his own government ministers about stealing everything which is not nailed down.
Written by: juanb, 22 Jun 2011 12:28 PM
From: Dominican Republic
A sad commentary on our Dominican society:
If, as we all believe, LF is only positioning himself to become the Secretary General of the U.N. all we will ever hear about is "how proud we are", Dominican Pride, etc.
Suddenly, every evil deed, every corrupt act, every contract given to his friends, every arrangement made with people of dubious reputations will be forgotten.
He should be made the caretaker of the "Hall of Shame" where he will be forced to clean his statue every day.
Written by: RoyStone, 22 Jun 2011 12:38 PM
From: Australia
Dead, Leo is not waiting to be offered the UN sec.gen. job
- he assumed the position long ago, when he abandoned his job as DR President (without resigning).
He has all the requisites to lead the UN - total denial of market forces in preference for naive rhetoric. Clocking up as many countries as he can, paid for by DR taxpayers, despite it having nothing to do with DR.
From: United States
You POS empty suit.
You and your cronies profit from hunger, ill education and just plain transparent corruption.
What a moron.
Written by: juanb, 22 Jun 2011 2:17 PM
From: Dominican Republic
Specutors?
Juist goes to show how stupid LF sees the rest of us.
He has no shame.
Next thoing you know hje will be blaming the rain.
From: Dominican Republic, No Spin Zone
I am almost sure he is referring to the oil speculators and less to food speculators
Written by: danny00, 22 Jun 2011 4:19 PM
From: United States, syosset, key west, santo domingo AND NOW THE GLOBE TROTTER
oil speculators and less to food speculators
speculators are good for the market they keep the prices honest.
who said that people that are speculators have a sure theng when they invest their money?
its the worst game for any one to play, really fast way for one to lose their money.
china and india are today in africa buying up hugh parcels of land, they need this land to grow wheat and other products to help feed their masses.
From: Dominican Republic, vieja Santo Domingo
danny0 what you say is simply not correct ...China is not buying any land in Africa and if you had seen a number of Tv programmes on both Uk and European chanels you could see and hear that China is going into these poor countries and without asking for anything they are providing machinary and equipment and teachers to get better production from the land ...They have had no need to buy an acre as they already have won over many of the governments by their actions which on first looking may appear solely charitable but are probably self serving in the middle to long term.
From: United States
actually, Roy, the delusional nitwit probably does think that he is the Secretary General of the UN.
Written by: devin11, 23 Jun 2011 3:00 AM
From: United States, The Greatest City
If Mr. Fernandez is indeed looking for consideration as UN Sec. Gen. he will have a long wait as the current Sec. Gen. (Ban Ki Moon) was just unanimously given a new 5 year term just yesterday. The new term begins on Jan. 2012, so the position will not be available until after 2017.
From: Dominican Republic, No Spin Zone
thanks devin for putting that to rest ......then we can assume he is just padding his resume ....or taking the missus shopping for rugs
From: United States
well, Blutarsky, he might very well be hoping that Moon keels over in the near future.
Written by: RoyStone, 23 Jun 2011 7:06 PM
From: Australia
Secretary General is not the only plum job in the UN. Perhaps they can make a whole string of Deputies, as the DR government has?
From: United States
I have been reading the comments on this site for a few months now regarding the personal character of LF. I don't know how long most of you have been interested in Dominican politics but while several of you are old enough to know of our past leaders it seems your venom is only directed at
LF, and only at the last two terms. Does anyone have any comments on his first term in office when thru his policies the DR attained the highest GNP growth in the hemisphere.
During his first term DR negotiated for the first time trade deals with many of our
Carribean neighbors. LF also established relations with Cuba for the first time since
Castro took over. This was done despite the apprehension of the US. Though I am not a communist sympathiser I always felt DR foreign relations should not be mandated from Washington.
As a Dominican I was proud of his actions. That his second and third term have been a letdown is not in question, but who in the past 50 yrs has done better?
Written by: riosm, 24 Jun 2011 12:21 AM
From: United States
Venganza de rafael
You make an interesting point.
From: United States
During Trujillo most of you would have been killed for your comments. With Balaguer we had persecution for political reasons as well as Reform party nepotism and graft with customs and police.
Not to mention that drug smuggling and military involvement with it started during balaguer,s administrations.
Next we had Salvador J. Blanco and his corrupt gov't. His crimes were so blatant that he got prosecuted after he left office. Hippolito while a nice man could not keep his foot out of his mouth and his policies were disastrous to the economy. Neither did he address the drug traficking nor the military's involvement.
The only one without personal blemish was Guzman Fernandez who washed his daughter's embezzlement with his own blood.
The things you people accuse LF of (corruption in his gov't, crime, lack of energy) are not his creation alone. All the others had problems with this also.
(Illegal massive Haitian immigration is all LF however) .
Written by: riosm, 24 Jun 2011 12:46 AM
From: United States
Venganza de Rafael,
Truth be told.....You did it again.
We complain because we care.
ALL TAKE CARE.
Written by: RoyStone, 24 Jun 2011 7:32 AM
From: Australia
It seems that Presidents and Prime Ministers do their best work when they first come to office. Maybe their election promises are fresh in their minds. Nearing the end of their term, perhaps they are thinking more about their next job, or getting the benefits they believe they are entitled to. Limited terms of office are indeed a good idea.
From: United States
Indeed RS. Perhaps we should limit terms in office to one but extend the duration to 6 yrs.
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As a Teacher once told me back in 1969 during a class room discussion on the tilting of world power "IN THE FUTURE" he said "FOOD WILL BECOME THE ULTIMATE WEAPON OF WORLD POWER" and to think the U.N has the worlds largest collection and storage of fruits and vegetable seeds.
The spread of livestock deceases, we witnessed in Europe weeks ago where thousands of livestock were eliminated for health reasons thus adding to the food shortage.
Also he read to our class a book [I can't remember the name] where the world governments unite [NWO] would then enact laws that would out law personal victory gardens and the private ownership of livestock through massive regulations and control again all under a large one controlled government for total control. All under the guise the Gov. knows what's best for you.
A CONSPIRACY THEORIST PLAY GROUND ?
People who steals always yelling "SOMEONE ELSE IS STEALING" simply "PRETENDS" he is the honest man and with fair mind.
Does Lie-onel ever think about the hardship of the living for most of the people in Dominican Republic?
This article is reflecting he himself in DR.
Yea! So?
It can also be said that the Hungry are fed by Speculators.
It would be nice if he could use the DR as a model of what to do.
All should read my last post....really scary stuff.
If we can actually examine his statement that the world food price and supply is being manipulated by speculators , it is easy to see that it is not right . We have had natural disasters in most of the food producing countries ..floods and drought as well as diseases .. In Australia, Africa and the USA there have been huge problems and in Europe we have seen thousands of tons of food thrown away with the fear that the new E coli outbreak is from vegetables .
I would like to see examples of speculation in food because it is my view that most producers and sellers meet market demand . Oil is a different story
If this guy wants to be taking seriously instead of bashing the commodity market let's talk about the fact half of humanity lives on less than two dollars a day.
yes, Pat, and many of them are in his own country. maybe instead of lecturing to the world about the speculators, he should lecture his own government ministers about stealing everything which is not nailed down.
A sad commentary on our Dominican society:
If, as we all believe, LF is only positioning himself to become the Secretary General of the U.N. all we will ever hear about is "how proud we are", Dominican Pride, etc.
Suddenly, every evil deed, every corrupt act, every contract given to his friends, every arrangement made with people of dubious reputations will be forgotten.
He should be made the caretaker of the "Hall of Shame" where he will be forced to clean his statue every day.
- he assumed the position long ago, when he abandoned his job as DR President (without resigning).
He has all the requisites to lead the UN - total denial of market forces in preference for naive rhetoric. Clocking up as many countries as he can, paid for by DR taxpayers, despite it having nothing to do with DR.
You POS empty suit.
You and your cronies profit from hunger, ill education and just plain transparent corruption.
What a moron.
Specutors?
Juist goes to show how stupid LF sees the rest of us.
He has no shame.
Next thoing you know hje will be blaming the rain.
speculators are good for the market they keep the prices honest.
who said that people that are speculators have a sure theng when they invest their money?
its the worst game for any one to play, really fast way for one to lose their money.
china and india are today in africa buying up hugh parcels of land, they need this land to grow wheat and other products to help feed their masses.
LF, and only at the last two terms. Does anyone have any comments on his first term in office when thru his policies the DR attained the highest GNP growth in the hemisphere.
During his first term DR negotiated for the first time trade deals with many of our
Carribean neighbors. LF also established relations with Cuba for the first time since
Castro took over. This was done despite the apprehension of the US. Though I am not a communist sympathiser I always felt DR foreign relations should not be mandated from Washington.
As a Dominican I was proud of his actions. That his second and third term have been a letdown is not in question, but who in the past 50 yrs has done better?
You make an interesting point.
Not to mention that drug smuggling and military involvement with it started during balaguer,s administrations.
Next we had Salvador J. Blanco and his corrupt gov't. His crimes were so blatant that he got prosecuted after he left office. Hippolito while a nice man could not keep his foot out of his mouth and his policies were disastrous to the economy. Neither did he address the drug traficking nor the military's involvement.
The only one without personal blemish was Guzman Fernandez who washed his daughter's embezzlement with his own blood.
The things you people accuse LF of (corruption in his gov't, crime, lack of energy) are not his creation alone. All the others had problems with this also.
(Illegal massive Haitian immigration is all LF however) .
Truth be told.....You did it again.
We complain because we care.
ALL TAKE CARE.