Democracy is ill served by its self-appointed guardians
Simon Jenkins The Guardian, Wednesday March 5 2008 A

This week's Russian elections were "limited" and "less than free and fair", according to western monitors. The last elections in Iraq, by contrast, were "a triumph for democracy". The forthcoming elections in Zimbabwe and Iran have been pre-emptively dismissed as a travesty. Those in Pakistan were, by general consent, an affirmation of freedom.

Democracies are like two-year-olds: adorable when they belong to you, but you never see them as others do. Downing Street had a problem with the new Russian president, Dmitry Medvedev, since the procedure by which he was chosen was little short of feudal. Yet Gordon Brown could hardly slap him on the back as the victor in some great electoral tourney. Medvedev might hit back with a joke about western leaders also being slid into office by friends and predecessors - and at least he had an election of sorts. The British prime minister wisely muttered something noncommittal and put down the phone....
 

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Creation of more districts is effective decentralization plan

Abetifi, March 5, Ghanadot/GNA – President John Agyekum Kufuor has said the creation of more districts in the country was to give meaning to the decentralization process for good governance and accelerated development.. ....More

IRS manager testifies in 4 billion cedis receipt falsification case

Accra, March 5 Ghanadot/GNA - Mr Kweku Obeng, Internal Revenue service (IRS) District Manager for Adum in Kumasi, on Wednesday told an Accra Fast Track High Court that Mr Takyi Abiam, an IRS Cashier who was arrested for falsifying the Service's receipts, has escaped.....More