Trump’s marketing strategist

Tuesday, 29 November 2016

Every time the world turns to elections I personally take the learning mode, given that the best techniques in marketing comes into play, challenging conventional procedures. On this perspective, the US election 2016 was a case study. It sure shook the world and baffled the top notch research agencies in the world.

Almost all pre-polls surveys predicted a narrow win for Clinton but the reality was different. Whilst Clinton drove a structured marketing campaign, Trump practiced a knife fight marketing strategy. The latter worked and the world is yet grappling to conceptualise the marketing programmes so that they can be tested in other situations. 

Jared Kushner drove the knife fight marketing campaign for Trump

Whilst people are yet questioning the pre-election research indications on voter behaviour, in my view the results tilting to Clinton can be termed right. The logic being that Clinton in fact has secured two million votes over Trump with a 64.2 million performance as against the 62.2 registered for Trump. However, research failed to capture the two tier US election system that skewed the result to Trump. A tough decision for the loser but from a marketing point of view it’s interesting to understand the pickups to marketing from the Trump campaign. 

The strategist – Kushner

Just like any other world event the inside stories are coming to light over a period of time and on this one, a name coming out as the strategist of the Trump campaign is a personality called Jared Kushner. Professionally a real estate agent, Kushner made his presence felt was when he purchased the ‹ New York Observer›. Thereafter he went on setting up an online market place ‹cadre› for big deal real estate.

Jared incidentally is the son-in-law of Donald Trump and tends to know the right people in Fifth Avenue, New York. His co-investors include the billionaire Thiel and Alibaba›s Jack Ma, whilst his younger brother Josh is a top venture capitalist who owns the 2.7 billion dollar Oscar Health entity in the US.

Henry Kissinger, the former Secretary of State, once commented: “Every president is to have one or two people he intuitively and structurally trusts.” Jared Kushner ideally fits this role to Donald Trump, states the latest reports on the nail-biting victory. Let me pick up the key insights from the Trump campaign.

Kushner pickups 

1) Zero resources 

The former CEO of Google Eric Schmidt, who helped design the Clinton technology system, commented: “Jared ran the campaign with essentially no resources.” There were no desks, chairs or campaign staffers. Jared ran the campaign on a startup business model with a secret data operation out of his office in the skyscraper down Fifth Avenue. Initially it was essentially a tactical campaign to survive on a daily basis 

2) Catchy headlines

Whilst Clinton was pursuing a structured, segmented and targeted campaign state to state, Trump’s campaign was on to gorilla strategies with tactics like message tailoring, sentiment manipulation and machine learning but on the positioning ‘Make America Great Again’.

There was a time when Trump would call a TV station which was in the midst of a talk show and he would give a razor sharp message that caught the attention of a viewer but upset the equilibrium in the mind. This is why Trump was referred to as unpredictable but to the ‹average American› it sure instilled the lost pride of being American.

Kushner supplemented these bursts with cutting-edge messages during one to two rallies a week whilst also keeping the share of voice on traditional media. The poll results moved voter behaviour and Kushner saw the opening in the market place.

3) Worked on relationships

In the early days Kushner played the advisor on tax policy and trade but he realised that the campaign was a bit scrappy. When the Trump brand began to gather steam, Kushner brought in professionals. He worked the market to get the best talent on board just like any startup business which can afford the talent.

For instance on tax and policy an expert was hired and he joined under two conditions – he would remain anonymous and he would charge double the price. Kushner saw the results coming with the statements made by Trump getting credibility. Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel from the inception backed Trump but by November we saw even the clergy endorsing brand Trump which was beautifully architected by Kushner.

4) Traction 

As the Trump ticket started getting traction, Kushner realised by this time that with a share of 34% there was chance to get into White House with some external pressure changing the confidence towards Clinton. This is exactly what happened, given that when Trump’s market share picked up to 44% by the first week of November, the FBI Directors’ revelation on the private server emails sure dented Clinton’s campaign. However, it is not clear if there was a link between the Trump camp and the timing of the email saga from the FBI but it sure had an impact on the result is what analysts voice.

5) Hope on the product 

Given the personality of the brand it was a tough task to build hope on the product Trump but Kushner realised that when the Springfield, Illinois arena was packed on a crucial convention meeting, “People really saw hope in the message that Trump delivered on a daily basis.”

Though radical in nature, the nationalistic sentiments were garnering momentum and among core voters – thoroughbred Americans – Trump was getting popular though the world was ruffled from Putin to Germany›s Merkel, from the President of China to the Head of State of Mexico on the 3,000 km wall. But the core voter ratings to Trump were moving up and Kushner stuck with the strategy.

6) Trump’s advise 

Given that Jared Kushner was his son-in-law and he jelled with him on his psyche the advice from Trump to the campaign team was: «I don›t want people getting rich off the campaign, I want to make sure that we are watching every dollar just like we would do in business.»

A very interesting insight as I yet remember one of my bosses from the multinational circuit saying that the best marketing is done when the marketing budget is tight. Kushner did not argue even though he was a son of a wealthy real estate entrepreneur. Kushner called the marketing strategy baseline driven. It is said that Trump, once returning from a campaign meeting on his Trump Force One, handed over the Facebook/digital marketing initiative to his son-in-law and advised him to generate funding for the marketing programme.

7) Start up

Given that Kushner had a background of developing new business, especially in the digital space, he got help from the best technology experts and with simple messaging they started generating business by selling $ 8,000 worth of hats a day and traded up to a limit of $ 80,000 by the end of the campaign that included human billboards and low-tech policy videos talking directly to the camera that generated 74 million views. Trump ended the election at 62 million votes which may have a relationship. 

8) ROI

Kushner always worked on the ROI model where for any investment he wanted the highest return. Sometimes he played money ball and the states that gave him the best return is where marketing instrument was directed. Some say that the swing states results and the overall share of money to share of results was the best towards Trump. In fact the money spent totally by Clinton was way higher than Trump on top-line media billing.

An interesting point to note is that TV and radio billing is getting smaller whilst monies invested on Twitter and Facebook were stronger, which is a parallel pickup we see even in other businesses across the world.

9) Not afraid to fail

Given that Trump was the fighter brand to the pedigree brand of Clinton in the political arena, Kushner was not scared to fail. His ethos was to do a million things that were cheap and quick and if it was not working, kill it and go with the ones that bring in the results. Given the data-driven operation that he was running, he kept repeating the strategies that got traction so that scaling was happening during the campaign. An interesting move given the digital age that is throwing out so many opportunities for communication.

10) Data mining 

Kushner being a tech-savvy individual developed a customer geo-location tool that plotted the location density of about 20 voter types over a live Google Maps interface so that any campaign would be dictated by data linking travel, rally locations and topics of the speeches so that a synergy approach to marketing was used.

Kushner was using micro marketing at its smallest rather than the holistic campaigns run by competitor Clinton who by mid-October was on a roll even picking the shadow cabinet, according to the latest information coming in.

11) Testing 

Given Kushner’s attitude, coming from a real estate background, he would test an advertisement and ineffective ads were killed in minutes whilst the impactful ones were scaled up. At the height of the campaign nearing the voting day, almost 100,000 tweaked ads were being targeted to voters each day. Hence, whilst traditional media was used to drive brand imagery and presence on media, it was digital media that was driving voters towards Trump, which is why I believe most of the pre-poll data was not picking up the vibes.

12) Last minute draw

When Kushner saw that in stores like Michigan and Pennsylvania the momentum was strongly on to Trump, he unleashed tailor-made last minute ads on rallies whilst thousands of volunteers started a door-to-door operation backed by telephone Ellington that sure closed the numbers at 62.4 million votes but crossing the 271 magical number. 

Afterthought

An interesting insight is that whilst Kushner is said to have given the backbone to the campaign with Trump’s Twitter garnering 15.5 million followers, Jared had never tweeted in life as at end June 2009.

Kushner’s conflicts with the reality were never a distraction because he had unflagging faith in the brand Donald Trump and he used the data to drive his strategy: «America first and to be a nationalist as opposed to a globalist». It worked from a marketing strategy perspective but now we need to see if the product lives up to the promises made.

References:

   - The New York Times

   - Business Insider

   - Los Angeles Times

   - Forbes Magazine

   - Predictit.org

   - quota.com.  

   - investopedia.com

   - ibtimes.co.uk

(The author is a marketer by professional, winning twice the Best Marketer Award in Sri Lanka. Nationally he has chaired Sri Lanka Exports and Sri Lanka Tourism and is today driving the Lanka Sathosa brand. He is also on many private and public sector boards in Sri Lanka.)

Exclusive: Indian government officials propose break up of Coal India - sources

A worker unloads coal from a goods train at a railway yard in Chandigarh, India, July 8, 2014. REUTERS/Ajay Verma/Files-Workers unload coal from a supply truck at a yard on the outskirts of the western Indian city of Ahmedabad April 15, 2015. REUTERS/Amit Dave

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks to the media inside the parliament premises on the first day of the winter session in New Delhi, India, November 16, 2016. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

By Neha Dasgupta and Krishna N. Das | NEW DELHI-Thu Dec 1, 2016

Senior Indian government officials tasked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with reviewing energy security are recommending the break up of the country's coal monopoly, Coal India Ltd (COAL.NS), within a year.

Attempts to break up the world's biggest coal miner would be met by strong resistance from powerful unions representing the company's employees of more than 350,000. The government backed down from a similar proposal in the face of union protests in 2014.

Around 70 percent of India's power generation is coal based. The country is the world's third-largest producer and its third-biggest importer of coal, which the government wants to change by boosting local coal production.

In a presentation seen by Reuters, government officials recommend that Coal India - with a stock market valuation of $28 billion - should be broken up into seven companies, which they say would make it more competitive and efficient.

The proposal, dated Nov 30, is expected to be presented to Modi soon, three government officials with direct knowledge of the situation said. They declined to be identified because the information has not been publicly released.

Calls to a Coal India spokesman went unanswered.

A source close to power and coal minister, Piyush Goyal, said the ministry would review its stand on Coal India depending on what the prime minister says.

Coal India is the country's second-biggest employer, but critics say it is bloated and inefficient. Its output-per-man shift is estimated at one-eighth of Peabody Energy (BTUUQ.PK), the world's largest private coal producer, filed for bankruptcy protection this year.

Under Modi's government though, production has risen sharply as environmental and other clearances to develop mines have been fast-tracked. The company is also spending billions of dollars on buying modern machinery to raise productivity.

The government wants Coal India to increase production of coal to 1 billion tonnes a year by 2020 from around 539 million tonnes in the fiscal year that ended in March. It wants India as a whole to produce 1.5 billion tonnes a year by 2020.

Modi was exploring a breakup of Coal India before taking office, Reuters reported in 2014, but the government put the idea on the back burner following protests by unions. (reut.rs/2gXYD5L)

Unions fear restructuring Coal India would almost certainly lead to job cuts and work being outsourced to private companies, so are likely to protest against a break up.

"What happens is that once a big company is broken down, it is easier to control the smaller ones," said D.D. Ramanandan of the All India Coal Workers' Federation, which he said represents more than 100,000 workers of the company. "But if it happens, we will oppose it. We will oppose it through all ways possible, including strike."

ENERGY SECURITY

In late October, Modi set up 10 groups of senior bureaucrats to "undertake a critical review" of government work in a number of areas, including energy, transport and agriculture.

The proposal to break up Coal India comes from one of these groups - nine top bureaucrats, including ones from the ministries of coal, power, oil and mines. They were asked to come up with policy proposals to promote energy security and the environment.

Under Modi, Coal India's production growth rate has nearly doubled, marking one of the administration's biggest successes. Fuel shortages for power plants have turned into oversupply.

Restructuring is likely to be harder, but is crucial to the government's ambition to sell 10 percent of the company to raise funds for further growth and investment. The government owns just under 80 percent of the company.

Coal India wants to spend billions of dollars in the next few years to buy equipment and modernize mines. Miners still commonly use shovels and picks to dig for coal underground.

The company also plans to stop filling most vacancies arising from retirements over the next three years, and outsource more mining to private companies.

Coal India unit Mahanadi Coalfields pioneered outsourcing of mining work a few years ago and is now the company's biggest producer and fastest-growing unit. Contractors carry out about 90 percent of the unit's mining.

Coal India is a holding company with seven producing units and a planning and consultancy firm. The producing units have their own administrative set-up led by a chairman, so breaking them up to run as individual companies may not be difficult, analysts said.

(Reporting by Neha Dasgupta and Krishna N. Das; Editing by Neil Fullick)

Burma can overtake Singapore in 20 years, Suu Kyi says amid Rohingya crisis

Myanmar's Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi, left, steps into a photo position for the media along with Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Istana or presidential palace on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016, in Singapore. Pic: AP

By A. Azim Idris -1st December 2016

ALTHOUGH Burma has been wracked by decades of civil unrest and is now said to be edging on a full-blown “ethnic cleansing” of the Rohingya Muslims, its de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi has trotted out an ambitious plan to have her country overtake Singapore’s economy in two decades.

Speaking at a business dialogue in Singapore on Wednesday, the Burmese State Counselor said she hopes her regional neighbour would lend a helping hand.

“At the beginning of Singapore’s independence, the then prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, said that in 20 years’ time, Singapore would have caught up with Burma,” she said, as quoted by Channel News Asia.

“I think we have to change that a bit and say: In 20 years’ time, Myanmar (Burma) will have overtaken Singapore and you will help us to do that because success in one part of the region means success throughout the region and we have never found it difficult to engage with Singapore economically.”

The 71-year-old Nobel laureate said Burma has been “left behind” and hindered by “different factors” 

compared to its Southeast Asian neighbours, adding she hopes Singapore would help the country become more vibrant on the political and economic fronts.

“Politics and business cannot be separated particularly at this time when we are trying to make our country not just united and peaceful, but also prosperous,” she was quoted as saying. “For that, we look to you to advise us, to work together with us and to make our country vibrant, not just politically but also economically.”

Suu Kyi is on an official visit to Singapore that lasts three days, ending Friday. On her schedule is a dinner hosted by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

SEE ALSO: Aung San Suu Kyi joins talks with ethnic groups in bid to boost Burma ceasefire

In October, Suu Kyi admitted to Burma’s sluggish economic growth at 7 percent in the first six months of her rule following a World Bank report, which cited heavy flooding and investment slowdown during the 2015 election period that was also hampered by external factors.

The recorded 7 percent growth was less than the average rate of 8.5 percent in 2013 and 2014 but higher than expected, as the World Bank had trimmed its 2015-16 forecast from 8.2 percent to 6.5 percent.

For decades, Burma has been plagued by civil war as ethnic minorities fight for greater autonomy from the central government, which has long been an Achilles’ heel in the nation’s plans for greater cohesion, growth and development.

There are at least 15 different rebel groups that are actively taking up arms across Burma since the country achieved independence from British colonial rule in 1948. Some of the groups, such as the Kachin Independence Army and the United Wa State Army, have controlled and administered large swaths of territory for years, according to CNN.

SEE ALSO: Burma’s ethnic rebels satisfied over latest meeting with government

Although the government has been engaged in ceasefire talks with the groups, representatives of Burma’s ethnic minorities say the peace process remains an uphill task.

As it aims to attract overseas investments and bolster its economy, the Burmese government is also faced with the challenge of addressing the issue of an ethnic minority that it refuses to recognise as its citizens.

Longstanding discrimination by the Buddhist majority against the Muslim Rohingya in the northern Rakhine state exploded into bloody violence in 2012, leaving more than 100,000 people, mostly Rohingyas, in displacement camps.

Since Oct 9 this year, Burmese security forces have been pouring into Rakhine in a fresh round of violence that was triggered by a series of attacks on border guard posts by what the government says was carried out by Rohingyan insurgent groups.

SEE ALSO: Burma: Fresh round of violence breaks out in Rakhine state

The recent escalating violence has left an estimated 100 people dead and displaced another 30,000 while government security forces have been accused of burning down homes and raping dozens of Rohingya women.

On Tuesday, United Nations’ High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) office expressed alarm over reports of ‘serious rights violations’ in Rakhine that cite allegations of extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests and sexual violence.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said the government needs to condemn the renewed spike in hate speech as failing to do so threatened to “exacerbate the current spiral of violence”.

“Protection of civilians and unfettered humanitarian access to conflict affected areas is critical,” the UN rights chief said.

“Measures that may heighten the vulnerability or pose threats to the safety and security of internally displaced people – such as requiring internally displaced persons (IDPs) to cross conflict lines – must be avoided.”

SEE ALSO: Malaysia mulls pulling out of ASEAN soccer cup amid Burma’s crackdown on Rohingyas

Suu Kyi, who has been the subject of criticism for her apparent reluctance to address the Rohingyan ‘genocide’ , also said in Singapore that national reconciliation is “unavoidably important” for the country to attract investment, but gave no specifics on how her government intends to resolve violence and discrimination against the marginalised community.

Suu Kyi, who swept into power last year after wresting the government from decades of junta rule, said that national reconciliation is also not “a matter of choice. It’s unavoidable.”

The accounts of military attacks against the Rohingya community caused thousands of people to march in protest in Bangladesh last week. Smaller protests occurred in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

The protests against the violence in Indonesia has forced Suu Kyi to cancel her working visit to the country while the Malaysian government has called for a review on Burma’s membership in ASEAN, Southeast Asia’s main regional organisation.

Additional reporting by the Associated Press

Brexit: 1m EU citizens in Britain 'could be at risk of deportation'

The government has been warned that up to 1 million EU citizens living in the UK could be at risk of deportation if it does not come up with a simple way of recognising their status in the country.

 The 3 Million campaign group has urged the government to remove the threat of deportation without notice. Photograph: Fiona Hanson/PA

Lisa O'Carroll-Thursday 1 December 2016 

The 3 Million, a grassroots group lobbying for the rights of non-British citizens who have made the UK their home, has told the home secretary it would take the Home Office 47 years to process applications from EU citizens for permanent residency (PR). “We are people with families, children, friends and work colleagues, and we are rightly worried about a very uncertain future,” said Nicolas Hatton, chair of the 3 Million, in his letter to Amber Rudd.

“EU citizens have been feeling very anxious about their future since the referendum, and this set of data will not reassure them. We call on you to remove the threat of deportation without notice and give us, today, guarantees that all EU citizens living legally in the UK will be able to exercise their right to remain before the UK leaves the EU.”

Theresa May has consistently said that rights for EU citizens were a legitimate part of Brexit negotiations, but on Thursday night the government seemed to go one step further by indicating their rights could be removed if not reciprocated.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “The home secretary has been clear that she wants to protect the status of EU nationals already living here, and the only circumstances in which that wouldn’t be possible is if British citizens’ rights in European member states were not protected in return.”

The estimated time it would take the Home Office to deal with the 3 million EU citizens in the country is based on the latest immigration data, which shows a surge in applications for PR since the EU referendum, which has caused a backlog of 100,000 applications.

 Former Labour MP Roger Casale and 3 Million founder Nicholas Hatton. Photograph: Lisa O'Carroll

PR was designed for non-EU citizens who wished to settle in the UK and involves an 85-page application form. Applicants not only have to provide five years of council tax bills, bank statements or utility bills to demonstrate residency, but also have to document each time they have been in and out of the country since they arrived in the UK.

Monika Lutke-Daldrup from Germany, who is an executive with a large European firm and lives in Watford, told the Guardian: “I travel about 20 times a year and I have been here for 18 years. It is ridiculous.”

Paola Rizatto said: “I am an educated person, but I found the 85-page form so overwhelming that I decided to hire an immigration lawyer. I have already spent around £1,000.”

Several mothers who have British children say they are not eligible for PR because their household bills are not in their names. “Just to be married to a British person or to have British children is not enough,” said one. Another, who asked not to be named, said she had been told to get her child’s school to sign a statement that she had been picking up her child each day for the past five years.

The 3 Million said the Home Office process for PR “is totally inconsistent and depends on what Home Office adviser you get”.

Data published on Thursday shows that 30% of applications are rejected, with many EU citizens unable to pass the paperwork test despite their legal right of residence as EU citizens.

If the government requires all non-Britons to join the non-EU immigrants in the permanent residency queue, up to 1 million could face deportation the day the UK leaves the EU. 

The Home Office said there had been “no change to the rights and status of EU nationals in the UK as a result of the referendum”. Its guidance was that EU citizens did not need to apply for permanent residence. “As such there is no requirement to register for documentation to confirm their status,” a spokesperson said.

Bribery Is on the Rise Worldwide, and It Costs A Lot More Than Just Money

BY ROBBIE GRAMER-DECEMBER 1, 2016

Corruption, graft, and palm-greasing are a real and growing drag on the global economy — and they open the door to a host of evils like drug smuggling and human trafficking. Bribes to the tune of about $1.5 trillion change hands every year, according to the International Monetary Fund, or about 5 percent of global GDP.

And the true cost of corruption doesn’t just boil down to money, either. “You can’t have narco-trafficking without bribery, human trafficking without bribery, or even terrorism without bribery,” said Alexandra Wrage, president and founder of the anti-bribery organization TRACE International.

TRACE says that bribery is getting worse, with global graft on the rise, according to a new study. Some 60 percent of countries have an increased bribery risk compared with the 2014 study, while only 32 percent have a decreased bribery risk, the group says. While anti-bribery laws and enforcement are on the upswing in many countries, government transparency and capacity for civil society oversight of anti-bribery are not.

The study shows the cleanest — and most graft-prone — countries around the world, ranking countries on a scale of 1 to 100, with higher numbers indicating higher bribery risks.

See how each country stacks up here:

Sweden comes out on top with a score of 10, followed by New Zealand at 15 and Estonia at 17. The most bribery-prone country in the world is Nigeria, with a score of 99. Russia is actually getting cleaner, TRACE says, improving from a score of 65 two years ago to 58 today.  China, despite a huge anti-corruption drive in Beijing, sits immobile with a score of 66.

Even the United States even saw a slight increase in bribery risk, going from a score of 27 in 2014 to a score of 34 in 2016, though it’s still a lot closer to Sweden than Swaziland. The United States improved anti-bribery laws, according to the study, but saw its score rise because of increased business-to-government interactions and a slight backslide in civil society oversight of bribery.

“Generally, more places have gotten worse than have gotten better,” Virna Di Palma, senior director of global strategy with TRACE, told Foreign Policy. In particular, the Americas, Africa, and East Asia are backsliding on fighting corruption, Di Palma said.

Corruption hemorrhages public trust in governments. A Transparency International study released in November found, after surveying 60,000 Europeans and Central Asians, 53 percent thought their governments handled corruption poorly, while only 23 percent thought they were doing well. One in three surveyed thought their government’s officials and lawmakers were mostly corrupt. Even in the supposedly cleaner and more advanced West, public ire at corruption — whether real or perceived — helps fuel populist political movements.

All is not necessarily lost, though, says Wrage. Corporate behavior is getting more legal scrutiny around the world. And if bribery scores are high now, it may be because bribery was simply more difficult to track in the past. “It’s not that there’s more bribery, it’s that it’s more visible,” Wrage said.

Companies are also learning that dirty business can be bad business, says Di Palma. Additionally, small and medium-sized companies — not just multinationals — are beginning to take anti-graft measures more seriously.

“We see the world trending in the right direction,” Di Palma said. “Initially companies were only interested because of increased anti-bribery enforcement, but in the last few years we’ve seen a change,” she said, adding that “companies are recognizing that bribery is a bad business strategy.”

Photo credit: DIPTENDU DUTTA/AFP/Getty Images; TRACE International, Inc.

HIV vaccine: Clinical trial begins in South Africa

AFPImage captionSouth Africa is battling to curb the spread of HIV/Aids

30 November 2016

A new vaccine against HIV, the virus that causes Aids, is being tested in South Africa in what scientists say is the first large study of an HIV vaccine's effectiveness since 2009.

The study aims to enrol 5,400 sexually active young men and women.

About seven million people in South Africa are living with the virus, which is one reason why the trial is taking place there.

Experts hope the vaccine will be "the final nail in the coffin" for HIV.

The vaccine regime being tested is based on one used in a trial in Thailand in 2009, which had a protection rate of about 30%. Results from South Africa are expected in four years.

• Africa Live: More on this and news updates
• Zambia MP: I was excommunicated for saying I had HIV

Since the HIV virus was identified in 1983, efforts to develop an effective vaccine have proved unsuccessful.

Researchers hope that this might come to an end with the current study, which is code-named HVTN 702.

It is being led by South Africa's Glenda Gray, a university research professor and head of South Africa's Medical Research Council.

"It will tell us whether the initial success observed [at a smaller scale] will bear fruit in the form of a safe and effective HIV vaccine designed for the people of southern Africa," Dr Gray said.

AFP-Image captionAids remains the biggest cause of death among young people in Africa

According to the United Nations, more than 30 million people have died from Aids since the 1980s.

Recent breakthroughs in anti-retroviral treatments have improved the lifespan of Aids patients.

However, the only effective prevention remains abstinence or the use of barrier methods such as condoms during sexual intercourse.

'Making history'

As part of the present trial, study participants will receive a total of five injections over one year, says the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is sponsoring the trial.

Awethu Benenengu, a 20-year-old construction worker, who is one of the participants in the trial, told the BBC's Nomsa Maseko in Johannesburg that he volunteered because he wanted to help defeat Aids.

"I decided to get involved because I don't like the way my HIV-positive cousin is treated," Mr Benenengu said.

"There is so much stigma. I want to be part of a generation that changes this and I want my children to be proud one day of their father for getting involved in making history."

Participants who become infected with HIV during the trial will be referred to local medical providers for care and treatment, NIH adds.

They will be advised on how to reduce their risk of transmitting the virus.

An exhaustive analysis on Gampaha judge who conspired against media including LeN –Young Journalists Association Complaint to JSC against her..!

(Lanka-e-News -30.Nov.2016, 6.10PM) The grave conspiracy hatched  and nurtured by  Gampaha magistrate Kaveendra Nanayakkara with the aim of attacking   the media including Lanka e news and its editor , has been exposed at length  by the Sri Lanka Young journalists association , while lodging a complaint with the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) . A copy of the complaint is hereunder …

2016-11-28
G.M. W. P. Jayathileke esq;
The Secretary
Judicial Service Commission
P.O. Box 573, Hultsdorf
Colombo 12 ,
Dear Sir , 

Regarding the verdict delivered by Gampaha magistrate in Upali Tennekoon’s case. 

The complaint made in connection with the assault launched on Rivira newspaper chief editor Upali Tennekoon , and the attempt made on his life on 2009-01 -23 was heard in the Gampaha magistrate court over  a long period.

Following the advent of the present government this investigation was handed over to the CID to make it transparent , and the suspect , Prem Ananda Udalagama, a sergeant of the army intelligence division was taken into  custody.

This case was  heard by Gampaha chief magistrate Ms. Kaveendra Nanayakkara . On 31 st July 2016 ,  Lanka e news  website published a report revealing a number of facts about Kaveendra in relation  to the arrest of magistrate Thilina Gamage over the illegal custody of an elephant cub and her   criticizing  the Attorney General (AG) via her face book over this arrest , as well as  the   publishing  of ‘modeling’  photographs of hers which are unbecoming of a judge .

On 2016 08- 26 , an identification parade was held pertaining to Upali Tennekoon case , when Upali Tennekoon and his wife identified the suspect Prem Ananda Udalagama .

On a subsequent date it was stated  in open court by Kaveendra that  Tennekoon and his wife identified the suspect Nanda Udalagama because the photograph of the suspect was previously published by Lanka e news. It is to be noted , no court had issued an order that the photograph of the suspect shall not be published. We do not know how the magistrate arrived at the conclusion that Tennekoon and his wife identified the suspect because his photograph was published by the media.

Along with the report of Lanka e news of 18 th July 2016 under the caption ‘ Two groups were deployed for  Lasantha’s murder’  the photograph of suspect Prem Ananda Udalagama was published. Later , in an article written by journalist Saman Gamage under the caption ‘ the new game in Lasantha’s murder  ……’ the photograph of the suspect was published in the Divaina newspaper of 7 th August 2016. 

Based on reports reaching us , the photograph of the suspect was published by  a website that is linked to a diplomatic mission. Hence , this photograph was first  published not by journalist Saman Gamage or Lanka e news .  When the police are unable to arrest  a suspect   , it is our assumption  publishing a photograph  is not an issue if it serves to quench  the curiosity of the public and a good cause, and if it concerns a  controversial incident.

In any event , though the magistrate gave an order to record a statement of Saman Gamage , and he was summoned to the CID , he did not respond. The magistrate then said , Saman Gamage ‘s non appearance at the CID is of no relevance  to this case , and to file a different case on another B report. Accordingly , the CID filed a separate case against Saman Gamage.

On a subsequent court date , based on an  anonymous petition received regarding Lanka e news  , Kaveendra ordered the CID to initiate an investigation . On every occasion Upali Tennkoon’s case was taken up for hearing  , it was the investigation  pertaining to LeN that was spotlighted and given  precedence, and not the Upali Tennekoon assault case .

The magistrate ordered to probe how Lanka e news received funds, its address , its editor , the registration of the website and the advertisements published by the website which were not germane to  Upali Tennekoon attempted murder case. The magistrate who instructed the CID to file a different case in respect of Saman Gamage’s issue ,  appears to have followed a different policy in regard to Lanka e news. The magistrate also several times blamed the CID for  not conducting investigations duly  pertaining to LeN.

The CID that was investigating the assault on Upali Tennekoon , had even recorded statements of ex Navy commander Vasantha Karannagoda. Instead of probing into the telephone calls , bank statements  etc . relating to those individuals,   orders were issued  to investigate Lanka e news which had no connection . This can create  grave issues. 

Dear Secretary ,

When  Lanka e news had previously reported about magistrate Kaveendra , the latter herself giving judgments pertaining to LeN website is most unethical  and uncivilized . Even  an ordinary layman  who knows just the basics of law would know it is creating issues.

It is our view , by the magistrate Kaveendra trying to conduct the trial while  showing concern to matters which are absolutely unrelated , Upali Tennekoon the aggrieved party is being subjected to grave injustice. Even the CID appears to be facing unnecessary  harassment .

In this Upali Tennekoon case , it is  the CID that is the plaintiff and the investigations are also by the CID. Besides , the CID has not informed court that in this connection a statement must be recorded of LeN editor ,let alone arrested. Even on the day Kaveendra issued a warrant , the CID never made such a request.

In this backdrop  when  neither the CID nor the AG has filed a case , the Gampaha magistrate Kaveendra issuing an international warrant against LeN editor is most perturbing,  and on what grounds she issued it is questionable. 

There are fierce criticisms that there are delays relating to  cases  in courts , and is a   major issue confronting us.  While other cases are being delayed in this court , this particular case being heard in a  haste by taking it up on court  dates in close succession is suspicion ridden. If there was a hindrance to investigation by publishing the photograph of the suspect , the AG would have taken that into consideration when filing the case . Truly if such a thing has taken place , it does not constitute  a contempt of court , rather the suspect  stands to gain only.  When that is the actual situation , we would like to know on what legal premise the magistrate moved on this matter ? 

Court is not a loin cloth to be used to serve the private purposes of anybody , or  their whims and fancies , or is an Institution that can be used to cover anybody’s  nudity . The dignity of a court is decided not on the media reports that are published about it , but on how the court proceedings are  conducted.

In the circumstances , we humbly request that  an immediate probe be launched  into the conduct of Gampaha chief magistrate Kaveendra Nanayakkara  .

We are also expecting to make two requests  to the AG :

To withdraw the case filed against Divaina newspaper journalist Saman Gamage , and 

to recall   the international warrant issued against Lanka e News editor Sandaruwan Senadheera

Thanks
Yours faithfully

Sri Lanka Young Journalists Association. 

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by     (2016-11-30 13:32:04)

TNA to Govt:/You haven't fooled us


2016-12-01


The Government should not think it has fooled the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), MP M A Sumanthiran told Parliament yesterday.

 "Don't think you have fooled us just because we support you on constitutional reforms and vote in favour of the budget," he said.

 He said the government should expedite the process of devolving power and honour its promise to the international community.

 He urged the government to set up an office to probe disappearances. (Yohan Perera)

Current advertising and program rating systems are faulty says Minister

Tuesday, 29 November 2016

Media Minister Gayantha Karunatileka yesterday informed Parliament on moves to establish a new rating agency for advertising and programs aired on electronic media.

The Minister, speaking during the Appropriation Bill Committee stage debate for Ministry of Mass Parliamentary Affairs and Media, said that flaws in rating systems available now have given way to deterioration in quality of both advertisements and programmes.

“Advertising industry and TV and the quality of digital programs go hand in hand. We also know that the quality depends on the ratings. There is a lot of criticism for the current rating systems, so we decided to study the system. A committee comprising of academics and professionals will study the current system with directions given to speak to all media institutions, advertising agencies, rating agencies and all other stake holders in the field. Their report has been submitted,” he said. 

Media Minister Gayantha Karunatileka

After a four month long study the committee has submitted its report to the ministry, Karunathilaka informed Parliament. The committee report presented recommendations for a scientifically structured, formal system for rating, he said.

“I plan to give the recommendations to all stakeholders for their input and establish the system in the near future,” the Minister said.

Despite being criticised for moves suppressing media through the proposed commission to regulate the contents of news published in print and electronic media outlets, he said the ministry is determined to go ahead with the plan. 

Dismissing wide spread claims that the Government is trying to control media through the proposed commission, Karunathilaka said that the committee will only ensure that professional and factual reporting is carried out. He said that the ministry will receive comments and recommendations on the proposed commission from the public till the end of this year.

“Competition among media institutions should exist but reporting should have quality and be based on facts. The institutions should not follow political agendas. Media institutions should focus on public interest and nothing else,” he claimed.

“We need to push the media field to this level,” he said, adding that a new training institute will be established for journalists.