Insider Dealing in Hong Kong Essay Example for Free

Insider Dealing in Hong Kong Essay Although insider dealing has been a criminal offence under section 291 of Chapter 571, Securities and Futures Ordinance (SFO) in Hong Kong since 2003, the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) was initially slow to prosecute offenders, commencing its first criminal insider dealing prosecution only in January 2008. Factors to be considered to commence criminal proceedings In deciding whether to commence criminal proceedings against an alleged insider dealer, the SFC will have regard to the guidelines in the prosecution policy of the Department of Justice, which require two basic factors to be considered: 1. Sufficiency of evidence The burden of proof is greater in criminal proceedings and the SFC will generally only recommend criminal proceedings where there is admissible, substantial and reliable evidence that an offence has been committed and there is a reasonable prospect of a conviction. Where there is a lack of sufficient evidence to meet the criminal burden of proof, the SFC is likely to initiate civil proceedings. 2. Public interest Whether, taking into account the circumstances of a particular case, it is in the public interest to bring a prosecution before the courts. First Criminal Case of Insider Dealing in Hong Kong In the case of HKSAR v Ma Hon-yeung (DCCC 229-240/2008) which involved Ma Hon-yeung, former Vice President of BNP Paribas Peregrine Capital Ltd, now known as BNP Paribas Capital (Asia Pacific) Ltd (BNP Paribas), an investment bank. The case is related to trading in the shares of Egana Jewellery Pearls Ltd (Egana), a listed company in Hong Kong prior to an announcement made to the market on 11 Jul 2006 aboutprivatization of the company. Ma Hon-yeung learned of a proposed privatization of Egana and tipped off his girlfriend, Ivy Lo Yuk-wah and three other family members, Sammy Ma Hon-kit, Cordelia Tso Kin-wah and Ronald Ma Chun-ho, within days of becoming privy to the proposed deal. All of them bought shares in Egana before the company announced a privatization plan and made a profit as a result. Between 1 June 2006 and 6 July 2006, trading in Egana’s shares ranged between HK$1.35 and HK$1.61 with average daily turnover of 636,630 shares. Trading in the shares of Egana and EganaGoldpfeil were suspended on 7 July 2006 pending an announcement. On 11 July 2006, Egana and EganaGoldpfeil made a joint announcement about a proposed privatization of Egana. The proposal offered shareholders a choice of receiving HK$1.80 per share or one share of EganaGoldpfeil for every 1.5 Egana shares or a combination of both. Following the announcement on 11 July 2006 the share price closed at HK$1.84 with substantially increased turnover of 25 million shares. The privatization proposal was approved by shareholders and by the court and became effective on 23 October 2006. Egana was delisted on the following day. Ma acted as a financial consultant for Egana during the privatization move, which he knew was confidential, price sensitive information. Ma had counselled or procured Ivy and Sammy to trade in Egana shares. He was convicted of insider dealing contrary to section 291(1)(b). Ivy, bought 1.51 million shares in Egana between June 20 and July 6, 2006. She was convicted of insider dealing contrary to section 291(5)(a). Ma transferred a total HK$1.7 million into Ivys account before the privatization announcement. She later sold the shares and transferred the money back to Ma’s account. Sammy , Cordelia and Ronald bought Egana shares separately from July 6. Sammy, Ronald and Cordelia traded in Egana shares having information through Mas connection to Egana about the proposed privatisation. Owing to their close family relationship between Ma andhis three family members, who received and made profit by utilizing such information, all of them were convicted of insider dealing contrary to section 291(5)(a) and (8) of SFO. Ma and Ivy were given custodial sentences of 26 months and 12months respectively. Ma’s three family members were ordered to serve 200 hours of community service. Fines were also imposed in amounts equivalent to the profits they had made while dealing in Egana shares ahead of the privatization which are HK$230,000, HK$210,000, HK$330,000, HK$110,000 and HK$17,000 respectively. The Court also ordered them to pay the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) investigation costs totaling HK$322,742. This is the first time any person has been sentenced to jail for insider dealing in Hong Kong. The family members avoided custodial sentences because they were merely opportunistic investors making use of the relevant information divulged by the vice-president. There was no evidence that they assisted him in carrying out his plot for personal gain by using insider information. The conduct of the girlfriend, on the other hand, warranted a custodial sentence as she was the person executing the plot on behalf of the vice-president. She was fully aware of his position of trust in the financial institution and had used her trading account to perpetrate the plot. As such, the court viewed her involvement in the misconduct as being much more serious than that of an opportunistic investor; community service could not adequately reflect her culpability. However, we continue to see obvious and flagrant breaches of the insider dealing laws, such as insiders and/or their families’ members will exploited the confidential information they obtained to make a gain on disposal of shares. One of the reasons may be that the punishment for insider dealing in Hong Kong is mild for the offenders.

Situation Of Persons With Disabilities In Pakistan

Situation Of Persons With Disabilities In Pakistan Although there is no widely accepted definition of persons with disabilities, twodefinitions can be found in the National Policy for Special Education in Pakistan: Disability means the lack of ability to perform an activity in a manner that is considered to be normal. A person with disabilities means a person who, on account of injury, disease, or congenital deformity, is handicapped in undertaking any gainful profession or employment, and includes persons who are visually impaired, hearing impaired, and physically and mentally disabled. The 1 998 Population Census defined the term disability as, Any restrictionor lack (resulting from an impairment) of the ability to perform an activity in themanner and within the range considered normal for a human being. Impairmentmeans any loss or abnormality of psychological, physiological or anatomical structure or functional. According to the census for 1998, there are 3,286,630 people with disabilityconstituting 2.54 per cent of the population (Bureau of Statistics, 1998). Thefigure is underestimated, as the definition of disability did not include moderateand mild disability. Data collectors for the census were not trained to identify andclassify all forms of disability. Disability has often been regarded as a peripheral issue in discussions onhealth services. Despite a number of progressive policies included in thePakistans Constitution that declares equal rights for all, disabled people are stillregarded in the main as an insignificant minority. In the health sector particularly,they are regarded as cases to be cured, tailing which they are referred towelfare for care. I he denial of human rights, and the exclusion andmarginalization of disabled people is manifested in many forms within the healthsector. To date in Pakistan, services for disabled people have been based on anunderstanding of disability as individual pathology, the disabled person beingseen as a problem to be corrected. Its development can be traced to the greatstrides in medical science and technology, which led many to believe that dysfunction, could be explained through rational scientific argument; the cause of any condition regarded as abnormal being attributed to the malfunction of a physiological system. Pathology thus provided the means by which dis-ability could be distinguished from able-bodiedness, abnorrnality from normality. Disability as malfunction has since grown to be seen as a specialized health problem, at the heart of which is an emphasis on clinical diagnosis. Consequently the aim of medical rehabilitation is to assist the individual to be as normal as possible. in traditional societies such as Pakistan where education is low and economic development has not taken off, any disability among household members is normally concealed, especially disabilities acquired from birth or those developed soon thereafter. Intellectual disabilities and physical deformities arc perceived as stigmata since their existence could jeopardize the family name, which becomes especially important in societies with extended Families. The existence of any disability related to psychological concerns that results From congenital antecedents is considered a serious threat to a familys social status. The familys concern is related to the social discrimination that other people would likely demonstrate, which in the view of the family concerned justifies concealing the existence of such offspring. Another reason why family events relating to disabilities are concealed relates to the exchange phenomenon in marriages, especially on the bridegrooms side. The fear that other children in the family concerned may also carry genes which could adversely affect their progeny means that parents often will not reveal that such a person exists in the family, since it would be difficult For them to find spouses for their other, non-disabled children. Such fears are much greater fur families that are socially mobile or who have a relatively higher social status. The Religious/Moral model is historically the oldest and is less prevalent today. However, there are many segment of society in Pakistan that associate disability with sin and shame, and disability is often associated with feelings of guilt, even if such feelings are not overtly based in religious doctrine. For the individual with a disability, this model is particularly burdensome. This model has been associated with shame on the entire family with a member with a disability. Families have hidden away the disabled family member, keeping them out of school and excluded from any chance at having a meaningful role in society. Even in less extreme circumstances, this model has resulted in general social ostracism and self-hatred. In poverty-stricken developing society, like Pakistan, where additional hands are always needed to assist with family work, thereby supplementing family income, the existence of a person with a disability is considered a curse orunfortunate fate for the family concerned. The loss of family labor in addition to the diversion of family resources to care for the needs of a child with a disability usually results in additional fertility to offset the loss of that childs potential contributions to family income. The assumed need for having additional children could lead to reproduction within a short interval to neutralize potential social pressure and possible social sanctions. In following this line of reasoning, the cause of the original congenital disability and the potentially adverse consequences of another pregnancy on maternal health are relegated to a position of lower importance than the need for reproduction. In societies lacking social norms and institutions that should provide family support in terms of the socialization and rehabilitation of persons with disabilities, families are put under extra pressure owing to the heavy demands on their time to make up for this lack of support. The presence of a disabled person in a family is thus considered a life-long problem, because the person concerned is expected to remain always dependent on other family members for support. In addition, the person with a disability represents a loss of productive potential in terms of society. The social pressure to bear additional children who can help to support such disabled persons leads to enlargement of the dependent population. Further, in their haste to respond to social pressures, couples usually ignore the possibility of giving birth to yet other children with congenital disabilities. These attitudes are among the complex sociological perspectives involved in treating the subject of disabilities. of consider these facts, The Tragedy/Charity Model is still exists in Pakistan which actually casts the disabled person forever in the poor unfortunate role, It emphasizes and encourages dependence on others rather than independence one might say it is a form of killing with kindness since if this is taken to extremes the disabled person may lose those life skills they had and become increasingly dependent. The disabled person is represented as brave and admirable solely because they live with their impairment, an object of pity and the focus of attempts to extort money from others in order to address the persons extensive and expensive needs. There is little or no recognition of the potential for independence or of the role of the disabled person in selecting the services they need or want. however, important changes were to occur with the evolvement of the modern era profoundly influenced by the enlightenment. One of the difficulties likely to be encountered is the negative impression created by the very widespread presence of disabled persons, whether neighborsor relatives, for whom no rehabilitative treatment is available. The problems of disability seem to be quite familiar to the general public in Pakistan, whereas there is little or no conception of solutions. It is not surprising in these circumstances that attitudes focus on helplessness and hopelessness. It will presumably be difficult to remove this impression before there has been a major upswing in the provision of rehabilitative services. Equally it will be difficult to provide facilities without a favorable climate of opinion. Attitude and provision must advance together. Traditionally used by charities iii the competitive business of fund-raising, the application of the Tragedy/Charity Model is graphically illustrated in the advertisement on newspapers and televised Children in Need appeals in which disabled children are depicted alongside young victims of famine, poverty, child abuse and other circumstances. Whilst such appeals raise considerable funds for services and equipment which are not provided by the government, many disabled people find the negative victim-image thoroughly offensive. The idea of if being recipients of charity lowers the self-esteem of people with disabilities. In the eyes of pitying donors, charitable giving carries with it an expectation of gratitude and a set of terms imposed upon the beneficiary. The first is patronizing; the second limiting upon the choices opens to disabled people. Also, employers will view disabled people as charitable cases. Rather than address the real issues of creating a workplace conducive to the employment of people with disabilities, employers may conclude that making charitable donations meets social and economic obligations. This is not to advocate dismantling charities and outlaw caring, charitable acts, which enrich our society and bring badly needed funds. But we do need to educate charity managers and professionals to review the way they operate and ensure that funds are channeled to promote the empowerment of disabled people and their full integration into our society as equal citizens requiring our respect and not our pity. The specific type and amount of neglection against disabled children will vary depending upon whether it occurs within the family, in the community, in institutional settings or in the work place. There are however, several key issues that appear time and again when such behavior occurs. Most striking is the issue of reoccurring stigma and prejudice. From the date of independence to date in Pakistan many although not all communities have dealt poorly with disability. Cultural, religious and popular social beliefs often assume that a child is born with a disability or becomes disabled after birth as the result of a curse,bad blood, an incestuous relationships, a sin committed in a previous incarnation or a sin committed by that childs parents or other family members. A child born in a community where such beliefs exist is at risk in a number of ways. A disabled child is more likely to face extreme negative attitudes at birth and this increased risk for ignorance reappears throughout the life span. This behavior compounds already existing social, educational and economic marginalization that limits the lives and opportunities of these children. For example, disabled children are far less likely than their non-disabled peers to be included in the social, economic and cultural life of their communities; only a small percentage of these children will ever attend school; a majority of street beggars are disabled children. Disabled children living in remote and rural areas may be at increased risk. in societies and including Pakistan where there is stigma against those with disability, research indicates that some parents respond with ignorance because of the shame the child had brought on the family or respond with violence because a lack of social support leads to intense stress within the family. in Pakistan, while many parents are submissive towards children where no disability exists, when a disabled child lives in these setting his or her disability often serves to compound and intensify the nature and extent of the abuse. For example, a mobility impaired child may be less able to flee when physically assaulted. A child who is deaf may be unable to communicate about the abuse he or she faces to anyone outside his or her household, unless these outsiders speak sign language or understand the home signs the child uses. A child who is intellectually impaired may not be savvy enough to anticipate a parents growing anger or know when to leave the room to avoid being struck. Regular observations of child rearing practices in Pakistan indicate that a disabled child faces increased risk as the result of child-produced stress, It is hypothesized that this cycle of increasing tensions can begin long before the child is diagnosed as having a disability. For example, a child with a hearing impairment may be regarded as disobedient; a child with vision problems may not make eye contact and appear to be unresponsive, a child with a neurological disorder maybe difficult to comfort or feed. Other researchers suggest that parents who become violent towards their disabled child are reacting not to the childs condition alone, but to the social isolation and stigma they encounter from surrounding family, friends and neighbors. Parents of disabled children often lack social supports as family and friends distance themselves; they can find no school willing to take their child or theylive in communities where there are few or no social services to help them with their childs needs. It is possible that both child-produced stressors and social isolation are compounded to produce a stressful in a household coping with a disabled child. It is also true that not all households with disabled children in Pakistan are stress prone and even within the same communities there are coping mechanisms in some families that prevent this behavior, while children with identical disabilities in other households are subjected to burden. As with many aspects of negative attitude towards disabled children, at this point, much more research in Pakistan is needed to allow us to adequately understand the factors that inhibit or foster these attitudes towards disabled children. The disabled child in a majority of household may receive less food, medical care or other services. This can be subtle, for example, parents or caretakers may wait a few additional days before spending scarce money for medicine or the child may receive less food or less nutritious food than his or her sibling. The low socioeconomic status of the family and the present inflation rate prevailing in the country may worst the situation a lot. Such neglect can lead to further impairments in a vicious feedback cycle in which the disabled child continually loses ground developmentally. Such neglect may be further exacerbated by gender for example, in Pakistan mostly parents spend huge money for boy childrens disability that for girl children, despite the fact that disability itself affects equal numbers of males and females. Neglect, in the form of the lack of adequate medical care, less nutritious food or lack of access to related resources, is the apparent cause of these deaths. In Pakistan as a general practice, the child is kept home to ensure his or her own safety, as parents fear that the child may be struck by a cart or abused by someone in the neighborhood. But in many other instances, even in educated and/or porch families a child is kept isolated because the family fears the reaction from other members of the community. As per treatment given by clergyman, children in some communities are kept shackled in windowless storerooms, hold hands and feet with iron chain, hot household courtyards or dark attics for night, often with little or no interaction, even by those within the household. Even in the next door neighbors may not know of the childs existence. Here is a need to create awareness among parents to send their disabled in special schools, for this see Box No. 1 for this purpose. When it comes to convincing Pakistanis that special education is important, especially the rural poor, the key individuals that arguments must be targeted toare parents. Parents must be persuaded that special education is valuable and necessary for their children with special needs. School administration, social service and child advocacy agencies may be aware that a disabled child Is the victim of violence or neglect, but choose to keep that child in the household because there are few or no residential care facilities are available in the country. The response of disabled children themselves to on-going violence within the home is dictated by a number of factors. They may be aware that this type of behavior is unacceptable, but fear loss of relationship with care giver or family member. While this is an issue for many children in violent households, for disabled children dependent on their abusers for physical care, communication with the outside world or other disability-specific concerns, these issues are more complex. S/he is also be aware that this type of behavior is unacceptable, seek to alert authorities, but are not listened to or believed. Unfortunately, in Pakistan, individuals who work as teachers, attendants for disabled children, or help transport, feed or care for such children, are often underpaid, overworked and largely unsupervised. While many who undertake such career choices do so out of the best of motives. Very few schools have mechanisms in place that allow students, parents to complain about victimization of these negative attitudes. This is all the more serious because in many areas of Pakistan and specially in rural areas there are only a handful of schools or educational programs that are available for disabled children. Parents/caregivers or children may hesitate to complain about abusive behavior in the school, fearing that they will be dismissed from a program when no alternative exists. Mostly in Pakistan, Disabled children are often kept in environments that can only be described as inhumane. Institutions for disabled children are often at the bottom of government priority lists and lack adequate funding, consistent support or oversight from government or civil society. Institutions are often overcrowded, unsanitary and suffer from lack of both staff and resources which lead directly to avoidable suffering and below the growth standards. The low pay, low social status, long hours and hard working conditions in many institutions means that workers are hard to find and administrators are quick to hire anyone. Background checks on personnel often are not done. This allows some individuals, intent on harming or exploiting children, to regularly seek work in such institutions. Because of lack of a registry or oversight of suchpredators when an abusive employee is discovered it is not uncommon for that individual to be tired from one institution and soon turn up working at another institution for disabled children nearby. Compounding this, as noted earlier, individuals with disability and their families tend to be ftir poorer than other members of the population, and this poverty can severely limit the ability of disabled children and their families to afford light for their rights. The large number of disabled children and their families who live in poverty also reduces that number of disabled young people able to afford related private special schooling. Because disabled children frequently receive no formal education or low quality education, their working lives often begin earlier than those of their nondisabled peers. Furthermore, because they are rarely trained or apprenticed for a specific trade or skill, they are often sent to work at the most menial jobs, constituting some of the harshest forms of child labor. While it is known that many disabled children are in the workplace, little information on these children exists because most find work in informal sectors of society as house servants, farm workers, in shops or in factories. Honestly speaking, in Pakistan, documentation of this attitude against disabled children in the workplace is therefore absent or very rare. However, knowledge from other realms of disability research can provide some insight. For example, those disabled children who are unable to work as quickly as their non- disabled coworkers, or those who are unable to hear to understand or follow directions, are at risk of being insulted and bullied. Because finding and keeping work for individuals with disability is difficult in most societies (i.e.: even in developed countries, the unemployment rate for adults with disability often is above 80%) disabled children and adolescents have little voice in the workplace and are at risk not only for physical and verbal abuse, but are also less likely to report such abuse or to quit should they be abused. In Pakistan, especially in rural areas and also most of the developing and under developing countries, the most common form of employment outside the household for poor disabled children may be begging. Disabled children are regularly used to generate income through begging. Some are placed on the streets to beg by their own families, some are sold by their families to others who keep stables of disabled children in organized rings of beggars. Either way, reports and anecdotes from dozens of countries indicate that such children are routinely subjected to violence both in order to keep them on the streets and once on the streets, by members of the general population, who see such children as easy prey. In more recent times, however, the notion of disability has come to be conceptualized as a socio-political construct within a rights-based discourse. The emphasis has shifted from dependence to independence, as people with disability have sought a political voice, and become politically active against social forces of disablism. Disability activists, in engaging in identity politics, have adopted the strategies used by other social movements commanding human and civil rights. And these strategies have brought gains, but within certain limitations. In Pakistan, from the mid 1980s, the country has enacted legislation which embraces a rights-based discourse rather than a custodial discourse; and which seeks to address issues of social justice and discrimination. The legislation also embraces the conceptual shift from disability being seen as an individualized medical problem to rather being about community membership and participation, and access to regular societal activities such as employment, education, recreation and so on. Where access is inappropriate, inadequate, difficult or ignored, advocacy processes have been initiated to address situations and promote the peoples rights. Yet, rights-based discourse, although employed as a political strategy, has also become a way of constructing disability by locking people with disability into an identity which is based upon membership of a minority group. Entitlements thus become contingent upon being able to define oneself as a person with disability. And the conceptual barrier between normal and abnormal goes unchallenged, so that while one may have entitlements legislatively guaranteed, community which cannot be legislated for, remains elusive. While rights-based discourse, at a strategic level, has brought some additional entitlements to people with disability, it has not significantly altered the way in which disability is constructed and so, despite legislative changes, some peoples lives have not necessarily changed. Rights-based discourse fails to meet these challenges for, rather than seeking to dismantle the entire concept of disability, it actually relies upon such a construction to support its claims for rights and entitlements. Part of the problem with the subject of education of disabled children in Pakistan is that it suffers from a lack of identity as a discipline or part of a discipline, and it operates in relative isolation from other relevant disciplines. Therefore it does not benefit from the research in other disciplines, and lacks accountability. An alternative approach would aim to acknowledge these difficulties, to draw onother disciplines where relevant, and to locate the subject within a development framework. HOW WE IMPROVE THE SITUATION: Improvement shall only be possible when we will work on each and every sector which prevents disability to its severe consequences. The following discussion highlights some of these areas. 1. Prevention: The majority of disabilities are preventable. There are, however, a number of reasons why there is a failure to prevent disabilities in Pakistan. Although there are a number of policies aimed at preventing disabilities, there is no coherent coordination between the various government departments to ensure that these policies are properly carried out. Also, there are a number of areas in which policies should exist, but do not. It is recommended that the Ministry of Health, in consultation with other relevant departments and the Directorate General of Special Education (DGSE), facilitate the development of a National Inter-SectoralDisability Prevention Strategy that will set national norms and minimum standards for the prevention of disabilities. 2. Public Education and Awareness Raising: One of the greatest hurdles disabled people face when trying to access mainstream programs arc negative attitudes. It is these attitudes that lead to the social exclusion and marginalization of people with disabilities. Negative attitudes are continually reinforced. Disability is portrayed as a problem People with disabilities are viewed as helpless and dependent; as ill and in constant need of care and medical treatment, or as tragic victims. Culture plays an important role in the way we relate to people with disabilities. This contributes to the perception of people with disabilities as different or outsiders. The changing of attitudes is not something that happens automatically or spontaneously. Attitude changing is a complex process which involves moving, in a series of stages, from one set of attitudes to another. Public education and awareness are central to the changing of attitudes. 3. Health Care: Appropriate, accessible and affordable health services at primary, secondary and tertiary level are essential to the equalization of opportunities for people with disabilities. Such services should include general medical and nursing assistance on an in-patient, out-patient or community home care basis, and specialized health professional assistance. 4. Rehabilitation: Access to appropriate rehabilitation services can make the difference between leading an isolated and economically dependent life and leading an economically independent life and playing an active role in society. The main policy objectives should be: to enable peo5le with disabilities to reach and maintain their optimal physical, sensory, intellectual, psychiatric, and/or social functional levels; to provide people with disabilities with the tools to change their lives and to give them a greater degree of independence; to prevent secondary disabilities or to reduce the extent of disability; to take into account the specific needs of different disability groupings. 5. Assistive Devices: Assistive/rehabilitation technology enables individuals with disabilities to participate on equal terms. If people with disabilities are to access their rights and responsibilities and participate in society as equal citizens, they must have access to appropriate and affordable assistive devices. The production, supply and maintenance of assistive devices are presently uncoordinated. Imported devices are steeply taxed, making them very expensive. Initiatives to develop appropriate and affordable assistive technology have, to date, taken place in isolation from general technology development (i.e. they are aimed at a special market), with very little participation by consumers, or collaboration between the various sectors and agencies. With the assistance of modern technology, products should be developed for use by people with a range of different disabilities. The aim should be to reduce costs by producing for a larger market. This may require greater standardization of products. 6. Barrier Free Access: The way in which the environment is developed and organized contributes, to a large extent, to the level of independence and equality that people with disabilities enjoy. There are a number of barriers in the environment which prevent disabled people from enjoying equal opportunities with non-disabled people. For example: structural barriers in the built environment; inaccessible service points; inaccessible entrances due to security systems; poor town planning; and poor interior design. It is recommended that the Department of Public Works, in consultation with the National Environment Protection Agency (NEPA) and other stakeholders, develop national guidelines and minimum norms and standards with regard to barrier-free access. 7. Transport: There is a need for rapid progress in developing a public transport system that is flexible and accessible. Without this, people with disabilities will continue to remain largely invisible and unable to contribute to, or benefit from, the services and commercial activities available to most of their fellow citizens. Given the fact that the ability to use services, or attend school or work, is largely dependent on the ability of people to get there, the lack of accessible transport is a serious barrier to the full integration into society of people with disabilities. A large proportion of the population uses the bus services as their chief mode of public transport. Policy makers tend to focus on wheelchair-lift equipped buses when considering access. There are, however, a number of low-cost accessible features that could be considered in the short term. Dial-a-ride services have proven particularly popular in densely populated areas. The primary distinction between this service and existing services operated by welfare organizations is that people are able to use the service for any purpose, whether to work, school or for social reasons. Although the major airports in Pakistan have introduced extensive upgrading projects to make their facilities more user-friendly, smaller provincial and regional airports still remain extremely discriminatory against disabled commuters. This is, in part, due to a lack of information on national guidelines and minimum standards and norms. The larger airlines have introduced personnel training programs to facilitate a more sensitive service from airline staff. 8. Communications: Sign Language is the first and natural language of Deaf people, whatever thespoken language of his or her hearing parents may be. Sign Language is thecentral focus of Deaf peoples human rights. It is important to note that Sign Language is a language in its own right, with its own grammar and syntax. Sign Language uses the modality of space, in contrast with the spoken language which uses the modality of sound. There are several regional variations of Sign Language in Pakistan. Special Language Systems/Augmentative and Alternative Communication refer to any mode of communication used by people who can not use a spoken or sign language. They include Braille, touch, Bliss symbols or other means of communication. Interpreter services are linked closely to the communication needs of Deaf people and people with limited or no speech. These services enable them to communicate freely with society, and arc an essential clement in the achievement of equal opportunities for people with communication disabilities. They include Sign Language interpreters, lip speakers,

Conflict And Resolution Within A Work Group Essay example -- Group Tea

Effective communications is defined as the successful exchange of information between individuals. An effective communicator is successful in establishing an active two-way link with another individual or group. When people work in groups, there are two quite separate issues involved. The first is the task and the problems involved in getting the job done. The second is the process of the group work itself: the mechanisms by which the group acts as a unit. Without due attention to this process the value of the group can be diminished or even destroyed; yet with a little explicit management of the process, it can enhance the worth of the group to be many times the sum of the worth of its individuals. It is this synergy which makes group work attractive in corporate organization despite the possible problems (and time spent) in group formation (Blair, 2015). Conflict and Causes of Conflicts Conflict is any situation in which individuals or groups do not agree. Individuals or groups have different ideas, interest or goals and can not compromise because the opposing parties have strong beliefs that they are very different from each other. People have different views on many different subjects; therefore, when interests are threatened, conflicts arise. There are two types of conflicts: positive conflicts and negative conflicts. A positive conflict is where the outcome of the conflict results in a positive solution. If the conflict creates better decisions, develops shared ideas, and personal growth and change, it is considered to be a positive conflict. Negative conflict is where the outcome of the conflict creates a destructive result. If the conflict creates unresolved anger, personality clashes, low self esteem or low ... ...rson chooses the way the encoded message is to be transmitted or channeled to the other person or group. This can be done by various ways, such as, face-to-face, written, or electronic mail, just to touch on a few. Upon receiving the message the receiver has the option to provide feedback to the source. Feedback is a fundamental part of the communication process. It is important to realize how critical feedback can be and how it can overcome difficulties when communicating. The group process must be planned, monitored and reviewed just like any other managed process (Blair, 2015). References Blair, G.M. (n.d.). Groups that work. Web. 17 April 2015. http://www.see.ed.ac.uk/~gerard/Management/art0.html Beard, Ronald. (n.d.). "Working With Group Conflict" University of Maine. Web. 17 April 2015. http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/PDFpubs/6106.pdf

The History of Feminine Fiction:Exploring Laura Runge’s Article, Gender

The History of Feminine Fiction:Exploring Laura Runge’s Article, Gendered Strategies in the Criticism of Early Fiction Laura Runge is an assistant professor of English at the University of South Florida. In her article, "Gendered Strategies in the Criticism of Early Fiction," Runge argues that, during the eighteenth century, the overdetermined gendered association between the female reader and the female writer excluded the female novelist from literary excellence and ultimately led to the inferior status of fictional writing. While the novel became recognized as a feminine genre, criticism ignored the achievement of female authors and became overtly masculine. In defining literary achievement by male standards, criticism reinforced the subordinate role of women in both the British culture and literature. Runge says it is the gendered literary hierarchy, established in the criticism of the eighteenth century, that makes it difficult to evaluate the history of the entire novel. As the social and economic conditions of eighteenth century Britain shifted from a family based system to one dependent on industry, women were no longer valuable as workers. This transition allowed for the developing reading habits of the middleclass woman as they were left with more free time. However, the cultural definition of females compromised the feminized genre. As women were defined as subordinate to men, their literature was reduced by critics to "bad-fiction." One critic wrote, "So long at the British ladies continue to encourage our hackney scribblers, by reading every romance that appears, we need not wonder that the press should swarm with such poor insignificant productions" (365). Despite the presumed inferiority of fiction, authors, ... ...bsequently, the only success females were acknowledged for or granted was as the provider of domestic morality. Gendered strategies, in the criticism of early fiction, made feminine fiction incapable of excellence. By using conventional heterosexual relationships in their prefaces, authors only succeed in supporting the masculine control over fiction. The appraisals women gained only reinforced their inferior status. "Criticism placed female authors in a specific and confined critical sphere, while it located male authors in an other, more respected field" (375). By aligning their works with popular male literature, women inadvertently strengthened male authority. Women were only granted recognition in terms of their limited social stature. It is these gendered values and strategies that makes the history of the novel and feminine achievement difficult to assess.

Essay --

vProspect for Essay 4 Shawn Riley Engilsh 102 20 Nov, 2013 Rebirth of the Farmers Market The rebirth of the farmers market, and does it have enough movement to expand, would it make a difference in the local economy. I want to explore if it is economical for a person to start a business and make a decent living, with today’s standards of living. Second the quality of produce at a farmers market compared to a supermarket. Finally research if small businesses contribute more to local economy more than the larger businesses. Farmer markets Farmer markets have always been around and a strong reason to believe that they will still be around long after our time. There are several reasons why this age old tradition still exitst today and revolves around a very common question, â€Å"What does a buyer find important when they are about to buy food to be consumed, or how the produce is grown/manufactured, processed, marketed, and distributed. Supporting farmer markets and ensuring fair trade among the dealer and the seller can help promote healthier lives while building stronger communities. There are several reasons to support a community’s farmer market event because buying true locally grown food can allows the buyer to have options to food that is picked fresh and tastes better than what is sold in the supermarkets. Another benefit to farmers markets is that the food is sustainable, flavorful, supports local farms, and also in some areas, part of the proceeds goes to the unfortunate within that community. Wi th the addition of the food generally being more flavorful, locally grown food is adapted to the climate in which it was grown, and can remain fresh longer than that of an imported produce grown in a different climate. Final... ... sell their product at a lower rate due to the transportation, storage, and marketing costs. Having the food sold through private markets, cuts out the middle man, and allows more money to end up back into the farms, which helps the farmer put money back into their business and other businesses. Money that goes back into local businesses then increases the local economy through a process called the multiplier effect. The multiplier effect is an economics term that is used to describe where a small investment of money is circulated back into the economy, it sets off a chain reaction that increases exponentially. For example, if a consumer gave the farmer $20 for his goods and the farmer spends three fifths of his income ($20 + (.06x$20)), $32 would be the amount of money available in the market from the initial $20 investment (Krugman, Paul R., and Robin Wells).

Distracted Driving Kills Essay

It is not uncommon today for driving crashes to be in our daily evening news. Almost every day, there are reports and newspaper articles about drivers who were distracted or under the influence of something. Most of us have probably seen drivers swerving in their lanes or barely dodging a pedestrian because they are not focused. In fact, each day, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that â€Å"more than 15 people are killed and more than 1,200 people are injured in crashes that were reported to involve a distracted driver†. Some victims sustain minor injuries while others suffer from permanent damage, or possibly even die. Drivers are putting those around them at risk when they whip out their phone and began to text while driving. The Tiger’s Roar talked with Kiera Gold ’15 about her opinions on multitasking while behind the wheel. â€Å"So many people think they can multitask,† Gold comments. â€Å"Sure, maybe with testing and hom ework, or texting and cleaning, but driving?! That’s crazy.† It is not uncommon for people our age to multitask on almost everything. The biggest problem with this issue is that the most serious offenders are us. WE are the ones who are most at risk. Yet many of us continue to assume that we can drive and text or talk simultaneously. Some kids and adults do get away with it, but there are many more that do not. Distraction.gov is a website created by the U.S. government to address the problems of distracted driving in general. Ray Lahood, secretary of transportation, states that â€Å"any time you take your eyes off the road, your hands off the wheel, and your mind off your primary task: driving safely†, distraction occurs, increasing your risk of crashing. â€Å"Some people still don’t know how dangerous distracted driving is. Others know about the risks of texting†¦while driving, but still most choose to do so anyway. They make the mistake of thinking†¦that they can defy the odds† (D istraction.gov). They incorrectly think that the statistics do not apply to them. The most surprising of all is that there are all sorts of distractions that may be experienced. Texting, calling, eating, drinking, fixing your makeup, reading, adjusting music players, you name it. These are all potential factors that can put your life at risk. To ban texting and driving may sound like a reasonable action to take, but there may be difficulty enforcing such laws. To make texting while driving illegal will encourage drivers to hide their phones when they are texting instead of having it in front of them. This may make situations worse because some drivers will divert their eyes and attention to the phone instead of the road. In addition, it will be problematic for officers to know if someone was actually texting. â€Å"One Text or Call Could Wreck It All.† This is the message the U.S. Department of Transportation when it reaches out to millions of Americans. It is likely that a TV ad appeared while watching a favorite show about the consequences of texting while driving. They include the disabled and injured victim of a car crash due to distracted driving along with the one, simple text message that completely flipped their world upside down. This is reality, people. The purpose of the ads is not to depress you or give your something to laugh about. The way that person is now could be how you will end up living the rest of your life. In fact, if the trend of texting while driving continues just to disprove this article, you are only playing with your life and those around you. If you want to live your life to the fullest, then maybe that one text message does not need to be replied right away. Maybe it can wait until you have arrived at a resting place or your destination. Perhaps you won’t be involved in a fatal crash and film a texting while driving advertisement to make the public more aware. But that will depend on how you will deal with a ringing phone when your hands are on the wheel, your eyes focusing on the road. Stop the texts, stop the wrecks.

Prejudice and Discrimination

Prejudice: The dictionary defines prejudice as an unfair and unreasonable opinion or feeling, especially when formed without enough thought or knowledge. This means that a person may form an opinion on a person or a particular group of people without having any facts or knowledge about that person or group. Prejudice is normally perceived as being bad but there are some instances where prejudice is an aid to survival for example if you see several scruffy men parked in a van in a dark alley, you will form a pre judgment that they must be up to no good so you choose to not walk down the alley. They could simply be movers, but healthy prejudice tells you not to take the chance. Discrimination Direct discrimination is defined as treating one particular group of people less favourably than others because of their race, colour, nationality, or ethnic or national origin, sexual orientation or religious beliefs. There is also positive discrimination in which an individual is allowed to advance themselves because of their gender, race, sexually orientation, age etc. Example if an Asian person is hired simply because they are Asian due to the stereotype that Asians are smart and good students that’s a positive discrimination. Indirect discrimination is defined as an apparently neutral specification, criteria or practice that would disadvantage people on the grounds of racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation unless the practice can be objectively justified. For example a department store prohibits its employees from wearing hats when serving customers. This rule means that people whose religious beliefs require them to cover their heads, such as Muslim women, are discriminated against and cannot carry out their job. The store is indirectly discriminating against this group of people unless it can demonstrate that there is valid reason. Stereotyping Stereotyping is a generalisation of people, which is usually negative, untrue, and unjustifiable. The term labelling is used when we take look at a person and place a label on them and then place them in a category for example we could label someone gay because they seem camp even though they may not be gay. People stereotype as it helps people to deal with individuals who are different from themselves. It makes people feel safe and in their own mind stereotypes allow them to justify their actions towards people. Stereotypes can become self-fulfilling prophecies if the stereotype is re-enforced enough. For example, girls maybe stereotyped as failing more math’s exams than boys this will lead to girls failing to try in exams, as they believe that they are expected to fail. Scapegoating Scapegoating is the practice of singling out an individual or group for unmerited negative treatment or blame. The word â€Å"scapegoat† actually originates from Leviticus 16 in the bible. A goat had all the sins of man placed upon it and it was sent into the wilderness to perish. An example of scapegoating is the Salem Witch Trials. Women were used as scapegoats when the crops were bad or there was a famine and then tried as witches. This was especially the case with midwives, as they would be accused of being in league with Satan if the baby died during birth, which happened frequently due to poor standards of hygiene etc. Part Two Case Study 1 During the first part of the 20th century, deaf people were directly discriminated against due to them being labeled as deaf and dumb. They were prevented from entering mainstream education and were not considered for any high paying jobs. Most deaf children were sent away to deaf schools and some were sent to asylums, even though they were not mentally ill. However, by sending a sane child to an asylum the stereotype of deaf children being mentally ill became a self-fulfilling prophecy as most the children within the asylum did eventually develop some sort of mental illness to help them cope with their surroundings. Children and adults were not separated in asylums and most of the children were sexually abused or witness to sexual acts from a very young age. Society was not kind to deaf children, there was no compassion or understanding and most children did not realize they were deaf because no one took the time to explain to them. Families felt embarrassed and ashamed of their deaf offspring, some families even decided not to have any more children for fear that they too would be deaf. Deaf men were also discriminated against during the First World War as they were deemed unfit for service, however, deaf soldiers would have had a distinct advantage over the soldiers who could hear as they would not get shellshock or distracted as easily by the surrounding noises. Some doctors believed that deafness was cause by a blockage in the ear and others believed it to be a brain dysfunction either way deaf people in asylums were subjected to horrific procedures such as needles being pushed into their eardrums and lobotomies. Deaf children often became strangers within their own families and were often rejected and abandoned this led to low self worth and extreme depression in some cases. As deaf children had no knowledge of language, as it was rarely taught in deaf schools, they developed their own ‘sign language’, which differed from school to school. This sign language was not universal and was normally only understood by the children at that particular school. Sexual predators also targeted many deaf people, as they were easy targets due to being sexually ignorant. Some countries saw being deaf as a disease that could be eradicated through means such as selective breeding, deaf girls were systematically sterilised and deaf marriage was not allowed. This made the deaf community feel as if they were outcasts and it denied them their rights to have a normal social or sexual relationship with another individual. However, refuge from the cruel world of the hearing was soon found in what were called ‘Deaf Clubs’. By 1930, every town had its own deaf club, which hosted regular events and outings for the deaf community. These clubs were normally overseen by powerful clergymen and were charities run by hearing people. While the deaf community saw deaf clubs as a lifeline, they also sought to reinforce the segregation of deaf people from the rest of the world. Silent movies were a place where deaf and hearing could share a common love for theatre, deaf people were made to feel like part of society. However, exclusion would soon become part of the deaf community again with the invention of telephones, radios and televisions. Today there are many acts in place to help deaf people live normal, fulfilling lives within their communities without fear of being ridiculed or committed. 1 Case Study 2 Many men are afraid to tell friends and family that they want to enter nursing as it leads to them being stereotyped as gay because nursing is seen primarily as a female profession. In June 2006, Andrew Moyhing won a landmark case against the NHS for sex discrimination. Mr Moyhing, 29 said, â€Å"I abandoned nursing because I was not allowed to do the job properly in a female-dominated profession. † 2 The NHS hospital that Mr Moyhing worked for as a student nurse refused to let him perform intimate medical procedures on women unless accompanied by a female chaperone. An article on nursingtimes. net states that currently male nurses only make up 11% of the female dominated sector and are four times more likely to be sanctioned or face discrimination by the NMC. Chaperone policies are in place in many NHS hospitals but they only relate to male nurses, a female nurse does not require a male chaperone to carry out an intimate procedure on a male patient but a male nurse requires a female chaperone. London NHS Trust did admit that the difference in treatment between male and female nurses was direct discrimination. Mr Moyhing claimed he felt he was being regarded as untrustworthy and a potential abuser of females or that the patient was likely to lie and make false accusations. Jenny Watson, chair of the EOC, said, â€Å"The Employment Appeal Tribunal was right to find that it was not acceptable to have a chaperoning policy based on lazy stereotyping about the risks to patients and assumptions that all men are sexual predators. † 4 The EOC said its research showed that one in four schoolboys were interested in caring work but only one in ten nurses were male. 5 Many organisations and websites are now appearing to offer a support system to male nurses whom maybe facing discrimination from their female work colleagues or bosses. Prejudice and Discrimination Prejudice: The dictionary defines prejudice as an unfair and unreasonable opinion or feeling, especially when formed without enough thought or knowledge. This means that a person may form an opinion on a person or a particular group of people without having any facts or knowledge about that person or group. Prejudice is normally perceived as being bad but there are some instances where prejudice is an aid to survival for example if you see several scruffy men parked in a van in a dark alley, you will form a pre judgment that they must be up to no good so you choose to not walk down the alley. They could simply be movers, but healthy prejudice tells you not to take the chance. Discrimination Direct discrimination is defined as treating one particular group of people less favourably than others because of their race, colour, nationality, or ethnic or national origin, sexual orientation or religious beliefs. There is also positive discrimination in which an individual is allowed to advance themselves because of their gender, race, sexually orientation, age etc. Example if an Asian person is hired simply because they are Asian due to the stereotype that Asians are smart and good students that’s a positive discrimination. Indirect discrimination is defined as an apparently neutral specification, criteria or practice that would disadvantage people on the grounds of racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation unless the practice can be objectively justified. For example a department store prohibits its employees from wearing hats when serving customers. This rule means that people whose religious beliefs require them to cover their heads, such as Muslim women, are discriminated against and cannot carry out their job. The store is indirectly discriminating against this group of people unless it can demonstrate that there is valid reason. Stereotyping Stereotyping is a generalisation of people, which is usually negative, untrue, and unjustifiable. The term labelling is used when we take look at a person and place a label on them and then place them in a category for example we could label someone gay because they seem camp even though they may not be gay. People stereotype as it helps people to deal with individuals who are different from themselves. It makes people feel safe and in their own mind stereotypes allow them to justify their actions towards people. Stereotypes can become self-fulfilling prophecies if the stereotype is re-enforced enough. For example, girls maybe stereotyped as failing more math’s exams than boys this will lead to girls failing to try in exams, as they believe that they are expected to fail. Scapegoating Scapegoating is the practice of singling out an individual or group for unmerited negative treatment or blame. The word â€Å"scapegoat† actually originates from Leviticus 16 in the bible. A goat had all the sins of man placed upon it and it was sent into the wilderness to perish. An example of scapegoating is the Salem Witch Trials. Women were used as scapegoats when the crops were bad or there was a famine and then tried as witches. This was especially the case with midwives, as they would be accused of being in league with Satan if the baby died during birth, which happened frequently due to poor standards of hygiene etc. Part Two Case Study 1 During the first part of the 20th century, deaf people were directly discriminated against due to them being labeled as deaf and dumb. They were prevented from entering mainstream education and were not considered for any high paying jobs. Most deaf children were sent away to deaf schools and some were sent to asylums, even though they were not mentally ill. However, by sending a sane child to an asylum the stereotype of deaf children being mentally ill became a self-fulfilling prophecy as most the children within the asylum did eventually develop some sort of mental illness to help them cope with their surroundings. Children and adults were not separated in asylums and most of the children were sexually abused or witness to sexual acts from a very young age. Society was not kind to deaf children, there was no compassion or understanding and most children did not realize they were deaf because no one took the time to explain to them. Families felt embarrassed and ashamed of their deaf offspring, some families even decided not to have any more children for fear that they too would be deaf. Deaf men were also discriminated against during the First World War as they were deemed unfit for service, however, deaf soldiers would have had a distinct advantage over the soldiers who could hear as they would not get shellshock or distracted as easily by the surrounding noises. Some doctors believed that deafness was cause by a blockage in the ear and others believed it to be a brain dysfunction either way deaf people in asylums were subjected to horrific procedures such as needles being pushed into their eardrums and lobotomies. Deaf children often became strangers within their own families and were often rejected and abandoned this led to low self worth and extreme depression in some cases. As deaf children had no knowledge of language, as it was rarely taught in deaf schools, they developed their own ‘sign language’, which differed from school to school. This sign language was not universal and was normally only understood by the children at that particular school. Sexual predators also targeted many deaf people, as they were easy targets due to being sexually ignorant. Some countries saw being deaf as a disease that could be eradicated through means such as selective breeding, deaf girls were systematically sterilised and deaf marriage was not allowed. This made the deaf community feel as if they were outcasts and it denied them their rights to have a normal social or sexual relationship with another individual. However, refuge from the cruel world of the hearing was soon found in what were called ‘Deaf Clubs’. By 1930, every town had its own deaf club, which hosted regular events and outings for the deaf community. These clubs were normally overseen by powerful clergymen and were charities run by hearing people. While the deaf community saw deaf clubs as a lifeline, they also sought to reinforce the segregation of deaf people from the rest of the world. Silent movies were a place where deaf and hearing could share a common love for theatre, deaf people were made to feel like part of society. However, exclusion would soon become part of the deaf community again with the invention of telephones, radios and televisions. Today there are many acts in place to help deaf people live normal, fulfilling lives within their communities without fear of being ridiculed or committed. 1 Case Study 2 Many men are afraid to tell friends and family that they want to enter nursing as it leads to them being stereotyped as gay because nursing is seen primarily as a female profession. In June 2006, Andrew Moyhing won a landmark case against the NHS for sex discrimination. Mr Moyhing, 29 said, â€Å"I abandoned nursing because I was not allowed to do the job properly in a female-dominated profession. † 2 The NHS hospital that Mr Moyhing worked for as a student nurse refused to let him perform intimate medical procedures on women unless accompanied by a female chaperone. An article on nursingtimes. net states that currently male nurses only make up 11% of the female dominated sector and are four times more likely to be sanctioned or face discrimination by the NMC. Chaperone policies are in place in many NHS hospitals but they only relate to male nurses, a female nurse does not require a male chaperone to carry out an intimate procedure on a male patient but a male nurse requires a female chaperone. London NHS Trust did admit that the difference in treatment between male and female nurses was direct discrimination. Mr Moyhing claimed he felt he was being regarded as untrustworthy and a potential abuser of females or that the patient was likely to lie and make false accusations. Jenny Watson, chair of the EOC, said, â€Å"The Employment Appeal Tribunal was right to find that it was not acceptable to have a chaperoning policy based on lazy stereotyping about the risks to patients and assumptions that all men are sexual predators. † 4 The EOC said its research showed that one in four schoolboys were interested in caring work but only one in ten nurses were male. 5 Many organisations and websites are now appearing to offer a support system to male nurses whom maybe facing discrimination from their female work colleagues or bosses.