Correspondence
A selection of recent letters
April 2005
Nu suntem gata
I’d like to respond to the article in Vivid’s March issue about
Romania’s readiness for EU accession. Having worked for the European
Parliament in the late 1980s and for KPMG Management Consultants in the early
1990s, I was very much involved in the effects of the Single European Market
(Europe 1992) for businesses in The Netherlands. Reading the article by Nicholas
Hammond and Gabriela Dorobantu, a lot of their remarks make perfect sense.
It is clear to me that most Romanian companies are not prepared for the acquis.
However, I am not worried about the level of preparation of Romanian companies
for the acquis and the changes in rules and regulations; rather, I am deeply
worried about their survival. Yes, there are legal issues that have to be
addressed, but that’s almost fine-tuning compared to the real task ahead,
which entails readying themselves for serious competition.
The fact is that the vast majority of Romanian companies is not ready for increased competition. Most of them are run unprofessionally, but a bigger problem is that most of their owners don’t see it that way. Their definition of success is the size of their car or house, not how future-proof their business is. Unfortunately, their personal wealth is usually the result of ‘smart’ deals (read: being at the right place at the right time, knowing the right people) or illegal business activities (read: not paying taxes etc). If only they had reinvested this money in their companies, instead of a fourth car or third mistress, it would have benefited the economy in a more structural way, but I have seen very few cases when this has actually happened. Call me a pessimist, but I am afraid that the next 2-5 years will experience an avalanche of bankruptcies. Only the really smart ones will understand that the times they are a'changing. They will try to get their act together, reorganise and focus their businesses and preferably attract a foreign strategic investor to help them to prepare for the real world. The rest will simply perish.
Peter Jansen
Bucharest
Tsunami Diary update
Thanks for your support and help in highlighting our cause. The trip was a
positive experience in that we successfully distributed 180 kilograms of stationary,
toys and clothing during a 3-day trip south of Colombo and met officials,
children and families. The large majority of those we met are displaced and
living in tents donated by countries and aid agencies displaying their flags
in all their glory. These foreigners mostly stay in 5 star hotels, which is
a bit disturbing.
It will be a long time before the people recover as many
are struggling with demons, as well as the physical act of surviving. Children
won’t go near the sea they used to live in, and parents who have lost
partners and children understandably have dim views of the world.
We return in the June-August vacation with students in tow to do a little
more of whatever we can. We have targeted a school that lost staff, students,
buildings and the usual equipment a school needs. We hope to help replace
some of what is gone, and in the long-term aim to work with the school on
making it a model for learning in Sri Lanka. Thanks for your support and help,
we hope to catch up with you soon.
Andrew and Champa Nicholson
Bucharest
H’art Gallery In Amongst It
Andreea Sarcani’s report from the Bologna Art Fair was an interesting
commentary on contemporary art and cultural trends and a crisp account of
all that goes on at the fair. That there are such galleries as Galeria H’art
- and such art proprietors as its owner Dan Popescu, whose vision stretches
beyond the mainstream - augurs well for a more vibrant and diversified local
art scene.
As Ms Sarcani says, the economics of art and culture should be one of the major concerns of such fairs. The viability of art as one of the numerous ways of earning a living while contributing to the enrichment of mankind is an issue to be resolved by these fora.
The story widened my horizons with its account of who really mattered in the world of art galleries here, as did its focus on the fair’s distinguished participants, such as Gorzo. It is thanks to Sarcani’s endeavour that I am already a Gorzo fan, and am looking forward to know more about his bas-relief art genre. The most enticing aspect of his works, as pointed out by Sarcani, is their anthropological theme. One human figure with arms raised in ecstasy, and a face with an elongated, saw-toothed mouth and small, narrow eyes, have subtle connotations.
Puran Chand Bodh
Bucharest
