Role of an International R&D Institute in Asia

Asia, is home for 67% of World’s poor and 63% of World’s hungry.  Labor available is old or unskilled, and agriculture in particular is subjected to Feminization.  For cultural and economic reasons, land fragmentation continues, so is the land leased or share-cropped, resulting in a decline of the resource base.  A range of basic needs such as the right to nutritive food, clean water for drinking, decent shelter, and access to basic health facilities are still at a distance to millions. 

Ironically, it is also the continent where rapid economic progress is underway.  There’s a vast number of intellectuals, researchers and scientists, who understand complex issues withholding equitable development in their respective countries, much better than a foreign expert.  Financial resources available to their research organizations far exceed resources that may be brought in by an International Research Institute. 

Under such circumstances, how can an International Institute add value to ongoing development processes?  In the following paragraphs, I will attempt to pen my thoughts.

• Planning institutions must be the entry point.  Most Asian countries have Planning institutions, and have plans developed through painstaking process of consultations.  By understanding what the Government has already committed to, and by adding value to ongoing development activities, the impact of an international institute will be immediate. 
• Identify demand for knowledge.  Development issues which have not progressed due to a lack of scientific understanding, and have constrained policy development are doorways for International Research Institutes. 
• Engage in (or facilitate) a dialogue which may influence the country’s development program.  Identify key decision makers and understand social and political dividends they seek through development.
• Be the window to the world.  By exposing potential solutions adapted successfully in other countries with similar issues, the International Institute could influence the thought processes, and avoid implementation of ‘failed’ programs/solutions.
• Recognize advantages an International Research Institute have over National Institutes, such as (1) National institutes are bounded by various government protocols, which will not bind an International Research Institutes; (2) Often the National Institutes lack a relatively small resource, which could be catalytic to their productivity.  These catalysts are easily obtainable to international institutes; (3) Most of their researchers are subjected to the performance and rewards system, which tends to reward academic excellence, not, necessarily rewarding research that may lead development at home.

In my view, International R4D Institutes in Asia may be the Home for highly qualified environmental research expertise, which identify eco-friendly solutions to maintain resilient eco-systems, improve eco-system services and where possible restore degraded eco-systems.  International R4D Institutes in Asia should seek practical solutions for environmental challenges, which ensure sustainable access to natural resources.  In a nutshell, International R4D Institutes in Asia should become the first point of contact for information and knowledge to influence policy making bodies, such as the planning ministries.  It could become so, by being the convening center for Researchers all over the world.  They should seek to (1) Maintain a Balanced Portfolio of core skills in country offices within Asia, (2) facilitate research on strategic issues affecting client countries  (3) Disseminate to Impact, and (4) Build Regional Capacity to address future challenges by themselves.

Being hit at (on) the back

This blog is not about the day when I was caned across my back for talking to a fellow student in my high school library.  It happened in 1971, when I was in year eleven.  The library could not hold many students, so only year 11 and 12 students were allowed.  For my bad luck, I was talking to a fellow student when the Principal was on his rounds.  The lesson was permanent.  As a matter of fact, I do not go to libraries very often, but, even when I do, I respect the silence prevail.

What I am musing about is occasions when my car was hit by another driver at its back.  It has happened four times in my life, and interestingly, each driver’s response to the event is remarkably different.  By rules of traffic, the person hit from the back is always at fault, but in my heart I know, I may have inadvertently contributed to their neglect.

The first time was in Griffith, NSW, Australia, and the perpetrator was a local businessman, I have seen his photos on local newspapers.  He was driving his company Ute.  We both got out of respective cars, and he introduced himself and admitting his error.  He wanted to know who I was, and what do I do in Griffith.  It was (and still) a small Aussie country town, and in late 1980s, it hardly had any coloured person driving moderately expensive cars.  He assumed that I was a doctor; I told him that I was one, but can’t prescribe medicines.  We laughed, I told him that I worked for CSIRO, a reputed research organisation.  He asked me to bring my car to a particular garage at a particular time the following day, and he was there.  He told the mechanic to fix the dent, told me that everything will be alright, and then left.  The mechanic asked me to leave the car for a week.  When I returned after a week, all fixed, including the scratch which was there before the accident.  There were no reports to the Police, or to the insurance company, or whoever.  Gentlemen, all around!

The second time was in Muscat, Oman, when I was hit by a young Omani woman, travelling with her siblings.  They were distracting her, I think.  She did not speak English, and I could not speak Arabic.  I was scared, although I was not at fault.  I had been told that no matter what, in some Arabian Gulf countries, the expatriate is always at fault.  We were staring at each other, although I sensed an apology on the offender’s face.  Only thing I could do was to call an Omani friend and have him talk to her.  While I was busy explaining what happened to my friend, a Police car came to the spot and the Policeman said something in Arabic.  I sensed that the young woman was gaining confidence from what was said, and the tone of the Policeman to me was not courteous.  I gave my phone to the Policeman, and asked my friend to talk to him.  My friend told the Policeman that I am an Academic at the University, which helped a lot.  The Omanis have a lot of respect for teachers, especially the ones attached to my University.  The Policeman told both of us to follow him to the Police station, where a case was filed.  The young woman agreed to pay for the repairs and gave me her contact details.  I passed them and my damaged car to my Omani friend, who made sure that the car was fixed.  Al Hamdolillah (Thank God).

The third time was in Muscat too, but this time a very young driver, who could not speak in English, and even after a few years in Oman, I still could not speak Arabic.  He mixed Hindi (he must have assumed that I was from India), Arabic, and a few words in English and wanted to know how much money I wanted.  I was surprised at his offer, and said I do not know what it will cost to fix it.  Then he said that he will give me 100 Rials.  I recalled the last time it cost 75 Rials.  I said fine, but he did not have any money.  He asked me to follow him to an ATM, and withdrew money and gave me 95 Rials, and said that’s all he has in his account.  I said OK, and he left immediately.  I was surprised at his behavior, and later told an Omani colleague what happened.  My friend’s explanation was that the driver probably did not have a licence, and in Oman, this is a serious offence.  Had Police got involved, the driver would have gone to prison for sure.

The last time I was hit was about three weeks ago, at an intersection in Western Sydney.  When I got out, I saw a middle age woman, apologizing sincerely for her error, and we both agreed to move the car to a side.  When we both got out away from the intersection, the first thing she said was, ‘I have contacts at Police higher-ups’.  I started wondering why she would say so.  I lamented that mine was a new car, and I noticed her one was new too, and twice as expensive as mine.  I was calm, so was she.  We exchanged contact details, took a number of photographs of both, including each other’s licences. Fortunately, there wasn't any damage required fixing, so we haven’t contacted each other.  All is well.

I think my response in all occasions were the same.  An expression of anguish on my face stating my displeasure of the follow up, I will have to go through.  Fortunately, they were all mild accidents, I wasn’t hurt physically.  But I think all four perpetrators behaved differently.  The businessmen would have had an account at the garage to repair his company vehicles.  My repair would have been treated as damage to one of his own in the books. And at the end, even if there was a loss to him, it wouldn't have mattered to him at all.  So, was in the case of the Aussie woman, who had a comprehensive insurance, and certainly she was not poor.  Again, if there was any need of a repair, her premium would have gone up, and it would not have changed anything in her way of life.  The Omani woman would have preferred not paying anything, and if my friend did not get involved, I am sure that would have been the case.  I may have received a warning from the Police too.  Under these circumstances, ignorance is not bliss.  The younger Omani saved himself from deeper troubles by spending 95 Rials.  He was keen to disappear!

But, I still can’t figure out why did the Aussie woman say that she has contacts at Police higher-ups?  Obviously, she was not trying to shirk her obligations.  I wonder whether she was afraid that I would abuse her.  Was it because she is an Anglo-Saxon middle-age woman, and I am an overweight angry ‘black’ man?  I am not sure.  Are these the subtle shades of ‘racism’ in multi-racial societies, I wonder.