Advice ranging from prioritizing peace to cutting taxes were among the suggestions people had for their leaders when Epoch Times reporters from The Netherlands to Pakistan asked, “What advice would you like to give the leader of your country?”
Turkey
Dilek Kurtulus, 33, Lawyer
He must be realistic. When he comes across with different opinions, he has to behave impartially. If he can give particular importance to living peacefully in the country, it will be better. And also, he has to provide good conditions and quality of life for the people, because these are more important than political ideology.
Dilek Kurtulus, 33, Lawyer
He must be realistic. When he comes across with different opinions, he has to behave impartially. If he can give particular importance to living peacefully in the country, it will be better. And also, he has to provide good conditions and quality of life for the people, because these are more important than political ideology.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Arturo Spadale, 60, Financial Managing Director
I would say he is mistaken about the global economic crisis. It is not just a “little wave,” as he said. It is coming slowly, but it is devastating. I would tell him to review his concept of economics, because the crisis is affecting many sectors, including my own [aviation].
Arturo Spadale, 60, Financial Managing Director
I would say he is mistaken about the global economic crisis. It is not just a “little wave,” as he said. It is coming slowly, but it is devastating. I would tell him to review his concept of economics, because the crisis is affecting many sectors, including my own [aviation].
Wellington, New Zealand
Luke Williams, 33, Government Health Policy Analyst
He has to remember that economic growth doesn’t really amount to much over the longer term, unless there’s a focus on social cohesion, and equity as well. They talk a lot about reducing tax burdens and doing these sorts of things, and if we don’t, for people that find it a bit more difficult in society through their own choices, society will just break down.
While he wants to make the pie bigger, he’s also got to make sure that the slices of the pie are fair enough so that people will actually feel like New Zealand is going somewhere rather than just that a section of the communities going somewhere.
Luke Williams, 33, Government Health Policy Analyst
He has to remember that economic growth doesn’t really amount to much over the longer term, unless there’s a focus on social cohesion, and equity as well. They talk a lot about reducing tax burdens and doing these sorts of things, and if we don’t, for people that find it a bit more difficult in society through their own choices, society will just break down.
While he wants to make the pie bigger, he’s also got to make sure that the slices of the pie are fair enough so that people will actually feel like New Zealand is going somewhere rather than just that a section of the communities going somewhere.
Athens, Greece
Cathrine Athitsou, 26, Lawyer
He should change the way he deals with situations, to be more dynamic, if he really wants to make a difference compared to former leaders.
Cathrine Athitsou, 26, Lawyer
He should change the way he deals with situations, to be more dynamic, if he really wants to make a difference compared to former leaders.
Utrecht, The Netherlands
Roezbeh Rahmi, 18, Law Student
I would like to give Balkenende, the prime minister of The Netherlands, two suggestions. First, I think he has to implement a human policy. The current policy is still the same as before, for example, the policy in the field of discrimination and the policy in the field of government assistance. There are no new policies or progress in those fields. Some people get a lot of assistance from the government while they should not receive so much money. By contrast, some people just receive too low an amount of money. Second, the leader has to listen more to the people. The current policy does not match the wishes and the expectations of people. The leader has to listen to what the people really want in this country.
Roezbeh Rahmi, 18, Law Student
I would like to give Balkenende, the prime minister of The Netherlands, two suggestions. First, I think he has to implement a human policy. The current policy is still the same as before, for example, the policy in the field of discrimination and the policy in the field of government assistance. There are no new policies or progress in those fields. Some people get a lot of assistance from the government while they should not receive so much money. By contrast, some people just receive too low an amount of money. Second, the leader has to listen more to the people. The current policy does not match the wishes and the expectations of people. The leader has to listen to what the people really want in this country.
Galati, Romania
Mihaela Mahu, 55, Mechanical Engineer
I would advise him to do everything possible in order for the constitution and the laws of the country be respected by the leaders of the country - senators, ministers, state secretaries, and so on. He should be an example for everybody in everything he does.
Mihaela Mahu, 55, Mechanical Engineer
I would advise him to do everything possible in order for the constitution and the laws of the country be respected by the leaders of the country - senators, ministers, state secretaries, and so on. He should be an example for everybody in everything he does.
Melbourne, Australia
Roger Ackland, 71, Retired
We’re talking as an Australian about Mr Rudd. I’d like to say to him to stick to doing what he is doing. He is doing a good job under the present circumstances. Yes, good luck to him.
Roger Ackland, 71, Retired
We’re talking as an Australian about Mr Rudd. I’d like to say to him to stick to doing what he is doing. He is doing a good job under the present circumstances. Yes, good luck to him.
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
John Wallace, 25, Desk Editor
I would advise the president to look carefully into regulating the stock exchanges. What is the value being exchanged, the value imposed by the “market?” Can it be trusted? There’s no gold standard to hold the system accountable. I am concerned that we really don’t have a realistic value for trading activities.
John Wallace, 25, Desk Editor
I would advise the president to look carefully into regulating the stock exchanges. What is the value being exchanged, the value imposed by the “market?” Can it be trusted? There’s no gold standard to hold the system accountable. I am concerned that we really don’t have a realistic value for trading activities.
Lahore, Pakistan
Rashid Khan, 26, Student
Our leader [Asif Ali Zardari, widower of assassinated leader Benazir Bhutto] should remember what he has promised to the Pakistani nation. Now is the time to act. We have trusted him and given our vote to bring him into power to undo things that have gone wrong. But unfortunately, he is only raising taxes and raising prices to make our life more miserable. Load shedding [intentional electrical power outages used to conserve electricity because of limited power supply] and high petrol prices are breaking our back and government is doing nothing. If he can’t solve our problems he should remarry and resign.
Rashid Khan, 26, Student
Our leader [Asif Ali Zardari, widower of assassinated leader Benazir Bhutto] should remember what he has promised to the Pakistani nation. Now is the time to act. We have trusted him and given our vote to bring him into power to undo things that have gone wrong. But unfortunately, he is only raising taxes and raising prices to make our life more miserable. Load shedding [intentional electrical power outages used to conserve electricity because of limited power supply] and high petrol prices are breaking our back and government is doing nothing. If he can’t solve our problems he should remarry and resign.
Italy
Raffaella Paolo ,22, Nursing Student (right)
[in photo Raffaella Paolo (R) and Letizia Borri (L), 28, both are unemployed]
Berlusconi, we would like you know our situation. Maybe you can help us by lowering taxes and you need to see that we need work so we can pay for our minimal necessities to live. Now, we cannot see the future. Today, we need work to finish our study in university, and when we finish our studies, we don’t see available work. In our country, we are all in a precarious situation, but we can see in the TV program how Grande Fratello*, you show people who move a lot of money for nothing. So many programs on TV show another reality of Italy that is not our reality and you make this program for us. I think it is better to stop doing this in our country and use the money to generate more work. At this moment when friends go out, they cannot even eat a piece of pizza, and must ask for money from their parents. We are talking about people who are 22 to 28 years old. This is our reality. And where is the future? This is only a little example. You need to improve.
[Editor’s note: *Grande Fratello, “Big Brother,” is a reality TV program on Endemol Italia independent TV. Twelve strangers live in a house where their every move is broadcast over the Internet and TV. Viewers decide who is eliminated and the winner gets a large cash prize. It has become a cultural phenomenon in Italy.]
Raffaella Paolo ,22, Nursing Student (right)
[in photo Raffaella Paolo (R) and Letizia Borri (L), 28, both are unemployed]
Berlusconi, we would like you know our situation. Maybe you can help us by lowering taxes and you need to see that we need work so we can pay for our minimal necessities to live. Now, we cannot see the future. Today, we need work to finish our study in university, and when we finish our studies, we don’t see available work. In our country, we are all in a precarious situation, but we can see in the TV program how Grande Fratello*, you show people who move a lot of money for nothing. So many programs on TV show another reality of Italy that is not our reality and you make this program for us. I think it is better to stop doing this in our country and use the money to generate more work. At this moment when friends go out, they cannot even eat a piece of pizza, and must ask for money from their parents. We are talking about people who are 22 to 28 years old. This is our reality. And where is the future? This is only a little example. You need to improve.
[Editor’s note: *Grande Fratello, “Big Brother,” is a reality TV program on Endemol Italia independent TV. Twelve strangers live in a house where their every move is broadcast over the Internet and TV. Viewers decide who is eliminated and the winner gets a large cash prize. It has become a cultural phenomenon in Italy.]
Singapore
Richard Yew, 24, Architectural Student
Education in Singapore is becoming so competitive, that teachers now focus more on inventing ‘new special programs’ than focusing on students’ development. Leaders should consider examining the competency of new teachers. Why? It seems a trend to be a teacher, because people can’t get a job that easily elsewhere. Leaders should also understand the true spirit of education and what truly drives students to learn. They should also address the rift in working styles between the older generation of teachers (conservative, integrity, hardworking) and the younger ones (individualistic, always taking sick leave, irresponsible).
Richard Yew, 24, Architectural Student
Education in Singapore is becoming so competitive, that teachers now focus more on inventing ‘new special programs’ than focusing on students’ development. Leaders should consider examining the competency of new teachers. Why? It seems a trend to be a teacher, because people can’t get a job that easily elsewhere. Leaders should also understand the true spirit of education and what truly drives students to learn. They should also address the rift in working styles between the older generation of teachers (conservative, integrity, hardworking) and the younger ones (individualistic, always taking sick leave, irresponsible).
Look for the Global Q&A column every week, when Epoch Times correspondents interview people around the world to learn about their lives and perspectives on local and global realities. Next week’s global question: “If you could spend 1 hour with any living person, who would it be and why?”
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