Seema Verma, administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, writes in The Washington Post that “this administration stands for a policy that makes Medicaid a path out of poverty by empowering states to tailor programs that meet the unique needs of their citizens.”
“We owe it to these Americans to try whatever may help them achieve the dignity and self-sufficiency they deserve,” she writes. “True compassion is lifting Americans most in need out of difficult circumstances.”
“As Granite Staters begin to prepare their tax returns for this next year, they have a lot to be happy about,” New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu writes in the New Hampshire Union Leader. “New Hampshire’s economy grew by 4.4 percent in the third quarter of 2017, the third highest rate in the nation, and the fastest in New England,” he continues. “The recently passed Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is putting more money in people’s pockets, and encouraging employers to reinvest here at home.”
“‘Crumbs.’ That’s what Democrats call the pay hikes, 401(k) increases, and bonuses being given out to millions of working Americans, thanks to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,” writes Joseph Semprevivo, a CEO in Florida, in Washington Examiner. “I employ numerous workers who stand to directly benefit from the Republican tax overhaul. Why? Because lower rates and increased deductions leave me with more resources to expand business operations and reward hardworking staffers,” Semprevivo explains.
In BloombergView, American Enterprise Institute economist Michael R. Strain writes that January’s jobs report revealed a pace of wage growth that “is not only looking reasonably healthy, but also marks the best performance since the end of the Great Recession over eight years ago.” Strain notes that “based on a broad range of labor-market indicators, my expectation is that wage growth will accelerate in 2018.”
In The Washington Times, Stephen Moore writes that “tens of millions of Americans are starting to see the benefits [of tax cuts] in their paychecks” despite liberal opposition to the law. “Americans are for what works,” Moore argues, adding that “the United States is on a roll right now that is so economically powerful there’s no point in debating the wisdom of Mr. Trump’s policies.”
“The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities on Friday ordered electric, gas, and water companies to determine new rates, so consumer bills are adjusted to reflect the corporate tax cuts approved by Congress in December,” Evan Allen and Joe Chesto report in the Boston Globe.“This is a huge victory for ratepayers who deserve the benefit of this major tax break for utilities,” according to Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey.
In the Alabama Political Reporter, Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-AL) writes that “last Tuesday, President Donald Trump came before Congress and the American people to deliver his first State of the Union Address. President Trump presented an optimistic, unifying vision for the United States and called on Republicans and Democrats to work together for the betterment of America.”
Over the last couple of years, I’ve barely been able to conceal my obsession with WhatsApp and its not-so stealth rise across Africa as the primary social media platform of choice.
WhatsApp was bought by Facebook for $19 billion in 2014, and its messaging app has always been pretty basic. Its simple interface and ‘lite’ weight have ensured it is a winner in emerging markets across Africa, South Asia and Latin America where internet access has either been too expensive or too slow to handle some of the heavier social media apps.
Facebook said on Jan.31, WhatsApp has more than 1.5 billion monthly active users sending more than 60 billion messages every day. It has the most popular “Stories” product in the world, says Facebook. That’s right, it’s more popular than sister company, Instagram or Snapchat.
Remarkably, WhatsApp itself has been reticent with information about its own developments. Most of its innovation has been un-flashy, almost boring, but that seems to be the right strategy. It may have the resources, but it seems WhatsApp is keen not to get too far ahead of the emerging markets in which it operates.
But even Silicon Valley’s engineers sometimes find themselves falling behind some of the world’s supposedly least advanced markets. In the case of WhatsApp, its app has become so successful at reaching millions of people that many small businesses have hacked their way to integrating the platform into customer service delivery. WhatsApp last month said 80% of small businesses in India and Brazil were already using it. It made that revelation as it rolled out its first standalone WhatsApp Business app on the Android platform.
While Facebook’s DNA is in advertising, WhatsApp might go a different way—if only because digital advertising is a less lucrative prospect in emerging markets. With so many active users, local businesses will be keen to move beyond customer service to more advanced services such as payments and remittances within the app and much more. It’ll happen slowly, but it’ll happen.
— Yinka Adegoke, Q-MHI Africa editor
STORIES FROM THIS WEEK
Kenya’s media is fighting for its future after a television shutdown. Kenya’s government shut down top television stations ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of opposition leader Raila Odinga as the “people’s president.” As Abdi Latif Dahir reports, the decision caused an uproar, with observers noting how it demonstrated increasing censorship and government heavy-handedness.
Nigeria’s blood delivery startup is attracting investors to fuel its expansion. LifeBank started in 2016 with the hopes of automating and standardizing the process of finding and transporting blood. But while it has predominantly worked with private sector partners, the start-up hopes to use its new $200,000 seed funding to work with government-run institutions.
Young Africans and their global diaspora are joining in the anticipation and excitement for Black Panther. Marvel’s first black superhero film has already outsold other superhero movies in advanced ticket sales. Despite its adoption of elements of traditional African clothing and cameo-ing an authentic language like isiXhosa, Aamna Mohdin and Lynsey Chutel write that the movie has the impossible burden of living up to the expectations of what a black superhero should be.
Zimbabwe’s startups and tech hubs are looking forward to investment finally coming their way. With an economy that was spiraling out of control and endless currency issues, Zimbabwe was one of the last countries investors had looked to in recent years and it meant the fledgling tech startup scene was largely self-funded. But Tawanda Karombo in Harare finds plenty of anticipation for outside investment helping to rekindle the sector.
Kwame Nkrumah warned Africans about the threat of neocolonialism. More than 60 years ago, Ghana’s first president Kwame Nkrumah accurately predicted former European colonizers would manipulate newly independent countries through disadvantageous aid and trade relations in a wave of neocolonialism, writes Mark Langan.
Yes, Chimamanda, Nigeria does have bookstores—but nowhere near enough. A video of an interview with Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie went viral last week because it featured a French journalist asking her if there were bookshops in Nigeria. While you can debate whether the tone of the question was misinterpreted or if it came out of ignorance, there is little doubt Nigeria’s book publishers have too few outlets, Yomi Kazeem learns from industry insiders.
CHART OF THE WEEK
Opening up African airspace would boost intra-African travel. After sitting on the plan for almost three decades, the African Union finally launched the Single African Air Travel Market to help boost air connectivity in Africa. While the liberalized airwaves will act as an engine for economic growth, job creation, and integration, it will also help increase tourism revenues.
How Benin Republic is reckoning with its history of selling slaves. For more than two centuries, powerful kings in Benin sold slaves to Portuguese, French, and British merchants. As the country plans to build two museums chronicling this history, Kevin Sieff documents in the Washington Post how the issue is raising tension in the West African nation.
Four Eritrean refugees look to the future. About 400,000 Eritreans, or 10% of the population, have fled the country in recent years, enduring kidnappings and torture as they navigate their way to Europe. In Guernica, Isma’il Kushkush relays the excruciating journeys Eritrean refugees bear in search of a better life outside Africa’s hermit kingdom.
KEEP AN EYE ON
Casablanca International Book Fair (Feb. 8-18). The 24th edition of the book fair will host some 350 writers, poets, and researchers, with Egypt being the guest nation this year.
Winter Olympics (Feb 9-25) Pyeongchang, South Korea. When the Winter Olympics kick off, Nigeria’s bobsled team will make history by becoming the first African team to compete in the sport. Athletes from Kenya and Eritrea will compete at alpine skiing, while Ghana will participate as skeleton athlete.
*This brief was produced while listening to Maloba D’Amour by Orchestra Super Mazembe (Kenya via DR Congo).
Presiden Jokowi berdialog saat Puncak Peringatan Hari Pers Nasional (HPN) 2018, di Pantai Cimpago, Padang, Sumatra Barat (Sumbar), Jumat (9/2).
PADANG , 09 Feb 2018 – Menghadapi wartawan di sela-sela tugasnya sebagai Presiden Republik Indonesia rupanya memberikan kesan tersendiri bagi Presiden Joko Widodo . Hal ini disampaikannya saat memberikan sambutan pada Puncak Peringatan Hari Pers Nasional (HPN) 2018, di Pantai Cimpago, Padang, Sumatra Barat (Sumbar), Jumat pagi.
“Saya sering ingat kalau pas dicegat door stop 80-90 wartawan. Pertanyaannya tidak 1, banyak sekali dan pertanyaannya sulit-sulit semuanya karena ditembak langsung pada saat yang kita sering tidak siap,” kata Presiden Jokowi.
Untuk itu, berbeda dengan acara-acara lainnya saat dirinya memanggil warga untuk diminta menjawab pertanyaannya, kali ini Presiden Jokowi memanggil salah seorang wartawan untuk menjadi Presiden, dan dirinya menjadi wartawan. Tampillah kemudian Yousri Nur Raja Agam, wartawan senior dari Surabaya, Jawa Timur.
“Bapak jadi Presiden saya jadi wartawan. Menteri mana yang Bapak anggap paling penting?,” tanya Presiden Jokowi yang kali ini mengambil posisi sebagai wartawan.
“Semua penting, tetapi yang lebih penting yang bisa membuat Presiden nyaman,” kata Yousri dengan lagak seorang Presiden.
Bak seorang wartawan profesional, Presiden Jokowi mengejar Yousri dengan pertanyaan lebih tajam. “Berarti menteri yang dianggap paling penting yang mana? To the point aja Pak? Bapak jangan muter-muter, saya belum bisa nulis, belum nangkep,” ucap Presiden.
Kali ini Yousri menjawab dengan tegas, “Menteri yang mengurusi wartawan, Menkominfo.”
Berikutnya, Presiden Jokowi mengajukan pertanyaan lain yang lebih tajam. “Media apa yang paling menyebalkan dan Bapak sering jengkel?”.
“Media abal-abal,” jawab Yousri.
“Tidak ada di lingkungan istana media abal-abal, medianya resmi semuanya, tapi banyak yang menyebalkan, sampaikan apa adanya, yang mana Pak? Entah TV, online, media cetak, yang mana? Bapak kan setiap hari diwawancarai di depan istana, Bapak kan hapal, wartawannya siapa-siapa, yang nanya itu terus-terus siapa?,” cecar Presiden Jokowi.
“Yang paling menyebalkan itu Rakyat Merdeka,” ucap Yousri disambut tawa para hadirin, yang langsung disahut Presiden Jokowi, “Pak Presiden ini blak-blakan seperti perasaan saya. Sama persis. Kenapa Bapak Presiden, kenapa Rakyat Merdeka?”.
Yousri pun menjawab dengan diplomatis, kalau Rakyat Merdeka, semuanya dianggap merdeka, kan padahal ada aturan kemerdekaan.
“Ya terima kasih Pak Yousri, sekarang ganti lagi, presidennya saya. Saya berikan sepeda satu,” pungkasnya.
JAKARTA , 08 Feb 2018 – Badan Kepegawaian Negara (BKN) selaku instansi yang bertugas mengawasi dan mengendalikan pelaksanaan norma, standar, dan prosedur manajemen kepegawaian ASN (sesuai dengan ketentuan dalam Undang-Undang Nomor 5 Tahun 2014 tentang Aparatur Sipil Negara (ASN), pasal 48 (huruf g) memiliki tugas untuk melakukan pendataan terhadap pelanggaran disiplin yang dilakukan PNS dan hukuman disiplin yang telah diterapkan guna menyikapi pelanggaran tersebut sepanjang Tahun Anggaran (TA) 2017.
Data dalam Sistem Peringatan Dini (Early Warning System) Kedeputian Bidang Pengawasan dan Pengendalian Badan Kepegawaian Negara (BKN), sebagaimana disampaikan dalam rilis Kepala Biro Humas BKN Mohammad Ridwan, Rabu , mencatat sepanjang TA 2017 sebanyak 1.759 Pegawai Negeri Sipil (PNS) telah dijatuhi hukuman disiplin.
“Bentuk hukuman disiplin tersebut bervariasi mulai dari tingkat berat, ringan hingga sedang. PNS penerima hukuman disiplin tersebar di berbagai instansi baik pusat maupun daerah,” jelas Ridwan dalam rilis tersebut.
Sebagaimana diketahui, berdasarkan Peraturan Pemerintah Nomor 53 Tahun 2010 tentang Disiplin Pegawai Negeri Sipil, pasal 1, yang dimaksud pelanggaran disiplin adalah setiap ucapan, tulisan, atau perbuatan PNS yang tidak menaati kewajiban dan/atau melanggar larangan ketentuan disiplin PNS, baik yang dilakukan di dalam maupun di luar jam kerja.
Sepanjang tahun 2017, menurut Karo Humas BKN, hukuman disiplin kebanyakan diberikan atas pelanggaran terhadap ketentuan jam kerja, tepatnya sebanyak 570 kasus. “Pelanggaran lain yang juga mendasari pemberian hukuman disiplin di antaranya karena kasus tidak menjunjung tinggi kehormatan Negara, Pemerintah dan martabat PNS, tidak melaksanakan tugas kedinasan yang dipercayakan serta menyalahgunakan wewenang,” tambah Ridwan dalam rilisnya disertai data PNS dengan hukuman yang diberikan.
Jumlah PNS Dalam Berbagai Jenis Hukuman Disiplin (HD)
No
Jenis Hukuman Dsiplin
Kategori (HD)
Jumlah
1
Pemberhentian tidak dengan hormat sebagai PNS
Berat
96
2
Pemberhentian dengan hormat tidak atas permintaan sendiri
Berat
251
3
Pembebasan dari jabatan
Berat
85
4
Pemindahan dalam rangka penurunan jabatan satu tingkat
Berat
8
5
Penurunan pangkat 1 tingkat selama 3 tahun
Berat
412
6
Penurunan pangkat 1 tingkat selama 1 tahun
Sedang
203
7
Penundaan kenaikan pangkat selama 1 tahun
Sedang
131
8
Penundaan gaji maksimal 1 tahun
Sedang
3
9
Penundaan Kenaikan Gaji Berkala (KGB) selam 1 tahun
Sedang
139
10
Teguran tertulis
Ringan
159
11
Pernyataan tidak puas secara tertulis
Ringan
109
12
Teguran lisan
Ringan
163
Atas berbagai hukuman disiplin yang telah diberikan terhadap pelanggaran yang dilakukan PNS tersebut , Karo Humas BKN sampaikan di akhir rilis bahwa BKN akan mengevaluasi efektivitas hukuman yang diberikan terhadap perbaikan kinerja PNS pada khususnya dan penyelenggaraan manajemen ASN pada umumnya.
Presiden Jokowi berdialog saat Puncak Peringatan Hari Pers Nasional (HPN) 2018, di Pantai Cimpago, Padang, Sumatra Barat (Sumbar), Jumat (9/2).
