Month: November 2007

Ian Kay, a good friend, is no more

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

We were all shocked to learn Ian Kay passed away on 20 November.
Ian had been a real friend since the year 2000, over those years we have worked together closely while having lots of fun, thanks to his energy, modesty, humor and spirit that I admired so much. We often felt “on the same wavelength”, surviving on a bit of sarcasm but still keeping an eye on our goals.
After being with a British insurance company in Beijing (when I first met him), Ian became one of the pillars to boost the presence of the European Chamber. He served the Chamber as Executive General Manager from 2002 to 2004, and continued after his retirement as an adviser to the Chamber. Ian returned in the role of Secretary General from January to August in 2007 to support the Chamber through a period of change, after Giorgio left.
We often met at functions, parties, seminars and meetings. Mostly we tried not to take life too seriously and used to joke a lot. But at the same time we would try our best to do what we were supposed to do. Ian was excellent at his job, I never met anybody with whom he had a dispute. He seemed to get along with everybody but also managed the Chamber in a smooth way.
It’s hard to lose a good friend in Beijing, one staying here for long often misses real friendship as many people come and go and relationships are mostly based on “business”.
Some personal pictures I found in my collection.

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5 June 2002, together in a seminar; Ian at our home for New Year 31 December 2003
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with Ian in a conference, 8 February 2007; Ian at the EUCCC AGM 3 April 2007

Our deepest sympathy to his wife Sue.

1 Nov 07 – C-Zone by S2M Group

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

The Conference was again organized in the Crowne Plaza Park View Wuzhou Hotel, near the Birds Nest.
The organizers did their best to make it a cool and interesting event but I feel the hoopla around the 2008 Olympics is cooling down. The theme “Enhancing the excitement around the Games” was maybe a bit sarcastic – not so many people turned up. Pity, S2M had transformed the usually drab meeting room into a mini-stadium, even with a mini running track, probably at great cost.

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Di and the Torch Relay; the creative setting (with empty seats…); Sandy Hollway

I attended because my good friends Sandy Hollway and David Churches (Sydney 2000) were speakers. Pity again that the people who should note down every recommendation Sandy gave were not there.
As for the overview of the Torch Relay (Ms. Di Henry of Maxxam International), I feel it is a bit too gigantic and too crazy schedule. Good luck to complete that program without too many glitches.

Better in China than in Italy (and USA)?

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

We complain here about the lack of police action to reduce traffic jams, corruption, IPR infringements, organized crime etc. There is certainly much room for improvement like in traffic where the overall situation still looks hopeless for me – nobody respects any rule.
But think twice.
In Italy, organized crime is the biggest segment of the economy, accounting for € 90 billion. Activities are extortion, usury, contraband, robberies, prostitution, gambling and Internet piracy – organized crime syndicates account for 7% of the country’s GDP. As compiled by Confesercenti, a major Italian business association.
Not to mention about all the related mafia killings, even in other European countries (remember Germany?). Most unsolved.
Talking about murders, FBI figures show nearly 40% of all USA homicides go unsolved. Of course there guns are everywhere. At least one problem with do not have in Beijing. Not many Rambos running around here.

No more Santa “Ho Ho Ho” in China

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

The Chinese Communist Party has ordered that all Santas cannot use anymore “ho ho ho” as it has been seen as offensive for China’s image.
Indeed, “ho” sounds like “hou” meaning back (like in backdoor, a familiar way of doing business in China). The Party has ordered to use “ha” instead, sounding like (hao”, meaning good).
Now, if that would REALLY have happened, guess what the foreign press would say about China. Not much good, right!? Well, when something happens like that in our “western liberated world”, ….
14 Nov 07
SYDNEY (AFP) – Santas in Australia’s largest city have been told not to use Father Christmas’s traditional “ho ho ho” greeting because it may be offensive to women, it was reported Thursday.
Sydney’s Santa Clauses have instead been instructed to say “ha ha ha” instead, the Daily Telegraph reported.
One disgruntled Santa told the newspaper a recruitment firm warned him not to use “ho ho ho” because it could frighten children and was too close to “ho”, a US slang term for prostitute.
I guess we can all say hahaha right now in China, at the expense of the “free” world.

Olivier Strebelle in the Olympic Green

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

The project large sculpture “The Athletes Alley” is progressing well.
On 10 October the whole team, including the artist, went to see the exact spot where the sculpture will stand. The group is pictured at the “observation spot” and you can see the view towards the sculpture, a view from the last statues group towards the observation spot (so far you can’t see the group anymore). As well as shots of the temporary weather station, with the temporary venue in the back for the grass hockey.
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At a later date, on 2 November, I led former Ambassador Ms. Claire Kirschen to inspect the same location, together with Ms. Kristine De Muylder, general manager of Europalia. Claire is one of my oldest acquaintances in Beijing; we first met in late 1980 when she was Minister Counsellor at the embassy. Later in the nineties she came back as ambassador.
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Claire, Kristine and others on location in the Olympic Green

Now she is the General Commissioner for Europalia China, the Cultural and Artistic Festival Europe – China that will take place in Belgium sometimes in September 2009, for several months. Claire and Kristine were in China for a series of contacts for the festival. Claire is also a close friend of the artist Olivier.