Sylla & Ravalomanana – a team working on two fronts

According to the Malagasy national radio, President Ravalomanana met with American Secretary of State Colin Powell for approximately 35 minutes on May 27, 2003. The two men had the opportunity to review and assess the cooperation between the Great Island, and the United States in the presence of Mrs. Wanda Nesbitt, the United States Ambassador to Madagascar, and Mr. Narisoa Rajaonarivony, Madagscar?s Ambassador to the United States, and former deputy prime minister of the first Ravalomanana administration. This time around, his brief visit to the land of Uncle Sam gave President Ravalomanana the opportunity to form economic ties. The Malagasy National Radio?s special envoy also mentions a meeting between the Malagasy President and some American entrepreneurs who, according to President Ravalomanana, are supposedly ready to “invest” in Madagascar, but are still waiting for the ideal time before acting.

Moreover, on Thursday, May 29, the Malagasy President is scheduled to participate in the 30th conference of “Global Health Council” where he would be the guest of honor.

On the home front, Prime Minister Jacques Sylla is busy handling national affairs, and finds himself honor-bound to lend a hand by intensifying his involvement in the field. Late on May 27, following a trip to Ambatondrazaka, Madagascar?s leading rice producing region, he visited the scene of a fire. On May 24, this fire reduced to ashes merchandises, and tools valued at a few billion FMG (Malagasy Francs). It took place in an industrial area called Forello, south of Antananarivo, the capital city. The Prime Minister insisted on meeting with the primary victims of the tragedy in an effort to come up with suitable ways to prevent similar catastrophes in the future. He is keenly aware that, like it or not, the economy will ultimately become the primary casualty.

Among other things, they decided to ban the incineration of scrap materials within the confines of the establishment. The government, for its part, will do everything within its power and jurisdiction to facilitate the commercialization of such products which can be recycled. It was determined that, in all probability, the fire started within an incinerator used by a ready-to-wear garment factory located next to the units which burnt down.