Fmr. London Mayor to advise Chávez

[Ordie]

Livingstone to advise Chávez on urban issues

<LI class=byline>Rory Carroll (http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/rorycarroll) in Caracas <LI class=publication>The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian),
Thursday August 28 2008
Article history
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Politics/Pix/pictures/2008/08/28/chavezken222222.jpg Hugo Chávez with Ken Livingstone in London in May 2006. Photograph: Leon Neal/AFP/***** Images

Ken Livingstone, the former mayor of London, has found a new role as an adviser to the Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez and his political allies. During a surprise visit to Caracas, Livingstone said yesterday that he would act as a consultant on the capital's policing, transport and other municipal issues.
"I believe that Caracas will become a first-world city in 20 years. I have a very extensive network of contacts both domestically and internationally which I will be calling on to assist in this," he told reporters at the presidential palace after meeting Chávez.
The two socialist allies forged a deal last year to swap London's management expertise for subsidised fuel for London's buses. Boris Johnson, the Tory who ousted Livingstone in May's election, cancelled the deal and repaid £7m to Venezuela, an oil giant with widespread poverty.
No one doubts Caracas needs help. Gridlocked traffic, a crumbling centre, hillside slums, horrific murder rates, corrupt police and inept local government have made it one of Latin America's most notorious cities.
No decision had been taken about a salary, said Livingstone. "It depends to what extent we will be tapping into our individual resources. The whole cost of this trip has been paid for by the government of Venezuela and as an unemployed citizen I would not be able to pay for my own fare otherwise."
The state media presented Livingstone as an important asset to pro-Chávez candidates in upcoming local elections. Livingstone seemed optimistic they would win. "We have discussed with the candidates a programme they will take forward after the November elections," he said.
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Source:http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/aug/28/livingstone.venezuela/print

[Laworkerbee]

A friend of mine just returned from Venezuela and said they had messed with the currency exchange so that his dollars were near par with the locals.

Good to see Livingstone is out of the closet.

[Thumpsquid]

Are there any Newts in Venezuela?

[Kilgor]

Why am I not surprised.

Red Ken indeed.

[chefjavier]

Good luck my friend...........

[Kilgor]

All they need now is George Galloway and it can be a all in red love threesome.

[Buffalo_soldier]

Hopefully Ken can help Venezuela and make Caracas a better place.

[aed1980]

Hopefully Ken can help Venezuela and make Caracas a better place.

Why that post from you doesnt surprise me

[LineDoggie]

Hopefully Ken can help Venezuela and make Caracas a better place.

Hopefully, their caught re-enacting the Bath scene from Spatacus in front of the Papparazzi....

[LaoSexMachine]

So I take it Chavez is not looking to step down in 2012?

[Parx400]

Hopefully Ken can help Venezuela and make Caracas a better place.


I hope this country completly fails and his people starve. People need to learn the hard way that his left wing bull **** does not work.

[LaoSexMachine]

I hope this country completly fails and his people starve. People need to learn the hard way that his left wing bull **** does not work.


People no matter what vote for someone who promises to change their lot in life. People starve. Be it left or right.

[Buffalo_soldier]

I hope this country completly fails and his people starve. People need to learn the hard way that his left wing bull **** does not work.

wow. What a nice person you are.

The fact is that livingstone has proven experience in running the financial capital of the world kinda trumps whatever bitter feelings you have towards him because of his political leanings.

I wish the venezuelan people all the best.

[Adux]

I have told this, The Brits are more commie, than commie's themselves! Sad state of affairs for a once great empire!

[Vorian]

I hope this country completly fails and his people starve. People need to learn the hard way that his left wing bull **** does not work.

I hope reincarnation exists and you are reborn in Darfur

[Buffalo_soldier]

I have told this, The Brits are more commie, than commie's themselves! Sad state of affairs for a once great empire!

The days of empire are over.

India, of all countries, should be thankful for that.

[asch]

I hope this country completly fails and his people starve. People need to learn the hard way that his left wing bull **** does not work.
i suggest you to learn hard way that firearms safety is important.


what's wrong with you all? if guy will help Venezuela with his recommendations, it's great for ordinary citizen.

[Mr.Flint]

wow. What a nice person you are.

The fact is that livingstone has proven experience in running the financial capital of the world kinda trumps whatever bitter feelings you have towards him because of his political leanings.

I wish the venezuelan people all the best.
Really? Then why i hear from businessmen (including my brother) ,who travel both to London and Caracas, that if this is true, then Caracas is fvcked?:)

As well as Londoners btw, they believe so too...

But hey dont mind my raining on your commie pc parade, mister "ya all racists". rofl

[Adux]

The days of empire are over.

India, of all countries, should be thankful for that.

That is different,

Its from my point of view, But from theirs, it is quite sad. There are some serious issues in the social fabric of UK, and most of it has to do with passivism and socialism.

[oldsoak]

Livingstone is a canny bird - dont ever run away with the idea that he's stupid. He's well versed in realpolitik. His opponents all admit that he's a very reasoned talker. Personally I dont like him due to his past support for the IRA, but thats another story. He might actually get Chavez to get a more reasonable outlook on the west. Wait and see.

[khukuri]

Wow, caracas is in good hands.

Livingstone is not the type of person who likes easy jobs is he. I have loads of respect for him.

[Mr Gently Benevolent]

I could be wrong but Chavez has not yet racked up the body count or human rights abuses of Pinochet and he was lauded by our ex PM Thatcher.

[Adux]

Does anybody know what Jermey Clarkson thinks of Ken Livingstone!

There you go, I made up my mind

[Eoin666]

I have told this, The Brits are more commie, than commie's themselves! Sad state of affairs for a once great empire!

a sweeping generalisation there.....blame the middle-class politically correct brigade

but as they say "there's no middle-class problem that the working-class can't solve"

[Buffalo_soldier]

Really? Then why i hear from businessmen (including my brother) ,who travel both to London and Caracas, that if this is true, then Caracas is fvcked?:)

As well as Londoners btw, they believe so too...

But hey dont mind my raining on your commie pc parade, mister "ya all racists". rofl
Under livingstone London overtook New York as the financial capital of the world. I'm not sure what your brothers criteria of fvcked is, but London was far from it.

It's got nothing to do with ideological notions of commies and socialists that you seem to obsess over.

[Buffalo_soldier]

Does anybody know what Jermey Clarkson thinks of Ken Livingstone!

There you go, I made up my mind

Yeah. Because a man who introduced the congestion charge is ever going to go down with clarkson.

Clarkson also thinks Birmingham should be removed from the map. He also things Americans are little more than apes. I like Clarkson because he is funny as hell. But he's not someone to look at for policy decisions.

[Adux]

Under livingstone London overtook New York as the financial capital of the world. I'm not sure what your brothers criteria of fvcked is, but London was far from it.

It's got nothing to do with ideological notions of commies and socialists that you seem to obsess over.

That has nothing to do with Livingstone or his policies, but rather with the Central government's, As UK finance is not under the Mayoral Powers, rather under the Ministry of Finance and Prime Minister.

[Adux]

Yeah. Because a man who introduced the congestion charge is ever going to go down with clarkson.
Exactly , you are getting my drift


Clarkson also thinks Birmingham should be removed from the map.

With the stuff that is going on there, why not!


He also things Americans are little more than apes.
When it comes to good cars, yes



I like Clarkson because he is funny as hell. But he's not someone to look at for policy decisions.

You are taking the fun quotient out!

[Adux]

a sweeping generalisation there.....blame the middle-class politically correct brigade

but as they say "there's no middle-class problem that the working-class can't solve"

It is as it is, the majority reflect the country!

[Mr Gently Benevolent]

That has nothing to do with Livingstone or his policies, but rather with the Central government's, As UK finance is not under the Mayoral Powers, rather under the Ministry of Finance and Prime Minister.I think you will find that Ken and his team pulled out all the stops to retain many of the big players in the city they probably made a greater effort than central government, despite many of the large private equity houses being registered in Scotland they are all based in London.

[Eoin666]

It is as it is, the majority reflect the country!

Err...no they don't I'm afraid, maybe in an idealised view of democracy or utopia, but the reality is the masses certainly don't rule, they may be able to vote and speak out, but they don't rule

Oh yeah,.....have you been to B'ham? If not, and you're doing the usual thing on these forums of cherry-picking scandal headlines, no doubt involving muslims somewhere....then give me a break mate.