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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
By Cathy Majtenyi
Nairobi
21 November 2006
Chamber1 of Commerce in Nairobi, Nov. 21, 2006" hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070509/1423510.jpg" width="175" vspace="2" border="0" /> |
US Ambassador Michael Ranneberger address delegates of American Chamber of Commerce in Nairobi, Nov. 21, 2006 |
The ambassador opened his speech by lauding4 Kenya for "moving in a positive direction."
He noted5 that the East African country's economy has been growing steadily6 since 2002, with growth expected to exceed six percent this year, and that the many self-help groups and watchdog organizations make Kenya what he called "the most active and vibrant7 in sub-Saharan Africa."
But, said Ranneberger, there are still overwhelming problems in Kenya, chief among them being corruption.
He referred to the so-called Anglo Leasing scandal of several years ago, in which government officials awarded lucrative8 contracts to fictitious9 companies.
"Corruption in Kenya exacts a terrible toll10 and is probably the single greatest impediment to economic development and poverty reduction," said Ranneberger. "The Anglo Leasing contracts totaled some $700 million. To put this number in perspective: $700 million is more than the total foreign assistance provided to Kenya over the past year by international development banks and governments like my own."
Ranneberger said corruption discourages new and existing investment, as it raises the cost of doing business in Kenya. He called corruption "a cancer, robbing Kenya of the resources badly needed for development and prosperity."
The corruption watchdog Transparency International ranked Kenya near the bottom, 142nd out of the 163 countries surveyed, in its corruption index for 2006.
Two former ministers who were accused of being involved in Anglo Leasing, Minister of Education George Saitoti and Minister of Energy Kiraitu Murungi, were last week re-appointed to their portfolios11 by President Mwai Kibaki.
Ranneberger also urged the government and all Kenyans to put ethnic, personal, or other interests aside in the run-up to next year's elections.
"While it is increasingly free and open, Kenya's political process remains12 too narrowly focused on tribal13, regional, and personal interests," noted the U.S. ambassador. "This is to the detriment14 of a national agenda and the welfare of the people as a whole."
"When a country's political class, whether leaders in the government or in the opposition15, consistently put tribal, family, or personal interests first, governance fails," Ranneberger continued. "Government becomes not a pathway to achieve national consensus16 and development for the betterment of all, but rather a platform for patronage17, cronyism18, corruption, waste, and mismanagement."
He said he urges all politicians and political actors in Kenya to conduct their campaigns and other activities in ways that would appeal to all Kenyans, not just members of a particular ethnic group.
Ranneberger was also concerned about increased narcotics19 trafficking, especially on the coast, and money laundering20 activities.
1 chamber | |
n.房间,寝室;会议厅;议院;会所 | |
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2 corruption | |
n.腐败,堕落,贪污 | |
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3 ethnic | |
adj.人种的,种族的,异教徒的 | |
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4 lauding | |
v.称赞,赞美( laud的现在分词 ) | |
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5 noted | |
adj.著名的,知名的 | |
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6 steadily | |
adv.稳定地;不变地;持续地 | |
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7 vibrant | |
adj.震颤的,响亮的,充满活力的,精力充沛的,(色彩)鲜明的 | |
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8 lucrative | |
adj.赚钱的,可获利的 | |
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9 fictitious | |
adj.虚构的,假设的;空头的 | |
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10 toll | |
n.过路(桥)费;损失,伤亡人数;v.敲(钟) | |
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11 portfolios | |
n.投资组合( portfolio的名词复数 );(保险)业务量;(公司或机构提供的)系列产品;纸夹 | |
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12 remains | |
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹 | |
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13 tribal | |
adj.部族的,种族的 | |
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14 detriment | |
n.损害;损害物,造成损害的根源 | |
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15 opposition | |
n.反对,敌对 | |
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16 consensus | |
n.(意见等的)一致,一致同意,共识 | |
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17 patronage | |
n.赞助,支援,援助;光顾,捧场 | |
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18 cronyism | |
n.任人唯亲,对好朋友的偏袒 | |
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19 narcotics | |
n.麻醉药( narcotic的名词复数 );毒品;毒 | |
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20 laundering | |
n.洗涤(衣等),洗烫(衣等);洗(钱)v.洗(衣服等),洗烫(衣服等)( launder的现在分词 );洗(黑钱)(把非法收入改头换面,变为貌似合法的收入) | |
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