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Pliny, Plutarch, Quintilian… She frowned. Where was Pope? He had been here just a moment ago; she would swear to it. She checked again. Pope had gone missing.
Her lower lip caught between her teeth, her brow furrowed with concentration, Kit Mallory stood atop the rickety stepladder, sorting through an awkward armful of leather-bound books, when she heard the library door creak open.
"Mrs. Mallory, I would speak with you!" exclaimed an imperious voice.
Oh, no. Not again.
Kit started, her grip loosened, and the books tumbled from her arms to land with several tumultuous thumps on the floor below. The ladder swayed, and she made a mad grab for the railings. She righted herself, then stood stock-still for several moments, her pulse pounding loudly in her ears, her eyes closed against a sudden wave of dizziness as the room, ladder and all, seemed to tilt beneath her.
Gooseflesh prickled over her skin as she realized just how close she'd come to falling. And with the realization came a rush of anger. She looked down at the books heaped at the base of the ladder and exhaled slowly; none of them appeared to be damaged. She twisted around to glare at the intruder. "I told you before, the answer is-oh!"
A familiar figure stood in the doorway, but not the one she was expecting. Tall and angular, in a round gown of vibrant purple silk trimmed with teal velvet ribbons, with dozens of strands of pearls looped around her long, wrinkled neck, the lady commanded one's immediate attention. Soft curls of gray hair protruded from beneath her turban, a creation of teal silk adorned with a diamond brooch and three immense plumes. Sharp black eyes and a rather prominent nose gave her a striking, but not unhandsome countenance.
"Your Grace!" Kit gasped, horrified by her rudeness. "Forgive me. I had no idea you were here."
"So I gathered," replied the Dowager Duchess of Wexcombe, unruffled. "The fault is mine, child, for startling you so. Now come down from there at once, before you do yourself an injury."
Kit descended the ladder with gingerly steps. "You might have given me a little warning, ma'am. These volumes are irreplaceable." She knelt to collect the fallen tomes, then started to pile them on a nearby chair.
"Stop fussing with those books, girl, and pay attention." The elderly woman raised her gold-rimmed lorgnette and eyed Kit up and down. "Goodness, what on earth have you been doing? You look like a sparrow that has been bathing in the dust all day."
Kit brushed her hands against her drab brown skirt and pushed a few stray locks of hair from her eyes. "Not quite all day, Your Grace."
"Hmph," sniffed the duchess, her lips compressed in a thin line as she turned her attention to the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves that lined the room, then to the haphazard stacks that teetered atop almost every table and chair. She held out a lacy, embroidered kerchief. "There is a smudge on your nose."
Obediently, Kit took the cambric square and daubed at the offending mark.
"Really, Mrs. Mallory," Her Grace continued, "you cannot keep yourself locked up day after day with these moldy old books. 'Tis most unnatural."
"I do believe Your Grace has made your disapproval known on more than one occasion."
The older lady arched an eyebrow. "Are you being impertinent?"
Try as she might, Kit could not keep the corners of her mouth from twitching. "Oh, yes, ma'am. Every day, and as often as possible."
The duchess laughed and held out her gloved hands. "Saucebox. How glad I am to see you again. Do you never tire of this little game of mine?"
"Never." Kit took the lady's hands in her own and gave them a fond squeeze. "I was beginning to despair, thinking you were not coming. I trust you are well?"
"Well enough, considering my age and my temper."
Kit grinned. "And how was your trip from London?"
"Cold, wet, and thoroughly unpleasant," replied the duchess with asperity. "I vow it must have rained the entire time-mud up to one's ankles! But I did not come here to bore you with such stories; we have important matters to discuss. Will you invite me to take tea with you, or must I ring for the servants myself?"
"Best to let me do it; you will terrify them," Kit replied with a chuckle, then led her guest to the drawing room.
While Kit rang for tea, the dowager duchess seated herself on the lion-footed sofa by the hearth. The lady smoothed her skirts, then examined the room through her lorgnette. "You have made a few improvements to the place."
Kit lowered herself onto the rosewood chair opposite the duchess. "The house seemed so… so bare and colorless, and I couldn't stand it any longer. My late husband's solicitor thinks it barbaric-oh, he is too polite to say as much, but I can see it in the way his face puckers up like a prune whenever he steps through the front door. But I have never given a fig for the fickle dictates of fashion. This is my home, and I shall do as I please."
The duchess nodded, and the plumes on her turban nodded with her. "As it should be. You are no milk-and-water miss, and this house was in desperate need of some character."
Character? Kit allowed herself a small chuckle. Most gently reared ladies would gasp and turn pale-if not faint outright-at the pagan splendors of her drawing room, which included a carved sandalwood screen, a tiger-skin rug, and colorful Hindu masks on the walls. Sensuous stone goddesses graced the wall on either side of the hearth. Woven rugs in brilliant hues covered the floor. Fragrant wisps of flowery incense curled from a brass burner on the mantelpiece. The rest of the Georgian-style residence was decorated in much the same way, or it would be once she finished unpacking.
"If I could have, I would have brought along the whole of Calcutta," she replied. Her smile began to fade around the edges.
"Do you miss India very much?" Through the lorgnette, the duchess's eyes appeared unnaturally large.
"It was the only place I ever felt truly at home."
Those large eyes softened. "A pity your situation would not allow you to remain."
Kit laced her fingers in her lap to stop their nervous fidgets. Her Grace was coming painfully close to subjects she would rather not discuss. "Since I could not stay, I decided to bring with me what I could. Do you like it?"
"It suits you." The duchess gave her a long, measured look, then gestured to the tall, multiarmed bronze statue visible in the vestibule. "Tell me-who is that rather large fellow out in the hall?"
Kit relaxed her clenched hands. "Come now, Your Grace. Did you never visit any temples in India? That is Lord Siva, the god of destruction and new beginnings. He is the patron deity of those who have no place in society-outcasts, and the like. Given all that has transpired over the course of my life, I thought it appropriate to set him in a place of honor."
The dowager frowned and opened her mouth to reply, but at that moment Ramesh, the imposing Hindu butler, brought in a tea tray laden with a steaming pot and clinking china cups, accompanied by an assortment of sweets. The turbaned, mahogany-skinned servant set the tray on the low table between the two ladies, pressed his large palms together in a reverent salute, then departed, all in silence.
The duchess stared after him through her lorgnette. "Gracious… I had forgotten you brought your servants with you."
"There is only Ramesh and his wife Lakshmi," Kit replied. "They insisted on coming with me. Though, after the cold spring we had, I wonder if they have regretted that decision."
"Indeed?" murmured the duchess in a thoughtful tone, tapping the tip of one finger against her pointed chin. Then she shook herself and tucked her lorgnette into her oversize reticule. "And now we must get to the business at hand."
Kit's hand hesitated on the handle of the teapot. "What business would that be, Your Grace?"
"Why, your future, my dear."
"My future?" Kit echoed. Still somewhat shaky from the incident on the ladder, she managed to pour a cup of the fragrant tea without splashing any onto the saucer, then handed it to her guest.
The elderly woman heaved a sigh. "Yes, your future. I shall speak plainly, child, since I know no other way to go about it. You cannot continue to live like this."
"Like what?"
The dowager paused to sip her tea. "Like… well, like a hermit."
"A hermit?" Kit's frown deepened. She was turning into a veritable parrot; one would think her incapable of uttering a single word of her own.
"A hermit," confirmed the duchess with a nod. "A recluse. Like those fellows you told me about on our voyage… the ones who wander off into the wilderness and deny themselves any form of pleasure at all. Oh, what do you call them-"
"Ascetics. And I am not one of them, I assure you."
"What would you call it, then?" demanded the older woman. "You have not gone out into society at all, not to the assemblies or the concerts, or even to take the waters at the Pump Room. You keep your nose so buried in those foreign texts of yours that it's a wonder you haven't wasted completely away."
Good heavens… How did the duchess know all of this? Kit looked askance at her guest. "If I did not know better, Your Grace," she said archly, "I'd swear you have been checking up on me."
"And what if I have? I am not naturally disposed to interfering in people's lives, my dear, but enough is enough. I will not let you waste any more of your youth shut up like a nun in a cloister."
Kit sat in stunned silence, her cup halfway to her slack mouth.
"When I first met you aboard the Daphne," Her Grace continued, "I thought you an impertinent hussy. But you were the only one who ventured to speak to me; the rest of that craven lot could not even conceive that an august personage such as myself might be lonely and desire some company. If not for you, my dear, I do not think I would have survived the voyage from Calcutta." Moisture gleamed at the corners of the dowager's dark eyes.
Kit shuddered at the thought of that horrific passage, of the storms that battered the Daphne as it passed through the Cape of Good Hope, of the dark, pitching sea, the howling wind, and the terrible creaking of the ship's timbers. She had nursed the elderly duchess through debilitating bouts of mal de mer when the lady's own servants had been too ill to tend her, and the ordeal had forged an enduring bond of friendship between them. As a result, Kit held the duchess as dear as her own grandmother, despite the lady's tendency to speak her mind and meddle in the affairs of others.
"You give me too much credit, Your Grace," she protested. "I did no less than anyone else would have done."
The dowager sat straight up and glared down her aquiline nose. "Nonsense. You are an exceptional creature, and I will not permit you to wither away into a disappointed old maid." Her lips twitched. "You cannot expect happiness to come to you; you must seize it."
When she was in this sort of mood, any attempt to resist the imperious old lady was like trying to row against the current. "What do you suggest?" Kit asked cautiously.
The older woman appeared to consider the question. "Well, first of all, we must have you fitted for a new wardrobe. You're a fetching thing, but your looks will be greatly improved once you cast off those dreary gowns you insist on wearing."
Kit fingered the dull brown material of her sleeve. "Given that I am still unpacking and cataloging the books I brought back with me, wearing paper-thin muslins and fashionable silks is not exactly practical. Besides, Your Grace, I would rather not spend my money on fancy dresses I will rarely wear."
"Balderdash." The duchess plucked a lemon tart from the tea tray, took a bite, and chewed with obvious relish. "It has been well over a year since your husband's death, and you look like you're still in mourning for him."
"But I am not," Kit protested. "These are practical gowns, and appropriate for my station. After those gaudy creations that George wanted me to wear, I am relieved to have something more somber."
"Somber? You're a widow, child-you're not dead. Goodness, what harm will a few new frocks do?"
"I do not wish to be seen as… well… fast," Kit insisted. "I will not make myself a target for any more impertinent remarks."
"Impertinent remarks?" repeated the duchess with a touch of outrage.
Kit opened her mouth, then closed it with a snap. She could not tell tales out of school, nor would she impugn the elderly woman's family as they had hers. The tips of her ears grew hot with the memory. "I do not wish to discuss it."
"Well, I am a widow, and no one questions my sense of propriety." The duchess cocked her head, her black eyes flashing, looking for all the world like an inquisitive bird. "I cannot believe you are so put off by wagging tongues. Gracious, I have never known you to be so missish!"
Heat bloomed in Kit's cheeks. She grimaced, then counted to five and took a deep breath. "I know you mean well, Your Grace," she stated at length, "but I will not allow you-or anyone else, for that matter-to push me at something I do not want."
The duchess's thin, lampblackened brows rose toward her hairline. "Well, perhaps not so missish, after all. Come now, child. You cannot expect me to believe that you actually enjoy racketing around this house by yourself, swathed in those shapeless sacks. If you were as desolated by that idiot's death as you would have me believe, you would have committed suttee like a poor Hindu widow."
The thought of throwing herself onto a blazing funeral pyre made Kit shudder. "Don't be ridiculous."
The duchess harrumphed. "Quite so. The time has come to form a strategy, my dear. Unless, of course, you intend to remain closed up in this house for the rest of your life."
"I have not given the matter much thought," Kit replied. Another knot of tension began at the back of her neck, but she resisted the urge to rub at it.
"Well, you should," prodded the duchess. Her severe expression eased. "George Mallory may have been an insufferable popinjay, but I can see that he left you well provided for."
Kit blinked. "Yes-well enough. With all due respect, Your Grace, that is none of your business."
The dowager dusted crumbs from her fingertips and reached for a slice of Dundee cake. "I am making it my business, child. Such is the privilege of age and rank, especially for nosy old tabbies like myself who have little else to occupy their time. So… you mean to rest on your laurels? Fustian. You're too young to live like an… oh, what is that word again… an ascetic."
"I am five-and-twenty, Your Grace, once widowed, and possessed of only modest appearance, connections, and fortune. What would you have me do?" Kit shrugged and sipped her tea.
"Perhaps you need to take a lover," quipped the duchess over the rim of her teacup.
The young woman's gasp of shock sent a flood of liquid down her windpipe, and she began to cough. "Really, ma'am!" she sputtered. Her face a furious scarlet, she set her cup down with a clatter and fumbled for the kerchief she had tucked in her cuff.
The duchess gazed mildly back at her. "And why not? You are strikingly beautiful, despite your protests to the contrary. With a few alterations to your attire and your hair, I wager that handsome bucks would flock to your side by the score."
Kit started to lift a hand toward her tight chignon, then stopped herself. "Out of the question. I will be no man's mistress."
Mischief twinkled in the duchess's eyes. "Are you sure about that? Eh, I thought not. To tell the truth, you might be more prudent to find a husband."
Kit did not answer right away. "I am not certain I wish to be a wife, either," she declared. "I have been married once, and I do not care to repeat the experience."
"Why not?" The dowager finished the last bite of her Dundee cake, then eyed the plate of marzipan. "You're a woman who has seen something of the world, not some featherheaded chit just out of the schoolroom. This time you will be able to choose a proper husband."
Kit wagged a finger at her. "No, Your Grace."
The duchess pulled back, clearly affronted. "What do you mean, 'no'?"
"While I appreciate your concern, I wish to live my life my way. What man would countenance his wife spending all her time translating Hindu literature? I assure you that I am quite content the way I am."
The duchess drummed her fingers on the arm of the sofa. "I vow you delight in disobliging me."
Kit's smile melded with the rim of her cup as she sipped her tea. Lukewarm. Ugh. She made a face and set aside the cup. "The moment I decide to issue forth into society, Your Grace, you shall be the first one to know."
"Insolent, headstrong girl," muttered the dowager. "Very well, then. I shall say no more on the matter."
"May I have your word on that, ma'am?"
The duchess skewered her with a penetrating glare; Kit gazed back, unperturbed. After a few moments, Her Grace looked away.
"I suppose I am being rather high-handed with you," the older woman huffed. "All right. You have my word. 'Pon rep, you are a stubborn creature."
"Thank you, Your Grace." With a slight smile, Kit proffered the plate of marzipan.
The duchess waved it away. "No, thank you. You have quite ruined my appetite."
While she sipped her tea, the dowager went on to regale Kit with the latest news and gossip from London; the duchess seemed to find great amusement in watching young chits and their mothers scramble hither and thither like hens in a barnyard as they made their all-important preparations for balls and parties.
"Unfortunately, we will have no further diversions of that sort until autumn." Then the duchess paused and set down her teacup. "And now I have a favor to ask you."
Kit braced herself. "And that is?…"
"The last week of this month I am due to visit my grandson at his country estate near Stow-on-the-Wold. I had hoped you would consent to accompany me."
"Accompany you?" Kit pulled a face; she was doing it again. Soon she would be nothing but a complete mimic.
Her Grace did not appear to notice. "You make it sound like such a remarkable request, child. Really, I know of no other person whose company I can tolerate so well as yours."
Kit swiveled around in her chair and poured His Grace a fresh cup of tea, her shoulders hunched so that the duchess could not see her scowl. "How long will you be staying, ma'am?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
"Oh, a week, at most. I would consider it a great favor to me, Kit. My great-grandchildren are delightful, but I fear my grandson and his wife are as stiff rumped as they come. They are convinced that I have become completely addled in my old age and that it is high time I settle down in the dower house and stop making a fool of myself. Bah. Stop making a fool of myself, indeed! I shall need your assistance in reasoning with these young idiots."
Kit pursed her lips. "I think it very wrong of them to force you to do anything, Your Grace."
"Yes, but that will not prevent them from trying, I can promise you that. But do not worry, child-you will have no social obligations and no responsibilities save to keep me from pulling caps with my relations. You will be there as my very great friend. Surely you agree that a change of scenery will do you good. Come with me, Kit, do."
The young woman considered the remaining liquid in the bottom of her cup. Spend a week in the home of the man who had tried to bribe her into severing her friendship with the dowager? The small fortune he had offered would have rendered her a very wealthy woman, but she did not hold her friends so meanly as His Grace did his own relations. Her jaw tightened. She had just gained her own freedom; she could not bear to see the dowager lose hers.
She raised her head. "If you believe my presence will help, then yes, Your Grace, I will go with you."
The duchess beamed. "Capital, my dear. Capital! It will be a week you will not soon forget."
Kit smiled back. "Oh, I am certain of it."
Bored.
Bored, bored, bored.
Nicholas Darcy, Marquess of Bainbridge, stifled a yawn with the back of one elegantly manicured hand. God's teeth, now that the Season was over, here he was, poised to cock up his toes from sheer ennui. Town was frightfully thin of company, and would be for the next two months. Nothing of note had been entered into the gaming book at White's, or any of the other gentlemen's clubs, for that matter. Recent bouts of inclement weather had kept him from his regular afternoon gallop. Even the lush blond charms of his mistress, the exquisite Angelique Auvray, were wearing thin; her fits of coquettish jealousy, which he had once found amusing, had become rather tedious of late. If he did not soon find something with which to divert himself, he would surely run mad.
At the moment, his only interesting prospect lay in a mysterious message from his cousin, the Duke of Wexcombe. The duke had written to him a few days ago, saying that he would be in London and needed to meet with the marquess on a most urgent matter. Bainbridge flicked a glance to the clock that ticked contentedly away on the marble mantelpiece. Nearly half past three. His cousin was due at any moment.
At precisely half past three, the marquess's lugubrious butler announced the arrival of His Grace, the Duke of Wexcombe. Lord Bainbridge climbed to his feet just as his cousin marched into the study.
"Good afternoon, Wexcombe," he drawled, making a slight bow. "I had never thought to see you in London after the close of the Season."
"I know," replied the duke, his face haggard. "But circumstances dictate otherwise."
Bainbridge looked hard at his relative, then arched a dark, quizzical brow. "Gadzooks, my dear fellow-something must be very wrong, indeed. You look as though you need a drink."
His Grace nodded and lowered himself into one of the two high backed plush chairs that flanked the hearth. "Yes, I believe I do. Brandy, if you please."
Well, well-this was a curious development; the stiff and proper Duke of Wexcombe rarely indulged in spirits, and never before dinner. But, ever the obliging host, Bainbridge crossed to the sideboard, uncorked the decanter, and poured two bumpers full of amber liquid. He handed one to his guest.
"I assume your rather unsmiling demeanor has something to do with your message," he prompted, settling himself into the chair opposite his guest.
The duke stared into the depths of his brandy, then regarded his cousin with somber gray eyes. "It involves my grandmother."
"Ah." Bainbridge settled back in his seat and savored a sip of his drink. "What is Great-Aunt Josephine up to now? Another adventure?"
His Grace made an impatient gesture. "She gets more difficult with every year," he grumbled. "At first I thought her odd starts were the result of boredom, but I vow she has become as eccentric as Lady Hester Stanhope herself. First her voyage to Greece, then to Turkey, then to India, of all places. And now…"
The marquess rubbed at his chin. Yes, his cousin could be a pompous ass. Yes, he was damnably high in the instep. But there could be no doubt that he loved his grandmother and cared for her welfare. Whatever had happened, it was something that did not bode well.
"And now?" he prompted.
The duke thrust a hand through his wheat-blond hair, undoing the careful Brutus style. "I feared this might happen. I shall be blunt, Bainbridge. Grandmama is no longer in complete possession of her faculties. Non compos mentis."
The marquess frowned. "How can that be? I saw her a year ago Christmastide and she appeared right as rain."
His Grace sipped his brandy. "I believe she is in good physical health," he admitted, "but her judgment is not as it should be. Look at the company she keeps these days… that scandalous fellow, the poet-what's his name… Shelley, and Lady Holland's Whiggish set. And then there was that balloon ascension, and now-"
"Just what are you saying, Wexcombe?" Bainbridge demanded. His cousin's words struck a chord of alarm.
The duke's mouth thinned. "A scurrilous personage has attached herself to Grandmama, no doubt with the hope of sponging off her, or even inheriting some of her fortune."
"A fortune hunter? Whatever gives you that idea?"
"When Grandmama returned from India, all she could talk about was a certain Mrs. Mallory, a widow she had met during the voyage. She spends more of her time with this woman than she does with her blood relations. I tell you, Bainbridge, it's not natural."
"A widow," the marquess mused. "Do you know anything about her? Perhaps she is just someone who befriended Aunt Josephine onboard ship. What exactly has you so concerned?"
His Grace took a long pull of brandy, then made a face. "I did some checking up on this woman, and you will like what I found even less than I did. She is the daughter of Baron Sudbrooke."
"Good God."
"My thoughts exactly. And it gets worse. Eight years ago she married a Cit by the name of George Mallory. A very wealthy Cit. Wealthy enough to pay off Sudbrooke's debts."
"His debts at the time, you mean," Bainbridge snorted. "Lud, the man's a sieve when it comes to money. Hasn't a feather to fly with."
"Quite."
"Didn't he flee the country last year?"
"Yes, and went to ground somewhere. His debts were excessive."
"So what are you worried about? If this Mrs. Mallory is a Cit's widow, she should have enough blunt of her own."
"On further investigation, I discovered that her jointure was relatively small." His lips twitched. "She has enough to live comfortably, but hardly in the manner to which I'm sure she has become accustomed. Like father, like daughter, I'll wager. Then just a few days ago I received a note from Grandmama, saying that she's bringing this woman with her to visit us in Gloucestershire."
Bainbridge considered this. "So you think this widow is planning to get her hands on Her Grace's money?"
"I do," replied the duke with a curt nod. "Grandmama will be seventy-four come Michaelmas. She is no longer as agile, physically or mentally, as she would like us to think, and therefore she is vulnerable. I think this Mrs. Mallory is egging her on, taking advantage of her lessened mental capacities."
A muscle flexed in the marquess's jaw. "Then we must look after her, Wexcombe."
"I am relieved to hear you say that, Cousin, because I came here to secure your help." His Grace leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees and an intent, angry light in his eyes.
"What would you like me to do?"
A slight flush colored the duke's pale cheeks. "I pray you do not take offense at this, Cousin, but I believe we have need of your particular… talents."
"Ah. Do I take you to mean that you want me to seduce this Mrs. Mallory?" Bainbridge grinned in spite of himself.
"Anything it takes," the duke declared. The pink in his face grew brighter. "I've already offered her ten thousand pounds to leave Grandmama alone, but the jade refused it. She's probably holding out for a greater offer. See what you can do; I will pay whatever it takes. Seduce her, then abandon her if you have to. Just enough to give my grandmother such a disgust of this woman that she'll never want any further contact with her."
"Hmm. Won't this widow be suspicious? After all, my reputation often precedes me."
Wexcombe swirled the brandy in his glass, then shrugged. "You are my cousin, and this is a family house party. What is there to suspect?"
"What about the duchess and the children? I'm not sure how much of this sordid affair we will be able to hide from them."
"Caroline is aware of the situation, as is her sister Elizabeth, and I will instruct the governess to keep Nathaniel and Emma in the nursery. This might be our only opportunity, Bainbridge. Once the ton returns to Town, who knows what Grandmama might try to do? Lord knows I don't want a scandal on my hands."
The marquess snorted. He knew better than to think his cousin was doing this purely for his grandmother's benefit. But the dowager's welfare was at stake, so he could hardly refuse. "When do you need me at Broadwell Manor, Cousin?"
His Grace set aside his glass. "Grandmama and her… friend… are due to arrive next Monday; I would like for you to be there when they do."
"Then I shall pack at once and travel to Gloucestershire directly," Bainbridge stated. He rose and offered his hand to the duke. "After next week you shall have nothing to worry about."
Wexcombe took his hand and shook it gratefully. "I am counting on it."
"Just be careful. Remember what happened the last time you tried to tell Great-Aunt Josephine what she should and should not do-she boarded the next ship for Calcutta."
The duke rolled his eyes. "You needn't remind me," he admonished, then took his leave.
Bainbridge stared after him. A slight smile crooked one corner of his mouth. How ironic. A few moments ago, he had wanted nothing more than something, anything to ease his crushing boredom.
He should really be more careful about what he wished for.
Elizabeth Powell A Reckless Bargain | A Reckless Bargain | Chapter Two


text:
Der Juno Award für die Group of the Year wird seit der Erstveranstaltung der Awardshow 1970 verliehen. Der Preis wird von der Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) vergeben. Die fünf Nominierungen richten sich nach einer Kombination von Verkaufszahlen und einem Voting der CARAS-Mitglieder. Der Sieger wird durch eine Jury bestimmt.

Der Award wurde unter folgenden Namen vergeben, bevor er seinen heutigen Namen erhielt: Top Vocal Instrumental Group (1970–1971), Vocal Instrumental Group of the Year (1972–1973) und Best Group (1999–2002). 1972 und 1973 wurde außerdem der Award Outstanding Performance of the Year – Group vergeben.

Achievements
Mit sechs Auszeichnungen führt die Band Arkells, gefolgt von der Country-Rock-Band Blue Rodeo mit fünf Auszeichnungen. Zusammen mit der Rockband Loverboy sind Blue Rodeo und Arkells auch die Band mit den meisten aufeinanderfolgenden Siegen. Loverboy gewannen von 1982 bis 1984, während Blue Rodeo von 1989 bis 1991 siegten und die Arkells von 2021 bis 2023. Mit 13 Nominierungen liegt Blue Rodeo hinter Rush mit 14 Nominierungen, darunter acht in aufeinanderfolgenden Jahren. Der Rekord für die Band mit den meisten Nominierungen, ohne gewonnen zu haben, hält dagegen April Wine, die zwischen 1975 und 1983 acht Mal nominiert waren.

Die Country- und Folkband The Rankin Family sind die einzige Band, die nicht dem Rock-Genre zuzuordnen ist. Frankophone Gruppen wurden zwar nominiert, siegten aber nie.

Übersicht

Top Vocal Instrumental Group (1970–1971)

Vocal Instrumental Group of the Year and Outstanding Performance of the Year – Group (1972–1973)

1972 und 1973 wurden zwei verschiedene Awards ausgegeben.

Group of the Year (1974–1998)

Best Group (1999–2002)

Group of the Year (seit 2003)

Einzelnachweise

G
Erstverleihung 1970

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Gavin Kostick, Paul Krugman, and Jean Claude Trichet
Post author By John McHale
Commenter Gavin Kostick has done impressive work on our behalf following up with Paul Krugman and Jean Claude Trichet on the austerity debate. The fruits of his efforts are contained on the Paul Krugman: When Austerity Fails thread, but many readers will probably have missed them on this fast moving blog.
The reply from the ECB and links provided by Paul Krugman are reproduced after the break. Thanks Gavin. (I also take back my dig from yesterday about the ECB's poor communications.)
Dear M Trichet,
I read your articles with great interest.
I also read, and occasionally comment on http://www.irisheconomy.ie.
Prof. Krugman's NY Times article "When Austerity Fails" has been posted on this site and has caused some debate here.
In particular, where Prof. Krugman states: "Nobody bought into the doctrine of expansionary austerity more thoroughly than Jean-Claude Trichet, the president of the European Central Bank, or E.C.B. Under his leadership the bank began preaching austerity as a universal economic elixir that should be imposed immediately everywhere, including in countries like Britain and the United States that still have high unemployment and aren't facing any pressure from the financial markets."
I have emailed Prof. Krugman to ask for particular speeches and articles to support this paragraph, and he has kindly sent some links back which I have posted to the site.*
In the interest of fairness and open debate, I was wondering if you have a most recent article/speech/source of evidence, that you would feel most accurately reflects your current position on the possibility of 'expansionary austerity', particularly, if selfishly, with regard to Ireland.
A simple link would be most welcome.
Gavin Kostick
Literary Manager
Fishamble: The New Play CompanyDublin
*Paul Krugman supplied the following links to Gavin
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/05/plan-xvii-for-europe/
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/23/jean-claude-and-the-invisibles/
Reply from ECB, 8th June, following email sent above.
Dear Mr Kostick,
Thank you for your email of 24 May 2011.
Please find below the following references that might be of your interest:
Introductory Statement of 5 May 2011:
Turning to fiscal policies, current information points to uneven developments in countries' adherence to the agreed fiscal consolidation plans. There is a risk that, in some countries, fiscal balances may fall behind the targets agreed by the ECOFIN Council for the necessary and timely correction of excessive deficits. It is essential that all governments meet the fiscal balance targets for 2011 that they have announced. Where necessary, additional corrective measures must be implemented swiftly to ensure progress in achieving fiscal sustainability. The implementation of credible policies is crucial in view of ongoing financial market pressures.
At the same time, it is of the utmost importance that substantial and far reaching structural reforms be implemented urgently in the euro area in order to strengthen its growth potential, competitiveness and flexibility. In particular, countries which have high fiscal and external deficits or which are suffering from a loss of competitiveness should embark on comprehensive economic reforms. In the case of product markets, policies that enhance competition and innovation should, in particular, be further pursued to speed up restructuring and to bring about improvements in productivity. Regarding the labour market, the priority must be to enhance wage flexibility and incentives to work, and to remove labour market rigidities.
http://www.ecb.europa.eu/press/pressconf/2011/html/is110505.en.html
Interview with L'Agefi:
In Europe there are genuine concerns about the Union's capacity to overcome the debt crisis facing the peripheral countries. The markets are highly sceptical. What can they be told in order to convince them of the relevance of the measures undertaken at the European level?
– On the issue of fiscal policies, I believe that the European Central Bank, through me, can reiterate certain points. Firstly, we always said that when there was a single currency but no political federation, there was a clear need for budgetary supervision. This was hotly disputed. I can remind you how in 2004 and 2005 major countries, notably France but also Germany and Italy, were telling us that we did not need this surveillance framework for fiscal policies. We had to fight very hard to preserve it. Today, this episode obviously seems totally outlandish, bearing in mind what has happened since. Some, moreover, said that the Stability and Growth Pact itself was "stupid". We always said that the careful monitoring of fiscal policies was essential, as were healthy policies. This remains true today. However, one should add another pillar of governance, particularly within the euro area, in the form of monitoring competitiveness indicators, and unit production costs especially; the changes to these must also be tracked extremely carefully. For six years at least, we have been telling all European governments to monitor very closely changes to competitiveness indicators and imbalances within the euro area. We emphasise the three pillars necessary for European governance, all three of which must be improved substantially: supervision of fiscal policies, supervision of competitiveness indicators, and structural reforms. The central banks across the whole of the Eurosystem – the ECB and the national central banks, i.e. the Banque de France in France's case, for instance – have a very clear message for governments: Europe's governance must be improved decisively, and governments are not going far enough. We expect a great deal from the dialogue with Parliament in order to push governments towards taking a decisive step.
http://www.ecb.europa.eu/press/key/date/2011/html/sp110518_2.en.html
Contribution to Bild am Sonntag:
Several member states of the euro area have to adjust rigorously their economic and fiscal policy after having made mistakes in the past. All member countries must respect the principles of prudent fiscal policies. Substantial reforms are needed to ensure that common rules are improved and respected by all.
The speech in Frankfurt:
We have seen more than ever the importance of a timely correction of fiscal imbalances. Therefore, we cannot wait months or even a year until policies are corrected. In the meantime, spillovers would hurt other Member States.
In the past, the Council has often suspended the procedures of the Stability and Growth Pact, thereby weakening its credibility. This must not happen again. The newly agreed 'comply or explain' principle under fiscal surveillance still leaves too much room for discretion. Moreover, it does not cover the new macroeconomic surveillance framework.
We hope that this information is helpful.
Directorate Communications
Press and Information Division
Fax: +49 69 13 44 74 0
Categories In Fiscal Policy
Tags Jean Claude Trichet, Paul Krugman
52 Comments on Gavin Kostick, Paul Krugman, and Jean Claude Trichet
← Original Sinn → Good news from Iceland
52 replies on "Gavin Kostick, Paul Krugman, and Jean Claude Trichet"
The Dork of Corksays:
We have the horrid prospect of European authorties who are either economically retarded or economic hitman – in the grand scheme of things it does not matter really.
I remember reading the FT some months ago when they gave a clear graph of broad money creation withen the Euro.
Goverment debt did not increase much in the last decade until recently when goverments acted to save the shadow banking sectors arse.
Credit money exploded during EMU however.
If this blog could produce another plain as muck graph like this it would be greatly appreciated,as wading through the ECBs site and its autistic nonsense is too much for this Dork.
Incognitosays:
According to the OECD forecasts, Iceland will have a budget deficit of less than 3% in 2011, down from 7.8% in 2010. Ireland will still have a budget deficit of about 10% in 2011.
http://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?QueryId=29823
Gross financial liabilities at the end of 2011 should be at 121% in both countries. (Note that the OECD definition is a bit different from the Eurostat definition of gross public debt)
What does that tell about Krugman's claim that there is no austerity in Iceland? And about Trichet's claim that austerity can be positive for growth? And about the potential for Ireland to return to the bond market?
grumpysays:
@Jean-CT
"Some, moreover, said that the Stability and Growth Pact itself was "stupid""
What we actually did was refer to it as the "Stupidity Pact".
It was based on the idea that no recession in any EZ state would ever or could ever be significant enough to warrant a deficit beyond an arbitrary figure. This was and is stupid – but not as stupid as the willingness of countries likely to have high volatility or "beta" in their gdp, to sign up to the idea.
hugh sheehysays:
1. Kudos to Gavin for getting responses from two such esteemed figures
2. Now to find time to digest said responses!!!
Ceteris paribussays:
Well done Gavin.
Krugman's second link refers to Lords of Finance (subtitled The Bankers who broke the World) and the possibility of a sequel -Lords of Finance: The Next Generation. The observation may be prescient. The Dow closed with it's longest losing streak since 2002 and a trillion dollars has been wiped out since April. The housing market is dead with values continuing to fall and unemployment rising again. I am wondering if this stage of the Great Recession (year 3) parallels The same period of the Great Depression when serious mistakes were made by Central Bankers.
paul quigleysays:
'Where necessary, additional corrective measures must be implemented swiftly to ensure progress in achieving fiscal sustainability. The implementation of credible policies is crucial in view of ongoing financial market pressures'
OK. Some states are corrupt and some state spending is manifestly unsound, but that's a goverance issue, to which markets offer no solutions. They are interested solely in return, and increasingly in short-term return. 'Players' are as happy to make money from socially destructive projects as from constructive ones. 'Credible' means profitable, no more and no less.
Unless one is interested primarily in quick returns, the market is therefore a poor guide. Its clear that M Trichet is a market spokesman, and thus a poor guide for governments. The solemn tone doesn't really conceal the reality of the vested interests.
M Trichet, like Mr Greenspan, is a child of his time. Blowing serial asset bubbles, while controlling CPI, and engineering the socialisation of private losses. A lovely, clever, profitable game. Unfortunately that game is extremely dangerous and irresponsible. Time for a bit of governance methinks.
david burkesays:
Off track on current topic. In a commodities cycle now, what are the views of bloggers on gold and especially silver. Would love to hear some views.
John Foodysays:
Continuing the off topic trend. Anyone watching Vinny Browne. Very interesting comments and/or lack of comments by P.Honohan.
Raymond O'Neillsays:
Well done indeed Gavin.
Mr. Trichet, all that and not one mention of bank supervision or regulation – what a banker.
@ David Burke
The big margin in gold/silver has already been made between 06- 10/11. If you had been in early you would be almost 100% return.
If you can, punt now looking for 5-10% per annum, more or less depends on how bad you think things are going to be over the next 5 years – as I say it is a punt.
Been selling down to original capital since start of this year (profit taking) and happy to leave the rest in for a year or two – but not buying.
By the way David I am anything but an expert on this – just an ordinary man doing the opposite.
If you are looking for a short term punt – wheat, barley and potatoes for 2.5% which is massive margin in the commodities market. England and half of Europe not going to make target this year for sure.
There are a lot smarter than me out there that's for sure.
Don't go with the flow & good luck. 😉
Ordinary Mansays:
Hold that last post.
Mr. Trichet all that and not a mention of bank regulation/control – what a banker.
Triple and double digit margin (on both) already been made over the last 4-5 years depending on hold – anything less may be available depending on how you think things will pan out and if it is enough for you.
Thanks for the hold Gavin and my apologies for going 'off thread'.
My apologies John.
@David Burke
The ECB will monetize after their clients take the remaining state assets in the weaker members of the euro zone and generally assert the remaining bits of control over their vassal jurisdictions.
It quite clear they are artificially keeping the value of debt money high for this purpose – however it is economically inefficient to do so forever.
The euro has free gold on its balance sheet and is my belief for some time that Golds strength since the games of 99 are a clear signal that the euro has been driving the price of Gold since its inception.
Its because goverment money has not expanded to keep up with credit – in such a system Gold must be bought by credit to keep the system from crumbling and in this system non goverment euro money / cash fills the vacuum on the opposite side of the balance sheet(euro cash unlike other currencies is not goverment money)
I think the euro already has the highest ratio of cash to credit in the currencies and I expect it to explode withen the next few years.
But do not expect hyperinflation in the euro zone if dollar reserves flow towards its balance sheet – they may just manage to keep CPI inflation constant to achieve credibility amongest the masses.
PS – do not take that as investment advice as I am but a Dork.
Equitysays:
ECB really need to get its act together on this one. The price of failure is too great.
Kevin Donoghuesays:
The discussion here on his Iceland-Ireland post prompted Krugman to provide additional evidence of Trichet's views, a William Black post quoting a 2004 speech given by Trichet in Dublin:
http://neweconomicperspectives.blogspot.com/2011/06/ecb-president-trichet-praised-ireland.html
Kevin Walshsays:
@Incognito
The fact that Iceland has a low deficit says nothing one way or another about the existence of austerity. We didn't have austerity for most of the noughties, and during that period we were running surpluses.
Gavin Kosticksays:
Thanks for the kind comments. To be fair, I think it was JtO a good while back who alterted me to the value of going directly to the sources of information where such was possible.
As well as the links, Prof Krugman also sent a one-line message, which I posted and was followed up by Keven Donoghue, and, I hope he doesn't mind, I repost below.
'Krugman: "There was also an interview with La Stampa, I think, on the ECB site."
'It's still there of course; 14th October 2010. The interviewer's question (which is of the familiar type, I have something to tell you, he asked) is in boldface:'
"A balanced budget is the objective of the Stability Pact, but some euro area countries have never even come close. And the IMF, while recommending debt consolidation, admits it will be very painful in the early years.
'"We must take fully into account the confidence channel. When a country moves in the direction of fiscal soundness, this is not only good for growth from a medium and long-term perspective, but it might also be beneficial for growth in the short term. Because it enhances confidence in segments of the economy that had lost some of their confidence, and that is good for consumption, investment and job creation. People would not engage in more consumption, entrepreneurs would not invest actively, and savers would not be forthcoming if fiscal stability was impaired or threatened."
'I'm not sure whether Krugman is quite right in saying that nobody bought into the doctrine of expansionary austerity more thoroughly than Trichet. But I'd be surprised if any prominent official in Europe, Japan or America plugged the idea as much as he did.'
Eurekasays:
This communication from the ECB is much better than anything Mr. B.S. has come up with.
Problem is that it almost looks like an apology for the mess that's about to come
Okay, here's my quick go on where I'm at on the 'expansionary austerity', debate.
A year ago I would have offered you two reasons I'd heard of of for 'expansionary austerity'.
(1) The 'crowding out' one, which was more commonly put in the UK, where the 'dead hand' of the State needed to get out of certain areas to let the private sector flourish. Thus cutting would lead to increased economic activity as the private sector was 'set free'. Shades of this argument are active re Greece (50bn in possible self-offs). But after the latest McCarthy report (5bn max, mainly not good value in selling right now), not so much in Ireland. I'm aware selling off is not the same as fiscal austerity, but the 'crowding out' argument shades across policy.
(2) The restoring confidence ('confidence fairy') one. That is, by balancing the books, the surge of confidence within business and the markets in the state, will more than off-set the actual damage being done by said consolidation.
I'm satisfied that this latter position has been put forward by JC Trichet during his time on office.
I'm also satisfied that so far, the damage to Irish growth via austerity packages has been more notable than any attached rise in confidence.
This feeds into the question of whether Ireland, as has often been suggested here, should move 'more quickly', to a balanced budget.
If the reason for doing this if for a Kelly-esque second move, then maybe. If it is merely to position the country away from Greece and Portugal, ie for confidence/creditworthiness reasons, then I go for a 'no' on that for the following reasons:
(a) The consequent damage caused to growth and jobs will be at least as bad as Lane/Bentrix suggest. I note (with some bafflement), almost 3 years worth of re-vised downwards growth forecasts for Ireland, as the effects of austerity come out 'worse' than initially expected.* The real damage to the economy will have (has had) at least as negative effect on confidence as the move to balance will be, theoretically, positive.
(b) More generally Ireland should stop behaving erratically. Shifting from excessive to defective spending (from one side of the MoU to the other) is still behaving oddly, and Ireland should stop behaving oddly. Given the platform on which the government was elected, sticking with the programme is tough, and hitting it bang on the nail, whilst preserving the fabric of the nation, is the impressive thing to do.
And finally this is because:
(c) Deploying sensible enconomic policy is an end in itself, rather than policy that is designed to 'send a message'.
* I've started to assemble figures for Initial Growth Forecasts, vs., Revised Forecasts, Vs., Actual Outcomes for the last 5 years or so, to see how the repective forecasters (CSO/CB/IMF/ESRI/DoF/OECD) are doing. If anyone else has these on a single page, it would be nice to see them.
All the above assumes a centrist sort of position which really only makes sense to me within a further context, but I'll leave that for now.
@ Gavin
'Deploying sensible enconomic policy is an end in itself, rather than policy that is designed to 'send a message'
Unless economic sovereignty has been ' sort of accidentally' ceded, and all 'acceptable' solutions are essentially adminstered ones. We have a partitioned dual economy, with high tech capital intensive enclave. Chemical exports are roaring ahead while chemistry grads are emigrating en masse. That's the 'bright spot' in the economy.
No wonder the government is behaving 'oddly'. The fog is thickening, the lack of strategic thinking is painful, and the muddling can only get muddlier.
There is only so much room for jaw-jaw, and there is work to be done. DoC has a nose for 'market realities'. :
'The ECB will monetize after their clients take the remaining state assets in the weaker members of the euro zone and generally assert the remaining bits of control over their vassal jurisdictions'
The later Pierre Bourdieu was a student of power, in all its respectable and respected guises:
'All that is said here applies first and foremost to the State, which, like all historical gains linked to the relatively autonomous history of the scholastic fields, is marked by a profound ambiguity. It can be described and treated simultaneously as a relay, no doubt a relatively autonomous one, of economic and political powers which have little interest in universal interests, and as a neutral body which, because it conserves, within its very structure, the trace of previous struggles, the gains of which it records and guarantees, is capable of acting as a kind of umpire, no doubt always somewhat biased, but ultimately less unfavourable to the interests of the dominated, and to what can be called justice, than what is exalted, under the false colours of liberty and liberalism, by the advocates of 'laissez-faire', in other words the brutal and tyrannical exercise of economic force'
Pascalian Meditations: Polity press 2000 p127
That was written well before the financialisation of the real economy. Our state, and the EZ project, is going to be tested sorely before this is done. All credit for your efforts nonetheless.
Bklyn_rntrsays:
I suppose they are both right in a sense. I can't see how Ireland can conduct expansionary policies when it doesn't have the luxury of printing its own currency. The no free lunch bedrock of economic thought would tell us that expansionary policies (fiscal expansion until private sector demand finds its footing, then fiscal retraction, with the in extremes option of monetizing debt) can work but it comes with a cost. Today, the US is following that route, and the cost is being borne by emerging markets (China etc) in the form of rising inflation and massive overheating (bubble like property markets etc). Also, the policy, by definition, must protect the financial sector, even though this seeds the next crisis and risks popular rage.
Europe doesn't have these choices. Ireland can spend up a storm, but if markets won't fund, then the ECB has to and Europe doesn't have the luxury of a reserve currency, so it can't externalize the costs of these policies. In that case, the danger of monetization is more real, and because it is, it necessarily means that Germans have to pay the costs of expansionary policies.
I know I have posted inappropriately harsh comments here about economists hiding a political agenda and I regret some of them. I have to come to terms with the fact that, in crises, economists are required to play politics. trichet, it seems to me, is trying to defend the integrity of the ECB, because that institution is the conduit through which the negative effects of expansionary policies would flow.
On gold, ha I haven't seen an investment related q here before. It seems to me that the really parabolic stage of the price rise is ahead of us. Gold does well in two scenarios, when real interest rates are negative, and when the international monetary order is in flux. Inflation is ripping across the emerging world yet the fed refuses to move from it's ZIRP policy. When it does move, it will be slow and may not even be a straight line type move. The USD is incredibly weak, and could weaken more if the EU and emerging countries raise rates. The day to sell is when US rates exceed inflation and that is a long way off.
@ paul quigley
Thanks for the reply. I'm painfully aware of the limitations of my grasp on the situation, and comments such as yours and others on the blog, I find very helpful.
'That was written well before the financialisation of the real economy.'
When I ended with the get-out-of-jail, 'All the above assumes a centrist sort of position which really only makes sense to me within a further context', the international reform of Western economies away from the dominance of finance is part of the context I had in mind. But I wouldn't want to be posting ever-lengthening posts.
Joseph Ryansays:
@Gavin
Well done on both your forensic journalist skills and you analysis above (8.35).
To ALL.
'If the circumstances change' d would Trichet change his mind.
Lets say:
Demand falls in Europe/World wide. French and German unemployment at 14%. Fiscal deficits at 8%.
Would the prescriptions be the same.
JohnTheOptimistsays:
Gavin Kostik is emerging as Ireland's greatest all-round genius since George Bernard Shaw. Not only a giant in the field of the Arts, but now establishing himself in the field of Economics, which is a rare cross-over. I expect he'll be managing the Irish rugby squad in his spare time by this time next year.
The poor ECB are being unjustly slated, not just on this site, but in the Irish media generally. They are simply doing what they were set up to do. Which, moreover, is precisely why Ireland broke the link with sterling in 1979, the start of the process which led to Ireland joining the euro a couple of decades later.
One of the primary objectives, possible THE primary objective, of a well-run central bank is to maintain the value of the people's savings, and to prevent them being eroded away to nothing by high inflation and depreciation of the currency against other currencies. That is based on the observed experience of decades, possibly centuries, where peoples' confidence in the value of their savings was found to be one of the necessary, although not on its own sufficient, requirements for general economic confidence and resultant economic growth. Unlike the crooked and lying Bank of England, whose jurisdiction my company pension fund (although not my personal savings) has the misfortune to come under, and which is currently being eroded away by high inflation, the ECB sets a high priority on this and has been quite successful in achieving it. Things like balanced budgets should be seen, not just as desirable in themselves, but as means to this end (i.e. maintaining the value of the people's savings).
If we look at the history of the whole thing, Ireland broke the link with sterling in 1979, the start of the process which led to Ireland joining the Euro a couple of decades later, precisely for this reason.
Up until the late 1970s, the UK pursued a high inflation/devalue-the-currency-at-regular-intervals-to-compensate policy. At the other extreme was Germany, and some of the countries around it, which pursued a low inflation/stable currency policy. France came somewhere in between. The result was recurrent sterling devaluation crises throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Because Ireland's currency was tied to sterling, Ireland was invariably and inevitably dragged in to these sterling devaluation crises. In 1979, Ireland decided that its economy was strong enough to break free of this vicious circle and so broke the link with sterling. One of the key points to note is that, when Ireland broke the link with sterling in 1979, it wasn't in order to achieve a devaluationst against sterling. Quite the reverse. It was to stop Ireland's currency continually being dragged down by the recurrent sterling devaluation crises of the previous two decades.
Unfortunately, it was bad timing. North Sea oil was discovered about this time and came on stream in a big way in the early 1980s. As a result, for the next couple of decades, the UK economy was relatively and artificially strong relative to the other economies of northern Europe. The era of recurrent sterling devaluation crises came temporarily to an end. There was one in 1992, but that was the exception. Overall, from around 1979 until 2007, and in total contrast to the period up to 1979 when it was in continuous and massive decline against the currencies of other northern European currencies, periods of sterling weakness were matched by periods of sterling strength. So, during this period, the reasons for Ireland having broken the link with sterling in 1979 no longer applied as much as they did in 1979 and became somewhat irrelevant.
Roll forward to 2007, and the picture changes again. By this stage, North Sea oil is running out, and the pre-1979 situation of the UK economy performing less well than the other economies of northern Europe is starting to re-emerge. Not only that, but so too is the pre-1979 UK policy of printing money in bucket-loads, allowing inflation to rip and allowing the currency to sink (while all the time lying about it, so as to fool people into lending the UK money at low interest rates). That is precisely why Ireland broke the link with sterling in 1979. It is only now (for the reasons given above) starting to pay off.
Look at the figures since June 2007:
In June 2007, 1 euro = 0.67562 pounds (£) sterling
in May 2011, 1 euro = 0.87788 pounds (£) sterling
change in harmonised price index between June 2007 and May 2011:
Ireland: -1.5% , UK: +15.0%
That is precisely why Ireland broke the link with sterling in 1979 and eventually joined the euro. Since 2007, Ireland has decisively broken free of the traditional and now-returning UK high inflation/devalue-the-currency-at-regular-intervals-to-compensate policy. Regarding the UK, as the figures show, the bulk of its gain in competitiveness, resulting from the sterling devaluation, has been eroded by its much higher inflation. This process is ongoing and even accelerating. Inflation in the UK is forecast to go above 5 per cent in coming months. Before long, the entire UK gain in competitiveness, resulting from the sterling devaluation, will have been eroded. When that occurs, nothing is more certain than that the UK, aided and abetted by the Bank of England, will engineer another large devaluation of sterling (while all the time lying about it, so as to fool people into lending the UK money at low interest rates). This, in turn, will stoke further UK inflation. The pre-1979 vicious circle of high UK inflation/devalue-sterling-at-regular-intervals-to-compensate has well and truly returned, but this time with Ireland no longer being dragged in. All the more so, since the UK sterling devaluation hasn't worked. It has triggered soaring UK inflation, but no UK export boom. Manufacturing production figures were published yesterday for April: in Ireland, supposedly crippled by the high euro, it was up 4% y-o-y; in the UK, supposedly benefitting from weak sterling, it was down 1.2% y-o-y.
By all known laws of economics, the ECB-driven low inflation/stable currency outlook should lead to an improvement in confidence and growth as compared with the BofE-driven high inflation/depreciating currency outlook.
If we look at the Eurozone as a whole, and compare it with the UK, this is precisely what is happening. Forget what you read in the Daily Torygraph about how wonderfully the UK is performing, as a result of being outside the Eurozone, as compared with the Eurozone itself. For the first time in a generation, Eurozone economic growth is outperforming the UK. Consumer and business confidence in most Eurozone countries is very strong, but very low in the UK. Inflation in the Eurozone is much lower than in the UK. So is the budget deficit. Exports and manufacturing production are growing much faster in the Eurozone than in the UK. Many Eurozone countries are in balance-of-payments surplus, while the UK remains in heavy deficit. For this situation, the ECB deserves lots of credit, while the Bank of England deserves only flak for going along with a policy of printing money in bucket-loads, letting inflation soar and letting the currency sink (while all the time lying about it, so as to fool people into lending the UK money at low interest rates).
Turning to Ireland, we can see that it is mirroring the Eurozone performance in one respect, but not in another. Ireland's export sector is matching, or even exceeding Eurozone performance. The low inflation is leading to an improvement in competitiveness, which is leading to an export boom, which is pushing the balance-of-payments into surplus. There are new investment, expansion and job announcements in this sector almost daily now (I counted close to 1,000 this week alone). I myself am fortunate to work in this sector (although only partially south of the border), and I am currently run off my feet with work. I simply can't keep up. However, in total contrast, there has been, co-inciding with this export boom, a massive panic-hysteria-driven flight of capital from Ireland, as people move their savings abroad. This has crippled consumer spending and prolonged the slump in construction.
As to what should be done, the Irish Government and the ECB should stick to their guns. They should adhere to agreed budgetary targets, which, from the exchequer figures up to May, is what indeed is happening. They should be confident that, while the export boom is for real, the capital flight is nothing more than a panic-hysteria-driven bubble. They should make it their absolute priority to burst it, inflicting as heavy losses as possible on those who are behind it.
As I have posted many times, the current large outflow of savings from Ireland to the UK is perverse. It is occurring when, as the figures I gave above show, inflation in Ireland is now averaging 3% to 4% less each year than in the UK. Add in that nominal interest rates are much higher in Ireland than in the UK, and we can see that the REAL return on investing one's savings in Ireland is currently far higher than investing one's savings in the UK. In fact, investing one's savings in the UK is currently bring a very high NEGATIVE REAL return. The fact that the UK government and the Bank of England have been successful in persuading so many mugs and suckers from Ireland to move their savings to the UK, at a time when soaring inflation there means that they are offering a very high NEGATIVE REAL return on those savings, is testimony to their skills, developed over several centuries of empire, in the arts of black propaganda. In many ways, one admires it. I am quite certain that many of the articles in the UK financial press in recent years, focusing on what a safe haven the UK is for people from Ireland to move their savings to, even if high UK inflation and low interest rates there result in those savings being eroded away in real terms to the tune of 4% to 5% annually, are inspired by some black propaganda department in Whitehall. Unfortunately, many people in Ireland have been suckered in this way and are now seeing their savings disappear, but JTO is certainly not one of them. The Irish government and the ECB should move decisely to break the psychology of these unfortunates. They should be aggressive in promulgating the view that those who are moving their savings from Ireland to the UK, while entirely to free to do so if they wish, are doomed to take a massive hit on the transaction. They should adhere to agreed budgetary targets and declare emphatically that Ireland will not default/devalue. But, they should also be far more aggressive in highlighting the fact that Ireland's inflation rate is now consistently 3% to 4% lower than in the UK, that, along with this, its higher interest rates offer a far higher REAL return than in the UK, that Ireland is moving into balance-of-payments surplus, while the UK remains in deficit. In fact, I would go so far as to suggest the following: the government should erect a large screen on top of the GPO, with graphs in green and red, showing inflation in Ireland and the UK since June 2007, currency movements for Ireland and the UK since June 2007, real interest rates in Ireland and the UK since June 2007, the REAL return on Irish and UK government bonds since June 2007, and the current values of each 1,000 euros deposited in an Irish bank in June 2007 and each 1,000 moved from Ireland to a UK bank in June 2007.
Fortunately, help is at hand, and not before time. The ratings agencies in the West are crooked. They ignore countries avoiding their debts by allowing soaring inflation and devaluing their currencies. There is a new Chinese ratings agency (link below) which takes these factors into account, as they should be. This ratings agency has declared the US in default because it has allowed the dollar to sink. How much more true is that of the UK, which has had since 2007 much higher inflation still, and has allowed its currency to depreciate by 23 per cent versus Ireland's currency since June 2007. The truth of the matter is that, to date, the only people in Ireland who have been defaulted on are those who have bought UK government bonds since June 2007 or moved their savings from Ireland to UK banks since 2007. Their plight has gone largely unrecognised, either on this site or in the Irish media generally, possibly because they are too stupid themselves to realise that they have been defaulted on. As they say, one should never give a sucker an even break.
http://blogs.wsj.com/marketbeat/2011/06/10/us-has-already-defaulted-says-chinese-rating-agency/?mod=google_news_blog
Patrick Honohan appeared on the Vincent Browne programme on TV3 last night. The interview is available at around 30 minutes in on the following link. The most interesting bit starts around 32 mins in. It is worthy of a thread at some point IMHO.
http://www.tv3.ie/shows.php?request=tonightwithvincentbrowne&tv3_preview=&video=36746
Patrick discussed the question of how and why the state came to the position (still current) that there could be no haircuts to senior bank debt – whether covered by the ELG (the official state guarantee of certain bank liabilities) or, much more controversially, the unguaranteed bonds.
There appears to be new clarification here and I would suggest the video be watched carefully with note of the following.
1.	Confirmation that BL was expecting a longer negotiation which would have possibly resulted in some explicit "burden sharing", and was not happy that the negotiation was comparatively truncated (Patrick states in the interview that the country's cash reserves allowing several months of funding were its negotiating hand – preventing the need for a last minute truncated negotiation as is often the case when countries go to the IMF on the brink of default). There has been previous controversy over this because of comments by Morgan Kelly.
2.	Last Autumn there was public discussion of the question of whether there was some sort of side-letter or side deal to the MoU to the bailout, that required all the senior bank bonds including those not covered by the guarantee to be repaid in full without rescheduling. The opposition (now government) parties were very curious about this. If it wasn't part of any deal, why would you pay out all those billions and billions of Euros? Patrick has provided the answer to this. He says it was not part of the negotiations and was not part of the deal. Why was it done, and is being done then? His answer is that BL was, paraphrasing, "BL was not given the political room to do otherwise. He would have liked to do otherwise but was pressurised by "the people"". We are not told who "the people" were.
I admire Patrick's openness on this – as a CB governor – although, given that sooner or later the public would get to know, it might have been helpful if the government machine could have clarified this much earlier.
Now who are "the people"?
@Grumpy
A good article in the NYT to day on one of "the people".
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/12/business/12bank.html?pagewanted=1&hpw
I have a gut feeling that is too spectacular to be believable by the mass of the people – however I have no evidence for this.
Advisors are not always present in a pure advisory capacity.
Anyway this crisis has done us all a great service – its displays the complete absence of poltical power amongest the official executive. BLs interest in Roy Jenkins is quite illuminating given Jenkins willingness to give up soverginity for synthetic money.
Its been worth the price of the ticket which has been pretty expensive none the less.
I was watching that last night. Very interesting.
Where did the real squeeze come from in terms of political room? ANd how big a squeeze was it?
Again, I suspect the ECB. And the fact of course that by that stage the only thing many ministers were interested in was getting their the lump-sum cheques. Substantial considerations in every sense of the word.
The national interest was way down the list of priorities for most ministers, with the exception of Lenihan to be fair to him.
Jake Wattssays:
@ JTO
" The truth of the matter is that, to date, the only people in Ireland who have been defaulted on are those who have bought UK government bonds since June 2007 or moved their savings from Ireland to UK banks since 2007."
The Irish ten-year bond had a yield of 4% in 2007, yesterday it closed at 11.28%. No loss there, right?
@JTO
In fact, I would go so far as to suggest the following: the government should erect a large screen on top of the GPO, with graphs in green and red, showing inflation in Ireland and the UK since June 2007……
Could I suggest a different location for the screens:
A few hundred yards away from the GPO, opposite the Social Welfare Office in Kings Inn Street. To provide something of interest for people queuing outside. You could sell advertising on screen. Christian D'Or, Gucci and a few others may be interested.
You could be on to a real winner with those screens.
@ JohnTheOptimist
'I expect he'll be managing the Irish rugby squad in his spare time by this time next year.'
Lke CLR James and David O'Donnell, I'm more of a cricketing leftie. I await the call. (Never pick a wicket-keeper/batsman).
'As to what should be done, the Irish Government and the ECB should stick to their guns. They should adhere to agreed budgetary targets, which, from the exchequer figures up to May, is what indeed is happening.'
'Given the platform on which the government was elected, sticking with the programme is tough, and hitting it bang on the nail, whilst preserving the fabric of the nation, is the impressive thing to do.'
In the context of this thread, I'd say we're fairly close.
My interest is economics is personal – I like the theory and the maths – and social – I would like people to be able to live a full and flourishing life – but is also linked to playwriting.
"Society is inside of man and man is inside society, and you cannot even create a truthfully drawn psychological entity on the stage until you understand his social relations and their power to make him what he is and to prevent him from being what he is not. The fish is in the water and the water is in the fish.
Arthur Miller, "The Shadows of the Gods".
They are all lying…from FT Deutchland
"When it comes to the construction of the next bailout for Greece, all the stakeholders are lying through their teeth to such a degree that one hardly knows who one should point the finger at first. The thing that unites them is that none of them want a solution that will really involve private creditors, irrespective of whether you want to call that a default, rollover or debt restructuring."
"The decision in favor of another rescue package is based more on political will than on a sober analysis of the data. To their shame, the troika did not even try to find out whether the conditions that they had previously set for help have been fulfilled. In theory, an analysis should provide information about whether Greece has any chance of getting back on its feet in the medium term with the help of loans. The fact that the troika has so far avoided carrying out that analysis can only mean one thing: The rescuers do not want to know the answer, because they fear the consequences of an inconvenient outcome."
@ceteris
The rescuers do not want to know the answer, because they fear the consequences of an inconvenient outcome
Funny that: I thought all that was needed was to keep flogging the horse. Maybe they thought it was the mythical Greek horse, Pegasus and that he just exhibiting a bit of Mediteranean lethargy.
No doubt we get a mythical explanation for the program failure at some stage.
seafoidsays:
I couldn't help noticing the header where Gavin is assigned the title of "commenter" . The irisheconomy.ie caste system is very endearing. Isn't Gavin more of a "regular contributor"? Where would the blog be without the little people ?
You are a rare bird, and we are all struggling to make sense of the world. The very fact that the makeup of this board is so diverse, and not confined to technical experts in economics, is an indication of the increasingly deep and systemic nature of the crisis.
The fish is indeed in the water and the water is in the fish. Bourdieu spent his (extraordinarily productive) professional life analysing 'social magic', which is how systems of power are maintained. One of the limitations of orthodox economics is that it is blind to some of the sociological basics.
Maybe it's true, as Brklyn-rntr says, that Trichet is trying to defend the integrity of the ECB. If you read that as defending the integrity of the monetary system from inflationary threats, that's for sure. Defending the system against predatory financial interests in another matter. As the Credit Lyonnais saga illustrates, his own record on that score is less than impressive.
As in all these scenarios, the free play of economic factors will eventually run up against social and polticial limits. A reduction in voter turnout does not mean that politics has gone away, but only the response it is taking other forms.
Livoniansays:
Good Man Gavin.
It is posts like this which encourage me to read and contribute to this site even though I specialise in European Politics and not Economics.
This also proves something many of us have realised for a long time which is that the site is closely followed in many parts of Europe and world.
Unfortunately this also has a downside as some of us must remain relatively anonymous. What we Irish consider to be"healthy respectful debate" is not always appreciated in other parts of Europe where democracy is still a relatively new and curious concept which is not yet fully ingrained among leaders who are recent converts.
Garosays:
"Never pick a wicket-keeper/batsman"
Shush! How can you say that Gavin? In the last decade alone we had Adam Gilchrist, Kumar Sangakkara and MS Dhoni. Yes they may not delight a wicketkeepng purist but they get the job done and by golly they win matches.
@ seafoid
Would 'frequent flier' be the right expression?
Chrissays:
I applaud your initiative of contacting Mr. Krugman, and some (i suppose low level) staff member of the ECB.
The ECB is undemocratic and blatantly supporting the financial industry in the 4 largest Eurozone members.
It does not have any argument to support its obvios bias and does not care that all top economists are saying its policy is wrong. The ECB knows its wrong.
Please refer to this excellent article by DR. Stiglitz where he predicited this situation of ECB bias during hardship in 2004.
http://www.unece.org/oes/disc_papers/ECE_DP_2004-1.pdf.
Gavin I would be very interested in your solution for dealing with the ECB, do you suggest 'taking a break' from the Euro?
One of Mr. Stiglitz interesting ideas, a representitive from Workers Unions/groups on the executive board of the ECB.
I have sent this email to the following ECB exccutive board member adresses. Feel free to also send this message.
lorenzo.binismaghi@ecb.int, gonzalez-paramo@ecb.int, jurgen.stark@ecb.int, peter.praet@ecb.int, victor.constancio@ecb.int, Jean-claude.trichet@ecb.int, info@ecb.europa.eu
I acknolwdge your achievements, experience, qualifications and research. I am sure you will in some part agree with this constructive critism and suggestion for the structure of the ECB.
The ECB is unrepresentitive of the European population and blatantly supporting the financial industry in the 4 largest Eurozone members.
It does not have any argument to support it's bias and all top economists are saying its policy of non-restructuting and austerity is wrong.
There are many articles showing this critism on voxeu.org or project-syndicate.org by nobel prize winning economists. Even those economists who usually disagree strongly, such as Larry Summers and Nouriel Roubini, are all agreed that the EU periphery needs 1. Restructuring of debt, 2. Issuing of Euro-bonds (like brady bonds) and 3. Easing of Monetary policy.
Please refer to this excellent article by Dr. Stiglitz where he predicited this situation of ECB bias in 2004.
I make the following suggestions for changing the structure of the ECB:
1. I stongly support Dr. Stiglitz interesting idea that a representitive from Workers Unions/groups should sit on the executive board of the ECB.
2. Jean Pisany-Ferry believes that the gentlemans agreement that the executive baord is made of almost solely of citizens from Italy, Spain, France and Germany is wrong. Executive board member should be appionted on merit. I strongly support Dr. Pisany-Ferry on this point.
If you're wondering how I got the adresses here is 1 source
http://www.europesworld.org/NewEnglish/Home_old/PublicProfile/tabid/690/userid/4091/language/en-US/Default.aspx
However Trichets and contanciaos are just a guess
Ok my guesses for trichet and contanciaos were wrong and stark and paramo addresses didnt work either. So this list incl ECB governing council (june 2009) and executive board is more reliable
a.h.e.m.wellink@dnb.nl, alessia.moretti@bancaditalia.it, Carine.Brandenburger@bcl.lu, carmel.mcgeough@centralbank.ie, comunicacion@bde.es, erkki.liikanen@bof.fi, ewald.nowotny@oenb.at, governor@centralbank.gov.cy, guy.quaden@nbb.be, jacqueline.agostini@bcl.lu, mario.draghi@bancaditalia.it, marko.kranjec@bsi.si, massam@centralbankmalta.org, mfo.gov@bde.es, mgtboard@centralbank.ie, Nicole.Erruidant@nbb.be, nout.wellink@dnb.nl, office.binismaghi@ecb.europa.eu, office.gonzalez-paramo@ecb.europa.eu, office.stark@ecb.europa.eu, office.tumpel-gugerell@ecb.europa.eu, secretariat.gouv@banque-france.fr, secretariat@bankofgreece.gr, segreteria.governatore@bancaditalia.it, vconstancio@bportugal.pt, webmaster@nbs.sk, yves.mersch@bcl.lu, office.praet@ecb.europa.eu
http://ipso.de/press-and-information/2009.06.17%20Letter%20to%20the%20ECB%20Governing%20Council.pdf
office.president@ecb.europa.eu, office.vice-president@ecb.europa.eu, office.binismaghi@ecb.europa.eu, office.gonzalez-paramo@ecb.europa.eu, office.stark@ecb.europa.eu, office.praet@ecb.europa.eu
This addresses are for the executive boards offices.
I'm happiest on this blog when asking simple questions to which I wish to know the answer, digging out further information and learning about new ideas, people and things (Minsky is currently No. 1, with Bourdieu following closely).
But to have a crack at your question: the obvious answer to part one is 'with a stacked deck', but failing that.
It all depends on the outcome you're looking for.
At the moment the outcome all I'm looking for is the triumph of Social Democracy, which means earned wealth stops going from the tax-payer to cover the losses of private financial sector, with the door open to more change as other issues arise.
In dealing with the ECB, and playing the 'if I were the government' game, I would suggest a ruthless upfront pragmatism. This means stopping passing on word-of-mouth responses and holding public statements to account. So for example, Governor Honohan said, 'the people' didn't allow a certain outcome. My take on these kind of negotions would be more, 'you are saying the Irish Government must do what now? As we are representatives of the people, we must report your position back to them, clear as a bell.' Where a senior member of the ECB makes a speech in which the Irish government is not in agreement, the government should say so. The rule of thumb is 'no disagreemnet is tacit acceptance', so one should be clear where one does not agree.
In so doing, if one can, one should be aware of the best outcome for the people of the eurozone, not just in a nationalistic position.
"do you suggest 'taking a break' from the Euro?"
That's a big deal. I wouldn't rule it out, but I'm sure it would have unintended consequences, I would have to think about the shift that it would entail. I'm not sure what 'taking a break' really means.
Leaving the Euro, would, I think, shift the whole situation from an economic one to a social one. As a previous commentor said, it depends if you think national self-determination is more important than security.
If Ireland did so, it would mean a lot of known unkowns coming into play.
For example, and there are a lot of other thoughts on the threads:
(a) The MNCs may decide that our lovely corporate tax rate is not as important as being part of the Euro.
(b) If we pass the banks over to the ECB, then they would own the institutions and I would think that the chances were that the new owners would be very keen to maximise their income from the mortgage holders.
(c) Devaluation is complex.
Having said that, things can sometimes change very quickly and in ways that were previously thought impossible.
For example: if the ECB owned the banks, there might be a mass movement to refuse to pay mortgages.
I did meet Jon Gnarr formerly of the Sugar Cubes and now an elected rep., in Iceland, and I was struck by the excitement, positivity and reality of change.
Micheloskysays:
Inflation rates in the UK are irrelevant when considering irish people who have shifted their savings to the UK as they are not spending them in the UK just storing them for safe keeping. At some point they will transfer their funds back (presumably when they need them). The only risk they are taking is on whether the exchange rate on the EUR-GBP will increase further. You suggest the value of the £ will fall further. This is possible, but given that it is currently at historically low levels against the EURO, and given the insecurity surrounding the future of the EURO, it is a risk many feel is worth taking. If the issues surrounding Greece, Spain, and Portugal increase then the value of the EURO will fall and irish people will have made an FX gain. The real concern people have is that the EURO will collapse and the value of their savings will disappear on the new Irish currency, which will sink like a stone.
Joao Farinhasays:
Dear Gavin,
Trichet's speech at the big annual FRB Kansas City conference contains all the Alesina-Ardagna-confidence-fairy argument you are looking for.
Here: http://www.ecb.int/press/key/date/2010/html/sp100827.en.html
Thanks Joao

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


FloraMax is ok for obtaining DDS-1 bacteria, but the mixture contains only two strains, and you'll eventually need more than just two strains of beneficial bacteria for the treatment. After you've taken this for a few weeks, it would benefit your treatment if you can find an additional probiotic containing up to 14 strains if possible. It'll be fine if the new probiotic doesn't contain DDS-1 since you could take both at the same time.


text:
Home / Discover / Our People / Academic staff / Dr Charis Charalambous
Dr Charis Charalambous
Associate Lecturer
CCharalambous4@uclan.ac.uk
PhD in English (Faculty of English, University of Cambridge, 2014)
MA in Renaissance Literature, 1500–1700 (Department of English, University of York, 2007)
BA in English Language and Literature (Department of English, University of Athens, 2006)
List all previous relevant employment:
Lecturer, University of Athens (2019-2020)
Toby Jackman Isaac Newton Research Fellow, University of Cambridge (2015-2019)
Associate Lecturer, UCLan Cyprus (2014-2015)
St Edmund's College, University of Cambridge – Member of the Governing Body, 2015-2018
St Edmund's College, University of Cambridge – Member of the Estates Committee, 2015-2018
University of Cambridge – Committee Member of The Von Hügel Institute for Critical Catholic Inquiry, 2015-2019
St Edmund's College, University of Cambridge – Fellows' Stewart 2015-2018
Routledge – Reviewer, 2020
Early Modern Literature, Science and Literature, Intellectual History
Reading Texts: Literary Theory, English Language 2, Use of Language in Literature, Comparative Literature, Academic Writing, The Fairytale
Administrative Roles
"Anatomy, Performative Allegory and Self-knowledge in Phineas Fletcher's 'The Purple Island, or The Isle of Man,'" Literature and Medicine (Accepted).
"The Confined Atom: James Clerk Maxwell on the Fundamental Particles and the Limits of Scientific Knowledge," Perspectives on Science (Accepted).
Co-authored with Thalia Trigoni. "Surreal Science and Scientific Surrealism: Dali and the Fundamental Building Blocks of Reality," in Realisms of the Avant-Garde, ed. David Ayers, Moritz Baßler, Sascha Bru, Ursula Frohne and Benedikt Hjartarson (Berlin and Boston: De Gruyter).
"'One common matter' in Descartes's Physics: The Cartesian Concepts of Matter Quantities, Weight and Gravity," Annals of Science, 76:3–4, 324–339.
"One Plus One in Paradise Lost," Essays in Criticism, 68:3, 283–307.
"The Mirror and the Lover's I in Shakespeare's Sonnets: A Poet's Individuation Process," Early Modern Literary Studies, 20:1, 1–21.
"Graham Beynon, 'Isaac Watts: Reason, Passion and the Revival of Religion' (London: Bloomsbury, 2016)," Reviews in Religion and Theology, 25:4, 626–628.
Rethinking the Mind-Body Relationship in Early Modern Literature, Philosophy and Medicine: The Renaissance of the Body (New York and London: Routledge).
"Katharine Hodgkin, 'Women, Madness and Sin in Early Modern England: The Autobiographical Writings of Dionys Fitzherbert. The Early Modern Englishwoman, 1500‒1750' (Farnham: Ashgate, 2010)," Medical History, 60:3, 420‒422.
"Thinking (of) Feelings in Donne's Poetry: The Signifying Rift and 'the evidence of things unseen,"' The Journal of Religion and Literature, 47:1, 61‒98.
"William of Ockham's Mind/Body Dualism and Its Transmission to Early Modern Thinkers," Intellectual History Review, 23:4, 537‒563.
"Making Sense of the Unutterable: The Wonder of Tragic Pleasure in Early Modern Dramaturgy," English Studies, 94:6, 668‒684.
The Emsley Prize – St Edmund's College, University of Cambridge (2013)
The A.G. Leventis Foundation Scholarship, The Cambridge European Trust Scholarship, St Edmund's College Commonwealth and Overseas Scholarship.


The Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC) at Akim Oda, on 10th March, 2019, climaxed this year's McKeown's Missions Week celebration with a breakfast meeting to draw more souls into the Kingdom of God.
The weeklong programme commenced with a Bible reading marathon and continued with discussions on how and why to support missions. Several donations were also made in support of the missions work. The week was characterised by evangelistic activities.
The congregation was served with a variety of breakfast meals to mark the day. Speaking on the theme, "Why do You Come to Jesus?" Deacon Emmanuel Amoah elaborated on John 6:1-14 advising Christians not to come to follow Christ for the sake of worldly gains. He explained how, according to the passage in John, the crowd followed Christ after He had fed them with loaves of bread and fish as they were expectant of more of such miracles.
He explained that God's purpose for man through His son Christ Jesus was the salvation from darkness rather than earthly gains. He further implored the congregation to desist from perceiving Christ only as a miracle worker as the Israelites did on the wilderness. "God is more concerned with our souls than the food we will eat and clothes we wear, that is why He came down from heaven to the earth to save souls that are perishing," he intimated.
He therefore called on all present to seek the salvation that Christ Jesus offers rather than the things of world. The speaker used the opportunity to invite the unsaved to accept Christ Jesus. Four souls were won and baptized to the glory of God.
In attendance were the Resident Minister, Pastor Kwabena Darko-Mensah, and his wife Eunice, among others.
Report by Akim Oda PIWC Media Team.