Daily Lessons from Life 18 August 2010 - Channel NewsAsia - India threatens to lodge complaint against US over visa fee hike - channelnewsasia.com

"India threatens to lodge complaint against US over visa fee hike - 18 August 2010 AsiaOne


NEW DELHI : India has threatened to lodge a complaint against the US at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) over a new visa fee hike.

The US passed a bill last week, nearly doubling the visa fees for companies that hire foreign employees in large numbers.

Terming the measure as protectionist, India said the law will hit Indian companies the most.

India is seeing red over the new US legislation.

According to the government, the visa restrictions imposed by the US are not compatible with WTO rules as they will erode the competitiveness of Indian software-services companies."

Well, Indian government has the habit of protesting to foreign governments whenever something happened to its citizens and corporate citizens. The classic case being the uproar over alleged 'racist attacks in Australia', which turned out to be more Indians hitting Indians than Aussies hitting Indians!

Lessons for me are:

1. it is good that the Indian government fights for its citizens and corporates. At the same time, it needs to learn that other countries have no obligation to make it easier for Indians and Indian companies. It is quite clear that the USA is under a lot of pressure to make sure that IT and high tech jobs are NOT lost or continued to lose Americans! It also shows the hypocrisy in the world of international business!;

2. if the home country is under seize, it it totally acceptable to the citizens of the home countries that they come before foreigners. This is natural. It then depends on if rationality can overcome emotion. Unemployment is a dreaded disease for any healthy living person in an urban society with a family to support. No income and without financial reserve built up from saving in the past, it is a daunting task to live each day! They vote the government in and if the government cannot protect their livelihood, they will vote them out. It is what we called: democracy!;

3. this brings me to my controversial belief that: the world need to find a new economic model. The old model of consumption consumption simply cannot continue as the world will NOT have enough resources to satisfy the consumers - without even considering the 700-800m Chinese who had not participated in the urbanization effort yet! We need to make sure that the peasants continue to be peasants but enjoy a quality of living that is good for them. They need not live like the urbanites as the urban lifestyles are NOT necessarily good ones. Maybe we should get more urbanites to go to the country instead!

So, complain if you must. Just remembered that no one owns anyone a living, especially when you are the foreigners! This does not sounds politically correct? Well, it does not. At the same time, it make sense for the locals.