130704-4 July_English

The Fourth of July A Special Report

Written and prepared by Stuart Alan Becker

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The Fourth of July

THE PHNOM PENH POST • JUly 04, 2013 www.phnompenhpost.com

US defence attaché Gillette promoted to General and transferred to China West Point man heads for top US Army job in Beijing Stuart Alan Becker

W

henever there was a reception around Phnom Penh for military officers, at Raffles or Sofitel, for national days or anniversaries, US defence attaché Colonel Mark Gillette was often seen in his US Army uniform, meeting with the other officers and diplomats.

A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1983, Gillette had served a 30-year career around the world and had been preparing for retirement. When we met for coffee in 2012 and I asked him what he was going to do when he retired from the US Army the following year (this year) and he said he’d probably stay around Cambodia until his daughter finished school and maybe look for a job.

So imagine everyone’s surprise when Gillette was selected out of a list of hundreds of other officers around the world, promoted from full-bird Colonel to Brigadier General and given one of the world’s most important army jobs,that of US defence attaché in Beijing.

Probably as surprised as anyone on the news of

his selection, Gillette was promoted to Brigadier General in a ceremony at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh on March 15 by US Ambassador William Todd.

Gillette is one of only two career Foreign Area Officers with a specialisation in China to achieve the rank of Brigadier General in the history of the US Army, Ambassador Todd told the audience.

During his years in the US Army, Gillette became an aviator and served assignments with the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas, the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, New York, the 24th Infantry Division and the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Georgia. He also served as executive officer to the Chairman of the InterAmerican Defense Board in Washington.

Following Gillette’s transition to a China Foreign Area Officer, he served as Assistant Army Attaché and Army Attaché in the Philippines; for the Defense and Army Attaché in Haiti, and later for Defense and Army Attaché and Chief of the Office of Defense Cooperation in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, as well as Army

Brigadier General Mark Gillette with some of his Cambodian and American military associates. PHOTO COURTESY US EMBASSY.

Attaché in Beijing, China.

Gillette arrived in Phnom Penh in September, 2009, to take up his role as US Defense Attaché.

According to reports, Gillette served with distinction during a dangerous period in Haiti, coming to the assistance

of local and American staff.

Gillette is also reported to have coordinated humanitarian aid during flooding in Chengdu, China, as well as helping develop peacekeeping capabilities in Mongolia and disaster management programs in Cambodia.

General Gillette is known to be a personal friend of fellow West Point graduate General Hun Manet, the son of Prime Minister Hun Sen. “Cambodia and the United States are indeed good friends, in an association built on mutual respect reflected,

perhaps most profoundly, in the many person-to-person ties established by Brigadier General Gillette,” Ambassador Todd said.

Gillette and his wife Ingrid, who have two children, departed Phnom Penh for Beijing on Sunday.

Name change to American Chamber of Commerce Amcham seen as unique among chambers because of special attention given to anti-corruption laws What had been called The American Cambodian Business Council has been officially name-changed to the American Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia, according to Amcham Chairman Bretton Sciaroni.

“Previously, the Ministry of Commerce had a policy not to allow independent business associations use the words ‘‘Chamber of Commerce”, Sciaroni said. “Recently, that policy has changed to allow other business associations to use the words chamber of commerce in the title of the organisation.”

Sciaroni, who serves as Managing Partner of Sciaroni and Associates and has been the Amcham’s chairman for a number of years, was one of the founders of the organisation.

“When we started it, I ran it out of the office, and I typed up the announcements myself to send out by fax,” he said.

“Now it has grown into one of the significant business associations in Cambodia.”

In an interview last month, Sciaroni said Amcham’s important niche enabled it to do things other chambers could not do, including

hosting inbound business missions, from places like Singapore, Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City.

“We also contribute to outbound business missions, usually with the US ambassador,” Sciaroni said.

“The current ambassador, William Todd, has traveled to Bangkok and Singapore and we’ve played a support role to

law,” he said. “We plan another such meeting for this fall.”

In addition to his chairmanship of Amcham, Sciaroni also serves as vice-chairman for ASEAN of the Asia Pacific Council of American Chambers of Commerce (APCAC) as well as the International Business Chamber of Cambodia (IBC).

Sciaroni routinely attends

“There is still an issue of corruption; an inefficient court system, but even those issues are being addressed by the government.” attract US business to come to Cambodia.”

One of the distinctions between Amcham and other chambers, Sciaroni said, was special attention to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), about which the Amcham holds conferences.

“We have broadened this to include the Australian anti-corruption law and the British anti-bribery law and the Cambodian anti-corruption

regional APCAC conferences and promotes “Operation Doorknob”, a lobbying effort aimed at making conditions better for business.

“We lobby on trade issues, tax issues, visa issues and a host of things that affect our ability to do business. We lobby the Executive Branch of the US government as well as the US Congress,” he said.

Sciaroni also serves as co-chairman of the working

group on Law Tax and Governence, a constituent element of the Government Private Sector Forum, along with Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Keat Chhon.

Sciaroni says even though there is a great deal of conversation about investment in Myanmar, Cambodia has a very attractive business climate, right here, right now.

“Having been there, I can tell you Myanmar is not as ready for business, but you can do business today in Cambodia. We’re getting all the laws in place, with international standards, a high rate of growth and political stability. All the elements for successful business are here, so American companies are coming in.”

He acknowledges that corruption and inefficient courts remain problematic.

“There is still an issue of corruption; an inefficient court system, but even those issues are being addressed by the government which has created an anti-corruption unit. For dispute resolution we are creating a national arbitration centre so disputes can be resolved more efficiently.”

The American Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia was founded in 1996 and now has 85 corporate members including a number of large multi-national companies.

Amcham hosts monthly events and programs including a Corporate Social Responsibility

effort headed by board member Daniel Mitchell.

Executive Director Jim Swander says other Amcham committees include Events & Programs as well as Membership. Amcham’s web site is www.amchamcambodia. net

Bretton G Sciaroni , Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia, shares a moment with US Ambassador William Todd. Photo courtesy Amcham.

THE PHNOM PENH POST • JUly 04, 2013 www.phnompenhpost.com

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United States supports democracy and individual freedoms for 237 Years Fourth of July Message from William E Todd, United States Ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia

O

n July 4th of every year, the United States celebrates “Independence Day”, which commemorates the adoption of the United States’ Declaration of Independence.

When America’s Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, they asserted a revolutionary concept – that all people have “certain unalienable rights”, which include “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”, and that governments derive “their just powers from the consent of the governed”.

From the very beginning, these ideals were at the heart of the creation of the United States, and since then they have inspired people around the world to recognise two simple, but powerful, ideas.

The first is that all human beings should be treated equal

grappled with intolerance and inequality. We fought a brutal civil war over slavery. People from coast to coast joined in campaigns to recognise the rights of women, indigenous peoples, racial minorities, gays and lesbians, children, people with disabilities, immigrants and workers, among many others. The United States, just like every other democratic nation, continually works to improve its electoral system in order to make it more free, fair, transparent and participative.

Because we know from experience how hard it is to continually grow, we believe that those who advocate for expanding the circle of human rights and strengthening democratic processes were and are on the right side of history, and history honours them. There is a phrase that people in the United States invoke when urging others to support human rights and democracy: “Be on the right side of history.”

Here in Cambodia promoting democracy and human rights takes

“From the very beginning, these ideals were at the heart of the creation of the United States” in dignity and rights with the freedom to think or express opinions without being constrained. The second is that government is established for and by the people through a democratic process in which the people themselves select who they want to represent them in the government.

This spirit has defined our nation for more than two centuries, and because we feel so strongly about these principles, we just as strongly support countries around the world, like Cambodia, in their own pursuit of freedom and democracy. Therefore, when the United States marks the 237th anniversary of its independence this year, we are also a celebrating our contribution to the advancement of human rights and democracy around the world.

Like most countries, America’s democracy was not established overnight.

It has been – and remains – a process, and we must be constantly vigilant in protecting the rights that make our democracy possible. As the history of the United States shows, ensuring democracy and human rights does not come easily and requires much commitment and effort from both its leaders and citizens.

The story of the United States is the story of a nation that has repeatedly

centre stage in our bilateral relationship, and much has occurred over the past year in this effort. The most significant was the historic visit by President Barack Obama, during which he and Prime Minister Hun Sen discussed at length Cambodia’s need to continue to grow in the areas of democracy and human rights. There were also many other high-level visits by US government officials, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, and US Trade Representative Ron Kirk.

All of these visits underscored the US commitment to Cambodia’s success.

An ongoing example of our unwavering dedication to the wellbeing of the Cambodian people is the more than $1 billion in assistance we have provided for Cambodia’s development over the past two decades.

The United States is working hand in hand with the Royal Government on programs in health, education, food security, and the environment that are improving the lives of Cambodian citizens.

Our military-to-military engagement aims to assist the Cambodian armed forces in their efforts to professionalise, counter cross-border threats, provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and support

international peacekeeping operations. Additionally, my embassy team and I have a renewed sense of commitment to promoting Cambodia’s economic development through engagements that include job training and internships for the youth, and promoting US investment in Cambodia.

This month I will be leading a large trade delegation of Cambodian business people to California and Washington, DC to encourage increased economic ties between our two countries.

Beyond the efforts of the US government, I am proud of the countless programs sponsored by private American citizens, companies, and organisations that are also having a tremendous, positive impact on the lives of ordinary Cambodians. Each year Americans generously provide millions of dollars to help Cambodians become healthier, better educated, and more productive. Many Americans even travel to Cambodia personally to contribute their time and talents to Cambodia’s development. These dedicated individuals, who are making Cambodia a more peaceful, prosperous, and secure country, are ambassadors of goodwill from the United States. To all of the Americans who are working and giving so generously to help the Cambodian people, thank you for your commitment and for your important role in maintaining the strong bonds of friendship between Cambodia and the United States. The US embassy is proud of its partnership with the American private sector in making life better for all Cambodians.

Cambodia has made substantial political and economic progress over the last two decades – something its people should be proud of.

As with any nation, however, there is always more work to be done. An important part of our efforts to assist Cambodia reach its full potential is fostering dialogue and engaging civil society, the youth, the business community, and the Royal Government in a common effort to help Cambodia continue to prosper. Through my weekly newspaper column and blog, I have enjoyed discussing issues and questions on the minds of ordinary Cambodians.

My Youth Council has provided me and my embassy team a solid sense of what Cambodia’s youth are thinking about the future direction of the country. We also continue to have a very constructive dialogue with leading members of Cambodia’s civil society through my NGO Advisory Council. We take

these opportunities to listen to Cambodians very seriously, and I am very encouraged by the hopes and high expectations that I see and hear each and every day.

As Cambodians head to the polls in late July, the Royal Government has the opportunity to demonstrate to the world its commitment to the democratic process by creating a level playing field for all candidates, ensuring a safe and peaceful electoral environment, and maximizing prospects for every eligible voter to cast his or her ballot. While no democracy is perfect, getting more people involved in the electoral process – through campaigning, asking questions of the candidates, and ultimately voting – is the best way to strengthen a democracy, so I also encourage all Cambodians to get out and vote.

I have a profound belief

US Ambassador to Cambodia William E Todd. us embassy.

that Cambodia’s continued growth as a democracy that respects human rights and the rule of law will lead to greater prosperity and security. The United States intends to stand by the people of Cambodia and support their aspirations for a strengthened democratic framework that provides protections for individual freedoms, economic

opportunity, and dignity for all.

Given our two countries’ long friendship and desire to make our bilateral relationship more effective, I look forward to working closely with Cambodia – both its government and its people – to achieve our common goals.

Liberty and democracy require nothing less.

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THE PHNOM PENH POST • JUly 04, 2013 www.phnompenhpost.com

US Marine dad applies life’s lessons W

hen he was a young man in Sand Point, Idaho, Dennis James’ father was a World War II pilot, home from the war. Young James was proud of his father, but the P-51 Mustang pilot had seen a lot of action during the war and began to drink alcohol to excess.

When he got drunk he became abusive, beating his wife and young James too.

Finally in desperation and fearful of the safety of his mother and family, teenage Dennis James confronted his drunk father, threatened his life and kicked him out of his own house.

Years later his father thanked him and said he’d never meant young James or his mother any harm.

Working hard to support his family and pay for his schooling, James also became a party animal during those years in the early 1960s, also drinking and womanising.

A member of the Catholic Church at the time, he took a comparative religion class.

He visited every church and asked what the doctrine was and finally when he visited the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, also known as the LDS or Mormon Church, he gave them high marks.

When he joined the Mormon Church and was baptised in April, 1970, James’ Catholic family disowned him.

“I think the Mormon Church had more fullness of the gospel.”

By and by, however, after he started organising family reunions and doing the

good behaviour, his family accepted him again.

He had known a young Mormon girl named Kandi for a long time and had a beautiful girlfriend named Bobbi. When a friend of James’ ended up with Bobbi, James ended up marrying Kandi on November 11, 1970.

He’s glad he did.

The two just finished serving a mission in Cambodia last month and returned to their home in Alpine, Utah.

James graduated from University of Idaho with a bachelor of science in education before heading off to United States Marine Corps boot camp, coming out a Second Lieutenant. His speed record for making it through the obstacle course lasted until the 1980s. James worked hard to help other, weaker men through it. He was identified as having leadership potential.

Out of a class of 112, more than 60 wanted to be pilots, but there were only seven places for pilots.

“You’re graded by your peers and you rate everybody else,” he said. James got into the aviation program because the other marines always gave him high ratings.

James said the teachings of the LDS Church helped him through his career in the US Marines, teaching men to be good husbands and good fathers.

“I learned how to treat people and I used that to treat other men and it was easy to help the weaker guys,” he said.

Even though he was away a great deal of time during his

Dennis James as a pilot in an LDS church meeting to demonstrate the importance of one’s life choices.

US Marine career, eventually rising to the rank of Colonel, he’s happy that for the assistance the LDS Church gave to keep the family strong.

“We sat down and made a list and talked about how we wanted to raise our kids with scriptures and prayers and a meal together every day and a family event once a week,” he said. “We stuck to it and if we had problems we would discuss them,” he said.

His eldest son Josh was left in charge of the family.

Today, Josh James is the founder of several computer services companies and has a personal fortune in excess of $100 million.

“Josh was a good older brother, and I told him when

I’m leaving, you’re in charge, you take care of the family.

He still does that today. He’s taking all of us down the Cabo San Lucas for his 40th birthday. He’s very generous with his success,” James said.

Josh James now has six daughters of his own.

Dennis James credits the teachings of the LDS Church and the discipline of the US Marine Corps to his family’s success.

“You teach discipline and obedience and people want to have rules. You teach them to make their own choices.

They always get a choice, but there are always rules.”

In addition to the eldest son Josh, James and his wife Kandi also have a daughter named Bobbi, and sons

named Cubby, Adam, Zack and Drew, all of whom are successful in various businesses.

James and his wife Kandi have a total of 17 grandchildren, four of whom they only got to see for the first time when they returned from their mission in Cambodia.

After many years as a jet pilot in the US Marine Corps, James went into the reserves and started flying commercially for Continental Airlines. He was re-called to service during the Gulf War. He flew for 30 years with Continental Airlines.

A crash in a fighter jet in 1972 following ejection from an inverted spin broke his back and neck and almost

killed him. He’s had back pain ever since. When he left Cambodia a few weeks ago, he was on his way to having an operation. Word from his wife in Utah indicates he is recovering well.

Reflecting on his experience in Cambodia, James said he loved it here and feels very optimistic about the Cambodian people.

“This mission has been unbelievable,” he said before he left last month. “To teach people in Cambodia that there’s hope they can be anything they want to become,” he said. During their stay in Cambodia over the last couple of years, both James and his wife, in their roles as LDS elders in charge of public relations, grew to love Cambodia and the Cambodian people.

James says those who ask for life’s blessings and deserve them will get them.

“The key to that is you’re happy on the way; to have happiness and joy with your family.”

James sees the potential in people and treats them according to their highest potential.

“If you treat people like that and if you trust them and believe in them; they have to know that you really believe that they can become successful.”

James said Cambodians are very sweet, good people and full of potential.

“I want to see people learn more, be better husbands, wives and families,” he said. “If families are better, Cambodia will be so much better. I love the Cambodian people and I’ll be back.”

Two Cambodian women who joined the LDS Church ex Of two Cambodian young women who serve as missionaries in Cambodia, spreading the teaching of the LDS church, one is the only Mormon member in her family, and the other has a whole family who joined Cambodia’s LDS church. Each has an interesting story.

Sister Malay Kan, 29, of Kandal Province, born in 1983 first had a Mormon Church pamphlet from a friend of hers. She called the number and asked if they teach about Jesus. Two boys came to her home on bicycles.

The boys only stayed 20 minutes, but they were friendly. Malay Kan was already a Christian and the Mormon boys were happy to

know it when they talked to her.

Earlier she had prayed for a job at an international school in Phnom Penh and had got the job, even though she couldn’t speak English. She was amazed and believed that Jesus Christ had answered her prayers.

Sister Malay Kan is now 14 months into her 18 month mission for the Mormon Church.

She hopes later to find the right man, get married and have three children.

At first, after she joined the LDS church, her family said she was different.

“But I set a good example for them, and they saw change. I knew I must obey my parents

otherwise God would not bless me,” she said.

She admitted that previously she had not listened to her parents and spoke loudly to them, going with her friends wherever she wanted.

“In the future I think I will be a good mother, be a good member of the church and I can help other people,” she said.

Sister Malay Kan’s “companion” as they are called, is Sister Kakada Rin,23, who joined the LDS church following in the footsteps of her mother. She’s the youngest with two older brothers and one sister.

When the family lived near the Independence Monument, her mother had seen the

Mormon missionaries riding by on the bicycles and they stopped to talk to her.

At the time, Kakada Rin was living in Takeo province with her sister in law. The rest of her family lived in Phnom Penh.

“At first when my mother learned with missionaries, my father didn’t like it, and didn’t want missionaries to come to house and teach my mother,” she said. “But the missionaries were very friendly and they helped us feel good and feel peace and mother loved them so much,” she said.

Her father had a girlfriend on the side and he was giving money to her, money that could have been spent his family, she said.

“My mother felt so bad because her husband did that.

The missionary said we should pray for my father. My mother still loved him and said we should support him.”

By and by, her father’s girlfriend left him because he didn’t have any more money.

“He remembered that my mother loved him and my mother forgave him,” she said.

Eventually, Kakada Rin’s father started to learn about Jesus Christ and he agreed that he had been wrong, she

said. Her father has since become a member of the LDS church.

“Now he is the best church member, better than us, very obedient, no girlfriend, doesn’t drink or smoke. This is a miracle of God,” she said.

Kakada Rin said anybody

could repent in the principles of Jesus at any time.

That’s how she and Malay Kan encourage other Cambodians to look into Jesus Christ by testifying about their own backgrounds and telling their stories.

Young Cambodian women members of the LDS church Sister Malay Kan of K Rin of Takeo Province. Stuart Alan Becker

THE PHNOM PENH POST • JUly 04, 2013 www.phnompenhpost.com

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Not so easy being a Mormon W

hen you look at the requirements of joining the Church of Jesus Christ of LatterDay Saints, it’s no smoking or drinking, a lifetime of fidelity to your spouse, plus the scrutiny of your fellow Mormons, even the Mission president for Cambodia agrees it is not a religion for everybody.

“We ask a lot,” said LDS Mission President David Moon, who lives and works out of a villa on Street 222, heads an LDS church presence in Cambodia where young Mormon missionaries come and go and where young Cambodians can meet a variety of church members, many from the United States.

“If you are looking for an easy religion this is not the one. There is a lot that’s asked,” Moon said in an interview last month.

Moon and his wife Kathryn are elders in the LDS church, in Cambodia on a voluntary mission to promote the religion. Their daughter Mackenzie has just graduated from high school at ISPP. Moon says he finds the Cambodia experience rewarding.

“We have a very warm and good relationship with the Ministry of Culture and Religions. People are warm and hospitable to us.”

Moon, who comes from a long line of Mormon church members dating back to their conversion in 19th century England as well as a journey across the American West, served his own mission at age 20 in Thailand in the late 1970s.

xplain why Kakada Rin is three months into her 18 month mission.

She has a Cambodian boyfriend, also an LDS church member, who is also on a mission.

“We need to marry first and have a family, study and find a job,” she said.

Kandal Province, left, and Sister Kakada

“We had no idea what was going on in Cambodia at that time,” he said.

Since he loved his experience in Thailand so much, he’s happy to be back in the region. He says the atmosphere of Southeast Asia is more friendly for Mormon missionaries going door-to-door than other regions of the world.

“There are a lot of places you could go to serve missions and have doors

Christ, under the direction of the Heavenly Father, leads the church by revealing his will to the church president, who is currently Thomas S Monson.

Here in Cambodia, Moon says he enjoys seeing the lives of Cambodians improve when they start to learn about the gospel of Jesus Christ.

“It helps people improve lives and have stronger marriages. It helps them

“If you are looking for an easy religion this is not the one. There is a lot that’s asked” slammedin your face,” Moon said. “Here in Cambodia the people are friendly and it is delightful to be here.”

Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, the church has about 69,000 missionaries worldwide and a membership of about 14.7 million and is ranked as the fourth-largest Christian denomination in the United States. With a doctrine of “continuing revelation”, Latter-Day Saints or Mormons believe that Jesus

to have happier lives and better relationships and not spend money on alcohol, for example,” he said. “It is a big step and not everyone is willing to take it,” he said.

Moon asks the young Mormon missionaries who are serving in Cambodia on bicycles to be extra respectful.

“Our missionaries are very visible and I worry they need to be aware of it and how to treat people. Sometimes they’ve had a hard day and

sometimes they aren’t as respectful on their bicycles as we should be,” he said.

“We are always sending messages to people by the way we behave. I don’t have to worry about major problems. I am very glad we have missionaries who are sincere and want to be here for the right reasons.

It’s a pretty tough place to come and serve a mission,” he said.

Moon and his wife Kathryn come from Alpine, Utah, and have seven children, six girls and one boy, including their daughter Mackenzie.

Two of Moon’s children are on Mormon missions, one in Richmond, Virginia, and one in Sendai, Japan.

They’ve been in Phnom Penh a year and have two more years to go.

“It has been a wonderful experience, we have three years, and we always thought we’d go out on a mission like this.”

Moon is a partner in a real state and investment firm and is happy that his partners cover for him while he serves in Cambodia.The LDS church in Cambodia is much larger than in Vietnam, for example.

LDS Church Cambodia Mission President David Moon.

Moon says there are roughly 14,000 church members in Cambodia today, dating back to 1994 when the LDS church was first organised in Cambodia.

The LDS church has constructed eight buildings in Cambodia and rent an additional dozen locations.

LDS congregations are located in Battambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong Thom, Siem Reap and Phnom Penh.

The LDS church has no presence in Myanmar other than one humanitarian couple. In Laos they also have humanitarian couples.

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THE PHNOM PENH POST • JUly 04, 2013 www.phnompenhpost.com

Microsoft’s Cambodia team asks for help with Khmer language translator M

icrosoft’s Cambodia office is promoting the development of a “Translator Hub” so that software developers and others may have free, quick online access to translation between the Khmer language and other languages.

Pily Wong, Country Manager, Microsoft, Chief Representative, says Microsoft is providing the servers and the bandwidth to operate the system, but needs universities and students to provide their time to make sure the transaction is as accurate as it can possibly be.

“We have a program called Microsoft Student Partner, and we empower students by giving them free software and online training,” Wong said. “Now we come up with the Microsoft Translator Hub Project to help Cambodia preserve the language.”

Wong says the project is targeted for completion by the middle of next year and was seeking partners including government entities and universities.

“We want the universities to contribute some time from their students to do the data entry and we want the government entities to do the review of the translations and Microsoft will provide the project management, the technology, hosting all the servers and the connectivity,” Wong said.

“This is for Cambodia.

Even for Microsoft, this is not a commercial venture. After the tool is ready, it is free for the community.”

Applications include programmers who need translations and can use the hub interface to integrate a translation engine. People can visit the site at hub. microsofttranslator.com.

“We are doing this for the community,” Wong said.

“If anyone wants to build a translator to translate all the documents of the Khmer

“We have a different approach. We prefer to have nothing than having the wrong thing.”

Rouge trial, for example, they would have good quality translation from either direction.”

Wong said Microsoft wants the universities and the government to be of service to Cambodia people.

“That’s why we are putting money into this. Microsoft contributes all the server capacities, the back end software and the project management.”

Wong said as a software company Microsoft had a commitment to quality products and wanted to make a high quality translator hub that could be used by all.

Wong said the Microsoft online search engine

called Bing, was becoming a platform which would integrate tools for IT developers making things simpler for them.

Wong said the translator hub would be able to cater to millions of queries each minute with high quality translation.

“That’s why we need the government to support the project, including the Ministry of Education, the young people, the students and the universities,” he said.

Microsoft holds 95 per cent of the operating system software market in Cambodia, Wong said, with almost that same percentage being pirated copies.

He said the next successor operating system to Windows 8 would be Windows 8.1 and that all licensed Windows 8 users would get a free copy.

Other new products on the horizon include a new version of Windows phone next year and a new version of Xbox 1 in November with the new Kinect home system.

Wong said Windows phone is the third most popular mobile phone operating system in Cambodia after IOS and Android.

“We took the third position from Blackberry,” he said.

“People from government and the corporate world like to use Windows phone because it is so much more secure and the connections to the mail server are more convenient than any other phone.”

Other Microsoft product

Microsoft’s Pily Wong and Piseth Chhourm show a new Microsoft Surface computer. Stuart Alan Becker

updates will be new versions of SQL server, System Center, Windows Serve, Share Point Server and Exchange Server, all coming in 2014.

Wong said the Microsoft Surface tablet PC, which sold for about $499 in the 32 gigabyte model, was not yet available for sale in Cambodia.

For the Microsoft Translator Hub, Wong said he hoped the same would happen in Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar as well as Cambodia so that people from each country to quickly get answers across languages.

“Depending on how fast and how supportive the government is, they can go ahead,” he said. “We count on the officials to contribute their knowledge and we want quality translation.

This platform also needs to preserve the language and offer the correct translation to people who are searching to have a direct translation.”

Wong said it was vital that an official review be conducted by the Royal University of Phnom Penh.

“We want to make sure that the information we provide to the community is

correct. We have a different approach. We prefer to have nothing than having the wrong thing.

“We are a representative office of Microsoft.

Whatever Microsoft is doing across the world, we are doing the same: business development, but we are also working in education, community, IT developers, industry growth. We participate in the growth of the industry and we also advise people when they need some IT and train our partners,” Wong said.

He added that over the years software piracy had decreased dramatically in Hong Kong, China and Thailand.

“You can’t find software piracy in Singapore,” he said. “This just happened in the last few years.

Investments happened from big corporations, once they see that intellectual property rights are well enforced and respected, they pour in investments to create research and development facilities and manufacturing.”

Wong said anti-piracy measures require education and enforcement.

“You don’t need many cases, just one or two and show the people the risk and the rest will fall into place,” he said.

In addition to his work at Microsoft, Wong also serves as President of the ICT Business Association of Cambodia.

New Ford T6 Ranger pick-up in great demand Demand is much higher than expected for the new T6 Ford Ranger pick-up truck in Cambodia, according to Rami Sharaf, CEO of RMA Cambodia.

“The demand is much higher than the supply but our customers are ready to wait,” Sharaf said. “The Cambodian customer realises the quality and is ready to pay the extra buck for the higher quality product,” he said.

In addition to Ford Motor Company, RMA Cambodia represents the American John Deere brand of agricultural equipment along with Dairy Queen and Swenson’s Ice Cream.

In November last year, Ford Motor Company

RMA Cambodia CEO Rami Sharaf celebrates American iconic brands.

founder Henry Ford’s greatgranddaughter Elena Ford visited Phnom Penh to attend

the grand opening of the new Ford showroom on Monivong Boulevard.

“The fact that she came herself shows how much US companies believe in Cambodia,” Sharaf said.

Also last year, RMA Cambodia donated a new 2013 Ford Ranger to the Don Bosco Vocational Training Institute.

“We wanted to give them to most updated equipment so that the future mechanics could be trained in the latest technology,” Sharaf said.

“So we gave them the most updated Ford Ranger worth $40,000.”

RMA Cambodia also drilled more than 20 drinking water wells in the Siem Reap area to

provide easier drinking water access for local residents, and Sharaf says there are plans to drill an additional 20 wells this year.

“We did this because people had to walk a long way to reach a drinking water source.”

Sharaf said new John Deere tractors had been ordered to supply largescale agricultural projects in Cambodia.

“The Prime Minister’s ambition of exporting one million metric tons of milled rice by 2015, as well as other crops like rubber, corn and cassava, we feel there is a big movement in the agricultural sector and many more investors coming to the Kingdom,” Sharaf said.

“This 175-year-old American brand, John Deere, is now a market leader in Cambodia,” Sharaf said. “John Deere makes not only tractors, but also harvesters for sugar cane, corn and in the near future rice harvesters. These are the most sophisticated harvesters available.”

Sharaf said a John Deere pilot project in Cambodia

A Ford heritage celebration at the new Ford showroom on Monivong shows not only the historic Ford Model A, upper left, but also a Ford Musting convertible in mint condition and a picture of Henry Ford himself. Photo courtesy RMA Cambodia.

had collected feedback from Cambodian rice farmers last year.

“When this John Deere equipment is ready to be commercially launched next year, it will take into consideration the Cambodian farmers’ physical needs.”

On June 19 this year, Ford Motor Company celebrated 110 years in business.

Sharaf also praised US Ambassador William Todd for his efforts to attract American investment to Cambodia by leading trade missions in the region and around the world.

“We feel the level of enthusiasm he has to encourage more American brands to come to Cambodia,” Sharaf said.

THE PHNOM PENH POST • JUly 04, 2013 www.phnompenhpost.com

7

The Fourth of July

Sustainable Schools make a difference in Kampong Speu

O

ne American lady working to increase pay for teachers and therefore enhance education in Cambodia is Kari Grady Grossman of Sustainable Schools International of Ft Collins, Colorado.

Her interest in Cambodia can be traced back to when she adopted an infant Cambodian boy, now known as Grady Grossman, who celebrated his 13th birthday Monday in Ft Collins, Colorado.

Grossman is the author of two books on Cambodia, one called Bones that Float, a story of her adoption experience, and the other called Teacher Absent Often, about her experiences in the education sector in Cambodia.

“Teachers are not paid enough and they have no housing, no water and can’t afford to do their jobs,” Grossman said in an interview on Monday.

The NGO supports four schools in the Aural district of Kampong Speu, three primaries and one secondary school. A total of nearly $500,000 has been spent in support of the Sustainable Schools programs since 2008, averaging about $80,000 per year.

“Our goal is to increase attendance and change the curriculum especially in secondary school because there are a lot of drop-outs who feel the school is not worth their time,” Grossman said.

“They don’t see the end result.”

Sustainable Schools International has set up a microfinance organisation called Community Prosper Bank from which students and teachers can get loans from about $50 to $1,000.

“I started out as a do-gooder and figured out you had to run it like a business,” Grossman says.

The Community Prosper Bank started with $3,000 and now is up to $16,000, has 61 customers and chargers interest of 3 per cent per month.

“For rural schools to operate they need to generate both human resources and financial resources to support it in the local community,” Grossman said. “That’s why we designed the bank and the human resources development team is the Leadership Academy.”

The Leadership Academy consists of a dormitory in the Thmey district of Phnom Penh where scholarship and loan recipients can stay while they carry out secondary school and university courses in Phnom Penh.

The high school students are sent to Hun Sen High School located off Hanoi Road toward the airport where the Leadership academy is located. A total of 19 students, boys and girls, are now in the program receiving housing, supplemental training in leadership and attitude change.

“We pay tuition and books,” Grossman said. “Our approach is they are learning a skill and

Students at Bonteay Pranak Primary School.

the certificate means you can apply to our scholarship program.”

Sustainable Schools International’s man on the ground is Cambodian returnee Paul Alan Chuk, who had served in the Lon Nol Army prior to the Khmer Rouge takeover of Cambodia.

“I stripped off my uniform and blended in with the villagers,” he said.

After immigrating to the US and raising a family near Tampa, Florida, he returned to participate in Cambodia’s development. He’s been here for four and a half years now and serves as Program Director of the Leadership Academy in Phnom Penh Thmey but also spending time in the villages at Kampong Speu.

“He’s a natural teacher,” Grossman said.

Chuk said people watched in amazement as he personally got down and cleared out muddy garbage from around the school. Since that time, he’s seen attitudes change.

“Local people who aren’t fighting all the time who can cooperate and get things done,” he said. “If you want something to be sustainable, you have to have people who can do it.”

Grossman and Chuk are proud that the secondary school they support in Kampong Speu graduates 90 per cent of students from the ninth grade which is nine times the national average.

We are excited about micro loan program,” Chuk said. “My dream is earn enough to pay the teachers starting in the rural district who make $70 per month from the government and we pay $50 more,” he said.

“Teachers will be really happy with $200 to $300,” he said.

Grossman said the most satisfying part of the job is watching the transformation from fearful to confident students.

“When the kids first come to us they are fearful, like deer in the headlights and they don’t think and express and connect thoughts and ideas. Now they have embraced this with gusto and go back to the village and conduct their own workshops all around the idea of better

leadership, supporting schools, better education and picking up garbage. We’re getting a lot more community involvement than other schools get, and its cool,” she said.

In addition to their Cambodian boy, Grossman and her husband George, an accountant and the owner of

Paul Alan Chuk and Kari Grady Grossman of Sustainable Schools International.

Happy Lucky Tea House in Fort Collins, have an adopted daughter from India.

“We are now in four government schools in Kampong Speu. We build teacher housing, water supply, pick up the garbage, build a fence and all of this is done by getting the

community involved,” she said. “We support the number one school and number one teachers, rated in that district.”

Next on the agenda is a Community Enterprise school with a focus on vocational training, sewing,

beautician training, motor repair and agriculture including beekeeping and aquaculture. Sustainable Schools International has a detailed and informative website located at http://www.sustainable schoolsinternational.org/

8

The Fourth of July

THE PHNOM PENH POST • JUly 04, 2013 www.phnompenhpost.com

Hulugalle stresses importance of education A statue of Ruwan Hulugalle’s greatgrandfather Sir Charles Henry de Soysa (18361890), known as the greatest philanthropist in Sri Lankan history, stands in central Colombo.

Today in Phnom Penh, Sir Charles’ great-grandson Ruwan Hulugalle is an American graduate of Georgetown University who spends his time connecting young Cambodians with American universities.

“Cambodia is a young country and education is the big need of the day here. We are thinking of ways we can enhance the education sector here,” Hulugalle said in an interview last week.

Through his business and legal consulting company in 2012, called Ruwan Hulugalle & Company, which specialises in trade, investment and education, Hulugalle and his team worked to conceptualise, fund and organise the first American Education Fair in the history of Cambodia.

“The event took place at Diamond Island and attracted more than 20 American institutions and thousands of Cambodians. We also had volunteers from Cambodia Children’s Fund and they did

Hulugalle with US Senator Harry Reid of Nevada.

a tremendous job and I was so happy to work with them,” he said.

Hulugalle said the US Cambodia Education Fair had been building bridges between American education institutions and Cambodian students and institutions. He said he was looking to do more in the education sector.

“Our hope is that as time goes on, the American institutions will build partnerships with Cambodian institutions and develop capacity with the institutions here,” he said.

“I’m looking at introducing socially valuable new institutions such as the Institute for Social Enterprise,” he said.

An old colleague from when he was studying law at the University of Hawaii’s

East-West Center is helping Hulugalle set up the Institute for Social Enterprise in Cambodia.

“We want to train Cambodian entrepreneurs to be socially responsible while they make profit, providing socially useful services for the community,” he said.

Hulugalle’s latest effort is a major study of the private education sector in Cambodia.

Earlier this week he received people from the University of Texas who are joining him to work on the study.

“We would like to get an idea of how the private education market is developing in Cambodia and how it relates to the social and economic requirements that exist in Cambodia and develop recommendations on areas may be useful for more international collaboration in the future,” he said.

“At the same time we’re working to introduce new education concepts aimed at the rural poor.”

Born in Huntington, New York, in 1978, Hulugalle, 35, is the middle son of two medical doctors of Sri Lankan origin. He grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada.

His grandfather, HAJ Hulugalle was a renowned journalist, government servant, diplomat, and author. He

served as editor of the Ceylon Daily News and as Sri Lanka’s first Ambassador to Italy and Greece. His own father, Dr Chitha Ranjan Hulugalle, spent his formative years growing up in Rome and converted to Catholicism while HAJ Hulugalle served as Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Rome and Athens.

The touch of Catholicism shaped Ruwan Hulugalle’s own educational path, including biology studies at Loyola Marymount University on his way to becoming a medical doctor.

It was after he transferred to the Jesuit Georgetown University, however, that Hulugalle changed his mind because of Georgetown’s heady atmosphere of internationalism.

He changed his major to government and of his teachers was Paul Begala a top advisor of President Clinton at the time.

“I was lucky to be around incredibly intelligent and directed people. My ultimate ambition was to do good works in the world, and as a medical doctor you do that, but if you want to face problems you’ve got to think bigger and that’s what motivated me to look into government.”

After his graduation from

Georgetown in 2000, Hulugalle went to work for the UNDP in Sri Lanka on governance issues.

He returned to the US for a master’s degree in international relations from the University of San Diego, and then went back to Sri Lanka to work in the prime minister’s office on governance issues related to a post-conflict plan of national reconciliation and reintegration. He worked closely with Major General Devinda Kalupahana.

The experience gave Hulugalle a real feeling of the kind of useful work he would find socially valuable and personally fulfilling.

He then went to law school at the University of Hawaii, was a fellow at the East-West Center, served as President of the East-West Center Participant Association, graduated in 2006 and came to Cambodia as a lecturer at Pannasastra University teaching law and governance classes.

He worked at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh for two years on economic and commercial issues, including demining and environmental issues before forming his own company in the private sector.

Hulugalle is also friends with Senator Harry Reid of

A statue in the business district of Columbo, Sri Lanka, of Sir Charles Henry de Soysa (1836-1890).

Nevada, leader of the US Senate. Hulugalle learned a development lesson growing up in Las Vegas which at the time was the fastest-growing city in the United States.

“An interesting lesson that one can learn from looking at the rapid growth of Las Vegas is the importance of managing resources.

“When I was young, we had a pool, gardens, grass and trees, now I don’t recognise it, there is not enough water for people to be able to have lawns.

“Now people decorate with rocks. We used to have a horse and sheep and chickens and now it is in the middle of the city,” he said.