English Essay Example for Free

English Essay Culture polity, traditions, language, food, costume, belief system, architecture, arts, craft, music, dance, and sports which will be discussed in this article to give you an indication of Fijis indigenous community but also the various communities which make up Fiji as a modern culture and living. The indigenous culture is an active and living part of everyday life for the majority of the population. However, it has evolved with the introduction of vibrant and old cultures including Indian, Chinese and European culture, and various cultures from the Pacific neighbors of Fiji; in particular the Tongan and Rotuman cultures. The culture of Fiji, including language, has created a unique communal and national identity. Tradition and hierarchy Fijian indigenous society is very communal, with great importance attached to the family unit, the village, and the vanua (land). [1] A hierarchy of chiefs presides over villages, clans, and tribes. Chiefly positions are hereditary; a deceased chief is invariably followed by a kinsman or kinswoman, though not necessarily his own son or daughter. This reflects Polynesian influence: in most other Melanesian societies, chiefs are appointed on merit. The largest social unit for Fijians is the Yavusa, defined by R. A. Derrick as the direct agnate descendants of a single kalou-vu (deified ancestor). Chiefly succession was from older brother/sister to younger brother/sister, after the death of their father/mother. When the youngest brother/sister died, the eldest son/daughter of the eldest brother/sister became chief. This tradition still influences Fijian society today, though less rigidly: there is more of a tendency nowadays towards primogeniture. [2][3] Each brother/sister in the family then formed his own branch of the yavusa, called the Mataqali. Each mataqali became the custodian of a specific task. A fully developed Yavusa has several mataqali: * Turaga: This mataqali descends from the original ancestor through primogeniture inheritance of the eldest son in each succeeding generation. The chief of a village is always chosen from the Turaga mataqali. [1][4] * Sauturaga: These are next in rank to the chiefs, support him, and enforce his commands and also have final say in the installation of a Chief[1] * Mata ni vanua: These form the official heralds of the village. They are also in charge of ceremonial functions. [5] * Bete: This was the traditional priestly class. The kalou-vu was believed to speak through the Bete. [1][6] * Bati: This mataqali forms the traditional warrior class. [6] * Dau (skill) and Matai: these are the crafts people and specialized skilled people of the tribe e. g. Dau ni vucu (Poet/choreographer/composer), Dau ni yau (treasurer), Mataisau (carpenter/or Canoe builder)[1] The mataqali are subdivided into Tokatoka, each comprising closely related families. Several mataqali comprise a village, several of which form a yavusa or district. The British colonial rulers amalgamated the districts into Yasana, or Provinces. The districts also form three Matanitu, or Confederacies. These are often said to be agglomerations of provinces, but as the latter were a colonial imposition, the boundaries do not coincide exactly, and the Provinces of Tailevu, Ra, Naitasiri, Lomaiviti and parts of Yasawa and Ba makes the Kubuna Confederacy. This Confederacy in modern Fiji is considered to be the most senior. The other two are Burebasaga (covering the rest of Viti Levu), and Tovata, covering Vanua Levu, Lau archipelago and Rotuma. Despite its isolation and relatively small size, Tovata has been politically dominant since Fiji gained its independence in 1970. Language The official language is English while the national indigenous language is Bauan which is only one of the many dialects that exist in the Fiji Group, each of the fourteen provinces more or less have their own dialect though there is a clear distinction between the dialects of the West, Central and Eastern parts of the country. Other languages spoken in the country are Fiji Hindi, Cantonese, Rotuman, Gilbertese (Rabi Island), and Tuvaluan (Kioa Island). The Fiji Islands are traditionally linked to their island neighbours Rotuma, Tonga and Samoa, and this is evident in the culture and dialects of the Northern and Eastern provinces being Cakaudrove, Bua, Macuata, and Lau. The many dialects spoken in these four provinces consistently use sounds that are heard in Tongan and Samoan, but not so with dialects from the Western and South Western parts of Fiji. The Fijian language uses a Latin alphabet. However, the Fijian alphabet is dissimilar from the English alphabet. Fiji English The existence of many dialects within the Fijian language as well as exposure to the other languages spoken have contributed to many Fiji Islanders being bilingual. For general communication in an informal environment, a very interesting cross use of the languages has developed, resulting in slang now commonly referred to as Fiji English. In formal settings, of course, correct usage is adhered to. Fiji English comprises aspects of Fijian, English and Hindi, which reflects the history and identity of the people of Fiji. Fiji English is non-rhotic. . Cultural arts and social polity In culture, its various crafts and music give it an identity along with it traditional etiquette and varying forms of clothing attire, its unique architecture also tells a story of a culture and its evolution, the following will discuss these aspects of culture in Fiji. Arts and crafts Fijis arts and crafts reflect local adaptations of their Polynesian and Melanesian heritage. By tradition, the mens and womens crafts are separate. Womens crafts The village of Na lotu on Kadavu Island is famous for its pottery, the making of which is still governed by strict rituals. Nadroga and Rewa also produce fine pottery. Each region has its own unique style in the making of pottery. Tapa from the Lau Islands in Fiji. The making of Tapa cloth, or (masi), is another craft associated with women. Tapa is made from the bark of the paper mulberry tree and decorated in charcoal with symbolic motifs and various patterns. In modern times, it has become fashionable for a masi to bear the name of the person who made it. Masi are often exchanged as gifts on formal occasions. The island of Vatuelele of the southern coast of Viti Levu is famous for its masi products. Most Fijian mats are made from the leaves of the pandanus tree. The long process of preparation includes scraping and boiling the leaves, and drying them in the sun. There are different mats used for different occasions, and some are made as gifts for formal occasions such as weddings. Most mats are bordered with highly decorative and brightly coloured wool. One well-known Fijian mat is the kuta, made by women in Vanua Levu, particularly Bua. Weaving using various materials was another craft generally mastered by the women but also aspects of weaving were mastered only by the men, various types of weaving practiced were and still are; basket weaving, coconut rope weaving, and coconut leaves weaving. Mens crafts Carving was practiced by the men; carving would be used for items of practical use and simple shapes and design were used. A lot of effort was put into well adorned weapons and items for the home and ceremony, today carving is practiced for its use in tourism and no longer plays a major role in Fijian society and life except in the case of the Tanoa used from drinking Kava. Drua, the most impressive Fijian canoe. Canoe Building was another art practiced only by the men, canoes were not only the major form of communication, but were important in all aspects of Fijian society, from the gathering of food and transporting of crops to use in presentation ceremonies and they were instrumental in wars and politics which were rife in Fiji. 9] The art of Canoe building was varied across the group and had several different types but of a similar design, the Camakau was a small twin hulled canoe for fishing or small transportation purposes, the most impressive of Canoes in Fiji were that of the Drua. In Fijis early history before European involvement, Control of the seaway was a major and decisive objective; disrup ting or cutting off the enemies supply and reinforcements gave great advantage in battle and would ensure victory. Sea battles involving hundreds of canoes were frequent. The canoe, which inspired fear and awe and so often held the balance was the mighty Drua. One of the most elaborate and beautiful artifacts of Oceania, the Drua was a product of considerable group efforts and human sacrifice. Double hulled and of gigantic proportions, the Drua was a masterpiece of design and craftsmanship, requiring total community involvement in its construction and human sacrifice in its launching. 10] Its speed out at sea would be in excess of twenty knots and still remained highly manoeuvrable, it was capable of carrying upward of 150 warriors and took some 6 to 7 years to build and would vary in length from 100 feet to 118 feet and have a mast height of 60 to 70 feet, in the mid-19th century the following accounts were recorded: Up went the huge sail, down went the great steering oars, splashing into the sea, and away we shot like a racehorse. Owing to the great rate at which we were going, the sea was like a hissing cauldron on either side of our course, and the vessel, instead of having time to mount over the smaller waves, cut its way through them. (West, 1869). It had a magnificent appearance with its immense sail of white mats; its velocity was almost inconceivable. (Wilkes, 1840). Ratu Seru Cakobau commanded an impressive fleet which had Several Drua with armed warriors ready for battle the led Canoe was named Rusi I Vanua or Cursed is the land. 11] Much of the art of Canoe building has been lost and only a small few still practice the art on a very small scale as its use in this modern era seems to have lost its place. The craft of Canoe building was traditionally reserved for the male. Performing arts Fijian Rugby Team Performing a Traditional War Dance before their Rugby encounter against Canada. The Meke An indigenous art form is the Meke, which may incorporate the seasea (womens fan dance) or a meke wesi (mens spear dance). It is usually a narrative of an important event such as a war, a chiefly installation, or even a scandal. Some mekes are generations old, and form an important part of Fijis oral history. In olden times, the meke was considered to be an oracle from the gods, and the Dau ni vucu, or composer, would often go into a trance before a performance. Others are modern, composed for a particular event, much as a poet laureate might write a poem to celebrate an event in a Western country. Each district of Fiji has its own form of meke, performed in the local dialect. Other forms of Polynesian and Melanesian dance art forms exist with most widely known being dances of Rotuma and Tonga. There are also various Indian dances and Chinese dances which are performed at relevant festivals marking important times for these communities which are now a part of Culture in Fiji. Music Music of Old Fiji consisted of various chants which often told a story or preserved information to be passed on from generation to generation, these songs used various traditional instruments. With the introduction of European and Asian cultures music in Fiji has evolved and songs sung in the Fijian vernacular are popular but so also are songs in Indian and English, some local artists mix all three languages and traditional instruments from each culture making for a very interesting musical experience. A distinct Indian sound has evolved in Fiji that some see as influencing modern Indian music and even jazz. Clothing and costume The traditional attire was loin cloths for men and grass skirts for women. Skirts were short for single women, and long for married women, with girls wearing virgin locks before marriage. Most ladies of rank had the lower parts of their bodies decorated with tattoos. Chiefs dressed more elaborately. Modern Fijis national dress is the sulu, which resembles a skirt. It is commonly worn by both men and women. One type worn by both men and women is the Sulu va Taga pronounced Sulu vah Tanga which is a wrap around piece of rectangular material which is elaborately decorated with patterns and designs of varying styles this is for more casual and informal occasions. Many men, especially in urban areas, also have Sulu va taga which is a tailored sulu and can be tailored as part of their suit. Many will wear a shirt with a western-style collar, tie, and jacket, with a matching Sulu va taga and sandals, this type of sulu can be worn to a semi formal or formal occasion. Even the military uniforms have incorporated the Sulu va taga as part of their ceremonial dress. Women usually wear a multi-layered Tapa cloth on formal occasions. A blouse made of cotton, silk, or satin, of often worn on top. On special occasions, women often wear a tapa sheath across the chest, rather than a blouse. On other occasions, women may be dressed in a chamba, also known as a sulu I ra, a sulu with a specially crafted top. There are many regional variations throughout Fiji. Residents of the village of Dama, in Bua Province and Cakaudrove i Vanua (Province), Fiji wear finely woven mats called kuta, made from a reed. While traditional and semi-traditional forms of dress are still very much in use amongst indigenous Fijian culture, there is a greater influence for Western and Indian Fashion in urban areas as in neighboring developed nations. Traditions and ceremonies Etiquette in indigenous Fijian ceremony is rather intricate depending on the function as various formalities and presentations which do several things; firstly it shows respect between two communal groups, strengthen tribal and family ties and reinforce social, tribal and family ties. Various items are used in ceremony and surrounded by ceremony, Kava, known in Fiji as yaqona, is Fijis national drink. Traditionally, it was used only in important ceremonies. Nowadays, it is a social beverage. There is a strict protocol associated with yaqona drinking. One should clap once, clasping the hands, take the cup, and drink the yaqona in a single draft before returning the cup to the bearer. Another highly prized item in ceremony is the tabua or Whales tooth, other items also the use of mats (masi) are also used traditionally in ceremony also various regions have tradition that has been passed down generation to generation for centuries one example are the firewalkers of beqa. The Sawau tribe of Beqa are noted for their ability to walk on white hot stones without being burned. 12] Strict rituals have to be observed before the firewalking ceremony. There is an ancient myth about how an ancestor of the Sawau tribe was given this power by a spirit god in exchange for his life, after the god was captured by the man who was fishing for eels. Cuisine The cuisine of Fiji in pre-colonial times consisted of root crops, vegetables, and fruits, as well as various land animals such as wild pig, human, and various birds. The coastal tribes would have had the same, but also had a large amount of local seafood. These would have been prepared with local herbs and spices on wood fire rock ovens. Most cooking areas were located in the center of house so the smoke would repel insects and strengthen the roof thatching. Another popular method of cooking, which is still used today, is the lovo which is an earth oven[13] — a fire made on in a pit in the ground lined with heat-resistant stones. It closely resembles the hangi of the New Zealand Maori. When the stones are hot, food wrapped in (banana) leaves, is placed in the pit, covered with soil and left to cook before being exhumed and eaten. Dishes cooked this way include palusami, parcels of taro leaves saturated with coconut milk, onions, and sometimes tinned meat. Modern Fijian Cuisine is rather diverse with great influence from Indian cuisine and spices. When these are applied to local traditional dishes, it makes for interesting eating. European, Indian, and Chinese variants of cuisine, along with traditional foods, are common place in most, if not all households in Fiji. Architecture A bure kalou, a sketch done in the early 1800s. In Old Fiji, the architecture of villages was simple and practical to meet the physical and social need and to provide communal safety the houses were square in shape and with pyramid like shaped roofs,[14] and the walls and roof were thatched and various plants of practical use were planted nearby, each village having a meeting house and a Spirit house. The spirit house was elevated on a pyramid like base built with large stones and earth, again a square building with an elongated pyramid like [14] roof with various scented flora planted nearby. The houses of Chiefs were of similar design and would be set higher than his subjects houses but instead of an elongated roof would have similar roof to those of his subjects homes but of course on a larger scale. With the introduction of communities from Asia aspects of their cultural architecture are now evident in urban and rural areas of Fijis two main Islands Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. A village structure shares similarities today but built with modern materials and spirit houses (Bure Kalou) have been replaced by churches of varying design. The urban landscape of early Colonial Fiji was reminiscent of most British colonies of the 19th and 20th century in tropical regions of the world, while some of this architecture remains, the urban landscape is evolving in leaps and bounds with various modern aspects of architecture and design becoming more and more evident in the business, industrial and domestic sector, the rural areas are evolving at a much slower rate. Literature The emergence of Fijis literature (as distinct from oral literature) coincides with the countrys transition to independence in 1970. Among the first published works of Fijian literature, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, were Raymond Pillais short stories (in English) and Pio Manoas poetry (in English and in Fijian). More recent notable Fiji writers include Satendra Nandan (poet and novelist), Sudesh Mishra (poet), Larry Thomas (playwright), and Joseph Veramo (novelist). Religion Religion is quite diverse with Christianity being the dominant faith in Fiji. Many Christian denominations are present in Fiji, the most prevalent of which is Methodist. Of the other Asian religions the Hindu faith is dominant, followed by Islam. There are other belief systems observed by Fijians as well. The impact of Christianity The impact of Christianity in the 19th century resulted in certain traditions being proscribed. In the pre-Christian era, human sacrifice was practiced. Men were buried alive to hold the pillars to the house of a chief. Cannibalism was practiced, too:[16] the bodies of enemies slain in battle, or in sacrifice, were piled up and cooked for festivals, such as the installation of chiefs or the launching of a great canoe. 16] Seru Epenisa Cakobau. The Bauan warlord who united the disparate tribes of Fiji and proclaimed himself King in 1871, renounced cannibalism on his conversion to Christianity in 1854. A bure kalou, a pre-Christian Fijian religious Building. Old religion Fijis old religion is no longer practiced by the majority in the indigenous community who have adopted Christianity. Old deities are still acknowledged and respected, but not worshipped. Fijian rituals still exists in private. Demographics Of the various faiths, Christianity is the dominant belief system and ncluding all the various denominations of the Christian faith they number in total 449,482. Hindus, with their various denominations, number in total 261,097. Muslims make up 54,324 of Fijis population. Followers of other belief systems make up 10,166 of Fijis population. Sports Sports culture is unique as different racial mixes and cultures come together in a common interest. Fiji is fanatical about sports and the two most dominant being rugby and soccer. Traditional sports Sports in older times had a practical place, apart from recreation, helping to train young warriors. One such practice would have the older men bring the male children a severely injured captive of war, allowing the boys to practice their archery skills against this living target. There were other sports that were practiced in older times which are not practiced now. Notable traditional sports used to be played were tiqa, ulutoa, veisaga, and veisolo. Modern sports The Fiji sevens team at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. Sports have developed greatly over the past two decades in Fiji with a wide variety of sports undertaken. Fiji is most well known for its prowess in the game of rugby union and in particular rugby sevens. Rugby union Rugby union is the most popular sport in Fiji. The highest level of competition is the Colonial Cup. The Fiji national rugby union team has competed in five Rugby World Cup competitions. The Fijian Rugby Sevens team is constantly one of the top two or three teams in the world, often the premier team. Rugby league Rugby league is a popular team sport played in Fiji. The Fiji national rugby league team is known as Fiji Bati, with the team competing in three Rugby League World Cup competitions. They made it to the semi-finals of the 2008 Rugby League World Cup. Football Football was a minor sport, but over the last decade with further international funding from FIFA and sound local management of the sport has grown in popularity amongst the Indian community initially but now also the Fijian community. Other sports Many sports exist in Fiji and in many ways has its own cultural following, sports such as golf which has been made famous by Fiji athlete Vijay Singh. Sports such as cricket and surfing which was brought to prominence by former world champion and Fiji athlete Tony Philips. Sailing in varying forms, various adventure sports, athletics, various Asian martial arts, boxing, and the list goes on.

Auckland DHB Elderly Care Strategies

Auckland DHB Elderly Care Strategies Auckland DHB is based to part of Auckland City in which they are serving seven wards Avondale/Roskill, Eastern Bays, Eden- Albert (Balmoral), Hobson, Tamaki- Maungakiekie(Penrose), Western Bays and Hauraki Gulf Islands .It has a population of 475,765 people. Eighty seven percent of the Auckland DHB population live within five wards within the Auckland DHB boundary.The other 13% live in either the Manukau ward within the Counties Manukau DHB area, or the Whau ward within Waitemata DHB.Auckland district health board got 10% of the people domiciled in the Auckland DHB district are aged 65 years and over, compared with 12% of NZ population.17% are aged under 15 years, compared with 22% for all of NZOlder People’s Health wards were the first patients moved into the new Auckland City Hospital which is started by Auckland district health board. Auckland district health board has two sites; inpatient services are based at Auckland City Hospital while outpatient and community services are based atGreenlane Clinical Centre. Older Peoples Health looks after the over 65-year-old population of Central Auckland and offers assessment, treatment and rehabilitation services. There are four wards at Auckland City Hospital that form part of the A+ Links Home and Older Peoples Health Service. The four wards are located in the the Support Building. Awatea Ward and Marino Ward are on level 14. Rangi toto Ward and Remuera Ward are on Level 13.These wards work very closely as a team and a unit. There is a strong Interdisciplinary team (IDT) focus on all four wards. This team is made up of nurses, doctors, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, social workers, dieticians, speech language therapists, pharmacists and others, who all make contributions to the patients care. STRATEGIES Auckland District Health Boards vision’s is of a healthy population, and quality health service to the community people need it –Healthy Communities, Quality Healthcare ~ Hei Oranga Tika mo te iti me te Rahi.It is strategic priorities of Auckland district health board that all rest homes and aged residential care facilities are certified and audited to ensure they provide safe, appropriate care for their residents. This is measured by seeing how they perform against the standards set out in theHealth and Disability Services (Safety) Act 2001. HEALTH OF OLDER PEOPLE STRATEGY {2001} It is cooperated on the national level where Auckland District health board is doing this by putting up policies in Auckland to improve and giving standard of life to old people by giving them appropriate services. Health and support services and programmes specially made to facilitate the wellbeing of the aged people, it also controls over the lives and their capability to participate and capability to social life, family, whanau and community life. OBJECTIVES It provides the planning to support the growth of quality health and support services integrated around the needs of older people. Funding will be managed and services delivered to increase timely access for the quality life integrated health and support services for older people, family, whanau and caregivers. The Hauora needs of Older Maori and their (whanau) family will be given by different appropriate programmes which are going to support them. Special requirement of services should be recognise to support unique position of Maori living in Aotera as Maori. The New Zealand Positive Ageing Strategy The 1999 International Year of Older Persons prompted the development of a New Zealand strategy promoting the value of older people.In the this strategy they state the aged people live positively and grow properly in there elderly age. Positively strategy is also takes account the health, financial security, independence, self- fulfilment, personal safety and living environment of older Auckland District citizens. The New Zealand Positive Ageing Strategy provides a framework for developing and understanding policy with implications for older people. POLICIES Auckland DHB A+ Links Older Peoples Health Older Peoples Health (OPH) Serviceprovides inpatient and outpatient care and is spread over two sites; inpatient services are based at Auckland City Hospital while outpatient and community services are based atGreenlane Clinical center. They also have the interdisciplinary day assessment includes Stroke Clinic, Parkinsons Clinic and Auckland City Memory Service. Also available is the Community Rehabilitation Programme to assist people who need some assistance to get back to how they were functioning prior to illness or who need help with the transition back to their home situation after a period in hospital. Home Health Service provides community based healthcare for adults 16 years and over living in Central Auckland. It is based atGreenlane Clinical Centre. Dementia Pathways We will increase access to early onset dementia services.We will help to develop a greater range and level of skill within the Aged Residential Care sector.Overall, we want to see safer practice in working with older people across both inpatient and community settings.This will also depend on increasing service accountability and the reporting of clinical issues. SENIORLINE Support of carer- In this old person can get a support of carer on full time basis from district health board. FUNDING Auckland DHB received $1074.6 million in funding in 2014/15 from Ministry of health Funding increases as a result of growth over the last 3 years were as follows: $21.9 million in 2014/15 $21.4 million in 2013/14 $32.2 million in 2012/13. They also get public funding to serve aged people of Auckland District from NGO’s. TERMINOLOGY Terminology is meant to be the word which is used in different settings of science and in forensic science to name some special characters of some incidents and reactions in chemical. The old age person in the old age socially they called geriatric or elderly. Old age person- As the age recognised socially for the human being which is 65 years and they called retired people. ATTITUDES it is define how the people look the old age person, some of them are think they rely on their kids on the governments to live their lives. The elderly people with dementia they are isolated from the community in the mental institutions. Elderly people are undervalued by the young generation and discriminated against especially with loss of health and income. STEREOTYPES People start commenting them by words like useless or the words which hurts their dignity and respect. Person with cognitive impairments are socially isolated from community and from the family sometime. Most of dementia clients those with serious illness are unable to make decisions for their own lives where some of the families feel burden on them start suggesting them to go live separate or in rest home facilities. BARRIERS It is problem where elderly people get abused at home where they have to do home cleanings and home works like lawn moving, vacuuming. They also neglected most of the times due to their unwillingness and the diseases for the social parties in the families. Society starts undervaluing them when they starts going towards their retirement and they hurts their dignity where they feel disrespectful for themselves. They create image of elderly person of negative energy due to their suggestive nature to young people from their experience which always suggest them to do right things or in proper manners, these things also varies from culture or to religion. 2.3 SERVICE PROVISION All the service provided to aged people through hospitals their primary services and the services which they get from community. General practitioner- for the routines check up Hospitals- for the emergencies and accidents Work and income- for their financial part of their life Citizen’s bureau- for first time information NZ Positive Ageing Strategy (2001) Health Of People Strategy (2002) Above strategies helps to improve their quality of life improving their policies from their past years data gathering from their regional statics. ACESS FRAMEWORK RESTHOME FACILITY- it is started from GP first he assess the elderly person how much care they need for themselves, if it is fell dependence then they ask them to go for NASC assessment to get full service. Ministry of health – incorporate the strategies Auckland District Health Boards- Corporate the policies and strategies stated by Ministry of Health for Auckland District. They can access WINZ for their financials though their website. www.wins.govt.nz REFERENCES A Links Needs Assessment and Service Co-ordination (NASC) †¢ Healthpoint. (n.d.). Retrieved February 21, 2015, from http://www.healthpoint.co.nz/public/older-peoples-health/a-links-needs-assessment-and-service-co-ordination/ Seniorline Home. (n.d.). Retrieved February 21, 2015, from http://www.adhb.govt.nz/SeniorLine Auckland DHB. (n.d.). Retrieved February 21, 2015, from http://www.health.govt.nz/new-zealand-health-system/my-dhb/auckland-dhb Residential care. (n.d.). Retrieved February 22, 2015, from http://www.health.govt.nz/new-zealand-health-system/publicly-funded-health-and-disability-services/residential-care HEALTH OF OLDER PEOPLE STRATEGY {2001}. Retrieved February 23, 2015, from http://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/publications/olderplebb.pdf The positive ageing Startegy Retrieved February 22, 2015, from https://www.msd.govt.nz/what-we-can-do/seniorcitizens/positive-ageing/strategy/

The Gang Issue of America Essay -- Legal Issues, Crimes

Gangs are very dangerous to everyone in society. â€Å"Gangs are groups of people (mostly young males) who band together for protection and a sense of belonging. The U.S. Department of Justice officially defines a youth gang as a group of young people involved in criminal activity† (Gangs 1). About one million gang members are in more than 20,000 criminally active gangs in the United States. Also, that group of about one million people is accountable for up to eighty percent of our nation’s crimes. Since 2005, gangs have nationally added about 200,000 members to the already high total (Targeting Gangs 1). This is why more action from the community needs to be taken to help with the growing gang-related crimes here in America. Additionally, what kinds of people are in gangs? To begin with, Latinos make up forty-nine percent of gang member population; African-Americans, thirty-four percent; White, ten percent; Asian, six percent; and the other one percent is just the â€Å"other† category (â€Å"Facts About Gangs† 109). Also in 1996, the National Youth Gang Survey stated that members of gangs were fifty percent adolescents (under eighteen years of age) and fifty percent were adults (eighteen or older). In that survey during 2006, the number of juveniles dropped to only being thirty-six and one half percent of members, on the other hand, the percentage of adult gang members consisted of sixty-three and one half percent of the gang population (Gangs 1-2). Gang members wear similar types of clothing; which is a T-shirt, tennis shoes, and either nicely creased blue jeans or khaki Dickies (baggy men's pants or shorts). Also a member usually has a patterned bandana hanging out of his back pocket; also around his pants is a cloth belt that almost re... ... possible that gangs and gang violence will be stopped completely. With help from the communities in every city and town it is possible to stop and decrease the excessive number of gang members and gang-related crimes. We need to remember that there are many possible ways to help decrease the population size of gangs in America. Some different alternatives to being in a gang are alternatives in the school and community, educational programs for parents and children, and arresting some hard-core gang members and leaders. It is necessary for the safety of the future American citizens to start the process of controlling and containing gangs now. Without helping stop gang membership, America will become more violent and dangerous for innocent people. This is why more action from the community needs to be taken to help with the growing gang-related crimes in America.

Werther as the Prototypical Romantic in Sorrows of Young Werther Essay

Werther as the Prototypical Romantic in Sorrows of Young Werther In Goethe's Sorrows of Young Werther, the protagonist's characteristics and ideas define him as the prototypical romantic personality.   The Romantic Movement emphasizes emotion over reason, an idea that Werther emulates throughout his life.   Werther loves pastoral settings; in nature, he feels most in touch with his emotions.   He rejects rationality and complexity with the sentiment that life is an adventure to be guided by intuition.   Werther's longing for his love, Lotte, is a paradigm of the Romantic concept of sehnsucht, one's constant yearning for something that they will never possess or know.   Werther finds Lotte to be the object of his hopeless desire, but social conventions of a world based on reason keep her just out of his reach.   His unrequited passion for Lotte ultimately destroys him as his frustrated melancholy drowns every other aspect of his personality.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Werther's love of the countryside illustrates his appreciation of the untamed emotion to be found in natural settings.   He believes that an artist can only become great by drawing nature scenes, and considers those who do not appreciate the beauty of the world to be unhealthy.   Werther escapes the rules and regulations that saturate the rational world in pastoral settings such as Wahlheim, where he finds that "I can be myself and experience every happiness known to man"   (43).   He can best sense the presence of God and his spiritual self in nature, and develops some of his deepest connections with Lotte.   Werther is deeply saddened when someone with "no feeling at all for the few things on this earth that are of real value" cuts down the beautiful walnut trees in f... ...iliar sense of yearning that will never be fulfilled.   Werther realizes that death is the only way to end his misery.   Like the insane man picking flowers, Werther has found Lotte as his reason, but death is the only way to lose it again.   Werther is deeply sympathetic for the murderer at Wahlheim because he feels every bit of his hopelessness and sees the man's fate as his own.   The judge reasonably refuses to overlook the law merely because the man allowed emotions to control his actions, and his words, "The man is doomed," might as well have been directed to Werther   (106).   Werther is helpless to his longing, bringing him "to his sad end, lost in a fantastic sensitivity and infinite passion"   (107).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Work Cited Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von. The Sorrows of Young Werther. Trans. Elizabeth Mayer and Louis Bogan. 1774; New York: Random House, 1970.

Essay --

The Effects of Cool- and Warm-Season Mites One of the most damaging, difficult to see and even harder to control invasive insect species is the mite. The vast majority of these plant-destroying insects fit into one of two categories: warm-season mites and cool-season mites. Both groups are characterized by their extremely small size and ability to swarm and damage plants quickly. Warm-season mites are only active during the spring and summer, while cool-season mites remain active throughout the colder days of spring and fall. Mite species are completely dormant in winter, though cool-season species can hatch on particularly warm days in January and February. Adult mites are generally oval-shaped and are less than a millimeter long. They often appear as very small red, white, green or brown dots, and can be difficult to detect against branches and leaves. One of the best ways to check for a cool- or warm-season mite infestation is to hold a sheet of white paper beneath a leaf and gently shake the branch. The tiny mites will drop onto the sheet and can be identified when they move. Plant-eating mites can be distinguished from predatory mites by squashing the mites and examining the streaks they produce. Green streaks indicate plant-damaging mites, while red or brown streaks indicate predatory mites. Predatory mites are helpful for controlling plant-eating mites, and should not be eradicated. Both cool- and warm-season mites affect a wide range of plants, including trees, shrubs, flowers, vegetables and fruiting plants, and can pose a significant control issue when present on indoor plants. Mites damage trees by sucking chlorophyll directly from the leaves and needles of trees, hindering the plant’s ability to photosynthesize. ... ...eep your plants healthy and protected. Mites are prone to attacking stressed or sick plants, so keeping your trees and shrubs fertilized and well-watered is imperative for ensuring plant protection. Another effective method is to simply hose the plant down with a powerful stream of water. This technique dislodges the mites, but must be done 3- to 4-times a day over a sustained period of time. The use of insecticides, such as Abacideâ„ ¢ 2 from Mauget, is recommended when large infestations can be observed using the white paper technique. Abacide 2 is an injectable, closed-system insecticide formulated to prevent damaging insect infestations. Late summer and fall applications help bolster the plant’s defenses against spring attacks. Abacide 2 is safe for use on nurseries, orchards, woodland and ornamental trees, public parks and commercial or residential properties.

Erikson’s Theory Essay

When discussing the development theory, Erikson had been the frontier with many major contributions. Unlike Freud and Piaget, Erikson’s theory of development focused much more on social interactions. While most of us agreed that children do become toilet-trained between ages one and three, Erikson’s theory also went further to acknowledge that children also learn to talk, walk, feed themselves, etc. In order to understand Erikson’s theory of development, we need to focus on three main principles: dynamic balance of opposites, vital involvement and life in time. Dynamic balance of opposites: There are two opposing tendencies in dynamic balance of opposites: dystonic (negative) and syntonic (positive). Erikson believed there were eight stages, and at each one, the individual resolved a crisis between the positive (syntonic) and negative (dystonic) tendencies (Erikson & Kivnick 1986). A resolution of crisis does not mean that a person rejects either syntonic or dystonic completely, but rather that a person should find a balance between two of those tendencies. For instance, our American culture has frequently taught parents to never say â€Å"no† to their children because that could potentially damage a child’s self-esteem. However, Erikson would disagree and say that children do need to hear â€Å"no† sometimes to understand that the whole world does not revolve around them. Erikson would also say that telling the child â€Å"no† all of the time is bad as well. Vital involvement depends on the balance of syntonic and dystonic tendencies. Vital Involvement: Erikson developed eight stages of development. First, the trust versus mistrust stage, where infants start to learn that either the world is good and can be trusted, or is bad and can’t be trusted (Erikson et.al 1986). For instance, Erikson would state that babies learn to trust their caregivers for not letting them go hungry, but babies also learn to mistrust their caregivers for yelling at them and not feeding them consistently. Second, the autonomy versus shame and doubt stage where children learn about their own â€Å"selves† which is separate from their caregivers (Erikson et.al 1986). In this stage, children usually develop their own will and desires and apply  them well by saying â€Å"no†. When children start to feel comfortable using â€Å"no† as a way to reach their desires, they have reached the initiative versus guilt stage. In this stage, children learn to internalize values from the elder and also acquire the sense of guilt for wrongdoing. The next stage is industry versus inferiority where children explore the greater world in elementary school and their surroundings. Erikson did pay a lot of attention in the identity versus confusion stage because it focuses on adolescents and their identity crisis. Fidelity is the heart of identity because adolescents share some of their parent’s values, as well as develop their own. The last three stages include intimacy versus isolation, generativity versus stagnation, and integrity versus despair. Each of these stages focuses greatly on the continuity of human development until death. Erikson recognized that there are certain time periods when it might be easier for some to develop and harder for others to develop, depending on the environment that influence them. For instance, some children who faced hardships (family separation, family violence, etc.) might have trouble in certain stages or even all of the stages, depending on where the factors start. Life in time: Erikson referred to his theory of development as epigenesis. Epigenesis is relevant to evolution (the past and the future) and genetics. Erikson explained, â€Å"†¦epi can mean ‘above’ in space as well as ‘before’ in time, and connected with genesis can well represent the space-time nature of all development† (Erikson et.al 1986). Erikson did not refer epigenetic to individual genetic make-up and how it influences individual development. Rather, Erikson was concerned with how personality and behavior is influenced after birth and so on. For instance, my mother has had a hard time adjusting with American culture when we first migrated here from Vietnam. My sister and I started to adapt to the new culture right away—from clothing style, hairstyle, hobbies, etc. in which my mother had a very difficult time to accept. She wanted us to keep our traditional customs at home, as well as outside our home. At first, we felt reluctant because we felt she did not understand the importance of â€Å"fitting-in† at school. However, as we started college, my sister and I started to realize that our culture and traditions are unique and understand where my mother was coming from (Identity/ confusion stage). Conclusion: Erikson had dedicated his life by contributing to developmental psychology in major ways. Erikson’s theory of development is still widely used and studied by many scholars.

Successful Property Development

Throughout this paper the masculine gender is used when referring to developers. This is purely for convenience and does not imply that successful developers have to be male. Demand for new buildings from tenants and owner occupiers is the basis of all commercial property development in the United Kingdom. A typical development scheme will be initiated by a developer identifying a demand for a new building or buildings in a certain location. A major office user for example may wish to combine a number of regional offices into one new building able to accommodate new echnology and enable all of the Company's departments to be housed under one roof. The image to be presented by the new building will also be important and the Company may prefer a prominent town centre location with easy rail access or a fringe of town location on the motorway network. The experienced developer will know that if a development is to be successful the location must be the one which will appeal to tenants or purchasers who will either pay rent or a capital sum to occupy the property. There are many examples of unsuccessful schemes which failed because of poor location. With shopping centre evelopment the choice can be very subtle and a slightly ‘off-pitch' location may be enough to discourage tenants from leasing shop units in the new centre. If a site for a new development is identified and the site (or redundant buildings) is available for purchase, planning consent for the scheme must be sought from the Local Authority. It is usually the case that the developer will have concentrated on those locations where the planners will support development proposals and planning consent is likely to be received. If the location is correct and planning consent is likely the developer must also rrange finance to buy the site, build the scheme and let (or sell) it. He may also wish to sell the completed income producing investment. If he does so and the money he receives from the sale of the investment is more than the capital and interest he borrowed to build the scheme, he will receive a monetary profit. There are many sources of finance for developers but conventionally money will be borrowed from banks to buy the site and build a scheme with long term finance being provided by life assurance funds and pension funds. Long term finance in this ontext means the purchase of the completed investment by the fund which will enable the developer to repay all his short term debt and (hopefully) give him a profit. The investment market and development market are therefore closely linked and the developer will be mindful of the fund's requirements from the start of the development process. The most common form of development funding which involves the institutions if known as ‘profit erosion, priority yield'. This method allows the developer to borrow most of his short term finance from the institution and not pay it back until the cheme is completed and let. At this time the fund takes over the scheme in return for providing the developer's short term monies. The developer departs with a lump sum fee for carrying out the project which will be calculated by capitalising that amount of rent from the scheme which will be calculated by capitalising that amount of rent from the scheme which exceeds the fund's required return on the money lent; in other words its ‘priority yield'. Even if the rent from the scheme does not exceed the fund's priority yield, the developer will still receive a fee but obviously not as uch as he would get if he lets the building(s) at a high rent. There are many other types of development funding some of which are described in ‘Property and Money' by Michael Brett (see the bibliography at the back of this booklet). The developer will employ a professional team to design and cost the proposed building. The architect as leader of the design team has a crucial role to interpret his client's intentions and produce a design which will meet the requirements of tenants, planners and long term funders. Other commentators such as journalists, he general public, and the Prince of Wales may also criticise the design of a scheme where it is perceived to be ugly or inappropriate for its location. Successful commercial development requires therefore a combination of good location, planning consent, good design and funding. Even if these factors are present the scheme may still fail, at least in the short term, if the economy is weak and firms cannot expand. This introduction provides a resume of a typical development and the process can now be considered in more detail. The Developer The developer is the instigator of the scheme. He provides the entrepreneurial flair to identify the development opportunity and bring it to a successful conclusion. In doing so he will make use of established relationships with commercial estate agents and his knowledge of the occupier market. Most large development companies specialise in particular areas of the market. Slough Estates for example, built its reputation in the development of industrial and warehouse property whereas Hammersons developed the first shopping mall in the United Kingdom at Brent Cross. Some life assurance funds act as their own developer and one example is Norwich Union in the development of the Bentalls centre in Kingston on Thames. Various government agencies also act as developers such as District and Regional Health Authorities with hospital building. Increasingly, the newly privatised utilities will carry out their own developments. There are many types of developers. Some are ‘developer traders' who build with a view to selling the scheme when it is complete. Others will develop and hold the completed investment in their investment portfolio. Some developers are quoted on the stock exchange and others are little more than one man bands. Throughout the development process, but crucially at the start before funds are committed, the commercial developer will carry out an appraisal which will predict the eventual profits to be earned from the scheme. A considerable amount of work has to be done to produce a full appraisal as all the costs of the scheme have to be considered. The site itself will have to be fully investigated and this will involve bore hole surveys to enable the structural engineer to estimate the cost of the foundations. An environmental impact study may be required before planning consent is forthcoming. With the assistance of his agent, the developer will also predict the rent which the scheme will produce and (if the investment is to be sold), the investment value. If a scheme is to be successful the investment value less all capital and interest costs will have to leave an acceptable profit. If a developer has used rents in the appraisal which are too high, perhaps in expectation of rent rises in the development period, he may eventually make no profit at all and the scheme (from the developer's viewpoint) will have failed. To avoid risk and to attract other tenants to a development, a developer will often eek a pre-let tenant for a scheme. Before construction starts, a tenant will sign an agreement to lease all or part of the scheme at an agreed rent. This is particularly valuable in shopping centre development where an anchor tenant such as a department store will make a commitment before development commenced, thereby giving confidence to other lessees to take shop units. A developer who borrows money to buy a site, construct a building, and seek lessees will have no appreciable earnings until the scheme is let. It would be difficult therefore, for any interest on capital borrowed to be repaid during the development period. It is usually the case that interest is repaid as a lump sum when the fully let investment is eventually sold. Interest in these circumstances is said to be ‘rolled up' until the end of the development period. In arranging finance, the developer will often have a short term interest in the scheme, whereas the fund purchasing the investment when fully let, has a long term interest. Funds are, therefore, particularly interested in tenant quality in the longer term and building flexibility which may not be of primary importance to the developer. Local Authorities may initiate development, particularly retail, by making town centre ites available on ground leases to developers. The Authority will have a long term interest in the scheme's success, as they will receive a grounds rent, probably geared to the full rental value of the development. Not all developers have a short term interest in a development. Major developers may hold completed investments in a portfolio rather than ar range long term finance by selling the investment to a fund. Planning In the words of Clara Green ‘planning applications (like prayers) receive one of three answers – yes, no or yes but. ‘ The process can be one of great frustration and ifficulty for developers and for a major scheme it is usual for a specialist planning consultant to be employed to negotiate a consent with the Local Authority. Planning law is complicated but in general terms, planning consent is required for most major building in the United Kingdom. The department of the Environment is responsible for planning and the Secretary of State for the Environment is advised by teams of professional planners, surveyors and architects. All applications are made to local councils and it is only the most important or controversial applications which will be of interest to the higher tier of overnment. Most applications are, therefore, decided locally although the Secretary of State may decide to call in any application at his or her discretion. To obtain planning permission, an application will be made to the District Council although applications in the future also may be considered by the new unitary authorit ies. The developer can choose the type of application he wishes to make. If he wishes to seek approval to the principle of development, he can make an outline application. This is sometimes referred to as a red line application, as a red ine is drawn around the site plan supporting the application. If consent is granted, this will be subject to reserved matters and the developer will have to seek a subsequent consent for these detailed matters later. Alternatively a full application may be made which will include all detailed matters as well as the basic principles. The Local Authority will decide the application in the context of plans which will have been previously published and approved by the Secretary of State. Under the present two tier system of Local Government, the County Councils produce structure lans for their area which show in strategic terms the type and location of development which will be permitted during the period of the plan. The District Councils produce local plans which deal with detailed matters related to specific areas of land. If the planning application does not accord with the local plan, the Local Authority will be justified in refusing the application but obviously a developer would be unwise to make an application of this type. Structure plans have a life of between 5 and 15 years and comprise a lengthy written statement supported by explanatory diagrams. The important matters dealt with in the structure plan are strategic matters such as tourism and leisure, waste disposal, new housing, employment and transport. The Authority has a two month period in which to decide an application but it can ask the applicant for more time. If the application is refused the applicant can appeal to the Secretary of state and the matter in the majority of cases, will be decided by a Government Inspector. In major cases, the Inspector will make recommendations to the Secretary of State who will, after advice, take a decision. There may also be a Public Local Enquiry here evidence is heard by the Inspector over a number of days from all interested parties. In producing their structure and local plans as well as deciding applications, Councils have to take into account policy statement produced by the government. These are called Planning Policy Guidance Notes (PPGs) and they are published or amended from time to time. Two of the most important are PPG 6 which relates to out of town retail development and PPG 13 which deals with transport. There are a total of 25 PPGs and many are frequently revised. For example a new PPG 12 was produced in April 1999. This revision emphasised the importance of regional planning which now has it own PPG (PPG 11) and also stressed the government's commitment to a plan led system. Any developer seeking to build against government guidance as stated in the PPGs faces a long, expensive and uncertain battle and therefore is well advised to tailor development proposals to accord with published guidance. The government is at pains to demonstrate that the plan led system is sensitive to demographic changes and this is seen in the revisions to PPG 3 (Housing) which take account of the prediction that ‘7 out of ten new ouseholds forming over the next 20 years are likely to be single person households' (Nick Raynsford, Housing and Planning Minister). A topical revision PPG 25 (Flood Risk) which aims to avoid development in flood risk areas and emphasises a precautionary approach in marginal areas with flood defences to be shown to be in place (and paid for by the developer) before development is approved. The Development Team The team will be employed by the developer at the start of a project and it role will encompass design, costing, funding and marketing. In summary its functions are as follows: Architect The Architect is the leader and coordinator of the design team who has a major role in interpreting his client's requirements and producing a design brief. The brief establishes the client's basic requirements and from this the Architect and other members of the design team will produce detailed design drawings. These will eventually be given to selected building contractors who will tender for the job of constructing the building. During construction, the Architect will inspect the work as it proceeds on behalf of his client. Because the Architect's work is so important he ill be paid a fee based on a percentage of the total cost of the building work. For a new building this will normally be between 4% and 5% of the cost of the work. Quantity Surveyor The Quantity Surveyor estimates the eventual cost of the new building and will produce regular cost checks as the design is developed. Before tenders are invited from building contractors, he will inform the client of the estimated cost of the works (the pre-tender estimate) and the client can then proceed to tender with confidence. Services and Structural Engineers In some instances the engineers will be responsible for producing design drawings nd specifications of the building services (air-conditioning, electrical installation etc) and the structure (foundations, structural frame). Increasingly however, the services engineer will only produce a statement of how the services will perform (a performance specification) rather than a full design. In these circumstances, design becomes the responsibility of the contractor. Estate Agents Developers usually have established relationships with firms of estate agents who will be aware of development opportunities. The agent will also provide marketing advice and will be responsible for letting the building. Other Consultants Other consultants include solicitors, landscape architects and planning consultants. With some complicated and large schemes, a project manager may oversee the project on behalf of the client. Specialist noise or environmental consultants may be required where development will take place in environmentally sensitive areas where special planning conditions have been imposed. Successful Schemes A scheme will be successful if its location and design has attracted a number of first class tenants and will continue to do so in the future should any tenants vacate. A uccessful scheme will provide a secure and growing investment for the eventual long term investor as well as an adequate monetary profit for the developer. There are many reasons why development schemes are unsuccessful, some of which are discussed below: Poor Location This is the most obvious but nevertheless very common reason for failure. A shopping scheme may be located where there is a lack of pedestrian flow. An office building may be located where vehicular access is difficult or the chosen site does not provide the required image and identity for the tenant/s. On a wider scale, he development may be located in a city which is in decline, to the detriment of long term investment quality. Some commentators are casting doubt on the future quality of fringe of town retail warehousing schemes which do not have the support of an established town centre. Poor Design A shopping centre must be designed to maximise pedestrian flow and enable shoppers to both park and gain easy access. If the design fails to do this, the public may avoid the centre and tenants will be hard to find. Also shopping centres must allow frequent changes of image and must provide the correct ambience for the ublic. Attention to detail with the internal design will allow this to benefit the investment. Thee are many examples of office buildings constructed in the 1960's and 1970's which do not provide the necessary ducting and image for modern tenants using today's technology. These developments may have been regarded as successful when they were first constructed, but in terms of a long term investment are of dubious quality. Lack of flexibility with many buildings means that where occupier requirements change the buildings cannot and voids are the result. Increased Costs during Design or Construction If a developer allows costs to increase, he will eventually make no profit whatsoever from the scheme. If costs increase beyond those used in the appraisal the developers profit will be eroded. The expertise of the design team to contain costs whilst, at the same time, producing a quality building is of vital importance but sometimes mistakes are made. A lack of coordination between building work and services is a typical example leading to redesign, delay and increased costs. Planning Errors When a contract is awarded to a contractor, it is important that the site of the evelopment is firstly in the legal control of the developer and secondly the same site for which planning consent has been granted. There have been many examples of mistakes in this area to the detriment of the project. Empty Property A newly built shopping centre with few tenants is clear evidence of a scheme which falls short of success. There are many examples amongst those centres completed during the recession. As with office and warehousing property pre-let tenants are particularly valuable in recessionary periods. Public Sector Development The Private Finance Initiative. In the past public sector development such as roads, hospitals and bridges were built by government contracting with the private sector for the design and construction works. Civil servants and their consultants would work to precise specifications of what was required to be built. When the development was complete the government would then be responsible for running the completed hospital, road or whatever to the benefit of the public. The Private ~Finance Initiative (or PFI) is intended to revolutionise the traditional method of producing public facilities described above. It was conceived in 1992 during Norman Lamont's troubled chancellorship and was vigorously supported by his successor Kenneth Clarke. In essence PFI only required the government to state how the building is to be used and the performance it must achieve. The private sector is then invited to tender for the design, construction and running of the new facility. The reward for doing this is negotiated with the government agency responsible for the facility and will usually take the form of a regular monetary payment so long as the facilities provided continue to meet the agreed criteria. Kenneth Clarke stated that PFI is ‘a radical and far reaching change in capital investment in public services which will break down further barriers between the public and private sectors'. The central argument in favour of PFI is that the private sector is more capable of promoting efficiency than government and will provide business solutions to public sector requirements. It is also argued that the risks of increased construction and running costs, which appears to be a feature of public sector schemes, will disappear with PFI where all the risks are borne by the private sector. Critics of PFI point out that it is extremely difficult to produce a performance specification for, say, a highly complex building such as a hospital and this will lead to private sector contractors being allowed to cut corners to the detriment of the public. It is also pointed out that the government can always borrow money more cheaply than the private sector and that this will inevitably lead to increased costs which will be passed on to the public. The change of government in May 1997 led to a thorough review of the experience gained from using PFI in the previous five years. Malcolm Bates was appointed to arry out a review which resulted in 29 recommendations aimed at rationalising and reinvigorating the PFI process. The ‘Treasury Taskforce' was the government's response to the review and this body consisted mainly of city financiers who were charged with building up PFI expertise in government. The taskforce had a life of three years and is replaced by ‘Partnerships UK' which will operate as a joint private/public consultancy to assist with the PFI process. There are currently hundreds of PFI schemes in the process of completion and the present government is wedded to this form of procurement for public sector projects.