GLI roundup

I haven’t written much on GLI lately, so there are a number of new developments:

Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend
After 2008’s record high payment of $3,269, there were fears that there would be no Permanent Fund Dividend for 2009 because the Permanent Fund’s revenues were severely hit by the onset of the recession. After a modest recovery, the Fund paid a dividend of $1,305 to every Alaskan resident in 2009. This works out to $5,220 for a family of four.

The world’s only basic income program remains highly popular among Alaskans of every political stripe. There have been two recent proposals from lawmakers, however. One proposal, sponsored by two Democrats, would see the Permanent Fund Dividend enshrined in the state Constitution. (Currently, the constitution guarantees the existence of the Fund, but not the annual Dividend to citizens). Another, from the Republican Speaker of the House, is to use some of the Fund’s income to pay for a natural gas pipeline. This proposal would diminish the amount paid to citizens by the Dividend. Unsurprisingly, support is divided along party lines.

Brazilian pilot project
Villagers in Quatinga Velho have the option of receiving a monthly basic income under a pilot project run by ReCivitas in Brazil. A monthly cash grant of R$ 30 ($17 CDN) is paid without condition to all local residents who wish to participate. Initially, there was a lot of skepticism about the project, and only 27 villagers chose to participate. The number of participants is now up to 67.

The project is financed by a consortium formed specially for this program. The program began in October 2008 with a one-year term. After a year, it was decided to extend the program for another year. ReCivitas reports that even though the income is not enough to live off of, positive impacts on people’s lives can already be seen.

Haiti
When the earthquake in Port-au-Prince destroyed lives and buildings by the thousands, it also destroyed crucial infrastructure of state, including finance. The result is that many in Haiti – regardless of location – will go without pay for several months until the infrastructure can be rebuilt. Alain Massot of the University of Laval suggests that a basic income is one of the most useful ways the world can use in response to a natural disaster like Haiti’s. It ensures that everyone retains a livable level of income, and circumvents the problem of corruption preventing aid from reaching the poorest of the poor. It would also provide an opportunity for international organizations like the World Bank to make a positive contribution towards the realization of basic human rights for everyone.

Namibia
Namibia’s two-year pilot project in Otjivero-Omitaro ended in 2009. The project’s results have been extremely positive, as documented by the one year report. The Namibian Basic Income Grant coalition has decided to keep paying local residents a bridging allowance, since the Namibian government has not yet committed to a nation-wide basic income program. However, the coalition remains hopeful that within the next two years, the government will implement a national program.

The project and its impact were featured in a BBC documentary series called “A dollar a day.”

Upcoming Events
BIEN Canada will be co-organising a major conference in collaboration with the US Basic Income Guarantee network (USBIG) on 15-16 April 2010 at the Unversity of Montréal, hosted by the Centre de recherche en éthique de l’Université de Montréal (CRÉUM).

This first collaboration between the US and Canadian chapters of the Basic Income Earth Network (BIEN). Basic Income at a Time of Economic Upheaval: A Path to Justice and Stability? aims to compare the prospects and challenges faced by the BIG proposal in the context of both Canada and the US, two countries that share many similarties and yet are profoundly different in terms of their economic, social and political background.

For more information – including the conference program – visit the conference website. CPJ is on the list of presenters!

For those in Ottawa, one of the featured speakers of the conference, Guy Standing, will be at Carleton University on April 19. He will be speaking about his new book, Work after Globalization: Building Occupational Citizenship. The event takes place from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. in 2017 Dunton Tower.