In the field of marketing management, the acronym AIDA is suggested to promote product sales. AIDA stands for: Awareness, Interest, Desire and then Action. This assumed human behaviour is also suggested as a driver for impulse buys. How many times has your mind signalled you to make a purchase on a product you do not really need or want? Retailers can also be too clever for their own good by placing product’s in particular shelf positions. For example, exploiting both reach and line of sight human traits.

I recently read about some purchases being made by a king of poverty and disease struck country. I wondered what criteria he was applying before buying presents or luxury items for himself. One of his purchases is the Maybach car – It includes an integrated television, DVD player, 21-speaker surround-sound system, fridge, cordless telephone and sterling silver champagne flutes. He is also reported to have 11 wives and 2 fiancees. In addition, his particular country has nearly 40% of adults diagnosed as HIV positive. In recent years, he has asked parliament for $15m to build a palace for each of his spouses and $45m to buy a jet. NB Street protests led to him abandoning the plans to buy a luxury jet. Given a rise in income or receiving a financial bonus, our selection criteria and capacity to spend will inevitably rises. The question is to what level and is it controllable? When spending becomes uncontrollable or without purpose, the person doing the spending can be branded as a Spendthrift – One who spends money profusely or improvidently; a prodigal; one who lavishes or wastes their estate. One argument suggests that if you are a rich successful businessperson, lottery winner or Oil tycoon, you have a ‘disposable’ amount to spend on yourself as your ‘Spending power’ has just leaped. This is not to imply that those with riches (£$) do not assist or contribute to charity organisations. Instead, maybe their (rich folks) reality of worth moves into a different dimension. Establishing a form of personal tax saving world funds could be one way of balancing our need to spend and delivering vital essential needs of the many. We have to also consider responsible spending by developing countries. Should we allow these (developing) countries a free reign on spending policy or strive for charities to work with governments to establish intra-country funds. What we do need is a sense of sincerity, empathy and recognition that although everyone wants to survive and enjoy life, unfortunately, basic needs in the form of clean water, education and health care are too far behind in many countries. We should all aim to help to ‘fix’ these issues through an acceptance that we are a world family. Giving the gift of survival should be at the top of all of our luxury item list.

Take for example, the question of identity cards. Is there a need for one or does the government want to place an additional mechanism to track its population? I am sure we all agree that we wish to live in a safe and secure country. Maybe the reasoning or desire behind the identity card issue is the need to simply verify identities and stop possible terrorism. However, civil liberty groups consider the introduction of the identity card as a device to restrict personal freedom.

Some anti-id card protesters suggest that ID cards would contain selective biometric information, for example, iris scans or fingerprints. ID cards would probably be required to attain employment, use a banking system, use the national health service, vote, buy a house, receive benefits, drive or travel abroad – thereby preserving the status quo, Or some cynics may suggest a capitalist society. Therefore, any organisation or individual which threatens the status quo is a potential target of organisations on the side of large firms such as the ‘security services’ and police. ID cards could be used to increase the surveillance of certain activists that disagree with specific government policies – therefore constraining voices of concern or freedom of speech. Just imagine if the anti-poll tax protesters of the past during the 1980s had been gagged. In addition, ID cards would fail to significantly combat crime or ‘terrorism’ since criminals would easily be able to forge the cards or obtain ID cards for other people illegally. There appears to be a fear that the introduction of such cards would subtly facilitate an Orwell type ‘1984’ culture. Recently a firm that supplies loyalty cards to a large supermarket chain denied an accusation that it was monitoring and analysing consumer purchases patterns.

On a positive note, ID cards could in time replace carrying physical money or replace the multitude of cards that we carry, including other types of identification, for example: our passport and driving licence. The reality is that there is a cost for each of us to own the new id cards – New Labour have now announced that they want to make ID cards compulsory yet force people to buy them for possibly £35. Fines for failing to tell the state where you live have also been mooted. We need to be concerned about the possibility and dangers of generalising of personal profiling that could take place. Will the data that the government will hold on us ever be truly secure?At this stage, we should each analyse the pros and cons and alert your MP’s of your opinions. What we do not want is a forced agenda and we all need to be aware that there is a fine line between wanting and needing such an item. Finally, let us also not introduce a scheme that is only motivated with one agenda. The danger being that in the future it could be used as a device to make paranoia take-over the basic instinct of fear.

The Fair-trade Foundation is currently celebrating its 10th anniversary reaching 5 million farmers and their families across 48 countries. Set-up in the early 1990s, the first product with the FAIRTRADE Mark appeared on supermarket shelves in 1994. There are now 300 Fair-trade products in product categories that include coffee, tea, cocoa, chocolate, snacks and biscuits, sugar, honey, fruit juice and fresh fruit. According to the latest MORI poll conducted in March 2005, 39 per cent of the UK public now recognise the FAIRTRADE Mark and sales, which are expected to exceed £100m for 2004, increasing by 50 per cent year on year.

What exactly is Fair trade? One definition suggests that it, ‘improves lives through fair wages, long term partnerships, environmental stewardship, democratic decision making and cultural connections’. Fair trade is a growing, international movement that can help to ensure that producers in poor countries get a fair deal. This means a fair price for their goods, covering the cost of production, guaranteeing a living income, establishing long-term contracts (which provide real security) and for many, support to gain the knowledge and skills that they need to develop their businesses and increase sales.

The ethics sound great and sincere. There is certainly more we can do. For example, it gives consumers like us an opportunity to use our purchasing power to tilt the balance, however slightly, in favour of the poor. However, Fair Trade cannot solely address the crisis faced by millions of small-scale farmers and producers whose livelihoods are threatened by low commodity prices and unfair competition from rich countries. This can only be achieved by changing unfair rules of world trade so that they work for small-scale producers and rich multinationals.

I once wrote about the unfairness of workers based in greenhouses (producing low UK supermarket flower bouquets) in Africa that have no access to health safety, yet consumers want to pay a low price. There appears to be no sacrifice or compromise amongst richer nations to help developing economies. It is as if we are all conditioned to ‘fight’ for low inflation and high debt, instead of balancing the needs of world communities. We need to ask our parliaments: why is there a reluctance by world banks to free debt from developing countries yet endorse purchasing of arms?

To encourage fair-trade at your supermarket do not be afraid to voice your opinion on the non-availability of fair trade products. If you cannot locate any on the shelves leave a comment in a comments box or book, and/or speak to a manager. Be specific about what you want, and let them know you shop there regularly.Visit: http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/products.htm to discover fair trade products. Remember, you have the power to help others.

Critics may say that when watching Bollywood movies the viewer has to ‘buy’ into the surreal/melodramatic fantasy. I believe we need a perspective that shows who Sikhs really are. We need to ensure that historic references and storylines images are not distorted.Gaddar was clearly offensive.I will admit on sheer entertainment value Bollywood provides a mix of melodrama, action and romance. However, I am confident that there are audiences that wish to see a reflection and perspective on social reality. It would be great is Bollywood movies could respect the language and religious conviction of any religion it features.Currently, Bollywood movies certainly contain outside (foreign to India) shoots (footage). One minute you will find yourself in Glasgow, the next minute the lead girl will be standing within trip distance of Indian Ocean on a cliff edge in the Maldives. Let us also not forget the proceeding wedding reception dance with Sikhs Dholling the night away behind the lead actor. For the final scene you will find the happy couple dancing on the snowcaps of a Swiss mountaintop. The scenery may have changed but the old formula seems to stay the same. We need a change but I am afraid too many people continue to endorse the industry. We need to stand-up and complain against the violence, poor treatment of servants, portrayal of caste, the image of subdued women, inter-Indian racism and very negative discriminatory humour against the disabled. What an embarrassing list!

How can we do this? Firstly, idolising actors must stop. Secondly, let us support short movies and social movies that show talents of great filmmakers. As Sikhs we also have a role to play to develop our own documentaries, short-films, animation and stories. We should also feature international communities (see Mistaken Identity). I am sure we have the money, just look at what we can build! I believe we need a greater presence and feature in the media to educate who we are. We have a great religion and we have the financial power to fund worthy movies. Remember if it was not for Sikhs we would have all be ethnically cleansed and the ‘free India’ movement just would not have happened.Next time you watch a Hindi movie and see the poor portrayal of a Sikh ask the question, ‘Why is this happening?’ then shout aloud ‘Get real’! Let us unite fuel and make movies with stories that show who we really are not what Bollywood wants us to be.

During Xmas 1985 record sales of ‘Do they know its Christmas’ achieved 50million worldwide copies sold, the Band aid charity helped to spawn £90million for Ethiopia and saved up to 2million lives. However, today the risk of failing rains and growth of aids sufferers (including over 1Million-orphaned children) still pose a threat to continued progress. Let us also not forget that the Ethiopia’s government is still £6.5Billion in dept.

Solutions are in front of us but limited actions result. Countries and the World Bank could free their (Ethiopia’s) debt situation. Governments keen to continue shipments in arms should halt this type of trade immediately. I believe that the old adage about ‘teaching a person to fish’ is extremely patronising – The situation is not as obvious as clearly in some countries variable climates impact their economies. Therefore, alternative economies have to be developed.

Charles Darwin wrote, ‘If the misery of our poor be caused not by the laws of nature, but by our institutions, great is our sin.’ The implication here is one of corporate responsibility. Its great to see the Voluntary Services Organisation (VSO) offering opportunities for secondments however, little is done by multi-nationals to encourage similar corporate schemes. Even if corporations cannot spare their workers, I believe there is still a level of responsibility for corporations to negotiate fairness in their global pricing strategies. This area of fair trade is a related subject, compounding the negative situation. Corporate greed unfortunately results in self-perpetuating selfishness.

Maybe an immediate action point to help is for all of us to work towards reading and learning more about the in-balance of the distribution of global wealth. We have enough food to feed the world (approx 5Billion people) five times over. We must accept recycling strategies and at the same time write to our MP’s to point out the in-justice of current world economics and the benefits or harmonising our natural resources.

When you wake up each morning, think about what you can do to help someone survive until midnight.

Read more – consider yourself as a global player or citizen not inclusive to your country
Understand the concepts of Fair trade – what products are available and who can they benefit – then swap your traditional products to fair trade items. For example, think twice about what you’re buying at Supermarket.

Recycle more – to reduce greenhouse emissions and wastage. Researchers suggest that this could help the turbulent climate change we are now witnessing.

Write to your MP to help them prioritise the government’s agenda – for example raise the issue of arms sales – remember you voted for them so you need to make them accountable.

Write to your MEP (European) to understand what the EC are doing in terms of global initiatives.
Learn more about existing UN schemes and if you have children, suggest to them what they can do to help at local charity events.

Don’t think twice about contributing to campaigns, consider the impact they make and GIVE.Finally, miss out on a night out; instead contribute to a world cause.