"Good to see you again, Gloria"

"Good to see you again, Gloria"

For Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, looking at
the large poster of herself at the entrance to the Nusa Dua
complex where the ASEAN summit is being held is probably like
seeing an old friend.

The poster, painted from a photo apparently taken some time
ago, only bears a vague resemblance to President Arroyo today.

Hanging next to Singapore's Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, the
poster shows Arroyo wearing a red dress and with long hair.

Over the past several months, Arroyo's appearance has
radically changed. With her new short hair and stylish dresses,
Arroyo now cuts a more youthful and dynamic figure.

Maybe someone should have flown to Manila to get a more recent
photograph of Arroyo before they painted the poster!

;JP;
ANPAf..r..
Bali-BIS-sideline
Is this a "ghost meeting"?
JP/13/ghost

Is this a "ghost meeting"?

Although the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (BIS) has
not yet closed, many of the 700 participants have already
disappeared from the summit venue.

"Where are all the participants? Or are only ghosts attending
this summit," said a businessman when he saw just a few
participants attending the final session of the summit.

About half of the conference participants left the summit
early to catch flights homes, while others decided to skip out of
the summit in favor of Nusa Dua's beautiful beach.

"The participants might have wanted to explore the beauty of
Bali while visiting the island. Business and leisure can mix,"
said one participant with a smile.

The organizers of the next summit might want to find a more
remote island so "ghosts" don't interfere with the proceedings.