ISSUE 17 (146) • 29 APRIL – 5 MAY 2010 • €3 • WWW.HELSINKITIMES.FI WORKING LIFE DOMESTIC CULTURE EAT & DRINK Special issue: Burglaries Cirko Vappu – Info on taxes, foreign grads, on the turns what’s not and entrepreneurship rise five to like? pages 11-14 page 4 page 15 page 16 LEHTIKUVA / HEIKKI SAUKKOMAA do to encourage these people!” says Söderqvist. International graduate Söderqvist’s research shows that small- and medium-sized en- potential goes untapped terprises (SMEs) are particularly slow to attract and employ foreign FRAN WEAVER to help them identify and recruit graduates. “Workplace diversity in HELSINKI TIMES world class talent right on their Finland is advanced when it comes doorstep. to women and disabled people, but FINLAND’S top-heavy demographic Researcher Minna Söderqvist so far there have been few efforts to structure means that today for the of Aalto University points out that increase cultural diversity,” she ex- fi rst time more people are retiring Finnish universities are still un- plains. “Attitudes may be positive, than entering the workforce. “Finn- dergoing their own process of in- but there is a knowledge gap on how ish employers are going to face a se- ternationalisation. “The Ministry to get the benefi ts of cultural diver- rious recruiting challenge by 2020, of Education aims to increase the sity in practice.” and if they don’t act urgently, hard number of foreign degree students in Söderqvist believes that to effec- times could lie ahead,” says Marita Finland to 20,000 by 2015 – almost tively manage cultural diversity em- Aho, an economic foresight special- double the fi gure in 2008,” she says. ployers must consider the special ist from the Confederation of Finn- As graduates these students will rep- needs of foreign employees, both in- May Day celebrations in the Esplanadi Park in central Helsinki. ish Industries (EK). resent a valuable resource for Finn- side and outside the workplace. Well- “Foreign graduates could hold ish employers. planned orientation and in-company In the Helsinki region the lo- the key to the future success of “So far there has been a general mentoring can help foreign recruits cal traffi c operates according to a Finnish companies in an increas- assumption that foreign students to integrate successfully. standard Friday schedule on Friday. ingly global economy,” adds Aho, won’t want to stay in Finland, but Broken Extra trains operate on Saturday’s stressing that businesses should we’ve found that graduates real- Read the full story in our fi rst early hours, but after 06:00 the proactively establish stronger links ly do want to get work experience special issue on working life on traffi c will return to a normal Sat- and networks with the universities here. We must think what we can pages 12-13. weather urday schedule. Trams, however, run according to exceptional routes throughout bour market wherein foreign work- Friday as starting from 17:00 the ers will have a lower level of pay and for May central part of the city is reserved SDP’s line on immigration working conditions than Finnish for pedestrians. On Saturday, met- nationals. ros, local trains, buses and the Heinäluoma also stated his sur- Suomenlinna ferry operate accord- provokes internal dissent prise at the upheaval in his in- Day ing to normal Saturday schedules. terview with the party’s paper The weather in the May Day JOHANNA VESIKALLIO – STT ternationality is dissociating itself Uutispäivä Demari. He stated that HELSINKI TIMES weekend will be uncertain but quite ALEKSIS TORO – HT from these values and allowing the the question is not one of racism warm, reports The Finnish Meteor- Perussuomalaiset (True Finns) to call or prejudice but criticism of work- ological Institute. There’s a chance THE COMMENTS on immigration the shots in the immigration debate. based immigration. MAY DAY brings some changes to of rain on Friday, especially in the of Eero Heinäluoma, chairman of Heinäluoma’s views in Hufvudstads- The chairman of SDP’s student or- shops’ opening hours and traf- south and central parts of Finland. the Social Democratic Party’s (SDP) bladet and party chairman Jutta Ur- ganisation Katri Nokela is dismayed fi c schedules during the May Day On Saturday the weather is ex- parliamentary group, on Satur- pilainen’s recent “when in Rome” by the party leadership’s stance. weekend. On Friday 30 April, banks pected to stay fairly similar, with day 24 April have provoked dissent comments are seen as evidence that “It’s displeasing that our party is are open normally but shops, Alkos the rain possibly spreading to Lap- within the party. Some are in favour the SDP’s line on immigration has heading in this direction. We’re go- and post offi ces close at 18:00. land. “Where the area of rain settles of Heinäluoma’s intervention on the hardened considerably. ing to end up with more problems On Saturday 1 May shops stay is hard to predict,” says meteorolo- government’s plans to attract new Urpilainen came swiftly to the now that the discussions confuse closed the whole day. Next time gist Kaisa Solin. workers from abroad depite hun- defense of her party in her Monday two different things, immigration businesses are allowed to open is on Solin expects the temperature on dreds of thousands of Finns remain- webblog writing that SDP stands for and unemployment,” Nokela said Sunday, but Alkos, post offi ces and Saturday to stay above ten degrees ing unemployed. tolerance and liberalness and is the on Monday. She believes the immi- banks stay closed until Monday. The in southern and central Finland. The other side deems it highly ob- most international party in Finland. gration issue to feature prominent- restrictions do not apply to kiosks, “If the clouds break, the tempera- jectionable that the party which has She emphasised that SDP opposes ly in the party congress to be held in service stations and shops in sparse- ture could go up to 15 degrees in the in the past upheld solidarity and in- only the emergence of a divided la- a month’s time. ly populated areas. southern parts of the country.” 24.2.—6.6. The Power of Africa Tue, Fri-Sun 11-18, Wed-Thurs 11-20 Free entry Wed-Thurs 18-20 Ahertajantie 5, Tapiola, Espoo www.emma.museum Busses from Kamppi, Helsinki: 106, 110 2 29 APRIL – 5 MAY 2010 Q & A HELSINKI TIMES Dr Alan Bernstein, Executive director, Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise. The state of HIV prevention vaccines Q: Thus far, what are your im- Q: What are your thoughts An HIV vaccine is possible if the world works together as a global community with the pressions of African input in on the call to prioritise the fi - the HIV Vaccine research? nancing of therapeutic vaccine objective of finding one, but it will take some years to develop, says Alan Bernstein. A: In South Africa science is research (vaccines for HIV-pos- as good as anywhere in the itive people to improve their world. No country brings to- immune systems) over HIV SAFEEYAH KHARSANY Excerpts of the interview ations of what was done in smarter than other viruses. gether their scientists as well prevention vaccine research IPS follow. Thailand. I have no doubt that we will as South Africa does but, the (vaccines to prevent HIV)? It will take about a year get a vaccine. bad news is, although the A: It is not either or. As a THE 2009 results of an HIV Q: In 2009 the Thailand vac- or two to get a new vaccine Q: When do you think we may new government is upfront world, as a premise, we have vaccine trial in Thailand cine trial cut the risk of HIV manufactured for sub-Sa- get an effective HIV preven- that HIV causes Aids and that to be able to afford to pur- showed for the fi rst time that infection for the fi rst time. haran Africa. There also tion vaccine? they have lost time, which sue every possible good idea a vaccine could cut the risk of What is most signifi cant needs to be regularity ap- A: It depends on that very they have to make up for, at because this epidemic is lit- HIV infection. The trail vac- about these trial results? proval, and a source of fund- complex relationship be- the same time, their funding erally killing us. It is out of cine was a combination of two A: The most important thing ing found. The trial sites also tween academia, indus- for South African Aids Vac- control and it is going to get experimental vaccines that on is that it has opened a door need to be geared up. try, public funders, private cine Initiative has been cut. more out of control over the their own had not been able to which we did not have be- Q: Why do we still not have an funders and people from dif- So South Africa is at a risk next three years. cut the risk of infection. How- fore. It says that it is possible effective HIV vaccine? ferent countries working to- of losing what it has built up I am all for good therapeu- ever, combined, the risk of in- to get protection against HIV A: HIV is not like other vi- gether with one objective of over the last fi ve to ten years. tic vaccine ideas, and they fection was cut by a third. acquisition with a vaccine. ruses. It has the ability to speeding up the search for a Q: What are the biggest chal- should be funded.