VOA常速英语2008年-Benin's President Faces More Opposition Two Yea

By Nico Colombant
Dakar
04 April 2008

Benin's president Boni Yayi is facing increasing opposition¹ two years after coming to power.  Mr. Yayi, an independent banker and political outsider, succeeded Mathieu Kerekou who had ruled the small West African nation for all but five years since 1972.  VOA's Nico Colombant reports from our regional bureau in Dakar.

Joel Aivo, a spokesman for the opposition Party for Renewal² of Democracy says he speaks for many in Benin when he says he feels President Yayi has been a waste.

He says there was so much hope with a new president, who was a fresh face in Benin's political arena³.

But he says in terms of access to health, buying power, democracy, and bringing about decentralization, he believes things are getting worse not better, despite repeated promises.

A total of 13 lawmakers previously⁴ allied⁵ to the president recently defected from the president's parliamentary group, saying they did not agree with government policy.

Criticism from outside political circles is more mixed, but intensifying⁶ as well.

Martin Assogba, the head of a non-governmental organization, says it all started well for Mr. Yayi, but that it has become too political recently.

He says Beninese want a developer, he says, at the head of their country, not a politician.

He gives as an example the fight against corruption⁷, which he says had a promising⁸ start, but has since slowed down.

A presidential assistant and spokesman for Mr. Yayi, Eric Adja says new government programs such as free primary schooling⁹, funding for youth employment, and micro-credit opportunities for market women are notable accomplishments¹⁰.

"This is something exceptional in Africa," he noted¹¹.  "I would like to share this conviction that we have a president with a vision.  His vision is emerging Benin.  It is to make our country an emerging nation, and just in two years, President Yayi Boni has helped build the national economy.  We have economic growth from three percent, [and] now are targeting six percent."

Adja says the presidential camp has no problems with not having unanimity¹² of thought, he says, but that constructive¹³ criticism is needed rather than just rhetoric¹⁴.

"Criticism is useful for democracy," he said.  "There is no democracy without differences of opinion.  The problem is, what else do they propose?  They should not just criticize, but they should also propose alternative ways of doing it.  So we have a stable democracy in Benin and we hope that the opponents will join hands together with other ideas. We are open."

President Yayi has three more years in power, but his supporters from the coalition¹⁵ known by its French acronym¹⁶ FCBE (Force Cauris pour un Benin Emergent) which in English means the Seashell's Strength for an Emerging Benin, face a test during local elections scheduled for April 20.

1 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

2 renewal   

adj.(契约)延期，续订，更新，复活，重来

参考例句：

• Her contract is coming up for renewal in the autumn.她的合同秋天就应该续签了。
• Easter eggs symbolize the renewal of life.复活蛋象征新生。

3 arena   

n.竞技场，运动场所；竞争场所，舞台

参考例句：

• She entered the political arena at the age of 25. 她25岁进入政界。
• He had not an adequate arena for the exercise of his talents.他没有充分发挥其才能的场所。

4 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

5 allied   

adj.协约国的；同盟国的

参考例句：

• Britain was allied with the United States many times in history.历史上英国曾多次与美国结盟。
• Allied forces sustained heavy losses in the first few weeks of the campaign.同盟国在最初几周内遭受了巨大的损失。

6 intensifying   

v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的现在分词 )；增辉

参考例句：

• The allies are intensifying their air campaign. 联军部队正加大他们的空战强度。 来自辞典例句
• The rest of the European powers were in a state of intensifying congestion. 其余的欧洲强国则处于越来越拥挤的状态。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史

7 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

8 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

9 schooling   

n.教育；正规学校教育

参考例句：

• A child's access to schooling varies greatly from area to area.孩子获得学校教育的机会因地区不同而大相径庭。
• Backward children need a special kind of schooling.天赋差的孩子需要特殊的教育。

10 accomplishments   

n.造诣；完成( accomplishment的名词复数 )；技能；成绩；成就

参考例句：

• It was one of the President's greatest accomplishments. 那是总统最伟大的成就之一。
• Among her accomplishments were sewing,cooking,playing the piano and dancing. 她的才能包括缝纫、烹调、弹钢琴和跳舞。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

11 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

12 unanimity   

n.全体一致，一致同意

参考例句：

• These discussions have led to a remarkable unanimity.这些讨论导致引人注目的一致意见。
• There is no unanimity of opinion as to the best one.没有一个公认的最好意见。

13 constructive   

adj.建设的，建设性的

参考例句：

• We welcome constructive criticism.我们乐意接受有建设性的批评。
• He is beginning to deal with his anger in a constructive way.他开始用建设性的方法处理自己的怒气。

14 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

15 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

16 acronym   

n.首字母简略词，简称

参考例句：

• That's a mouthful of an acronym for a very simple technology.对于一项非常简单的技术来说，这是一个很绕口的缩写词。
• TSDF is an acronym for Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facilities.TSDF是处理，储存和处置设施的一个缩写。