Dominique Strauss-Kahn: Maid 'may file civil suit'
The hotel maid who accuses ex-IMF head Dominique Strauss-Kahn of attempted rape may file a civil suit if prosecutors do not press criminal charges, her lawyer says.
The Manhattan district attorney's office has publicly announced they had doubts about the credibility of Nafissatou Diallo's allegations.
Making her first public appearance, Ms Diallo spoke of the pain the case had caused her and her family.
Mr Strauss-Kahn has denied the charges.
"What she wants is justice and if the prosecutors are not going to bring this case to trial then we have to look for justice and what I look forward to is putting this case before a jury," Ms Diallo's lawyer, Kenneth Thompson told a news conference.
When pressed by journalists when he might launch this case, he said: "Soon. Soon is soon."
On Wednesday, Ms Diallo and Mr Thompson met prosecutors for eight hours.
It was their first meeting since the Manhattan district attorney's office said it had doubts about her credibility because of false statements on her asylum application and a taped recording of a telephone conversation between Ms Diallo and a friend in an Arizona jail.
Mr Thompson said a translated transcript revealed that the conversation, the day after the alleged attempted rape, focused on what had happened to Ms Diallo, and not on Mr Strauss-Kahn's wealth.
Ms Diallo was reported to have discussed with the man how to obtain money from the French politician.
'Stop crying'
Mr Thompson was speaking after Ms Diallo made a emotional public appeal for people to believe her allegations.
"A lot of things people say about me are not true," she continued.
Her daughter, she said, had told her: "You have to remember this guy is a powerful man - everybody knows that. But for you, only the people who work with you, your neighbours, the people back home, know you.
"But those people say good things about you because they know you. Please mum, stop crying, be strong for me."
She said she had promised her daughter she would be strong "for you and every other woman in the world".
"What happened to me I don't want to happen to any other woman," she said.
Ollanta Humala is sworn in as new Peru president
Former army officer Ollanta Humala has been sworn in as Peru's new president, vowing to eradicate poverty and social exclusion.
His inauguration was being attended by regional leaders, although not by outgoing President Alan Garcia.
Mr Humala defeated right-wing candidate Keiko Fujimori in June's second round.
Once a fiery nationalist, Mr Humala says his approach is now of the moderate left, modelled on Brazil's ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Mr Garcia left the presidential palace, handing over the sash for his successor.
Breaking with tradition, he did not travel to Congress to attend the inauguration.
Mr Garcia had previously indicated he would not be present in order to avoid a repeat of 1990 when he was loudly booed when handing over to President Alberto Fujimori.
Then Peru was mired in hyperinflation and beset by a bloody leftist insurgency.
Mr Humala, 49, inherits a more prosperous Peru but faces a range of challenges.
In his first address as president, he vowed to keep existing free-market economic and trade policies intact, to provide a minimum pension for all Peruvians over 65 and to raise the minimum wage.
"We want the term 'social exclusion' to disappear from our language and lives forever," Mr Humala said.
"Economic growth and social inclusion will march together."
Mr Humala campaigned on a pledge to increase the state's role in the economy and redistribute wealth to Peru's poor majority.
Strong performance
Economists Luis Miguel Castilla and Julio Velarde will be the new finance minister and central bank head respectively.
Sociologist Rafael Roncagliolo is to be foreign minister, while Afro-Peruvian music star and Grammy award-winner Susana Baca will be minister of culture.
Mr Humala indicated that he would seek to impose a windfall tax on the key mining sector to help raise revenue for social spending.
But with his party lacking a majority in Congress, he will need the support of other blocs to pass bills, including the mining tax.
Peru has been one of the top economic performers in Latin America in recent years, averaging annual growth of 7% during Mr Garcia's second term and with inflation held at under 3% a year.
Volkswagen sells record 4m vehicles over six months
Volkswagen has sold more than 4 million vehicles during the first half of the year, a record for Europe's largest carmaker.
Deliveries increased by 14% on the same period last year, led by strong growth in Asian markets.
Volkswagen, headquartered in Germany, includes the Skoda, Seat and Audi brands, as well as VW. Its shares rose 1.3% in early trading in Frankfurt.
Sales in Asia grew 19% to 1.26m, mostly in China, the region's largest market.
European sales grew 9.3% overall, thanks to continued high growth in central and eastern Europe.
Sales in North America rose 21% to 319,000 vehicles, and by 11% to 455,000 in South America.
Volkswagen's sales boss Christian Klinger predicted that VW would continue to do better than other carmakers, but cautioned: "Success in the second six months won't be automatic. Plenty of hard work lies ahead to keep our deliveries during the second half of the year at a high level."
Met Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson quits
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson has resigned following the phone hacking scandal.
Britain's most senior police officer has faced criticism for hiring former News of the World executive Neil Wallis - who was questioned by police investigating hacking - as an adviser.
Sir Paul said his links to the journalist could hamper investigations.
He said there were lessons to be learned from the affair, but he was leaving with his integrity intact.
He also said he had no knowledge of the extent of the phone hacking.
Home Secretary Theresa May said she was "sorry" he had resigned and thanked him for all the work he had done during his time in office.
She said: "Sir Paul has led the force through difficult times and although current circumstances show that there are still serious issues to be addressed, I believe that the force is operationally stronger today now than it was when he took over."
Earlier, she said she would address MPs on Monday about her "concerns" over the closeness of the relationship between News International and police.
Sir Paul said in a statement: "I have taken this decision as a consequence of the ongoing speculation and accusations relating to the Met's links with News International at a senior level and in particular in relation to Mr Neil Wallis."
He added: "Let me state clearly, I and the people who know me, know that my integrity is completely intact.
"I may wish we had done some things differently, but I will not lose sleep over my personal integrity."
It is expected that Sir Paul's deputy Tim Godwin will take charge of the Met with almost immediate effect, before a more formal appointment process takes place.
Prime Minister David Cameron said Sir Paul had enjoyed "a long and distinguished career in the police".
He added: "While I know that today must be a very sad occasion for him, I respect and understand his decision to leave the Met, and I wish him well for the future.
"What matters most of all now is that the Metropolitan Police and the Metropolitan Police Authority do everything possible to ensure the investigations into phone hacking and alleged police corruption proceed with all speed, with full public confidence and with all the necessary leadership and resources to bring them to an effective conclusion."
Obama Picks Chief for Consumer Agency
U.S. President Barack Obama has chosen the former attorney general of the Ohio to lead the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
The White House says Mr. Obama will introduce Richard Cordray as his appointee on Monday.
In choosing Cordray, Mr. Obama bypassed Harvard University professor Elizabeth Warren, who has been working to set up the agency as a special adviser to the White House and to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner.
Warren is credited with developing the idea for the agency, which is tasked with protecting U.S. consumers from abusive mortgage lending practices and hidden credit card fees. She faced opposition from Republicans in the Senate, and observers say she would have had a difficult time winning confirmation.
Cordray still needs to be confirmed by the Senate. The agency will begin its work on Thursday.
Vietnamese Hold Anti-China Protest Despite Crackdown
Police in Vietnam's capital, Hanoi, on Sunday arrested more than a dozen protesters denouncing Beijing's actions in the South China Sea.
The demonstrators were hauled away on buses after a brief demonstration near the Chinese embassy. Another group of protesters later gathered there, but police in riot gear dispersed them.
Demonstrators accuse China of violating Vietnam's territorial waters and harassing Vietnamese fishermen.
This was the latest in a series of Sunday protests against China in Vietnam's capital. The communist authorities do not normally permit street demonstrations.
The first few anti-China protests ended peacefully. But on Sunday July 10, authorities briefly detained several people, including journalists.
Rights groups have criticized Vietnam for arresting the protesters.
Last month, officials from Vietnam and China met in Beijing to discuss the maritime dispute and said they had agreed resolve their differences peacefully.
Vietnam says Chinese boats have hindered oil exploration within its economic exclusive zone, 300 kilometers off the coast.
Beijing accuses Vietnam of endangering Chinese fishermen in a contested area near the Spratly islands, which are claimed all or in part by both countries. The Philippines, Brunei and Taiwan also have territorial claims in the area, which is believed to be rich in natural resources, including gas and oil.
Top Karzai Aide, Lawmaker Killed in Kabul
Afghan officials say a senior adviser to President Hamid Karzai and a member of parliament have been killed during an attack in the capital, Kabul.
The officials said Jan Mohammad Khan, a former governor of southern Uruzgan province and a close adviser to Mr. Karzai, was killed along with Uruzgan lawmaker Mohammad Ashim Watanwal late Sunday when two men wearing suicide vests attacked Khan's home in western Kabul's Karte Char district.
Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack, accusing Khan of helping American forces.
The attack came less than a week after the assassination of Mr. Karzai's brother, Ahmad Wali Karzai, in southern Kandahar province.
In other violence Sunday, Afghan and foreign troops killed at least 10 Taliban fighters in a school in eastern Nangarhar province. Officials said the coalition forces targeted the militants using ground troops and airstrikes. No children were in the school during the attack.
And NATO said two of its service members were killed in a bomb blast in southern Afghanistan Sunday.
Iranian Raid Kills Two Kurdish Rebels in Northwest
Iran's Revolutionary Guard has killed at least two Iranian Kurdish rebels in a raid that destroyed one of the group's headquarters in northwestern Iran.
The hours-long gunbattle between Iranian forces and militants from the Party of Free Life of Kurdistan began late Saturday and ended early Sunday. It occurred along the Iraqi border near the Kurdish town of Sardasht.
A rebel spokesman said many soldiers were killed in the battle. But Iran's officials news agency, IRNA, confirmed just one soldier's death.
The Kurdish militant group, known as PJAK, has been involved in sporadic clashes with Iranian forces in recent years and says it is fighting for greater rights.
The deadly clashes came nearly a week after the Iranian military threatened to attack the group's bases in neighboring Iraq. PJAK rebels said the fighting had spilled over into Iraq's Sulaimaniyah Province, but this could not be independently confirmed.
Iran routinely shells border districts of northern Iraq's Kurdish region, targeting PJAK bases.
SPEECH BY MINISTER HENRY BELLINGHAM
I am delighted to be back in the Turks and Caicos Islands within a year of my first visit to the territory. I said when I visited last year that I hoped it would be the first in a series of regular visits by Ministers and senior officials.
And so it has proved. Robert Hannigan, a very senior Foreign Office Director General, and Colin Roberts, Director of the Overseas Territories from the Foreign Office have visited. Also, Ian McKendry, senior DFID Director, has visited. Ian Hendry led a constitutional team which came for a week of public consultations in May; and more technical assistance has arrived to strengthen key areas of government.
I am looking forward to spending longer in the TCI than last time in the territory on this occasion and to meeting a wide range of people on several of the islands. During this visit I hope to visit not only Providenciales and Grand Turk, but also Salt Cay and North Caicos. I want to meet a wide range of people in the Turks and Caicos Islands, not just those in the centres of tourism and government. I am also looking forward to visiting a number of projects and developments across the islands.
I know that these are difficult times for Turks and Caicos Islanders. I can all the more readily sympathise as we are going through many of the same problems in the UK. In the UK the Coalition Government has had to prune departmental budgets, other than health and overseas aid with some budgets pruned by 19% over four years. Cut backs in funding are causing understandable concern among British public servants as they are here in the TCI. But there is no alternative if we are going to restore public finances to the sustainable basis necessary to a healthy economy.
I recognise that this is a difficult message and one that gives rise to very real worries about unemployment in both the public and private sectors. However, such has been the extent of the impact of the global economic downturn that, regrettably, many countries in the world face the same challenges.
But I know, too, that the impact of the global economic downturn on the TCI has been exacerbated by the legacy of financial mismanagement of the previous administration and the high probability of systemic corruption that was identified by the Commission of Inquiry. That‘s why we want to help ensure that the restoration of sound public finances is underpinned by a broader framework of good governance.
It is also why the work of the Special Prosecutor and of the Civil Recovery team is so important, and why I am encouraged by the progress made by both.
It is not surprising that our objectives to help restore good governance and sound public financial management to the TCI should be reflected in the Coalition’s developing strategy towards the Overseas Territories in general.
The UK Government has been considering our relationship with the Overseas Territories for some time.
We very much want to strengthen the engagement and interaction between the Territories and the UK, including working more closely with a wide range of UK Government Departments. Also partnerships with local government, the private sector, NGOs and professional bodies in the UK.
We want to continue our work with the Territories to strengthen public financial management, economic planning and good governance arrangements where this is necessary. And we certainly hope to come up with a White Paper which will set out our OTs strategy. I feel strongly about the OTs strategy and want to see OTs that are self sustaining and are proud members of the British family.
I believe that our overall approach to the Territories will help the TCI, not only to overcome its current problems, but also to look forward to the realisation of the bright future of its natural asset.
Let me now turn to the Milestones. The milestones set out by myself and the Minister of State for International Development on 9 December last year, point the way to that future, as well as being crucial to our ability to set a date for elections in 2012. That is why I was delighted that we were able to complete the substantive work on the first milestone at the end of the visit of the Turks and Caicos Island delegation to the UK last month.
I want to look at the milestones now and go through them. The first key milestone is the implementation of a new Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution Order, in support of recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry, which underpins good governance and sound public financial management.
As you know, the preparation of the new Constitution has been a considerable undertaking, and rightly so. It has taken 15 months of lengthy, widespread and sometimes emotive public consultations that have involved so many from across the TCI. The consultations were not easy as one would expect, for what will be the single most important piece of legislation for everyone in the Territory.
But I’m pleased with the progress made and please to have helped the process by inviting a delegation from the TCI to come to London for a final round of meetings in the FCO last month. I was delighted to have the opportunity to hear for myself the main areas of outstanding concern. As expected, consensus on all the provisions was not possible; and I had to take difficult decisions on some sensitive and important issues. But I am convinced that we have got a good result for the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands. I am pleased to confirm that yesterday the Order in Council containing the new draft constitution was made at the Privy Council’s meeting and passed.
The conclusion of the consultations was a very considerable achievement on the path back to elected Government. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone in the TCI who attended the public meetings and offered their views.
Turning to the next most important milestone, the introduction of a number of new Ordinances, including those making provision for: (i) the electoral process and regulation of political parties; (ii) integrity and accountability in public life; (iii) public financial management.
The new constitution provides a solid platform for progress on the other milestones. In particular, certainty over the electoral system means that we can now start work on the Ordinance governing the electoral process. The Integrity Commission Ordinance already provides the cornerstone for work on integrity and accountability in public life; and work is in hand to prepare a new public financial management Ordinance which will underpin the provisions in the new Constitution and reflect best practice in other Overseas Territories.
Legislation in this and other areas covered by the milestones is an important priority for the Attorney General’s Chambers. I am pleased to say that the UK Government has offered to fund the cost of hiring additional legislative drafters so that prompt progress can be made.
The third key milestone is the establishment of robust and transparent public financial management processes to provide a stable economic environment and a strengthening of the Turks and Caicos Islands Government's capacity to manage its public finances.
I am encouraged by the progress made by the Chief Financial Officer, Caroline Gardner, and the Ministry of Finance. Robust processes have been put in place to address the most urgent weaknesses in the system of public financial management. Priority has been given to strengthening spending controls including the management of cash flow and supplier payments; and tougher measures have been introduced to ensure everyone pays their taxes in full and on time, such as by monitoring the collection of revenues due to Government and taking swift enforcement action when necessary.
To improve the transparency of the TCI Government’s public finances, work is underway to bring the backlog of financial accounts up to date so that they can be audited and published. This will provide a public record of income and expenditure since 2007 and, importantly, set a baseline for the future. Whilst this work is in hand, I am pleased that the Ministry of Finance has also committed to provide quarterly reports of financial performance during this financial year. These will start with a report for April to June 2011 which will be published next month
Furthermore, succession planning is a key part of this milestone, so I am particularly reassured by the plans that have been put in place to build financial management expertise within the Ministry of Finance and across the Government by training staff, including professional training for Ministry of Finance staff.
Another key milestone is the implementation of budget measures to put the Turks and Caicos Islands Government on track to achieve a fiscal surplus in the financial year ending 2012/13
Since my last visit, the UK Government has guaranteed a significant financing package to underpin the Territory’s financial strategy which has been designed to achieve a fiscal surplus in the financial year ending 2012/13. This has enabled the completion of the 2011/12 budget which itself marks a significant step towards fiscal surplus, with a budgeted deficit of $9million, compared with an unaudited deficit of $64 million last year. This is a very significant improvement and I am grateful to Caroline Gardner and her team for achieving this. To this end, the Ministry of Finance is closely monitoring progress against the budget to ensure that the Government remains on track; and it will take action to tackle any shortfalls in revenue or unbudgeted expenditure.
As I have already acknowledged, many of the measures introduced have been tough at a time of uncertainty for islanders as the TCI struggles in the wake of the global economic downturn. But the TCI, like the UK and many other countries, must take the difficult steps needed to live within its means. Those taken by the Interim Government have been designed to minimise the impact on the public and make the revenue system fairer. I am also pleased that the UK Government was able to contribute £2 million towards putting in place transitional arrangements to ease the impact of some of these steps on public servants and towards wider public sector reform. These steps taken are essential to build a prosperous and vibrant future for the Turks and Caicos Islands so that they can thrive and fulfil their potential as an attractive place to live, visit and do business.
Another milestone is progress towards meeting a fair and transparent process for the acquisition of Belongership.
At the conclusion of the recent meetings in London on the draft Constitution, I agreed minimum conditions for the grant of Belongership, and the replacement of the term ‘Belonger’ with ‘Turks and Caicos Islander’.
Work is now in hand to begin consultations in the TCI in the coming months on all the conditions to be included in a new legal process under which people of good character, who have made a contribution to and are assimilated in the Islands, may qualify for permanent residence; or may proceed in due course to be granted Turks and Caicos Islander status. In parallel the TCI Government is putting in place additional resources, new guidance and improved procedures under existing legislation, to clear the backlog of PRC applications built up over many, many years.
In addition, the UK has funded an expert team from the UK Border Agency who visited the TCI earlier this year to review procedures and to provide training of Immigration staff in the application of British nationality law in respect of British overseas territories citizenship.
It is vital for the implementation of a fair and transparent process that there is in place a strong administrative infrastructure of well-trained staff, applying clear rules against published guidance, under streamlined procedures, which are robust against interference. HMG will continue to support the development of this capability by the provision of assistance and training, by UK officers back in the TCI and by opportunities for TCI officers in the UK.
Another milestone is significant progress with the civil and criminal processes recommended by the Commission of Inquiry, and implementation of measures to enable these to continue unimpeded.
I am pleased to say that the Civil Recovery programme is now well into its second year and I am pleased to see that some sets of proceedings have already been completed, or reached significant stages. The recovery of the 750 acres of Joe Grant Cay in June was very welcome; as this was a development which featured prominently in the Commission of Inquiry Report. Even more significant cases involving other developments identified by the Commission are progressing well, with trials on the Salt Cay and Third Turtle Club cases expected later this year or early in 2012. The interim judgment of $1.25m on the Emerald Cay stamp duty evasion case just a few weeks ago was also very welcome; stamp duty evasion was not an issue identified by the Commission of Inquiry and so is a good example of the type of further cases which have come to light following investigations by the Civil Recovery team. Aside from the major cases, there has been a steady stream of smaller recoveries of land and money this year. I am very encouraged that we have begun to see voluntary settlements as well, and I hope that there will be an increasing number of those going forward which will avoid the need for legal proceedings.
Also the Special Prosecutor and her team are also making good progress. As you would expect and given the sensitivity of their work, I cannot go into detail; but I remain encouraged by the steps in hand.
Another milestone is the implementation of a new Crown Land policy.
I am particularly impressed by the extensive work on Crown Land reform. There has been a significant overhaul of the operational capability needed to implement a new Crown Land policy and to oversee changes necessary to place Crown Land administration in the TCI on a sure and sustainable footing for future generations.
I am very pleased that following public consultations across the Territory last year, work on the new Crown Land policy has now been completed. It places priority on five key areas: transparency; safeguarding Crown land and Protected Areas; priorities for Crown land use; new eligibility requirements for access to Crown land; and, the transition to the new policy. I understand that many of these are already being adhered to by the Crown Land Unit and considerable progress in implementing the transparency measures has already been made.
Looking ahead, the next stage will be to draft the Ordinance that substantially incorporates the terms of the policy and is consistent with the revised constitutional changes.
Another milestone is substantial progress in the reform of the public service. I am encouraged by progress in reforming the public sector to ensure that it is of a proportionate size to deliver the services needed for the future of the TCI. So far reviews have been completed for three ministries, and for a number of support services provided across the whole of the public sector. These have already identified considerable potential savings to the public purse, and work is on track to contribute to the savings needed to achieve a fiscal surplus in 2013.
All Permanent Secretaries have been involved and will continue to have an important role in this delicate process to balance the requirement of improving effectiveness in the delivery of services, and efficient use of resources. Throughout this exercise priority is being given to minimising the effect, both financially and socially, on public service employees. In particular, emphasis is being placed on redeploying staff within the public service where historically there has been under-resourcing.
A good example is that I am pleased that this has already resulted in identifying scope for increasing the number of personnel needed in the fire and rescue services by over 25%. This will be a positive move in the TCI’s commitment to meet internationally required standards of safety.
Inevitably and unfortunately, some staff will leave the public service. But work is already in hand to develop a package of support for staff affected, to be delivered with private sector partners and through the provision of training. It will be designed to help staff move successfully within the public sector or into the private sector as the economy recovers.
So what are the next steps?
I am very pleased that the Interim Government has made such considerable progress against the milestones Alan Duncan, the DFID minister, and I identified in December last year. Similarly, much has been achieved towards implementing recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry. This has been an extensive and difficult task.
There is still a lot of work left to do and many challenges ahead for everyone but I am confident that, by working together, we can meet the objective of achieving the milestones in time to set a date for elections next year in 2012.
And on the future, a reduction in public expenditure has been a recurring theme in what I have said. But we also recognise the importance of encouraging economic activity. Last year I gave approval for the Interim Government to borrow $40 million to repair and extend the runway at Providenciales airport. As I was able to see on arrival today, the expansion has been completed and this investment is already proving its worth, having attracted additional airlines and flights from new North American destinations. International passenger flows at Providenciales rose by 10 per cent in 2010; and have continued to rise significantly this year. I arrived on a Jet Blue airplane this morning and saw four other airlines in the airport; American Airlines, United, Delta and one other. So this is even more welcome progress; it’s all about people coming here to enjoy themselves and spend money.
I am encouraged that talks continue with investors interested in starting new developments or taking over other stalled ones. Accessing finance is not as easy as it was a few years ago.
But I hope that the prospective investors and their backers will be encouraged by this evidence of increasing numbers of visitors to the TCI; and by the new markets the airport redevelopment will help open up.
In short, I know that the Interim Government’s aim is to build a prosperous and vibrant future for the Turks and Caicos Islands so that all who live here will thrive and will fulfil their potential in an environment that offers stability and security for work, investment and tourism.
And finally, as many of you know, our Governor is going to be leaving the Turks and Caicos Islands quite soon. I would like to take the opportunity of my visit here to thank him for his hard work on behalf of TCI over the past three years. He is one of very few FCO senior diplomats who have had the privilege to serve as Ambassador, in Ethiopia, High Commissioner, in Ghana, and Governor, to the TCI. I believe he has steered TCI carefully through very troubled waters during his three years here. He has worked tirelessly, always with the territory’s best interests at heart, with the result that TCI is stronger and better positioned to meet the challenges ahead. I am sure that you will all join with me in recognising his great contribution to TCI and wishing him all the best for the future.
Finally, I am an optimist – a glass half full rather than half empty person. On my visit to TCI last year, I saw spirit, drive and extraordinary natural resources and the self belief of TCI. With this we can get through the current problems. The new constitution is fit for purpose; TCI will go from strength to strength; and the people of TCI will once again be the masters of their destiny with a democratically elected government. Thank you.
HENRY BELLINGHAM
CSA PRESS STATEMENT
In the past few days there has been re-assignment of several posts at the executive level within the Interim Administration. The CSA wishes to extend its thanks those outgoing members of the Administration for whatever positive contributions they have made towards the betterment of the lives of Civil Servants and the civil service in general.
The CSA would like to congratulate Mr. Eugene Otuonye on his appointment as Director of the Integrity Commission and thank him for his service as Chairman of the Public Service Commission (PSC). In the same vein the CSA wishes to congratulate Mrs. Cynthia Astwood on her appointment as Chair of the PSC. It is our sincere hope that she serves in this capacity with fairness and integrity and with concern for the well-being of both Civil Servants and the Civil Service as a whole. The CSA looks forward to working with Mrs. Astwood in her non-conflicting role as PSC Chair to address the myriad of issues and injustice that civil servants are currently experiencing. However, we must note that it may be difficult for the former Chief Secretary to remain unbiased in her new role, as she has much intimate and personal knowledge of many Civil Servants whom she supervised during her tenure as Chief Secretary and acting Governor.
The CSA wishes to congratulate Mr. Mark Capes for his promotion to the ranks of Governor, to preside over St Helena, the Ascension Islands and Tristan Da Cunha. The CSA would like to stress that it was not an easy road for the Civil Service during the reign of Mr. Capes, as much was taken away and not given back. During the past months many Civil Servants lost jobs, had salaries and allowances reduced and rights to gratuities taken away. The CSA trusts that Mr. Martin Stanley, Mrs. Cynthia Astwood and the new in-coming Governor will find value in treating Civil Servants with dignity, respect and a concern for their welfare, as these are the critical determinants of an efficient, effective and a productive Civil Service.
The CSA will continue to work with all current and new members of the Interim Administration as the shuffling of portfolios continues. We are however mindful that work without progress is a wasted energy and we will continue to seek alternate ways to make progress in correcting issues affecting Civil Servants.