Greece Approves 2016 Budget With Less Spending, Higher Taxes
Greece's Parliament has approved the 2016 budget that includes deep spending cuts and tax hikes amid economic recession.
The budget passed early Sunday, 153-145, with two lawmakers absent in the 300-member Parliament. The vote was strictly along partisan lines.
The government forecasts zero economic growth this year and a contraction of 0.7 percent in 2016. Earlier, it had predicted declines of 2.3 percent and 1.3 percent, respectively.
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras told Parliament that growth would resume in the second half of 2016 and a strong tourist season could let the country avoid a recession altogether.
Despite spending cuts of around 2 billion euros ($2.18 billion) and a similar amount in tax hikes, debt is forecast to grow to 327.6 billion euros ($356 billion), or 187.8 percent of gross domestic product, from 180.2 percent in 2015.
Biden Announces $190M in New Aid for Reforms in Ukraine
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden says $190 million in new U.S. aid to Ukraine will help the country implement reforms and fight corruption.
"It’s absolutely critical for Ukraine, in order to be stable and prosperous and part of a secure Europe, to definitely, thoroughly completely root out the cancer of corruption," Biden said in Kyiv on Monday during a joint briefing with Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko following bilateral talks.
"That means ramping up the pace of reforms, avoidance of past practices, advancing good governance, increasing transparency across the board at every level of the government and strengthening the rule of law," he added.
Poroshenko has overseen the dismissals of nearly 4,000 graft-tainted prosecutors since taking office in May 2014. Last week, he also introduced a special anti-corruption prosecutor whose responsibilities will include rooting out graft and limiting the political power of shadowy business tycoons long seen as obstructing good government practices in the former Soviet republic.
During their joint briefing Monday, Biden also said the U.S. "stands firmly with the people of Ukraine" in the face of "continued aggression" by Russia and Russia-backed separatists. He said the best way to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine is through the "diplomatic framework" laid out in an agreement signed in Minsk, Belarus, by representatives of the Ukrainian and Russian governments, and the separatists.
"Minsk cannot succeed if Russia does not fulfill its commitment and President Putin fails to live up to the promises he has repeatedly made to my president, to you and to the international community,” Biden said, adding that Russia is "systematically violating" the cease-fire agreed to in Minsk.
Despite the cease-fire, sporadic fighting between government troops and pro-Russian rebels continues in eastern Ukraine, after more than 18 months of combat and nearly 8,000 deaths, most of them civilians.
Earlier Monday, Biden met with former world boxing champion and now Kyiv Mayor Vitaly Klitschko and congratulated him on adopting important police, transparency and procurement reforms in the capital city. He will meet later in the day with Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk.
Biden's two-day visit - his fourth since Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in early 2014 - comes ahead of formal U.S. approval of a third $1 billion bailout loan guarantee.
The Obama administration already has provided $470 million in direct economic assistance since pro-Russian former president Viktor Yanukovych was driven from power nearly two years ago, after weeks of anti-government protests in Kyiv.
Key U.S. officials say that during his visit, Biden will seek to reassure Kyiv that Washington will continue an array of economic sanctions against Russia, until Moscow and its Ukrainian rebel allies fully meet their obligation under the Minsk agreement to end the conflict and pull back heavy weapons.
Senior officials say Biden also will stress that recent U.S. overtures aimed at gaining cooperation from Russian President Vladimir Putin in the fight against Islamic extremists in Syria will in no way affect Western support for Kyiv.
Source-VOA
US Homeland Security to Unveil New Terror Alert System
Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson announced Monday "a new phase in the local terrorism threat” in the U.S, following an attack last week in San Bernardino, California that left 14 people dead.
“I believe in this environment we need to get beyond [the current terror-alert system] and go to a new system that has an intermediate level to it,” Johnson said during a Defense One forum in Washington, D.C. that precedes the unveiling of a new U.S. government domestic terrorism alert system.
The announcement comes after husband and wife, Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik, killed 14 people in San Bernardino, California, in a shooting referred to by the White House as an “act of terror.”
The couple was not flagged as terror suspects. U.S. government officials have expressed concern about so-called lone-wolves who commit attacks in support of organizations like the Islamic State but without direct orders.
Johnson said even if there is no specific credible intelligence of a plot, there can still be risk. He emphasized the possibility of a terror-inspired act by a person who might not be on law enforcement’s radar.
A color-coded alert system was put in place, following the 2001 attacks in New York and Washington, DC. Nearly 10 years later, it was replaced by a two-tier advisory. Johnson said the National Terrorism Advisory System [NTAS] is inadequate, and has never been used because it is dependent on a specific threat or threats to the country.
“We need a system that adequately informs the public at large, not through news leaks of joint intelligence bulletins to law enforcement, not through leaks from anonymous government officials,” said Johnson.
But Seth Jones, Director of the International Security and Defense Policy Center for RAND Corporation said this change won’t make much of a difference to the public’s sense of safety.
“I don’t really think that the alert system is particularly that important for most Americans. I don’t think most Americans pay attention to it. What they probably pay attention to, in some cases, is when senior administration officials have come out publicly about plots.”
DHS chief Johnson said that after the Paris attacks, the U.S. has been on a “heightened security posture.” He said there currently is no actionable information, however, of a planned attack in the U.S.
“There is no specific credible intelligence of a Paris-like attack on the homeland, but we are concerned about copy-cat acts. We are concerned about terrorism-inspired acts by the lone wolves,” Johnson said.
The DHS secretary also mentioned that his department and the State Department are evaluating vetting procedures of the K-1 visa program or fiancé visa, after direct orders from President Barack Obama. Malik, the wife of U.S. born Farook, entered the country with that visa.
Source-VOA
Premiers Speech-International Day of Persons with Disabilities
The Turks and Caicos Islands is truly a great place to live and my Government is ensuring that no Turks and Caicos Islander is left behind. As a part of my Government's plan for an inclusive approach to national development, it is of importance that those with special needs are included especially with physical development which stresses the need for ramps, rails and other basic and essential aids that makes the lives of many easier.
Before we look forward we must look back and thank those who created the foundation which we now have in place. A firm foundation built on the needs of a people. Looking back at history, in 1992, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 3rd December as the International Day of Disabled Persons; today countries all around the world continue to celebrate this day.
Annually, the UN announces a theme. The theme for 2015 is: Inclusion matters: access and empowerment for people of all abilities. There are also three sub-themes this year:
• Making cities inclusive and accessible for all
• Improving disability data and statistics
• Including persons with invisible disabilities in society and development
The Special Needs Unit within the Ministry of Health Agriculture and Human Services focus is improving the collection of data and statistics in relation to persons with disabilities in the TCI in order to inform policies and the development of services based on needs,
The annual theme provides a framework for considering how people with disabilities are excluded from society by promoting the removal of all types of barriers including those relating to the physical environment, information and communications technology (ICT), or attitudinal barriers.
Leviticus 19:32 reminds us to "'Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the LORD." My Government is committed doing the same. Today, the elderly can now say without a doubt, I am receiving my roses whilst I am alive. A year ago the new facility at the Wellness Center in Grand Turk was a dream and today it is nearing completion. This is the dream of many being fulfilled. A commitment was made and kept in accordance with the Government's mandate that the elderly and those with special needs will be protected by the Government through enhanced policies. Other products and services will be rolled out in due course to better sensitize our community.
In order for the Government to create programs and put the necessary infrastructure in place throughout the length and breadth of the country for persons with special needs, it is important for the community to participate. I encourage all to get registered as this will allow us to know the needs of various persons within the community. We would therefore be better able to address person's needs.
Registration drives will take place throughout the TCI commencing December 3, 2015 on Grand Turk with dates and times to be announced throughout the islands. No longer are certain services available to a few but through great partnerships such as those with the 1World Foundation, Seven Stars Hotel, Turks and Caicos Hospitals and others, children with special needs are being assessed and managed in country with the same techniques used in the United States. This action is a commitment to the people and for the people by this Government.
My fellow citizens and residents, we must rest assured that there are things men cannot accomplish but with faith in God, much is possible.
Isaiah 42:16
"I will lead the blind by a way they do not know, in paths they do not know I will guide them I will make darkness into light before them And rugged places into plains These are the things I will do, And I will not leave them undone."
NEW DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE APPOINTED
Ms. Wilhelmina Kissoonsingh has been recently appointed as the Director for the Department of Agriculture.
Ms. Kissoonsingh has a very diverse background and started her career in Agriculture as a Field Extension Officer advising farmers on ways to improve their production. Later on she worked in the Private Sector as an agronomist, developing and researching techniques to improve Agriculture and later moved up the ranks to planning and implementing agricultural programs for the entire country of Trinidad.
"Everyone is entitled to safe and sufficient food and it is a well-known fact that TCI imports basically all its food which puts the country food security at risk. In the past decade international markets have seen large food price swings and TCI is at the mercy of these high food prices. There are many challenges to producing food in TCIG such as soil type and fertility, lack of modern farming techniques and limited institutional support to name a few. In my new role, I intend to develop Agriculture Policy and programs to address these issues" stated Ms. Wilhelmina Kissoonsingh.
"Agriculture cannot be done in the same way as the past we need to implement new and innovative techniques to produce food in a sustainable way. Investment in Agriculture as an engine for sustainable development has been very low in the past but the potential is there, it is anticipated that new Director of Agriculture will lobby for and support its further development within the public sector" said Permanent Secretary for Health, Agriculture and Human Services, Mr. Wesley Clerveaux.
Ms. Kissoonsingh also a former lecturer at the University of the West Indies for many years and assisted students in formulating and executing their research projects in the field of Agriculture and Human Ecology; she also worked on consultancy projects in many other countries of the Caribbean, all in an effort to transform their respective Agriculture Sector. Ms. Kissoonsigh commenced work on October 1st 2015.
TURKS AND CAICOS POST CABINET MEETING STATEMENT
Her Excellency the Acting Governor, Anya Williams, chaired the 31st meeting of the Cabinet on Wednesday, 2 December 2015, at the Hon. N J S Francis Building in Grand Turk.
All Ministers were present with the Hon. Premier Dr. Rufus Ewing, Minister of Finance Hon. Washington Misick and Minister of Infrastructure Hon. Amanda Misick who are away on official business all joining by teleconference.
At this meeting Cabinet advised Her Excellency the Acting Governor to:
· Instruct the Attorney General's Chambers to appeal the decision in the recent judicial review on planning standards given the wide ranging implications for planning approvals granted in the Islands and the possibility that the decision could mean that those decisions are invalid;
· Give approval for the drafting of a Planning Validation Bill by the Attorney General’s Chambers for submission to the House of Assembly for debate and passage;
· Give approval for the drafting of a Physical Planning (Amendment) Bill by the Attorney General's Chambers for submission to the House of Assembly for debate and passage;
· Give approval for the Immigration (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2015 to be submitted to the House of Assembly for debate and passage;
· Give approval for a lease agreement for the rental of office space for the Ministry of Health and related departments to be housed at parcel 10402/23 in Grand Turk owned by Yvonne Thomas;
· Give approval for a lease agreement for the rental of office space for the Ministry of Tourism and related departments to be housed at 10405/208 in Grand Turk owned by Mercedes and Donovan Francis;
· Give approval for a lease agreement for the rental of office space for the Elections Department to be housed at Woodville Court in Grand Turk owned by Jerzy Kolodziej;
· Give approval for the appointment of Mr. Hartley Coalbrooke and David Been to serve as Chair and Member of a Gaming Commission set up to review and make recommendations on pending casino applications;
· Give approval for the appointment of Mr. Edward Hall and Elva Williams to serve as Chair and member of the Parole Board respectively.
Further information on these matters will be provided by Ministers in due course.
NFL Confirms Coldplay Will Headline Super Bowl Halftime Show
It's official: Coldplay will headline next year's Super Bowl halftime show.
The NFL formally announced Thursday night that the British rockers will perform during the Super Bowl 50 halftime show at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on February 7.
The NFL noted that frontman Chris Martin is designing a show that will echo elements of its "On the Fifty" campaign, focusing on the past, present and future of the league. Other, as-yet-unnamed artists will take part.
Coldplay -- whose new album, A Head Full Of Dreams, is out Friday -- will also be featured in a behind-the-scenes miniseries on Pepsi.com, beginning January 11, about the making of the halftime show. Pepsi is sponsoring the halftime show.
Katy Perry headlined this year's Super Bowl halftime show.
PREMIER OF THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS, DR. THE HONOURABLE RUFUS W. EWING ADDRESSES THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE ON GOVERNANCE IN LONDON
The Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands, Dr. The Honourable Rufus W. Ewing, yesterday, made representation on matters of governance as it relates to the Overseas Territories and particularly, as it relates to the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The address was delivered to members of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the presence of other Overseas Territories Leaders, who are gathered in London this week to attend the Joint Ministerial Conference 2015.
The Premier's address, which was delivered in part (due to time constraints) but later submitted, read:
"Members of the FAC it gives me great pleasures of address you all here this morning on behalf of the British Overseas Territories on the issue of governance.
"The Overseas territories enjoy a long period of relationship with the United Kingdom Government ranging from Bermuda in the early 1600s to the British Antarctic Territory as recent as 1908.
"The territories have in common the Queen as the head of state who is represented in the territories by a Governor or such person appointed by the FCO whose authority varies across the territories ranging from limited reserve powers in areas of foreign affairs, security and defense to those far reaching powers and responsibilities extending into the internal administrative governance of the territories which often overshadow the roles and responsibilities of locally elected government.
"These governance and administrative arrangements are laid out within each territory's constitution where the good governance framework also receives its genesis and are refined by subordinate good governance legislations giving birth to good governance bodies.
"Even though each overseas may territory differ greatly from each other in size, population, economy, administrative capacity and level of political maturity, each territory has a right to self determination and self governance based on the settle will of the peoples of each territory and this self determination include the choice to remain a British OT. The British government has the responsibility to ensure that the territories are protected and are provided with a constitutional and governance framework that ensures good governance and supports progressive move towards self governance in whatever form.
"The constitutional construct varies greatly between the overseas territories and the rationalization for such construct seems haphazard and reactionary to circumstance in many instances and not based on the principles of the UK's responsibility as laid out in the UN Convention and principles of modern democracies and good governance.
"There are many territories who feel strongly that the reserve powers of the governor are too wide in scope and overreaching into the daily executive decisions of the territory. There are many territories who feels that the governor has too much influence in the legislature in addition to veto powers.
"There are many territories who feels that the UK's persistence as borne in the constitutional construct, to separate politics from governance the territories undermines the ability of locally elected politicians to deliver their political mandate and a shift in decision making powers to the FCO.
"There are many overseas territories who are concerned about not only the reserve powers of their governor but also the method and criteria used for the selection of their governor as this impacts heavily not only on the style of governance but the extent of interference of the governor outside of their constitutional remit.
"Ladies and gentleman I have spoken broadly on governance arrangements and concerns that you may find across the OTs, so I now turn my attention specifically to the Turks and Caicos Islands to highlight such governance concerns.
"The Turks and Caicos Islands as a UK Overseas Territory was administered via its own Governor since 1972 after the Bahamas went independent and in 1976 gain its own constitution that permitted elected ministerial system of governance.
"The Turks and Caicos Islands has had its constitution suspended twice for allegations of maladministration and corruption as was discovered in two commissions of inquiries. There are many including myself who still question the need for suspension of the constitution as a necessity to intervene and correct and weakness in governance as whatever failures there were did not have its origin in the constitution. The elected government of the TCI believe in and embraces the good governance bodies that have been implemented prior to and during the direct rule from the UK, but we are of the view that there are many provisions within the new TCI constitution when combined with the mandates of the good governance institutions stiffles the ability of any elected goverment to govern effectively.
"Governance in the Turks and Caicos Islands is even further controlled by the UK via the new role of a Chief Financial Officer who has decision making and veto powers as it relates to financial management as a condition of the U.K. loan guarantee which will expire in February of this year. The financial legislative framework in the Turks and Caicos outside of the provisions for a CFO has many provisions for safeguarding and ensuring sound financial management and we as an elected government are sufficiently confident that with these systems in place there would be no need for a CFO beyond the timeframe specified.
"There are many concerns related to the current Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution and these concerns were well articulated in the recent report on the TCI Constitution and the subsequent House of Assembly recommendations for constitutional amendments which were submitted to the FCO. In the new year we will be addressing these concerns and other governance issues with a bipartisan team interfacing with the FCO and this FAC so as to improve and strengthen the relationship between the TCI and the U.K. Government with respect to governance in the best interest of the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
"Mr. Chair on behalf of the Overseas Territories I thank you for this opportunity to address this body today on these issues of governance."
The meeting with the Foreign Affairs Committee was the first of several to be held with the Overseas Territories Leaders and key UK Government Committees and officials, including the Plenary Sessions of the Joint Ministerial Council, which also began yesterday, December 1st at Lancaster House in London.
Premier Ewing is scheduled to deliver another address at the JMC later today at the Plenary Session on the Challenges Facing Small Island Economies.
CARICOM to mount Election Observation Mission for St. Vincent and the Grenadines Elections
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) will mount a CARICOM Electoral Observation Mission to monitor the general elections to be held in St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Wednesday 9 December 2015.
The Chief of Mission is Mr. Gasper Jn Baptiste, Chief Elections Officer in St. Lucia. The other members of the Mission come from Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados and Jamaica. They will be accompanied by a two-member CARICOM Secretariat support team.
The Core Group, which includes the Chief of Mission and the CARICOM Secretariat Support Staff, will arrive in St. Vincent and the Grenadines on 4-5 December, while the remaining members of the Mission will arrive on 6 December and depart on 10 December. The Core Group will leave on 11 December.
The CARICOM Electoral Observer Mission will meet with electoral officials, leaders of political parties and other stakeholders. On the day of the elections, the Mission will monitor the electoral process, the closing of the Poll and the counting of the ballots.
For CARICOM, election observation serves as a platform to support existing democratic traditions within the Caribbean Community as part of its wider policy of supporting democracy.
CELEBRATE MIGRATORY BIRDS WITH THE NATIONAL TRUST AND DEMA!
In a region that seems blessed with eternal summer, one of the most noticeable signs of autumn is the arrival of countless migratory birds. Leaving their summer breeding grounds in North America, they transform Caribbean wetlands and forests with their colours and songs.
DEMA and the National Trust hosted a number of events celebrating these birds and their miraculous migrations during International Migratory Bird Month (19 October – 30 November, 2015).
DEMA announced the winners of the Primary School colouring competition today.
"Many entries were received, and although it was a tough decision as we were particularly impressed by the submissions, a decision had to be made." Said Amy Avenant, DEMA's Environment Outreach Coordinator.
The winners are:
Janear Forbes, BEST Institute
Trisha Duncan, Ianthe Pratt
Daquant Duncanson, Richmond Hill Prep
Brooke Rivers, International School of the Turks & Caicos Islands (ISTCI)
A number of bird monitoring activities were also undertaken by DEMA, and the National Trust hosted a number of IMB Festival awareness activities: posters were displayed in the Town Center Mall and for the duration of the festival. Colourful 'Bird Buddy' wrist bands were also distributed during the exhibition.
DEMA and The National Trust attempted to highlight habitat restoration through the planting of mangroves at Wheeland Pond Wetland on Providenciales on 20 November 2015. Four schools, namely Provo Primary, Oseta Jolly Primary, BEST Institute and the ISTCI, helped plant approximately 50 red mangrove seedlings. DEMA is, however, sad to report that upon monitoring the site that the plants had been pulled out just a week later.
"Although the culprit is at large, it is very disheartening to see our conservation efforts, and the efforts of the young children, be literally ripped from the ground. Wheeland pond is very important ecological site for migratory birds and other marine species, and we can only hope that with persistant education that all will learn to value and conserve this natural Provo gem." Said Amy Avenant.
"Along with birds, native trees are the most iconic features of the Caribbean landscape, and their roots are deeply intertwined with both the wildlife and the cultures of the region."