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Majority of 52 week programme workers placed in private sector • Gov’t working towards placing remainder of un-posted employees • Remainder of participants undergoing training
By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net TWO thirds of the remaining unposted 52 week programme workers in the public service have been successfully placed in the private sector while the remainder are undergoing training.
Clint Watson, press secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister at his weekly press briefing on Friday said: “There’s been a lot of interest about being able to place persons in the private sector. So far, there have been about 50 to 60 persons who’ve been placed.” In November, Pia Glover-Rolle, minister of
state for the public service, revealed that 233 people were approved by the former Free National Movement government for employment in July 2021, just two months before the September 16 general election. Of that number, 85 were un-posted because
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CLINT WATSON
FOCOL Holdings announces new promotions to its executive ranks RYAN PINDER
AG: Several tools added to deal with international requests for exchange of information • Case management system developed by Department of Information Technology By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net THE Attorney General has provided an insight on the government’s case management system to help facilitate the management of responses to international requests for exchange of information. Ryan Pinder, in the 2019-20 Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Annual Publication for The Bahamas, said: The OAG (Office of the Attorney General) over the last 24 months added several tools to assist the Unit in effectively managing the government’s responses to international requests for exchange of information either through a) Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties, b) Letters Rogatory, c) Court to Court for criminal matters via the Criminal Justice (International Cooperation) Act, 2000 or d) Court to Court for civil matters via the Evidence (Proceedings in
Other Jurisdiction) Act, 2000. “A case management system has been developed by the Department of Information Technology as an IT solution to enhance the Unit’s procedures. The IT solution was launched during the week of the 10 December 2018. As of 20 February 2019, all Mutual Legal Assistance and Criminal Justice Requests for Assistance matters (United States of America, Canada, etc.) have been entered into the case management system and updating of matters is ongoing. As of July 2019, all matters relating to outgoing requests were entered into the case management system. Extradition matters were entered into the case management system as of 21 August 2019. “The Protocol for Processing International Requests for International Legal Assistance Matters has been amended to ensure that all members of the Unit are aware that all new matters are to
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FOCOL Holdings Limited has announced three top level promotions in its executive establishment. Effective January 1 Anthony Robinson becomes FOCOL Holdings Limited’s Deputy Chairman. Dexter Adderley has been appointed President and Chief Executive Officer
and Clinton Rolle becomes Managing Director and General Manager of Sun Oil Limited. Sir Franklyn Wilson, who was one of a group of businessmen who acquired the energy company in 1982 and FOCOL Chairman since 2014, made the announcement during a
meeting with Prime Minister Philip Davis to appraise him of the company’s leadership and succession plan. Said Sir Franklyn: “Under the theme ‘Continuity and Change’ and with all other members of the leadership team affirming support, these latest executive movements are the
SIR FRANKLYN WILSON outcome of years of proper succession planning. On this occasion, I recall the
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BREA INKS HISTORIC LINKS WITH NEW YORK, SARASOTA REALTY ASSOCIATIONS
FOUR-term BREA President Christine Wallace-Whitfield inks memorandum of understanding with real estate associations in New York and Sarasota, surprising their members by letting them know how much The Bahamas standards for real estate transactions mirror theirs and those of the National Association of Realtors.
IN ONE of its most farreaching efforts to date, the Bahamas Real Estate Association (BREA) has inked links with realty associations in two major affluent markets in the U.S. in recent weeks, signing memorandums of understanding with Long Island, NY and Sarasota, Fl real estate groups. BREA President Christine Wallace-Whitfield called the initiative ‘historic and significant.’ “The COVID-19 pandemic that forced people to work remotely unleashed a never before seen demand for property in warm climate markets, especially those like The Bahamas where the lifestyle is enviable,” said Wallace-Whitfield. “While we were experiencing this explosive demand
for residential, we were also seeing more agents coming in from abroad so we wanted to reach out, network, see how we could work together and make them formally aware of the law requiring foreign agents or brokers to co-broke with a BREA-licensed agency or member. At the same time, we wanted to share information about our market, useful insights into the processes around real estate transactions in The Bahamas and shed light on the Family Islands.” The presentation to Realtors® in Long Island, NY, was face-to-face, in Sarasota it was virtual. “It was an honour to accept invitations from both organizations and to deliver key messages, including sharing the many similarities between our
professionals in The Bahamas and theirs,” said the four-term president. “I think there was a general level of surprise at how sophisticated our profession is. When people think of the Bahamas, they think of the visitor experience, lying on a chaise lounge with the sun beating down on your face, and they don’t realize that for the working professional, it is an all-out, consuming occupation, or that we rely on the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) as they do, or that their rules and regulations as set by the National Association of Realtors, are our rules and regulations.” The veteran broker said audiences in both presentations were happy to hear professional standards in The Bahamas were so stringent. “I assured them that we were more alike than we are different,” said WallaceWhitfield, citing one major difference. “We still do not have a digital land registry but we are working on it,” she said. Florida, she noted, has grown by more than 400,000 new residents since April of 2020, a month after the pandemic started, a number that roughly equals the population of The Bahamas. “If Florida is the number one choice of Americans for relocating since the COVID-19 pandemic turned our worlds upside down, The Bahamas is the number one choice in this hemisphere outside the US.,” she said. “Like you, networking is the foundation on which we stand and trust is the pillar on which we depend. But, unlike you, we are spread out over 500 miles and 100,000 square miles of open ocean. We are often asked ‘How do you sell real estate when property
is scattered across so many islands?’ “I love that question because I get this picture of someone who does not realize how connected we are imagining an agent putting on a bathing suit, holding up a sign saying follow me and swimming to a nearby beach where drinks with paper umbrellas and a form that says ‘Sign here’ are waiting.” Wallace-Whitfield told agents in Sarasota she hated to dispel that image but the reality is far less glamorous, explaining the frequency of flights, inter-island ferry service, availability of private planes and vessels, all make visits to remote properties reasonable. Above all, she said, she wanted to ensure audiences in New York and Sarasota that working with a local agent who has local knowledge and will hand-hold a buyer from abroad through the transaction, was to their advantage. “Working with a local agent is in your favour as well as being the legal and ethical thing to do,” she explained in presentations to more than 100 agents and brokers. “As BREA agents, it is our responsibility to understand the law, to know the market in the immediate area where your client is looking, to share information about closing costs and real property tax, to explain Central Bank and other monetary and regulatory policies. You would not wander into a strange land without a map and you should not wander into The Bahamas without letting one of our licensed agents be that map for you. We are in this high demand situation together and the closer we work with one another, the more all of us will benefit from it.”
MAJORITY 52 WEEK PROGRAMME WORKERS PLACED IN PRIVATE SECTOR FROM PAGE ONE upon assuming office, an immediate hold was placed on those hires pending a status review. Since the end of September, the government was working towards having these 85 un-posted workers placed in the private sector so the money would not be wasted in salaries and the country can have some utility out of these individuals. Mr Watson added: “Now the programme started out very aggressively. It started out with a lot of interest and it’s slowed down. It’s much slower now. “Here are the challenges we’ve arrived to. Most of the persons that could have been placed, had been placed, those are the 50 to 60 persons. Those that remain the challenge is that because they lacked skills it is hard to place them in the private sector.” Mr Watson said improving people’s skill sets through “practical skills training” will help the remaining un-posted employees. Glenys Hanna-Martin, Minister for Education was also at the press briefing and said: “No one is going to be sidelined. BTVI is BTVI, but it’s a vehicle.
GLENYS HANNA-MARTIN And so we need to use that vehicle for these children, for these young people. Then we will find a niche that will allow us to bring the focus that’s required for these young people.” She continued, “It might not be BTVI. It may be other methodologies like night classes. We have to see what it is that is required. It’s a huge task. It is immense. But we want to use what we have and do what we have to, to as far as possible, ensure that children who are being disadvantaged by this whole process are able to be given an opportunity to catch up and to be and to get back on track.”
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Monday, December 20, 2021, PAGE 3
SUNSET COVE, RAINBOW ROOM TO GO TO AUCTION IN HOT BAHAMAS MARKET WITH The Bahamas placing second in numbers only to Florida in the rush to relocate, a phenomenon that is driving eager sellers to seek the widest possible marketing database, a small resort in Eleuthera has succeeded in nabbing the world’s largest auction firm to handle the sale of its 3.5acre seaside property. The historic Rainbow Inn, renamed Sunset Cove and Rainbow Room, announced it has landed Concierge Auctions for the global marketing and online auction that will open for bidding January 21 and run until the 27th. Concierge is working with the mother-son team of Tamina and Lex McKinney of the local firm Graham Real Estate with headquarters in Nassau, Bahamas. This is the third Eleuthera property in the Concierge book in less than one year, but the first since Concierge, itself the largest luxury real estate auction marketplace in the world, became part of the world’s premier destination for fine art and luxury goods, Sotheby’s, and the largest full-service residential real estate services company in the United States, Realogy Holdings Corp. “We are bringing the two greatest powerhouses, Concierge and Realogy, along with Graham Real Estate to this sale,” said Danny Prell, Concierge Director of Business Development. “The current interest in The Bahamas and in Eleuthera, in particular, is phenomenal and this property deserves the widest marketing we can bring. It has everything
going for it and most especially its location.” The international auction house that developed online bidding well before the pandemic made it a necessity handled the successful sale of another Eleuthera property, Hut Pointe, just over a month ago. “We are very excited about Sunset Cove and Rainbow Room not just because the resort and its restaurants are favourites among locals and visitors, nor because the property has already undergone two major renovations, but because it still holds so much promise and potential,” said Prell. “With much of the land overlooking the beautiful Caribbean Sea untouched, it is a blank canvas on which a new owner can preserve the historic and add the contemporary.” According to Graham Real Estate’s Tamina McKinney, recent upgrades and profitability are expected to drive active bidding. “We are pleased to work with Concierge for the sale of this property which holds so much potential as a revenue generator on a Family Island,” said the veteran broker. “The current owner modernized the restaurant and upgraded both the grounds and accommodations, transforming the Sunset Cove and Rainbow Room into a profitable business and this property will surely fetch an excellent price.” Asking price is $3.68 million. When the site goes live for viewing on December 17, interested parties will
WEBSITE goes live December 17 for preview of Sunset Cove & Rainbow Room, the 3.5-acre boutique resort in Eleuthera available for online bidding through Concierge Auctions starting January 21. Concierge is working with local firm Graham Real Estate and the mother-son team Tamina and Lex McKinney. see the boutique resort with panoramic views, waterfront restaurant, pool, seven fully renovated suites, four classic cottages and twobedroom houses, creating a total of 14 bedrooms and 12 bathrooms spread out in a park-like setting with mature trees and lush landscaping. The restaurant with its famed wood brick pizza oven seats 85 with a popular terrace setting that comes alive with local bands on special nights large enough for another 52. Built in 1970 with only three sets of owners over half a century, the inn and restaurant rank #1 on TripAdvisor for Eleuthera in the b&b category, an achievement Prell
calls “astounding, given the competition.” Prell also cites its proximity to the Governor’s Harbour Airport to the south and to the quaint and charming hot spots of Harbour Island and Spanish Wells to the north, an easy drive and short ferry ride away. “Some of the best dive sites in the world are just off the coastline where you can float along Current Cut between the rock walls of Eleuthera and Current Island,” said Prell. “There are nearly endless things to do from exploring the Blue Hole nearby, the waters known as the Devil’s Backbone because of the many reefs or the Hatchet Bay Seahorse Pond, reportedly
home to the largest collection of seahorses in the world.” Tours and excursions in the area include swimming with the pigs, a search for treasure in pirates’ cove at Hatchet Bay and nearby beaches. “Three and a half acres on an island 110 miles long with 200 miles of coastline and a low-density population of less than 10,000, yet so many treasures, Sunset Cove and Rainbow Room should go to a buyer with a vision for gentle expansion and a true love for the special island of Eleuthera,” Prell said. “This property is amazing and should generate a lot of excitement because of its promise. And the buyer could qualify and
apply for benefits of the Hotels Encouragement Act to make expansion more affordable through duty exemptions on materials and furnishings.” Prell said the Eleuthera property auction would enjoy exposure to Concierge’s comprehensive database reported to be the largest of high-net-worth property connoisseurs on the planet and its reach to major publications. Its listings have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Fortune, CNBC and most international property publications. Graham Real Estate is also going to feature it prominently on its website and on signage.
FOCOL HOLDINGS ANNOUNCES NEW PROMOTIONS TO ITS EXECUTIVE RANKS FROM PAGE ONE sage words of the late Sir Albert Miller, President and Chairman, 1982 - 2014 who emphasized the primacy of choosing the right people to lead signal undertakings. Sir Albert often said, ‘When well-intentioned
people come together, they can achieve great things,’ This sterling character and commitment to company and nation-building has been manifested by all three men. “With faith in Bahamian enterprise, Anthony Robinson and Dexter Adderley,
each at an important stage in his career, left multinational corporations to work to build our local entity. A member of the Board of Directors since 1991 and serving as President since 2011, Anthony has given a collective 30 years of leadership in his
various roles in FOCOL. The deputy chairmanship will afford Mr. Robinson the means to continue to apply his passionate commitment to FOCOL and to
its sustainable growth and success. By temperament, professional training, and relevant experience, including over a decade each at FOCOL, Dexter Adderley
and Clinton Rolle, the new CEO and the new Managing Director, respectively, have assiduously prepared for their new roles.
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FOCOL ANNOUNCES LEADERSHIP CONTINUITY & CHANGE FOCOL Holdings Limited has announced three top level promotions in its executive establishment. Effective January 1, 2022, Anthony Robinson becomes FOCOL Holdings Limited’s Deputy Chairman. Dexter Adderley has been appointed FOCOL’s President and Chief Executive Officer and Clinton Rolle becomes Managing Director and General Manager of Sun Oil Limited. Sir Franklyn Wilson, who was one of a group of businessmen who acquired the energy company in 1982 and FOCOL Chairman since 2014, made the announcement during a meeting with Prime Minister Philip Davis to appraise him of the company’s leadership and succession plan. Said Sir Franklyn: “Under the theme ‘Continuity and Change’ and with all other members of the leadership team affirming support, these latest executive movements are the outcome of years of proper succession planning. On this occasion, I recall the sage words of the late Sir Albert Miller, President and
Chairman, 1982 - 2014 who emphasized the primacy of choosing the right people to lead signal undertakings. Sir Albert often said, ‘When well-intentioned people come together, they can achieve great things,’ This sterling character and commitment to company and nation-building has been manifested by all three men. “With faith in Bahamian enterprise, Anthony Robinson and Dexter Adderley, each at an important stage in his career, left multinational corporations to work to build our local entity. A member of the Board of Directors since 1991 and serving as President since 2011, Anthony has given a collective 30 years of leadership in his various roles in FOCOL. The deputy chairmanship will afford Mr. Robinson the means to continue to apply his passionate commitment to FOCOL and to its sustainable growth and success. By temperament, professional training, and relevant experience, including over a decade each at FOCOL, Dexter Adderley
and Clinton Rolle, the new CEO and the new Managing Director, respectively, have assiduously prepared for their new roles. All three men have performed outstandingly in their previous areas of responsibility. During the call on Prime Minister Davis, Robinson thanked Sir Franklyn and praised the Chairman’s own leadership. He also expressed confidence in the new Sun Oil leadership team. “Together, along with the Board of Directors, four hundred and fifty employees, hundreds of Bahamian shareholders, we, Sir Franklyn and I, have built a leading energy company in The Bahamas. We have a world-class organization, in fact. One of the mantras of our organization is “it's better to change than to have change thrust upon you”. So in that light, what we are doing now is we have employees who have worked with us in senior management positions for well over 10 years, and we feel that this is the time to let them take over the
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FOCOL1: (l-r) S. Rosel Moxey, FOCOL Holdings Limited Director; Dexter Adderley, incoming FOCOL President and Chief Executive Officer; Sir Franklyn Wilson, FOCOL Chairman; Prime Minister Philip Davis and Anthony Robinson, incoming FOCOL Deputy Chairman at a recent meeting. day-to-day running of the company. As Sir Franklyn and I continue to direct the company from the board level, we have with us Dexter Adderley, who's been with the company for 12 years. Dexter has 25 years’ experience in the petroleum industry, and we are happy to have him and his team, ready to take over the day-to-day operation,” said Mr. Robinson. Having previously amassed 12 years of experience with a global oil company, Adderley joined FOCOL in 2008. Hired as Operations Manager, his next steps up the management ladder included the posts of Deputy General Manager with responsibility for Sales & Marketing (2009); General Manager (2010) and Managing Director (2012). Adderley expressed his gratitude: “It's quite an honor to be working with such a well-established organization as FOCOL. As Mr. Robinson mentioned, my career in the industry goes back twenty-five years, the first half of which was the Texaco/Chevron Group. I've gained a lot of knowledge in the industry, and I have my background in
electrical engineering… It is quite a privilege to have such a responsibility placed on me. We, Mr. Robinson and I, have built enormous talent at FOCOL. I'm just one out of quite a deep bench. I look forward to the opportunities ahead. We have a good slate of projects that we're working on to continue to develop this industry.” Clinton Rolle was formerly employed by a global manufacturing organization with focus in production and quality management. Rolle, who joined the company in July 2011 was Sun Oil’s Deputy General Manager since January 2013. Concluding his announcement, Sir Franklyn expressed pride in FOCOL. A Bahamian-owned, publicly traded and BISX-listed company, FOCOL currently enjoys a market capitalization of more than $400 million. FOCOL remains an important energy provider and a major employer of Bahamians. During the past 20 years, the company has steadily increased its overall staff complement of 104 persons in 1999 to a team of 450 in 2021. Their expertise ranges from finance, accounting
and administrative professionals; to engineers of varying disciplines, skilled technicians and fuels retailing experts; from recent graduates of tertiary learning institutions, to senior managers with an average of fifteen years of industry experience. “It is this careful balance of experienced and developing professionals, and the deployment of new technologies that support continuous learning and development which, in turn, facilitates innovation and efficient delivery of products and services to meet customer needs. More than qualifications, our employees have heart – they are passionate about delivering superior customer service,” said Sir Franklyn. “Above all, we take pride in our long standing reputation as an exemplary corporate citizen. This commitment to Bahamian national development is demonstrated through our numerous investments in sporting, cultural and educational initiatives that help to create stronger families and communities,” he added.
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Monday, December 20, 2021, PAGE 5
Trading inflation T
HE acceleration in the rise of consumer prices of the last 8 months continues to spread. November data indicated that in the US, inflation reached 6.8% on a yearly basis, the highest reading since the early 90s, with a similar dynamic occurring around the globe. In some cases, the numbers start to look scary, like in Turkey, where annual inflation climbed to more than 20%, triggering a loss for the currency that exceeds 40% over the last 3 months. Unusually, the Turkish central bank is reacting by lowering interest rates, a move widely seen as a dangerous economics experiment that may open the way for runaway inflation. Thankfully, most central banks, including the US Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank and the Bank of England, aren’t willing to gamble the economic stability of their countries and have already started, or look set to initiate, the tightening of monetary policies, by tapering quantitative
easing and hiking interest rates. Despite this tilting towards hawkishness, many analysts, and some economists believe the trend still has some way to go, forecasting the continuation of consumer’ price rises throughout 2022. Over recent decades inflation remained, apart from a few feeble spikes, subdued across the developed economies of the west. Such environment, which to a large extent resulted from the combined deployment of stringent fiscal austerity measures and generous monetary stimulus, provided goldilocks-like conditions for risk related assets to flourish. Tech stocks and cryptos, were among the main beneficiaries, with Amazon, Apple and Tesla all reaching a market capitalization above one trillion dollars. However, the pandemic and
unsettling populistic political movements changed everything. Over the last 20 months austerity gave way to fiscal stimulus, which, combined with supply chain issues, brought back inflation. Investors will operate differently in an environment of high inflation, which, as mentioned, is expected to remain elevated throughout 2022. They will readjust their portfolios, buying assets that offer more returns or hedge against high inflation. This year already, Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities have been in high demand (these are US government issued bonds indexed to inflation). Commodities, like oil, gold, and softs such as wheat and soybeans, also tend to do well, as their value will rise alongside consumer prices.
THE CHARGING Bull sculpture in New York's Financial District, is shown in this photo. PHOTO:Richard Drew/AP Another sector likely to grow 2022 is property. Real estate investment trusts are becoming increasingly popular because they generate income from rents, which, as we know, go up during times of high inflation. So, government bonds, commodities and property are likely to do well in the
year ahead. But, as winners emerge, there will also be losers as investments are diverted to new asset classes. Among the losers we will probably find growth stocks, those whose current price is determined by future valuation and not actual results – the tech sector, the stand-out
performer of the last 2 years, will be particularly exposed to this dynamic. There are already signs confirming this trend, with the performance of the Nasdaq index before the Christmas break looking ominous, with a drop of 3.5% in the week up to December 17.
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HOLIDAY HOURS NOTICE
Please be advised of our 2021/22 Christmas Holiday office hours. IN OBSERVANCE OF CHRISTMAS EVE, CHRISTMAS DAY AND BOXING DAY Our offices will close at 1pm on Friday, 24 December and remain closed through Monday, 27 December 2021. IN OBSERVANCE OF NEW YEAR’S EVE AND NEW YEAR’S DAY Our offices will close at 1pm on Friday, 31 December 2021 and remain closed through Monday, 3 January, 2022. Our offices will be open from Tuesday, 28 December through Friday, 31 December 2021 [mid-day only]. After the holidays we will reopen on Tuesday, 4 January 2022.
We wish you and yours a safe and joyous holiday season and a healthy and peaceful New Year!
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AG: SEVERAL TOOLS ADDED TO DEAL WITH INTERNATIONAL REQUESTS FOR EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION FROM PAGE ONE be entered into the case management system upon receipt.” He further said about the efficacy of the case management system, “Since the implementation of the case management system, the International Cooperation Unit of the OAG has been able to collate statistics more efficiently and within a timely manner. Further, international partners have continued to be updated
monthly on matters outstanding. A review of the outstanding matters allows senior management to ensure that all updates are forwarded to countries with outstanding cases. “The International Unit has added two additional staff, and the Unit’s personnel have been trained in the operations of the case management system.” Mr Pinder also charted the way forward for the OAG on AML/CTF
matters and said: “There have been tremendous efforts made to address all concerns of the CFATF (Caribbean Financial Action Task Force) and the FATF (Financial Action Task Force). The AML/ CFT/CPF (proliferation financing) legislative, regulatory and enforcement landscapes have been thoroughly reviewed and strengthened as noted above. The IRF (Identified Risk Framework) Steering
Committee is committed to ensuring that the country maintains a high level of readiness in addressing regulatory and best practice challenges in the AML/ CFT/CPF space. “To assist in this effort and to ensure that there is much vigilance over the primary financial sector – banks and trust companies, The Central Bank established an AML Analytical Unit in 2018, whose sole function is that
of continuous monitoring of AML/CFT/CPF requirements by financial institutions, credit unions, non-bank money transmission service providers and registered representatives. The Securities Commission also established AML Analytical Units in 2019 to maintain ongoing vigilance regarding AML/CFT/CPF compliance of the securities licensees and registrants. “The country’s coordination and
cooperation arrangements as noted above, avoids silo-regulating, and ensures information sharing between the 13 agencies charged with implementation and maintenance of The Bahamas’ AML/ CFT/CPF framework. The National Identified Risk Framework Coordinator and the IRF Steering Committee enjoys the full support of the government.”
MANCHIN CAN’T SUPPORT DEMS’ $2T BILL, POTENTIALLY DOOMING IT By ALAN FRAM AND HOPE YEN Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin said Sunday he cannot back his party’s signature $2 trillion social and environment bill, dealing a potentially fatal blow to President Joe Biden’s leading domestic initiative heading into an election year when Democrats’
narrow hold on Congress was already in peril. Manchin told “Fox News Sunday” that after five-andhalf months of negotiations among Democrats in which he was his party’s chief obstacle to passage, “I cannot vote to continue with this piece of legislation. I just can’t. I’ve tried everything humanly possible. I can’t get there.” Manchin’s choice of words seemed to crack the door
open to continued talks with Biden and top congressional Democrats over reshaping the legislation. But the West Virginia senator all but said the bill would die unless it met his demands for a smaller, less sweeping package — something that would be hard for many Democrats in the narrowly divided Congress to accept. The bill would provide hundreds of billions of dollars to help millions of
families with children by extending a more generous child tax credit, creating free preschool and bolstering child care aid. There is more than $500 billion for tax breaks and spending aimed at curbing carbon emissions, which experts consider the largest federal expenditure ever to combat climate change. Other provisions would limit prescription drug price increases, create hearing benefits for Medicare recipients and bolster aid for the elderly, housing and job training. Nearly all of it would be paid for with higher taxes on the wealthy and large corporations. In an unusually hardball response to a lawmaker whose vote is crucial in the 50-50 Senate, White House press secretary Jen Psaki called Manchin’s announcement “a sudden and inexplicable reversal in his position” and “a breach of his commitments” to Biden and congressional Democrats. She pointedly said that Manchin, whose state is among the nation’s poorest, “will have to explain” why many families will have to cope with higher health and child care costs the bill is intended to address.
SEN. JOE MANCHIN, D-W.Va., walks to a caucus lunch at the Capitol in Washington, Dec. 17, 2021. Manchin said Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021 he cannot back a $2 trillion social safety net bill, dealing a potentially fatal blow to President Joe Biden’s signature legislation. PHOTO:J. Scott Applewhite/AP Psaki said in a statement that Manchin had “in person” given Biden a written proposal last Tuesday that was “the same size and scope” of a framework for the bill that Democrats rallied behind in October. That framework had a 10-year cost of $1.85 trillion. Officials hadn’t previously disclosed that Tuesday meeting. She said when Manchin spoke to Biden, the White House believed
a compromise was possible and that Manchin agreed to continue talks. “We will continue to. press him to see if he will reverse his position yet again, to honor his prior commitments and be true to his word,” Psaki said. A progressive advocate said Sunday that during Biden’s talk with Manchin this past week, the president had raised pressure on the senator to back the legislation.
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FINLAND’S CHRISTMAS RESORTS IN FULL SWING BUT FEAR OMICRON By JAMES BROOKS Associated Press ROVANIEMI, Finland (AP) — Workers at Santa Claus Village, a holiday theme park on the edge of the Arctic Circle, chipped away at a frozen dome, using chisels to put the final touches on an ice restaurant-hotel filled with sculptures of snowmen, penguins and huskies. The Christmas season is in full swing in Finnish Lapland, where venue operators happily report that visitors have returned in numbers approaching pre-pandemic levels. Tourists from elsewhere in Finland and abroad come to revel in the festive spirit at the sprawling theme park, take a reindeer or husky sleigh ride and if they’re lucky, glimpse the Northern Lights. How long the winter fun will last is uncertain as the omicron coronavirus variant leads to new travel restrictions, test requirements and quarantine measures. “It is a worry, of course, because no one knows what’s going to happen,” Sanna Karkkainen, CEO of Visit Rovaniemi, the tourism board for the capital of Finnish Lapland. “There’s always the worry that are we going to get cancellations.” The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns and travel restrictions hit the northern Finnish region’s travel industry hard. Before the pandemic, about 60% of Rovaniemi’s more than half-million annual visitors came from abroad, mostly
from elsewhere in Europe and some Asian countries. According to Visit Rovaniemi, just over 11,000 people visited the city last December, an 82% drop from the same month a year earlier. Having survived a wretched 2020, many businesses see this winter as a “turning point,” Karkkainen said. “They could not suffer another year, another Christmas, without customers, that’s for sure,” she added. Winter is the busiest tourist season in Finnish Lapland, and Air France and Eurowings recently added new direct flights to Rovaniemi from Paris and Dusseldorf, respectively. Local businesses say demand was high this month as visitors made their way north, relieved to have gotten away after last year’s lockdowns. “I think the last week, last few days, have been busier than ever,” Tuomas Palmgren, co-owner of Rovaniemi taxi service Santa Line, said. Newlyweds Stefanie and Mauro Sammut decided to honeymoon in Finnish Lapland, a complete shift in temperatures from their native Malta. The couple
said they feared the trip might get canceled right up until they boarded their flight. “Once the plane took off, we said, ‘OK, we’re fine,’” laughed Mauro Sammut, as young children slid past the couple on sleighs at Santa Claus Village and families posed for photos next to a temperature gauge that read minus 14 degrees Celsius (6.8 degrees Fahrenheit). SantaPark, a Lapland theme park built in an old air raid shelter, decided to close its doors in March 2020, and with the pandemic continuing to keep visitors away, only reopened this winter. The park’s chief experience officer, Ilkka Lankinen, recalled the mental distress of not knowing when they might return. “We missed last Christmas season totally,” he said, standing in the park’s “Elf School,” where children can take a crash course on becoming one of Santa’s trusty helpers. “We tried to have the hotel open, but we also gave up on that one. So, basically, SantaPark has been closed for two years.” Sisters Laura and Anne Marie Spencer of Dublin, Ireland, originally booked
PUBLIC NOTICE
INTENT TO CHANGE NAME BY DEED POLL The Public is hereby advised that I, GUERLINE MELE of Farrington Road, Nassau, Bahamas, intend to change my name to GUERLINE MELLE. If there are any objections to this change of name by Deed Poll, you may write such objections to the Chief Passport Officer, P.O.Box N-742, Nassau, Bahamas no later than thirty (30) days after the date of publication of this notice.
Monday, December 20, 2021, PAGE 7
THE SANTA Claus Village tourist attraction lit with festive lights early in the morning in Rovaniemi, Finland Dec. 4, 2021. Workers at the winter wonderland on the edge of the Arctic Circle cut away at a frozen structure, put the final touches to an ice restaurant and hotel filled with frosty sculptures of snowmen, penguins and huskies. Photo:James Brooks/AP
PAGE 8, Monday, December 20, 2021 A SPACEX rocket launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base early Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021 at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The Falcon’s first stage successfully returned and landed on a SpaceX droneship in the ocean. It was the 11th launch and recovery of the stage, marking a milestone in reusability. The second stage continued into orbit and deployed the satellites. Photo:SpaceX/AP
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SPACEX LAUNCHES 52 STARLINK SATELLITES FROM CALIFORNIA BASE VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, CALIF. Associated Press A SPACEX rocket carried 52 Starlink internet satellites into orbit from California early Saturday. The two-stage Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from coastal Vandenberg Space Force Base at 4:41 a.m. and arced over the Pacific.
The Falcon's first stage returned and landed on a SpaceX droneship in the ocean. It was the 11th launch and recovery of the stage. The second stage continued into orbit and deployment of the satellites was confirmed, said launch commentator Youmei Zhou at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California. Starlink is a satellitebased global internet
system that SpaceX has been building for years to bring internet access to underserved areas of the world. Saturday's mission was the 34th launch for Starlink, a constellation of nearly 2,000 satellites in low Earth orbit. SpaceX also was scheduled to launch a Turkish communications satellite from Florida at 10:58 p.m. EST Saturday.
NOTICE NOTICE is hereby given that RYECH ARIUS of Cool Bush Street, Culmerville, Nassau, The Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 20th day of December, 2021 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE NOTICE is hereby given that NODELINE NIA CEZALIEN of Mount Tabor Estates, Nassau, Bahamas, is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 13th day of December, 2021 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE NOTICE is hereby given that ERVON GUE of Fox Hill, Nassau, Bahamas, is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 20th day of December, 2021 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS COMPANIES ACT, 2000 GOLDWAY CAPITAL LTD. (IN VOLUNTARY LIQUIDATION)
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that in accordance with section 138(6) of the International Business Companies Act, 2000, as amended, the winding up and dissolution of GOLDWAY CAPITAL LTD. is complete.
Kim D. Thompson Sole Liquidator Address: Equity Trust House Caves Village West Bay Street P O Box N-10697 Nassau, Bahamas
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Monday, December 20, 2021, PAGE 9
VACCINATED CALIFORNIA EMPLOYEES FACE WORKPLACE RESTRICTIONS By DON THOMPSON Associated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — In a move criticized by business groups and hailed by labor advocates, California's workplace regulators on Thursday extended the state's coronavirus pandemic regulations into next year with revisions that employers said could worsen the state's severe labor shortage. The revised rules require that vaccinated but asymptomatic workers who come in close contact with someone infected with the virus must wear masks and stay 6 feet (1.8 meters) from
others for 14 days if they return to work. The current rules allow those employees to keep working without restrictions unless they show symptoms — under the assumption that the vaccine generally will protect them. An unvaccinated worker who comes in close contact with someone infected with the virus still must quarantine for two weeks. The new rules that take effect Jan. 14 for three months in the most populous state were approved by the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board. The seven-member safety board
is the policy-making arm of what is known as Cal/ OSHA. It adopted the revised rules without discussion on a 6-1 vote. Business groups argued the new rules will be particularly onerous for small businesses including restaurants and retailers. "Treating vaccinated and unvaccinated people similarly really denies the scientific value of the vaccine and disincentivizes vaccination," said Rob Moutrie, a policy advocate for the California Chamber of Commerce. But groups representing California workers supported the changes. Mitch
Steiger, a legislative advocate for the California Labor Federation, said regulators last summer were foolish to loosen COVID19 workplace restrictions put in place earlier during the pandemic. "It's good that we're realizing that vaccines aren't the silver bullet to get us out of this," Steiger said. "There's never a good time to start disarming against COVID-19." The safety board's adoption of the revised rules came a day after California reinstituted requiring vaccinated and unvaccinated people to wear masks indoors in a bid to slow the
spread of the virus, including the omicron variant, as families and friends gather for the holidays and new coronavirus cases increase. Safety board members recognized "the science that vaccinated people can transmit the virus, and early reports show that to be especially true with omicron," said Saskia Kim, speaking for the California Nurses Association. Other states besides California that have adopted emergency COVID-19 workplace safety measures include Michigan, Oregon and Virginia. The Biden Administration has ordered all U.S.
employers with more than 100 workers to be vaccinated, tested regularly or wear masks at work starting Jan. 4. But the order is stalled amid court challenges from Republican-led states and fears among employers that the rules could make the worker shortage worse. The California Chamber of Commerce led a coalition of about 60 business groups arguing in a letter to the state safety board that vaccinations are still largely effective and usually prevent serious illness and death even if there are breakthrough infections.
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Monday, December 20, 2021, PAGE 11
RUSSIA ENVOY: MOSCOW MAY UP THE ANTE IF WEST IGNORES DEMANDS By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV Associated Press MOSCOW (AP) — Russia may take unspecified new measures to ensure its security if the U.S. and its allies continue to take provocative action and ignore Moscow’s demand for guarantees precluding NATO’s expansion to Ukraine, a senior diplomat said Saturday. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov accused Western allies of continuously pushing the envelope in relations with Russia, and warned that Moscow could also up the ante if the West doesn’t treat its demands seriously. Ryabkov’s statement in an interview with the Interfax news agency came a day after Moscow submitted draft security documents demanding that NATO deny membership to Ukraine and other former Soviet countries and roll back the alliance’s military deployments in Central and Eastern Europe — bold ultimatums that are almost certain to be rejected by the U.S. and its allies.
The publication of the demands — contained in a proposed Russia-U.S. security treaty and a security agreement between Moscow and NATO — comes amid soaring tensions over a Russian troop buildup near Ukraine that has raised fears of an invasion. Russia has denied it has plans to attack its neighbor but wants legal guarantees that would rule out NATO expansion and deploying weapons there. Russian President Vladimir Putin raised the demand for security guarantees in last week’s video call with U.S. President Joe Biden. During the conversation, Biden voiced concern about a buildup of Russian troops near Ukraine and warned him that Russia would face “severe consequences” if Moscow attacked its neighbor. “They have been extending the limits of what’s possible” regarding Russia, Ryabkov told Interfax in response to a question about the Western threat of tough new sanctions against Moscow. “But they fail to consider that we will take care of our
RUSSIAN Deputy Foreign Minister and head of delegation Sergey Ryabkov attends a Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) conference in Beijing of the UN Security Council’s five permanent members (P5) China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, China, Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2019. Ryabkov outlined Moscow’s demands for security guarantees excluding NATO’s membership for Ukraine and other Russian neighbors and the deployments of weapons there. Photo:Thomas Peter/AP
security and act in a way similar to NATO’s logic and also will start extending the limits of what is possible sooner or late,” Ryabkov said. “We will find all the necessary ways, means and solutions needed to ensure our security.” He didn’t elaborate on what action Russia may take if its demands are rejected by the West.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg emphasized Friday that any security talks with Moscow would need to take into account the trans-Atlantic alliance’s concerns and involve Ukraine and other partners. The White House similarly said it’s discussing the proposals with U.S. allies and partners, but noted that all countries
have the right to determine their future without outside interference. Ryabkov said that NATO’s moves have become increasingly provocative, describing them as “balancing on the edge of war.” He added that Russia now wants to hear a Western response before upping the ante.
“We don’t want a conflict. We want to reach an agreement on a reasonable basis,” he said. “Before making any conclusions what to do next and what steps could be taken, we need to make sure that the answer is negative. I hope that the answer will be relatively constructive and we engage in talks.”