Would golden rule survive if we were under siege? – Port Huron Times Herald

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Michael Schrader 9:27 a.m. ET Feb. 20, 2017

After the most contentious and nasty election in my lifetime, I decided to take a break and delve into the world of history. Reading history is my comfort food; I find it a wonderful distraction from the day-to-day drama of life. There is an old expression that those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it; I am afraid we are all doomed.

I have been reading about two major World War II battles that are not really talked about in our history classes, because we were not involved, and if we were not involved, it is somehow not important; but it is. The siege of Leningrad lasted almost three years from 1941 through 1943, and exposed one of the most diabolical objectives ever in war the complete and total annihilation of a group of people, the Slavs, whom the Germans felt were inferior and were using resources that would be better used by the Germans. The Germans attacked the Poles and the Russians with the objective of depopulating the land and using it for German colonization and expansion. A German Manifest Destiny if you will.

When the Sioux refused to give up their land in the Black Hills, the solution was to starve them to death to get the land by cutting off their food supply, which led to the wholesale slaughter of tens of millions of buffalo. The Germans used the same concept at Leningrad get the land by starving the people to death. Reading the first-hand accounts of the Leningraders reveals the bad and good of human nature there were many bad, who hoarded food and had no qualms about watching others die, but there were many more good people, who took a whatever you to others, you do to me approach. Incredibly, even though hundreds of thousands died, hundreds of thousands lived.

Fast forward to the last battle of the war, Berlin. With the tables turned, the Russians had Berlin surrounded. Unlike in Leningrad, the cradle of socialist atheism, where the majority of people opted to help each other, Berliners helped themselves. Neighbor turned against neighbor and did not hesitate to turn them into the authorities for liquidation. The German government decided it would be better to destroy the city and the million plus people in it than let the Russians have it, even blowing up infrastructure that the citizens relied upon to live. When the Russian troops entered the city, one of the first things they brought was food. Yes, the Russians did commit atrocities, but those paled in comparison to what the Christian capitalist Germans did to them.

So, are we Leningraders or Berliners? I have heard some very nasty rhetoric lately, that somehow if you are not a Christian capitalist you are somehow subhuman. Ironically, it was the Godless Communists of Leningrad who actually behaved more Christian than the Christian Germans did. Your religion, or lack of one, does not make you better or worse than anyone else it is how you treat others. When I see someone walk around Kroger wearing a shirt with the outline of the continental 48 and the words Fyou! We are full! that is alarming. If you have ever been west of the Mississippi, you know that there is plenty of room available; or is it that we do not want people who we deem as subhuman?

When I see a customer at Kroger take every single loaf of wheat bread without any thought that others might want wheat bread, I wonder. When people hear insults and putdowns of others and do not stand up for what is right, that gossip mongering is wrong, and instead pile on because they do not like the target of the gossip, I wonder. When people know that someone is sick or injured and do not bother to check up on them and see if they are OK or need anything, I wonder. If we were under siege, would we be the Leningraders or the Berliners?

Seeing how uncivil, uncaring, and rude we have become with each other, I am pessimistic.

Community columnist Michael Schrader lives in Port Huron.

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Would golden rule survive if we were under siege? - Port Huron Times Herald

Billionaire Predicts Liberal Arts-Driven Future – Inside Higher Ed

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Billionaire Predicts Liberal Arts-Driven Future
Inside Higher Ed
Asked if this means students should major in finance, he rejected the idea, predicting "much greater demand for liberal arts majors" in 10 years than there will be for those who study programming and maybe engineering. It will be those with true ...

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Billionaire Predicts Liberal Arts-Driven Future - Inside Higher Ed

NYT: Yep, Liberal Tantrums and Identity Politics Are Helping Trump (Secure That Second Term) – Townhall

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There is an old story in politics from the 1950s, where Democratic nominee Adlai Stevenson is approached by a confident aide who tells him that he has the thinking people on his side, to which Stevenson replies, ah, but I need a majority. Liberalism is rooted in condescension, which is hidden under the veneer of tolerance andsupportingfree speech. It is actuallyremarkable: a group of overly indoctrinated individuals have managed to successfully polish a turd--until now.

For liberals, Hillary Clinton was so amazingly qualified to be president. She could have been the first female president, and she had a long history of publicservice etc. except no one liked her. No one has ever really liked Hillary except hard-core liberals, and theyre not the majority of the country. She was also dishonest, inauthentic, not trustworthy, and overly secretive. These characteristics were hurled at her in the 1990s, and rehashed when her campaign stumbled endlessly trying to explain how her unsecure and unauthorized private email server was okay for her to use for official business secretary of state. The ethical quid pro quo allegations at the Clinton Foundationwere also another source of heartburn for the campaign. Though there was an absence of hard evidence, it appears a pattern as common: good things happened to big donors to the Clinton Foundation. Just take a look at the Rosatom takeover of Uranium One as an example. All feed into the notion that voters couldnt trust Hillary, that she was in it for herself, and that she was a typical politician:all talk, no action. She lost in one of the biggest political upsets in American history.

As liberals deal with ruins of their movement and the Democratic Party struggles to find its way out of political exile, theyre lashing out at Trump voters, even reluctant ones who theycould flip in 2020. Those who out themselves are then besieged by judgment by the urban-based elite, who still haven't noticed that their way of thinking failed to win over voters. In fact, it was the opposite; millions of Obama voters voted for Trump. Talk about compounding the suck that is Hillary Rodham Clinton.

So, as liberals think theyre gaining ground with a Tea Party of their own (i.e. town hall protests)and continue to embrace identity politics because nothing says insanity than smashing your face against the same wall twice for a different result, they also have to know that its only emboldening Trump voters. The New York Times had an article that showed how even Democrats from the Clinton era are sick of the progressive antics that have taken over their party, namely that fact that BillClinton pretty much reiterated much of what Trump said about immigration. The only difference is that Bill was lauded for it; Trump is smeared as a racist. It also delves into how dating is becoming a game of cloak and dagger for some, with dates lying to their friends about political affiliations to avoid being shunned. While others make it very clear that theyre not interested in Trump supporters. So, in liberal America, your vote is all that defines you. And they say the GOP has an outreach problem.

ViaNYT:

Mr. Medford should be a natural ally for liberals trying to convince the country that Mr. Trump was a bad choice. But it is not working out that way. Every time Mr. Medford dips into the political debate either with strangers on Facebook or friends in New York and Los Angeles he comes away feeling battered by contempt and an attitude of moral superiority.

[]

Liberals may feel energized by a surge in political activism, and a unified stance against a president they see as irresponsible and even dangerous. But that momentum is provoking an equal and opposite reaction on the right. In recent interviews, conservative voters said they felt assaulted by what they said was a kind of moral Bolshevism the belief that the liberal vision for the country was the only right one. Disagreeing meant being publicly shamed.

Protests and righteous indignation on social media and in Hollywood may seem to liberals to be about policy and persuasion. But moderate conservatives say they are having the opposite effect, chipping away at their middle ground and pushing them closer to Mr. Trump.

[]

Conservatives have gotten vicious, too, sometimes with Mr. Trumps encouragement. But if political action is meant to persuade people that Mr. Trump is bad for the country, then people on the fence would seem a logical place to start. Yet many seemingly persuadable conservatives say that liberals are burning bridges rather than building them.

[]

It is tempting to blame Mr. Trump for Americas toxic political state of mind. He has wreaked havoc on political civility and is putting American democratic institutions through the most robust stress test in decades. But many experts argue that he is a symptom, not a cause, and that the roots go deeper.

[]

The Democratic Party has changed so much that I dont even recognize it anymore, she said. These people are destroying our democracy. They are scarier to me than these Islamic terrorists. I feel absolutely disgusted with them and their antics. It strengthens peoples resolve in wanting to support President Trump. It really does.

Polling data suggest many center-right voters feel the same way. The first poll by the Pew Research Center on presidential job performance since Mr. Trump took office showed last week that while he has almost no support from Democrats, he has high marks among moderates who lean Republican: 70 percent approve, while 20 percent disapprove.

Looks like liberals are doing a bang up job getting Trump that second term, especially those who work in Hollywood.

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NYT: Yep, Liberal Tantrums and Identity Politics Are Helping Trump (Secure That Second Term) - Townhall

Liberal Democrats move to quash all historical sex-work convictions of prostitutes and punters – The Independent

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The Liberal Democrats are likely to adopt as official policy a move to quash all historical sex-work convictions including brothel-keeping, soliciting business and kerb-crawling.

The move to wipe convictions from peoples records will be included in a key motion at Lib Dem spring conference as part of the partys wider drive to decriminalise sex work, while strengthening laws against non-consensual activity.

It will also cement official policy to oppose Government plans to introduce an age-verification process for people wishing to access online pornography, currently passing through the House of Lords.

Lib Dem Leader Tim Farron thinks the quashing of all previous convictions is a critical element in the drive to decriminalise sex work, something which overall will help reduce risks faced by women and men in the industry.

The partys home affairs spokesman Lord Paddick said: As a former police officer I know what works and the current laws around prostitution do not. They might sound tough but they dont protect people. The police should be focusing their resources on the very real crimes of trafficking and coercion rather than policing consenting adults.

Sex workers face enormous discrimination and are more likely to fall victim to crime and violence simply because the law criminalises them. We should target our policies and efforts at reducing harm not wasting police time and creating barriers that stop vulnerable people seeking help.

The former Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner said: That's why Liberal Democrats are proposing to take these outdated laws off the statute book. I believe it is time for an informed debate on this complex issue and I want my party to be leading that debate.

The motion to be voted on at the conference in late March would quash past convictions for anything that would be decriminalised under the new system.

That would include brothel keeping, which the party believes prevents sex workers from getting together to work in a safe space, solicitation, seen as something that pushes sex workers to take risks to secure business, and also kerb-crawling.

As well as decriminalising sex work activity, the motion seeks to refocus laws on tackling non-consensual activity including trafficking, child prostitution and pimping, and would see a strengthening of measures against coercion into sex and sex work on the grounds of fear, force, or fraud.

In addition, the policy would set up additional support for people trying to leave sex work, including through housing authorities, healthcare providers and places where education and training are available.

The Digital Economy Bill, which continues its passage through Parliament this week, will force pornographic websites to add age-verification checks that will not let people watch videos until they sign up through a special process, that would involve giving personal details.

But the motions says the party believes the checks to be illiberal, to pose a severe danger to privacy, and to be fundamentally unworkable.

There have been a string of hacking attacks on internet pages, such as dating websites, which have seen peoples personal data stolen, spread across the internet and even used as means for blackmail.

In 2016 users of elite dating site Beautiful People had their sexual preferences and personal messages splashed across the internet after being hacked. A year earlier users of the Ashley Madison website, which offered married people the chance of infidelity, had users details hacked and posted online.

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These Liberal Politicians Dancing To Daft Punk Is Absolutely The … – Junkee

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Why do politicians have to ruin everything?

Over the weekend the WA Liberal Party launched their campaign for the upcoming state election where theyre hoping to win a third term in office. You could say they are hoping to win One More Time.

Somegenius idiot staffer clearly thought the One More Time imagery was so politically powerful and evocative, they came up with the idea to soundtrack the campaign launch to Daft Punks One More Time.

And so the worst 34 seconds in Australian political history was born.

Its immediately clear that none of these people have ever heard Daft Punk before. Literally no one, until now, hasclappedalong to One More Time in the 16 years of its existence.

And no one, absolutely no one, has danced to Daft Punk while campaigning for a motorway extension to fix congestion.

The most anachronistic moment in dance music, ever?

This bloke is absolutely stoked though, look at his face:

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck what a tune!! Old Liberal man.

Hes so excited he even high fives this other guy.

Hahaha were so white

Okay, so turns out theres one person at this campaign launch who has heard the track before. This legend actually sings along to the chorus and even throws up her finger in the air in the classic Its the bit where they sing One more time so I should throw my finger in the air to indicate that manner. This lady for Premier, I reckon.

But theres one guy who is clearly feeling as confused and horrified as the rest of the country. Meet Jim Seth, WA Liberal candidate for Bassendean:

White people, smh

Theres a lot to unpack about Jim. Why is he wearing a giant ribbon? Why is he theonlyperson wearing a giant ribbon? Why does his ribbon have his name on it? You can tell from the look in his eyes that he wants out.

Save me, Im Jim.

The thing about Jim is that hes a baller. Here he is hosting a Bollywood dance workshop fundraiser, to help teach his white friends in the Liberal Party how to dance to some sick Punjabi tunes:

Imagine being Jim and going to all the effort to school your mates on how to dance properly, and then watching them clap and awkwardly shuffle along to a track as defining as One More Time. Its enough to make you weep, which is probably what Jim did as soon as the camera panned away.

Its hard to know who should be more offended by this campaign launch monstrosity. Daft Punk, Jim Im Jim Seth, or the poor, poor voters of WA.

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These Liberal Politicians Dancing To Daft Punk Is Absolutely The ... - Junkee

Liberal girls beat Great Bend for first place – Great Bend Tribune

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LIBERAL 53, GREAT BEND 24 LIBERAL Western Athletic Conference leader Liberal outscored Great Bends girls 19-2 in the fourth quarter to roll past the Panthers 53-24 in Saturdays showdown for first place. Carly Dreiling scored seven points as Great Bend (10-9, 5-2) lost back-to-back games against Dodge City and Liberal to drop into second place. Liberal (14-4, 5-1 WAC) plays Garden City and Dodge City next week. Great Bend led 7-2 in the first quarter. Liberal used scoring runs in each quarter, 11-0 in the first; 9-0 in the second period; 7-0 in the third quarter; and 19-2 in the fourth period. Liberals Jada Mickens scored 14 points. The Panthers made 8 of 45 field goals, a 17 percent clip. Liberal dominated the boards 36-12. All night long we struggled to knock down shots, said Great Bend coach Carrie Minton. Liberal dominated the boards. It was a rough night.

Great Bend 7 8 7 2 24 Liberal 13 9 12 19 53 GREAT BENDCarly Dreiling 7, Carley Brack 6, Shailey Clark 4, Kate Warren 4, Keely Ireland 3. LIBERALMickens 14, Gonzales 9, Mullens 8, Gilmore 7, Lucero 4, Rush 3, Lucero 4, Hornya 3, Hay 2.

WESTERN ATHLETIC GIRLS Liberal 5-1 14-4 Great Bend 5-2 10-9 Hays High 3-3 10-8 Dodge City 2-4 6-12 Garden 1-6 5-14

FRIDAYS GAMES Dodge City 43, Great Bend 37 Hays High 51, Garden City 42

SATURDAYS GAME Liberal 53, Great Bend 24

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Liberal girls beat Great Bend for first place - Great Bend Tribune

Potential candidates question fairness of Markham-Thornhill Liberal nomination as Trudeau aide runs – Hill Times (subscription)

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Concerned that a top political aide to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is running for the Liberal nomination in the federal riding of Markham-Thornhill, Ont., some potential candidates are reconsidering their plans and questioning if the contest is going to be a fair fight.

Liberal sources told The Hill Times that potential candidates are hoping to get a firm commitment from the party that the nomination contest will be truly fair and that the party will not pull the strings to ensure Prime Ministers Office appointments director Mary Ngs success in the contest.

One potential candidate considering arun for nomination described the top PMO aide as a parachute candidate who does not live in the riding. Ms. Ng lives in the riding of Eglinton-Lawrence, Ont., currently represented by rookie Liberal MP Marco Mendicino.

Markham-Thornhill became vacant last month when Mr. Trudeau (Papineau, Que.) appointed six-term Liberal MP and former immigration minister John McCallum as Canadas ambassador to China.

If the party is behind her and the party machinery is behind her, itll be considered as parachuting a candidate, said a potential Liberal candidate, on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution from the party. This party, particularly, shouldnt be doing that because this party has always shown themselves as very open-minded and fair. They shouldnt parachute a candidate. Give everybody an opportunity to run.

Braeden Caley, the federal Liberal Partys senior director of communications, said the nomination contest is open and no candidate will receive special treatment.

Very clear rules for the nomination contest in all five anticipated coming byelections have been openly posted and available on the Liberal Partys website, and the nomination process in Markham-Thornhill will be fully in line with all of those rules, Mr. Caley told The Hill Times.

He added that a number of talented candidates have expressed interest in running for the nomination, but declined to share any names. He said the party has not finalized the date of the nomination contest.

The party has been approached by a variety of very talented prospective candidates in Markham-Thornhill and were working with all of them very closely on the details of the process, he said.

Ms. Ng. told The Hill Times shes not receiving special treatment.

Im starting at the same point as anyone else, as someone who wants to earn the support of people in Markham-Thornhill, she said. Its a lifelong dream for me to hold public office, and I spent 20 years in public service, and Im inspired to do this at this particular time. But Im starting like everyone else at this point.

Ms. Ng is a close friend of Katie Telford, chief of staff to Prime Minister Trudeau. Ms. Ng and Ms. Telford both worked in former Ontario Education minister Gerard Kennedys office more than a decade ago as senior ministerial aides at Queens Park.

Ms. Ng, who emigrated from Hong Kong to Canada at a young age, is now on a leave of absence from the PMO. She made her candidacy for Liberal nomination official on Feb. 15.

Proud and excited to announce my nomination to become the #Liberal Candidate for #Markham-Thornhill. Join me at votemaryng.ca #cdnpoli, she tweeted that day.

Prior to Ms. Ngs campaign launch, at least six candidates were testing the waters for the Liberal nomination in the riding, including Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti, school board trustee Juanita Nathan, chartered accountant and former city councillor Khalid Usman, lawyer Scott Au, businesswoman Sofia Ming Sun, and lawyer Bang-Gu Jiang.

Three of these peopleMr. Au, Ms. Jiang, and Ms. Sunhave decided to endorse Ms. Ngs candidacy. Ontario International Trade Minister Michael Chan (previously considered a potential candidate), Markham Councillor Amanda Collucci, Vaughan Councillor Sandra Racco, and Francis Yuen, executive vice-president of the Markham-Thornhill Liberal Association, have also endorsed Ms. Ng.

Mr. Usman told The Hill Times last week that he had decided not to run for nomination for family reasons, and because its the start of the tax season, hed be busy with his business in the coming months.

Ms. Nathan said she has no concerns about the fairness of the nomination contest and has already been signing up members for two weeks.

Im going in with full force. Im going to go ahead, she said.

Mayor Scarpitti was not available for comment.

Mr. Au said its a valid point for potential candidates to think the nomination process might not be fair because of Ms. Ngs senior PMO position. But he said this was not a factor in his decision not to run and endorse Ms. Ng.

Rather, he said hes endorsing the top PMO adviser because of Ms. Ngs qualifications and her 20-year background working in politics, including her work with the Ontario government.

Ill argue that this is not about me, this is about the party, Mr. Au said. We want to have the best candidate for the job, and I feel that Mary is that [candidate], not because of her relationship with the prime minister, but because of her personal qualities.

The appointments director is one of the most senior positions in the PMO. This person manages the process and advises the prime minister on all governor-in-council appointments, which are about 3,500 in number. These positions include about 1,000 federally appointed judges, 100 ambassadors and high commissioners, 500 full-time and 1,900 part-time appointees in a wide array of agencies, boards, commissions, Crown corporations and government departments, according to the Privy Council Office website.

Senate appointments also fall under governor-in-council appointments, and Mr. Trudeau chooses new Senators on the non-binding recommendations of the Independent Senate advisory board.

Before advising the prime minister to fill specific positions, the PCO website says, the appointments director works closely with cabinet ministers and agency heads to ensure that appointments take into account Canadas diversity and meet the needs of the organization to which they are being made.

Ms. Ng told The Hill Times: As director of appointments, it was my responsibility to ensure that public appointments are made in a meritorious, open, transparent way, and to ensure that our public appointments are diverse and will achieve gender parity.

In a press release on the day of her campaign launch, she said shes the highest ranking Chinese-Canadian to have ever served in the PMO, and she recently accompanied and advised Mr. Trudeau on a trip to China.

Markham-Thornhill, a riding reconfigured prior to the last federal election, is one of the most multicultural ridings in the country with an 82 per cent visible-minority population. The two highest visible-minority groups in this riding are Chinese with 35.2 per cent of the population and South Asians with 30.8 per cent. This riding has the third highest visible minority population in the country after Scarborough North, Ont., which has 90.1 per cent, and Brampton East, Ont., with 87.6 per cent, according to data compiled by multiculturalism author and commentator Andrew Griffith.

Mr. McCallum won the riding in the last election with 55.7 per cent of the vote. Second-place Conservative candidate Jobson Easow won 32.3 per cent, and third-place NDP candidate Senthi Chelliah received 10.7 per cent.

There are 33 ridings in Canada with a visible-minority populations of more than 50 per cent, most of them in the Toronto or Vancouver areas. Of these, there are three ridings where this proportion is more than 80 per cent, all of which are in the Greater Toronto Area.

Besides Markham-Thornhill, four other ridings are vacant, including Ottawa-Vanier, Ont.; Calgary Heritage, Alta., Calgary Midnapore, Alta; and Saint-Laurent, Que. As of deadline last week, Mr. Trudeau had not called a byelection for any of these ridings.

arana@hilltimes.com

The Hill Times

Ridings with more than 50 per cent visible-minority population

Riding Name Province Visible Minority Population %

Scarborough North Ontario 90.1%

Brampton East Ontario 87.6%

Markham-Thornhill Ontario 82%

Vancouver South British Columbia 79.2%

Scarborough-Agincourt Ontario 79%

Markham-Unionville Ontario 78.8%

Mississauga-Malton Ontario 75.2%

Etobicoke North Ontario 72.8%

Surrey-Newton British Columbia 72.2%

York West Ontario 72.2%

Brampton West Ontario 71.2%

Vancouver Kingsway British Columbia 71.1%

Steveston-Richmond East British Columbia 70.5%

Richmond Centre British Columbia 70.3%

Scarborough-Rouge Park Ontario 70.2%

Scarborough-Guildwood Ontario 68.1%

Don Valley North Ontario 67.1%

Mississauga Centre Ontario 67%

Scarborough Centre Ontario 64.4%

Burnaby South British Columbia 63.4%

Fleetwood-Port Kells British Columbia 62.3%

Brampton North Ontario 61.4%

Willowdale Ontario 60.3%

Surrey Centre British Columbia 60.1%

Calgary Skyview Alberta 59.6%

Brampton South Ontario 59.5%

Mississauga-Erin Mills Ontario 59.5%

Don Valley East Ontario 55.9%

Richmond Hill Ontario 54.9%

York South-Weston Ontario 54.3%

Brampton Centre Ontario 53.7%

Scarborough Southwest Ontario 51.1%

Saint-Laurent Quebec 50.4%

Source: Andrew Griffith

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Potential candidates question fairness of Markham-Thornhill Liberal nomination as Trudeau aide runs - Hill Times (subscription)

PH up by 12 notches in Economic Freedom Index 2017 ranking | SunStar – Sun.Star

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PH up by 12 notches in Economic Freedom Index 2017 ranking | SunStar
Sun.Star
Meanwhile, the new indicators (Fiscal Health and Judicial Effectiveness) placed the country in 26th and 110th rank, respectively. The Heritage Foundation and Wall Street Journal lauded the Philippines' notable economic growth amid challenging global ...

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PH up by 12 notches in Economic Freedom Index 2017 ranking | SunStar - Sun.Star

Budget 2017: Why taxes will increase – DA – Politicsweb

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David Maynier and Alf Lees say there has been fiscal slippage due to lower-than-expected economic growth

Main Budget 2017 Preview

David Maynier MP, Shadow Minister of Finance &

Alf Lees MP, Deputy Shadow Finance Minister

We need a Comprehensive Spending Review

We propose implementing a Comprehensive Spending Review which would require National Treasury, working together with national departments, provinces, municipalities and state-owned entities, to review the composition of spending, the efficiency of spending, and future spending priorities with a view to reprioritizing expenditure over the medium term between 2017/18 and 2019/20. We have to reprioritize expenditure to fund programmes to provide opportunities for the lost generation, which includes millions of young people who do not have jobs, or have given up looking for jobs, in South Africa.

1. Introduction

The Minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhan, will table the main budget later this week in Parliament. The fact is that a staggering 8.9 million people, many of whom are young people, do not have jobs, or have given up looking for jobs, and live without dignity, independence, and freedom in South Africa. However, the ministers hands are effectively tied behind his back: he has very little political space, fiscal space and policy space to deal with the economic crisis in South Africa.

2. The minister has been contained

Political Space: The minister has very little political space in which to manoeuvre: First, a political campaign, by President Jacob Zuma and his allies inside and outside the ruling party, against the minister has resulted in persistent rumours of a cabinet reshuffle, creating the impression that the minister is about to be substituted. Second, the implementation of the structural reforms to boost economic growth and create jobs has been centralized in the Presidency under the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation. Third, the implementation of state-owned enterprise reform has also been centralized in the Presidency, under the Presidential State-Owned Companies Coordinating Council. And finally, the management of big fiscal risks, such as the nuclear build programme, has been warehoused in the Department of Energy, under Eskom and the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation.

Fiscal Space: The minister has very little fiscal space in which to manoeuvre: First, economic growth, forecast at 1.3% for 2017, is likely to be revised down, closer to 1.1% in line with the South African Reserve Banks forecast, and is significantly lower than the 5.4% envisaged in the National Development Plan. Second, despite fiscal consolidation and efforts to maintain a prudent fiscal path, there has been constant fiscal slippage with the national debt now only expected to stabilize at R2.6 trillion, or 47.9% of GDP, in 2019/20. Third, there is significant financial risk, in the form of government guarantees, to the tune of R469.9 billion, to state-owned enterprises, including zombie state-owned enterprises such as South African Airways, which now faces a monster fine of R1.16 billion. And finally, additional spending pressures loom in the form of the public sector wage bill, post-school education and national health insurance.

Policy Space: The minister has very little policy space in which to manoeuvre given the fact that the ministers drive to pursue inclusive economic growth, by restoring investor confidence and boosting private sector investment, is now competing with, and is in danger of being extinguished by, a new approach to the economic crisis, which is radical economic transformation, driven by President Jacob Zuma.

Worse, the announcement that disgraced former Eskom group chief executive, Brian Molefe, will soon be warming a parliamentary bench was a planned political hit. The Guptas must be delighted because if theState of Capturereport is anything to go by the National Treasury, the Public Investment Corporation and South African Airways will effectively be on speed dial. The bottom line is that appointing Brian Molefe to any position in the finance family would be a clear-and-present danger to the institutional independence of National Treasury and the Public Investment Corporation, and it would be bad for South Africa.

What all this means in the end is that the minister is effectively being contained and confined to balancing the books, with a view to avoiding a ratings downgrade, when he tables the budget later this week in Parliament.

3. Economic growth is stagnant

The medium-term budget policy statement, delivered on 26 October 2016, promised balanced consolidation, with a mix of tax increases and expenditure cuts, which would require a total adjustment of R48 billion, including tax increases of R28 billion and expenditure cuts of R20 billion, in 2017/18. However, since then the outlook for economic growth, revenue, expenditure, the fiscal deficit, and debt has deteriorated for 2017/18.

Growth: The economic growth rate forecast at 1.3% for 2017 is likely to be revised down to 1.1% in line with the forecast by the South African Reserve Bank. The free fall in economic growth is illustrated by the fact that projections for economic growth for 2017 have decreased from 3% (Main Budget 2015), through 1.7% (Main Budget 2016) to 1.3% (Medium-Term Budget 2016), and is now likely to be 1.1% (Main Budget 2017).

Revenue: Total consolidated revenue of R1.4 trillion, or 30.1% of GDP, was budgeted for 2017/18. However, the lower-than-projected economic growth is likely to result in lower- than-expected revenue in 2017/18. The revenue shortfall, assuming a tax buoyancy rate of 1.43%, could be as much as R3.6 billion, in 2017/18.

Expenditure: Total consolidated expenditure of R1.5 trillion, or 33.3% of GDP, was budgeted for 2017/18. The expenditure ceiling has been set at R1.2 trillion for 2017/18. However, new spending pressures loom, including: higher-than-expected spending on compensation of employees, which is budgeted to cost R549.4 billion in 2017/18; and higher-than-expected spending on post-school education, which is budgeted to cost R76.6 billion in 2017/18.

Balance: The lower-than-expected revenue, taken together with higher-than-expected expenditure, may result in fiscal slippage and push out the fiscal deficit, which is expected to be R147.1, or 3.1% of GDP, in 2017/18.

Debt: This would, in turn, put pressure on net loan debt, which is expected to be R2.2 trillion, or 47% of GDP, and consequently debt service costs, which are expected to be R163.6 billion in 2017/18, and risk compromising governments key fiscal objective, which is to stabilize net loan debt at 47.9% of GDP in 2019/20. Debt service costs are now the fastest growing expenditure item and will cost a staggering R541.6 billion between 2017/18 and 2019/20.

To put debt service costs in perspective, consider the fact that we will spend more on debt service costs (R541.6 billion) over the medium term than we will spend on, for example, police services (R298.4 billion) and post-school education (R247.1 billion) between 2017/18 and 2019/20.

4. So theres been fiscal slippage

The fact is that because of the failure to implement structural reform, to restore investor confidence and boost private sector investment, the economic growth rate for 2017 has consistently been revised down from 3% (Main Budget 2015) through 1.3% (Medium-Term Budget 2016), and is likely to be revised down further to 1.1% (Main Budget 2017).

This has major implications because as former Minister of Finance Nhlanhla Nene liked to say: Without economic growth, revenue will not increase. Without revenue growth, expenditure cannot increase.

There has been fiscal slippage because of lower-than-expected economic growth: during the medium-term budget policy statement the fiscal deficit was revised up by R11.8 billion and national debt was revised up by R13 billion for 2017/18.

And because of lower-than-expected economic growth, there is a risk of further fiscal slippage, which may require a further adjustment to the budget, beyond the R48 billion adjustment, announced during the medium-term budget policy statement, for 2017/18.

5. Which means taxes will increase

The minister is, therefore, drowning in red ink and will have to hold the fiscal line and balance the books by announcing a combination of direct and indirect tax increases aimed at raising at least R28 billion in 2017/18.

Personal Income Tax: We believe the minister may raise personal income tax, which raised R428.5 billion, or 37% of tax revenue, in 2016/17. We expect the minister to either (1) raise the personal income tax rate by about 1%; (2) provide limited or no relief for fiscal drag, which could raise between R7 billion and R13 billion; or (3) create a new upper tax bracket, and a higher marginal tax rate of say 43%, for individuals earning a taxable income of more than R1.5 million per year, which could raise about R5 billion in 2017/18.

General Fuel Levy: The minister may also increase the fuel levy, currently charged at R2.85 per litre, which raised R64.2 billion, or 6% of tax revenue, in 2016/17. An increase in the fuel levy of, for example, 50c per litre could raise about R11.3 billion in 2017/18.

Wealth Taxes: We believe the minister may raise wealth taxes such as Dividends Tax, Capital Gains Tax and Transfer Duties in 2017/18.

Excise Duties: The minister may also introduce above inflation increases in sin taxes especially on alcohol and tobacco products in 2017/18.

Special Voluntary Disclosure Programme: The minister will also rely on the Special Voluntary Disclosure Programme, designed to allow tax dodgers with unauthorized offshore assets or income to regularize their tax affairs in 2017/18.

Sugar Tax: We also believe the minister will introduce a sugar tax in 2017/18. However, we do not expect the minister:

- to raise Corporate Income Tax (28%), which raised R200.8 billion, or 17% of tax revenue in 2016/17, because it would be detrimental to economic growth; or

- to raise Value Added Tax (14%), which raised R293.3 billion, or 25% of tax revenue in 2016/17, because it is considered to be a regressive tax and is strongly opposed by Cosatu.

What this means is that whether you are rich, and taxed directly, or whether you are poor, and taxed indirectly, the minister is going to reach into your pocket and help himself to at least R28 billion to plug the fiscal hole in 2017/18.

6. But there are other options...

What we know is that last year the minister reached into your left pocket and helped himself to R18.1 billion. And this year the minister will reach into your right pocket and help himself to at least R28 billion. And if that is not bad enough, President Jacob Zuma and his cronies, inside and outside the ruling party, are reaching into your back pocket helping themselves to billions of rands.

However, there are alternatives to tax increases, which are not likely to find their way into the budget, but could generate the revenue required to plug the R28 billion fiscal hole in the budget for 2017/18, including boosting economic growth, selling assets, cutting spending and eliminating waste.

Boosting Growth: The minister warned that decisive action is needed to implement the structural reforms necessary to boost economic growth in South Africa. With decisive action to boost economic growth, government could raise significant amounts of additional revenue in 2017/18. To illustrate the effect of economic growth on revenue, consider that an increase of 1% in GDP could raise R18.2 billion in additional revenue, assuming a tax buoyancy rate of 1.43%, in 2017/18.

Selling Assets: The former Minister of Finance, Nhlanhla Nene, began a process of selling non-strategic assets, and made a good start by selling governments stake in Vodacom, which raised R25.4 billion in revenue in 2015/16. However, the process of selling non-strategic assets appears to have been abandoned. The fact is that substantial revenue could be raised by:

- selling assets by privatizing or part-privatizing some of the 215 Schedule 1, Schedule 2, Schedule 3A and Schedule 3B state-owned entities, which had a net asset value of R1.1 trillion in 2015/16;

- selling assets by privatizing or part-privatizing some of the 112 Schedule 3C and Schedule 3D provincial public entities; and

- selling or leasing dead capital, such the 13 043 underutilized land parcels, not well located for housing development, and the 1 939 buildings not being utilized or leased under the control of the Department of Public Works.

This is in line with thePresidential Review Committee on State-Owned Entities,especially Recommendation 20, which recommends more private sector investment in state-owned entities in South Africa.

To illustrate the potential of asset sales to raise revenue, consider the fact that the sale of governments stake in Telkom alone could raise about R14.7 billion in 2017/18.

Cutting Spending: The minister has cut spending, lowering the expenditure ceiling by R10.3 billion, from R1.24 trillion to R1.22 trillion in 2017/18. However, much more can be done to cut spending, for example, by:

- rationalizing: the national executive and legislative organs, which will cost R13.9 billion in 2017/18; external affairs and foreign aid, which will cost R12 billion in 2017/18; public service, which will cost R549.4 billion in 2017/18; provincial legislatures, which will cost R546.8 million in 2017/18; national non-profit organizations, which cost R2.4 billion in 2015/16; and provincial non-profit organizations, which cost R22.7 billion in 2015/16;

- cutting spending on: VIP Protection Services, which will cost R1.3 billion in 2017/18; International Relations, which will cost R2.9 billion in 2017/18; Defence Foreign Relations, which will cost R225.8 million in 2017/18; travel and subsistence, which cost R9.7 billion in 2015/16; catering, entertainment and venue rental, which cost R1.93 billion in 2015/16; consultants, which cost R5.4 billion; and leases on buildings, which cost R11.3 billion in 2015/16; and

- cancelling: the capital contribution instalment of about R3.9 billion for the New Development Bank in 2017/18.

Eliminating Waste: The fact is that irregular expenditure, defined as expenditure that is not incurred in the manner prescribed by legislation, increased from R26 billion in 2014/15 to R46 billion in 2015/16. And fruitless and wasteful expenditure, defined as expenditure made in vain and that could have been avoided had reasonable care been taken, increased from R1.04 billion in 2014/15 to R1.36 billion in 2015/16. We have to eliminate corruption by implementing what the Auditor-General, Kimi Makwetu, calls a less tolerant approach, and ensuring that there is consequence management for officials who do not comply with the Public Finance Management Act (No. 1 of 1999).

7. So what we need is a spending review

The minister employs a fragmented arsenal of fiscal tools to contain spending, including an expenditure ceiling, cost containment measures, procurement reform, and performance and expenditure reviews.

However, the expenditure ceiling, which is the foundation of our fiscal credibility, is a blunt instrument and often results in perverse outcomes, including the reprioritization of expenditure in favour of administrative posts, rather than front-line professional posts; the cost containment measures are important, and send the right fiscal message, but are largely fiscal spin because they target a small proportion of expenditure; procurement reform, especially the review of contracts entered into by state-owned entities, is resisted; and performance and expenditure reviews are normally confined to reviews of specified programmes, and appear to gather dust in National Treasury.

***

We need to do things differently and so we will propose implementing a Comprehensive Spending Review aimed at all three spheres of government and state-owned entities. A Comprehensive Spending Review would require National Treasury, working together with national departments, provinces, municipalities and state-owned entities, to review the composition of spending, the efficiency of spending, and future spending priorities with a view to reducing and reprioritizing expenditure in the medium term between 2017/18 and 2019/20.

***

The National Treasury conducts select performance and expenditure reviews from time to time including reviews of spending on foreign missions, land distribution and road maintenance.

However, a Comprehensive Spending Review would be different: National Treasury, working together with national departments, provinces, municipalities and state-owned entities, would review the composition of spending, efficiency of spending and future spending priorities, with a view to reducing expenditure and reprioritizing expenditure over the medium term between 2017/18 and 2019/20.

Savings identified as a result of the Comprehensive Spending Review should be used to hold the fiscal line, fund further investment in infrastructure and fund programmes to provide opportunities for the millions of young people who do not have jobs, or have given up looking for jobs, in South Africa.

The Comprehensive Spending Review model has proved to be successful ininter aliaAustralia (Comprehensive Spending Review 2010), Canada (Strategic and Operating Review 2011) and the United Kingdom (Comprehensive Spend Review 2010).

8. Conclusion

Whether you are rich, and taxed directly, or whether you are poor, and taxed indirectly, the minister is going to reach into your pocket on budget day and help himself to at least R28 billion to plug the fiscal hole in 2017/18. Whether you have a high-paying job and drive to work, or you have a low-paying job and take a bus to work, or even if you have no job and take a taxi to look for work, you will be paying more because of tax increases in 2017/18. However, there are alternatives to tax increases, including boosting economic growth, selling assets, cutting spending and eliminating waste.

And that is why we propose implementing a Comprehensive Spending Review that would require National Treasury, working together with national departments, provinces, municipalities and state-owned entities, to review the composition of spending, the efficiency of spending, and future spending priorities with a view to reprioritizing expenditure over the medium term between 2017/18 and 2019/20. In the end, we have to reprioritize expenditure to fund programmes to provide opportunities for the lost generation, which includes millions of young people who do not have jobs, or have given up looking for jobs, in South Africa.

Issued by the DA, 20 February 2016

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Budget 2017: Why taxes will increase - DA - Politicsweb

‘Financial you’ hits all bases, aligns with priorities, values – Lehigh Valley Business

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At the beginning of a new year, many of us look to get a fresh start in areas of our lives.

Among other endeavors, we try to get organized, sleep more, lessen the red wine consumption, eat better, start or restart a fitness regimen and develop business goals.

It's safe to say a good number of us use this time to finally get ourselves on more solid financial footing. It's time to take a big picture look also known as financial planning.

Financial planning is a great way to get your financial house in order. The process starts with identifying life priorities and is designed to help identify gaps in your financial picture.

Once these exposures are identified, you can work with your financial adviser to address them.

Unfortunately, many financial advisers and planners offer what is known as financial planning lite. It's a very cursory attempt at financial planning, often offered as an up-front enticement to convince a prospective client to let the adviser manage his or her investment portfolio.

This lite' version of planning typically deals only with the client's basic goals and investment outlook.

So, what should a true, value-added financial plan include?

For most people, a thorough financial plan will have many of the following components. (This is not an exhaustive list; some situations may require additional analysis).

Household budget This calculates the difference between household income and expenses.

Emergency savings plan Three to six months, or more, of cash in a savings account is important to cover emergencies, such as an unexpected job loss.

Statement of financial position Also known as the net worth statement, this calculates the difference between what you own and what you owe.

Financial independence analysis This determines at what age you may have the option to continue working or not, given different savings and Social Security strategies, and your vision of an ideal retirement.

Tax planning Careful planning throughout the year can help reduce the taxes you pay as you strive to achieve financial goals.

Education planning Save for your education or that of a loved one.

Estate planning It is critical to put into place the correct documents and to title assets properly to ensure the orderly disposal of your estate upon your passing. Your estate plan also may include strategies to minimize potential federal estate taxes.

Lifetime gifts to individuals and bequests to charity Structuring the gifting of vehicles and assisting in deciding how to attain the most impact per-dollar gifted.

Insurance planning Examining the sufficiency, quality and cost-effectiveness of existing insurance coverage and identifying if there is a need for coverage where none exists. Coverages to consider are life, long-term care, disability, auto, homeowners, umbrella and others.

Contingency risk analysis Examining the need for identity theft protection, financial emergency kit, prepaid legal services, prenuptial agreement and other risk management vehicles.

Employee benefits analysis Evaluating the benefits available through your employer and choosing those most appropriate for your needs.

All components of your plan should be integrated with each other and with your investment plan. In addition, your financial plan should be collaborative between you, your family, financial adviser and other advisers (accountant, attorney).

Most importantly, the plan should be aligned with your priorities. For many, life is a series of trade-offs, so your plan should help make financial decisions that are in line with the values that matter to you.

Because it's not just about money, it's about your life.

Lisa Strohm is founder and CEO of The Athena Network, a financial and life management firm based in Upper Saucon Township, providing investment advice and financial planning offered through Good Life Advisors LLC, a registered investment adviser. (The Athena Network and Good Life Advisors are separate entities.) She provides fee-based financial planning and investment management for women, their spouses and extended families. She can be reached at 484-224-3439 or lisa.strohm@the-athena-network.com.

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'Financial you' hits all bases, aligns with priorities, values - Lehigh Valley Business

Oceania Cruises offers six new itineraries to Cuba – Cruise and Ferry

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Oceania Cruises Insignia is to sail an additional six cruises from PortMiami to Cuba in November and December 2017.

Ranging from six to thirteen days with departures, these voyages will take guests to Havana and will also include the lines first calls to Cienfuegos and Santiago de Cuba. All voyages and excursions will fully comply with existing U.S. Federal Regulations and the most recent pronouncements from the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Department of the Treasury.

There is tremendous demand from consumers for voyages to Cuba and our inaugural voyages to the island have been a sell-out success, said Bob Binder, president and CEO of Oceania Cruises. An Oceania Cruises voyage is the best way to experience all Cuba has to offer with nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites, warm and welcoming people and a burgeoning culinary scene.

Highlights in Havana will include visits to Old Havana, the Capitolio Nacional, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes and old cigar factories. Meanwhile in Cienfuegos, guests will be able to see neoclassical architecture, visit Palacio de Valle, Punta Gorda, enjoy performances by local artists at Teatro Terry of head to Trinidad, a colonial town recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site. In Santiago de Cuba they can tour Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca and the Cementerio Santa Ifigenia.

Onboard the 684-guest Insignia, travellers will be able to enjoy international cuisine and Cuban-inspired dishes, and attend expert lectures to learn more about Cuban history, art and music.

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Oceania Cruises offers six new itineraries to Cuba - Cruise and Ferry

Seychelles – The New York Times

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Latest Articles

The pirate said $1.5 million had been paid for the release of the sailors, seized in 2012 and among the few hostages still in the hands of Somali pirates.

The head of Lindblad Expeditions on finding rare natural wonders by ship and promoting conservation consciousness.

By ELAINE GLUSAC

The deal for Columbus International, a privately held company based in Barbados, is valued at $1.85 billion, including the assumption of debt.

By CHAD BRAY

Autopsies of Jeffrey Reynolds and Mark Kennedy, the former SEALs, revealed that the men died of respiratory failure and possible heart attacks.

Troubling questions surround how two former Navy SEALs working as ship guards ended up dying inside the Maersk Alabama, the ship made famous in the movie Captain Phillips.

The two men, who had been hired to protect a ship that was attacked by Somali pirates in 2009, were found dead while the ship was docked in the Seychelles.

Two Americans providing antipiracy security on the Maersk Alabama, a ship made famous by the 2013 Hollywood film, were found dead on the vessel, a shipping group said Wednesday.

Genetic research reveals a surprisingly high level of monogamy and paternal diversity in hawksbill sea turtles, hinting that populations may be on the rise.

The worlds poor will be more affected as resources grow scarce, Mr. Singh said.

The movement of the 15 men from Djibouti to the Seychelles was a welcome development for the United States in a high-profile case with no clear legal resolution.

An unarmed American military drone that had been used to monitor piracy off the East African coast crashed Tuesday at an airport on the Seychelles during a routine patrol, officials said.

China is considering an offer from the Indian Ocean island nation of Seychelles to allow Chinese naval ships to visit for rest and resupply there, Chinas Defense Ministry said Tuesday.

Paradise is paradise, even if there are problems.

The Seychelles has a population of around 90,000 and a small real estate market. But size has been a significant factor in keeping prices stable, despite the global downturn.

Somali pirates released 36 crew members of a Spanish fishing vessel Tuesday after the government paid a ransom of nearly $3.5 million.

European Union naval officials announced they had captured seven pirates who had attacked a fishing ship a day before the British couple went missing at sea.

A couple sailing from the island nation of Seychelles vanished after a distress signal was picked up.

Seychelles took custody of nine piracy suspects on Tuesday, accusing them of trying to hijack a cruise liner carrying 1,000 tourists.

Explore temples of indulgence in Bhutan, Zambias less-beaten jungle path, and other exotic destinations.

James Michel, the longtime vice president, was sworn in as president of the Indian Ocean archipelago of 90,000 people, replacing France Albert Ren, who seized power in a 1977 coup. Mr. Ren, one of Africa's longest-serving leaders, announced his retirement last year but said he would remain chairman of the governing Seychelles Peoples Progressive Front. Marc Lacey (NYT)

The pirate said $1.5 million had been paid for the release of the sailors, seized in 2012 and among the few hostages still in the hands of Somali pirates.

The head of Lindblad Expeditions on finding rare natural wonders by ship and promoting conservation consciousness.

By ELAINE GLUSAC

The deal for Columbus International, a privately held company based in Barbados, is valued at $1.85 billion, including the assumption of debt.

By CHAD BRAY

Autopsies of Jeffrey Reynolds and Mark Kennedy, the former SEALs, revealed that the men died of respiratory failure and possible heart attacks.

Troubling questions surround how two former Navy SEALs working as ship guards ended up dying inside the Maersk Alabama, the ship made famous in the movie Captain Phillips.

The two men, who had been hired to protect a ship that was attacked by Somali pirates in 2009, were found dead while the ship was docked in the Seychelles.

Two Americans providing antipiracy security on the Maersk Alabama, a ship made famous by the 2013 Hollywood film, were found dead on the vessel, a shipping group said Wednesday.

Genetic research reveals a surprisingly high level of monogamy and paternal diversity in hawksbill sea turtles, hinting that populations may be on the rise.

The worlds poor will be more affected as resources grow scarce, Mr. Singh said.

The movement of the 15 men from Djibouti to the Seychelles was a welcome development for the United States in a high-profile case with no clear legal resolution.

An unarmed American military drone that had been used to monitor piracy off the East African coast crashed Tuesday at an airport on the Seychelles during a routine patrol, officials said.

China is considering an offer from the Indian Ocean island nation of Seychelles to allow Chinese naval ships to visit for rest and resupply there, Chinas Defense Ministry said Tuesday.

Paradise is paradise, even if there are problems.

The Seychelles has a population of around 90,000 and a small real estate market. But size has been a significant factor in keeping prices stable, despite the global downturn.

Somali pirates released 36 crew members of a Spanish fishing vessel Tuesday after the government paid a ransom of nearly $3.5 million.

European Union naval officials announced they had captured seven pirates who had attacked a fishing ship a day before the British couple went missing at sea.

A couple sailing from the island nation of Seychelles vanished after a distress signal was picked up.

Seychelles took custody of nine piracy suspects on Tuesday, accusing them of trying to hijack a cruise liner carrying 1,000 tourists.

Explore temples of indulgence in Bhutan, Zambias less-beaten jungle path, and other exotic destinations.

James Michel, the longtime vice president, was sworn in as president of the Indian Ocean archipelago of 90,000 people, replacing France Albert Ren, who seized power in a 1977 coup. Mr. Ren, one of Africa's longest-serving leaders, announced his retirement last year but said he would remain chairman of the governing Seychelles Peoples Progressive Front. Marc Lacey (NYT)

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Seychelles - The New York Times

South African Airways announces codeshare agreement with Air Seychelles – BizNis Africa

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South African Airways has announced a new codeshare route with Air Seychelles from Seychelles to Durban.

Air Seychelles will be introducing direct services between SEZ-DUR effective 30th March 2017. The flight will operate twice a week on Thursdays and Saturdays.

The codeshare partnership between South African Airways and Air Seychelles was established back in October 2013 with SA as a marketing carrier between Seychelles Johannesburg and Seychelles Praslin Island operated by HM.

As South African Airways, we value our current relationship with Air Seychelles. We look forward to strengthening this partnership and creating a seamless travel experience for our customers travelling to various destinations on the African continent and the Indian Ocean subcontinent, says Aaron Munetsi, SAA Acting Chief Commercial Officer.

Air Seychelles has been a marketing carrier on the following domestic services operated by South African Airways: Cape Town (CPT), Durban, Port Elizabeth (PLZ) and East London (ELS).

The ties between South Africa and Seychelles are strong and evident for everyone to see, linking leisure, trade and commerce and visiting family and friends opportunities, saysRoy Kinnear, Air SeychellesChief Executive Officer.

Building on these strong ties and the existing five weekly services between Seychelles and Johannesburg, Air Seychelles has taken the commitment to start the twice weekly operation to Durban on 30 March, 2017.

Our codeshare relationship with South African Airways is an incredibly strong partnership and we are extremely pleased to work with South African Airways team in developing our codeshare relationships even further, for the mutual benefit of both airlines. We are confident these air links will bring our countries closer and contribute to the development of our respective economies and tourism industries.

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South African Airways announces codeshare agreement with Air Seychelles - BizNis Africa

Dozens Starve to Death in Caribbean Prison – Newser

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(Newser) "Straight up: This is hell. Getting locked up in Haiti will drive you crazy if it doesn't kill you first," homicide suspect Vangeliste Bazile tells the AP from Haiti's National Penitentiary. The crumbling facility houses around 5,000 prisoners, 80% of which are in extended pretrial detention. Overcrowding, malnutrition, and infectious diseases that flourish in jammed quarters have led to an upsurge of inmate deaths in Haiti, including 21 at the Port-au-Prince penitentiary just last month. Those who monitor the country's lockups are sounding an alarm about collapsing conditions. "This is the worst rate of preventable deaths that I have encountered anywhere in the world," says Dr. John May, co-founder of the Health Through Walls nonprofit.

Some inmates are provided meals by visiting relatives, but the large majority of prisoners are dependent on authorities to feed them twice a day and get little more than rationed supplies of rice, oats, or cornmeal. Even clean drinking water is often in short supply. Prison authorities say they try their best to meet inmates' needs, but receive insufficient funds from the state to buy food and cooking fuel. Haiti's penal system is by far the globe's most congested, with a staggering 454% occupancy level, according to the University of London's Institute for Criminal Policy Research. The nonprofit Institute for Justice and Democracy blames the overcrowding on rampant corruption, with judges, prosecutors, and lawyers creating a market for bribes.

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Dozens Starve to Death in Caribbean Prison - Newser

Johnny Depp is in ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales’, Apparently – Bloody Disgusting

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After all of the bad PR surrounding Johnny Depp, Disney removed him from allPirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales promotional materials, at least until the Super Bowl.Now, after feeling like its safe to bring him out of hiding, theyve released a series of new posters centered around the famed pirate. Theyre absolutely awful by the way, looking like a Photoshop job by an inexperienced college student. Woof.

Johnny Depp returns to the big screen as the iconic, swashbuckling anti-hero Jack Sparrow in the all-new Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. The rip-roaring adventure finds down-on-his-luck Captain Jack feeling the winds of ill-fortune blowing strongly his way when deadly ghost sailors, led by the terrifying Captain Salazer (Javier Bardem), escape from the Devils Triangle bent on killing every pirate at sea notably Jack. Jacks only hope of survival lies in the legendary Trident of Poseidon, but to find it he must forge an uneasy alliance with Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario), a brilliant and beautiful astronomer, and Henry (Benton Thwaites), a headstrong young sailor in the Royal Navy. At the helm of the Dying Gull, his pitifull small and shabby ship, Captain Jack seeks not only to reverse his recent spate of ill fortune, but to save his very life from the most formidable and malicious foe he has never faced.

In theaters May 26th from directorsEspen Sandberg and Joachim Rnning, the entire cast includes: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Javier Bardem, Kevin R. McNally, Stephen Graham, Golshifteh Farahani, Kaya Scodelario, Brenton Thwaites, Orlando Bloom, Paul McCartney, David Wenham, and Stephen Graham.

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Johnny Depp is in 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales', Apparently - Bloody Disgusting

Imf Bahamas Chief Supports Fiscal Limits – Bahamas Tribune

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By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

The International Monetary Funds (IMF) Bahamas mission chief has backed calls for a Fiscal Responsibility Act, describing it as a useful medium term component for reforming the Governments finances.

Jarkko Turunen also said the Bahamas vulnerability to major hurricanes was not necessarily an impediment to implementing stricter fiscal rules, explaining that there are ways to design them to allow the Government to respond properly to natural disasters.

Mr Turunen, in an exclusive interview with Tribune Business, described a Fiscal Responsibility Act and fiscal rules as important steps in the Bahamas effort to rein in its fiscal deficits and national debt.

The exact shape of that medium-term fiscal framework, theres many ways to do it, but in principle I would see it as a useful component of fiscal reform and fiscal planning in the Bahamas, he said of a Fiscal Responsibility Act.

Mr Turunens comments are likely to delight groups such as the Chamber of Commerces Coalition for Responsible Taxation, and the Organisation for Responsible Governance (ORG), who have long campaigned for the introduction of such legislation as a means to force the Government to be more transparent and accountable over how it spends taxpayer monies.

His remarks also contradict the position expressed recently by Michael Halkitis, minister of state for finance, who told The Revolution radio show that there were both merits and drawbacks to implementing such an Act.

The Minister said an IMF study had identified both the advantages and disadvantages associated with a Fiscal Responsibility Act, and expressed concerns it would prevent the Government from responding properly in the wake of events such as a Hurricane Matthew-type storm.

The IMF study referenced by Mr Halkitis had suggested that the Government enhance its economic data and statistics collection before implementing such legislation, hence Mr Turunens reference to the medium term.

However, the Bahamas IMF Mission chief suggested that this country could eventually even go beyond a Fiscal Responsibility Act through the implementation of so-called fiscal rules.

While the Act would force the Government to return to Parliament to explain, and gain approval for, exceeding previously set Budget limits with more spending, fiscal rules go even further. They set targets, or limits, such as debt and deficit caps, and accompanying ratios, which the Government cannot go beyond.

I would say there are ways to design fiscal rules that allow the Government to take into account natural disasters and events not anticipated, Mr Turunen told Tribune Business.

The Christie administration has failed to deliver on February 2015 promises to initiate consultation on a Fiscal Responsibility Act, and the 75 per cent year-over-year increase in the deficit for the four months to end-October 2016 has reignited domestic demands for such legislation.

The $67 million increase took the Governments $157.5 million deficit for the four months to end-October 2016, more than 50 per cent higher than its full-year projection.

Mr Turunen, meanwhile, also agreed with Simon Wilson, the Ministry of Finances financial secretary, that the Bahamas needed to reform its Business License regime and find more equitable ways to tax the private sector.

Mr Wilson told a Chamber of Commerce-organised seminar last week that Business License fee rates needed to be lowered, acknowledging that the turnover-based tax was inefficient and regressive because it did not take into account company profitability.

I think that in terms of the general principle, I would agree with what Simon said, Mr Turunen told Tribune Business.

There are better ways of taxing businesses and profits than the current Business License fee. We dont have a position out there in terms of an alternative, but its something we would look at.

Bahamian businesses have complained about the Business License fees structure for years, arguing that using turnover as the basis for its calculation disproportionately places the burden on high sales companies, such as food stores and gas stations, which have low profit margins.

Many companies complain of paying more in Business License fees than they earn in annual profits, with the turnover basis also exacerbating the effects of price controls for many firms.

Mr Turunen had earlier told the Chambers State of the Economy 2017 forum that the IMF had flagged declining foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows as a risk in relation to the Bahamas current account deficits.

Due to this nation importing most of what it consumes, the Bahamas traditionally runs current account deficits - the physical goods it exports minus those it consumes - worth several billion dollars annually.

These, though, are financed by billion dollar inflows on its capital account, which represent tourist spending in the Bahamas and, historically, FDI inflows.

Mr Turunen, though, said a reduction in FDI inflows meant the current account deficit was now being financed by alternative capital sources that were less reliable.

One trend weve seen is the decline in foreign direct investment inflows, he said. That used to be a big part of financing current account deficits, and now its much less so.

This source of financing has been replaced by government borrowing to some extent, and other capital flows.. Some of those flows are less reliable, and weve identified it as a risk, and identified it as a risk in our reports.

Mr Turunen added that the IMF had been a bit surprised by the extent of the Department of Statistics revisions to the 2014 and 2015 GDP numbers, which showed that the Bahamian economy contracted by 0.52 per cent and 1.66 per cent, respectively, for those two years.

We were a bit surprised. We had anticipated a downward revision, but not by such a margin, Mr Turunen said, adding that the IMF often wanted governments to move more quickly on reform.

We are often in agreement on the direction. Sometimes we are impatient. Wed like to see the authorities moving faster, including in areas of structural reform, but these things are difficult to achieve, he explained.

Mr Turunen told Tribune Business that it was possible for the Bahamas to achieve faster GDP growth rates at the same time as fiscal consolidation, again calling for the Government to re-purpose more of its spending to capital and infrastructure projects.

The Christie administration has done the opposite, reducing its capital spending in favour of mobilising private capital via public-private partnerships (PPPs), such as those for the Road Traffic Department and Post Office buildings.

Reiterating that it was time for the Government to rationalise spending to achieve further consolidation, Mr Turunen said reforms to the various components of the Bahamas ease of doing would take time to bear fruit in terms of better economic growth.

I would say that the Bahamas should have a bright future, he told Tribune Business. There are challenges; low growth, the need for fiscal consolidation, and the impact from the hurricane, but to some extent the country is managing with these challenges perhaps better than some of the neighbouring countries.

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Imf Bahamas Chief Supports Fiscal Limits - Bahamas Tribune

EnBW Hohe See 500 MW Offshore Wind Farm To Proceed With Siemens & Enbridge – CleanTechnica

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Published on February 20th, 2017 | by Joshua S Hill

February 20th, 2017 by Joshua S Hill

The 497 megawatt EnBW Hohe See offshore wind farm off the coast of Germany is set to proceed following Canadian energy infrastructure company Enbridges decision to invest in the project, and German engineering company Siemens committing for the first time to provide complete construction work.

German public utility company EnBW made a final construction and investment decision back at the end of 2016, and appointed Siemens to provide not just the wind turbines, but full construction work, including providing the foundations. This week, the project received its last green light, with Canadian energy infrastructure company Enbridge acquiring 49.9% of the shares in the Hohe See project.

The EnBW Hohe See offshore wind project is set to be constructed in the exclusive economic zone in the North Sea, off the coast of Germany. It will cover an area of approximately 42 square kilometers, and upon completion will have a total capacity of 497 megawatts (MW) thanks to 71 Siemens 7 MW wind turbines. The project is estimated to be able to provide electricity for around 560,000 average households.

With Enbridge at our side, we can realise our largest offshore wind farm to date and at the same time generate financial scope through this participation for the development of new projects, said EnBW CEO Frank Mastiaux. This is now the third successful participation model with which we are sharing the risk and represents another major step in the implementation of our EnBW 2020 strategy.

With an investment volume of around 1.8 billion euro, we have not only taken one of the largest investment decisions in the history of our company but despite the currently difficult economic conditions, we are continuing to rigorously invest in the implementation of our strategy and through EnBW Hohe See we are developing another cornerstone for safeguarding the future of EnBW. Following its commissioning in 2019, the wind farm will make a substantial contribution to our Group operating result.

Siemens will begin manufacturing the 71 SWT-7.0-154 wind turbines from its new nacelle plant in Cuxhaven beginning in the middle 2018, with delivery expected for early 2019. Siemens will also provide the large monopile foundations, measuring up to 80 meters and with a weight of 1,500 tonnes.

We are happy to apply our full scope of engineering services at EnBW Hohe See offshore wind project, said Michael Hannibal, Offshore CEO at Siemens Wind Power. The extended scope makes this 497-megawatt wind power plant one of the largest projects that we have ever executed. Our customer thereby benefits from the proven experience of a multinational company along the entire value chain of large offshore wind projects.

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Tags: Enbridge, EnBW, EnBW Hohe See, Germany, Hohe See, siemens

Joshua S Hill I'm a Christian, a nerd, a geek, and I believe that we're pretty quickly directing planet-Earth into hell in a handbasket! I also write for Fantasy Book Review (.co.uk), and can be found writing articles for a variety of other sites. Check me out at about.me for more.

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EnBW Hohe See 500 MW Offshore Wind Farm To Proceed With Siemens & Enbridge - CleanTechnica

Rystad Energy Believes That Offshore Projects Are Becoming Competitive Again – Seeking Alpha

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Courtesy: Maersk Drilling.

Investment thesis:

A fierce debate is raging over which oil production sector should be chosen for investment first. The investing community is deeply divided about what to consider when it comes to evaluate the US shale versus Offshore drilling production in terms of real numbers and efficiency. Particularly when it comes to "oil service" and less relevant to the oil majors whose are often invested in both segments.

Some extreme views, frequently driven by inexperience and lack of understanding, are totally discounting offshore drilling as something obsolete and expensive, which is due to disappear into oblivion, as soon as tomorrow.

On the other hand, others think that the US Shale will become a white elephant after a few years of intensive drilling, atypical depletion and hidden costs.

In fact, both are merely wrong by touting one oil production sector against another. We need both and probably more if we look at the next 25 years. Therefore, if we need both oil sources of supply, we should invest in both as well. Simple logic, right?

It is interesting to see that US Shale (tight oil) production in the USA represents less than 50% of the US total oil production now or approximately 9 MBOEPD, and will be approximately 60% of the 10+ MBOEPD expected in 2040 according to EIA.

The recurring fundamental question is to adapt a trading strategy that can fit perfectly to each segment without using anachronism or caricature in the process of selection.

To use a very simple image to illustrate this futile misconception. How can one walk without the use of his two legs functioning adequately?

The concept of walking is based on the use of two legs, period. It is a basic principle -- one leg equal falling -- Same as the concept of smooth oil consumption which is based on a balanced worldwide production, wherever oil can be found and be delivered at a profit. Profit not limited to "operating profit" by the way, but "net profit" when all expenses have been subtracted.

What is the breakeven price really?

The charts below from Rystad Energy/WoodMcKenzie are a good indicator of the US Shale recent success and its limitation as well.

Another well-known research firm called WoodMcKenzie in the US is indicating the "point break" for both the onshore and offshore in the USA which shows how important a $60 per barrel can be for the all oil industry.

However, it can also be used to express how difficult it will be for oil prices to trade well above this significant level and at least for a long period of time.

We see that we have now a pretty similar value if we compare onshore and offshore in the USA. Furthermore, the offshore industry achieved significant reduction as the chart below is showing:

Commentary:

Today, I would like to share with you my thoughts about an article from Offshore Magazine published on February 17, 2017.

The article referred to Rystad Energy, which is a well-known independent oil and gas consulting services and business intelligence data firm offering global databases, strategy advisory and research.

Rystad Energy believes that after two years of cost cutting programs in the offshore service, 2016 and 2017 are showing "full competitiveness within these two sources of supply".

For every dollar that is invested into the North American shale market in 2017, the analyst firm says, a dollar is also earmarked for the development of new offshore resources. Both sources of future production, shale and offshore, will receive around $70 billion each of planned capex.

Audun Martinsen, VP Oilfield Research at Rystad Energy, said:

E&P and oilfield service companies have worked intensively on methods to reduce costs. However, these improvements are also a result of a portfolio effect. By focusing on the areas with the highest potential within their portfolios, E&P companies naturally gained the most from these newfound efficiencies by high-grading their undeveloped fields. Non-sanctioned offshore developments can expect an improvement of 15-30% in their breakeven prices.

As we can see, the CapEx repartition between the US Shale and offshore is nearly equal in value. Another chart from Rystad is also very telling:

Rystad Energy is arguing that the US Shale and the offshore drilling segment are difficult to differentiate in terms of breakeven price and in terms of capital expenditure.

One of the reasons for offshore projects starting to become competitive again is the strong deflation of unit prices which is actually higher for offshore than onshore. In 2016, unit prices for offshore developments have been reduced 27% from the peak in 2014 for awarded contracts.

One of the key segments, which have helped the offshore cost to come down, is related to the immense pressure on day rates for drilling rigs. Here, prices have come down more than 50%. For other segments, the cost is down more in the range of 20-30%, where subsea is on the upper end.

However, due to oil prices increase and a surge in activity overall, inflation will have a negative effect going forward. The process has already started with the US Shale (see breakeven price chart).

Rystad Energy says the time window of low service prices has started to shrink, whereas it will stay open longer for offshore activity due the longer contract durations and lead times. This will impact even more the 2018 volumes of activity and also benefit service companies on their top and bottom line.

Important note: Do not forget to follow me on the oil sector. Thank you for your support.

Disclosure: I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.

I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Read more here:

Rystad Energy Believes That Offshore Projects Are Becoming Competitive Again - Seeking Alpha

Offshore Drilling – 2 Floaters Needed In The Verbier Field And In The Partridge Prospect In UK North Sea – Seeking Alpha

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Image: Semisubmersible Songa Delta.

Investment thesis:

The recent oil prices increase that we have experienced since OPEC and non-OPEC nations decided to reduce production at the end of last year, is slowly trickling down from the oil majors, such as Statoil, to the depressed offshore industry, which is desperate to find work for an ever growing unused fleet rusting away, idle and silent, in the Scottish Cromarty Firth, north of Inverness, graveyard (See image below).

The Cromarty Firth, north of Inverness, is currently packed with more unused rigs than it has been at any point in the last decade.

I have been religiously reporting any new contract or possible drilling contract that could be beneficial for the offshore drillers for the past two years, and it is quite disheartening to see such a slowdown in exploration CapEx, when you know how active this segment was, not even three to four years ago..

Yes, of course, we know that the offshore industry, or rather the oil industry in general is highly cyclical and it will come a time when the industry will complain because it cannot keep up with the demand.

However, the offshore drilling industry is a particular breed, for one particular specific reason, at least, and it is called a debt overload. Offshore drillers are buried under a few billion dollars in debt and need to contract their costly fleet to survive and meet their tight debt covenants.

Regrettably, it is becoming increasingly difficult because of the lack of contract aggravated by a series of contract termination and reduced day rates to a breakeven level, which are inadequate to service the long term debt.

This basic principal reduces significantly the "apnea time" in which a driller can survive without breathing air (new contract). Already, many drillers have announced a restructuring under chapter 11 or worse a total liquidation. Hercules offshore is gone, liquidated almost totally now, and Paragon Offshore (OTCPK:PGNPQ) is on life support following the same potential fate.

Many others are about to announce a restructuring in 2017, such as Seadrill (NYSE:SDRL), Pacific Drilling (NYSE:PACD) and Ocean Rig UDW (NASDAQ:ORIG). These companies already announced that a "plan" will be unveiled soon.

Well, it doesn't mean that the industry will disappear, of course not, and many uninformed investors have made this wrong assumption repeatedly.

It means that the offshore industry is shedding away its "old skin" to become leaner (the debt will be gone, replaced by new equity) and smaller (many rigs will be scrapped in the process) for the next bullish phase. The only negative is that the actual shareholders will be left with the "old skin".

Investors and stockholders will have to follow closely this struggling industry based on the price of oil volatility and other factors such as potential contracts. The question is not to deny or embellish a situation, it is rather to adjust the right trading/investing strategy that fits an ever changing environment which requires an impartial examination.

Commentary:

On February 17, 2017, we learned from OffshoreEnergyToday the following:

Oil giant Statoil is currently looking for a drilling rig as it gears up to drill an exploration well on the Verbier prospect in the UK sector of the North Sea.

The Verbier prospect is located in Licence P.2170, Blocks 20/5b & 21/1d in the Central North Sea and is operated by Statoil's UK subsidiary, Statoil (U.K.) Limited, with 70% working interest.

The partners in the license are Jersey Oil & Gas and CIECO Exploration and Production with 18% and 12% interests, respectively.

Statoil, as the operator of the license, made a commitment to drill the exploration well in November last year.

According to Jersey's statement on Friday, Statoil is currently undertaking a tender process for a drilling rig and all related services to drill the Verbier well this summer. The rig contract is expected to be awarded in the near future, Jersey O&G added.

Jersey O&G also said that, in addition to Statoil's work, it is conducting further technical studies to improve and update the group's understanding of the Verbier prospect...

... Additionally, pursuant to the terms of the farm-out, Statoil is funding all costs up to $25 million in respect to the drilling of the first exploration well on the license.

In the same article, we learned also that another well will be drilled in another part.

Related to its other license in the North Sea, the Licence P.1989 Blocks 14/11, 12 & 16, Jersey O&G also said on Friday that Azinor Catalyst Limited has stated its intention to drill an exploration well the Partridge prospect, previously named Homer, later this year. Jersey has 20% working interest in the license...

Conclusion:

The offshore industry is walking a thin line right now, between "life and death". Yet, I believe strongly that it is a strategical mistake to look at the sector as a non-potential investment.

The only paramount question is how, not if. As an investor and trader you have the chance to get the best of any situation, as long as you are willing to understand it honestly, and without being blinded by pre-judgement. Offshore is not dead and it will rebound.

Companies like Transocean (NYSE:RIG), Ensco (NYSE:ESV), Noble (NYSE:NE), Diamond Offshore (NYSE:DO) and Rowan Companies (NYSE:RDC) are a few that can be considered as a long-term opportunity when the time will be right.

Rystad Energy is explaining clearly:

However, with two years of cost cutting programs in the offshore value chain, 2016 and 2017 are showing full competitiveness within these two sources of supply. This shows what the offshore industry has worked with during the downturn. In a time when many thought that offshore projects could not compete with shale, offshore operators managed to turn uncommercial projects into highly competitive projects with the help from service companies. Offshore projects that were uncommercial at $110/bbl in 2013 are now commercial at an oil price of $50/bbl.

Sometimes it is important to move through a reversal of fortune because, like the phoenix the industry will be rising again from its own ashes. Thus, be patient and vigilant for the early signs.

Inportant note: Do not forget to follow me on the offshore drilling industry. Thank you for your support.

Disclosure: I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.

I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Additional disclosure: I trade and own long positions in the offshore drilling segment.

Editor's Note: This article covers one or more stocks trading at less than $1 per share and/or with less than a $100 million market cap. Please be aware of the risks associated with these stocks.

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Offshore Drilling - 2 Floaters Needed In The Verbier Field And In The Partridge Prospect In UK North Sea - Seeking Alpha

JDR wins US offshore wind farm work – OE Digital

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Subsea power cables and umbilical manufacturer JDR has been selected by US Wind Inc., as the preferred cable partner for its first offshore wind project.

The project is the 750MW Maryland Development project. Expected to be the largest offshore wind farm to date in the USA, the Maryland Development project will include a maximum of 187 turbines in up to 30m water depth, and will be 24km (15mi) off the coast. The project is subject to offshore renewable energy credit in 2017 and final investment decision in 2018. JDR will supply and install both inter-array and export cables.

JDRs scope of supply for the Maryland Development Project includes project management, engineering and manufacture of 196km (122mi) of inter-array cable, 180km (112mi) of export cable (split into three lengths) and cable accessories. Cable installation for both inter-array, export cables and termination and testing of both cable types will also be provided by JDR. Cable manufacture is expected to commence in 2018 with delivery and installation in 2019 and 2020. Engineering works will begin in 2017. The contract is worth more than US$275 million.

The USA is a growing market opportunity and of strategic importance for the offshore renewable industry. This contract award demonstrates customer confidence in JDR as the leading cable partner of choice, says JDR CEO, David Currie.

To support the project, JDR will establish a storage and mobilization facility in Maryland. The company will also open a project management and engineering office base.

Paul Rich, Director of Project Development for US Wind Inc. says: US Wind is proud to be a local, Maryland-based company bringing a new industry to the state along with thousands of manufacturing jobs for generations, as we establish the hub for offshore wind manufacturing for the entire east coast of the US."

Link:

JDR wins US offshore wind farm work - OE Digital