#key mcconney

[nakeddeparture]

Bridgetown, Barbados. Minister of Education, Kay McConney, clears the Gender Neutral air. But why bother?

https://youtu.be/uTRjox_g4cw

Do you really think the ‘I come to foop’ mindset allows for the possibility of outrage? Listen. Learn. Reason. Rise up. Naked!!

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

May 7, 2024

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

MAY 08, 2024

The past two days of former president Trump’s criminal trial for falsifying business records to hide a $130,000 payment to adult film actress Stephanie Clifford, also known as Stormy Daniels, to silence her before the 2016 election have been illuminating in different ways.

Yesterday, witnesses established that the paper trail of payments to Trump fixer Michael Cohen, who forwarded the money to Daniels, had been falsified. That paper trail included invoices, checks, and records. Witnesses also established that Trump micromanaged his finances, making it hard to believe he didn’t know about the scheme. 

That scheme looked like this: Former Trump Organization employee Jeffrey McConney said that Trump’s former financial chief Allen Weisselberg, who has gone to jail twice in two years for his participation in Trump’s financial schemes and is there now, told him to send money to Cohen. Cohen had paid Daniels $130,000 from a home equity loan in 2016 to buy her silence about a sexual encounter with Trump. Cohen received 11 checks totaling $420,000 in repayment, including enough money to cover the taxes he would have to pay for claiming the payments as income for legal services, and a bonus. 

Nine of those checks came from Trump’s personal bank account. His team sent the checks to him at the White House for his personal signature. 

A number of observers have suggested that the evidence presented through documents yesterday was not riveting, but historians would disagree. Exhibit 35 was Cohen’s bank statement, on which Weisselberg had written the numbers to reflect the higher payment necessary to cover Cohen’s tax bill for the money. Exhibit 36 was a sheet of paper on which McConney had recorded in his own hand how the payments to Cohen would work. The sheet of paper had the TRUMP logo on it. 

“It’s rare to see folks put the key to a criminal conspiracy in writing,” legal analyst Joyce White Vance wrote in Civil Discourse, “but here it is. It’s great evidence for the prosecution.” 

Today, Daniels took the stand, where she testified about how she had met Trump, he had invited her to dinner but greeted her in silk or satin pajamas, then went on to describe their sexual encounter. The testimony was damaging enough that Trump’s lawyers asked for a mistrial, which Judge Juan Merchan denied, noting that the lawyers had not objected to much of the testimony and must assume at least some responsibility for that. 

The case is not about sex but about business records. But it is hugely significant that the story Daniels told today is the one Trump was determined that voters would not hear before the 2016 election, especially after the “grab ‘em by the p*ssy” statement in the Access Hollywood tape, which was released in early October 2016. While his base appears to be cemented to him now, in 2016 he appeared to think that the story of him having sex with an adult film star while his wife had a four-month old baby at home could cost him dearly at the ballot box. 

The other election-related cases involving Trump indict him for his determination to cling to power after voters had turned him out in 2020. This case, from before he took office, illuminates that his willingness to manipulate election processes was always part of his approach to politics. 

Joyce White Vance is right that it’s rare to see folks put a criminal conspiracy in writing, but it is not unheard of. In our own history, the big ranchers in Johnson County, Wyoming, organized as the Wyoming Stock Growers’ Association, decided in 1892 to clear out the smaller cattlemen pushing their animals onto the federal land and the railroad land the ranchers considered their own. They hired 50 gunmen in Texas to kill their competitors, and they gave them a written list of the men they wanted dead. 

The gunmen killed four of the smaller cattlemen after cornering them in a cabin, but outraged settlers surrounded the gunmen and threatened to hang them all. Local law enforcement sided with the small cattlemen, and the Wyoming Stock Grower’s Association appealed to the governor for help in restoring order. The governor, in turn, appealed to President Benjamin Harrison, who sent troops to rescue the stock growers’ men from the angry settlers and lawmen. The expense of keeping the stock growers’ men imprisoned nearly broke the state.

Witnesses became mum, and the cases against the Texas gunmen fell apart. The stock growers had first intimidated and then killed those who tried to challenge their monopoly on the Wyoming cattle industry. Then, thwarted by local lawmen, they called in the federal government, and those stock growers involved in the Johnson County War actually got away with murder.

This evening, Judge Aileen Cannon vacated the May 20, 2024, trial date for the criminal case of Trump’s retention of classified documents and declined to set a new date. With so many remaining issues unresolved, she wrote, it would be “imprudent” to set a new trial date. 

This is the case in which the U.S. government accuses Trump of retaining hundreds of classified documents that compromised the work of the Central Intelligence Agency, which provides intelligence on foreign countries and global issues; the Department of Defense, which provides military forces to ensure national security; the National Security Agency, which collects intelligence from communications and information systems; the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, which provides intelligence from imagery; the National Reconnaissance Office, which operates satellites and reconnaissance systems; the Department of Energy, which manages nuclear weapons; and the Department of State, including the Bureau of Intelligence and Research, which provides intelligence to U.S. diplomats. 

These are the documents the Federal Bureau of Investigation later recovered from Mar-a-Lago, where they were stored in public spaces, including a bathroom, after Trump first retained them, then denied he had them, and then tried to hide them. 

The U.S. government charges that “[t]he classified documents TRUMP stored in his boxes included information regarding defense and weapons capabilities of both the United States and foreign countries; United States nuclear programs; potential vulnerabilities of the United States and its allies to military attack; and plans for possible retaliation in response to a foreign attack. The unauthorized disclosure of these classified documents could put at risk the national security of the United States, foreign relations, the safety of the United States military, and human sources and the continued viability of sensitive intelligence collection methods.” 

Today, Trump's trial for his retention of these classified documents is indefinitely postponed.

Trump appointed Cannon to the bench, and the Senate confirmed her after he lost the 2020 presidential election. She has seemed to be in no hurry to bring the case to trial before the 2024 election, a case that, if he is reelected, Trump will almost certainly quash. 

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[foreverlogical]

Jeffrey McConney, former controller for the Trump Organization, is among the people who has testified in the bench trial for New York Attorney General Letitia James' civil fraud case against the company.

James alleges that former President Donald Trump and his company seriously exaggerated the value of its real estate assets — an allegation that Justice Arthur Engoron, assigned to the case, agreed with in a September 26 ruling. And McConney has offered testimony on the Trump Organization's operations.

Trump's legal team has claimed that McConney has insufficient knowledge where property valuations are concerned. But the Daily Beast's Jose Pagliery, in a report published on October 12, lays out some reasons why that claim is problematic.

POLL: Should Trump be allowed to hold office again?

In court, Trump lawyer Jesus Suarez told Engoron, "Objection, your honor. Mr. McConney is not a valuation expert. He's not offered as a valuation expert."

But Pagliery explains, "The idea that the Trump Organization's long-time bean counter would be oblivious to the inner workings of real estate valuations seemed implausible, given that documents presented at trial showed that he was the key conduit to getting those very valuations compiled into Trump's annual statements of financial condition. That paperwork, which was signed off by outside accountants at the firm Mazars USA, was the reason that financial institutions like Deutsche Bank and Ladder Capital extended hundreds of millions of dollars in loans to Trump."

Pagliery continues, "Those funds allowed his company to seal several marquee deals, including the purchase of the Doral golf course in South Florida and the acquisition of the Old Post Office in Downtown Washington, which briefly became a Trump hotel. The inherently contradictory nature of Trump lawyers' stance on McConney underscored the sharp contrast on display at the ongoing bank fraud trial, where James is trying to bolster a case the judge has already decided has merit while Trump lawyers combat the very premise of the investigation. When investigators point to spreadsheets, the defense either shrugs, appears confused, or claims vastly inflated values are mere differences of opinion."

[arpov-blog-blog]

Smoking Gun Evidence Introduced at Trump Trial

The key piece the prosecution was looking for.

Ron Filipkowski Meidas Touch Network

The first witness for the week was former Trump Org comptroller Jeffrey McConney. McConney was the person who authorized various payments to reimburse Michael Cohen for his payment to Stormy Daniels, which were invoiced as "legal fees." He said that Trump was very strict about personally approving all invoices, and even threatened to fire him once if he paid one without his prior approval. McConney said that was because Trump wanted to make sure that McConney negotiated every single one to try to pay less than the billing amount and Trump wanted to see that he was doing that rather than just pay them.

McConney then gave the prosecution the key piece of testimony they were looking for - that Cohen was owed money that Trump directed be paid to him as a "bonus" that was not included amongst the other payments for alleged "legal fees." That directly contradicts Trump's story that all the money that was paid to Cohen was simply for legal work performed. 

An exhibit was then shown to McConney which could be the smoking gun that is devastating for Trump, a notation to pay Michael Cohen's shell company 'Essential Consultants LLC' for $130,035 in twelve separate installments, which exactly matches the amount paid by Cohen to Stormy Daniels. In Allen Weisselberg's handwritten notes on the document it said that the payment was specifically for Stormy Daniels. 

The total amount paid was $180,000 - $130,000 to Stormy and an additional bonus to Michael Cohen for $50,000. The payments to Cohen were to be broken down into monthly payments of $35,000. They notes between Weisselberg and McConney about these payments were then kept in a locked drawer. McConney then contacted Cohen and told him that he wanted him to submit separate invoices for each monthly payment in the reimbursement scheme. Cohen then sent him an emailed invoice for the first two months of 2017 where he invoiced the payments "pursuant to the retainer agreement." However, McConney testified that he never saw any retainer agreement.

McConney testified that Cohen was then paid out of the Trust account after payment was signed off on by Eric Trump and Donald Trump, Jr. It was listed as a payment for "legal expenses." When asked why it was paid out of the Trust account, he said that all of Trump's "personal expenses" were being paid out of that account after he was elected president. (Cohen was not working for the campaign, a PAC or Trump Org at the time).

However, the payments to Cohen were switched from Trump's Trust account to his DJT personal account in March 2017. Trump was the only one authorized to sign on that account, so checks had to be sent to the White House for him to sign for anything coming out of that account. McConney wrote specifically on the April payment to Cohen that, "DJT needs to sign check." 

The prosecution then introduced a printout with McConney's handwritten notes on it showing that $105,000 was paid to Cohen out of Trump's trust account with the remaining money paid to Cohen out of Trump's personal account. The total amount paid to Cohen in 2017 was $440,000. They then introduced the ledgers from Trump's Trust account and personal account for 2018 to show that many payments were made to several different lawyers and were, unlike the payments to Cohen in 2017, listed as "legal expenses."

The prosecution then introduced a tax document from the Trump Trust showing that $105,000 was paid to Michael Cohen from that account in 2017 as "nonemployee compensation." Then they introduced the 1099 from Trump Org showing that $420,000 was paid to Cohen in 2017. 

Since Trump was president in 2017, he had to file a Form 278e disclosing assets that could potentially present a conflict of interest to someone's position in government service. The form was signed by Trump on May 15, 2018, and contained a statement that "expenses were incurred" in 2016 by Michael Cohen on behalf of Donald Trump and Trump reimbursed him for those expenses in 2017. 

[mongowheelie]

Here's why Trump lawyers’ attacks on key bank fraud witness fall painfully flat - Alternet.org

[truck-fump]

Key Witness Has Covid, Disrupting <b>Trump</b> Organization Trial After One Day

New Post has been published on https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa=t&url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/01/nyregion/trump-organization-trial-mcconney-covid.html&ct=ga&cd=CAIyGjUzM2UwMTY5ZmFhZTIwMGQ6Y29tOmVuOlVT&usg=AOvVaw3OI51xOjB-9FySZ9UTd_Dz

Key Witness Has Covid, Disrupting Trump Organization Trial After One Day

Jeffrey S. McConney, the controller of Donald J. Trump’s family business and the first witness in the trial of the company, tested positive for …

[isfeed]

Key Witness Has Covid, Disrupting Trump Organization Trial After One Day

Key Witness Has Covid, Disrupting Trump Organization Trial After One Day

Jeffrey S. McConney, the company’s controller, had coughing fits on the stand. The judge said the trial would likely resume Monday, but that many in the courtroom were at risk. Source: New York Times Key Witness Has Covid, Disrupting Trump Organization Trial After One Day

[thechasefiles]

The Chase Files Daily Newscap 12/12/2019

Good Morning #realdreamchasers. Here is your daily news cap for Thursday, December 12th, 2019. There is a lot to read and digest so take your time. Remember you can read full articles via Barbados Government Information Service (BGIS), Barbados Today (BT), or by purchasing a Daily Nation Newspaper (DN).

S&P NOTCHES CREDIT RATING UP BY SIX POINTS – Barbados’ credit worthiness took a big leap up out of default territory as a credit ratings agency today lifted its foreign currency ratings by six notches. New York-based Standard and Poor’s (S&P) raised its long- and short-term foreign currency ratings to ‘B-/B’ from ‘SD/SD’ and assigned its ‘B-‘ foreign currency issue rating to foreign currency debt delivered in the exchange. S&P also affirmed its ‘B-/B’ long- and short-term local currency sovereign credit ratings and ‘B-‘ issue-level rating on Barbados’ long-term local currency debt. Government exchanged over $1 billion (US$531 million) in new 2029 bonds and $64 million (US$32 million) in past due interest bonds to holders of its US dollar bonds that have been in default since 2018, of which about $1.3 billion (US$677 million), plus accrued interest, was outstanding. This exchange will apply to holders of Barbadian English law-governed U.S. dollar bonds, certain Barbados law-governed US dollar bonds, and a US-dollar loan agreement. S&P also issued a stable outlook, saying this “balances the administration’s strong mandate to implement broad fiscal and macroeconomic reforms with the political and economic challenges of doing so”. The ratings agency said it expected multilateral lending institutions would continue to commit and disburse financial and technical assistance to Barbados, which would also support Government’s mandate. “We expect over the next 12-18 months the Government will continue to implement policies that achieve fiscal consolidation and instill institutional safeguards, while strengthening macroeconomic stability,” said S&P. It pointed out that failure to meet fiscal and debt targets over the next year could weaken investor confidence and result in a loss of official capital inflows, adding that this outcome could place renewed pressure on the country’s foreign exchange reserves and reduce funding sources. “Under this scenario of diminished liquidity, we could lower the ratings,” S&P warned. On the other hand, S&P said it could raise the ratings over the next year should the Government adhere to its ambitious fiscal targets and reform agenda, which could strengthen investor confidence and contribute to improved gross domestic product growth prospects. “Higher economic growth would facilitate a reduced debt burden, which, together with an expectation of continued access to official funding, could lead us to raise the rating,” it added. In response to the news from Nairobi on her African tour, Prime Minister Mia Mottley led the administration’s chorus of approval tonight: “We are certainly moving in the right direction. “I want to congratulate the Barbadian people for pulling together and making the necessary adjustments and sacrifice to put us all on the right path to sustainability. “We are not yet where we need to be but if we stay the course and if we focus on adding value in all that we do and on growth, I have every confidence we will make it and reverse the impact of the lost decade. “We can return the country to investment grade and continue to build people’s confidence in all that we are doing.” The Government’s IMF senior advisor, Dr Kevin Greenidge described the scale of the upgrade as “quite an achievement for Barbados, especially since the BERT (Barbados Economic Recovery and Transformation) programme was only a year old”. (BT)

LATE’ TAX BILL UPSETS FRANKLYN – Opposition Senator Caswell Franklyn yesterday chastised Government for bringing the Tourism Levy Bill to the Senate 17 months after the tax took effect. Government Senator Kay McConney led off debate on the bill explaining that it was part of the Prime Minister’s budgetary proposals. She pointed out that certain changes had been made to the bill. The Room Rate and Product Development levies took effect from July 1, 2018 while the Shared Economy Levy was implemented from October 1, 2018. (DN)

TOURISM ON THE UPSWING – WITH the official start of the tourism season just days away, the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) anticipates the industry will continue to expand in 2020, despite the implications of Brexit and the US/China trade war. That was revealed by Senator Rudy Grant, chief executive officer of the BHTA, during their fourth quarterly general meeting at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre. “The STR Report indicates that the occupancy for January to September 2019, increased by 5.1 per cent when compared to the same period for 2018. This was nominal movement in the average daily rate (ADR) of 0.9 per cent. “While we anticipate expansion in 2020, we cannot, however, be complacent, and we must be determined to work even harder. The uncertainty of Brexit looms over us in a market which presently is our major source market. The US/China trade war represents a threat to the global economy which could have serious consequences for small developing states like Barbados,” he said. (DN)

GENERATING UNITS ARRIVE IN BARBADOS – The temporary generation units commissioned by the Barbados Light & Power Company are in Barbados. Last month, after the island was affected by widescale power outages for two days, management at the power company said they would be urgently adding 15 megawatts of generating capacity to the electricity grid. Although the delivery was delayed by five days because of shipping issues at other ports, the 12 Megawatts arrived in Barbados, were offloaded at the Bridgetown Port and transported to the site overnight with support from the Barbados Port Authority, the Royal Barbados Police Force and other Government agencies. At the Garrison site, early preparation work was completed safely, the mobile crane was ready to receive all equipment and the process of erecting and commissioning has commenced. Light & Power’s Managing Director, Roger Blackman said, “We are working with the supplier to complete the safe commissioning of the generating units as promptly as possible. Key contractor resources are already in Barbados for the preliminary work, other resources will be arriving to support the commissioning by December 20th. “Regarding the other immediate generation project, Light & Power has signed a letter of intent to proceed with APR Energy from Jacksonville, Florida for the purchase of 12 x 1.5MW units. This is 3 MW more than the 15 MW originally indicated to provide contingency and back-up for the system. We have completed our due diligence assessment of the units and they are undergoing preparation for shipping. We are planning for these units to arrive by year-end and for commissioning in January 2020.  “Our goal is to safely and swiftly install this additional generating capacity and look to advance the renewable energy transition with ‘shovel-ready clean energy projects’ working with all key stakeholders,” Blackman added. (DN)

BETTER INTERNET FOR OECS SCHOOLS – The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) partnered with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to launch ProjectConnect, the first pillar of a wider project which seeks to connect school’s worldwide to the internet. ProjectConnect aims to map schools and provide real-time data on the quality of their internet connectivity. The recent three-day workshop brought together 21 Information and Communications Technology Managers from OECS Ministries of Education, Statisticians, and Geographic Information System (GIS) professionals from across the Eastern Caribbean. Participants benefited from a training session focused on collecting, editing and disseminating spatial and internet connectivity data on schools through the use of open-source tools. The data will be critical in developing an evidenced-based strategy to provide all schools with fast and reliable internet access, as Head of OECS Education Development Management Unit, Sisera Simon, explained: “Schools are sometimes faced with unreliable, and in some instances, unavailability of internet access, and this is an excellent initiative to fill that gap. ProjectConnect promotes access to information and will strengthen efforts to enhance technology-driven instruction and administration at the school level in the OECS region.” Representatives from UNICEF Eastern Caribbean in Barbados, UNICEF Innovation in New York and the International Telecommunications Union in Geneva, who also attended the launch of ProjectConnect, were enthusiastic about the initiative. “This is the first of its kind regional school connectivity mapping workshop that we’ve organised with the aim of building local capacity on how to collect and maintain data around internet connectivity in schools,” said data scientist at UNICEF Innovation, Naroa Zurutuza. “The data will allow us to identify gaps and will be the foundation for follow-up work with OECS governments and internet providers, and build a common bid for connectivity that will ensure that all schools in the OECS region have access to the internet.” In closing, the representatives from the OECS Education Development Management Unit announced the intention to convene a major conference in early 2020 with senior government officials and technical officers from OECS governments; and development partners, which will aim to develop a road map for connecting all public primary and secondary schools in the Eastern Caribbean. (DN)

PEACE WALK – Hundreds of schoolchildren were on the road after the bell rang yesterday demanding to have a voice in matters affecting them. The placards bearing youth who chanted from Jubilee Gardens, The City, to the nearby historic Queen’s Park, were part of a peace rally in which students from several other schools joined those from Frederick Smith Secondary School, still grieving the loss of a colleague fatally stabbed on November 8 on the school compound. Colleagues Bianca Broomes, Briana Bowen and Elvis Woodroffe organised the Anti-Violence Rally, prompted by the death of 16-year-old Temario Holder, while education officials and members of the National Council on Substance Abuse also participated in the three-hour event. (DN)

PSVS: CHEAPSIDE TERMINUS ‘DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN’ – Minibus and route taxi operators protested conditions at the Cheapside terminal, declaring they cannot compromise the safety and dignity of operators and commuters for the sake of trying to save a few dollars. The Alliance Owners of Public Transport (AOPT) have said they are upset that persistent calls for improvement of the terminal’s facility have fallen on deaf ears. The executive of AOPT conducted a walkthrough of the facility this afternoon, lamenting the lack of protection from the elements, non-existent demarcations for queuing and the fact that persons had to resort to answering the call of nature behind parked vehicles. The alliance’s Public Relations Officer Mark Haynes described the situation as a “disaster waiting to happen.” He said: “What we are seeing here today is untenable and the facility is clearly not fit for purpose. “We believe that the commuters and the drivers should be able to operate in an environment that is safe. “We are definitely not satisfied with what we are seeing especially as it relates to bathroom facilities, we don’t think that it is right that persons have to leave here and go elsewhere in order use a bathroom. “Within the confines of this space there should be a number of bathrooms which commuters and workers can use.” He told the media that his membership was at their breaking point as they have complained about the state of the terminal to successive governments but would have received nothing more than promises and excuses. He said: “Every time we have brought this matter up, we are told that the money is not there to do anything about it. “Our members are at the stage where they can’t take anymore, and they are demanding that something is done. “If you look at the Constitution River Terminal (CRT), you can see how much things have improved, and we are saying that the same thing that happens there should happen here. “We are not saying that they must implement the permanent fixes right away if funds are tight but there could be temporary measures that could be put in place in the meantime” Also weighing in on the issue, AOPT chairman Roy Raphael reminded the authorities that earlier this year a ZR conductor was stabbed to death at the terminal, noting that nothing has changed in terms of the chaos at Cheapside. Raphael said: “We essentially have a free for all here and this is a disaster waiting to happen.” There needs to be urgent controls put in place because this simply cannot be allowed to continue,Back in August, AOPT released a study which showed a stark difference in the behavior of operators at the Cheapside and that of the operators at the structured CRT. The study showed since the new River Terminal began operations in September 2018, complaints about infractions committed by privately-owned public service vehicle operators plying routes from the terminal, have dropped by 90 per cent.It was noted that from 2014, the annual tally of complaints coming to AOPT, consistently hit the 1000 mark. (BT)

GOV SENATOR DECRIES DIVORCE – A Government Senator today lamented a growing number of divorces being filed, suggesting that couples seemed hell-bent on ending their marriage instead of working things out. Deputy president of the Senate, Rudolph Cappy Greenidge, who was speaking during the Family Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, said there were way too many cases coming before the law courts. He declared: “Only this morning I looked at the case list I saw about 25 family law matters before one particular judge and that judge was not the only one doing Family Law or with Family law cases before them other judges have Family Law cases before them as well. So you could imagine the volume of Family Law cases we have in our courts? Senator Greenidge said the numbers seemed to be a clear indication that couples weren’t willing to do what it takes to make a marriage work. He said: “Sometimes you sit and wonder: Why is it that there is this ballooning of family law cases? “One school of thought is that we have made divorces in Barbados too easy. “Parties nowadays are more tempted to jump off the marriage train than to make the marriage work. There are young people who are not at all willing to compromise in the way that my grandmother and my mother did. “Not this young generation….” The senator said the fact too that some law firms make their business by dealing with Family Law cases proved that the numbers have increased. “Three lawyers in particular I know each practice is 90 per cent family law;  one of the three maybe as much as 99 per cent gives you some indication as to the amount of family law work that they have on their desk. They hardly worry about other legal matters.” The attorney at law explained that it was now easier for couples to file for divorce. “We have made it easy we have gone to something called no fault divorce. With no fault divorce one party only has to say this marriage has broken down irretrievably and that is the end of it.” Greenidge pointed out that being able to file “no fault” has added to the numbers as well. “In my mother and grandmother’s day you had to come with fault… you had to say there was desertion there was cruelty there was adultery not now. Some have said that divorces have skyrocketed since the “no fault” divorce came into being. When I started to practice family law was merely simmering now it is boiling over…” “While filing no-fault has contributed to the increased number of divorces I have to say that independence of thought coupled with the financial independence of the Barbadian wife have contributed as well.” He said the wives of this generation were way less tolerant that those ‘back in the day. “Barbadians wives back then depended on everything from the husband. They couldn’t get a lawyer on their own. Those wives of yesterday were willing to put up with infidelity and verbal ause ’cause they thought themselves hemmed in. The wife of today would remove themselves from those situations and file for divorce. (BT)

YOUNG GIRL RECOUNTS LIFE ROBBED OF HOPE IN RAPE – Kinchar Lavone Mascoll’s rape of a young girl back in December 2015 has transformed her life into one of “hopelessness” and “despair”, the No. 2 Supreme Court  has heard. The impact of that rape on the then 15-year-old student was included in a presentencing report complied on Mascoll, alias Rhino or Monkey Man, of Drax Hall Jump, St George. A probation officer told the court the teenager revealed that the brutal taking of her innocence was the “worst of her life”. “She recalled prior to being choked until she lost consciousness, to being stabbed and waking hours later bound. “She is still psychologically impacted and spoke of her life since then as transforming into one of… hopelessness and feelings of despair. “She recalled the numerous accounts she was required to give to various therapists and counselors both at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Psychiatric Hospital after being placed on suicide watch for issues of self harm,” the probation officer told Justice Randall Worrell as Mascoll listened from the dock. According to the officer, the child’s mother also revealed that “she vicariously experienced the trauma that her daughter endured after her innocence was so brutally taken”. The officer continued: “This incident has forever changed [their] lives as they continue to struggle emotionally, financially and psychologically to regain some semblance of normalcy. “Both the victims emphatically expressed their hope that Mascoll is dealt a just punishment to the fullest extent of the law.” It was further revealed that Mascoll was himself a product of sexual assault. But, “he did not give any clear expression of remorse for his actions which suggests that he has little insight into his offending behaviour” according to the probation officer. “Mascoll is a recidivist with a high risk of reoffending due to the gravity of his criminogenic indications which have over time to be an imminent threat to public safety.” Two reports – psychiatric and psychological – were ordered on the convicted rapist in preparation for his sentencing. He returns before the High Court on January 31. The court previously heard that the child was heading home from school when she crossed paths with Mascoll at Oughterson Road, St Philip on December 1, 2015. They were walking in opposition directions but when the schoolgirl looked back she saw Mascoll was now going in the same direction that she was. She, however, continued on her way but the next time she looked back the then 38-year-old man had caught up with her and kept on staring at her, making her uncomfortable. When he got directly behind her he grabbed on to her right arm, while holding a screwdriver in his left and pulled her into nearby bushes. When she tried to cry out for help, he threatened her by thrusting the screwdriver into her right breast and said, “Shut up or I gone kill you”. Fearful for her life she complied but she began struggling with him resulting in Mascoll holding her in a headlock, which caused her to lose consciousness. When she regained consciousness, she discovered that her hands were tied behind her back, her shirt was buttoned the wrong way and the contents of her school bag scattered. After several attempts she was able to walk and came across some cyclists who assisted her. The child was taken to the QEH for treatment, where she spent five days. (BT)

THANK GOD FOR TAURUS – His moniker is Mr Singy Singy, and that is exactly what Tarrus Riley came to do as he stole the hearts of Hennessy Artistry patrons on Saturday night at the Kensington Oval. The velvet-voiced crooner was the first international act to hit the stage at just around midnight. He held the audience in the palm of his hand from the time he emerged. Tarrus’ hits songs, including Simple Things, Love’s Contagious, Sorry, Never Leaveand Don’t Come Back, were but a few of the tracks that the Jamaican artiste belted out as he cemented his place in the hearts of his large Barbadian fanbase. Saxophonist Dean Fraser added extra finesse to the set. Tarrus is a phenomenal performer and to see him in the opening slot was a shock to many. By the end of the night many were of the firm view that the decision was ill-conceived since only one other artiste came close to delivering comparable performance. The long-running show has been failing to attract the same level of interest as its earlier editions. Close attention needs to be paid to not only the artistes that the organizers bring but also the structure of their running order so that music lovers are not left disappointed. The size of this year’s crowd compared to previous years sends a clear message as well. Anthony B was the other performer who was the full package. His frenetic energy did not wane throughout his entire set. Even though he pranced across every inch of the stage, at no point did that compromise his vocals. He satisfied attendees with favourites like I Understand, Damage, Raid the Barn and Storm Winds. He, like Tarrus, had the patrons singing along with practically every song he delivered. Typically, Barbadian audiences are known as one of the hardest audiences to please. Nigerian-born and Lagos raised Davido was one of the artistes who got that rude awakening on the night. He only got a rise out of the audience with the songs with which they were familiar. They gave him love for Assurance, Fall and If, but he received a subdued response for other tracks like One Ticket, Bum Bum and Skelewu. The advantage that artistes like Tarrus Riley and Anthony B have on some of their younger counterparts is that they sound identical to their records. Having popular songs does not mean you can deliver on stage. Sadly, that was the case with Masicka. Despite having a catalogue that would have resonated more with local audiences, he failed to capture the patrons’ attention. He lacked stage presence and that was his major downfall. Dexta Daps was the closing performer of the night. The energetic artiste caused an uproar when he burst on stage. He thrilled with Shabba Madda Pot, 7 Eleven and Leader and sent the ladies wild when he exposed his physique. Though he started on a high, he failed to maintain the same energy throughout. Fans were left disappointed when he prematurely disappeared from stage in the hype of what was to be his final song. Earlier in the night, the locals soca acts added some diversity to the cast. Edwin Yearwood was entertaining as always with Sak Pase and Pump Me Up. He was followed by a dapper looking Hypasounds with Fair Sa and Bubble. Leadpipe & Saddis were also solid. Local rapper Teff added some punch when joined in to do the recently released collaboration Barbara. (BT)

DANCEHALL WINS AT HENNESSY . . . Patrons all about favourite acts – Regional rising dancehall stars satisfied their fans with a torrent of their popular hits, when FAS7STAR staged the 2019 edition of Hennessy Artistry on the Beach. Unfortunately, the local acts struggled to generate the same energy and interest as their Caribbean counterparts. They had little impact and the disinterested audience were not even inclined to close the substantial gap between themselves and the stage. Among the early local performers were Walkes and Mole. The latter was joined by Jus D for a performance of their collaboration Thump Up. SK fared a little better as he pulled on his dancehall repertoire including the witty Lie-abetics. Shane E was the first act to truly get patrons engaged. He was smooth in his delivery of Blessings A Flow and The Dream. The crowd went wild when he launched into the popular Gone Sleep. He was followed by Bugle who, though solid with favourites like Nuh Compatible, Don’t Worry and the upbeat Rasta Party, was not as explosive as he usually tends to be. Barbadian artistes Superstar and Bugle traded tune for tune during the set. Prince Swanny took the level all the way up. The Trinidadian star has become a huge hit on the local scene within the past year and he did not disappoint. His stage presence was on point and he delivered a top shelf performance. The audience got even more riled up when Shane E returned to the stage and they teamed up for their hugely popular collaboration Ztekk Bomber.    Medz Boss also made a special guest appearance with Fear We in his set. LRG got in on the action with Chargie. Prince Swanny was dynamic and his adoring fans went insane from the first strains of Up in Her. Fuelled by the desire to get closer to their favourite artiste, eager fans tried to tear down the high fence which separated them. However, with the quick intervention of security, the barricades were quickly re-hoisted, and they quickly conceded that they would not get as close to the stage as they wanted to. Uptop Boss singer Teejay closed out the show. Diehard fans were unbothered by the drizzles of rain and stayed rooted in place. Among the big tracks performed were Grimy, Shub Out, and Owna Lane. Though he held his own, he did not come close to creating the pandemonium which Prince Swanny generated. The deejays did a commendable job in building the vibe. Surf Rat and Menace especially were in ripping form.  (BT)

RECORD PRICE FOR FLYING FISH THIS CHRISTMAS– Barbadians seeking to put flying fish on their tables this Christmas will have to buy it at a record  $35 per bag of ten. Even though fish vendors at the Bridgetown Fisheries Complex said they were shocked that the rocketing price of flying fish reached an all-time high, they said they had no choice but to sell it for that price since fishermen were selling it to them at $250 per hundred. Fish vendor Patricia Mapp said though some may see the price as “a bit extravagant” vendors cannot do any better at this time. Mapp, a vendor of 30 years, told Barbados TODAY that she believed this was the first time in history that flying fish was being sold at $35 per pack. She said: “I actually sold ten for $40 as well when the season first started about two weeks ago. “This is the first time in history that flying fish being sold so expensive because I remember when I was 13 years old my father was also a fisherman and I remember that flying fish were selling at 100 for $10.” Mapp sympathised with the need for fishermen to sell flying fish at $250 per pound in order to make a profit after long hours and days at sea. She did: “Right now, me and a gentleman had a conversation yesterday and he told me that they were saying that I am the person that have the flying fish sell for $250. But, the fisherman is to get something. “However we buy the fish, whether it is cheap or expensive, we should be able to get a profit and the fisherman should be able to get a li’l something too.” Another vendor said though the price for flying fish was what she described as “very hot”, customers were still buying them, especially hotels, restaurants and Barbadians living abroad. Nevertheless, the vendor said she was hoping the price dropped soon so that everybody could be able to afford “the Bajan delicacy”. “The price very hot but the flying fish selling. The restaurants and the hotels buying them up and we know them could afford to do that cause them making back that money from the guests. “But really and truly, most of the fish expensive right now. Everything right now is like $9 a pound and the sword fish is $10 and shark is normally about $5,” the vendor said. A fisherman who said he returned to the island today with a limited 300 flying fish after 12 days at sea explained to Barbados TODAY that the reality stands that the fish was scarce making it difficult to catch them. He said that flying fish was sold within a matter of minutes when he returned around 7 a.m. “We had vendors waiting to buy the flying fish. Within five minutes time them did gone. And as you could see the women ain’t got any out here now so you know the flying fish isn’t staying in the market long. But, it is a delicacy and you pay for the delicacy. “But there is a possibility that it would get better according to the catch. We still getting a supply of the other types of fish but the flying fish ain’t coming like one time,” the fisherman, who did not give his name, said. (BT)

CHRISTMAS AT MAHALIA’S CORNER – Talented Barbadian singer Nikita joins her family, local music royalty the Leacocks, for a special Christmas Edition of Mahalia’s Corner on Sunday, December 22  at 8 p.m. at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre. The popular music festival, now celebrating its tenth year or MC Tenniversary as it’s been dubbed by its creator 2 Mile Hill, just completed a successful September season featuring an all-star cast of entertainers including Lil Rick, Edwin Yearwood, Ch’An, John Yarde, Leadpipe & Saddis and Mole. 2 Mile Hill hopes to close out the MC Tenniversary with a bang and have a full night planned, with the band and the Leacocks taking the audience through a nostalgic journey of Christmas through the years. Nikita, who is no stranger to the Mahalia’s Corner stage, has assembled a power cast of her loved ones, including her aunt Carolyn Leacock and cousin Jan Gibson-Keizer who are also well known singers.    “Christmas is my favourite time of the year,” said 2 Mile Hill front woman and the Corner’s namesake Mahalia. “Being able to have the Corner during the season is like my very own Christmas gift,” she added. She said she was really happy to be able to continue celebrating the MC Tenniversary, with their fifth year of the Christmas Corner. The show will also feature the Open Mic segment which is the bedrock of the Mahalia’s Corner movement. Many local singers have made their start on the Corner stage and any audience member may sign up on the night of the show to perform. Patrons have the option of regular seating or a drinks inclusive zone. This year tickets must be pre-purchased as they will not be taking cash at the door.  (BT)

GOOD TIDINGS . . . LOVE DAY MARKS TEN YEARS – The Love Day Project will be spreading its annual Christmas cheer on Saturday. It will be an extra special occasion as the venture celebrates its tenth year in existence. The project has touched the lives of many over the years. Its mandate is to spread love, share gifts, clothes and feed the homeless, elderly, less fortunate and children in hospital. Terry Mexican Arthur, the man whose idea it was to simply spread cheer through song said he never envisioned the project growing so rapidly and having the impact it does. “It started with just a dream. My dream was to just go all over Barbados bringing love in a simple way – through music. Music touches the soul. For me, spending time with people from the communities is the actual gift. It was all about creating a good positive vibe. Truth is the presents are secondary,” the entertainer told Bajan Vibes. This year, the team and all who are interested in giving of their time and energy can assemble at Queen’s Park for 10 a.m. The crew will set out around 11:30 a.m. In order to build hype and awareness of Saturday’s event, the project is staging a special Love Day Olympics being held at Dover Playing Field on Wednesday night. The Chefette Christmas Crunchers led by Mexican will go up against the Rubis Rockstar Reindeers led by John Roett. Each team has 17 members which include entertainers, politicians, and other well-known personalities. To be a part of the Love Day, you can drop off your gift donations or help wrap gifts at the Lucky Horseshoe Bandhouse, Worthing, Christ Church, weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., or call Terry Arthur at 241-9210. Top entertainers such as Soca Queen Alison Hinds, Tamara Marshall, Andy Blood Armstrong, Biggie Irie, Ishaka McNeil, Kareen Clarke and others all participate. The project, which starts in St Michael, eventually makes its way to other parishes visiting communities from St Lucy to St Philip. (BT)

There are 20 days left in the year Shalom!  Follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram for your daily news. #thechasefiles #dailynewscaps #bajannewscaps #newsinanutshell

[arpov-blog-blog]

Trump ordered to pay $355M in New York fraud case | The Hill

..."Judge Arthur Engoron’s 92-page decision came just weeks after closing arguments in the case following a months-long trial last year during which Trump frequently lambasted the judge and the prosecutor who brought the case.

A New York judge on Friday ordered former President Trump to pay nearly $355 million in penalties in a civil fraud case that has dealt a stark blow to his family’s business empire. 

Judge Arthur Engoron’s 92-page decision came just weeks after closing arguments in the case following a months-long trial last year during which Trump frequently lambasted the judge and the prosecutor who brought the case. 

New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) sued Trump in 2022, alleging he falsely altered his net worth on key financial statements to receive tax and insurance benefits. The documents, which detailed the value of the Trump Organization’s various assets, were sent to banks and insurers to secure loans and deals, which the state purports is evidence of fraud.  

Engoron found Trump, the Trump Organization and several top executives, including his adult sons, liable for fraud before the trial began. The verdict is at the sole discretion of Engoron because there was no jury at the trial. 

The fine is some $16 million less than the $370 million the attorney general’s office asked the judge to force Trump to pay. It also blocks Trump from participating in New York business for three years.   

Trump’s sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, were ordered to pay more than $4 million each, and were both barred from serving as officers or directors of any New York corporation or other legal entity for two years.  

Ex-chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg was ordered to pay $1 million. Weisselberg was also blocked from New York business for three years, and both he and former controller Jeffery McConney were barred for life from serving “in the financial control function” of any New York corporation or business entity.

However, the judge reversed a decision ahead of the trial that ordered the cancellation of the defendants’ business certificates, though he said the order could be renewed."

[thechasefiles]

The Chase Files Daily Newscap 7/18/2019

Good Morning #realdreamchasers. Here is your daily news cap for Thursday, July 18th, 2019. There is a lot to read and digest so take your time. Remember you can read full articles via Barbados Today (BT), or by purchasing a Daily Nation Newspaper (DN).

SENATOR TO BECOME ENVOY TO SURINAME –Senator Althea Wiggins has been appointed envoy to Suriname, President of the Senate Sir Richard Cheltenham announced today to the Upper Chamber.“I wish to report to all honourable members that Senator Althea Wiggins has been appointed as the Prime Minister’s special envoy to serve in Suriname.“Her duties will involve moving between Barbados and Suriname and to that extent she will not be resigning from the Senate to carry out her duties as special envoy.”The Senate President wished the Senator well in her new posting.“I just want to take this opportunity and I know I speak on behalf of all fellow senators in wishing her well in this new and important assignment,” Sir Richard said.Senator Wiggins served as Deputy High Commissioner to London under the Democratic Labour Party administration. She spent 12 years abroad. (BT)

ADAMS WARNS AGAINST OVER-REGULATING FINANCIAL INDUSTRY – The Mia Mottley administration is being urged to reform old legislation while guarding against implementing new ones that could place too much burden on this country’s financial services industry, a Government Senator who leads the financial technology industry has warned. Speaking on proposed amendments to Securities (Amendment and Validation of Fees) Bill, 2019, Senator Rawdon Adams said that while the amendments are a step in the right direction toward unencumbering the financial services industry, Government must maintain the balance between regulating and enabling capital. Senator Adams, chief executive of fintech firm Bitt, said: “We have to be very careful when we look at this type of legislation that we don’t encumber actors in the financial space with a burden of regulation that is really onerous. “Legislation to my mind is a living entity and it something that has to reflect changes and development in society, be they economic, technological, social or political. It speaks to balancing proscription against enabling. “With this type of legislation, we have to make sure that we don’t hamstring society.” The bill seeks to amend the Securities Act to exempt an issuer of a security, in specified circumstances, from the obligations imposed by sections 63 to 65; and validate the charging and collection by the Financial Services Commission, of certain annual registration fees payable by the Barbados Stock Exchange from January 1, 2016 to the date of commencement of the Securities (Amendment) Regulations, 2018. According to section 63 of the Act: “Subject to section 64, no person shall distribute a security unless a prospectus or a block distribution circular has been filed with, and a receipt therefore has been issued by, the Commission.” In section 65 it states: “No registrant shall sell a security of a class that is the subject of a filing pursuant to section 63 and for which a receipt has been issued by the Commission, within 90 days of the date of the receipt, unless he sends or delivers to the purchaser of the security  a prospectus or block distribution circular within two working days before the agreement of sale is made,” Noting that past administrations have frequently erred on the side of proscription, Senator Adams said it is therefore crucial for the one-year-old Barbados Labour Party Government to strike a delicate balance to ensure the fluidity of the industry. He told the Senate: “This type of legislation does not only have to take into account balance but also proportionality. “When it comes to small and medium-sizes enterprises governed by the legislation, we know that they cannot easily finance themselves through credit or equity. “So, it is really important that legislation like this and the related Acts on our books address this kind of issue.” (BT)

SMART PLAN FOR CITY - Bridgetown is getting smart! Yesterday, Senator Kay McConney announced in the Senate that Government was proceeding with plans to make Bridgetown more technologically friendly for both locals and tourists. Speaking during debate on a Resolution on the Final Report of the National Cruise Development Commission, McConney who is also Minister of Innovation, Science and Smart Technology, said the implementation process had begun and would be done in phases. Smart Bridgetown will have three components: Free Wifi; Smart Parking and a Tourism Mobile App. McConney explained that free wifi was being placed throughout The City; smart parking would be done along certain streets, while the mobile app was being built for tourism engagement. (DN)

‘STALE’ TOURISM OFFERINGS IN NEED OF FACELIFT – If Barbados is to get a bigger slice of the multi-billion dollar international cruise industry, then this country’s tourism product needs to be urgently refreshed. This is according to findings of the final report of the National Cruise Development Commission, which identified several key areas which have contributed to the worrying trend of low spend among cruise ship passengers and short-stay visitors. Speaking from the Senate floor this morning, Minister of Foreign Affairs Senator Dr Jerome Walcott laid out the findings noting that in the report, which utilised several surveys, it was revealed that there has been steady decline in visitor satisfaction, decrease in consumer interest and the general view that the tourism product offerings were stale. The report was divided into eight sections and covers several areas, looking at an analysis of the tourist industry against global trends. The report also looked at the current infrastructure versus what was needed to operate the cruise sector at an optimum level. “The report spoke of the port and the deficiencies there. Out of 34 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, in terms of the welcome at the port of entry, Barbados ranked at number 29. So this is an area which definitely needs to be worked on as well as the cruise infrastructure. The report calls for massive expansion or a new cruise ship facility,” Walcott said. The Senator further noted that the report also spoke to the upgrades to road infrastructure, clearer signage to attractions and intense marketing of several tourist facilities that have not lived up to their potential. The commission also urged Government to accelerate its plans for making Bridgetown a smart city, while increasing the number of bathroom facilities in the capital. “It also speaks to environmental issues where persons go to visit attractions and places of interest and the signs leading to those places are often covered in bush and debris and we need to address this. The report also spoke to a need to refurbish the Pelican Craft Centre in order for that facility to be given a new lease on life, he said, noting that the commission’s report also called for a refreshing of the popular Oistins Bay Gardens facilities The National Cruise Development Commission was established by Cabinet in August last year. Walcott noted that the cruise commission was charged with the responsibility of doing an in-depth assessment and analysis of the sector.(BT)

‘NO ROOM’FOR DISCRIMINATION AGAINST TOURISTS –Workers in the tourism industry have been told by Minister of Labour Colin Jordan that there is no room for discrimination against tourists. Jordan, himself a former tourism executive, took his anti-discrimination message to a seminar on inclusive tourism organised jointly by the gay and lesbian advocacy group, B-GLAD, the Royal Commonwealth Society, the Canadian High Commission and Virgin Holidays. “We are human beings who are interacting with other human beings”, Jordan said as he stressed the need to treat others as they would want to be treated. “In tourism, there is no room for stereotyping. “Human beings fear the unfamiliar, and we sometimes have to train ourselves to be kind, understanding, and respectful. “In tourism, there is no room for discrimination. We, as workers in this industry, do not discriminate because it is not the decent, human thing to do. “We do not discriminate because our guests are human beings. When we check in a guest, we are concerned only with the ability of the guest to pay. We do not ask if the guest has a temper, and is prone to destroy hotel furnishings. We accept people as they present, and we work to make their stay an enjoyable one.“Discrimination is an issue that must be addressed because it speaks of treating to some… as inferior and as not deserving of the same level of treatment and respect as those of the main group(s). “There are those who are traditionally discriminated against because of their ethnicity; racial identity; gender; sexual orientation; a disability; gender identity; religion; or in some cases their denomination.” The Labour Ministry is preparing legislation to combat discrimination in the workplace, and put a framework in place to prevent its occurrence, the minister said “Secondary to being the right thing to do, there are genuine economic benefits to rejecting stereotypes and discrimination, and rather being inclusive in our approach to the tourism industry,” said Jordan. He stressed tourism’s vital role as the main driver of the Barbados economy, earning approximately half of the country’s foreign exchange, and as the single largest employer in the Caribbean, considered the region most dependent on tourism.(BT)

BARBADOS ‘STILL NOT CATERING’TO DISABLED TOURISTS –A Government Senator is calling on his administration to do more to tap into the niche market of disabled tourists. According to Senator Dr Rommel Springer, while there continues to be cursory mention of catering to the disabled travelling public, there needs to be more meaningful steps towards making this a reality. During debate on the final report of the National Cruise Development Commission, Senator Springer contended that heritage tourism can be the catalyst for building out this niche market. He argued that heritage tourism can allow for the use of all sensory perceptions in the telling of the story and this could be especially appealing to those who do not have the benefit of sight. Speaking as a “student of heritage studies”, the senator suggested that Barbados could offer much to a visitor who is visually impaired. Senator Springer said: “There are a number of monuments in The City, where guided tours for these persons can be conducted and they can touch, they can feel and they can hear the history of these monuments.” He noted his experience of seeing people being inspired by touching names inscribed on war monuments. He added: “It is true that these persons may not have the power of sight but they still can create a picture in their mind, especially if the guide is talented enough to explain what is happening around you. “Even in terms of the Parliament building we could have miniatures of the structure built so that persons can have a feel of the overall architecture.” Without going into detail, Senator Springer contended that even some of the unpleasant odours of the historic capital could be integrated into telling a story. He said: “Sometimes it does not have to be the most pleasant smells because sometimes the unpleasant ones tell a story as well. “So, you can go into parts of Bridgetown and you can tell a story and you can have the evidence of the various odours be it the smell of flowers or the smell of something else but that will give a meaningful experience to that person who is visually impaired to get a sense of what life in Barbados might have been 100 years ago.” He pointed out that even the graveyards in The City could form part of this experience. The Senator further argued that Barbados could tap into the international trend of tracking down ancestral roots through genealogical research, noting that this could help visitors form a connection with the island.(BT)

HOTEL WORRIES STIR RESIDENTS –Traffic, a window-to-the-sea and the proposed size of the structure are chief among the concerns of residents in Blue Waters and Cot Road in Christ Church, ahead of the second town hall meeting today addressing the Blue Horizon project. There is a petition on website change.org named “Keep the Sea Window at Accra/Rockley Open”, which has attracted more than 3 000 signatures in just two days. Residents said they had no problem with Blue Tourism Inc. renovating the hotel, but did not think it was necessary for it to go so high – ten storeys, according to developers. Many of them said they would be attending the meeting this evening at Accra Beach Hotel to voice their concerns.  (DN)

CONCERN OVER WELL –People living in a St Michael community are demanding urgent action from authorities at the National Housing Corporation (NHC) to cover a “very deep” well in their area, which they fear is on the verge of collapsing.Less than two weeks after 17-year-old Kyrique Boyce plunged to his death in a 100-foot well in the Pine Government Housing Estate, an elderly woman from Friendship Terrace, Lodge Hill, St Michael and her daughter are pleading for authorities to prevent a similar tragedy happening there. Yvonne Hinds purchased a house in the 1970’s from the Government, with her now deceased husband. Prior to moving in, a communal well was dug next to her house, which was connected to the septic systems of approximately ten nearby residents. Years of wear and tear have caused the concrete slabs, which cover the well to slowly deteriorate until large chunks started falling in, leaving gaping holes, which people could fall through. “I called them (NHC) here perhaps for the entire time I have been here. My husband died calling them about that. They came and looked at it and then left. I am fed up with it,” said Hinds. She explained: “Two of the planks dropped in and the other sides dropped in. They came and placed a plank on it and they haven’t come back. All they are telling us is to keep far from it. How can I keep far when I have to walk around there to get to my place?” she asked. Approximately two months ago, NHC officials reportedly came to the well and placed caution tape around it, but did not fix it. With scores of children now at home on summer vacation, the elderly woman fears the risk of an accident occurring is now heightened. “I am busy telling children not to run on that well. It’s annoying me and I am upset because my son goes out there to cut the grass and I can’t manage if it drops in,” she complained. Numerous efforts to reach NHC officials proved futile but Yvonne’s daughter, Michelle Giles who grew up in the area is concerned about the wellbeing of her mother. “I have never seen a well in such bad shape,” she told Barbados TODAY. “Most people who visited just said this well can’t be fixed and it will have to be abandoned. That has been our issue, so when I got through to the NHC, they sent someone to put the caution tape around the well two weeks later and said they would conduct a site visit to see the status of these wells. Nobody has called us back,” said Giles. “It’s not looking very good, because we are expecting the well to fall in very soon.” Giles recalled that a man in a nearby avenue fell into a well in the 1980’s and survived, prompting authorities to abandon and replace the well. “We don’t want the fix to be a reactive measure after somebody falls in…. we can’t even cut the grass at the edge of the property because there is a hole there and we don’t know how close you can go to the edge. “My mother walks around there and we don’t want her going to the back gate because her house is at the end of the avenue and no one can see and we really can’t have her wandering around there until that is addressed,” said the concerned daughter.(BT)

ATM SKIMMING ACCUSED REMANDED -  The Argentine mechanic charged in connection with the skimming scam that touched scores of Barbadian bank accounts was remanded to prison when he appeared in court today. Joaquin Alberto Lobo pleaded not guilty stealing $3 040 in money which belonged to the Barbados Public Workers Cooperative Credit Union Limited between July 6 and 7. He is also accused, but not required to plead to stealing $79 770 belonging to CIBC FirstCaribbean between July 5 and 8.He was remanded to prison until August 14. Lobo, 33, of Caseros, Buenos Aires, Argentina, entered Barbados by air on July 3. (DN)

ACCUSED TO POLICE OFFICERS: I’M SORRY – A 31-year-old general worker was reprimanded and discharged after issuing an apology to two police officers. Brendan Oneal Bourne, of 1st Avenue Sealy Land, Bankhall, St Michael was accused of assaulting and resisting police constable Kemar White and resisting acting Sergeant Andrew Sandiford in the execution of their duties on July 14. After spending two nights at HMP Dodds, Bourne appeared before Magistrate Kristie Cuffy-Sargeant today and pleaded guilty to the charges. An assault case involving his wife was dismissed after she said she was no longer interested in continuing with the matter. Police constable Kenmore Phillips in outlining the facts said that the offences against the police were committed when they responded to a report of an altercation. “I really do apologise about what happened on Sunday. I was intoxicated but that is no excuse,” the first time offender, who was represented by attorney-at-law Marvin Patterson, told Sandiford who also accepted the apology on behalf of his colleague.(BT)

LAVINE RE-ARRESTED – Moments after being released on $2,000 bail a drug accused left the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court the same way he entered – in the custody of police officers. Lesanto Orelston Lavine, 33, of Well Gap, Cave Hill, St Michael arrived in handcuffs this morning on charges of two counts of possession, possession with intent to supply, possession with intent to traffic and cultivation of two pounds of cannabis with an estimated $4,000 street value. He pleaded not guilty to the offences after Magistrate Kristie Cuffy-Sargeant read them. Prosecutor, police constable Kenmore Phillips had no objection to bail. At that time the accused had no suitable surety in the court but was able to make contact with someone who later appeared before the court and secured the bail sum. “I have been in custody for the past five days and it seems that I will be taken again. I want you to see that I left here in good health,” Lavine told the magistrate just before signing the bail forms. As he approached the exit two officers in civilian clothes spoke to him briefly and then placed him in handcuffs and escorted him away.(BT)

NSC STARTS MOVE TO GYMNASIUM –The state-run National Sports Council (NSC), which is currently experiencing environmental challenges at its Blenheim, St Michael headquarters, started to relocate its operations today to the Wildey Gymnasium. However, Acting Director Neil Murrell told Barbados TODAY he did not expect the transition to be completed before early next week. Murrell said while some of the 25 administration employees were able to move to their temporary offices, others continued to function from the existing building on My Lord’s Hill today. “All staff were not moved. There were some other persons in the accounts department because we are still undertaking an audit. So those persons who have to do the audit, they have some timelines to complete…they were operating at the building,” he said. Yesterday, some workers were forced to evacuate the building after complaining of feeling unwell due to the effects of a strong chemical scent which has been lingering from a weekend industrial cleaning. The workers had also called in their bargaining agent, the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) claiming an infestation of bed bugs.  They had also reported that the office chairs which had been sent for cleaning were brought back wet. Deputy General Secretary of the BWU Dwaine Paul, who was on the scene, welcomed a subsequent decision by management to close the offices for the rest of the week and relocate staff. “We should be able to get things across by early next week. I can’t give you a specific time because there are a lot of files here. Files were moved today and areas of the front office [and] part of the registry was moved today,” said the acting director this afternoon. He also responded to concerns expressed by the union as to whether the files which were being transferred to the gymnasium would be sanitized. “The files have been sanitized. We discussed it on Friday. Some of the people you may have spoken to were not at that meeting. We had a meeting with the staff on Friday last week.  There were persons who came to work this week who were not present last week,” Murrell added. (BT)

READING DICKEY HAS BROUGHT PLEASURE TO MANY BOOKWORMS – When Hollis Chalkdust Liverpool produced his classic calypso Too Much Quacks more than three decades ago, his target was principally fellow artistes who he believed were doing the art form more harm than good. Back then his song did not address private or public sector media moguls or managers. Perhaps 2019 is as good an occasion as any for Too Much Quacks – The Sequel. Calypsonian Ronnie De Announcer Clarke annually brings a waning feature of our Crop Over music back to the public – humour. Over the past three decades or so with the exception of the works of Red Plastic Bag, and the likes of Classic, Eric Lewis, Colin Spencer, Adonijah and a few others, too many of our calypsos have tended to be long-winded verse or unimaginative prose without any semblance of wit. We have had worthy offerings that touch on myriad issues of the day. But often the absence of wit or adroit turn-of-phrase renders many of our songs rather bland. Our calypsonians have from time to time had their songs banned by overzealous, uninformed media house moguls and managers. Of course, the raison d’être for this is usually that the song is vulgar, offensive to public sensibilities or libellous. Frequently, though, lurking in the shadows is a powerbroker who engineers the pulling of the guillotine on a song because of personal discomfort. This has been happening throughout the region wherever the art form is practised. One is often left to wonder at what stage does the interpretation or intent of the creator of a musical work becomes irrelevant and the interpretation and sensibilities of media moguls, managers, politicians, powerbrokers and even John Public override all else? And what makes the scenario even more confusing is when history churns up questionable material that passed whatever litmus test that engenders public acceptance. This year De Announcer finds himself on the wrong side of the powers-that-be for his quite witty and popular Reading For Pleasure. The selection has been banned from the airwaves of two broadcast agencies – public and private sector. And it all has to do with his pun on the last name of an author that actually exists – Eric Jerome Dickey. The artiste sings about the pleasures of reading, his preference of material, and also his suggestion of Dickey’s work to other prospective readers. Some of these, he relates in his song, had no time for the author because of work commitments. Now, interpretation is a personal quality and one is entitled to it whether right or wrong. But to ensure that a false sense of bruised sensibilities or discomfiture does not lead one to make decisions that negatively impact on the creator of a work, some dispassionate questions ought to be asked. Does the artiste’s treatment of his intellectual property work? Are the lyrics of the song in themselves offensive? Is there compatibility among lyrics, interpretation and intent? It is fairer to judge and accept a song on what is actually presented than to dismiss it on what one assumes has been presented. De Announcer has correctly pointed to some selections that continue to be aired on local broadcast stations, some of which pale in terms of creativity to his 2019 selection. He pointed to the likes of Popsicle’s Don’t Sell Cornwall, Mac Fingall’s Tonight You Eating Bacon, John King’s Singing Fuh Cree and Malik’s World Cup Cricket. In Edwin Yearwood’s Sugar Cane the artiste boldly and repeatedly exhorts his followers to “let’s go fuh cane”. These songs passed the test even though some of them might have offended the puritans in our midst. But, fortunately for these mentioned performers, their songs scarcely contained lyrics that might have caused discomfiture to the powerbrokers at the time. Therefore, persons manning the guillotine had no quarrel or received no instructions. It is ironic that we live in a society where our broadcast media over previous decades accepted on their airwaves that Mighty Sparrow envied the Conga Man and regretted that he never “eat white meat yet”; or that he was penniless and had pawned everything in the house other than a fat, lazy feline and thus encouraged his girlfriend to Sell The Pussy [title of the song] and bring the cash for him. We have had our radio stations regale us with the legendary Chuck Berry swimming across Turtle Creek – not with a copy of a Dickey novel in his hands – but his “ding-a-ling”, a toy which he pointedly sang he wanted someone to play with it. This was all art accepted because compatibility was found among lyrics, interpretation and intent. No such luck for De Announcer. When conservatism clashes with art in Barbados the former invariably wins. When political discomfort clashes with art in Barbados, the former always wins. De Announcer’s melodic and quite witty take on the pleasures of reading might be buried as the 2019 season progresses. And that would be a great shame. Should De Announcer consider paying homage in calypso to that brilliant late British organist and composer William Crotch next year? After this year’s experience, perhaps that is one Crotch he should not touch. Better to write a ditty that extends the understanding of too much quacks and invalids.(BT)

MARZVILLE OUT FIRST FOR SOCA MONARCH – Marzville will lead the performers at this year’s finals of the MQI/98.1 The One Soca Monarch Competition at the National Botanical Gardens on July 28. The draw was held earlier today at the venue and Marzville, who was also a competitor in the Yello International Bashment Soca Competition, will set the standard for the 15 other finalists. Meanwhile, last year’s Party Monarch, Mikey, will bring up the rear in the 16th position after swapping places with Jamal Slocombe. The other monarch in the line-up, Lil Rick, who won last year’s Sweet Soca crown, will appear in the No. 2 spot. This year’s competition also has four women in Betty B, TC, Faith and Nathalee. The Soca Monarch Competition, which is an amalgamation of the Sweet Soca and Party Monarch, is being held at the Botanical Gardens for the first time and the National Cultural Foundation is promising a green festival at the new venue. The full line-up of the finalists in the order they will perform is:

1.    Marzville

2.    Lil Rick

3.    Betty B

4.    TC

5.    Jamal Slocombe

6.    Sanctuary

7.    Jus D

8.    Biggie Irie

9.    Adrian Clarke

10. Faith

11. Leadpipe

12. Marvay

13. Nathalee

14. Skung Yung

15. Shaquille

16. Mikey

That’s all for today folks there are 165 days left in the year Shalom! #thechasefiles #dailynewscaps Follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram for your daily news. #bajannewscaps #newsca psbystephaniefchase