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Brick Kiln Villager Dexter Hanley Honored for Contribution to Business
NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS – Dexter Hanley, a businessman from Brick Kiln Village was honored for his contribution to Business at an Awards Ceremony at Government House in Bath Plain on the occasion of the 38th Anniversary of Independence of St. Christopher and Nevis.
During the ceremony, Mr. Hanley who was presented with a plaque by Her Honor Mrs. Hyleeta Liburd, Deputy Governor-General in Nevis, was described as one who contributed to economic activity, and one concerned with the wellbeing of others.
Mr. Hanley attended the Whitehall/St. James School before migrating at an early age to the US Virgin Islands. After graduating from the school where he worked as a partner in a Greek restaurant while at the same time working as a political advisor.
After he got married, he left the Virgin Islands for the mainland United States where he continued as a political advisor before becoming a financial advisor.
On his return to Nevis, Mr. Hanley settled in his village and is described as becoming a pinnacle in the community over the years. Trained as Financial Advisor, he was able to use his skills to engage in volunteer work when needed.
Four years ago, Mr. Hanley decided to become an entrepreneur and opened up a restaurant at the Airport Drive, Main Road in New Castle Village and named it “The Runaway Grill.”
Although he is bogged down with work, the Brick Kiln Villager continues to find time to reach out offering help to those in need, in keeping with his motto “Don’t ask for help but always help others because a person in need is a priority, not a problem.”
The post Brick Kiln Villager Dexter Hanley Honored for Contribution to Business appeared first on The St Kitts Nevis Observer.
Barbados Horticulturist Mr. Dane Sandiford to Manage Pinneys Park
NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS – Dane Sandiford who hails from Barbados, will be the Manager of the Pinneys Park. He was selected from a shortlist of 11 candidates who applied for the position to manage the park which is scheduled to open in Nevis in December 2021.
The Ministry of Tourism in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) made the announcement on September 29, 2021, via a press release.
According to the release, Mr. Sandiford whose appointment will come into effect from October 15, 2021, was one of 65 applicants for the position, two thirds of whom were residents of St. Kitts and Nevis.
Applications were also received from other countries including: Trinidad, Barbados, Dominica, St. Vincent, Antigua, Statia, the US Virgin Islands, United States of America, Brazil and India.
The 11 candidates were shortlisted based on a preliminary assessment of their resumes which examined whether candidates possess the relevant qualifications, as well as management and technical experience. The shortlisted candidates were rated based on specific criteria.
However, Mr. Sandiford whose credentials stood out was successful.
“Mr Sandiford was chosen by the selection panel as the most fitting candidate due to his 20 years of experience in horticulture, and the technical aspects of green space management which includes landscape design, installation and maintenance. He also has extensive management experience, which includes 12 years at the Four Seasons Resort Nevis.
“Mr Sandiford holds a BSc in Environmental Horticulture and Landscape Design. He also has experience in managing horticultural projects in Nevis, Barbados and Florida,” the release stated.
Pinneys Park is scheduled for completion in December, 2021. The facility will feature a unique visitor centre with a turf covered roof, a lawn amphitheatre, children’s playground and eight acres of grounds landscaped with approximately 3,000 plants.
Mr. Sandiford is expected to manage the day-to-day operations of the park under the guidance of the Ministry of Tourism when his tenure begins.
Meantime, Mr. Sandiford told the Department of Information on September 30, 2021, that he was grateful for the opportunity afforded him.
“I would like to thank the Ministry of Tourism for selecting me as the Pinneys Park Manager. I am excited for the opportunity to working with a highly motivated team; to working with the citizens and residents of the federation who will visit the park and to contribute to the ongoing commercial and financial goals of the ministry,” he said.
The park is a collaborative project jointly funded by the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the Nevis Island Administration (NIA).
The post Barbados Horticulturist Mr. Dane Sandiford to Manage Pinneys Park appeared first on The St Kitts Nevis Observer.
Victoria to change isolation rules for supermarket staff
Victoria is set to change the isolation rules for supermarket staff as stores struggle to keep their doors open with thousands of workers forced to isolate every day.
Trading hours at a number of Victorian supermarkets have had to be cut down as thousands of staff are required to get tested and isolate.
Some delis at both Coles and Woolworths are not operating due to staff in isolation, while shelves of items like toilet paper and fresh bread remain empty.
READ MORE: Vaccine mandate for authorised workers in Victoria
Major retailers such as Coles have called for the state government to bring contact tracing in line with NSW to allow fully vaccinated workers in essential industries to keep working if they are deemed a casual contact.
Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed today some rules on contact tracing would change.
"I understand that was resolved positively and we are making some changes to those isolation protocols," he said.
"We are making some changes but we'll make sure it's part of the CHO release."
Currently, 24 Woolworths supermarkets across the state are Tier 1 exposure sites and the supermarket is at risk of closing five stores by this weekend due to staff shortages.
READ MORE: Victoria's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for authorised workers explained
In a statement, Woolworths said over the past three months more than 25,000 team members have been required to isolate in Victoria – none have gone on to test positive to COVID-19.
About 30,000 staff at Coles have been required to isolate in Victoria and NSW as a result of being exposed to a positive case.
The premier said there had been positive discussions with the industry.
"It's resolved in a good place, but of course we want to try and drive down the number of cases," he said.
Incredible images as speedy storm-front sweeps Sydney
Incredible images have shown a huge storm-front sweeping across Sydney, leaving heavy rain and hail in its wake.
The Bureau of Meteorology earlier issued a weather warning for the New South Wales capital.
Severe thunderstorms were detected on the weather radar near Bankstown, Engadine, Fairfield and Liverpool.
LIVE UPDATES: NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has resigned
They were forecast to affect Parramatta, Sutherland, Sydney City, Sydney Airport, Sydney Olympic Park and the Sydney Harbour Bridge by 5.25 pm and Manly, Maroubra, Randwick and waters off Bondi Beach by 5.55 pm.
Damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding were seen as likely.
However, the severe storm warning for Sydney was cancelled just before 6pm as the weather proved to be ferocious, but brief in duration.
People have been warned to keep clear of any downed powerlines and flooded creeks.
Power outages have been reported in several suburbs, with Ausgrid saying they were working to restore it.
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Storm warnings remain in place for other parts of NSW.
Locations which may be affected include Tweed Heads, Murwillumbah, Mullumbimby, Byron Bay, Brunswick Heads and Nimbin.
The wet and stormy conditions are expected to continue in the coming days across widespread parts of Australia.
A slow-moving low and troughs are triggering storms in parts of Queensland, with the potential for severe storms, according to Weatherzone.
Rain is expected for Victoria and Tasmania, while light showers are expected in South Australia and the Northern Territory.
Showers and storms are also expected for the western part of Western Australia.
The remainder of the country is expected to remain dry due to a high.
Weatherzone has reported parts of WA could pick up "half a month's worth of rain" in the next two days, as thunderstorms and rain spread across the western and southern districts of the state.
Bureau of Meteorology weather warnings remain current across most states and territories, including Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland, NSW, ACT, Victoria and Tasmania.
This includes a severe thunderstorm warning for parts of NSW, with the potential for damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rainfall.
Residents are asked to secure loose items and call 13 13 88 if they see fallen powerlines.
The thunderstorms are expected to last into Saturday and the rain is likely to continue in some areas until early next week.
Weatherzone says that while just some storms are considered severe, they all contain lightning.
If you hear thunder, the best thing to do is stay inside until the storm has cleared.
Those who suffer from asthma have been told to take care, as thunderstorms move across parts of the country.
READ MORE: Three injured as tornado tears through Central West NSW
"The weather predictions for the next week are ideal for thunderstorm asthma," Victoria's AMA president Dr Roderick McRae told Today yesterday morning.
"Anybody with a known diagnosis of asthma, please take your preventative medications."
Severe thunderstorms have swept across parts of south-eastern Australia this week, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.
There is widespread destruction across farming towns in the NSW Central West after a tornado tore through the region last night.
READ MORE: Victoria's lockdown at risk of being extended
https://twitter.com/OLathouris_WIN/status/1443776028971733021
A tornado hit Clear Creek, north-east of Bathurst, whipping up debris and damaging homes.
A second tornado was recorded in Narrabri several hours later and although locals reported it to be fierce, no major damage was recorded.
"This tornado (on Thursday) is part of a prolonged thunderstorm outbreak in eastern Australia, which has been going since Tuesday and is likely to last until Saturday," Weatherzone said.
How Gladys Berejiklian climbed to the top of NSW politics
From the moment she joined the Young Liberals, Gladys Berejiklian seemed destined to be premier.
But she wasn't born into politics like so many before her.
Born to Armenian immigrants, Ms Berejiklian didn't speak English until she started primary school.
READ MORE: The contenders to be the next NSW Premier
She then went to North Ryde High School, then the University of Sydney.
She joined the Liberal Party in 1993 as a 23-year-old, and became president of the NSW Young Liberals four years later.
She served as a State Council delegate and a Liberal Party staffer as well as a general manager at the Commonwealth Bank.
READ MORE: NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian resigns
First elected to NSW Parliament in 2003, she nearly lost the seat to a spirited independent candidate. In the end she prevailed by 144 votes.
In subsequent elections in the seat of Willoughby, she has won by comfortable margins.
In opposition, she was appointed as Shadow Minister for Transport in 2006, a high-profile position for a first-term MP.
LIVE UPDATES: International borders set to reopen
She became a top performer in the O'Farrell government, overseeing the extension of the Dulwich Hill light rail line and the introduction of Opal cards as Transport Minister.
From there she was named deputy leader in Mike Baird's government, and was appointed Treasurer in 2015, bringing the state back into surplus.
When Mr Baird retired in 2017, Ms Berejiklian was the obvious choice as the next Premier.
So obvious, that he took the unusual step of endorsing her before the party room vote.
She was elected unopposed and was sworn in the next day.
But two years on, her re-election was not assured.
Polls showed a close race between the Coalition and Labor.
But when ballots started getting counted, it was apparent she would cruise to an easy victory, losing only a handful of seats but retaining a comfortable majority.
It was a ringing endorsement for Ms Berejiklian after what had been a quiet couple of years in NSW politics.
Then came 2020.
For a couple of months it seemed like nothing would trump the summer bushfires as a greater test of Ms Berejiklian's leadership.
But the smoke had barely cleared when the pandemic hit.
Ms Berejiklian had to make the unprecedented call to lock down the state, and then to decide when to open up again.
Her handling of the pandemic last year was praised as the "gold standard" by Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
What nobody knew until it was revealed to ICAC was that she had been in a "close personal relationship" with disgraced politician Daryl Maguire for five years, ending in August 2020.
It was this relationship and questions of impropriety surrounding it, that led to her abrupt resignation today.
Gladys Berejiklian's tenure as premier marked by tackling disasters
Few premiers have faced the disasters of a health pandemic, raging bushfires and major drought that Gladys Berejiklian confronted in New South Wales.
When Ms Berejiklian, 51, became premier in January 2017, she was regarded as a safe pair of hands with a strong record as state treasurer.
During her time at the treasury, Ms Berejiklian managed NSW's return to surplus, the first time the state had been declared debt-free in more than 20 years.
READ MORE: 'I have been given no option': NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian resigns
After she became only the second female premier of NSW, the state economy continued to grow, with massive infrastructure spending.
But from July 2019, just months after winning re-election, NSW and other states were struck by massive bushfires that destroyed more than 2400 homes and left 33 people dead.
Ms Berejiklian earned wide praise for stoically fronting media conferences with then Rural Fire Service commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons through the bushfire crisis.
The tinder box conditions across the state were also felt by farmers battling a severe drought.
The Berejiklian government responded by rolling out drought assistance for farmers, with the premier taking a prominent role.
In January 2020, with large parts of NSW burning fiercely, she called a state of emergency – the first in seven years.
But hopes in NSW for a return to business as usual didn't last long when the COVID-19 pandemic hit Australia last year.
Ms Berejiklian – who ironically was named one of Australia's 10 most powerful people today by the Australian Financial Review – gained praise for her early management of the health crisis.
NSW was praised as the "gold standard" for tackling the pandemic by Prime Minister Scott Morrison and federal ministers.
Even the Ruby Princess cruise ship disaster of 2020 that resulted in 28 deaths and resulted in a damning report of NSW Health by a Special Commission couldn't dent the poll ratings of Ms Berejiklian.
After a virus outbreak last Christmas on the Sydney Northern Beaches was overcome, NSW looked to have successfully weathered the crisis.
But this year's Delta outbreak across the state dashed those hopes and severely dented Ms Berejiklian's standing.
In June, she rejected calls for a state lockdown after the first cases of Delta were detected.
Some media reports said her action resulted in thousands of cases of the highly transmissible disease.
As Delta spread, the NSW Government actions appeared muddled.
Plans to reopen the state at 50 per cent vaccination were suggested but then dismissed.
READ MORE: The road to resignation: How Gladys Berejiklian came to this point
The decision not to prevent NSW residents travelling to other parts of Australia was also blamed for subsequent Delta outbreaks in Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
All the while, Ms Berejiklian's links with former state MP Daryl Maguire were simmering in the background.
Mr Maguire — who was the NSW Liberal member for Wagga Wagga from 1999 to 2018 — entered the public spotlight for allegedly misusing his position in public office for his own financial gain.
Last October, Ms Berejiklian disclosed she had a "close personal relationship" with him at an Independent Commission Against Corruption hearing.
It proved to be the catalyst for her decision to quit as premier and as a state MP today.
PM, premiers praise Gladys Berejiklian after shock resignation
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has praised outgoing New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian as a "dear friend" and "person of the highest integrity" after her resignation from parliament this afternoon.
Ms Berejiklian today resigned from her position as NSW Premier and from state parliament after the Independent Commission Against Corruption announced a public hearing into her conduct and whether it "involved a breach of public trust".
READ MORE: NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian resigns
"Gladys is a dear friend of mine, we've known each other for a long time," Mr Morrison said when asked about the resignation during a press conference regarding changes to international travel.
"She has displayed heroic qualities as the Premier of NSW.
"I have worked with her extremely closely and she has always been a vibrant spirit when it comes to our debates, doing the best for the people of NSW.
"I know how much she is trusted and respected by the people of NSW and I have no doubt that Gladys will always conduct herself in a way that suits the integrity of the office that she's held and I know how seriously she takes that trust."
He said he had always found Ms Berejiklian to be a person of the "highest integrity".
"She has been a trusted friend and a very respected colleague."
Mr Morrison said he expected "absolute continuity" from the NSW government in regards to its management of the COVID-19 pandemic.
EXPLAINER: Road to resignation – How Gladys Berejiklian got to this point
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews appeared shocked when responding to the news, saying he had always worked well with her.
"I work very well with Gladys, always have done and I am not here to be running a commentary on her other than to state the absolute fact that I have always worked very closely with her," he said.
"I find her to be a person of integrity and a person that works hard for her state and has been a very important partner with us."
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Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk also only had kind words for the outgoing leader.
"Contrary to some public commentary, I have always respected Gladys and found her to be good company," Ms Palaszczuk said.
"When Gladys Berejiklian became New South Wales' first elected female Premier, it was a significant achievement for women everywhere."
In a statement, Deputy Premier John Barilaro praised the Premier he has served for almost five years as having "led (New South Wales) through some of its darkest days".
"Everyone has the right to defend their name and I wish Gladys all the best for her future," he said.
READ MORE: The contenders to be the next NSW Premier
He said the Liberal Party leadership was an issue for the Liberal Party and the NSW Nationals remained committed to a strong Coalition government.
https://twitter.com/TurnbullMalcolm/status/1443799108997697541?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfwhttps://twitter.com/HonTonyAbbott/status/1443799761375563776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce described politics as a "brutal profession".
"It is very sad to lose such an outstanding individual, whose decency has been evident since she was first elected to the seat of Willoughby," he said in a statement.
"There are many reasons for her resignation, but one of the most prominent is to clear the air for her colleagues."
In the meantime, NSW Planning Minister Rob Stokes has already confirmed to 9News Sydney Political Reporter Chris O'Keefe that he intends to run for the position.
The road to resignation: How Gladys Berejiklian came to this point
The resignation of New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian from Parliament today may have come as a shock – but it's just the latest headline moment in a long-running political corruption investigation that has spanned more than a year.
Ms Berejiklian is facing an ICAC investigation into whether she breached public trust.
It is set to start on October 18 and proceed for the next 10 days.
LIVE UPDATES: Candidates begin to throw up their hands to take over NSW top job
READ MORE: 'I have been given no option': NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian resigns
In a statement released today, ICAC said: "The Commission is investigating whether, between 2012 and 2018, the Hon Gladys Berejiklian MP engaged in conduct that…constituted or involved a breach of public trust by exercising public functions in circumstances where she was in a position of conflict between her public duties and her private interest as a person who was in a personal relationship with the then NSW Member of Parliament, Mr Daryl Maguire."
ICAC will investigate any "position of conflict" between her professional role and her private relationship with Mr Maguire, then a member of state parliament.
ICAC will investigate whether her private relationship led to grant funding going to the Australian Clay Target Association in 2016 and 2017, and the Riverina Conservatorium of Music in 2018.
Both organisations are based in Wagga Wagga, the city in country NSW represented at the time by Mr Maguire.
ICAC will also investigate whether Ms Berejiklian "was liable to allow or encourage the occurrence of corrupt conduct by Mr Maguire".
Mr Maguire himself will be investigated for conduct that involved a breach of public trust.
What's come before
Mr Maguire had previously admitted to using his position as an MP for personal gain.
During an ICAC investigation in October last year, Mr Maguire told ICAC that he "agreed" he had breached the public trust.
He also admitted to telling his staff to "wipe everything" when he resigned from his position as the Liberal member for Wagga Wagga in 2018.
READ MORE: Gladys Berejiklian's full resignation statement
He made the admission he asked his employees to wipe three computers – one in Canberra and two in Sydney – when he left parliament following a separate ICAC investigation.
"When it became evident that I could no longer retain the position of member for Wagga Wagga, that I would have to resign, yes, I'd told them to wipe everything," he told ICAC.
When asked whether this was to keep the information away from corruption inquiries, Mr Maguire agreed and said, "partly, yes".
Mr Maguire and Ms Berejiklian were in a "secret relationship" from 2015 until last year.
Ms Berejiklian herself was called before ICAC – though she was not herself then under investigation.
She has consistently maintained she had done Mr Maguire "no favours" as premier.
It emerged at last year's inquiry that during a phone call between the two, Mr Maguire had referred to the possibility of making money off a land sale at Badgerys Creek in western Sydney.
"I don't need to know that," Ms Berejiklian said.
Ms Berejiklian later told 2GB's Ben Fordham she had likely not been listening during the call.
Full statement from NSW ICAC
The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) will hold a further public inquiry in Operation Keppel from 10:00 am on Monday 18 October 2021.
The Commission is investigating whether, between 2012 and 2018, the Hon Gladys Berejiklian MP engaged in conduct that:
- constituted or involved a breach of public trust by exercising public functions in circumstances where she was in a position of conflict between her public duties and her private interest as a person who was in a personal relationship with the then NSW Member of Parliament, Mr Daryl Maguire, in connection with: grant funding promised and/or awarded to the Australian Clay Target Association Inc in 2016/2017; and grant funding promised and/or awarded to the Riverina Conservatorium of Music in Wagga Wagga in 2018; and/or
- constituted or involved the partial exercise of any of her official functions, in connection with: grant funding promised and/or awarded to the Australian Clay Target Association Inc in 2016/2017; grant funding promised and/or awarded to the Riverina Conservatorium of Music in Wagga Wagga in 2018; and/or
- constituted or involved the dishonest or partial exercise of any of her official functions and/or a breach of public trust by refusing to exercise her duty pursuant to section 11 of the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 1988 to report any matter that she suspected on reasonable grounds concerned or may concern corrupt conduct in relation to the conduct of Mr Daryl Maguire; and/or
- was liable to allow or encourage the occurrence of corrupt conduct by Mr Maguire.
The Commission is also investigating whether, between 2012 and August 2018, Mr Maguire engaged in conduct that involved a breach of public trust by using his public office, involving his duties as a member of the NSW Parliament, and the use of parliamentary resources, to improperly gain a benefit for himself, G8wayInternational/G8wayInternational Pty Ltd and associated persons.
The general scope and purpose of the public inquiry is to gather evidence relevant to the matters being investigated for the purpose of determining the matters referred to in section 13(2) of the ICAC Act.
The Commission has decided that public inquiries will be conducted, as far as practicable, remotely via audio visual link (AVL) until there is a change in the current COVID-19 public health orders. Only those whose presence on Commission premises is deemed essential for the effective conduct of the public inquiry will be permitted on-site. Members of the public and the media will therefore not be permitted to attend the premises for the course of the Operation Keppel public inquiry. There is further information in the public inquiry protocol on the Commission's website.
MS Teams is the AVL technology that the Commission will use to conduct the public inquiry remotely. The Commission will live stream the MS Teams proceedings via its website, www.icac.nsw.gov.au. The Commission will also upload exhibits (provided they are not subject to non-publication orders), transcripts and witness lists to the website. Updates will be provided throughout the course of the inquiry via the ICAC Twitter account (@nswicac).
Assistant Commissioner the Hon Ruth McColl AO SC will preside at the public inquiry. Counsel Assisting the Commission will be Mr Scott Robertson and Mr Alex Brown.
It is expected that the inquiry will continue for approximately 10 days. A witness list for the first week of the public inquiry will be published closer to the commencement date of the proceedings, along with further information about how to access the live stream. The Commission will also advise if there are changes to the public health orders that may affect the conduct of the inquiry.
Hillsborough armed pursuit, police shooting: Accused man charged, no bail requested
One man arrested after yesterday’s Auckland shooting and armed police call-out has had his case mentioned in court and will stay in custody.Chaos unfolded in the Auckland suburbs of Ōtāhuhu and Hillsborough after a driver…