The Government is currently formulating a strategy for the replacement of the current bus fleet with more environmentally-friendly vehicles.

This study is currently in its early stages and the Government will announce its program when it is in a position to do so, said minister Neil Costa to question from S.M. Figueras.

Further to questions from D.J. Bossino, minister Costa added:

I can confirm that free bus travel will be exclusively available to residents of Gibraltar and those holding Gibraltar ID card holders other than non-resident workers on all bus routes operated by the Gibraltar Bus Company Limited with the exception of Route 5.

The Government took the decision to make free bus travel exclusively available to residents of Gibraltar and those holding Gibraltar ID card holders and non-resident workers on all bus routes operated by the Gibraltar Bus Company Limited with the exception of Route 5 at the meeting of cabinet held on 13 February 2012. The Gibraltar Bus Company Limited will only issue the bus card to those applicants that the Department of Social Security confirms to the company are completely up to date with their Social Insurance Contributions. The Cabinet agreed not to make the announcement as to the position of non-resident workers until the Chief Minister had met the Mayor of La Linea, who he was scheduled to meet some 10 days later.

Consequently, at the meeting held on 24th February 2012 between the Chief Minister and the Mayor of La Linea, the Chief Minister informed the Mayor that in keeping with the positive relations between Gibraltar and La Linea that the Government is keen to promote, the Government had decided to extend this service to cross-frontier workers on production of proof that they have a valid contract of employment registered with the ETB and that their payments in respect of Social Security are up to date. This will also serve to ensure that cross frontier workers should further appreciate the advantages of registering their employment in Gibraltar.

16-03-12

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Changes to bus service

"Yes, I have written to the prime minister seeking his replacement with Mukul Roy, another union minister," Banerjee told PTI.

In fact, Mukul Roy would be replying to the railway budgetary demands for grants before this month-end, highly placed TMC sources said.

Mamata's decision created an unprecedented situation in the country's parliamentary history when a minister is sought to be removed even before the budget presented by him has been discussed in Parliament. In addition, it puts Singh in a piquant situation, which is also unprecedented.

The government was thus faced with a war within which could have serious consequences on its stability.

Should Singh not follow Mamata's dictat, TMC, which is the second largest constituent with 19 MPs in Lok Sabha, may very likely pull out of the government which will increase its dependence on outside supporters like Samajwadi Party and BSP.

Mamata's brinkmanship also presents the prime minister with another acute embarrassment since he had praised Trivedi's budget earlier as "forward-looking".

There are deep concerns within the UPA about Mamata's behaviour which comes two days before the General Budget is to be presented by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Friday.

It is very likely that she may find fault with some of the proposals in the General Budget and create further trouble for the government.

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Mamata tells PM to sack Trivedi, Cong agrees to demand

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After being officially sworn into the Senate, former premier Bob Carr unleashed on the Opposition.

Remember the old days when cabinets were chosen from Parliament?

A big difference between government in Australia and America is the way a cabinet is chosen. The US president can choose from an unlimited pool: a Wall Street executive to become treasurer; a retired general to be secretary of state. Academics are often chosen to take senior cabinet positions. In Australia, the pool is more limited because cabinet is chosen from Parliament.

Well, that used to be the case until Julia Gillard reached outside the Commonwealth Parliament to appoint retired NSW premier Bob Carr as her foreign minister. Carr will have to enter Parliament to hold the office, but Labor has made ingenious use of the constitutional provisions that allow a political party to fill a casual vacancy in the Senate. From now on, the Prime Minister can choose any minister from outside Parliament so long as her political party can manufacture a Senate vacancy to accommodate the new entrant. The only limit is the number of senators willing to retire at the disposal of the party machine.

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There is nothing to prevent a treasurer being chosen from outside Parliament. True, treasurers have always been members of the House of Representatives, but there is nothing in the constitution that specifies this must be the case.

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Carr crash a new level of manipulation

KUALA LUMPUR: The Government is still drafting the replacement of the two new security laws of the controversial Internal Security Act (ISA), said the Home Ministry.

I have not seen the final draft as it is still with the Attorney-General. It will be brought to the Cabinet first before it is tabled in Parliament, said its minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein in Parliament on Monday.

He also noted that the new laws will amendments in the length of detention, rights and treatment of detainees, rights of family members and the appeal process.

This will all be included in the new security laws, he said.

It had been reported that the Government would table two Bills to replace the ISA in this parliament sitting.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had given the assurance that the two new acts would provide a balance between promoting individual rights and civil liberties, as well as safeguarding public order.

The move, Najib had said, would allow Malaysia to practice a more progressive system of democracy and be respected by other countries.

He had added that the new laws would be drafted under the spirit and umbrella of Article 149 of the Federal Constitution to prevent subversive acts, planned violence and crime.

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Replacement laws for ISA won’t be tabled in this parliament session: Hisham

Umno president Najib Tun Razak said that Shahrizat Abdul Jalil's position in Umno was "not an issue" only her position in federal Cabinet is.

(FMT) - Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak said the decision by Shahrizat Abdul Jalil to step down as the Minister of Women, Family and Community Development is appropriate and correct.

He said the resignation was perceived as a sacrifice in the interest of the government and party.

Although there is no proof so far that she had committed any offence in terms of law, because the NFC issue has drawn controversy and dispute, she was willing to withdraw from the government, he told reporters before attending a tahlil prayer for the late Tun Abdul Razak at Masjid Sultan Ahmad Shah, Pekan, here today.

Shahrizat, at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today, announced her withdrawal as the Minister of Women, Family and Community Development when her tenure as Senator expires on April 8.

However, Shahrizat said she would remain as Wanita Umno head and Barisan Nasional (BN) Wanita head.

When asked of her status in the party, the Prime Minister said her position in the party was not an issue because it was different from her post in the cabinet.

This is because with regard to the NFC case, the debate was her position as a Minister in the cabinet, he said.

Najib also urged party members, especially Wanita Umno members, to continue supporting Shahrizat as the head of the Wanita movement.

Give her the support and cooperation because she (Shahrizat) has given her commitment to lead Wanita Umno and turn the movement into an important machinery for the general election, he said.

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Najib lauds Shahrizat’s ‘willingness’ to quit from govt

Date: Saturday Mar. 10, 2012 6:26 AM ET

OTTAWA National Defence was close to getting a green light from cabinet to buy new fixed-wing search-and-rescue planes three times since 2007, but the $3.1-billion plan has been shot down by objections from other departments, say senior defence sources.

Frustration among senior defence and military officials over the Conservative government's inability to move forward with the project to replace nearly 50-year-old C-115 Buffalos and three-decade-old C-130-H Hercules transports was palpable Friday.

Potential bidders were informed this week that a formal tender call has been put off until next year, raising questions about whether the continued delays could potentially cost lives.

The Buffalos reach their end of their service life in less than three years and face severe parts shortages.

Defence sources said Industry Canada has raised concern about the regional industrial benefits, and Public Works questioned the process for selecting the new search plane.

"It's been close three times, but it's been pulled back three times," said one senior official.

The program, originally announced by the Martin government, has been stuck for nearly a decade.

The Harper government had been hoping for an announcement this summer to highlight the plan. But information released Friday shows the project will still be deep in the consultation and discussion phase.

Public Works released a notice, asking prospective bidders to come forward with letters of interest and said that the first in a series on information workshops on the program will take place on April 11.

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Frustration mounts amid search plane replacement delays

OTTAWA - National Defence was close to getting a green light from cabinet to buy new fixed-wing search-and-rescue planes three times since 2007, but the $3.1-billion plan has been shot down by objections from other departments, say senior defence sources.

Frustration among senior defence and military officials over the Conservative government's inability to move forward with the project to replace nearly 50-year-old C-115 Buffalos and three-decade-old C-130-H Hercules transports was palpable Friday.

Potential bidders were informed this week that a formal tender call has been put off until next year, raising questions about whether the continued delays could potentially cost lives.

The Buffalos reach their end of their service life in less than three years and face severe parts shortages.

Defence sources said Industry Canada has raised concern about the regional industrial benefits, and Public Works questioned the process for selecting the new search plane.

"It's been close three times, but it's been pulled back three times," said one senior official.

The program, originally announced by the Martin government, has been stuck for nearly a decade.

The Harper government had been hoping for an announcement this summer to highlight the plan. But information released Friday shows the project will still be deep in the consultation and discussion phase.

Public Works released a notice, asking prospective bidders to come forward with letters of interest and said that the first in a series on information workshops on the program will take place on April 11.

Lt.-Gen. Andre Deschamps, chief of the air staff, said in a recent interview with The Canadian Press that once formal proposals are received they'll face further review against the air force's "criteria for mission success."

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Search plane replacement vexes Tories, as more industry consultations announced

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Fitch Ratings affirms the 'A+' rating on the following Kentucky State Property and Buildings Commission (SPBC) revenue bonds as part of its continuous surveillance effort:

--$14.7 million in outstanding agency fund revenue bonds, project 91.

The Rating Outlook is Negative.

SECURITY

The project 91 bonds are special and limited obligations of the SPBC, payable solely from revenues derived under financing/lease agreements between the commission, as lessor, and the commonwealth's finance and administration cabinet and the Kentucky River Authority (authority), as lessee. In addition, the commonwealth's secretary of finance has covenanted to seek commonwealth general fund appropriations to replenish the debt service reserve in the event of a draw upon it.

KEY RATING DRIVERS

BONDS PAID BY KENTUCKY RIVER AUTHORITY: The rating, one notch below that of most of the commonwealth's appropriation debt, reflects the narrow source of pledged funds, which are derived from the revenues of the authority rather than the general fund. Fiscal 2011 revenues provided 1.3 times (x) coverage of maximum annual debt service (MADS).

MOST STATE DEBT IS APPROPRIATION BACKED: Kentucky has a well-established mechanism for lease financing, highlighted by automatically renewable leases and covenants to seek appropriation for debt service. The commonwealth's debt is primarily in the form of lease rental bonds, requiring appropriation, and appropriations debt is recognized and accepted as commonwealth debt obligations.

GENERAL FUND MORAL OBLIGATION: The commonwealth has covenanted to request general fund appropriations for replenishment of the reserve fund to its requirement of MADS upon a draw down, mitigating concerns about the narrow pledged revenue source.

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Fitch Affirms Kentucky SPBC's Project 91 Revenue Bonds at 'A+'

Appointing David Gonski to lead the Future Fund at the expense of Peter Costello would be 'petty politics' - but opposition treasury spokesman Joe Hockey would still welcome the businessman.

Cabinet is expected to discuss a replacement for Future Fund chair David Murray next week.

Mr Gonski was hired to advise the government on the views of the seven Future Fund guardians, which include Mr Costello, about who the new chair should be.

On Friday, the Australian Financial Review said while Mr Gonski made no recommendation on who should be appointed, he himself has emerged as a leading candidate.

Mr Hockey says he has a great deal of respect for Mr Gonski.

But he will be disappointed if the former coalition treasurer - who helped establish the $73 billion fund - misses out.

'It seems petty politics that Peter Costello would not be appointed,' Mr Hockey told Sky News.

'Even Kevin Rudd was fair dinkum enough to appoint him to the Future Fund board, the Future Fund that he established.'

But he said Mr Gonski had been a terrific servant of the community in many ways, including completing the recently released review of school funding.

'He is a formidable character and quite frankly I'd welcome his appointment (as Future Fund chair) if it's to be the case,' he said.

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Bypassing Costello 'petty' says Hockey

TWO senior Surrey county councillors have defended their conduct after they were removed from their high profile cabinet posts.

Ian Lake and Denise Saliagopoulos, who represent Weybridge and Staines respectively, were sacked by leader David Hodge over matters which are now being referred to the councils standards committee.

Councillor Saliagopoulos said involvement in a private company had led to the pair's dismissal. Both she and Cllr Lake are listed as directors of Charter House Chancery Ltd, which was set up more than a year ago to build alliances between UK business and other countries across the world, particularly China and West Africa.

The company, which has its registered address in Cobham, arranges packages for visitors to the UK, in particular for the London Olympic Games.

Cllr Saliagopoulos, who is losing her post as cabinet member for community services and the 2012 Olympics, said: "I have absolutely nothing to hide. The company does not work in conflict with what I am doing and there is no conflict of interest whatsoever.

"I was asked to join the company. It's not a problem because the company has not made any money - I have nothing to show for it thus far."

She said she would have more time to commit to her business interests and to being the company's secretary now she was no longer a cabinet member, adding that she was "happy" to speak to the standards committee.

Cllr Lake, who was the cabinet member for transport and environment, said: "Surrey County Council have alleged that a conflict of interest in my day-to-day workings for the authority existed and I was dismissed from my cabinet post.

"I completely and utterly deny this allegation. I look forward to the opportunity of proving to the standards committee in due course that this has not been the case and to receiving an apology from the leader."

Cllr Hodge said it was "disappointing" that he had to dismiss his cabinet members.

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Sacked councillors deny conflict of interest