Friday, 24 December 2010
THIS POST WAS WRITTEN BY CHARLES KELLY ON DECEMBER 16, 2010
POSTED UNDER: NEWS
Unconfirmed reports are coming from the Royal Courts of Justice that two senior Judges, Lord Justice Sullivan and Justice Burton, in the ECCA/JCWI legal challenge have ruled that the UK Border Agency have not acted within the law when implementing the interim immigration cap on Tier 1 and Tier 2 migration.
The judgment, which turned on the earlier Pankina case, effectively blocks Home Secretary Theresa May’s cap on migration, at least until the changes can be put before Parliament.
The English Community Care Association (ECCA) legal challenge against the UK Government’s Tier 2 immigration cap policy started yesterday in London’s Royal Courts of Justice.
The two day Judicial Review hearing argues that the UK Border Agency’s decision to impose an interim cap, and subsequent withdrawal of care employer’s CoS (Certificates of Sponsorship) allocation and only reissue them on the basis of salary, was unreasonable and carried out without proper consultation.
The trade body, which represents thousands of care homes in the UK, was concerned that the cap is having a severe effect on Senior Carer recruitment in the care sector.
The hearing included a similar challenge by the JCWI (Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants) on the Tier 1 limits.
A full verbal judgment is expected to be issued on Friday afternoon, however unofficial reports from court number 1 suggest that the judge has ruled that the Home Secretary’s implementation of the Tier 1 and 2, of the points based system, unlawful.
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Director Of Communication
CCM Branch -Reading ,Berkshire .United Kingdom
Telephone No:+447876126862
Thursday, 23 December 2010
The Tanzanian prosecutor investigating worldwide misconduct by BAE, Britain's biggest arms company, confided to US diplomats that "his life may be in danger" and senior politicians in his small African country were "untouchable".
A leaked account of what the head of Tanzania's anti-corruption bureau, Edward Hoseah, termed the "dirty deal" by BAE to sell Tanzania an overpriced radar system, is revealed in the US embassy cables.
BAE is to appear in court in London tomorrow, when their system of making secret payments to secure arms contracts, exposed by the Guardian, will be officially detailed for the first time.
Every individual involved in the BAE scandal in Britain and Tanzania has escaped prosecution.
But the arms giant agreed with the UK Serious Fraud Office (SFO) to pay £30m in corporate reparations and fines, provided the word "corruption" did not appear on the indictment. A corruption conviction would debar the company from EU contracts.
The former overseas development secretary, Clare Short, said at the time: "It was always obvious that this useless project was corrupt."
Hoseah met a US diplomat, Purnell Delly, in Dar es Salaam in July 2007, and claimed (unrealistically it turned out) he would be able to prosecute guilty individuals in the BAE case. The US cable reports: "He called the deal 'dirty' and said it involved officials from the Ministry of Defence and at least one or two senior level military officers."
Hoseah spoke gloomily about the prospects for Tanzania's anti-corruption struggle and his original hopes to prosecute the "big fish" of corruption.
"He told us point blank ... that cases against the prime minister or the president were off the table ..." The cable then details allegations against former leaders and their inner circles, saying they would be "untouchable".
"He noted that President Kikwete does not appear comfortable letting the law handle corruption cases which might implicate top-level officials." The cable then says Kwitke "does not want to set a precedent" by going after any of his predecessors.
There were "widespread rumours of corruption within the Bank of Tanzania", Hoseah said, and the island region of Zanzibar was also "rife with corruption".
The diplomat noted: "Hoseah reiterated concern for his personal security ... saying he believed his life may be in danger ... He had received threatening text messages and letters and was reminded every day that he was fighting the 'rich and powerful'."
He might have to flee the country. He warned: "He said quietly: 'If you attend meetings of the inner-circle, people want you to feel as if they have put you there. If they see that you are uncompromising, there is a risk.' "
The US embassy noted in a "cynical" aside, that probably the only reason Hoseah felt obliged to attempt a BAE prosecution was because the SFO had presented him with "a fully developed case file, brimming with detailed evidence".
Today's court appearance by BAE is the culmination of lengthy attempts to bring the company to justice since the Guardian exposed its worldwide secret payment system.
The prime minister at the time, Tony Blair, intervened in 2006 to halt an SFO investigation into payments to members of the Saudi royal family.
The US department of justice has had more success than the SFO, forcing BAE to pay $400m (£260m) in penalties under the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
£28m radar deal 'stank'
Tanzania, on Africa's east coast, is one of the poorest states in the world, formerly controlled in turn by Arab slavers, German colonists and the British.
At the time of the radar deal, life expectancy was 45.
Tanzania was forced to apply for debt relief from the west and was heavily dependent on aid. It is ravaged by HIV/Aids and its GDP per head is just $723 (£465).
President Benjamin Mkapa, whose regime did the deal, was succeeded in 2004 by his political colleague Jakaya Kikwete.
Tanzania, which has no air force, bought the military air defence radar from BAE in 2001 for £28m.
It was claimed the Commander system, which was portable and festooned with anti-jamming devices, could also be used for civilian air traffic control.
The country borrowed the cost from Barclays, adding to its debt burden. Both the World Bank and the International Civil Aviation Organisation called the purchase unnecessary and overpriced.
In London, the then development secretary, Clare Short, temporarily blocked aid payments in protest. "It stank," she now says of the sale.
She urged an export licence be withheld, but was overruled by Tony Blair himself. Robin Cook, then foreign secretary, recorded bitterly in his diary that Dick Evans [of BAE] seemed to have "the key to the garden door of No 10 [Downing St]".
In January 2007 the Guardian disclosed that BAE had used an offshore front company, Red Diamond, to secretly pay £8.4m, 30% of the radar's ostensible price, into a Swiss account.
The account was controlled by Tanzanian middleman Sailesh Vithlani. His "consultancy" agreement was, it is alleged, formally signed off in London by Evans.
Wednesday, 22 December 2010
Speak Out For Your Generation - Miliband and Burnham
Wednesday, 22 December, 2010 10:37
From: "Labour Party Press Office"
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Press release
Wednesday 22 December 2010
For immediate use
Speak Out For Your Generation
Ed Miliband MP, Leader of the Labour Party, and Andy Burnham MP, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, today launched the Labour Party’s new “Speak Out For Your Generation” campaign to give young people in Britain a voice.
As the chaos continues for the Tory-led Government, Labour is making a Christmas invitation to young people: join the party for one penny, and we will be your voice.
Ed Miliband today said:
"Today's revelations paint a damming picture of the character and direction of this government.
"Labour has been saying for some months, this government is not in the centre-ground of British politics.
"It is one well out on the Right.
"The key economic and welfare decisions are Tory decisions.
"On child benefit, housing benefit, tuition fees, and the pace of deficit reduction.
"These are decisions of a Conservative-led government propped up by Liberal Democrat passengers.
"Passengers not in the front seat.
"Passengers who have got themselves locked in the boot."
Labour's new campaign begins with three key aims to help young people protect themselves against the Tory-led Government’s attack on aspiration:
Halt the unfair policy of scrapping EMA which helps some of the poorest young people, by holding a Parliamentary vote in the New Year;
Protect Sure Start centres in our community now under threat of closure despite promises from David Cameron and Nick Clegg to protect them;
Continue to campaign against the unnecessary and unfair tripling of tuition fees.
We will not let young people carry the burden of this Government’s broken promises and will lead campaigns in these key areas to force real change and protect the hopes of a generation.
This campaign is part of the debate about the future of social mobility, something that Ed Miliband has described as one of the three big arguments for 2011.
The launch was also attended by two of Labour’s youngest MPs - Chuka Umunna MP and Stella Creasy MP.
Speaking at the Press Conference Andy Burnham said:
"As the Tory-led Government's parties turn inwards to deal with their increasing chaos, Labour is reaching out to young people.
"It is not good enough for Cabinet ministers, who do not agree with the Government’s programme, to nod through policies that are damaging the hopes of young people.
"It is not good enough to talk tough in their constituency surgeries but keep quiet at the Cabinet table. Liberal Democrats know that their supporters did not vote for these unfair policies.
"But as we go into the Christmas period, it seems the only people safe in their jobs are Lib Dem Ministers.
"It’s clear that Cabinet ministers won’t stand up for young people. But Labour will – and that’s what this campaign is about.
"I know how hard it is today for young people to make their way in the world. But in recent weeks, the odds have been stacked against them even further.
"This Tory-led Government have launched an unprecedented attack on young people which threatens to turn the hopes of the next generation to dust.
"By trebling tuition fees, and scrapping Educational Maintenance Allowances and the Future Jobs Fund, Tory ministers are pulling up the drawbridge and kicking away the ladders.
"This is a Government out of touch with what life is like for young people who have least but want to make a success of their lives. From early years to adulthood, they are systematically putting up barriers and attacking aspiration.
"Of course tough choices are needed to get the deficit down – fair tax rises, spending scaled back, and a focus on growth. But this is about the Tory Government’s choices. Firstly, their choice to go too far and too fast on the deficit. And secondly, their clear choice that young people will bear the brunt of their cuts.
"It makes no economic sense for children to pay more than bankers. Every young person not in employment, education or training costs our economy £50,000. We all pay the price when young people have no hope of a better future.
"There can be no doubt that promises to protect Sure Start, keep EMA and scrap tuition fees – now broken – will have further damaged trust in politics.
"But there is hope. Our campaign to save school sports has shown what is possible. Hundreds of thousands of young people made their voice heard, Labour brought that voice to Parliament, and David Cameron was forced into a humiliating retreat.
"Young people should take heart from that. It shows how, contrary to popular opinion, democratic politics can make a difference.
"Today, Labour issues a Christmas invitation to young people: join us and we will be your first line of defence.
"The fight-back is underway and this new campaign, “Speak Out for Your Generation” will take it further.
"Our first priority will be to force a Parliamentary vote on the Government’s decision to scrap EMA. The Conservatives promised to keep it, but are breaking this promise without any debate or vote in Parliament. Let me quote to you what a young man who travelled all the way from the North East to be at our EMA event in parliament last week. He is training to be a painter and decorator, and he told me what EMA meant for him:
'This £30 a week is funding my dream. It might not be big dream, but it’s my dream.'
"In the New Year, we will take the fight forward with a campaign in every community to protect Sure Start centres, so all young people get the opportunities they deserve right from the start of life. John Denham will take our call for fairer University funding to every school, college and campus.
"Our Party stands for removing barriers so today I can announce that until 5th May, young people can join the Labour Party for one penny.
"I was part of a generation that joined Labour in the 1980s because I passionately believed that the postcode of the bed you are born should not determine where you end up in life.
"It’s why I’m still Labour today. I want the next generation to see Labour as I did – as the force for a fairer spread of life chances.
"That’s why I’m issuing this invitation today – we want to bring the voice of young people to our Party. Join us and we will help you fight for a better future."
Ends
Editor's notes:
New membership rate
The Labour Party has today introduced a new membership rate for young people.
Young people will be able to join the party for one penny;
Its available to people 27 years old and under;
Its available until the end of polling day on May 5th 2011;
Its available online only.
Future Jobs Fund
Before the General Election, the Labour Government had introduced the Future Jobs Fund, as part of the Young Person’s Guarantee that everyone between the ages of 18 and 24 who has been looking for work for a year would get an offer of a job, work experience, or training lasting at least 6 months.
Future Jobs Fund jobs were real jobs paid at least the minimum wage and lasting at least six months. Before the election the Labour Government had promised and announced funding for 200,000 jobs through the Future Jobs Fund.
One of the first acts of the new Coalition Government was to cancel the rollout of the Future Jobs Fund, effectively cutting over 90,000 jobs for young people and only funding those where the agreements had already been signed and delivery was underway.
"£320m from ending ineffective elements of employment programmes, including ending further rollout of temporary jobs through the Young Person’s Guarantee (the ‘Future Jobs Fund’) and removing recruitment subsidies from the ‘Six-Month Offer’."
HM Treasury press release, 24 May 2010
A recent leaked government document showed that the Department for Work and Pensions estimates that the number of young long-term unemployed will at least double by 2011-12.
“The expected spike is highlighted in a prospectus, issued by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), for companies and voluntary groups bidding to take part in the Work Programme to find jobs for the long-term unemployed. An annex to the prospectus estimates that between 140,000 and 200,000 young people aged from 18 to 24 will be registered as having been unemployed for at least nine months or more between 2011-12. This is at least a doubling of the number of young long-term unemployed. Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics showed that in October there were 77,700 people aged 18-24 who had been unemployed for at least six months.”
The Guardian, 14 December 2010
University
The Government is cutting the university teaching grant by 80% - set against a spending review with an average cut of 11% across spending departments.
“Browne assumed the Spending Review would cut 80% of the annual teaching grant that is currently allocated to universities via the Higher Education Funding Council for England (Hefce). This teaching funding allocation amounts to £3.5bn and Browne recommends that this should be reduced to just £700m."
Million+ Briefing: Financial implications of the Comprehensive Spending Review & Browne Review, 28 October 2010
The Higher Education Policy Institute predicts that £9,000 will become the “going rate” for fees with universities charging “all that they can.”
“HEPI's other main conclusion is that £9000 will in due course - perhaps not immediately, but it will not take long - become the going rate for fees.”
Higher Education Policy Institute, Press Release, 11 November 2010
The House of Commons Library says that middle income graduates will pay a far higher proportion of their annual earnings than the highest paid graduates.
For those students who take out a fee loan of £7,000 per annum and a maintenance loan of £4,000 per annum:
Those whose average lifetime earnings are in the fifth and sixth deciles (£42k-£49k) will pay back nearly 85% of a whole year's gross earnings
But those whose average earnings are in the top decile (£89k) will pay back just 48% of a whole year's gross earnings
Those whose average earnings are in the bottom decile (£28k) will pay back 34% of a whole year's gross earnings.
House of Commons Library Figures, November 2010
Research by the Sutton Trust suggests that high fees level could deter students from going to university:
“Findings suggest that even the lowest level increase in the fees (+£1,775 p.a.) would have an impact on the proportion of young people likely to go into higher education. Two-thirds (68%) of young people say they are likely (very + fairly) to go onto higher education if the tuition fee goes up to £5,000 a year (compared with 80% likely prior to any discussion of tuition fees). Likelihood of continuing into higher education drops to under half (45%) if the fees increase to £7,000 a year, and to just a quarter (26%) if the amount charged is £10,000 per annum.”
Sutton Trust, Young People Omnibus 2010- http://www.suttontrust.com/research/young-people-omnibus-2010-wave-16/
The Government has also announced they will be scrapping funding for Aim Higher, a national programme set up by Labour that aims to widen participation in higher education. The programme was designed to raise the awareness, aspirations and attainment of young people through activities such as university taster sessions and summer schools.
“Speaking at a Universities UK conference in London today, David Willetts, the universities and science minister, said funding for the Aimhigher programme will cease next year. Mr Willetts said: ‘Aimhigher has assisted universities and schools to learn a lot about what works in raising the aspirations of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, but we now need to use this knowledge to make much faster progress on social mobility’.”
Times Higher Education Supplement, 25 November 2010
Post-16 Education
The Government is ending EMA, with the final deadline for applications being December 2010. They will cease all payments at the end of the academic year 2011. This means that 16-18 year olds who are halfway through their course in July 2011 will stop receiving EMA.
Over 600,000 young people receive EMA and around 90,000 of these would not be able to study without it. For the rest, EMA makes it more likely that they will complete their course and achieve their goals.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies has rejected the government’s justification for scrapping EMA saying that its costs are ‘more than recouped’.
“Tonight the IFS’ Haroon Chowdry told me that: ‘The initial outlay of the EMA policy is likely to be more than recouped by the increase in productivity that we expect to result from the 16- and 17-year-olds staying on in education for longer’.”
Haroon Chowdry, IFS, Channel 4 News blog, 13 December 2010, http://blogs.channel4.com/faisal-islam-on-economics/ema-costs-more-than-recouped-says-ifs/13536
From the PM downwards commitments were given to young people before the election that EMA was safe. The Conservatives have broken their commitments to students in post-16 education.
“We are entirely in favour not only of the existence of the EMA but of the provisions in the Bill to secure an extension to it. We want to extend opportunity at every stage. We do not want to compel or coerce where we do not need to; we want to provide opportunity where it is required. That is at the heart of our approach.”
Michael Gove, Hansard, Column 669, 14 January 2008
“Ed Balls keeps saying that we are committed to scrapping the EMA. I have never said this. We won't.”
Michael Gove, Guardian Q&A, 2 March 2010
“We’ve looked at Educational Maintenance Allowances and we haven’t announced any plan to get rid of them. They do often if you go to schools and ask people what they think of them and ask young people themselves, they get quite a mixed reception actually because some people can see them as a bit divisive, but no we don’t have any plans to get rid of them.”
David Cameron, ‘Cameron Direct’, Hammersmith, 6 January 2010
Schools
The Department for Education was forced to admit last week that spending on schools will actually fall across the Spending Review period despite earlier claims by the Government that budgets would rise. Next year schools will see up to a 1.5% cash cut in budgets and Local Authorities will see up to a 2% cash cut.
“In an embarrassing admission, education officials confirmed that spending on schools in England would not rise by 0.1 per cent in real terms – a central claim in the spending review. Changes to the official inflation forecast now suggest funding will be cut.”
Financial Times, 14 December 2010
“What it will mean in reality is that a typical secondary school with a £5-6 million budget and limited numbers of FSM pupils will lose around £200-250,000, the equivalent of around five or six teachers' jobs or 10-12 support staff.”
Public Finance, 16 December 2010
With the Government admitting that spending on schools is falling, it is now clear that the pupil premium is not extra money. Nick Clegg has admitted in a letter to Andy Burnham that the Pupil Premium is not additional to a schools budget protected in real terms.
“We are protecting schools funding in the system at a flat cash per pupil, before adding the Pupil Premium.”
Nick Clegg, Letter to Andy Burnham, 30 November 2010
That means the Pupil Premium is reallocated funds from within the school budget. The CSR itself states that the Pupil Premium will “sit within” the overall schools budget. This is despite the fact that the Coalition Agreement said the Pupil Premium would be funded 'from outside the schools budget'.
“The premium will sit within a generous overall settlement for schools, with the 5 to 16s schools budget rising by 0.1 per cent in real terms each year;”
Comprehensive Spending Review, 20 October 2010, Page 7
"We will fund a significant premium for disadvantaged pupils from outside the schools budget by reductions in spending elsewhere."
The Coalition Agreement, May 2010
The overall level of capital spending reduction is 28% across all Departments, but 60% for education.
The Government announced the closure of the Building Schools for the Future scheme and the cancellation of 700 school building projects in July this year. Chaos continues as reports suggest that ‘unaffected’ schools are now being asked to make further cuts despite assurances they would go ahead.
“Hundreds of school building projects are being scrapped as England's national school redevelopment scheme is axed by the government. Education Secretary Michael Gove said 719 school revamps already signed up to the scheme would not now go ahead. A further 123 academy schemes are to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.”
BBC, 5 July 2010
“We are not cancelling any specific school projects that were cleared to go ahead by the announcements on 5 July and 6 August. I do however anticipate that we will be able to identify significant savings on individual school projects. This follows the Secretary of State’s announcement on 5 July in which, referring to ongoing BSF projects, he said that he would “continue to look at the scope for savings in all these projects”. To that end, I have asked Partnership for Schools to work with Local Authorities to examine plans on a case by case basis. Decisions will be taken after we have held full discussions on options for savings in each area.”
Letter from Lesley Longstone, Infrastructure and Funding Directorate, DfE, 29 October 2010
Early Years
Before the election both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats said they would protect Sure Start and did not want any centres to close.
Questioner: As a parent who relies heavily on Sure Start centres for the educational and social needs of my child, I would like to know whether these centres will continue to receive funding?
David Cameron: Yes, we back Sure Start. It's a disgrace that Gordon Brown has been trying to frighten people about this.
The Independent, 5 May 2010
“My party will protect existing childcare entitlements and Sure Start…”
Nick Clegg, Response to National Childbirth Trust Manifesto, May 2010, http://goo.gl/iiXcw
Sure Start is a really important programme that has made a real difference to millions of parents. Difficult decisions are going to have to be made in public spending, but Sure Start is one of the best things the last government has done and I want all these centres to stay open.
Nick Clegg, The Independent, 5 May 2010
The Coalition Government has now been forced to admit that Sure Start will only be protected in cash terms, meaning it will face a real terms cut. This is equivalent to a real terms cut of at least 9% by 2014/15, by the most conservative estimates (using inflation predictions from the Office for Budgetary Responsibility).
“The freezing of Sure Start budgets for four years will mean at least 13 per cent cuts in real terms by 2014/15. While this should be enough to keep most existing children's centres, there will be reductions.”
Sir Paul Ennals, National Children’s Bureau, Children & Young People Now website, 21 October 2010
The government have rolled Sure Start revenue funding and other grants into an Early Intervention Grant, worth nearly 11% less than the grants it is replacing:
"In 2011/12, the amount to be allocated through EIG is 10.9% lower than the aggregated 2010/11 funding through the predecessor grants.”
Michael Gove, BBC News website, 14 December 2010
The Early Intervention Grant will not be ringfenced, meaning that local authorities will be able to spend the money on their own priorities. This is happening at a time when Local authorities are facing core funding cuts of 28% over the Spending Review period.
At the same time, the Government plans to remove the requirement for Children’s Centres in the most deprived communities to offer eight hours of childcare on week days and is removing the requirement to employ at least one person with Qualified Teacher and Early Years Professional Status.
These changes will significantly affect the availability of good quality childcare in the poorest areas, reducing the ability of parents - and especially single mothers - to find employment.
For more information, please contact the Labour Party press office on
020 7783 1393.
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Tuesday, 21 December 2010
Staff at Play out 24 7 accepting their Diplomatic Award at their head office in cleveland street(ABOVE)
BAE-SEROUS FRAUD OFFICE settlement questioned by judge - sentence postponedBy ayoub mzee -London
IN THE CROWN COURT AT SOUTHWARK BETWEEN Regina V BAE Systems PLC
BAE SYSTEM-the world’s largest defence business, engaged in development and delivery and support of advanced defence aerospace systems for Air ,land and Naval forces, which had pleaded guilty to one count of breaching its duty to keep accounting records contrary to sec 221 of the companies act 1985 .They had pleaded guilty to this offence on agreed factual basis pursuant to a written settlement (“the settlement agreement “) between the company and the serous Fraud office dated 16th February 2010 .This settlement agreement was reached having regard to the Attorney Generals guidelines on Plea Discussions in cases of serous or complex cases. The offence before the judge concerns how the accounting for the contract for the provision of a Radar Defence System to the Tanzania Government. According to the contract –in November 1992 the Tanzania Government invited tenders to supply a new air traffic control system at Dar es salaam INTERNATIONAL Airport. Four companies including SPS, bid for the tender in November 1993.In October - November 1997 BAE acquired SPS ..On 10 September 1999, a new contract was signed between BAEDS and the Government. The price was $39.97 million.
Between September 1995 and September 1996 BAE executives were actively looking for ways to achieve maximum confidentiality in regard to the names of , and payments to ,advisers, Mr Vithlani being one of such advisers to protect them in case they wished to pass on money to a third party but cannot declare this to authorities or protect them from general embarrassment or possible press interest due to a large fee or sensitive subject .And according to BAE lawyers , this was a legitimate commercial aim or avoid Tax implications. These considerations led to the incorporation of Red Diamonds Trading LTD in February 1998.Red Diamond was a British Virgin Island company , so instructed that it could be extremely difficult for an enquiring outsider to pierce its vails .Red Diamonds was only known to BAE and its existence known to a small number of executives.
As for Today,The plea bargain agreed between arms giant BAE Systems and the UK Serious Fraud Office (SFO) to end the six-year bribery investigation was not, as expected, signed off this morning at Southwark Crown Court in south London by Mr Justice Bean.
Shailesh Vithlani - a local business man from Tanzania acted as a local marketing advisor for SPS. He was recruited by Christopher Naqdi. Vithlani’s fee was calculated as a percentage of the price of the proposed radar between 31% and 40% .This was particular a high rate of commission , by comparison with other contracts . Accordingly , BAE has accepted that there was a high probability that the payments to Vithlani were intended to compensate him for work done and seeking to persuade relevant s to favour BEA in respect to the radar project .It is not now possible to establish precisely what Vithlani did with the money which was paid to him. The phrase “ Technical services” was used by SPS to describe Vithlani’s role despite the fact that Vithlani was not providing technical services and had no knowledge of any technical matters concerned with the Radar Project.
The Payment that were made to him are:
DATE: CONTRACT AMOUNT
7 JANUARY 2000 ENVERS $ 40,000
7 JANUARY 2000 MERLIN $ 40,000
23 JUNE 2000 ENVERS $ 95,000
18 JUNE 2000 MERLIN $25,000
18TH JULY 2000 ENVERS $ 1,774,968
12TH JANUARY 2001 ENVERS $1,486,460
12 TH JANUARY 2001 MERLIN $63.540
16TH JANUARY 2002 ENVERS $2748,490
16TH JANUARY 2002 MERLIN $167,510
18TH JANUARY 2002 ENVERS $790,540
18TH JANUARY 2002 MERLIN $ 23,460
24TH January 2003 ENVERS $ 2,964.50
25TH FEB 2004 ENVERS $344,500
25TH FEB 2004 MERLIN $5,500
24TH MARCH ENVERS $272,250
24TH MARCH 2004 MERLIN $ 2,750
7TH DEC 2004 ENVERS $272,250
7TH DEC 2004 MERLIN $2,750
8TH APRIL 2005 ENVERS $272,250
8TH APRIL 2005 MERLIN $2,750
12 DEC 2005 MERLIN $2,750
13 DEC 2005 ENVERS $ 272,250
14TH DEC 2005 ENVERS GBPOUNDS 1,899,576.27
14TH DEC 2005 MERLIN $34,000
At the hearing today, Instead the judge forensically questioned barristers representing BAE and the SFO as to the exact nature of the payments made through shell companies Red Diamond and Envers to Mr Sailesh Vithlani. He was openly skeptical about the nature of the services offered Mr Vithlani and the amount paid to him - $12 million- between 30 and 40 per cent of the cost of the contract when the norm is around 3 percent..
In the freezing weather supporters from Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) and The Corner House held a colourful pageant outside the court house of a giant puppet of Dick Olver, BAE Chairman, hugging a uniformed Prince Andrew while handing giant peanuts. They urged the court not to fine BAE peanuts and pointed out that the proposed fine of £2 million would be a small cost to BAE
Kaye Steanman of CAAT said:
"We went into the court today with expectations that signing off the plea bargain with arms giant BAE would be a formality. Instead we have seen a judge question the nature and seriousness of the offence, openly suggesting that BAE was happy to channel funds to Mr Vithlani and not pursue what he did with them. We will be very interested to what the judge has to say tomorrow when he delivers the sentence."
Sunday, 19 December 2010
THE BEN TV DIPLOMATIC AWARDS
We welcome you all to this, the first in BEN’s series of events, The BEN TV Diplomatic Awards. It gives me great privilege in inviting you to witness the opening of what we believe will an extension, to the platform we have constructed through BEN TV. As the only black ethnic orientated channel broadcasting in Europe and North Africa, eight years have now passed since our initial launch.
With the high and lows that come with maintaining a business based in an external market, BEN TV continues to go strong and spread its reputation around. This past year, I felt privileged to be profiled on CNN as part of their ‘African Voices’ features. My quest to provide a positive and constructive representation of Africa and its wide diaspora is now a respected reality, if too occasionally a challenge to sustain. But with all these expected obstacles, the output both creative and commercial remains as rewarding to the team as it is to our loyal audiences across the country and beyond
The staples of BEN continue to be programmes which revolve around us, the black communities primarily of the UK- the institution that takes us all back, be it to Africa, the Caribbean or Australasia, for example. Our youth programme ‘TalkTime’ continues to go from strength to strength, as a debate show which brings to attention issues and pressures that many young black Britons find themselves under
Regularly, ‘TalkTime’ showcases young writers and poets, bringing to the focus the drive and passion that is creating black Britain’s emerging art scene. ‘ConnectAfrik’ is our talk-show hosted and produced by Diasporan Africans seeking to find that link that will both tie and educate them as to what they have missed, being so long away from her. The diversity in our traditional cultures is frequently showcased. ‘Lifestyle on BEN’ is another highlight of BEN. Artists, entrepreneurs, musicians, models, sports journalists, DJs and actors from the black diaspora feature weekly performances or in-depth interviews looking the entertainment industry’s impact on our guests and promoting the best consumer retail for viewers, often with a prize giveaway. Recently, Lifestyle on BEN has undertaken a political and social agenda, focusing on relief projects for the hurricane hit West Indian islands and medical issues in the black community, particularly on lupus.
Our documentary series ‘Swahili Diaries’, features interviews and profiles on political issues, movements and icons in Africa, both with interviews here in the UK and frequent travels to Africa. ‘The Debol Show’ & ‘Breakfast Show’, look at art, entertainment, party and fashion industries primarily in London. ‘BEN TV News’ provides an alternative take to the mainstream, keeping our viewers informed of global events. Will trade and investment on the upswing in the developing world, BEN TV will be launching three Current Affairs programmes.
The first ‘At the Embassy’ follows the popular reality format, take us closer to you, African and Caribbean high commissions and embassies working in the UK to represents both the interests of your nations and promoting your country’s reputation, the in face of an increasingly globalised and competitive world. Our second ‘UK Policies’ attempts to close the gap between the public audience and the management behind the UK’s biggest public and private institutions. We’ll future regular interviews with industry professionals and experts. Lastly but by no means least, ‘In the Community’ goes under the skin of Diasporan organisations such as charities, town unions, businesses and remittance banks. Slowing things down has never been BEN’s agenda, so we find ourselves faced with exciting prospects for 2011 building on the talent and success that has driven the station for the last eight years and counting.
Our advertisers, many of whom are present with us tonight, promote their businesses, churches and products aimed at providing services and catering to tastes that often the mainstream has neglected. This has been the ethos of BEN TV; to build on the network which has been successfully built across the UK, with London at its heart since the first mass immigration of African-Caribbean immigrants to the UK in 1948. Successively, Africans, Asians and a minority from the Pacific and the Americas have come to invest and develop in what particularly during the height of the British Empire, was praised as the mother country. As our families head into further generations, the need to remain in contact with home became crucial. The need to speak, remind and celebrate what was left behind, as well represent the best of diasporan communities here.
In this respect, we find our work, particularly creatively, crosses similar objectives and boundaries with our High Commissions and Embassies based in the UK.
BEN TV recognises our market; how many businesses and projects have managed against the storm of the recession to develop into commodities opening further doors for many members of our communities. This is why this next year will see BEN TV launch its events subsidiary. Events, such as this, which commemorate and promote achievements, opportunities and talents to come out of the black Diaspora here in the UK. July will see us hosting our first trade exhibition, ‘Africar Tradex’. A three day trade exhibition fair, the event will features conferences, fashion shows, catering displays and trade platforms all to encourage communication and investment between African and Caribbean sectors.
So as we open tonight, I encourage you not just to revel and celebrate the achievements of your own nation, but also of that of your many neighbours. We hope this first BEN TV Diplomatic awards, will be a platform to build on the networking between your high commissions and embassies. Perhaps it may encourage an existing or new dialogue previously unconsidered, or encourage you to remember the benefits of being stationed in one another’s countries.
Take this as an opportunity to recognise the similarities in our interests and policies, rather than the differences that have prevented us from meeting like this before. It is my honour to welcome you all to the first BEN TV diplomatic awards. Thank you.dR ALISTAIR SOYODE
Thursday, 16 December 2010
Washington Foreign Press Center
U.S. Department of State
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WHAT: Washington Foreign Press Center Tour “Immigration in the United States”
WHEN: Tuesday, January 25-26, 2011
WHERE: San Diego, California
RSVP: Interested media should contact Jennifer Archibeque at jennifera@state.gov to sign up. Please obtain your editor/news organization’s permission to attend the tour before you sign up. We plan to visit the U.S.-Mexico border (pending the approval of U.S. Customs and Border Protection).
Participating journalists are responsible for all expenses including hotel, airfare to San Diego and meals and incidentals. Journalists based in New York, Washington and California may sign up for this tour. The Foreign Press Center will provide local transportation to and from scheduled tour appointments.
BACKGROUND:
There are an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants residing in the United States. While U.S. lawmakers and U.S. citizens often agree that the United States needs some type of comprehensive immigration reform, there are widely differing viewpoints about what comprehensive immigration reform legislation should include. Most of the public debate and media focus is on unlawful immigration to the United States rather than legal immigration. Differing viewpoints about immigration and how U.S. policy should be implemented often lead to heated public debates. This reporting tour will explore the various facets of immigration including the social, economic and political aspects of immigration in the San Diego community. The tour will include interviews with government officials at the local level, University professors, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers and others as time permits.
Wednesday, 15 December 2010
Asia House E-News
Highlights:
Arts and Culture:
Film Slackistan 13 January
Performance Bonbibi - a Bengali Folkale 21 January
Workshop Tigers in Miniature painting workshop 22 January
Business:
Economists Briefing with Stephen King 15 December
Chinese New Year at Cambridge University 15th February
Policy:
United Nations Security Coucil and Asia in 2011 24 January
Image: Katsushika Hokusai, Tiger in a Snowstorm
Edo period 1849, Hanging scroll, ink and colour on silk
Season's Greetings from the Asia House Team!
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Celebrate the festive season by visiting our exhbition, The Tiger in Asian Art, which runs until 12 February 2011.
Read the excellent reviews of the Tiger in Asian Art here.
Arts and Culture
Slackistan
Dir: H Khan, 2010, 85mins, cert 15
English/Urdu with subtitles
Thursday 13 January, 18.45
You think you know Pakistan... think again! The new film by the award winning team of Hammad Khan (Emerging International Film-maker award, Karachi/Best Short Film Raindance) and Menhaj Huda (Kidulthood) re-imagines the American slacker-movie genre in a Pakistani setting. Slackistan focuses on a group of privileged college graduates who fritter their days away in the sleepy capital city of Islamabad.
The characters struggle to face up to reality as the country outside their small world begins to fall apart.
Includes post-screening Q&A with director Hammad Khan and Menhaj Huda.
Click here to find out more
Bonbibi:
A Bengali Folktale
Performance presented by Culturepot Global, Directed by Filiz Ozcan
Tuesday 21 January, 18.45
Bonbibi is an innovative retelling of an ancient Bengali folktale through dramatised reading, puppetry and music.
The story unfolds in the Sundarbans, a luscious mangrove forest deep in the heart of Bangladesh currently facing ecological danger. Dokhini Rai, a half-human half-tiger spirit of the forest, transforms into a tiger to devour the humans who are destroying the forest. Bonbibi, a girl child raised by animals, is chosen by God to embark on a spiritual quest to restore mutual respect between man and animal and the environment they share – their habitat and source of livelihood.
This extraordinary performance delivers a powerful message about contemporary issues in a positive and humorous way, to be enjoyed by adults and children alike.
Produced by Culturepot Global in association with Asia House.
Supported by BRAC UK
Sponsored by UBS
Click here to find out more
Tigers in Miniature
Indian Miniature Painting workshop with Samantha Buckley
Saturday 22 January, 11.00-17.00
A one-day intensive class led by artist Samantha Buckley that explores the Tiger as a subject of traditional Indian Miniature painting. The class covers practical skills in paper preparation, paper burnishing and pigment preparation including grinding and mixing with gum arabic. Specialist techniques will be taught including work with squirrel hair brushes, Chinese ink and pigment transfer using traditional red ocres and wasli paper, and prataj shading techniques. No previous experience necessary and all materials provided.
Samantha Buckley is a ceramic artist, printer and painter whose work has been exhibited widely and retailed in stores across the UK including Selfridges, the Highgrove Shop and Aspreys. She has taught miniature painting classes at the Ismaili Centre, London and the V&A, and as part of the Asia House Summer School 2010.
Click here to find out more
Image: Maharajah on a tiger hunt, Jaipur, 1790 © The James Ivory Collection
Business
Asia House Launches CASCA
The Central Asia and South Caucasus Association (CASCA) has been officially launched in the UK. CASCA is a regional Trade Association which exists to develop business interests, trade relations and cultural connections with the important and fast developing region of Central Asia and the South Caucasus. CASCA functions as a permanent UK office at Asia House that focuses entirely on trade and investment, and will work with all bilateral trade organizations. In support of this initiative, Asia House will be offering a programme of CASCA VIP Ambassadorial Lunches, Business Briefings and Country Conferences.
Economists Briefing series with Stephen King
15 December, 9.00 to 11.30
Stephen King is HSBC's group chief economist and the Bank's global head of economics. He is directly responsible for HSBC's global economic coverage and co-ordinates the research of HSBC economists all over the world. Mr King has written on a wide variety of economic topics: recent examples include a report on China's role in the world economy, an analysis of global inflation pressures and a study of external imbalances.
Limited places available, please register early:
E: vladka.paligova@asiahouse.co.uk
T: +44 (0)20 7307 5454.
Tickets:
Free (Asia House Corporate Members)
£25 (Asia House Patrons and Government)
£50.00 (Non-members)
Chinese New Year at Cambridge University
15th February
A Corporate Strategy & Business Intelligence event, to include:
•Ecocities workshop
•Tour of Cambridge Science Park
•Reception to celebrate the Chinese New Year.
Email vladka.paligova@asiahouse.co.uk for more details.
Policy
United Nations Security Coucil and Asia in 2011
24 January 2011, 8.30 to 10.30
Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations, gives the view from his permanent seat on the Security Council on the very real strategic and policy issues facing the UN in Asia in 2011.
Sir Mark Lyall Grant brings thirty years experience as a lawyer and diplomat to his role at the UN. Previously he was Director General Political at the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office having served in various senior diplomatic missions, most recently as UK High Commissioner to Pakistan. His senior diplomatic positions have included Director for Africa, head of the European Union department as well as senior diplomatic postings in France and South Africa. He studied Classics and Law at Cambridge and has a Licence en Droit Europeen , ULB , Brussels and took the Inns of Law Bar exams before joining the FCO in 1980.
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Places are limited – please register early:
E: vladka.paligova@asiahouse.co.uk
T: 020 7307 5437.
Tickets:
Free (Asia House Corporate Members)
£35 (Asia House Patrons and Government)
£70.00 (Non-members)
Asia House Recommends
GOLNAZ FATHI: Liminal-Subliminal
October Gallery
11 November 2010 – 22 January 2011
In collaboration with Thirdline and Iran Heritage Foundation
October Gallery presents new paintings by Golnaz Fathi in her second solo exhibition to be held in London. Fathi investigates abstract forms of representation, using modern media to aid these explorations, whilst still basing her work on fundamental calligraphic practices and techniques. The introduction of bold swatches of colour further emphasised her transition from a codified system based on prescriptive rules to an alternative idiom that gave precedence to her own imaginative modes of subjective expression.
Sunday, 12 December 2010
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