10. November 2009 by admin.

DENIS KELLMAN’S COLUMN- THE DEBATE

MARCH 10, 2006

This week, the discussion continued in Barbados on the “Negrocrats,” and whether they practice Cryto Racism causing them to be Xenophobic. This led me to reflect on a question asked of me by a fisherman and a labourer about the behavior of some persons who regard themselves as “people persons.” This reminded me of an ad which tells you that “you can give up being a fisherman, but you do not have to give up taste.” These persons have ignored taste depending on the groupings with whom they are associated at the time. If you invite them to a rice and stew party, the rice grains and stew must be right, but at a cocktail party taste is not important, it is who is providing it and who cooked it.

After being educated about “Negrocrats” by a fisherman and labourer, I was better informed of what a Negrocrat is and who is best suited to talk about it, like it and hate it. Well you know, I believe in the 3’s so I said that the same way we have the poor, middle class and the rich, then it means if we have Negrocrats, we must have three types.

It is also acknowledged by me that it I am going to write about the observations of the Prime Minister, then I have to put myself in a category of Negrocrats, considering I have already stated that I have no problem of being an off spring of a slave and that we should stop seeing all negatives and focus on the positives too.

We Negroes can be Negrocrats by birth, education or by wealth creation. How can you determine a Negrocrat? By the way he behaves or is accepted in society or the money or education he has. Some Negrocrats can appreciate the fisherman by the amount of food that is provided by him, but cannot be in the same direct area as them unless they are seeking a favour. They pretend that they are all for the masses, yet they practice Crypto Racism, then pretend to suffer from Xenophobia and try to fool the masses that they too understand and are working towards new systems in their interest.

For the past few years, we have been speaking a lot about Republican State of Government for Barbados. This charge has been led by persons who would want you to believe that the Right Excellent Errol Barrow did not know what he was doing when he gave us Independence without interfering  with our relationship with the Queen as Head of State. They speak as if they are not aware that even though a lot was taken from us during the years when sugar was king, that it was of the same fact that enabled us to be so advanced today.

These same persons who would want the masses to believe that capital is bad can be found wining and dining with the same said persons when they would want the masses to believe are no good. They believe that their opinions are the only ones that mater and that the masses should vote to propel their beliefs even if it means creating regression and not progression.

If you want to see them at work, then Oistins and Moon Town are two areas where you can monitor their behavior. Do they associate with those who provide the fish they consume? Instead, they hobnob with the same persons who they create Xenophobia about, and the same persons that one would easily believe that they are practicing regression Crypto Racism against. If you want to see them at work, monitor them this weekend.

I have already said that I have no problem with cocktail parties, but I enjoy rice and stew parties, because I know that grease comes in the gravy and not in every item. I have a problem of having to ask questions of the persons serving, about the content of the hors d’oeuvres, because I do not believe that I should eat snake, alligator, mountain chicken, crocodile, snails and exotic items base on class to prove to anybody that I have the qualities of a Negrocrat.

It is my hope that those who read would not conclude that I am trying to create confusion in the minds of the public about how they should see the Whites of Barbados, since it is not the talk, but the walk that matters. It is also my hope that the masses understand that they should not allow themselves to be used by persons who pretend that they have a problem with the present system because it did not serve their interest.

This world is about what is in it for me. We have to understand and appreciate that Barbados is part of the world and that they are persons who would secretly ill treat their own, while at the same time criticizing other s for treating their fore-parents badly.

What is needed in Barbados is for us to come together as one, appreciating that once we put our heads together, we can conquer the world. We should rid ourselves of Xenophobia and Crypto Racism, while seeing nothing wrong with being a Negrocrat for our country, as it is only an advancement for being Negro. It is not the colour of a man’s skin, but where that man is going. A term can only be derogatory if you live it, but if you excel, it becomes a positive.

 I have been called a lot of things, but I have not allowed them to reverse my thoughts. I have strived from converting negativity to positiveness.  Trust me the measurement is greater.

Peace, love, unity, humility, wisdom and understanding.

(Denis Kellman is the Member of Parliament for St. Lucy, Barbados)

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10. November 2009 by admin.

Ambassador Tom Chou took the media on a tour of the Mental Welllness Center this week. He held up his end of the deal but why hasn’t PM King delivered on his?

Five million US in investment just to finish the buildings! Even more to furnish them and upgrade security systems, safety features and emergency communications. The Taiwanese have gone above and beyond their part of the deal in making sure that the much-vaunted St Lucia Mental Wellness Center—started and abandoned by the Chinese—is finished and functional.As the Mental Wellness Center approaches something resembling completion, the Taiwanese assistance team has reason to be proud of their work. They kept their part of the rescue deal and delivered on a promise that many said was nothing more than comfort to a fool. Few expected them to come this far. Many expected that the hospital project would remain a ruinous reminder of the days when Beijing brought big projects like stadia to the island, instead of the comparative small fry that Taiwanese diplomacy can afford.

The obstacles were even greater than their critics would have wished on them. And they did it all in primitive conditions, without running water and electricity from the main grid.

“In fact, the power we have here today is coming from a generator,” Taiwanese ambassador Tom Chou told the press, behind an inscrutable face.

Ambassador Chou said a lot simply by mentioning the failure of LUCELEC to provide the compound with electricity during the construction process. The construction team of St Lucians and Taiwanese were forced to forge ahead powering equipment with generators to prevent further delays (and cost overruns?) in the already controversial project. The last thing the Taiwanese wanted, once they signed on to finish the hospitals that Beijing started was for the project to become yet another lightning rod for criticism of the current government and their relationship with Taipei.

But somehow, LUCELEC never quite got the message and apparently no one in the present government had what it would take to get electrical contractors moving to light up the showpiece of the government’s relationship with Taiwan.

Ambassador Chou refrained from criticizing LUCELEC for the frustrations caused, but of course, everyone knew that the buck stopped at the desk of LUCELEC’s main shareholder and the hospital’s number one political beneficiary.

Ambassador Chou said a lot when he mentioned the construction team’s frustrations with the electricity company, but he could have said a lot more.

He could have said that while the Taiwanese kept their end of the bargain and more, the government has yet to honour its own related commitments without which the Wellness Center cannot open.

The Wellness Center is an idea that was supposed to make the new mental hospital more than just another nuthouse. Under the old deal with red China, the Chinese would build the buildings and government would undertake the rest of the expenses, including building retaining walls, securing and stabilizing the environment, procuring equipment and little things like outfitting the laundry and the kitchens.

The Taiwanese, when they took over, undertook to secure and stabilize the grounds, as well as finish the construction work on the buildings. They went further and procured furniture and upgraded the safety features and security and emergency communications systems at the facility. All of which left the government relatively little to do to get the center up and running.
What is it that is so difficult for the government to get done?

The government’s part of the deal is to procure the equipment necessary to make departments like Gynecology, Geriatrics and Radiology real and functional. Compared to the US$5 million-plus investment by the Taiwanese, the local government’s end of the deal is small—a mere $1.5 million according to their own estimates.

But government has only just begun to explore possible sources where $1.5 million might come from. There was no line item in last year’s budget about how to pay for government’s part in the wellness center. Without it, the center is just a world class asylum, not at all the ‘brand new concept’ that the government promised.

The Taiwanese had hoped they would be opening the wellness center by now. But with no strong positive indication of government’s determination to procure the needed equipment to outfit even the laundry and the kitchens, it seems the ruling party’s best friend may have elected to wash its hands of the Mental Wellness Center and hand it over to the St Lucian government before it becomes a lightning rod for opposition criticism all over again. Hence, the “media site visit” and next week’s “handing over ceremony”.

It turns out that the Taiwanese have wrote letters to LUCELEC and to the government, urging them both on numerous occasions to do what was necessary to make the opening of the wellness center possible. Officials of the embassy refuse to confirm, of course, but sources close to Cabinet have.

The Taiwanese must be somewhat disappointed to have to hand over the project without being able to boast of its opening. The mental hospital and general hospital were two of the projects that attracted the most negative attention to the Taiwanese Embassy. Many St Lucians thought that the hospital projects were reason enough to maintain relations with Beijing.

Finishing the wellness center is the biggest belelesh that the Taiwanese can inflict on their critics. It would eclipse the restoration of the George Odlum Stadium. It would have a wider and more immediate impact than many of the agricultural projects that are the hallmark of Taiwanese assistance. And most importantly, it might persuade some of Taiwanese knee-jerk critics that Taiwan can contribute to major capital projects as well as grassroots projects.

But unless the government can prove that its commitment is a lot more than lip service, the Taiwanese may soon have to admit that their best friends on the island are unworthy of their generosity.

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10. November 2009 by admin.

German celebrities in St Lucia to film Project Paradise.

Reality shows are now what the sitcoms used to be to television in the 70’s and 80’s. Many of the popular ones have a cult following of millions of viewers world-wide who tune in week after week, to find out the fate or success of their favourite characters, who are placed under the scrutiny of cameras in real life situations. Survivor, American Idol, America’s Next Top Model, Project Runway, Big Brother, The Big Loser and the Real Housewives of Atlanta are among the more popular reality shows these days and Saint Lucians have come to love many of them too. This week, however, the island become home not just to spectators of these shows, but the home to the production of an actual reality show.For the next two weeks Saint Lucia and more particularly the Bay Gardens Beach Resort will be home to a German television production called “Project Paradise.” The 72-room resort located at Reduit, has been selected for the project which will see the “stars” participating in a reality show meant to cleanse and purify the body.

For five days celebrities will survive on water and a specially brewed tea whilst focusing on healthy living and exercise and two segments of the show will be filmed in Saint Lucia. Filming began last Sunday November 1, after the cast and crew arrived here on the reintroduction of the Condor flight to Saint Lucia. Assisting Bay Gardens with this project is the Saint Lucia Tourist Board and ISO certified Baron Foods bottled water, which will be used to rehydrate the participants.

The participants are all celebrities in Germany who were specially selected to participate in “Project Paradise.” They include two male contestants, Mr Model of the World 2003/2004, Nico Schwanz and Marcus Grim who is a popular performing artiste having won an American Idol type show in Germany. The two female participants are actress and TV Host Diana Herold and Mika Lof Fernandes, host of the TV show VIVA.

Mika who spoke on behalf of the group first expressed thanks to Bay Gardens.

“I have been to many other parts of the world, but Saint Lucia, this resort, the reception, the rooms, I have really enjoyed taking off the flowers from by bed,” she laughed as she spoke to reporters here Monday. “It is beautiful here although it was a bit hot, she added.

“Being here I am sure will help me find myself and so far it is nice here, the people are nice, I feel at home,” he said. For Diana it has been nothing but a great feeling the moment she got here.

Next week a second contingent of participants are expected to arrive here, including a “real” Princess from Europe.

According to Berthia Parle, General Manager of Bay Gardens Beach resorts, this is a wonderful opportunity to showcase Saint Lucia.

“This is a great opportunity, not only for us at Bay Garden’s but for Saint Lucia as a whole since various segments of the show will be filmed on location at various sites on the island,” Parle says.

Project Paradise is expected to be aired on German Television, Pro Sieben in early January. Pro Sieben is reportedly aired across Europe and has become one of the most watched television channels. The production in Saint Lucia is being managed b Eileen Frolich of Pro Sieben.

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10. November 2009 by admin.

RICE AND LENTILS PEAS; MACARONI PIE

LASAGNA; CHICKEN PELAU

BAKED CHICKEN; BAKED PORK

FRIED SNAPPER; BBQ SPARERIBS

MIXED VEGETABLES

FRIED STEAK FISH; GRILLED STEAK FISH

LAMB STEW; FISH GRAVY

STEAMED VEGETABLES; TOSSED SALAD

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10. November 2009 by admin.

KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — Principal of the University of the West Indies’ (UWI) Mona campus, Professor Gordon Shirley, said that the institution has taken steps to address some of the challenges arising from the global economic downturn. Principal of the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona Campus, Professor Gordon Shirley, OJ (left), greets Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Mining and Energy, Hilary Alexander, at the launch of the institution’s newly introduced three-year Bachelor of Science (BSc.) Electronic Engineering degree programme, at the Mona Visitors’ Lodge and Conference Centre, UWI, Monday. Speaking at the launch of the campus’ engineering programme at the Mona Visitors’ Lodge and Conference Centre on Monday, Professor Shirley noted that factors such as debt, crime, poor linkages between key industries, poor integration of industries that generate foreign direct investments, and reduced access to global financial markets, have placed the country at a “juncture”. “We understand what our problems are (and) we have to address these. We need to address the fiscal balance problem; we obviously need a strong response to the crime problem, we need to think carefully about investing in the re-designing of our infrastructure so that it becomes resistant to destruction every time we have a natural hazard occurring. We need to improve the linkages between our manufacturing and our technical companies with the investments that flow in, and we need to focus our education which is applied (and), which is linked to economic growth,” he contended. To this end, Professor Shirley informed that the UWI undertook several pursuits during the last year. These, he said, included a number of “relevant” research and advisory projects, and analyses “for the Government and the community within Jamaica.” These comprise research seminars and policy papers on the fiscal and tax reform policies; conferences on the energy policy, crime management and policing, hazard mapping and mitigation mechanisms, labour market reform, remittance flows, the expansion of food production, linkages between agriculture, manufacturing and tourism, entrepreneurship; and seminars on the gaming industry, health care, and so on. “And, we have been building our capacity for what we refer to as evidence-based criticism to strengthen the policy debates on a variety of areas,” he outlined. Consequent on the institution’s far-reaching involvement, Professor Shirley said the Vice Chancellor introduced an entity, UWI Consulting, to streamline such activities. Further, he said the UWI’s affiliate organisation, the Caribbean Policy Research Institute (CaPRI) “has become quite vocal” on a range of issues, adding that “we are strengthening a variety of other areas to respond to policy initiative.” Principal of the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona Campus, Professor Gordon Shirley, OJ (right), greets three of the first batch of 20 students currently pursuing the newly introduced three-year Bachelor of Science (BSc.) Electronic Engineering degree programme at the institution. From left are: Matthew Myers, Kelton Edwards and Mesha-Ann McKenzie. Occasion was the launch of the course at the Mona Visitors’ Lodge and Conference Centre, UWI, Monday. “We (UWI) are an important contact between ourselves, as a country, and the international research institutions, and we do this through our participation, both, when we go to conferences internationally, (and) when we invite international speakers, who can add value to our debate and dialogue, to participate in our conferences. Our faculty members have to be linked into the international community and we, (at) almost all of our conferences.have international persons of repute participating with us,” he informed, while pointing to a number of ongoing joint research projects with universities and research institutions in North America, Europe, Latin America and Africa. Professor Shirley also highlighted the UWI’s centres of excellence, which he described as “critical to the innovative capacity of the country”. These include: research centres in medical sciences, such as the Tropical Medicine Research Institute (TMRI), agriculture, bio-technology, information technology, geo-infomatics, among others. The UWI Mona, through the Electronics Unit in the Faculty of Pure and Applied Science, began offering the Bachelor of Science (BSc.) degree in Electronics Engineering, effective September. The new programme forms part of the institution’s decision to expand its engineering disciplines to other campuses, starting with Mona, where there has been increased demand for same. The institution anticipates the introduction of additional programmes at Mona in 2010, focusing on areas such as: renewable energy; energy management and engineering; and biomedical engineering. The campus will also facilitate preparation of Jamaican students for advanced placement in traditional engineering programmes such as power engineering, civil engineering and mechanical engineering.

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10. November 2009 by admin.

BOGOTA, Colombia (Reuters) — Hundreds of flood victims remain stranded and some communities are cut off from aid assistance following days of heavy rains that killed 124 people in El Salvador, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said on Monday. Torrential rains in recent days, a result of a low pressure system in the Pacific, have caused rivers to burst their banks and hillsides to collapse, leading to severe flooding and widespread damage to the Central American country’s infrastructure. Men salvage some belongings from the devastated Las Hojas beach, in the coastal town of La Paz, 45 km south of San Salvador after the passage of Hurricane Ida. AFP PHOTO “The flooding has left a lot of communities disconnected and the damage to some communities has not yet been assessed. We expect the number of flood victims to increase,” Ghotai Ghazialam, disaster management delegate for IFRC’s Pan-American disaster response unit told AlertNet by phone from Panama. Landslides have blocked main roads and at least nine bridges have collapsed in the five worst affected provinces, cutting off some parts of the mountainous interior from the rest of the country and hampering emergency response efforts. Large areas of El Salvador are without electricity or clean water. El Salvador’s president Mauricio Funes has declared a national emergency, describing the floods as a “tragedy”. The government estimates at least 124 people have been killed and over 7,000 uprooted by the floods, while 60 people are missing. The government has allocated $500,000 to provide basic assistance to affected communities, and has set up 25 temporary shelters in schools and sports buildings, where around 1,200 flood victims are seeking refuge. The country’s armed forces have rescued over 180 people. Staff and volunteers from the Salvadorean Red Cross have been mobilised to the most affected areas and air rescue units are searching for the missing. Local teams have also begun initial damage assessments of infrastructure and homes. “We have a regional response person on the ground and we are working to get to aid to affected families besides non-food items. Hygiene kits, kitchen utensils and blankets have been sent to 1,500 families,” said Ghazialam from IFRC. So far, the IFRC has released nearly $183,000 from its emergency response funds to help El Salvador’s flood victims. Local press reports say the government has been slow to respond to the country’s crisis. President Funes, who came to power last June, has blamed previous governments for the lack of disaster prevention measures in place. “The drama we are facing and the precarious situation communities face in large areas of the country is because of the lack of mitigation and risk prevention programmes, which for years had been demanded but were never carried out,” Funes said during a public address on Sunday. Nicaraguahas also been battered by recent heavy rains. Around 2,700 families have been affected and 930 houses damaged or destroyed, says the IFRC.

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10. November 2009 by admin.

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA) — With the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Guyana and Norway to protect Guyana’s tropical forests Monday at the bucolic Fairview village, Region Nine on the banks of the mighty Essequibo River, Guyana could receive as much as US$250 million by 2015 to support the implementation of the Low-Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS). President Bharrat Jagdeo addresses the audience at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between Guyana and Norway (GINA photo) The agreement was signed by Head of State Bharrat Jagdeo and the Norwegian Minister of International Development and the Environment, Erik Solheim. The MoU is a declaration of the two countries’ determination to work together to provide the world with a working example of how partnerships between developed and developing countries can save the world’s tropical forests. The partnership between Guyana and Norway is part of the Norwegian Government’s International Climate and Forest Initiative that was first launched in December 2007 during the climate change negotiations at Bali. The initiative seeks to achieve cost-effective and verifiable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries (REDD), and applies to all types of tropical forests. President Jagdeo, in remarks after the signing of the MoU, highlighted his admiration for the leadership that Norway has shown in the climate change arena. He stressed that Norway is playing a significant role, disproportionate to its size, and has been putting forward practicable solutions on climate change which they have been willing to back with significant financial consideration. The President noted that with the inking of the agreement between the two countries, the world is closer to finding a solution on climate change, particularly for rain-forests. However, he lamented that the underlying trust that is exhibited by Guyana and Norway has not been replicated by the rest of the world in its search for a global compact on combating climate change. President Jagdeo assured Minister Solheim that every cent committed by Norway shall be spent in a responsible manner seeking the greatest benefit. He indicated that there would be rigourous oversight at the national level and expressed his willingness to accept international oversight as well. He further stated that this model can answer some of the tough questions raised and can be a solution that can be taken to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark in December. The Head of State also stressed that the pledges in the MoU will not affect Guyana’s development, but would rather hasten it albeit in a different manner. Under the partnership, Guyana will accelerate its efforts to limit forest-based greenhouse gas emissions, and protect its rich rainforest as an asset for the world. Norway will provide financial support to Guyana at a level based on Guyana’s success in limiting emissions. This will enable Guyana to start implementing its low carbon development strategy (LCDS) at scale. In the words of President Jagdeo, “We want to avoid the high-carbon development trajectory that today’s developed world followed.” Financial support from Norway will be channeled through a new fund, the Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund (GRIF). Guyana’s Ministry of Finance will be responsible for the GRIF’s operations, and a reputable international financial institution to be selected by Norway and Guyana will act as manager of the fund. The mechanism will ensure full national and international oversight of financial flows. “Saving the world’s remaining tropical forests is a crucial element in the battle against climate change, and we are proud to support Guyana’s contributions in that effort,” said Minister Solheim. “Norway has promised up to US$30 million for the year 2010 and up to 2015, if this is successful, we stand ready to provide US$250 million for this scheme.”

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10. November 2009 by admin.

MUMBAI, India (CMC):West Indies will have their hands full when they clash with World No. 3 South Africa in their opening match of the 2011 Cricket World Cup.

The International Cricket

Council (ICC) yesterday announced the fixtures for world cricket’s major showpiece that will see the two-time champions squaring off with the Proteas in New Delhi on February 24.

West Indies, who played hosts to the last Cricket World Cup, will also face India, England, Bangladesh, Ireland and the Netherlands in their Zone B fixtures.

“The announcement of the match schedule for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 is an exciting development as not only does it allow all our stakeholders to start planning their tours, but it will also remind everyone that we are getting closer to the staging of the biggest event in world cricket, where the leading cricketers from all over the globe will battle it out for the top prize in the game,” said ICC vice-president Sharad Pawar, also chairman of the tournament’s Central Organising Committee.

West Indies will meet the Netherlands in their second game on February 28 in New Delhi before taking on Bangladesh on March 4 in Dhaka. The Caribbean side will travel to Mohali for their next fixture against Ireland a week later before playing their fifth match in Chennai against England.

West Indies play their final match of the preliminary round against India, also in Chennai.

Bangladesh and India will raise the curtain on the tournament in Dhaka on February 19, while reigning three-time champions Australia open their title defence against Zimbabwe in Ahmedabad.

Four quarter-finals will be played from March 23-26, with the two semi-finals carded for March 29-30 and the final scheduled for April 2 in Mumbai.

India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are joint hosts for the event.

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10. November 2009 by admin.

Left: US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. Right: British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. - File photosFinance officials from rich and developing countries have pledged to maintain emergency support for their economies until recovery is assured, but failed to reach a clear agreement to bear the cost of fighting climate change.

There was also a mixed reaction among the Group of 20 leading rich and emerging nations Saturday to a British-led push to consider a fund for bank bailouts, possibly financed by a tax on financial transactions, to ensure that taxpayers don’t bear the brunt of any future rescues.

The grouping - representing around 90 per cent of the world’s wealth, 80 per cent of world trade and two-thirds of the world’s population - said in a statement after talks in St Andrews, Scotland, that economic recovery is “uneven and remains dependent on policy support”.

US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said American jobs figures out last Friday showing unemployment at a 26-year high of 10.2 per cent “reinforced that this is still a very tough economic environment”.

While the “process of growth is now beginning”, that fledging growth still needs to be reinforced to create jobs and get businesses investing to underpin the recovery in the housing market and elsewhere, Geithner said.

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10. November 2009 by admin.

Courtney Castello, Gleaner InternJAMAICANS will have to dig deeper - much deeper - into their pockets to pay for passports come next Monday.

The Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA) has announced increases of between 80 and 380 per cent in the cost of passports with the new fees to take effect on November 16.

The changes will see the price of an adult passport increasing by 80 per cent, from $2,500 to $4,500.

The price of a passport for a child will also go up by 80 per cent, from $1,500 to $2,700.

The most painful increase will be felt by those who lose or have their passports stolen. The price to replace an adult passport which has been stolen or lost will increase from $2,500 to $9,500. This represents a 380 per cent increase.

Increase necessary

Persons will have to fork out $5,700 to replace a child’s passport which has been stolen or lost. This jumps from $1,500.

In confirming the price increases yesterday, Angella Hamilton, communications officer at PICA, said that the price of passports was last increased in 2001.

PICA is one of a number of state agencies slated to be taken off the Government’s budget for the next fiscal year.

These agencies have been mandated by Prime Minister Bruce Golding to ensure that their charges cover their expenditure.

In January, Major Richard Reese, permanent secretary in the Ministry of National Security, announced increases in the fees for several services offered by PICA but declared that there was no plan to increase passport fees at that time.

“The proposal is not to increase the passport fee. The proposal is to increase all the other fees,” Reese told the Public Administration

and Appropriations Committee of Parliament.

According to Reese, the revised fees would address the shortfall in revenue arising from the reduction in the sale of passports at the time.

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