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Promotion and Protection of Investment Bill [B18-2015]: adoption; Minister on Centurion Aerospace Village & African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA)
The Committee met to adopt the Promotion and Protection of Investment Bill with amendments. The Chairperson first read through all the proposed amendments to the original Bill, which the Committee accepted. During voting on each clause of the Bill, the Democratic Alliance voiced its opposition to the Bill, and unsuccessfully attempted to amend the Title, the Long Title, and Clauses 4(a), 7, 10, 13 and 14 with support from the IFP. The proposed DA amendment to Clause 10 on the Legal Protection of Investment proved to be the most contentious. After adopting each clause and passing a motion of desirability, the Bill was adopted by the Committee with the ANC supporting it and the DA and the IFP opposing it. The DA and the IFP recorded minority views stating that "the Bill does not send a message to the rest of the world that South Africa is open for business, instead quite the opposite. It puts a big neon sign on the front of South Africa saying 'closed for business'."
The Committee then heard from the Minister of Trade and Industry on the Centurion Aerospace Village (CAV) who explained the past problems with CAV that resulted in the resignation of the former CEO and a forensic investigation. The current CEO briefed the Committee on the plans to reform the CAV.
Members asked questions about the continued lack of progress of the CAV and the Department's overstatement of that progress. The Minister denied accusations that a building has not yet been built on the site, but admitted that the occupants of that building have not yet secured the necessary certification from the city of Tshwane. The Minister denied touting the CAV as a success story for job creation and assured the Committee that the Department is not happy with the state of the project.
The Minister updated the Committee that South Africa's side of the negotiations on and the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA) has been completed and that, though the Department is waiting for response from the US, he felt that negotiations are soon to be concluded. The main issue from negotiations has been sanitation and market authorisation discussions for poultry, pork, and beef. A Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (DAFF) representative assured the Committee that the Veterinary Association of South Africa has been working around the clock to ensure that South Africa can both continue to participate in AGOA and ensure safety and public health.
Some Members appreciated the assurances but had heard that DAFF has not provided prompt replies and has been unreasonable. The undertone is that DAFF is trying to delay market access as long as possible with the potential result that South Africa be excluded by AGOA. The concern was that South Africa could lose some of its AGOA benefits due to repeated missed deadlines.
The Chairperson noted that this Committee had successfully requested to delay its BRRR until it can interact with Minister Rob Davies. The Committee was permitted to continue its important legislative work.
She drew Members attention to the formal B version of the Bill [B18A-2015] and the Amendments Agreed To in the Bill [B18A-2015]. She noted that there are still a few minor grammatical errors in the Bill.
Adv Johan Strydom, DTI Legal Advisor, pointed to a typo in Clause 13 with a misspelling of 'expedient' and said that the DTI is aware of this and other typos and will fix them as well as possibly adding amendments from today's meeting.
The Chairperson began to check that the amendments in B18A-2015 appear accurately in B18A-2015.
Amendments to Clauses 1 to 5
The Committee heard no protests against amendments to these clauses.
Amendments to Clause 6
The Chairperson noted that Clause 6 on the 'Right of Establishment' has been rejected. The new Clause 6 is entitled 'Fair Administrative Treatment' and ensures both that investors will not be subjected to arbitrary or unreasonable government action and that investors will have the right to have disputes settled in courts or, where appropriate, independent tribunals.
Adv Strydom noted that the language in new Clause 6 is almost exactly as is found in Section 34 of the Constitution. Government cannot have inconsistency within a Bill; this clause may conflict with Clause 13 on Disputes. In Clause 13, investors are restricted to pursue independent tribunals 'within the Republic'. Such language does not appear in Clause 6. Clause 6 should not be misconstrued to grant extra-territorial rights; the Constitution cannot apply outside the Republic. However, some might argue that Clause 6 grants investors the right to pursue tribunals outside the Republic; this was never the intention of the Bill. He proposed that Clause 6 include the phrase 'subject to 13(4) of this legislation'.
The Chairperson called for comment from Members.
Mr G Hill-Lewis (DA) said that the DA is hesitant to include that because the DA supports investors having the right to go to an international body for dispute settlement.
Mr Kolako (ANC) said that the ANC supports Adv Strydom's amendment.
The Chairperson said that this matter would come up again later.
Ms Xolelwa Mlumbi-Peter, DTI Acting Deputy Director General: International Trade and Economic Development Division, notd that the original Clause 6 was not rejected, but rather amended and had become new Clause 7.
The Chairperson asked for the State Law Advisor's opinion on this.
Adv Allan Small, State Law Advisor, held that the rejection of old Clause 6 was rejected and the introduction of new Clause 7 is consistent with common practice.
Adv Strydom argued that the old Clause 6 dealt with an entirely different matter and thus, technically, has been rejected, though rejected is a harsh word.
The Chairperson said that it may be useful for future to standardise this sort of language. She agreed that the term 'rejected' is quite strong and suggested the word 'substituted'.
Ms Phumelele Ngema, State Law Advisor, agreed with her colleagues that the old Clause 6 was rejected to allow for the new Clause 6. This process is the most smooth procedurally. This process allows the rest of the consequential amendments to flow smoothly from the edit.
The Chairperson stated that the old Clause 6 has been rejected.
Amendments to Clause 7 to 16
The Committee accepted the amendments to the new Clause 7 of the Bill on 'Establishment'. The Chairperson noted that the numbering due to the insertion of the new Clause has been affected for the rest of the Bill. The Chairperson noted that the 'expendient' typo in Clause 14 has already been discussed.
The Committee accepted the amendments to Clauses 8 to 16.
Long Title, Commencement, Preamble and Arrangement
Mr Hill-Lewis noted that an instance of the word 'investment' in the Long Title of the Bill, should be plural.
Ms Mlumbi-Peter approved this minor amendment.
The Committee approved the Preamble of the Bill.
The Committee initially heard no protest that the Arrangement of Sections would be as follows:
Interpretation of Act
Purpose of Act
Application of Act
Fair administrative treatment
National treatment
Physical security of property
Legal protection of investment
Right to regulate
Transitional Arrangements
Short title and commencement
The Chairperson said that the Committee has gone through the amendments and made a few very minor changes.
Clause 11 - further discussion
Mr B Mkongi (ANC) brought up the necessity of consistency. He noted that in Clause 11, 'transfer of funds' was changed to 'repatriation of funds' yet Clause 11 remains entitled 'Transfer of Funds'.
The Chairperson called for comment from the DTI.
Adv Strydom said that the DTI may want to consider this from a policy point of view, but that the member has correctly pointed out that this inconsistency of terms is confusing. He pointed out that repatriation and transfer are virtually synonymous.
Ms Mlumbi-Peter agreed that the DTI is flexible about the two terms because the two terms mean the same thing here.
The Chairperson said that, in her own view, the two terms are different: transfer is far more general and overarching whereas repatriation is a very specific term. She asked for the legal advisors to check on this.
The Chairperson called for further comment on transfer versus repatriation from the DTI.
Mr Lionel October, DTI Director General, said that it was all right and consistent within the Bill for the title of Clause 11 to be general and the language within the clause to be more specific. He agreed with the Chairperson's point that repatriation is a more specific concept.
The Chairperson moved to share Mr Alberts' written comments which stated that the Freedom Front Plus would not support the Bill without the FF+ submission on protection for South African investors abroad. Mr Alberts requested that the legal advice on case law regarding diplomacy be submitted in writing.
Voting on Bill
The Chairperson moved to consider the Bill clause by clause. She noted that the Committee is not voting, but rather looking for motions of desirability.
Mr Hill-Lewis asked whether the call for motion of desirability should not come after the clause by clause approval of the Bill; he recalled that that has been the process in the past.
The Chairperson agreed and moved to go through the Bill first. The Chairperson proceeded to read the B18B-2015.
Mr Hill-Lewis said that the Committee moved previously to re-title the Bill 'Protection of Investment Bill'. He asked the DTI to point him to the portions of the Bill that actually protect investment.
The Chairperson noted that the DA stance about the lack of protection. She called for a response from the Director General.
Mr October said that Clauses 8 through 11 all give significant protection. National treatment guarantees that there will not be discrimination against foreign investors. Protection of physical security will prevent infringement of an investor's property. As for legal protection, there is constitutional protection through Clause 10 that is world class. Through Clause 11, investors can move their funds freely. The Title is appropriate.
Mr Hill-Lewis rephrased his question to ask this: what protections does this Bill provide that is not already available to investors under general South African law? All of Mr October's examples do not answer this question.
Mr October said that this Bill aims to codify in one piece of legislation, protections for 180 countries in order to replace the system of hundreds of Bilateral Investment Treaties. Investors already invest here significantly and already have protection, this Bill merely aims to codify and make easily accessible the protections for investors. No law can ever give greater protection than the Constitution.
The Chairperson said that this matter would not be further discussed.
Title of the Bill
Mr Hill-Lewis submitted an amendment to the Bill. He moved to change the Title of the Bill to the 'Regulation of Investment Bill'. Mr Macpherson seconded.
Mr Kolako objected to this amendment. Mr A Williams (ANC) seconded this objection.
Mr Hill-Lewis asked for a vote on the amendment. The Chairperson conducted the vote and the amendment was not accepted. The DA and IFP supported the amendment and the ANC opposed it.
Preamble and Long Title
Mr Hill-Lewis moved to change the Long Title by deleting the first clause up to the first semi-colon and replace that clause with 'to provide for the regulation of investment'.
The Chairperson called for a vote and the amendment was not accepted. The DA and IFP supported the amendment and the ANC opposed it.
Arrangement of Sections
Mr Kolako moved to accept the Arrangement of Sections. Mr B Mkongi (ANC) seconded.
Adoption of the Definitions
Mr NC Koornhof (ANC) moved to accept the Definitions. Mr Williams seconded.
Adoption of Clause 2
Mr Williams moved to accept Clause Two. Mr Mkongi seconded.
Mr Williams moved to accept Clause Three. Mr Koornhof seconded.
Mr Mkongi moved to accept Clause 4. Mr Kolako seconded.
Mr Hill-Lewis moved to amend Clause 4 (a). He still felt that the Bill provides no further protection to investors. He proposed the deletion of 4 (a) entirely.
The Chairperson hoped that Mr Hill-Lewis is not calling the Bill unconstitutional.
Mr Hill-Lewis said that he is not, but rather arguing that the Bill provides no further protection than the Constitution and furthermore does not clarify issues of interpretation from the Constitution.
Mr Macpherson seconded Mr Hill-Lewis's amendment.
Mr Kolako objected to this amendment and found the DTI's explanation sufficient.
The Chairperson put the amendment to a vote. The amendment was not passed. The DA and IFP supported the amendment and the ANC opposed it.
The Committee approved the clause.
Mr Koornhof asked whether a reference to Clause 13(4) is now included in Clause 6. The Chairperson said that it is.
Mr Williams moved to accept Clause 6. Mr Mkongi seconded.
Mr Hill-Lewis raised a point of procedure. He recalled that the clause by clause reading included the reading of each clause verbatim. Why is this not being done now? Has there been a rule change?
The Chairperson said that the Committee went through the amendments verbatim in the same way that the Committee did the IP Act and the Companies Act. The Committee is now working from the B18B-2015 version of this Bill.
Mr Macpherson moved for the deletion of 7(2). Mr Hill-Lewis seconded.
Mr Williams objected. Mr Mkongi seconded the objection.
The Chairperson called for a vote. The amendment was not passed. The DA and IFP supported the amendment and the ANC opposed it.
The Chairperson noted that there had been much discussion on the 'physical security of property' and thus she read the Clause out loud.
Adoption of Clause Ten
The Chairperson also read Clause Ten aloud.
Mr Kolako moved to accept Clause Ten. Mr Williams seconded.
Mr Hill-Lewis objected. Mr Macpherson seconded.
Mr Hill-Lewis moved to make an amendment. He noted that the Committee rejected a previous version of this amendment a week ago and thus he has edited it slightly.
The Chairperson asked to have this amendment in writing due to its length. She said that perhaps the amendment could be put on the screen. She moved to return to this clause.
Adoption of Clause 11
The Chairperson read Clause 11 aloud.
Adoption of Clause Twelve
The Chairperson noted that Dispute Resolution has been one of the most contentious clauses throughout the process, and even today. She read Clause 13 aloud.
Mr Hill-Lewis moved to amend Clause 13(5). He moved to delete the word 'may' and replace it with the word 'will' in the first line. He moved to delete all of line 57 and replace it with the word 'investor'. Mr Macpherson seconded.
The Chairperson called for a vote. The amendment did not pass. The DA and IFP supported the amendment and the ANC opposed it.
Mr Macpherson moved to make two amendments. He first moved to amend 13(2)(a) by deleting the word 'may' from line 26 and replacing it with 'will'. Mr Hill-Lewis seconded.
Mr Williams objected. Mr Kolako seconded the objection.
The Chairperson called for a vote. The first amendment did not pass. The DA and IFP supported the amendment and the ANC opposed it.
Mr Macpherson's second amendment was to 13(2)(c) on line 31 to replace the word 'may' with 'will'. Mr Hill-Lewis seconded.
Mr Hill-Lewis asked whether the reference in Clause 13(5) to 'section 6' should not read 'clause 6'.
Adv Strydom said that, in the Bill, one should use 'clauses', but in Acts one should use 'sections'.
The Chairperson called for a vote on Mr Macpherson's second amendment. The amendment did not pass. The DA and IFP supported the amendment and the ANC opposed it.
Mr Williams moved to accept Clause 13. Mr Mkongi seconded.
Mr Hill-Lewis objected. Mr Macpherson seconded the objection.
The Chairperson said that a vote should take place. Clause 13 passed. The DA and IFP opposed and the ANC supported.
Mr Kolako moved to accept Clause 14. Mr Williams seconded.
Mr Hill-Lewis moved to make an amendment. The DA feels that 14(b) gives the Minister powers that are far too broad. He moved to delete 14(b). Mr Macpherson seconded.
Mr Mkongi moved to accept Clause 14. Mr Williams seconded.
Mr Macpherson objected. Mr J Esterhuizen (IFP) seconded the objection.
The Chairperson called for a vote. Clause 14 (a) and (b) passed. The DA and the IFP opposed and the ANC supported.
Mr Hill-Lewis asked a question about Clause 15(2): what protections that are included in this Act but that are not included in general South African law will the investments mentioned in this clause be subject to?
Ms Mlumbi-Peter replied that the Constitution and general South African law provides protection before the Bill comes into force. Once this Bill comes into force, this Bill will govern investment.
Mr Hill-Lewis asked the DTI to confirm that there is absolutely no difference between general South African law and this Bill.
Ms Mlumbi-Peter confirmed this. This Bill codifies the protections and makes these protections clear for investors.
Mr October said that the bar for investor protection is already very high due to the excellent Constitution. No law can exceed the Constitution.
Mr Williams moved to accept Clause 15. Mr Kolako seconded.
The Chairperson called for a vote. Clause 15 passed. The DA and IFP opposed and the ANC supported.
The Chairperson returned to Clause 10.
Mr Hill-Lewis said that there are many questions about the law around Section 25 of the Constitution that cause investor doubt. One such question is the distinction between deprivation and expropriation. The Expropriation Bill does not deal with this. The Agri-SA Constitutional Court Case calls for the codification in law of the meaning of deprivation. Section 25 is not sufficient. This is not meant to undermine the Constitution, but we must codify exactly what the Constitution means. Investors want to know that they will not be deprived of their investment. He then read his amendment:
"- The Government shall not impair by unreasonable, arbitrary, or unfair measures the management, maintenance, use, enjoyment, or disposal of lawful investments made by foreign investors in the Republic.
Investors have the right to property in terms of Section 25 of the Constitution.
- The Government will accord to investments and investors protection that is in accordance with customary international law.
- Investors shall not be arbitrarily or unreasonably deprived of all or part of their investments, either directly or indirectly, or be subjected to any measure which has the same substantial effect as deprivation.
- Sub-Section Three includes but is not limited to instances where possession does not pass to the Government of expropriating authority.
- The compensation envisioned in Section 25 shall be paid without delay and in a readily convertible currency."
Mr Hill-Lewis said that he watched last week's meeting and heard people agree that everything in this clause can be found elsewhere in South African law. Much like the rest of the Bill, these laws should be codified here for clarity.
The Chairperson said that the Committee does now have this amendment in writing. As Mr Hill-Lewis indicated, there are a few slight changes from the previously rejected amendment.
Mr Hill-Lewis moved to table this amendment as it appears in front of the Chairperson. Mr Macpherson seconded.
Mr Mkongi objected to this amendment. Mr Williams seconded the objected.
Mr Hill-Lewis asked for the objections to be explained.
The Chairperson said that the objections have been previously explained. Mr Hill-Lewis is welcome to take this amendment to the National Assembly.
Mr Hill-Lewis said that that is not correct; he cannot raise amendments after the Bill leaves this Committee. He demanded to know from the DTI why his points about the Constitutional Court are not valid.
Mr October said that separation of powers is very important. This Bill is subordinate to the Constitution. This Bill gives absolute legal certainty. Legislation cannot tamper with the Constitution; this will only lead to more judicial disputes.
Mr Hill-Lewis said that there is not absolute certainty in law on deprivation.
The Chairperson said that the Expropriations Bill is not yet done and it would be premature to comment on whether or not it deals with deprivation.
Mr B Mashile (ANC) said that Mr Hill-Lewis's demand that the DTI explain why they oppose an amendment was incorrect and inappropriate. The Executive can only advise Parliament.
The Chairperson said that this matter has been explored in the past extensively and has been exhausted. She moved to vote on Clause 10.
Mr Hill-Lewis asked that his specific question be answered.
The Chairperson said that his position is only an opinion. This decision falls with the legislature.
Mr Hill-Lewis again asked where the absolute legal certainty that the DG referenced is.
Mr Hill-Lewis raised a point of order. The Chairperson rejected this. She held that the Committee was in the middle of the vote, though the DA claimed that the vote had not started. The Chairperson called for the Hansard to clear up this issue.
The Chairperson called for a vote on the amendment proposed by Mr Hill-Lewis. The amendment did not pass. The DA and IFP supported the amendment and the ANC opposed it.
Mr Hill-Lewis asked now for an answer to his question.
The Chairperson said that first the Committee must vote on Clause 10 which she read aloud.
Mr Kolako moved to adopt Clause 10. Mr Williams seconded.
Mr Macpherson objected. Mr Hill-Lewis seconded the objection.
The Chairperson called for a vote on Clause 10. The Clause passed. The DA and the IFP opposed and the ANC supported.
The Chairperson noted that the Committee has now finished the Bill.
Further Discussion on the Bill
Mr Hill-Lewis asked again for an answer to his question. The Chairperson did not recognise him. Mr Hill-Lewis suggested that it might take less time to just allow the DG to answer.
The Chairperson noted that there would be time for a debate in the House. There will not be debate now. She called for an answer from the DG.
Mr October replied that the legal advisor's submission definitively said absolutely explicitly that this Bill cannot deal with anything to do with expropriation because the Expropriation Bill will deal with these matters. Furthermore, we have absolute legal certainty from the Constitution and the state law advisors who say that this piece of legislation is consistent with the Constitution. There will always be differences in judicial opinion, but these matters are resolved in court and through legal precedent.
Mr Hill-Lewis thanked the DG for the reply. He found the statement that the legislature is not responsible for legal statement incredible.
The Chairperson said that there are always a number of legal opinions on the law.
Mr Mkongi found it strange that the DA finds pleasure in bullying government officials. He hoped that the Chairperson would be able to stop this bullying. The matter has been debated and defeated and now they are angry. Mr Motshelele has raised this matter, saying that it is unparliamentary to demand this from government officials. These matters must be contested in the Expropriation Bill.
The Chairperson reprimanded Mr Hill-Lewis for interrupting Mr Mkongi.
Mr J Esterhuizen (IFP) felt that Committees must consider the impact of their bills and that it was very "brave" of the DG to claim that this Committee cannot deal with this very applicable issue in the Bill.
The Chairperson said that legal opinion held previously that this matter can only be considered with regards to the Expropriation Bill.
Motion of Desirability for the Bill
The Chairperson moved on to a motion of desirability.
Mr Williams moved to make a motion of desirability. Mr Kolako seconded.
Mr Hill-Lewis proposed an amendment to the motion of desirability. His amendment was to move to hold this Bill in Committee in abeyance until the House adopts the Expropriation Bill.
The Chairperson noted that this amendment was simply an objection to the motion. The DA will be able to put on record a minority opinion.
Mr Hill-Lewis said that his amendment would be to include a new paragraph in the motion reading that 'the Bill be held in abeyance by this Committee until such time as the second reading of the Expropriation Bill has been concluded by the House'. Mr Macpherson seconded this amendment.
The Chairperson called for a vote on the amendment. The amendment did not pass. The DA and IFP supported the amendment and the ANC opposed it.
The Chairperson returned to the original motion of desirability. She noted that it has already been seconded and thus called for a vote. The motion passed. The DA and the IFP opposed and the ANC supported it.
Adoption of the Formal Report on the Bill
The Chairperson read out the report on the Protection of Investment Bill 18B-2015, 3rd November 2015.
"The Committee, having considered the subject of the Promotion and Protection of Investment Bill, classified by the Joint Tagging Mechanism (JTM) as a Section 75 Bill, reports the Bill with Amendments 18A-2015."
She called for someone to move adoption of the report.
Mr Kolako moved to adopt the report. Mr Mkongi seconded.
The Chairperson called for a vote. The report passed. The DA and the IFP opposed and the ANC supported.
Minority Views
The Chairperson said that, in addition to the majority report, any minority member can submit a minority view.
Mr Hill-Lewis said that, firstly, the Bill does not provide any additional protection to investors beyond that which is already provided in general South African law and under the Constitution. Therefore the need or justification for the Bill is questionable.
Secondly, the Bill failed to take account of the views of the very people it was designed to attract: the global investment community. We heard in this Committee several times how the vast majority of investors in South Africa, in fact over 85% of foreign investors in the country, said that the Bill was inadequate. In fact, one huge grouping of investors singularly responsible for over R200 billion in foreign investment said that the Bill, if passed, would be another 'nail in the coffin' of the South African economy. The Bill failed spectacularly to address the concerns of the very constituency it was aimed at, negating the purpose of the Bill again.
Third, the Bill is in contradiction of South Africa's international obligations under the Southern Africa Development Community Finance and Investment Protocol (SADC FIP). The Committee has received an assurance that the FIP is being amended, but the SADC FIP will take at least two years to amend and in the interim, at the admission of the Department, South Africa will be in violation of international agreements.
Fourth, the Bill is hypocritical because it fails to provide for the protection which we offer to some countries who we deem fit to sign Bilateral Investment Treaties with, for example China. China has a BIT with South Africa that provides for far greater protection than this Bill provides to other investors. There is no adequate explanation for why that is the case; if we can provide it to the world's biggest economy and biggest country, and yet cannot provide it to everyone else, the justification of the Bill is again called into question. The second point on hypocrisy is that, despite requests, the views from the Indian and Chinese Chambers of Commerce on the Bill were not sought.
Lastly, the DA wants a firm, strong indication from South Africa to the rest of the investment world that we welcome their investment, that we are open for business, that we want their factories, their money, here in our country. We are absolutely committed to an investment bill that would achieve that. As Mr De Gama said many times during deliberations, what is necessary is an 'optical effect' or a visual statement to the rest of the world that South Africa welcomes their investment and that their investments are safe in our country. With respect, this Bill fails dismally to achieve that standard. It does not provide the optical effect that we need, it does not send a message to the rest of the world that South Africa is open for business, quite the opposite. It puts a big neon sign on the front of South Africa saying 'closed for business'.
The Chairperson asked for that to be submitted for writing. She called for other minority views.
Mr Esterhuizen (IFP) said that, when this Bill is considered with other legislation, a negative message is sent to foreign investors. The word 'protection' is inappropriate here; BITs provided greater protection. Government policy tends to retard economic growth and we must be careful to consider the consequences of policy.
The Chairperson asked for this also to be submitted in writing. These views will be in the Committee Report. The Committee notes the minority comments expressed by the DA and the IFP. The Report has been passed by the Committee and will be sent to the House for consideration.
Committee Business
The Chairperson announced that Minister Rob Davies can only be here for ten more minutes due to another engagement and cannot come tomorrow. The Manager from the Centurion Aerospace Village (CAV) is also here. The Minister can comment on both CAV and the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA).
Mr Macpherson noted that last week Mr Hill-Lewis pointed out that today's agenda would be more lengthy than the time the programme gives. Seven minutes is not sufficient time to deal with AGOA. He wanted to register his strongest objections to this. The DA is prepared to wait for the Minister to return at a later date.
The Chairperson said that the Committee accommodated Mr Hill-Lewis's absence last week by allowing to speak at length on his submission today. It is unfortunate that the Minister has another scheduled engagement but we can hear him.
Minister Rob Davies said he is not responding to one party's demand but rather a request from the Committee. He is able to stay until 14:00 instead of 13:00.
Mr Macpherson proposed that the agenda be amended as proposed by the Minister. Mr Koornhof seconded.
Mr Motshelele said that the practice of inviting officials and then saying right to their faces that we are not prepared to listen to them is incorrect. Officials are here to present hard facts and cannot defend themselves. We must watch our manners.
The Chairperson said that these comments have been noted; unfortunately, some comments cannot be shut down. There is a need in the future to not put officials in the position in which they were put today.
Centurion Aerospace Village update
Minister of Trade and Industry, Rob Davies, addressed allegations that the DTI had been presented with R95 million for the Centurion Aerospace Village (CAV) and that there is nothing to show for it except a bit of turned-over earth; in fact, a building has been built. That being said, the CAV has had some serious governance issues that resulted in the firing of the previous CEO and the referral of matters to the police. There has also been a change in the CAV Board. The investigation is ongoing; the DTI will take advice from the audit committee on whether the findings against the members of the previous Board were acts of commission or omission and what the appropriate action should be. He wanted to show the Committee today that the project is back on track after these unfortunate episodes that none of us are happy about.
In 2012, the MTEF bid for funds for the building was looked at by Treasury, who found some irregularities and referred them to the DTI. The DTI referred these findings to an internal audit. The internal audit them made a number of findings and recommended, amongst other things, a forensic investigation. While that forensic investigation was underway, a DTI employee who was the Acting CEO resigned whilst disciplinary action against him was being contemplated. The DTI referred the findings from the forensic report to the police. In 2014, the DTI appointed a team to resolve the identified issues from the finalised forensic report and this team has been implementing the recommendations from that report.
As for redacted and unredacted versions, one has to respect the rights of people who have been accused of wrongdoing but not found guilty. When we redact a report, we take out people's names and things that reference the said person; that is all that comes out. The new CEO took office on 1 August and inherited a host of problems, including the existing building and its authorisation with the municipality of Tshwane.
The idea that there is a nest of corruption is absolutely untrue. The DTI has acted to root out these serious problems. It is also untrue that money has been spent wastefully. There are things of value in the CAV as you are about to see in the presentation. Though it has not been perfect and we are not happy about that, the CAV is an important project and we are working to fix it.
Mr Lance Schultz, CEO of CAV, thanked the Minister for clearing up those legacy issues. CAV intended to establish a facility to help defense and aerospace cooperate at one location. The DTI as lead on the project helped establish the business case. The forensic audit led to the creation of a turnaround plan for CAV and included key elements surrounding:
- Objectives to mitigate all audit findings
- Products and services
- An estimate of market potential and competition assessment
- Board composition and experienced management
- Acquisition of products and services
- Projected financial results
- Capitalisation
- Investor framework.
This plan all goes to support the five-point repositioning of CAV:
- Strategic alignment with the Aerospace Sector Development Plan
- Robust policy framework in line with applicable legislation
- Meeting all legal, zoning, and permit processes
- Achieving the requisite institutional arrangements, board composition and investment
- Strong focus on Human Capital development
The desired end state of the CAV is two-fold:
- To stimulate economic development in the sectors by creating a space that businesses will prefer
- To develop a sustainable sub-tier supplier base.
The CAV has three strategic goals:
- Maintain an integrated developmental model for the aerospace and defence cluster in CAV
- Ensure effective implementation of the Sector Development Plan with the CAV development
- Ensure excellence in business and resource management of the CAV so that the CAV never ever has an audit problem again.
Mr Schultz explained that the CAV is answerable to the DTI as well as its Board of Directors.
Mr P Atkinson (DA) thanked the DTI for the presentation and said that he became aware of this issue during an oversight visit through the Department for Economic Development in February 2015. We attended an adjacent property and the CAV came up. After that visit, I put through a parliamentary question to ask about the progress. In the response, I was told that the CAV is a fully operational project and that the CAV has two tenants. This reply did not align at all with what I saw; I saw a piece of land that looked like a game reserve. The DA is concerned because, in presentations to both the Economic Development Committee and this Committee, the CAV has been indicated as one of the job creation success stories of the DTI. Job creation is incredibly important. To find that the CAV is a paper tiger with nothing behind it would hurt the DTI's credibility drastically. This presentation includes references to job creation from 2017 onwards but there is nothing over the past few years. How can anyone call the CAV a job creation success?
The DA has also asked questions about the spending on this project. According to this unredacted report, R125 million has been allocated to the CAV. We are aware that about R20 million has been spent on the building. However, another R95 million was spent on various items such as bulk earthworks and other inputs. He accepted that no one stole this money, however, there were major issues with the tender and management of money; this is undoubtedly why the DTI fired the previous Board.
His grave concern is that we have been promising the people of Tshwane great things since 2008; as yet, nothing has happened. When people ask about the progress in Parliament, they are told that the CAV is a fully operational project. In response to DA comments in September 2015, the DTI claimed that the DA was telling lies and the CAV is a fully operational project with tenants. In fact, the CAV is not truly 'fully' operational and has no tenants. The DTI had no certificate of occupation for the land because there are no bulk earth works there. It appears that members were lied to during previous parliamentary questions, which he finds to be a huge issue.
He wrote to the Minister back in September requesting to be taken to the site; he is not sure whether the Minister got it because he has not received a response. In fact, he would like to know whether the Minister has ever been to the site himself. This matter has become controversial. This Committee should do an oversight visit to the site and monitor progress through annual oversight visits. For the people of South Africa, the creation of jobs is the most important issue that faces us. Job creation is a matter of survival of this country. The CAV is a great idea but we need to see it happen and we do not need to be lied to and told of things that are likely to happen but never do.
The Chairperson asked who lied to Mr Atkinson.
Mr Atkinson said that, during parliamentary questions, we put forward a question about the existence of the CAV and the Ministry response was that the CAV has two tenants. This is a legal impossibility because there is no occupation certificate for the site. You cannot have tenants without occupants. So, untruths have been put out and misrepresentations have been made.
Mr Schultz confirmed that the building is called ITC-2 and it does exist; his office is there. With regards to the two tenants, the primary tenant is Aerosud, although there is not a lease agreement in place and only a verbal agreement, until everything is regularised with the occupation certificate. The Chairperson of Aerosud recently purchased Ahrlac. CAV officials learned of this before even DTI officials, much less the public did. Ahrlac is also now occupying ITC-2; though the difference betwwen Ahrlac and Aerosud is semantic, there are two entities in the building. The intention of the building is to create an environment for SMMEs, incubation, and skills development to take place. Through the partnership with Ahrlac, purchased equipment has created jobs; a skills report shows this. The building cost R22 million and was effectively spent. A draft lease agreement has been prepared with Tshwane and should be done by December. With regards to the R94 million figure, this was a misrepresentation by media. Part of that money, over R60 million, is still in the bank account. Once further approval from Tshwane has been secured, more bulk earthworks will be done and a gatehouse and fencing built. The facility is out of view from outside the gate where the Member was; we would welcome an oversight visit to show you the building. As for job creation, the market changes frequently so we update our projections every three years. We originally estimated 2 800 jobs, but we are busy updating those projections and it would be unwise to speculate on the outcome of that research here. However, we expect to get to that figure within three to five years due to the market's appetite.
Minister Davies spoke to the claim that the CAV site was a piece of undeveloped dirt. After Treasury investigated the CAV, they stopped the construction process. The money is not lost; it just has not been spent because Treasury did not authorise it to be spent due to the issues. He has been there on a number of occasions and he has been inside the building. There is a picture of the building in the presentation on page 20. Aerosud is the tenant. Despite the status of the lease agreement, Aerosud is in the building doing research. Ahrlac is also there. No one has claimed that this project is running wonderfully and is creating jobs. Though the operation is not where it should be, there is an operation.
Mr October addressed the legal opinion about tenants and occupants. There are two occupants in the building. Are they tenants? Legally, they are tenants because they are fully occupying the building and are using it every day. The city of Tshwane is busy regularising the compliance certificate for the building, but the two companies, Aerosud and Ahrlac, occupy the building and use it every day. This is not a lie. Tenancy arrangements are being finalised.
Mr Esterhuizen said that, in the media, he has read that this building is unoccupied. He was not accusing the DTI of lying, however. The chaos of this project is due to the lack of responsibility or understanding of, perhaps, the Minister himself or of the Department and the CAV Board. Treasury has cited CAV as a major threat to SA's fiscal future. We require DTI to enforce the law, but we also need clear political will to defend taxpayers from wasteful expenditure. The DTI should not hide behind the law.
The Chairperson said that this matter can be further pursued later in November. Due to time constraints, she moved to consider AGOA. However, she allowed further discussion on CAV.
Minister Davies agreed that the image out in the public was that the building was unoccupied. The DTI needs to correct that, because that is not the case. The lease agreement is a different story, and it is the fault of the previous Board that this is an issue. People are using the building for aerospace work. Let me be clear: there is no talk of bailouts or guarantees and none of us are happy with what has happened at CAV. When these issues became known, we acted and have been transparent. The unredacted report contains the names of people who are possibly innocent and have a right not to be defamed. Nothing embarrassing to the DTI has been cut out.
The Chairperson noted that the Minister would be back on 17 November.
Minister Davies said that any further discussion on 17 November would take time away from information about the WTO Mandate.
The Chairperson urged Mr Macpherson to allow the Committee to discuss AGOA and she reminded him that the matter is incomplete.
Mr Macpherson said that today's presentation has muddied the waters and been nothing more than deflection. He tabled Mr Atkinson's letter to the Minister and the redacted report for this Committee. He had a copy of both for every member to compare with today's remarks. He confirmed that he previously requested the redacted report. He also requested in that letter that the Department address the Committee and table the unredacted report, which it did not do. To be clear, in his letter he did not request DTI table the redacted report. Mr Atkinson attained the redacted report through a PAIA application to the Department.
Minister Davies promised the Committee that it would not find any smoking guns in these reports and that the Committee can pursue these matters further at the cost of more important matters. The DTI is dealing with this corruption and is not complicit in it. He attended this Committee at the request of the entire Committee, not a single member.
The Chairperson said that the Committee has clearly held that the DTI acted on these matters speedily. A number of these matters are still under investigation.
Mr Hill-Lewis asked whether the picture on page 20 of the presentation was an artist's impression.
Mr Schultz said that it is an artist's impression though it is not intended to mislead.
The Chairperson called on the Minister to share the latest developments on AGOA.
African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA): update
Minister Davies said that the US Congress had approved the renewal of AGOA. South Africa will be subject to an out-of-cycle review. We have not removed the anti-dumping duty to protect local poultry industries. We have instead instituted a quota. The quota was agreed to in Paris in June and was set at 65 000 tonnes with a growth factor. South Africa is committed to the implementation of that.
One important matter is the sanitary/phyto-sanitary (SPS) issue around poultry as well as beef and pork. These issues have been discussed between the veterinary authorities (vets) of South Africa and the USA. President Obama called for strong institutions and not strong men in Africa. Our institutions must ensure that meat entering South Africa is not harmful. It is not within the DTI's power to control the vets. It has been indicated to us at an AGOA meeting in Gabon recently and in a letter from the US Trade Representative Michael Froman that the issues at stake are fundamentally about these three meats. As for poultry, twenty US states have had issues with avian flu. They no longer have it. After 90 days, areas can be declared avian flu free, but there are suspicions of further outbreaks. There needs to be procedures in place to prevent poultry coming from places with avian flu. The vets sent their understanding of the conclusion of the process to the US last week and asked if the US agreed. If the US does not agree that these matter are concluded, we will negotiate further on one or two minor matters, because the substance of that agreement has been concluded. The same is true for pork and beef. The issue with pork has been shoulder cuts because the lymph gland is in the shoulder.
As for market authorisation and the quota, the International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) has had a meeting to start the process of implementing the various regulatory processes around the quota. We believe that South Africa has done what it needs to do and is committed to implementing the agreements reached in Paris. Based on all indications, we have assured South Africa's continued participation in AGOA.
Mr Hill-Lewis appreciated the assurances but a sentiment still exists on the US side that the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) has not provided prompt replies and has been unreasonable. The undertone is that DAFF is trying to delay market access as long as possible with the potential result that South Africa could be excluded by AGOA. Please assure us that this is not the case.
Mr Macpherson brought up the Private Securities Amendment Bill. The US sees Section 20 of that Bill as problematic.
Minister Davies replied that the vets are an autonomous body that does not answer to government. It has taken longer than necessary and has been frustrating. Government is committed to finding a solution and is not playing poker. It would be inappropriate for him to presume to be an expert on issues like avian flu; that must be left up to the vets. He said he would not go into the Private Securities Amendment Bill; the main issue is the three types of meat and Private Securities Amendment Bill has not come up.
Ms Elaine Alexander, DDG of Economic Development, Trade and Marketing for the Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries(DAFF), said that the vets have dealt with the US as a priority despite having many other responsibilities. There is no intention to stop access. On pork, South Africa would like to import more. We must ensure buyer security for our own industries. We have not put higher requirements on the US. We base everything on risk and avian flu has a very high risk.
Minister Davies said that the Chief of South African vets at DAFF is president of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and that SA has SPS restrictions on white meat exports from SA to the US. We remain committed to discussing those issues in the future.
Mr Esterhuizen said that he sympathises with the Minister. The poultry industry has very little to do with AGOA and has been used as a bargaining chip. The Minister must protect the local industry. It has been a long time since the industry won that court case back in 1999. The US has been wanting to dump poultry here and that court case stopped this practice. If the US poultry market cannot reach an agreement in these negotiations, the local economy will be harmed.
Mr Hill-Lewis said that there seems to be a disjuncture between what one hears in this Committee and what the media reports as comments from the US. Nonetheless, he accepted the submission from DAFF and he urged DAFF to pursue this matter with urgency to conclude this before the end of the year. This matter should have never gotten this close to the deadline. It is clear that if the Private Securities Amendment Bill is passed, South Africa will be immediately excluded from AGOA. They are raising this point because they are batting for South Africa.
Minister Davies said that Mr Esterhuizen is correct in that we are talking about consumption patterns in the developed world where they eat white meat and have a big surplus of brown meat. There has been an anti-dumping measure since 2002. We were asked to remove this measure and we did not. The government has not been playing brinkmanship. Government's role is to facilitate negotiations. We believe that these negotiations are done; we are waiting to hear from the US.
The Chairperson hoped that the Minister would continue to keep the Committee abreast on AGOA.
The meeting was adjourned.
Update on the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA)
Centurion Aerospace Village Presentation
Promotion and Protection of Investment Bill [B18A-2015]
Promotion and Protection of Investment Bill [B18B-2015]
B18-2015 - Promotion and Protection of Investment Bill
Fubbs, Ms JL Chairperson
Esterhuizen, Mr JA
Hill-Lewis, Mr GG
Kalako, Mr MU
Koornhof, Mr NC
Macpherson, Mr DW
Mkongi, Mr B
Williams, Mr AJ


text:
Boston Energy Homeports in Rhode Island
August 30, 2019, by Adnan Durakovic
UK wind turbine maintenance company Boston Energy will make Rhode Island the home of its US operations, the Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo announced.
The Board of the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation has also approved Boston Energy to receive tax credits under the Qualified Jobs Tax Credit program for up to USD 86,625 a year for ten years, with the company committed to keeping the jobs in Rhode Island for at least twelve years.
The actual tax credit amount will be determined by the number and wages of the new jobs created. As with all Qualified Jobs tax credits, credits are only awarded after jobs are created and generating state income tax withholdings. The company has committed to maintaining at least 52 full-time jobs for at least twelve years.
"Rhode Island is vying to be a center of excellence for offshore wind in America. The geographical location and support offered by Governor Raimondo, Commerce Secretary Pryor and their teams has been critical to our decision in locating our US Headquarters in Providence. This will allow Boston Energy Wind Power Services to support the impending offshore wind energy industry right along the North Eastern seaboard," said Mark Parkes, CEO and President of Boston Energy.
Boston Energy will be based at the Cambridge Innovation Center in Providence.
With the addition of Boston Energy to the state, Rhode Island is projected to realize a net increase of USD 2.4 million in personal income, sales, and business corporation taxes resulting from the new hires, as well as an increase of USD 7.7 million in Rhode Island's annual GDP once the new hires are in place, according to third-party economic impact analysis.
"Rhode Island is a leader in offshore wind," said Governor Raimondo. "This development is further proof that we're well-positioned to be the hub for this growing industry as we approach our renewable energy goal. Clean energy jobs are jobs of tomorrow, and I'm thrilled that yet another company in the wind sector supply chain is choosing to make the Ocean State home."
View post tag: Boston Energy
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Tender Manager Offshore – Heavy lift & Decommissioning

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Report on Nyiragongo (DR Congo) — 15 December-21 December 2004
Nyiragongo
15 December-21 December 2004
Managing Editor: Gari Mayberry
Global Volcanism Program, 2004. Report on Nyiragongo (DR Congo). In: Mayberry, G (ed.), Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 15 December-21 December 2004. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey.
Weekly Report (15 December-21 December 2004)
1.52°S, 29.25°E; summit elev. 3470 m
During 29 November to 12 December, volcanic activity at Nyiragongo remained at relatively high levels. Nearly continuous high-amplitude tremor was recorded at all seismic stations on the volcano. Observations of the crater area on 9 and 10 December revealed that the level of the lava lake remained stable in comparison to previous visits and that strong lava fountaining was present. Pele's hair and scoriae fell in the area around the volcano, gas plumes rose above the volcano, and strong incandescence was visible at night. The Alert Level at Nyiragongo remained at Yellow.
Geological Summary. One of Africa's most notable volcanoes, Nyiragongo contained a lava lake in its deep summit crater that was active for half a century before draining catastrophically through its outer flanks in 1977. The steep slopes of a stratovolcano contrast to the low profile of its neighboring shield volcano, Nyamuragira. Benches in the steep-walled, 1.2-km-wide summit crater mark levels of former lava lakes, which have been observed since the late-19th century. Two older stratovolcanoes, Baruta and Shaheru, are partially overlapped by Nyiragongo on the north and south. About 100 parasitic cones are located primarily along radial fissures south of Shaheru, east of the summit, and along a NE-SW zone extending as far as Lake Kivu. Many cones are buried by voluminous lava flows that extend long distances down the flanks, which is characterized by the eruption of foiditic rocks. The extremely fluid 1977 lava flows caused many fatalities, as did lava flows that inundated portions of the major city of Goma in January 2002.
Source: Observatoire Volcanologique de Goma (OVG)


it that I decided to seek training from one of Spain's best wedding planners. My love for flowers and decoration is matched by my organized and meticulous personality. My passion is to create unique events with a sophisticated touch for those who entrust me with the organization of one of the most important events of their lives – their wedding.


text:
Q: Is there a point in overriding while only calling the 'super' implementation? This is a curiousity question about the world of Java programming.
Let's say I have this in my code
public interface IDoSomethingAndSomethingElse {

    int doSomething();

    int doSomethingElse();

}

public abstract class AbstractDoSomethingAndSomethingElse implements IDoSomethingAndSomethingElse{

    public int doSomething() {
        return arcaneAndMysticalProceedings();
    }

    public abstract int doSomethingElse(); //thanks PM77-1
}

public class MyDoSomethingAndSomethingElse extends AbstractDoSomethingAndSomethingElse{

    @Override
    public int doSomething(){
        return super.doSomething();
    }

    public int doSomethingElse(){
        return mystiriousIncantation();
    }

}

My question is this: Is there a point in the concrete implementation to override doSomething() like this? Any use for it? Can you think of a use case for that to be useful?
EDIT: To make my question a bit more precise; Is there situations in which it would make a difference if I had not ovveriden doSomething exactly like I did above (without actually adding anything to it)?

A: No, there's no functional difference.
The only difference I can think of is that without overriding it, the method is not "declared" on that class, only on the superclass. For example:
class A {
    void doSomething() {
    }

    static class B extends A {
        @Override
        void doSomething() {
           super.doSomething();
        }
    }

    static class C extends A {
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        for(Method m : B.class.getDeclaredMethods())
            System.out.println(m.getName());
        for(Method m : C.class.getDeclaredMethods())
            System.out.println(m.getName());
    }
}

In that example, doSomething is only listed for B.class.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Be the author of your own bedtime story! A soft, on-the-go storybook is the perfect gift for the little ones in your life.
Help your favorite kiddos tell the tale of a courageous knight and kindhearted princess in this creative embroidery project. Let your imagination run wild with epic quests and fierce battles -- the storybook characters will come to life before your eyes!
Read the instructions below to learn how to create this soft storybook!
For my storybook, I used the medium size of the Once Upon a Time design and the small sizes of the designs from the Fairy Tale Adventures pack.
I used wool felt for inside the book as craft felt (polyester felt) tends to stick too much to the Velcro of the character pieces and pulls some of the felt away when removed (wool felt stays intact). You can, however, use craft felt for creating the character pieces.
To get started, prepare the fabric for the outer cover. Cut a piece of sturdy cotton fabric to 22 1/2" wide by 14 1/2" high (I used lightweight canvas). Using an air-erase pen or other marking tool, measure and mark 11" on the top and bottom edges of the fabric starting at the top and bottom right corners. Also, measure and mark 11" in along the top and bottom edges staring at the top and bottom left corners.
Draw vertical lines connecting the marks. The area in between the lines is the spine of the book. The area to the right of the lines is the front cover.
Create a paper template of the design using embroidery software. If you haven't used software to make templates before, these handy instructions will show you how.
Position the templates on the fabric how you want them -- I positioned the templates with the designs on top of one another in the center of the shape. Leave at least 1 3/4" in between the outer edges of the designs and the edges of the embroidered area. Poke holes in the center of the templates and mark the fabric. Also, mark the horizontal and vertical axis points.
Remove the templates and draw lines connecting the marks.
Spray a piece of medium weight cutaway stabilizer with temporary adhesive and smooth the fabric on top. Hoop the fabric and stabilizer together (for the first design) by aligning the marks on the hoop with the lines on the fabric.
Attach the hoop to the machine and load the first design. Move the hoop so that the needle is directly over the center point on the fabric. Embroider the design.
When the design has finished, trim away the excess stabilizer on the backside of the embroidery. Embroider the remaining design(s) just as you did for the first.
Add one inch wide decorative trim around the outer edges of the front cover by pinning it in place around the designs and leaving about 3/4" in between the outer edges of the trim and the outer edges of the front cover shape. Stitch the trim in place by sewing along the outer edges all the way around the trim.
Set the embroidered outer cover fabric aside for now. Next, prepare the fabric for the inside of the book. For the "sky" portion of the inside, cut a piece of print cotton fabric to 22 1/2" wide by 14 1/2" high (I used quilter's cotton).
For the "grass" portion, cut a piece of wool felt to 22 1/2" wide by 10" high. I specifically used wool felt for this portion as the character pieces will have Velcro pieces added to the back later on (the Velcro pieces will stick to the felt).
Lay the sky portion flat with the right side facing up. Align the grass portion on top, right side facing up, with the bottom edges of both fabric pieces aligned. Draw a curved line across the top edge of the grass portion to make "rolling hills". Cut along the line - cut through the grass portion layer only.
To create the flower portion, cut a piece of print cotton fabric to 22 1/2" wide by 4 1/2" high (I used quilter's cotton). Align this piece, right side facing up, with the bottom edges of the flower portion aligned with the bottom edge of the grass portion. Draw a curved line across the top edge of this piece also and cut along the line cutting through the flower portion layer only.
Remove the grass and flower portions and add the fusible web to the backside (wrong side) or each piece. Return the pieces back where they were and press in place using an iron (refer to the fusible web packaging instructions). Zigzag stitch along the top edges of each piece after pressing to secure them in place.
To prepare the back pocket, cut two pieces of print cotton fabric to 10" wide by 3" high (for the top pocket piece) and two pieces to 10" wide by 7" high (for the bottom pocket piece). Align the fabric pieces on top of one another (top and bottom pieces respectively), right sides together, pin in place, and sew a 1/2" seam along the short ends and along one long side.
Leave one long side open for turning. Turn the fabric right side out and press the seams. Also, turn the fabric of the opening in 1/2" and press.
Insert the sides of the zipper into the opening of each piece. Pin in place and using a zipper foot on your machine, sew a seam right along the fold of each fabric piece.
Place the pocket on top of the back of the front cover with the right side facing up. Pin in place and sew a 1/4" seam along the entire outer edge of the pocket to attach it to the cover.
Cut two pieces of medium weight stiff interfacing to 10" wide by 13" high. Spray the backside of the interfacing with a bit of temporary adhesive. Lay the inside book section flat with the wrong side facing up. Place the interfacing on top of the inside portion with about 3/4" in between the outer edges of the interfacing and the outer edges of the fabric and smooth it in place.
Prepare the batting by laying the outer cover portion on top of the batting and cutting around the shape of the outer cover.
Now it is time to assemble the book! Lay the batting flat then align the inside section on top, right side facing up. Align the outer cover on top of the inside section, right sides together. Pin in place.
To prepare the ties, cut two 16" lengths of 1/2" wide ribbon. Insert the ribbon in between the outer cover and inside section layers at the middle of each side of the book (the front and the back covers). Allow one end of the ribbon to extend out about 1/2" - pin in place. Sew a 1/2" seam along the outer edges of the book leaving about 9" open along the bottom edge.
Turn the fabric right side out in between the outer cover and the inside section layers, push out the corners, and turn the fabric of the opening in 1/2" to the wrong side and press with an iron. Hand sew the opening closed with needle and thread. Also, sew a seam down the spine of the book by sewing in between the two lines you drew earlier.
To create the character pieces, cut a piece of craft felt a bit larger than your hoop. Hoop the felt with a piece of cutaway stabilizer and embroider the design.
Create a back piece by cutting another piece of felt large enough to cover the backside of the embroidered piece. Add craft glue or fabric glue to the backside of the embroidery and press the back piece on top.
Allow the glue to dry, then cut around the shape of the design using a pinking shears -- leave about 1/2" excess fabric around the shape.
Add a strip of the "hook" side of the self-adhesive Velcro to the backside of the piece. The "hook" side (rough side) of the Velcro will stick to the wool felt on the inside of the book.
Now the character pieces are ready and all set to play! Press them in place on the inside of the book and let imaginations run wild!
After play, the pieces can be stored in the handy pocket at the back of the book.
The on-the-go storybook is the perfect option for long car rides, quiet time, or for creating your own bedtime story.
3.82" x 4.61" | 2.45" x 2.96"
6.48" x 4.72" | 3.85" x 2.93"
3.38" x 4.70" | 2.17" x 3.00"
4.83" x 4.88" | 3.82" x 3.86"
4.81" x 5.65" | 3.31" x 3.89"
4.81" x 5.96" | 3.07" x 3.81"
4.86" x 5.33" | 3.50" x 3.86"
4.47" x 6.85" | 2.51" x 3.86"
4.88" x 5.10" | 3.71" x 3.87"
4.86" x 5.52" | 3.41" x 3.87"
4.81" x 6.87" | 2.69" x 3.86"
4.85" x 6.45" | 2.91" x 3.86"
3.41" x 6.87" | 1.92" x 3.87"
4.85" x 6.06" | 3.09" x 3.84"
6.05" x 4.82" | 3.84" x 3.07"
6.76" x 4.84" | 3.86" x 2.77"
4.84" x 5.98" | 3.10" x 3.85"
4.85" x 5.51" | 3.40" x 3.85"
4.85" x 4.09" | 3.85" x 3.24" | 2.49" x 2.10"
4.85" x 5.23" | 3.59" x 3.88"
2.77" x 2.80" | 2.08" x 2.10"
3.79" x 3.87" | 2.69" x 2.77"


text:
thepumphandle
Study: Public views of drug addiction much more negative than views of mental illness
By kkrisberg on October 14, 2014.
When it comes to substance abuse disorders, public health and the public at-large are hardly on the same page — in fact, they're not even reading the same book. And that's a serious problem for sustaining and strengthening efforts to treat addiction and advancing effective public health policy.
"We already know quite a bit about public attitudes toward mental illness and we were interested in learning more — especially in the context of prescription (painkiller) drug abuse — about what the public thinks about issues related to drug addiction," Colleen Barry, who recently co-authored a study on how the public views drug addiction versus mental illness, told me. "The attitudes of the public can be linked in important ways to broader support for policy action."
In the study, which was recently published in the journal Psychiatric Services, Barry and colleagues surveyed a representative sample of more than 700 U.S. adults, asking a variety of questions about stigma, social distancing and the acceptability of discrimination. For example, researchers asked questions such as: Would you be willing to have a person with mental illness/drug addiction marry into your family? Would you be willing to have a person with mental illness/drug addiction start working closely with you on a job? Do you favor or oppose requiring insurance companies to offer benefits for the treatment of drug addiction/mental illness that are equivalent to benefits for other medical services? And do you agree that landlords should be able to deny housing to a person with drug addiction/mental illness? Overall, the study found that respondents held significantly more negative views of drug addiction than of mental illness.
Specifically, researchers found that 62 percent of respondents said they'd be willing to work with someone living with a mental illness, but only 22 percent would be willing to work with someone living with addiction. Twenty-five percent said employers should be able to deny employment to people with mental illness; 64 percent said the practice should be allowed regarding drug addiction. Twenty-one percent of respondents opposed offering insurance parity for mental illness, while 43 percent opposed such parity for patients with drug addiction. Fifty-four percent thought landlords should be allowed to refuse housing to people with drug addiction, while 15 percent had a similar view about people with mental illness. Overall, researchers found higher opposition to public policies aimed at helping people struggling with drug addiction when compared to policies in support of people with mental illness. However, respondents did seem to agree in one area: About one in three believe that recovery from either drug addiction or mental illness is impossible.
Study co-authors Barry, Emma McGinty, Bernice Pescosolido and Howard Goldman write:
Less sympathetic views may result at least in part from societal ambivalence about whether to regard substance abuse problems as medical conditions to be treated (similar to other chronic health conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease) or personal failings to be overcome. More so than mental illness, addiction is often viewed as a moral shortcoming, and the illegality of drug use reinforces this perspective. It is likely that socially unacceptable behavior accompanying drug addiction (for example, impaired driving and crime) heightens society's condemnation.
"It was surprising to me how negative the attitudes were," said Barry, an associate professor in the Departments of Healthy Policy Management and Mental Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. "From a policy perspective, we tend to roll mental illness and addiction together…but the way the public thinks about them is very different — more different than I would have expected."
In efforts to reduce societal stigmas around drug addiction, Barry called for better public information about the treatability of drug addiction and media coverage that more accurately portrays the face of addiction. For example, many people might automatically associate drug addiction with the image of a strung-out drug user living on the streets. But that image misconstrues the growing reality of drug addiction and the idea that drug addiction can happen to anyone and in all walks of life, Barry told me. In fact, such a stereotypical image of addiction could significantly impact public support for policy action at a time when public health practitioners are struggling to contain increases in prescription painkiller and heroin-related deaths and overdose. In addition, such societal attitudes often prevent those who need treatment for addiction from seeking help. Barry noted that currently, less than 10 percent of people with an addiction disorder seek any treatment at all.
"We have a whole new population that needs treatment that is not going to get into treatment in the context of broader social attitudes," she said, referring to the prescription painkiller abuse epidemic. "So this is a huge issue. …Public support plays a major role in determining which public policies get advanced and which don't. When we look at the state of the substance abuse treatment system, it's terribly underfunded and part of that has to do with an underlying lack of support among the public."
To address the problem, the study calls for "portraying addiction or mental illness as treatable." In this realm, Barry noted that with advancements in mental health treatments, such as the availability of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) to treat depression and anxiety, people became more comfortable talking publicly about their struggles with mental illness and thus, stigmas around mental health begin to break down. Unfortunately, on the addiction side, we're behind in both treatment and public acceptance, she noted.
However, the arrow between public opinion and policy change is bidirectional, Barry tells me. In other words, policy can help shift public attitudes as well. She's talking about the Affordable Care Act, which now requires insurance companies participating in the new health insurance marketplace to cover mental health and substance abuse services as essential benefits. Such a high-profile policy change could go a long way in mainstreaming mental health and addiction treatment, Barry said. Still, public attitudes on drug addiction seem far from the public health perspective that considers addiction a chronic disease.
"We need to transform the stories of addiction in our country," she said. "We need to be more involved in communicating a more true face of what addiction looks like in the U.S. and how treatment can benefit individuals, and that includes influencing how the news media covers these issues as well as how politicians talk about this issue. We need to change the narrative to one of a chronic disease that can benefit from ongoing, effective treatment."
To read more about the study, visit the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Kim Krisberg is a freelance public health writer living in Austin, Texas, and has been writing about public health for more than a decade.
Public Health - General
prescription painkiller abuse
public health messaging
No matter what stigma remains about drug addiction, it is important to continue to get the message out that recovery is possible. For those struggling with heroin addiction, there is very real hope in treatment that includes buprenorphine medication combined with health care, counseling and education on the disease of addiction.
By R Johnson (not verified) on 29 Apr 2016 #permalink
Totally agree with this. I have a niece in treatment with www.northpointwashington.com for her various drug addictions. Some members of our family still believe it is all her fault and she is just weak. I might print this out and make them swallow it. I won't obviously do that but it makes me angry about their attitudes - maybe that's why she has ended up where she has.... Anyway, thank you again - great article.
By Edward Thompson (not verified) on 16 Nov 2016 #permalink
CDC: Vaccination rates among kindergartners remain stable
In more encouraging public health news, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that vaccination rates among kindergarteners have remained stable, with the median vaccine exemption rate at 2 percent. Some states even reported an increase in immunization rates. In a study published…
Occupational Health News Roundup
At Reveal, Amy Julia Harris and Shoshana Walter investigate an increasing criminal justice trend in which defendants are sent to rehab, instead of prison. On its face, the idea is a good one, especially for people struggling with addiction. However, the reporters find that many so-called rehab…
Gun control laws can impact death rates. But we need more research to find what works.
Guns are the third leading cause of injury-related death in the country. Every year, nearly 12,000 gun homicides happen in the U.S., and for every person killed, two more are injured. Whether Congress will do anything about this violence is a whole other (depressing) article. But there is evidence…
At the Toronto Star, reporter Sara Mojtehedzadeh went undercover as a temp worker at Fiera Foods, an industrial bakery, to investigate why temp workers are more likely to get hurt on the job. Earlier this year, Canadian occupational health and safety officials brought charges against the company,…
Graham-Cassidy isn't a health care solution. It's a blueprint for less access, less value and less coverage.
In yet another attempt to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, much of the GOP justification boils down to one argument: that the ACA isn't working. Never mind that we don't really know what constitutes a "working" health care system for Republicans. For a while, Republicans said the ACA…


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Warmup heating cables and Loose Wire systems come without a membrane and are specifically designed for areas where you have many fittings to work around or irregularly shaped rooms when installing underfloor heating.
The Loose Wire System (DWSWire System) is an incredibly flexible and durable cable that can easily be maneuvered around fixings. Loose Wire comes in a minimum heat output of 150W/m² but it's variable depending on the spacing. The Loose Wire system can be bought as an electric underfloor heating kit that contains all the essential elements for it's installation; the heating cable, primer, tape, roller and the installation manual.
The Warmup Inscreed Cable is 6mm thick and is an ideal solution for heating screeded floors of any size. One of the most recommended screedings in the market to use are from Instarmac UltraFloor. Once installed, the underfloor heated screed can be covered with any flooring.
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Warmup heating cables and Loose Wire come without a membrane and specifically designed for areas where you have many fittings to work around or irregularly shaped rooms when installing underfloor heating.
The Loose Wire system (DWSWire System) is an incredibly flexible and durable cable that can easily be maneuvered around fixings. Loose Wire comes in a minimum heat output of 150W/m² but it's variable depending on the spacing. The Loose Wire system can be bought as an electric underfloor heating kit that contains the essential elements for its installation; the heating cable, primer, tape, roller and the installation manual.
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CD Soundtracks
Vinyl Soundtracks
The Moneychangers - 2CD Complete Score - Henry Mancini
Sale price Price £29.95 Regular price Unit price / per
World premiere 2-CD release of complete Henry Mancini score for mammoth 1976 TV filming of Arthur Hailey's novel, directed by Boris Sagal, starring Kirk Douglas, Christopher Plummer, Timothy Bottoms, Joan Collins, many others. Mancini launches with rhythmic figure in deliberate tempo for horns, trombones, percussion, then quickly brings in string theme to set score into motion. Woodwinds, piccolo trumpet, agitated violins highlight secondary idea, then composer brings in variants of main theme. Rhythms return and Mancini finally wraps with dramatic, fortissimo coda - all in a single "Main Title". Wow! Film has four parts, Intrada CDs present parts 1 & 2 on first disc, 3 & 4 on second disc. Over two hours of music! Mancini offers incredible array of material, from memorable main theme, haunting love theme to signature combo pieces, rousing action. A sensational work from a genuine master of the craft! Though CBS made license available, release only became possible when bass trombonist for original sessions located 1/4" full-track (mono) safeties of complete score, recorded over several days. Terrific outcome for a magnificent score nearly lost forever! Mancini did re-record the theme on his wonderful "Mancini's Angels" LP at time, but this is first release of actual soundtrack. Special treat for Mancini fans: all those players from his classic albums sitting in on sessions, including Ted Nash, Vincent DeRosa, Graham Young, Dick Nash, Bob Bain, Terry Woodson, Shelly Manne, many others. Splendid performances assured! Henry Mancini conducts. Intrada Special Collection release limited to 1500 copies! SOLD OUT!
01. Main Title (2:42)
02. Son Of Main Title (4:42)
03. Bye Bye Roselli/Willing To Forget (3:24)
04. Taco & Salsa (2:15)
05. Alex And The Hoods (2:29)
06. Missing Money (0:54)
07. Tall Building/Basta (2:51)
08. Clean Hands (1:47)
09. Good News (0:52)
10. Celia/All About Celia (3:33)
11. Margot (2:08)
12. The Fireplace Ploy 3:57
13. March Of The Moneychangers (1:35)
14. Here Comes Mrs. Dorsey (0:51)
15. Wainwright Hates Easton (3:14)
16. Key Change Ad Music/Drummonburg, Here I Come (2:44)
17. Miles Behind (3:39)
18. The Snitch (3:35)
19. Visit To The Morgue (1:09)
20. The Big Q (0:46)
21. Karla (Once Is Not Enough) (4:10)
22. Welcome To The Bahamas No. 1 (1:35)
23. Avril's Theme No. 1 (2:04)
26. Avril's Theme (Guitar/Orchestra) (3:28)
27. It's Done (0:22)
28. Easy Money Montage (3:40)
29. Pull The Drapes (1:30)
30. Free Lunch (1:16)
31. Lunch Money (1:29)
32. Let Them Eat Cake (0:42)
33. Ain't For Sale (1:18)
34. Fire Bomb (1:15)
CD 1 Total Time: 78:34
01. Fade In (0:28)
02. Trick Or Treat (2:24)
03. I've Missed You (3:47)
04. Miles Returns (4:00)
05. An Idea/Buzz Saw (1:00)
06. H.E.L.P./Flamenco (1:18)
07. Face To Face/Margot Loves Alex (2:27)
08. Good Things Take Time/Mucho Gusto Senor (2:34)
09. Something For Miles (2:50)
10. Stay Out Of It (0:27)
11. How Was Church?/We Will We Will (3:40)
12. Good As Gold/The Big Q Skips (3:17)
13. The Big Bug (1:55)
14. The Deacon Speaks (3:08)
15. I Heard (2:10)
16. Hang On (1:51)
17. Find Him (1:30)
18. White Girl Boogie/Black Girl Boogie (1:46)
19. Purchase Is Approved (1:28)
20. Meet The Wizard (1:49)
21. For Money/One Guess (2:24)
22. The Shootout (3:31)
23. Roscoe Takes A Cab (3:16)
24. The End (1:45)
25. End Credits (0:34)
Rare Titles
Copyright © 2021, Elite Soundtracks. Created by letsone.


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Luke Saville makes the case for wife Daria in 2022 WTA Comeback Player of the Year vote
By Baseline Staff Nov 28, 2022
The Aussies are one of tennis' power couples, TikTok stars, and were married last year.
ByBaseline Staff
WATCH: Saville is one of tennis' most genuine and authentic personalities on social media, from TikTok to vlogs describing her life on tour.
What's that old saying ... Happy wife, happy life? Even if Daria Saville doesn't win the 2022 WTA Comeback Player of the Year award, she'll no doubt appreciate how hard her husband, fellow Aussie touring pro Luke Saville, is campaigning for her.
But let's review: A former Top 20 player, Saville missed much of the 2021 season as a consequence of an Achilles injury that necessitated surgery. She returned with thunder in 2022: Ranked outside the Top 600 in February, Saville reached the quarterfinals in Guadalajara, the fourth round in Indian Wells, and the quarterfinals in Miami to begin a charge back up the WTA rankings.
In Indian Wells, she beat Ons Jabeur for her first Top 10 win in four years. At No. 249, she was the lowest-ranked quarterfinalist in Miami Open history. In June, she returned to the Top 100, and in August, she finished runner-up to Daria Kasatkina in Granby, Canada in her first WTA singles final in five years.
Saville ultimately landed on the tour's Comeback Player of the Year shortlist alongside Wimbledon semifinalist Tatjana Maria, San Diego finalist Donna Vekic, and Serena Williams.
Starting the year outside 600 and finishing 54 and couldn't play the last month of the season… @Daria_gav absolute no brainer! https://t.co/yx2Bms2yE6
— Luke Saville (@LukeSaville18) November 26, 2022
For her husband, who reached the men's doubles final at the 2020 Australian Open and boasts a career-high doubles ranking of No. 23, there's only one winner.
But he wasn't the only one: The Savilles' fellow Aussies, Darren Cahill and Ellen Perez, were among those to agree with Luke's assessment, which received full endorsement from Daria on her own social media.
husband hyping me up :D https://t.co/dF0KlErTCG
— Daria Saville (@Daria_gav) November 27, 2022
Whatever the result, Saville will likely be eligible for the award in 2023 in a cruel twist of fate. She tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in a first-round match against Naomi Osaka in Tokyo in September—an injury that forced her to end her season a month early.
The WTA will announces its year-end award-winners, which are voted on by members of the tennis media, next month.


Alex Burns was an entomologist who was one of the few resident collectors in Australia to make significant collections in the middle of the 20th century. He had a large personal collection, mostly butterflies, dating from the 1920s. His early career was in Queensland with the Commonwealth Prickly Pear Board and the Queensland Bureau of Sugar Experiment Stations. In 1944 Burns was appointed Entomologist on a temporary basis (permanent from 1946) at the National Museum of Victoria, his first task being the rehabilitation of the collections. He was Assistant Director of the Museum from 1959 to 1964. Burns was noted as an excellent field collector, his specimens coming from all over Australia but principally from Victoria and Queensland. The Museum now holds his collection. The taxonomy of butterflies and cicadas was his main research interest. He was a prolific writer for scientific and naturalists' journals, and published 'Butterflies of Australia and New Guinea (1951) with Charles Barrett and Australian butterflies in colour (1969).
Alexander Burns held two prominent positions at the National Museum of Victoria, first between 1944 and 1959 as Entomologist and then from 1959 - 1964 as Assistant Director.


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Preseason, State of the team
Bennett praises Carroll, McDaniel, Clark
August 23, 2016 cc Leave a comment
While Michael Bennett talked a lot Monday about the reason for his dust-up with Bradley Sowell on Sunday, the Pro Bowl end also had a lot more to say — per usual.
Among the best outtakes, he said Pete Carroll is a great coach because he "understands the moment," Tony McDaniel brings needed "veteran wisdom," Frank Clark is a "wild dog" who needs "tuning" and young players need to learn this is a job.
Bennett said Carroll is different than any other coach because he earns the respect and ears of his players with a message that has proven results.
Bennett said he was watching an episode of "Hard Knocks" when Rams coach Jeff Fisher came in all fired up at halftime. Bennett told his wife, "Pete Carroll would be totally different in that moment. That moment right there, he would have come in different — a lot calmer, a lot more motivating but in a different type of way.
"That's what makes Pete Carroll different from any other coach: He understands the moment. There's times when you can go too hard on the team and that can change the whole momentum, but he knows exactly how to use his philosophies to the best of his abilities. And I think that's what makes him such a great coach."
Bennett said Carroll is a great motivator because he carries stellar credibility.
"When you have a coach that's really won, he understands his philosophy and people buy in a lot faster because they understand that this guy knows what he's talking about. There's a lot of coaches that talk about championships, they talk about being in the moment, but they don't even know what that moment feels like, they don't know how to express it or talk about it, so they can't really hone in on it. I think Coach Carroll does a great job of doing that; he has elevated the mindset of people to understand that there's more in them and they can be greater."
Bennett thinks McDaniel, brought back last week after a year away, can help the Hawks be greater, too.
"Tony is part of the reason we went to two Super Bowls, part of the reason we were the No. 1 rushing defense for a while and as high of a defense as we were," Bennett said. "Tony stepped right back in as the same guy, same player. Tony is one of those guys that comes to work and works really hard — powerful, strong and just a determined player. And I think his veteran wisdom is necessary; it's needed at this moment because we have so many young guys on the defensive line."
Among the young guys are rookies Jarran Reed and Quinton Jefferson and second-year rusher Clark.
Bennett said Clark "is like a wild dog in a meat house. We have to get him to hone in on his skills because he has so many skills. He's so fast, he's so quick, he's so explosive, but you have to tune him up … and that's what he's doing right now. We're tuning him up to be efficient, have efficient movement."
Bennett said there are a lot of talented young guys on the roster, but they need to find a sense of urgency.
"I think what they have to realize is this is a job, and I think they're starting to realize that," he said. "It's not like college; everybody's not going to be kept around. At the end of the day, it's going to be who wants it a little bit more.
"I think that's the kind of mindset you have to keep instilling in the new millennials, the new generation," Bennett added, "because everything is different now with the Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and all that type of stuff. A lot of times with young players, they skipped the process. They just want to be great, but they forget about the steps that it takes to be great. We have to continuously hone in their skills.
"I think in the beginning, a lot of the guys didn't understand that, but now they're starting to understand it, from Reed to Jefferson. It's their livelihood, so we just really want them to understand that."
Frank ClarkMichael BennettPete CarrollTony McDaniel
Previous PostBennett needs to stay healthy, wants new guys to 'find that line'Next PostCarroll: Hawks will do Bennett deal 'when it makes sense'


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I think I was nine when I began writing stories. I had ideas in my head well before that, but at least that age was when I knew to get them down on paper in order to make room for the rest. Writing makes me feel a certain freedom that nothing else can; with my stories, I can encounter new worlds and fall in love with my characters just like my readers do.
With Directions of the Heart, I wanted to cover aspects of PTSD that people don't usually talk about, the darkness that we sometimes go through in our minds after experiencing various traumas. I also wanted each character to take an emotional journey, one that was unique yet easy to relate to.
I think one message is that we don't have to be silent about our pain. I think a lot of people stay silent about their traumas, and it's a personal choice, sure, but I think it only makes their shame or agony grow. I want survivors of trauma to know it's okay to ask for help, and to find someone they can trust to talk about it with. Bad things happen sometimes in life, but we don't have to go it alone.
I can't name a specific book (I have so many favorites), but I do admire Nora Roberts for not holding back about anything in her writing. That fearless approach has inspired me to do the same in my own projects.
Be patient with however long the journey takes, but don't be afraid to try new things, to put yourself out there in order to meet your writing goals.
Beside your book, are there any other books you would recommend reading this summer?
If you like vampires and magic, and you've never even heard of these books before, I'd recommend P.C. Cast's House of Night Series, a YA paranormal saga. Think high school drama meets the supernatural. I have a pile of other books waiting on me; I just haven't gotten to them yet.
Synopsis: Embark on a remarkable journey of drama, romance, and passion… In all of these amazing stories, there's one burning question…is love worth the risk?
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