Politics | Buckie Got It

International news, News, Politics

Neil Gorsuch Has Been Sworn In As Your 113th Supreme Court Justice

http://theslot.jezebel.com/neil-gorsuch-has-been-sworn-in-as-your-113th-supreme-co-1794191743 #

Published 10 April 2017

Welcome to Barf Bag, a daily politics roundup to help you sort through the chaotic Trumpian news cycle.

O happy day.

Here’s all the shit we couldn’t cover today:

Neil Gorsuch, speculated to become the most far-right member of the court, was sworn in as a Supreme Court justice today; Donald Trump made sure to thank Mitch McConnell, who essentially stole the seat, “for all that he did to make this achievement possible.” Haha! Trump also did that yank-y handshake thing again, and I’m kind of surprised no one’s shoulder has been dislocated at this point? [Washington Post]

Alabama governor Robert Bentley has been booked in jail, reportedly on charges of violating campaign finance rules. Bentley is expected to resign today amid allegations that he abused the powers of his office in order to cover up an affair, and really, the whole story is nuts—among other things, according to a lengthy House Judiciary report, Bentley sent (weird) texts to married aide Rebekah Caldwell that were linked up to his wife’s iPad, and also accidentally sent a text to his wife’s phone that read “I love you Rebekah.” A staffer who testified against him alleged that he threatened her on several occasions, and in 2016 found the words “die bitch” scratched into her car. [Washington Post, Talking Points Memo]

Mike Cox, an EPA staffer of 25 years, has quit the agency with a harsh letter to administrator Scott Pruitt. “The policies this Administration is advancing are contrary to what the majority of the American people, who pay our salaries, want EPA to accomplish,” he wrote, “which are to ensure the air their children breath is safe; the land they live, play, and hunt on to be free of toxic chemicals; and the water they drink, the lakes they swim in, and the rivers they fish in to be clean.” [Washington Post]

Relatedly, the president appears to have mended fences with the Kochs. Aw. [Politico]

A FOIA lawsuit has been filed demanding that the Trump administration release visitor log files from the White House and other Trump properties. [Politico]

Martin O’Malley is pretty sure he would have won if he’d been the Democratic nominee, you guys. [Huffington Post]

Local news, News, Politics

St Kitts-Nevis government would be re-elected if election held now, says pollster

http://www.caribbeannewsnow.com/topstory-St-Kitts-Nevis-government-would-be-re-elected-if-election-held-now%2C-says-pollster-34070.html #

Publish 10 April 2017

BASSETERRE, St Kitts — The latest Don Anderson poll shows that, if an election were to be held now, Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris and his government of national unity would be re-elected to serve for another five-year term in St Kitts and Nevis.

What’s more, according to the poll, the current administration would expand its constituency count, adding to the seven seats that its candidates won at the February 16, 2015, general election.

The privately commissioned poll was conducted among 506 registered voters in all 11 of the constituencies in the Federation during March 2017.

Presenting findings of the poll on Saturday in St Kitts, Anderson said, “We were able to get information from a range of demographic persons; in other words, by gender, by age, by socioeconomic group and by constituency as well.”

The pollster from Jamaica, who established his firm Market Research Services Limited in 1975, also said, “From a constituency perspective, Team Unity is well positioned – if an election should be called now – to be re-elected, having improved their 2015 election constituency count based on the intention to vote measure.”

Speaking on Saturday, Anderson added: “Let me break that down a little bit more. Every time one does a poll during the course of a five-year span from one election to the next, we ask a question: ‘If an election were to be called now, who are you likely to vote for?’ and, generally, you find that the further away you are from an election date or a constitutionally due election date, the higher the number of people who say ‘I’m not sure or I don’t know.’”

Anderson continued: “In this particular situation, we found those numbers [persons saying they are not sure or that they do not know who they would vote for] a little lower than normal, which means that people are energized in the whole election process or political process.”

The pollster went on to say: “In the context of Caribbean polls, this is good!”

He explained: “Right now, we are almost at midterm. In another few months, we will be at midterm, and to be in a position of comfort, relative comfort, midterm is a little bit different. It’s not usual because in everywhere that we have worked – and we are talking about almost right through the Caribbean – midterm governments tend to be lagging behind.”

Anderson noted, “In this particular situation, we find Team Unity has actually done a good job in the eyes of the general public, to be so positioned that people say they would vote them in for a second term.”

Notably, Anderson correctly predicted the outcome of the last general election in St Kitts and Nevis based on polls that he conducted prior to the ballot.

Local news, News, Politics

MR. DENNIS MICHAEL MORTON C.B.E., J.P DEPUTIZES FOR HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL IN HIS ABSENCE

Published: 3 April 2017

Sir Seaton and Mr. Morton

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, APRIL 3RD, 2017 (PRESS SEC) — Mr. Dennis Michael Morton C.B.E., J.P is serving as Governor-General’s Deputy during the brief absence of His Excellency the Governor-General of St. Kitts and Nevis, Sir S. W. Tapley Seaton G.C.M.G., C.V.O., Q.C., J.P, from the Federation.

Sir S. W. Tapley Seaton G.C.M.G., C.V.O., Q.C., J.P traveled to the United States today, Monday, April 3rd, 2017, and is scheduled to return this Thursday, April 6th to resume his duties as Head of State.

His Excellency the Governor-General administered the Oath of Office and the Oath of Allegiance to His Excellency the Governor-General’s Deputy on Thursday, March 30th, 2017.

This is not the first time that Mr. Dennis Michael Morton C.B.E., J.P has deputized in the Governor-General’s absence. Previously, Mr. Morton was administered the requisite Oaths on Thursday, October 8th, 2015 and again on Tuesday, March 15th, 2016 at Government House in the presence of members of his immediate family, including his wife, Mrs. Cynthia Morton.

International news, Local news, News, Politics

RENAL FAILURE DISEASE PREVENTION AND CONTROL PROJECT TO BEGIN THIS MONTH WITH HELP OF TAIWAN EXPERT

Published: 3 April 2017

Minister Hamilton (centre), Mr. Tsai (second left), Ambassador Chiou (second right), along with other Taiwanese officials

Basseterre, St. Kitts, April 04, 2017 (SKNIS): The Renal Failure Disease Control and Prevention Project is expected to begin this month, offering better care to patients of chronic non-communicable diseases, particularly, kidney failure and improving strategies to reduce high incidences.

Against this backdrop, Feng-Ta Tsai, Project Manager, who arrived in the federation to oversee the proceedings, paid a courtesy call on the Honourable Eugene Hamilton, Minister of Health, on Monday, April 03.

Minister Hamilton welcomed Mr. Tsai and noted that he is quite pleased that the programme will commence. The health minister gave a brief overview of what the project entails.

“It will involve training of our people, it will involve our point of service being brought to the level where we can test for the persons who are at risk. Therefore, our persons who are out there should not fail to have themselves tested where necessary to determine whether they are candidates for renal failure,” said Minister Hamilton, while encouraging persons to get as much assistance as possible because hemodialysis in St. Kitts and Nevis is expensive. “None of us can afford to pay EC$120,000 a year on hemodialysis and so it is important that once this programme is up and running that those of you in the country, who may be likely candidates, you can get yourself tested so that there can be a programme set out for you so that you can avoid chronic failure of the kidneys.”

The health minister said that this is an important initiative because the “health profile of the country has been changing”, especially as it relates to renal health. He added that over the last 20 years the numbers have moved from zero to more than 100 persons who have some stage of renal disease.

Taiwan’s Resident Ambassador to St. Kitts and Nevis, His Excellency George Gow Wei Chiou, echoed similar sentiments as it relates to the project and expressed his government’s delight in having the honour of assisting St. Kitts and Nevis. He said that Mr. Tsai’s presence in the federation will be one of great significance.

“His coming represents a new era for our medical cooperation because late last year we signed an agreement for the renal failure disease control project and we are happy to say that after several months of preparation our new project manager has arrived in early April,” said Ambassador Chiou. “The purpose of this is not only to release the pressure on renal patients, but also to cooperate with your government to help the people to understand the best diet for their daily life and try to help the people to prevent renal failure disease.”

Minister Hamilton thanked Ambassador Chiou and the Government and people of the Republic of China (Taiwan) for such an important initiative, noting that the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis appreciates and welcomes the assistance.

He recalled his visit to Taiwan in October 2016, and said he was impressed with the staff and facilities at the Veterans General Hospital. He added that medical officials there seemed “very excited” by the prospect of partnering with colleagues from the twin-island federation.

In a posting titled “Best 100 Hospitals in Asia by Ranking” on www.iasisnet.eu, Taipei Veterans General Hospital is ranked as the second best. It is widely considered to be among the top 15 hospitals in the world.

Local news, News, Politics

St. Kitts and Nevis and the Republic of Colombia Strengthen Its Bilateral Agenda

Published: 3 April 2017

Basseterre–Wednesday 15^thMarch, 2017 — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in an effort to strengthen the Federation’s relations with Colombia convened a meeting with senior officials from various Ministries and a four (4) member delegation from Colombia, headed by Mrs. Patricia Cortes, Director of the Americas of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Colombia and included H.E. Roberto Garcia Marquez, Ambassador of Colombia to St Kitts and Nevis who had one day earlier presented credentials to the Governor General H.E. Sir S.W. Tapley Seaton, GCMG, CVO, QC, JP.

The Meeting was chaired by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Permanent Secretary, Ms. Kaye Bass, who informed of the longstanding friendly relations between both countries and highlighted the fact that the cooperation peaked after 2010, when the Colombian Foreign Ministry launched its initiative, Colombian Cooperation Strategy for the Caribbean Basin. Ms Bass explained that St Kitts and Nevis also supports Colombia in the international arena.

The Colombian side expressed its interest in advancing the bilateral agenda and proceeded to elaborate on specific areas for further cooperation including Bilingualism, Academic Mobility, Technical Education, Disaster Prevention and Management and Security.

This meeting was a follow-up meeting to one held almost two (2) years prior. Since that meeting three (3) project proposals submitted have been approved: The Green Vervet Monkey Control Methods Programme, The Music Programme under the Batuta National Foundation and The Craft Project for Cultural and Tourism Development. The projects have since been initiated and are already yielding positive results.

Discussions were also held on the possibility of submitting other proposals from additional Ministries. At the completion of the meeting, the chair expressed sincere appreciation to the Colombian delegation and by extension to the Government of Colombia for its generous assistance to date.