Month: November 2016

Monaco’s Tourism and Convention Bureau (DTC) celebrated another successful year on Monday at the Meridien Beach Plaza at the annual meeting of its overseas offices.
The Director of Tourism and Congress, Guillaume Rose, presented the 2016 assessment of tourism in the Principality and the objectives for the coming year. During the evening, a film was shown highlighting the activities and promotions of the DTC in various parts of the world, which was met with great enthusiasm.
Serge Telle, Minister of State, Jean Castellini, Minister of Finance and Economy, and all DTC’s partners were in attendance. The presentation ended with a discovery of Monaco in virtual reality as well as a parade featuring hotel partners and the new collection of designer Elizabeth Wessel.

The Department of Maritime Affairs (DAM) was alerted early on Tuesday morning by the professional fisherman of Monaco of the presence of tree trunks floating in the sea off Portier.
The anti-pollution vessel Vitamar found that there was a considerable amount of floating debris, covering an area of 300 metres by 30 metres. This information was forwarded to the regional operational centre for surveillance and rescue and the decision was taken to close the ports of Monaco to avoid damage to ships.
Thanks to the help of the Monaco Fire Department, the Maritime Police, the Port Operations Company (SEPM) and DAM, anti-pollution dams were quickly installed to protect the Hercule and Fontvieille ports.
Mariners were notified of the closures and the work underway.

Following an address on Monday, November 21, by Mrs Renate Winter, International Judge and Vice-President of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, donations collected during the months of October and November were handed over to three associations working in their defence of the Rights of the Child.
Monaco’s Mission Enfance, which provides assistance to children in distress in the world with the main objective of education; Casa do Menor, which helps the young people of the favelas of Brazil, especially favouring their professional placement; and the AKILAH Institute for Women, which works in East Africa to empower girls by providing them with access to education, were each handed cheques for €8,000.
In addition, financial support of an equivalent amount was sent to the Consul of Monaco in Madagascar to ensure the schooling of 45 Malagasy students.
 

Monaco-based Scorpio Bulkers has entered into time charter-out agreements for two Ultramax vessels and one Kamsarmax vessel. The SBI Leo, an Ultramar vessel, has been chartered for a minimum of five months, maximum seven months, at the rate of $9,000 (€8,500). The SBI Cakewalk, a Kansarmax type, has been chartered out for a minimum of five months, maximum eight months, also at the rate of $9,000 (€8,500). SBI Achilles, an Ultramax, has been chartered for a minimum of six months, maximum eight months, at the rate of $11,000 (€10,300).
Scorpio Bulkers Inc. currently owns 41 vessels, consisting of 15 Kamsarmax vessels and 26 Ultramax vessels. The company also time charters-in two dry bulk vessels, consisting of one Panamax and one Kamsarmax vessel, and has contracted for seven dry bulk vessels consisting of five Kamsarmax vessels and two Ultramax vessels, from shipyards in China.
The company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange as SALT.

Members of the Public Security Service helped a number of Belgian nationals obtain residency permits illegally, the Public Prosecutor confirmed in a press statement on Monday.
The statement was issued in order to avoid the spread of information based on rumours, the Public Prosecutor’s office said.
A number of facts have come to light that taken together may constitute corruption and influence peddling, the office said, adding that Monaco’s Public Security Service was asked to investigate the facts on October 3.
“It soon became apparent that a former public security police official who had been in retirement for some years had made arrangements with a dozen members linked to the same Belgian family, all holding residence cards in Monaco. During his tenure with the Public Security Service and subsequently, this official, with the probable assistance of two other employees of the Public Security, (appears to) have favoured the issuance of fictitious residence titles to these persons for an agreed annual remuneration,” the office stated.
These persons retained the status of resident of the Principality without staying in Monaco, and continued to live in Belgium. Officially renting apartments, these people sublet their dwellings in a hidden way with the help of a real estate agency, which led to a belief in the legitimate occupation of the premises.
The Prosecutor General of the Principality, accompanied by the Chief of the Judicial Police, travelled to Brussels on October 21 to discuss the matter with counterparts from in the Federal Prosecutor’s Office.
The Belgian justice system is currently investigating the offences committed by its nationals.
In Monaco, an investigating judge was handed the file and instructed on the matter on October 28, and investigations have been opened for trafficking in influence, corruption, forgery and false use, breach of trust and money laundering.
Like all other states, Monaco is not immune to the corruption of some, the General Prosecutor’s Office said on Monday.
However, there is a real mixture of satisfaction mixed with consternation and sadness because the image of the Public Security will suffer from this situation, even if it is only a matter limited to a few titles of residence benefiting from a family of the European Union, the General Prosecutor’s Office added. The residency permits were awarded several years ago by officials now retired and who were, until now, considered to be above suspicion.
“Its state-of-the-art legislation allows it to pursue such cases and the Principality, in line with its international commitments, intends to combat this form of crime. The rule of law must prevail,” the Office said.
 
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All six members of the editorial staff of the privately-owned radio station Radio Monaco have been told they will no longer have jobs from the end of this year, several news sources report. Two other posts will also go.
Radio Monaco, owned by Gildo Pallanca-Pastor, broadcasts from Menton to St-Tropez and was due to celebrate its tenth anniversary in 2017.
One employee, quoted by 20 Minutes, denounced the “extreme brutality” of the firings.
Station manager Richard Borfiga said that Radio Monaco “will keep four people.” Gildo Pallanca-Pastor, owner of electric vehicle firm Venturi, is reported to be seeking ways to keep the loss-making station on the air.