Month: January 2017

New safety rules will come into force from Thursday for spectators of the Monte-Carlo Rally. The International Automobile Federation (IAF) has introduced the tougher regulations to avoid the risk of injury to spectators and any interference in the running of the event.

Three hundred safety officials plus the Gendarmerie will ensure that spectators stay within areas reserved for the public (ZP), marked in green. Stricter parking provisions will be enforced, and thirty minutes before the starting out of the first competitor and until the end of the competition spectators can no longer enter the special stages or move in them, on the road or on the shoulders.

Failure to comply with these safety rules will result in the cancellation of the special stage. On Wednesday, January 18, the shakedown will take place at Gap, from 4 pm until 8 pm. On Thursday, competitors will leave Place du Casino in Monaco at 6 pm for the first stage, Monaco to Gap.

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In the presence of HSH Prince Albert, Mr Patrick Bini, Director of the Princess Grace Hospital, on Tuesday presented his New Year wishes to all the staff and pointed out the successes of the previous year, which he described as “an intense year full of satisfaction”.

In particular, the new hospital made great advances in its major expansion programme, with the deviation of the Avenue Pasteur and the construction of a car park providing 534 places.

On July 6, the extension of the Crèche was opened by Prince Albert and Princess Charlene.

During the year many Monegasques took on positions of responsibility, such as the Head of the Check-up Unit, the Deputy Chief of Staff of the CTS, the Senior Health Officer of the children’s centre and the two Directors of Care.

A slight deficit of 0.5 percent of the budget was more than offset by the continued popularity of the institution and an increase of more than two percent in admissions and five percent in consultations.

A high patient satisfaction rate was recorded thanks to the 6,084 exit questionnaires completed, with 91.6 percent of scores greater than or equal to 8 out of 10 concerning the patients’ stay in hospital.

The Sovereign Prince expressed his great attachment to the institution and the people who make it live every day.

Also in attendance were Minister of Health and Social Affairs , Mr Stéphane Valeri, André Garino, and the Chief of the Prince’s Cabinet, Mr Georges Lisimachio.

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Students in Monaco have met professionals during Information Day in order to get to know more about careers in which they are interested.

Organised by the Commission for the Integration of Graduates, in collaboration with by the Department of Education, Youth and Sport, the event took place at the Rainier III Auditorium, with a dozen different professionals represented.

An afternoon of professional discovery allowed the students of the Terminale, BTS and DCG classes to learn more about the major employment sectors of the Principality.

The objective is to help high school students to choose a future orientation in connection with job-creating sectors in Monaco and to better identify the link between work in the lycée and a later course of training.

After an introduction by Mr Stéphane Valéri, Minister for Social Affairs and Health, and Mr Patrice Cellario, Minister of the Interior, as well as Mrs Isabelle Bonnal, Director of National Education, Youth and Sports, fourteen professionals spoke in front of more than five hundred young students of the Principality. In particular, they presented information about careers in IT and new technologies, hospitality, yachting, careers in the financial sector, and public accounting and health.

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J. Safra Sarasin Group has announced the successful completion of the acquisition of Credit Suisse (Monaco) SAM as of January 13, 2017.

This transaction strengthens J. Safra Sarasin Group’s presence in Monaco, where the Group has been operating since 2006 and is determined to further strengthen its position, as it believes in the Principality as an important financial centre, the Group said.

Jacob J. Safra, Vice-Chairman of J. Safra Sarasin Holding AG, said: “We are determined to continue playing a leading role in the consolidation of the private banking market. We are proud to have completed another transaction and to welcome the clients and colleagues of Credit Suisse (Monaco) S.A.M. to the J. Safra Sarasin Group.”

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The Principality and the Republic of Tajikistan have established diplomatic relations. A joint communiqué to that effect was signed by HE Mr Claude Cottalorda, Ambassador of Monaco in France, and by HE Mr Homidjon Nazarov, Ambassador of Tajikistan to France, both mandated by their respective governments.

The ceremony, on Friday, January 13, was attended by diplomats from both embassies and was held at the Chancellerie Monégasque in Paris.

The two Ambassadors welcomed the opening of diplomatic relations and hoped that they would continue existing economic, cultural, sporting and environmental development.

They spoke of their experiences on topics of common interest, including water resources management and tourism, which could be developed through bilateral cooperation.

The Republic of Tajikistan is the 133rd state to establish diplomatic relations with the Principality of Monaco.

READ ALSO: New Year wishes to Monaco’s diplomatic community
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The head of France’s SNCF has told his colleagues that the national train service operator can “do better” in 2017. His comment came in a video in which he wished his fellow railwaymen the best for 2017.

There were more delays on French railways in 2016 than in 2015, Guillaume Pepy said, due to a mixture of causes including strikes, work on the network, suspicious packages, floods and dead leaves.

From December 1, 2016, passengers whose trains are more than 30 minutes late can claim compensation, but the offer applies only to TGV and intercity services and not to the regional TER trains that serve Monaco Monte-Carlo.

The biggest disruption to rail travel during last year was the series of strikes during the summer against the government’s proposed changes to labour laws.

According to SNCF, 90.8 percent of TER trains were punctual during 2016, compared to 91.6 percent in 2015. A TER train is considered to be late-running if it is five or more minutes behind schedule.

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