Month: May 2019

HSH Prince Albert II can now add Doctor Honoris Causa to his long list of titles. The Prince was awarded the doctorate for his commitment and action against climate change in the Arctic. 

On 16th and 17th May, Prince Albert visited the University of Lapland in Rovaniemi, Finland, to participate in the PhD ceremony.

After accepting his degree, Prince Albert made a short speech declaring his gratitude for the acknowledgement of his efforts, and reiterated the need to keep spreading the word, using science and education, about the global environmental emergencies we are facing.

The Arctic region is currently experiencing the largest disruption of ecosystems due to climate change, and it is crucial to make the link between human involvement and the environment, said the Prince. 

“Establishing this link is also thinking of all humanity because the Arctic, perhaps more than any geographic area in the world, has a direct influence on the entire planet,” he told the crowd. 

Prince Albert talked about the ties between the Prince Albert II Foundation and the University of the Arctic, where he funded training of young graduates to be future leaders in economics and politics.

The Prince also found time to visit the Arktikum Museum, dedicated to the Arctic and the scientific knowledge and environmental challenges they face.

For the next few days, be careful where you park. Starting Wednesday 22^nd May at 8pm through to Sunday 26^th May at 10pm, the Monaco Police Department will be impounding any vehicle blocking any part of the circuit or parked illegally.

To avoid inconvenience, it is recommended to choose an alternative to driving in Monaco altogether.

If this is not possible, drivers should use one of Monaco’s many public parking garages. Street parking will be severely limited and access to many streets will be restricted to residents only.

Those whose cars have been removed can go to the Fontvieille Police Station on Avenue des Ligures to retrieve their vehicles from around 6am to 10pm.

Outside of these hours, owners of impounded vehicles must go to the Police Department office at 9 Rue Suffren Reymond.

Last Saturday’s European Night at the Museums allowed public access to the Exotic Garden’s botanical centre, which is providing two new, free tours.

The new premises, opened in late 2017 and located next to the Exotic Garden, boasts an impressive 10,500 plants. Set over three levels, the centre has seven full time gardeners, 900m2 of greenhouse space and 1,000m2 of shelter. 

The objective of the centre is to protect and conserve the rare or endangered species of plants they house, as well as to proliferate their growth. Around 85% of the species found here are protected.

The botanical centre also intends to be a database and study hub for those interested in botany and the biodiversity of plant life from different places around the world.

The Monaco Government has outlined a set of guidelines that will be applied to this year’s Top Marques event. The highly anticipated car show attracts supercar enthusiasts from across the globe and is held just days after the Monaco Grand Prix.

Noting a level of unruly behaviour at previous events, the government has amended its road rules to include new regulations.

Now, any drivers found to be breaking the law with regards to speed limits, dangerous driving, non-compliance with noise levels and lack of driver’s license will have their car impounded for 120 hours and receive a fine of up to €1,000.

They will also have their driver’s license suspended in Monaco for a period of up to three months.

Furthermore, test drives will not be allowed to be carried out on public roads during the event this year.

“The Prince’s Government counts on the civic sense of all road users to ensure that the Top Marques event takes place in the best conditions and that the Principality remains a global showcase for high-end cars,” said the government in a statement.

There’s been progress in ongoing negotiations between the Monaco Government, the Princess Grace Hospital and the workers’ union.

Monaco’s Minister of Health and Social Affairs Didier Gamerdinger, the Princess Grace Hospital Board of Directors, the Chairperson of the Medical Commission, and the Union of Hospital Practitioners met on 15th May.

Stage one, of what will be ongoing talks, confirms an increase in duty rates. Other topics touched upon include the reorganisation of on-call and duty schedules, further pay increases for hospital staff and revised fees for private practice doctors using the hospital and its resources (secretarial services, technical equipment, premises, support staff). The changes will affect current private physicians, as well as all future applicants hoping to practice out of the hospital.

Formal submission for these proposals is expected in the coming weeks for approval after summer.

MonacoTech, the Principality’s leading startup centre, has announced five new companies they will be working with following an open application call earlier in the year.

The five selected candidates are FGWRS, who specialises in innovative recycling processes for greywater; Suncy Concept, developers of solar-powered catamarans for eco-friendly day cruisers; Oghji, makers of “smart” electric boards allowing consumers to save on energy costs; oneM, an online insurance company where users save money for retirement without changing spending habits; and Adlive, a new platform for managing and marketing web and mobile advertising space.

Formed in November 2017 and co-founded by the Principality, Monaco Telecom and Xavier Niel, MonacoTech assists in the growth and development of promising business projects by offering a one-stop-shop for Monaco’s entrepreneurs. The services range from admin support to training, to help in finding possible investors.   

This year’s choices were selected not just from the application process, candidates were also required to partake in an interview and present in person to a panel in Monaco.