Unions up the ante, call massive meeting today

�Urge parents, students, unions to support workers�

PHILIPSBURG--Three unions representing civil servants and teachers have upped the ante and have summoned all their members to a joint meeting at L.B. Scott Sports Auditorium today scheduled to start at 7:30am.

Windward Islands Teachers Union (WITU) President Claire Elshot made a public call on two radio stations Sunday for parents, students and other unions to join workers in their struggle in what she called a "national crisis."

Pelican workers are expected to join as Workers Institute for Organised Labour (WIFOL) has also called its members to a meeting at the WIFOL building at 9:00am today.

The Windward Islands Health Care Workers Union has expressed solidarity with the three unions. Representatives of the St. Maarten Communications (SMCU) attended Friday's joint meeting and participated in the march to the Government Administration Building.

This will be the third meeting to be called jointly by WITU, Windward Islands Civil Servants Union/Private Sector Union (WICSU/PSU) and ABVO during school hours and the fourth meeting to be called by the unions since they intensified their lobby for members to be paid their full 5.3 per cent cost-of-living adjustment as agreed to by the former National Alliance-led island government in August 2010.

Speaking on "For The Record" radio programme on 99.9FM on Sunday, Elshot said workers would be discussing a proposal sent to the unions over the weekend. Government also made a proposal during a meeting with the WITU, WICSU/PSU and ABVO on Friday, but workers did not agree with it.

Elshot said the weekend proposal seemed to be "more acceptable." However, she noted that it was not up to the union leaders to decide whether to accept the proposal. It has to be taken back to the members for possible ratification.

The August 10 decision was "a legal" decision taken by the former National Alliance-led (NA-led) Executive Council and was put in the form of an island resolution. Elshot said all agreements made before 10-10-10 should be brought over to Country St. Maarten.

The boards of WITU, WICSU/PSU and ABVO were scheduled to meet on the matter on Sunday afternoon. Elshot said this issue represented a "national crisis" and called on Members of Parliament (MPs) to act.

She said the workers should not be "pick-pocketed" to balance the budget.

Told that Governor Eugene Holiday was scheduled to visit Milton Peters College today to talk with students there, Elshot suggested that he should visit the teachers and other workers at L.B. Scott Sports Auditorium.

WIFOL President Theophilus Thompson had said on an earlier radio programme with Lloyd Richardson on 1300AM that the "union-busting" tactics being applied to workers "has to be stopped." He said if this continued the unions would have to resort to the "old fashioned" means of dealing with labour disputes.

"We cannot tolerate any form of slavery and what we are seeing is paramount to that. Too many things are happening in the labour force that are not right. Parliament and government have to take responsibility," Thompson said.

Thompson said that under the former Netherlands Antilles constellation the Central Government Minister of Labour and top officials would have been dispatched to St. Maarten already to resolve this national crisis.

Source: http://www.thedailyherald.com/islands/1-islands-news/13094-unions-up-the-ante-call-massive-meeting-today-.html

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Medical Center loses injunction over gynaecologist?s patients? files

PHILIPSBURG--St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) lost the injunction it had filed at the Court of First Instance in a bid to obtain files of patients that were removed from the hospital by gynaecologist Michel A.L. Petit following his retirement as per December 15, 2010.

Judge Diederik Thierry stated in his written verdict, which was made public Tuesday, that Dr. Petit had been in his right when, after his retirement, he had transferred all the remaining files from his practice to Dr. Randall Friday's Women's Health Services clinic on A.J.C. Brouwer Road.

In the injunction, which was filed December 27, SMMC had requested the Court to order Petit and OB-Gyn Care N.V. to hand over the medical files of SMMC's patients from mid-2000 until now within 48 hours after the verdict.

These files should be handed over to the hospital's General Director George Scot, or to the Head of SMMC Outpatient's Clinic, it was requested.

The hospital had also requested the court to impose a penalty of US $1,000 on a daily basis in case of non-compliance, and to condemn Petit to payment of the cost of the legal procedures.

From 1991 until December 2010, Petit had been working as an independent gynaecologist at SMMC. Until 2009, Petit had been working there with two other gynaecologists in an N.V. named OB-Gyn.

According to SMMC, Petit had promised to leave his patients' files at the hospital after his retirement. But despite this promise, Petit had taken all the files and refused to make these available.

According to the hospital, Petit did not have any interest in keeping the files, while SMMC, because of its responsibility towards its patients, should be able to immediately access the files.

According to Petit, the hospital was falsely claiming that it is obligated to store patients' files. He stated he had never been employed by the hospital, and therefore the hospital was not entitled to his files.

According to Petit, he had only taken those files of patients who had visited him for consultations and had not delivered their babies at SMMC, and of those patients who had not otherwise been treated as an intramural patient or outpatient at SMMC.

Judge Thierry said SMMC had failed to prove the incorrectness of Petit's statements, which he therefore considered to be true.

The judge added that the Civil Code mentions that a practicing doctor is obligated to keep record of the treatment of patients, but the law does not state anything about the ownership of these files.

This led the judge to the conclusion in the injunction that the contested patient files belong to Ob-Gyn, and Dr. Petit's successor, Dr. Friday.

The judge added that patients have the legal right to terminate their relationship with a physician at all times. This means that patients who do not wish to be treated by Dr. Friday may seek the assistance of another doctor and have their files transferred to their new doctor.

SMMC was ordered to pay the legal cost of the injunction, which was estimated at NAf. 1,500.

The Daily Herald has learned that several of Dr. Petit's former patients are considering filing an official complaint with the Health Inspectorate concerning the transfer of their files.

Source: http://www.thedailyherald.com/islands/1-islands-news/12311-medical-center-loses-injunction-over-gynaecologists-patients-files.html

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Jumblatt supports the Resistance and Syria

Hala Najjar- The international community did not favor a Saudi-Syrian agreement, which stipulated an end to the Lebanese commitment to STL...MP Walid Jumblatt holds a press conference following the Democratic Gathering meeting.. As the decisive factor in the coming nomination for prime minister, PSP leader Walid Jumblatt announced his decision to side with the opposition and the resistance. The Druze leader announced his support and endorsement to the Arab initiative as a solution to the Lebanese current crisis, and said that all political parties in Lebanon have accepted the Saudi-Syrian initiative until some international powers sought to obstruct the Arab proposal.�"The Special Tribunal for Lebanon took a turn to become politicized par excellence; consequently, it has become a threat to national unity and security; it strayed from the path of justice and became a tool of blackmail, a tool of destruction; Leaks in Arabic and international newspapers confirmed that the STL is politicized and became a tool of blackmail.? Jumblatt said. ?An agreement was signed by Syrian President Bashar Assad, Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah and Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri and The Saudi-Syrian initiative calls against cooperating with the STL; however, the international community did not favor a Saudi-Syrian agreement, which stipulated an end to the Lebanese commitment to STL, an end to the cooperation protocol, the halt of the funding and calling the Lebanese judges in The Hague. This could lead to a Lebanese-Lebanese agreement deterring the doing of the tribunal and its indictment that is already known through media outlets.??According to my previous stance questioning the STL?s work, it is mandatory for me and my party?s historical positions against foreign alliance to declare my party?s stance siding with Syria and the Resistance,? he announced. Jumblatt explained his decision by saying ?My position in the middle, which aimed to connect with all parties, and the refusal of powers for the Arab initiative are the reasons behind my decision; which I hope will help regain stability and resort to dialogue.?The PSP leader refused Hariri?s statement and said, ?I respond to Hariri who said yesterday that he is prone to being politically assassinated. I reject such talks. No party in Lebanon can eliminate the other; I reject as well the opposition's statement that said that the phase preceding the indictment, (post-indictment), is not the same as the one after it.?Jumblatt extended his thanks to Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdel Aziz, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani for their efforts to solve the political crisis in Lebanon. ?I commend the efforts of President Michel Suleiman as well, who sought until the last minute to reach a settlement,? he said.The Druze leader heads a bloc of�eleven deputies in the Lebanese parliament, among them five Christians and a Sunni; Opposition sources told An-Nahar that Jumblatt had made up his mind, last night and he has informed�the opposition that he supports its candidate with no less than seven MPs. March 14 sources confirmed the news to the daily.Seven MPs would allow the opposition to impose their candidate for the premiership; according to newspapers the opposition candidate for the premiership is former PM Omar Karami and reportedly accepted the nomination. The parliamentary consultations will be held next Monday, January 24 in Baabda Palace.

Source: http://www.tayyar.org/Tayyar/News/PoliticalNews/en-US/Jumblatt-supports-resistance-against-Hariri-hn-1.htm

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Events galore at DTCM's heritage sites till February 20

The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) has lined up a host of events at its heritage sites with a view to present the rich Arabian culture and heritage to visitors this winter season. The events will continue for four weeks till February 20, 2011.

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� 2011 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)

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Source: http://www1.albawaba.com/events-galore-dtcms-heritage-sites-till-february-20

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2011 number plates should be available early February

PHILIPSBURG--The 2011 number plates should be ready for collection by the first week in February.

Acting Island Receiver Minerva Gumbs said the plates were expected to arrive in St. Maarten late next week. They then have to be unpacked and sorted before the public will be able to collect them.

The plates bear the colours of the St. Maarten flag ? red, white and blue ? and have an image of the flag.

The words "Congratulations Country St. Maarten" appear in the background to reflect the major accomplishment of St. Maarten having become a Country within the Dutch Kingdom on 10/10/10.
A total of 26,454 plates have been ordered for 2011. Firgos, which won the bid in 2010, was granted the bid again this year.

The deadline by law to pay the tax is February 28, but the Receiver's Office can set the date for controls later.

Gumbs said a steady stream of persons had been paying their 2011 motor vehicle tax. Motorists are advised to go in and pay their tax.

Government collected more than NAf. 8 million in motor vehicle tax in 2010 and sold 25,966 pairs of number plates, said Gumbs. Government also collected NAf. 8 million in motor vehicle tax in 2008 and NAf. 7.5 million in 2007.

Source: http://www.thedailyherald.com/islands/1-islands-news/12456-2011-number-plates-should-be-available-early-february-.html

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Assad: There is need for further reforms

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad vowed to push for more political reforms in his country, amid the ongoing riots in Egypt. In an interview published Monday, the Syrian leader told The Wall Street Journal that the protests in Egypt, Tunisia and Yemen are ushering in a "new era" in the Middle East, and that Arab rulers would need to do more to accommodate their people's rising political and economic aspirations. 

� 2011 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)

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Source: http://www1.albawaba.com/main-headlines/assad-there-need-further-reforms

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Mobily provides Jeddah relief volunteers with communication equipment

Etihad Etisalat (Mobily) is extending a helping hand to relief efforts in Jeddah according to a statement issued by the company Sunday, by giving out handsets and SIM cards to volunteers. 

Mobily is cooperating closely with the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry and a group of local charities and extending whatever is needed to assist in relief efforts. 

� 2011 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)

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Source: http://www1.albawaba.com/mobily-provides-jeddah-relief-volunteers-communication-equipment

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