Uganda Local Government Workers Union (ULGWU) letter to PM Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda – “Reminder: Remunerations Enhancement for Local Government Workers” (29.08.2017)

US: State Department plan shelving Special Envoys to the Great Lakes, South Sudan and Sudan!

The Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, as part of the Trump Administration has clearly been working hard. Since the revamp of the Department of State, the Secretary has letter explaining cuts in the Department to the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations at the United States Congress, Bob Corker. The United States government has clearly shifted their foreign policy and care for former allies. Their engagement are moving, but not as ready-made policy!

Tillerson wrote in his letter about this shift in African diplomacy or foreign relations:

The titles for following positions will be removed and the functions and staff assumed by the Bureau of African Affairs (AF):

U.S. Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region of Africa & Democratic Republic of Congo. The Special Envoy position currently is organized in AF, however the authorized staff positions and associated funding are currently in the Office of the Secretary and will be reprogrammed to AF. This will involve realigning 4 positions and $957,000 in support costs within D&CP from the Office of the Secretary to the Bureau of African Affairs (AF).

U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan and South Sudan. This will involve realigning 6 positions and $4,408,000 in support costs within D&CP from the Office of the Secretary to the Bureau of African Affairs (AF). We intend to request that Congress repeal the statutory provision for this special envoy position, since a deputy assistant secretary in AF already fulfills the responsibilities” (Rex Tillerson to Bob Corker on ‘Special Envoys and Special Representatives’).

So the Department of State will remove the Special Envoys to the Great Lakes and Democratic Republic Congo, also to the Sudan and South Sudan. These are all nations where the United States has been involved and been important part of the development. Their sanctions and acts within these republics has been vital. That is why the opposition in the DRC has asked for stronger sanctions and travel bans on the Kabila government.

The others are the South Sudan, where the US are parts of the Troika, who is also major donors to the South Sudanese government. The newly independent republic, that got massive help from the Americans for their independence from Khartoum and Sudan. The Sudan has also been important for the Americans as they have tried to solve the crisis in Darfur and it has also worked well with them for their oil. The reasons for why usually the Americans has involved itself in foreign countries.

The US now clearly doesn’t see the value in Sudan, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo and the other countries of Great Lakes. These are now undervalued, as the Special Envoys and their functions are now moved to others. The African Affairs staff gets more functions, as the Special Envoys will not create relationship it used to have.

The Envoy will have the same close work with Burundi, Rwanda, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Sudan. All of these Republic will not be represented in a fashion that the United States has done before. This proves that the American government doesn’t care about the state of affairs or wanting to engage in the conflicts, the internal problems and the totalitarian governments. The US neglects its place and purpose in these republics.

So when the United States comes to the crisis in South Sudan and other places. They will not have the same connections or understanding of the republics. This will second-sourced information, instead of getting it directly.

The United States are downgrading their diplomatic leadership to all these nations, as the Special Envoys will be shelved by the force of the State Department. The Americans are clearly not caring or bothered by the conflict, the refugee crisis or the oppressive behavior against opposition. The United States are now distant and not engaged there. They will be far away and only there when it fits their interests. Peace.

#BoUPens: BoU bought cheap Cross Ball-Pens for a fortune!

I hate to say it, but the magical pens from the Bank of Uganda (BoU) wasn’t a fairy-tale as expected. It was a cheap corporate pen, that was bought for astronomical sums. They are not so expensive after all. It is Cross Rolling Ball Pen Nor Onyx AT0155-1, the price of this not as high as the Bank paid for it. Unless, they wanted to pay of their importers major profits, however, the Bank must have connections with the traders who sold it to them. If not, why did they pay so much for Cross Ball Pen in the first place.

First, the social commentary from earlier this month:

Hey, Bank of Uganda, the glorious BoU, if you ever need any sort office equipment. I can sell it to you and at lesser cost. It will be fraction of the 357,000 Uganda Shillings per Pens or 125m shillings for 350 pens. At the dollar-rate, you paid $105 United States Dollar for each pen, they must be magnificent and the best pens ever made for the mankind” (Minbane – ‘ Opinion: Bank of Uganda must have bought magical pens!’ 16.08.2017 link: https://minbane.wordpress.com/2017/08/16/httpwp-mep1xtjg-5gh/ ).

Than, by the price of $105 USD for every single Cross Ball Pen, which was made in China. These Ball Pens are really overpriced. On the American Amazon.com price are $36.62. The Amazon product explanation: “Onyx black resin finish with polished chrome appointments – Click off cap accented by a wide chrome band and a sophisticated perforated clip design – Includes one black gel ink rollerball refill (#8523) in pen – Cross Rollerball pens can be converted into a ballpoint pen or creamy porous felt-tip pen by changing the refill to desired type of tip (Refills sold separately) – Presented in a gift box” (Amazon – ‘Cross Aventura Onyx Black Rollerball Pen (AT0155-1)’ link: https://www.amazon.com/Cross-Aventura-Black-Rollerball-AT0155-1/dp/B0017UGOZC).

So if the Bank of Uganda are importing the pens, than the price would go up. Both most like not cost more than maybe around $60 USD a pop. Clearly, the BoU are liking the idea of the overpaying the pen. The Bank might have bought it from places like Corporate Gifts Pens, there they would get discounted for amounts of pens they would by. That is like if they buy over 100 pens, around $24,79, so the price of pens would be cheaper. Even engraved pens cost added on that page $5 each, that means the price would be around $29,79.

Still, with that the price difference are $70-75, which has to paid extra to the providers or suppliers. The government and the Bank of Uganda must be really proud of who they bought it from. If not, the Chairman or the leadership of the BoU really know the family or written-off the profits to paid their mortgage.

This here was not about quality or unique pen. Just a very ordinary pen. Not even in the quality of the Parker Pens. The BoU has really scammed the people and the Bank doesn’t care about the misuse of state funds. Peace.

Kenya: The County Government of Nandi has made the following changes (28.08.2017)

Opinion: President Museveni praises Equatorial Guinea for it’s rampant Oil-Corruption; wants to learn his tricks!

In these days the President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of the Republic of Uganda are on a state visit in Malabo, visiting and learning tricks from the Equatorial Guinean President Teodoro Nguema Obiang, who has used the oil to enrich himself and his loyal subjects. Not build a welfare state, but make sure the family of Obiang get wealthy. Certainly, Uganda is preparing for their own oil production in the Lake Albertine basin, as the pipeline building from the production to the Port Tanga in Tanzania.

This is why President Museveni are visiting Equatorial Guinea to learn the tricks of the trade, as the state of Uganda are still in the dark of the oil-deals between the international companies and the state. We can wonder how the funds will be spoiled and how Museveni plans to use the oil funds for personal gains. If so, he wouldn’t praise President Obiang, who has his whole career to spend the oil profits from his republic. This is what Museveni wants to learn, since his career has been tricking out all sorts of play from Ugandan republic. The petroleum profits can be misspent and hidden just like in the republic of Obiang. Take a look!

President Museveni’s praise:

We are therefore in Equatorial Guinea for two things: looking at how to support prosperity of one another and how to push for our strategic security. I also congratulate Equatorial Guinea for using it’s oil and gas very well. When I was last here for the AU Summit, I noticed gaps between the airport and the city centre. Today, all these gaps were gone. In their place are new, well-planned buildings. And I see the city is refurbished. Some people say oil is a curse but in Equatorial Guinea it is a blessing” (Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, 26.08.2017)

Business in Equatorial Guinea:

Since the discovery of the offshore oil deposits, many investors have shown great interest in the country. Foreign direct investment inflows into the country had thus been consistently high for the past years. Nevertheless, in 2016 the FDI inflow amounted to USD 54 million, a sharp decrease from USD 233 million recorded the previous year (and the historical peak of USD 2.73 billion in 2010) . The total stock of FDI in the country is currently at USD 13.4 billion” (…) “Corruption in particular is problematic. In addition, the business climate of the country remains rather unfavourable for investment. Cumbersome procedures and high compliance costs slow licensing and make starting a business more difficult. Weak regulatory and judicial systems may discourage foreign investment as well, along with high credit costs and limited access to financing. The government controls long-term lending through the state-owned development bank. Equatorial Guinea ranked 178th out of 190 countries in the 2017 Doing Business report published by the World Bank, losing three spots compared to the previous year” (Santander Trade, 2017).

Son of the President on trial:

The corruption trial of Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, the son of the president of Equatorial Guinea, ended in Paris on 6 July with the prosecution calling for a three-year jail term, a €30 million (US$34 million) fine and the confiscation of assets. The Tribunal will return a verdict on 27 October. The 48-year-old vice-president of Equatorial Guinea was not in court to hear the prosecution’s claim that he used money stolen from his country’s treasury and laundered through a shell company to fund a lavish lifestyle in France” (Transparency International, 2017).

This was what that is well-known of the Equatorial Guinea corruption and the son of President has also had challenging cases in the United States. Now the son is also having alleged fraud and criminal charges in France. Clearly, the Ugandan President has already known for corruption behavior. Therefore, even a state agency of PPDA has some words, that the government needs strict regulations before procurement and infrastructure development. This will be clearly important when it comes to petroleum industry. Take a look!

PPDA strict regulation on public procurement:

Public procurement is a key pillar of the public financial management system. The country’s budget and plans are translated into actual services to our people through the public procurement system. It is also the link between the public sector and the private sector as it is the medium through which the private sector does business with Government. Public procurement therefore involves large sums of money and as our budget grows with the priorities of Government remaining infrastructure development, the proportion of the budget earmarked for public procurement remains significant and therefore calls for strict regulation” (PPDA, 2017).

Audits and investigations by the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets indicate that corruption in the procurement process manifests more in the evaluation of bids, reported to be at 58%. PPDA’s Manager Capacity Building Ronald Tumuhairwe says such corrupt practices lead to awarding of contracts to incompetent individuals hence shoddy works in several government projects” (…) “He adds that the second process where corruption manifests is awarding of contracts at 12.5%, followed by receipt and opening of bids, reviewing evaluation of bids, advertising and signing of contracts” (Sebunya, 2017).

President Museveni clearly has own agencies saying it is important with strict regulations on procurement and infrastructure developments like the ones needed for oil industry in the republic. The regulation of oil industry is lax, to make sure the state isn’t transparent with its profits and taxation of the industry. This is what Museveni wants, that the state and the public doesn’t know the contracts or the agreements between the parties involved. That is something President Obiang surely have the capacity to teach Museveni. And how to make sure his family is earning from the state resource, instead of the public and the state itself. Peace.

Reference:

Transparency International – ‘ON TRIAL FOR CORRUPTION: FRENCH PROSECUTORS DEMAND JAIL TERM AND €30 MILLION FINE FOR OBIANG’ (11.07.2017) link: https://www.transparency.org/news/feature/on_trial_for_corruption_french_prosecutors_demand_jail_term_and_30_million

Santander Trade – ‘EQUATORIAL GUINEA: FOREIGN INVESTMENT’ (August 2017) link: https://en.portal.santandertrade.com/establish-overseas/equatorial-guinea/investing-3

Sebunya, Wycliffe – ‘Corruption manifests most in the procurement process – IG’ (25.08.2017) link:http://radioonefm90.com/corruption-manifests-most-in-the-procurement-process-ig/

PPDA – ‘EVALUATING INNOVATIVE ANTI CORRUPTION POLICIES IN PUBLIC PROCUREMENT IN UGANDA’ (02.08.2017) link: https://www.ppda.go.ug/evaluating-innovative-anti-corruption-policies-in-public-procurement-in-uganda/

#TogoEnMarche: The Togolese people wants the Gnassingbe family to-go!

The Togolese people have now been demonstrating in the streets, many fold who has still walked and demonstrated as the third generation Gnassingbe President are still ruling. This after the third term of Faure Gnassingbe, who are trying to continue to rule with changing rules of law. The Togolese opposition and people are reacting to this. Saddest part of this is death done by police brutality and army responding to the demonstrations. Surely, the people are ready since they don’t want the family of Gnassingbe to rule it anymore.

Pretext:

As photos of this violence spread, it brought back some familiar memories. It reminded some of the early-1990s, when a similar democracy movement gained momentum in Togo before it was brutally cut short by the regime of General Gnassingbe Eyadema. That repressive strongman died in 2005, but his son, Faure Gnassingbe, took over and has continued his father’s style of leadership. Over the years, this has led a new generation of Togolese to grow increasingly impatient, culminating in this weekend’s mobilisation to demand reforms once more” (…) “In the aftermath of these events, Gnassingbe signed a comprehensive political agreement and vowed to enact reforms to allow free and fair elections. Yet 12 years later, and with the president well into his third term having won elections again in 2010 and 2015, the Togolese people are still waiting for this change” (Narourema, 2017).

#TogoEnMarche:

Tensions have erupted in Togo after protests against the ruling Gnassingbe family dynasty over the weekend turned deadly. Two protesters were killed, and 12 gendarmes were wounded in Sokode, 338km north of the capital, Lome, when security forces opened fire to break up demonstrations, the security ministry said on Saturday. Tikpi Atchadam, Togo’s opposition leader and president of the PNP party, put the death toll at seven on Saturday night” (…) “There has been no official statement by the government regarding Saturday’s violent protest. Nabourema said: “People are still so motivated and so ready. They showed so much courage. People were pulling out bullets from their bodies. They were daring the regime and the military.” (Harding, 2017).

But who is Tikpi Salifou Atchadam, leader of the PNP? His detractors take him for a fiery, a dreamer who relies on his community Team. He is accused of having ethnically sounding language of hate. But to all this, the main interested responds: “When you have a language that your interlocutors understand, they trust you and follow you. “” (…) “With his sophisticated language, PNP’s methodical leader answers all questions from journalists, but he takes care to record his interviews himself. Prudence or lack of confidence? He ensures re-listen to these interviews to allow him to “do better” during the following. His declared ambition for Togo is “to stop the dynastic regime that has ruled the country for almost 50 years”. And the means to achieve this, “it is the people,” adds Tikpi Salifou Atchadam”

Yaa Asantewaa’:

It was reminiscent of the exploits and bravery of Ashanti warrior in 1900, Yaa Asantewaa, a native of Ejisu, Kumasi, last Saturday in Ghana’s neighboring country, Togo, when a 37-year-old woman single-handedly arrested a soldier in a demonstration at Sokode in the central part of the country. This happened when some Togolese soldiers opened fire at demonstrators who had taken to the street to protest the dynasty of Gnassingbe family in the country” (Ghanaweb, 2017).

The opposition will continue the fight this one, as the Gnassingbe family of 50 year rule are being demonstrated against. The people want free and fair elections in Togo. They deserve so and they are tired of being taken for granted by the leadership. That the peaceful demonstration in Togo have been met with police brutality, the police have attacked the civilians and killed several innocent.

So #TogoEnMarche or Togo on the move! It needs to move and people are willing to show they are force to be recon with. As they have now for days demonstrated against the Gbassingbe rule, also that they want the republic to return to the 1992 Constitution. Certainly, the Togolese will continue, even if the violence from the state continues. They seem tired of the family and the control from one junta. Peace.

Reference:

Harding, Leah – ‘Tensions in Togo as anti-Gnassingbe rally turns deadly’ (21.08.2017) link: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/08/tensions-togo-anti-gnassingbe-rally-turns-deadly-170821130327797.html

Ghanaweb – ‘‘Yaa Asantewaa’ appears in Togo; arrests soldier’ (23.08.2017) link: https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Yaa-Asantewaa-appears-in-Togo-arrests-soldier-572486

Nabourema, Farida – ‘50 years of hurt: Togo protesters vow to continue’ (25.08.2017) link: http://africanarguments.org/2017/08/25/50-years-of-hurt-togo-protesters-vow-to-continue/

RFI – ‘Manifestations réprimées au Togo: qui est Tikpi Atchadam, le leader du PNP?’ (21.08.2017) link: http://www.rfi.fr/afrique/20170821-manifestations-reprimees-togo-est-tikpi-atchadam-le-leader-pnp

Brexit: Another future exit report with wishful thinking considering the role of CJEU post-Brexit!

The Tories-DUP Government released today yet another report, this report was on enforcement and disputes arising between the Her Majesties Government (HM Government) and the European Union (EU). As of when the United Kingdom abandon it’s membership status to become a non-member of the EU. The Brexit Minister David Davis clearly has lack of vision or trying to take the easy way out. Since the UK government has delivered nothing else, than wishful, we want it as today. So when I went into reading this, it was as expected. It is like the Tories doesn’t care about it or wanting to define what they want as they are going out of the EU. Here some of favorite quotes from today’s report.

As we exit the EU, the UK wants to agree an orderly withdrawal and establish a new, deep and special partnership with the EU. The UK has also made clear that in order to avoid any cliff-edge as we move from our current relationship to our future partnership, people and businesses in both the UK and the EU would benefit from an interim period, where this is necessary for the smooth and orderly implementation of new arrangements” (…) “The success of the future partnership will depend on mutual respect. We will be starting from a strong position: our shared commitment to upholding the rule of law and to meeting our international obligations, and our intention to comply with the agreements reached between us, are not in doubt” (HM Government, P: 3, 2017).

In agreements between the EU and third countries, where cooperation is facilitated through replicating language which is identical in substance to EU law, these agreements can specify that account is to be taken of CJEU decisions when interpreting those concepts. This is relevant where both parties agree that divergence in interpretation would be undesirable, for example, for operational reasons such as continued close cooperation with EU agencies” (…) “The value of such arrangements lie where there is a shared interest in reducing or eliminating divergence in how specific aspects of an agreement with the EU are implemented in the EU and the third country respectively. The extent to which this approach may be valuable depends on the extent to which there is agreement that divergence should be avoided in specific areas” (HM Government, P: 9, 2017).

In international agreements, final remedies are principally retaliatory in nature and implemented unilaterally by the parties. This includes the ability to take safeguard measures to mitigate any negative effects from the other party’s noncompliance as well as the option to suspend all or part of the agreement (or several linked agreements), or, ultimately, withdraw from the agreement (or several linked agreements). The ability of the European Commission and the CJEU within the EU legal system to impose sanctions, such as fines for non-compliance with EU rules, is exceptional” (…) “The agreements governing the UK’s withdrawal from, and future partnership with, the EU will cover a broad range of areas of cooperation. Those agreements should set out clear means by which the terms of the agreements should be implemented and enforced within the UK and the EU. They should also establish a mechanism for the resolution of disputes concerning those agreements” (HM Government, P: 11-12, 2017).

The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) and the United Kingdom, this relationship will get into another position after the withdrawal from the EU. Since the legal disputes will be different between UK and EU, as the membership are now ceased. The UK might have some legal framework between them and the EU.

That EU and UK wants a mutual respect, they both want that. This paper actually states: In agreements between the EU and third countries, where cooperation is facilitated through replicating language which is identical in substance to EU law, these agreements can specify that account is to be taken of CJEU decisions when interpreting those concepts. This is relevant where both parties agree that divergence in interpretation would be undesirable, for example, for operational reasons such as continued close cooperation with EU agencies” (HM Government, 2017).

This specific passage says in essence, that the UK wants to be facilitated and replicating the legal language of the EU, so they can cooperate with EU law, even after leaving. So that it will in general stay much as the same. The concepts and the parties will agree, so they also will function directly with the EU agencies. So the UK want an agreement that fits directly to EU law. This is countering the independence and the mindset of a “hard” Brexit, more like smoothing their system to the EU. The Remains must be jolly, that yet another paper, the HM Government are working for more of the same. Not really changing the status, but wishing for a similar system of today. That means dispute and laws would work in sync with agencies and the CJEU. Which is impressive!

Clearly, the UK want a special mechanism to be sufficient between them, as their new cooperative spirit starts after the withdrawal, but the EU will have a new agreement and a new non Member State who wants to trade, follow procedure and the jurisdiction. This means the UK and the EU needs a new function to fix disputes and legal remedies between the non-members and the EU. The UK are afraid of the EU possible sanctions, as the powers of CJEU are powerful towards to third countries, which means the UK could be sanctioned in a way that haven’t in the past. That is why the UK want to consider a legal language in sync with the EU, so they will follow the EU, even when they are outside the EU. That means a pretty soft, compared to what the Brexit wanted to be. Peace.

Reference:

HM Government – ‘Enforcement and dispute resolution – A FUTURE PARTNERSHIP PAPER’ (23.08.2017)

Uganda: Letter – “Re: Heightened Index of Suspicion for Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) in Your District” (21.08.2017)

Opinion: President Museveni claims in a letter to the FM Kasaija – ‘that the government is “mushrooming”’, well, that is his own creation!

 

It is ironic and hard to take serious that President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni wrote a letter to the Finance Minister Matia Kasaija, Minister of Public Service Muruli Mukasa, Minister of the Presidency Esther Mbayo and Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet John Mitala. This letter was sent on the 17th July of 2017 and was titled: “Re: Mushrooming Agencies/Authorities”. It is ironic and weird, it is the irrational part of Musevenism. The ones that speaks against corruption, but give provisions for a “Presidential Handshake”. Therefore, this is in line of the others chronic problems, this is just one of them.

This here is in line of this, just like the President has problems to understand that the state will have higher costs with each added district and carving out every single county to have someone to be leaders as Residential District Commander and other local government. The same feeling I’m getting by this letter. Since it is his creation and his vision behind the new agencies and the bold hiring of cronies to any department in Uganda. That shouldn’t be shaved from history. He has had 30 decades, most of the Ministries and their agencies has come as answer to his reasoning and him sanctioning it.

Therefore this quote from the letter is obvious trying to put blame elsewhere:

The questions are: “Why have an Agency when you have a department of the government dealing with the same area of responsibility?” “Why have an Authority when you have a department of the government dealing with the same area of responsibility?” “Why have Boards for money consuming units rather than money generating units?” Boards came into existence when capitalism was growing. In the infancy of capitalism, the owner (the proprietor) would also be the manager because the operations were small. When capitalism grew, it was too much for the owner to manage. Ownership, therefore, got divorced from supervision (board work) and management (managerial work)” (Museveni, 17.07.2017).

I would say most of them are created for the same issue that the state are soon paying former ministers with remuneration to them, even when they are not in cabinet. The same procedure is with hiring cronies to the boards and agencies. Not all about need or necessary for the government or the ministries. How come there are City Hall of Kampala, Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) and the Ministry of Kampala. That is because the state needs to hire enough cronies to make sure they stay loyal, also the state needs more administrative organs to make sure they can find jobs for their loyalists. Not because Kampala needs all of these administrative bodies to function, it does not help that the state also have a Presidential Advisor for Kampala. All of this is proof of the mismanagement. This is only in Kampala and without taking a deep dig into the wards and under all the mayors of Kampala. Not what that is under Lord Mayor and KCCA Executive Director.

The letter continues:

Why, then, should you separate the policy role from the regulation role for the non-commercial bureaucratic portions of the government; Forests, National Parks, Roads, NAADs, etc? Their functions are just two: policy and regulation. There is no business involved. If the Ministries of Works and Finance want to form Road Construction companies that will compete for construction jobs, then it makes sense for those companies to have Boards and Management but not a Board for a unit whose only job is to award contracts using government money” (Museveni, 17.07.2017).

It is ironic again, because NAADs, SACCOs and other Youth Livelihood Programmes have all been created by Museveni and run by close associates, even Salim Selah in some instances. That the President suddenly have issues with this weird. Since on the Campaign Trials, it seems like it is remedy and the solutions to use these government programs, but now with growing debt, it is an issue? You need this money to build a petroleum pipeline and refinery? You can wonder, I wonder, if this is the reason! Since these sort of boards, sort of agencies has been put in place, by laws signed by Museveni and accepted by him. Many is part of legislation to secure each and several ones for pivotal parts of government. Others are just created to hire cronies! Therefore, weird that he want to sack cronies… but maybe it is within need?

I want efficient with no further delays. You have up to 20th December 2017, to propose a plan to Cabinet” (Museveni, 17.07.2017). It seems only to able to change this with bringing in new tools. President Museveni needs these boards for every produce and every parts of government. That is within himself, as the ideology has no value and also no vision. Other than keeping himself in power by any means. Therefore, the boards and agencies will not cease to exists, he needs to hire cronies and pay them by either a hook or a crook. If not he has to go forward or change his system. Maybe he shouldn’t create so many ministries, districts and sort of specialized organizations, but he cannot help himself. That is his MO, nothing else. This will not change! Peace.

The letter:

Opinion: Trump’s Turnberry is a loser in Aberdeenshire, while Energetica is winning!

In 2008, the business-mogul, the American businessman and Golf Estate builder Donald J. Trump came with giant promises and that a modern golf field in and around Aberdeen would not only be profitable, but also become a major boost of the economy in the North Eastern of Scotland. Now years after and thanks to ‘the Ferret’ and Rob Edwards tireless seeking of information. There are now evidence of the operation the last two years. This after the troubles with neighbors and destruction of the dunes. An environmental disaster done for supposed benefits of business gained by the golfing operation and the hotel on the property. Clearly, this has not happen.

Because on 12th July 2017, the Ferret got the information from the Aberdeenshire Council. This documents that was delivered are revealing of how the lacking promises are delivered to the North Eastern of Scotland. The Trump Organization evidently pumped their swagger-up and sold their tricks of trade without actually having what it takes to build a profitable and establishment worth visiting.

In 2014, the Golf Recreation Scotland Limited or the Turnberry at Minnie in Aberdeenshire lost before taxes £ 3,603,000. That is not a positive results, neither is it in 2015, when the company lost before taxes £ 8,396,000. So the business there isn’t cracking or growing, it is actually going terrible. Within two years lost nearly £ 12 million British Pound. That is not small pocket change and also worrying since the promises made are not in this regard.

Another fact from the document are that in 2014, the whole company had 344 hired, operating staff was 305 and 39 administrative. So as the time goes in 2015, the total staff is 337 working there, operating staff 297 and 40 administrative. Therefore, the company isn’t really big or having a strong impact of jobs, considering this was supposed to be a place that boosted economy. Not only is the golf-course losing money, it is also being short staffed and having few people hired.

The salaries in total has gone from £ 6,796,000 in 2014 and in 2015 it was £ 6,020,000. Therefore, the salaries paid out to the staff isn’t substantial for the changes of environment. The boost of the Aberdeenshire, is not happening now or near future. As the Turnberry at the Minnie.

The profits after the cost of sales in 2014 are £ 3,454,000 and in 2015 it were £ 3,725,000. So the profits have not really gone up. Even if the turnover went from £ 9,209,000 in 2014 and in 2015 it went to £ 11,410,000. Even if the turnover went up with £ 2,000,000, the profits went only up about £ 300,000. So the percentage after cost are minimal. This with the concerning level of staffing. It seems like the Turnberry isn’t made profitable or neither operational in a way that they promised the Scottish government in 2008.

Also, because of the issues with the profits, turnovers and the salaries. The taxation for 2014 were supposed to be £ 774,000, but because of losses they paid none. The similar was in 2015 it was £ 1,697,000, but because of the losses the there were none. So the Aberdeenshire and the North East of Scotland. Has really not earned a dime on it. The salaries haven’t been substantial either.

That this isn’t substantial in any sense that in Aberdeenshire alone, it is over 261,000 people. The total employment is at 132,100. The Turnberry or the Golf Recreation of Scotland and was in 337 people. Therefore, the promises was not kept. While Donald Trump has claimed the Energy building and the wind turbines destroying his business.

With the stark difference to Aberdeenshire Council:

Energetica has attracted £260 million of a potential £750 million investment in its first five years. Construction spend of over £500 million (present value – PV) is expected across the Energetica business parks over the next 20 years. The gross jobs accommodated by new business space on the

parks could be expected to generate around £5.1 billion (PV) gross GVA per annum in 2025. New business space expected to be developed on the Energetica parks could accommodate around 12,400 jobs by 2025” (Aberdeenshire Council – Aberdeenshire Coucil, July 2016).

Therefore, the Energetica actually spends monies in the area, they will hire up to 12,400, which is massive amount of workforce. Also possible adding 12,400. Can doubt a golf-course that is already running badly, will get turnover or even since it losses money. The Energetica will spend fortunes and also generate money in Aberdeenshire. Totally different from what the golf-course will generate. The destruction of the Minnie dunes for the Turnberry clearly hasn’t paid-off.

Golf Digest in 2016 had this statement on the place: “Here is what Turnberry is not: A traditional, lay of the land, or lovably quirky links. The course, which has been through many iterations in between its use as an air base in times of war, has always been fairly straightforward, a fine examination of many shots with beautiful views” (…) “Turnberry makes no apologies for being an Americanized version of an authentic links. Trump added the same 10 foot wide ryegrass walkways that he insisted on through the dunes at Trump International in Aberdeen. While perhaps too clean and carpet-like for most, they do add an elegance to walks as your approach Ebert’s square tee boxes (which fight the landcape a bit)” (Geoff Schackelford – ‘DONALD TRUMP’S TURNBERRY: THE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE DELIVERS WITH HIS RENOVATED AYRSHIRE COURSE’ 20.07.2016).

So clearly, his vision has to improve the experience, but business-wise it has been pathetic. With time the Trump Organization might earn monies on it. But right now, the promises are not kept. Neither, seems to be possible, the one that will make difference and boost to Aberdeenshire is the Energetica investments into clean-air and windmills in sea. Peace.