Category Archives: National Vanguard

Betterment CEO Jon Stein.

Jon Stein is leaving Betterment, thedigital advisory firm he co-founded in 2010 and heads as CEO. He is being replaced by Sarah Kirshbaum Levy, a former executive of Viacom CBS.

According to The Wall Street Journal, which first reported the news, Levy takes over today, but Stein will stay around for daily operations through the end of the month and remain chairman of the Betterment board.

He told the Journal, It fells like a good point to pass the torch.

One of a just a few independent robo-advisory firms, Betterment has seen growth in all three of its business platforms this year despite the coronavirus pandemic, said Stein, listing the firms direct-to-consumer retail operations, 401(k) business for small and midsize companies and platform for independent advisors.

Betterment has $25 billion in assets under management and 500,000 clients. It does not break down how many assets or clients are in each of its three business lines.

The time has come for someone else to lead the company through its next stage of growth, Stein said in a statement.

He explained ina blog posted on the Betterment website that he had essentially realized his dream to build a sustainable institution, to build something that will outlast me. Ive never taken a larger step toward that accomplishment than I am today in passing the torch to Sarah.

Stein wrote that he had met Levy virtually over the summer, had been working with her over the past few months, and is incredibly confident that the company and the customers we serve will be in good hands under her leadership.

He said he would be supporting Sarah and her team in various ways, whether it be via recruiting, investor relations, telling our story, or upholding company culture and values.

Levy told the Journal that she will focus on the evolution of the firm, including expanding opportunities for customized portfolios and client interactions with human advisors. Asked about the prospect of an IPO, she said a clear path to strong growth and line of sight into profitability was a prerequisite.

Levy is a former chief operating officer of Viacom Media Networks and of Nickelodeon.

David Goldstone, Manager of Research and Analytics for Backend Benchmarking, which publishes The Robo Report, said Levy is an interesting choice to head Betterment as she comes from a media background instead of a finance background.

He speculated that Betterment may be looking for someone who can help the company sustain its high level of growth, adding that although Betterment has catalyzed permanent changes to the financial advice landscape, it is still not a household name and can still make significant gains in brand awareness, and general awareness of robo-advice products.

Bill Winterberg,founder and president of FPPAD, said in choosing Levy to succeed him, Stein is acknowledging the importance of handing the reins over to capable leadership that can navigate the company in a new era of increased competition from significantly more capitalized incumbent providers with national brand recognition.

Both Winterberg and Goldstone noted the success of Betterment, from its founding in 2010 by Stein and co-founder Eli Broverman, who left in April 2017.

What started as a low-cost automated investment management account continually evolved and expanded into a hybrid automated and human-powered investment platform for over half a million investors, said Winterberg. Now that theyve attracted copycats by incumbent providers including Charles Schwab, Wells Fargo, JP Morgan Chase and Vanguard, Betterments future remains uncertain, said Winterberg.

Though it did attract copycats, Betterment did not up-end the financial services industry like many predicted, said Goldstone. But its products have successfully democratized financial advice, greatly expanding the market and availability of professional advice, he added.

Betterment has no minimum requirement to open a digital-only account that charges a 0.25%fee. Its premium account, which includes access to advisors, has a $100,000 minimum andcharges 0.40%. TheBetterment for Advisors platform has no minimum requirement and allows firms to use multiple billing plans asset-based billing, fixed billing, or tiered billing, which all include a platform fee.

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Betterment CEO and Founder Jon Stein Resigns - ThinkAdvisor

SINGAPORE - Nearly 5,500 job openings are on offer in the healthcare sector, with three in four of them being long-term positions.

Close to 40 per cent - or 1,530 - of the 4,080 long-term jobs available are in professional and executive roles, such as nurses, allied health professionals, and finance and human resources executives. The other 2,550 long-term job openings are support roles such as healthcare assistants, therapy assistants and patient service associates.

Meanwhile, support and administrative support roles also make up 95 per cent - or 1,330 - of the 1,390 short-term jobs on offer. Close to 5 per cent - around 60 - of short-term jobs are for professionals and executives.

These 5,500 long- and short-term jobs are part of the 6,700 job, traineeship and training openings in the sector as at the end of last month, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in its weekly jobs situation report on Thursday (Dec 10).

Apart from jobs, there are also about 470 company-hosted traineeships and attachments, as well as 760 training opportunities.

The long-term professional and executive roles include enrolled and registered nurses, who can earn between $3,300 and $5,200 a month, according to data on the gross monthly salaries of those who newly joined the healthcare sector in 2018, including experienced hires.The median monthly pay is $3,900.

The salary for allied health professionals is $4,100 to $5,000 a month, with a median of $4,400.

The long-term healthcare support jobs include roles such as patient service associates, who typically earn $2,400 to $3,000 monthly, with a median of $2,700. Healthcare assistants and therapy assistants earn between $1,800 and $2,300 each month, with a median of $2,100.

Healthcare has been among the top sectors offering jobs and skills opportunities.

More than 80 per cent of the job openings are offered by the public healthcare clusters such as SingHealth, National University Health System and National Healthcare Group, as well as community care organisations such as Ren Ci Hospital, Vanguard Healthcare and St Luke's Eldercare.

The rest are offered by private organisations including Parkway Hospitals Singapore, Healthway Medical Group and Q & M Dental Centre.

The ministry said that about 8,350 people were placed into jobs, traineeships and training positions in the healthcare sector between April and last month.

About 93 per cent were placed into jobs, the majority of which were shorter term in nature, said the MOM. These include swabbers and swab assistants to support the Covid-19-related operations, as well as care ambassadors and patient concierge personnel attached to public healthcare institutions and community care organisations.

While some of these workers are still in their current roles, others have successfully transitioned into longer-term roles in the sector or other job opportunities that they have secured on their own, said the ministry.

It added that current workers can also consider switching into professional roles such as nursing or allied health by tappingthe Professional Conversion Programmes (PCPs).

Singapore's healthcare sector is supported by a workforce of more than 100,000 people across both public and private sectors.

About 70 per cent of the workforce is made up of healthcare professionals such as doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists and allied health professionals, while the remaining 30 per cent comprises support care, administrative and ancillary workers.

The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has created temporary vacancies and manpower needs for a range of roles, such as swabbers and swab assistants to support increased testing operations. Care ambassadors are also needed to support hospital nurses, as they were redirected from their original duties to care for Covid-19 patients.

In addition, healthcare professionals including nurses and doctors, and supporting staff such as phlebotomists, were mobilised to serve at dedicated Covid-19 facilities and medical posts.

In the longer term, an ageing population and rising chronic disease incidence will drive demand for healthcare manpower. New healthcare facilities, such as integrated facilities, general hospitals, community hospitals and polyclinics, will progressively be developed.

The sector has been committing resources to expand the pipeline of fresh graduates and mid-career individuals, and offer opportunities to equip existing workers with updated skills, said Manpower Minister Josephine Teo at a virtual media conference.

The MOM said that the Government and industry has a three-pronged approach to help Singaporeans enter the healthcare sector and thrive in their careers.

The sector has been committing resources to expand the pipeline of fresh graduates and mid-career individuals, said Manpower Minister Josephine Teo. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO

One way is through preparing existing students for careers in healthcare.

The Government has been working closely withinstitutes of higher learning to build a steady pipeline of local healthcare professionals. For instance, local nursing intake increased by about 50 per cent from 1,500 in 2014 to 2,200 to last year. New undergraduate allied health programmes such as dietetics and nutrition and speech and language therapy have been introduced in recent years.

Another approach taken is to support fresh graduates and mid-career job seekers without healthcare backgrounds to enter the sector.

Several initiatives are in place to do so, including career conversion programmes, training opportunities, and redesigning healthcare jobs that blend clinical support, administrative and operations responsibilities.

This comes amid rising interest among mid-career workers to switch to the healthcare sector during the pandemic. For instance, the number of applications for the PCP for registered nurses (diploma) in the October intake was about three times that of the April intake, the MOM said, without giving numbers.

The Government plans to open up training capacity of 900 places over the next three years to cater to mid-career switchers entering into nursing and allied health roles. But this may be adjusted depending on applicants' interest and participation rate.

Lastly, existing workers are given continuous training and development opportunities. These include training grants for healthcare professionals to take on skills attachment or formal post-graduate education opportunities.

Mrs Teo said: When people think about whether they will take up a career in healthcare, they also see themselves not just as taking on any job. They see the meaning part of it, but they also know that it is a profession that demands very high level of commitment.

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Close to 5500 jobs available in S'pore's healthcare sector; 3 in 4 are long-term positions - The Straits Times

Since opening in late 2014, The Vanguard has quickly established itself as the pinnacle of tubed meat delicacies in Milwaukee. Though their winning mix of specialty sausages, tube-less options, exceptional appetizers, and an impressive group of vegan and vegetarian offerings has earned the Bay View bar and restaurant oodles of acclaim from local diners, regional and national publications, celebrities, and television programs, The Vanguard still likes to shake things up on a somewhat regular basis.

Twice annually, The Vanguard updates its menu with a handful of new items. However, in order to keep things fresh and make room for new offerings, the restaurant must also say goodbye to some old standbys. On Tuesday, December 1, The Vanguard will have a staggering THIRTEEN new menu items available. Sadly, that means some current menu items will have to be phased out between now and Tuesday.

Today, The Vanguard is declaring last call on the following seven menu items. You can say goodbye to these favorites by placing a carryout order between Friday morning and Monday night (while supplies last). Adjust your diet and dining plans accordingly.

The PopperPanko-breaded and fried jalapeno cheddar brat with cream cheese, jalapeno, cheddar, and jalapeno jam.

Milan CevapiCoriander- and oregano-seasoned lamb/pork sausage with ajvar, tzatzitki, feta, pickled red onion, pita, and iceberg lettuce (no bun).

GiannisVenison, bacon, grilled leek, red wine, and orange sausage with zucchini and eggplant briami, manouri cheese, and oregano.

The Paddy MeltFreshly ground beef brisket and American cheese patty with house bourbon mustard, mushroom gravy, Chimay braised onions, and Swiss cheese, served on toasted marble rye.

Polish SausagePork and beef sausage with beer, white pepper, and mustard.

Chili Coconut TofuFried tofu with a sweet chili coconut glaze, Thai basil, and toasted coconut flakes.

Meatball MondayEvery Monday, The Vanguard offered a different type of meatball-based special. Monday, November 30 will be the final Meatball Monday for the foreseeable future.

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The Vanguard will say goodbye to 7 menu items next week - Milwaukee Record

The Daily Beast

Last year the library in the town where I grew up unveiled a $20.8 million transformation project. Among the new features: a museum-quality store, an 18-foot video wall, two professional multimedia studios, an outdoor deck, an enhanced MakerSpace, and a Yamaha Disklavier piano. There were also water bottle refilling stations, extended caf hours, double the number of entrances, and fewer books.Was it true, as the bookish gossiped, that nearly a third of the librarys physical collection had been discarded? No official number was forthcoming. All we knew for certain was that the main floor, previously the home of the stacks, had become flex space, and the majority of the adult books were in tight quarters on the ground floor. Moreover, thanks to zealous weeding, some titles came and went so fast in the catalog that it was almost as if books were on loan to the library.And yet the bookish did not boycott the place. It was there, in fact, that I heard their grumbles about the reduced collection. Whenever I was in town to see my parents, I myself went to the library, and if it did not always have what I was looking for, it could be counted on to supply something oddly better: that which I didnt know I wanted. Sometimes I left the building with one pleasingly subversive sentence (Michael Gorra, from his foreword to The Daily Henry James: [N]o scholar has ever paid it much attention, and for decades it survived in the only way that forgotten books do survive: undisturbed in the stacks). More often, it was with a sense of a freshened-up self and world. Why had I never heard of X? How had I lived so long without Y? In the stacks, William H. Gass writes, such epiphanies, such enrichments of mind and changes of heart, are the stuff of every day. Which must be the reason that in final hours before the March shutdown, I visited my hometown library twice.France's Oldest Public Library is Paris' Best OasisThen I returned to the city where I now live, and where the two libraries I frequentone public, the other serving the college where I workwere also closed. Though Ive seldom gone a week of my literate life without the library, I thought Id be fine. After all, I have a makeshift home office, a regifted Kindle (never mind that I hadnt used it), access to wondrous databases, and, on my better days, a sure grasp of the word non-essential. During the first weeks of sheltering in place, I even forced myself to ask whether Id exaggerated the sense of possibility I associate with the stacks. My libraries arent exactly the Bodleian, and I am deeply familiar with huge portions of their collections. Really, how many miracles could still be in store?Throughout the spring I did my usual amount of reading, which yielded the usual number of leadsbooks I planned to borrow when the library reopened. I soon realized that no, I did not want them on a screen (my screen fatigue had reached the point where once, watching a video, I wished it were available as a book). And grateful as I was for curbside pick-up when it came along, I also realized that nothing would ever beat retrieving books myself. Shelf-shopping was what I longed for; I missed the sparks it set off in me, the accidents that happen only when you go from 027.4799 to 944.025 in under ten seconds.Almost a decade ago a state-wide library conference was held in my city. At a caf I met an attendee who provided me with statistics as memorable as her name, which was Starr LaTronica. Some studies have found that two-thirds of circulated materials are discovered serendipitously; others put the figure at 85 percent. I thought of those numbers whenever I reflected on how much my mind had been deprived of during the pandemic. This, of course, was why the library never grew stale: Though the collection didnt change all that much from day to day, I didthanks in large part to what I stumbled on there. Never quite the person Id been before the book Id most recently read, I was reliably game for something that had previously held scant interest.One would think that the glories of serendipity had already been established by writers and scholars, no small number of whom seem to have preferred the library to school. (I was made for the library, not the classroom, Ta-Nehisi Coates recalls. The classroom was a jail of other peoples interests. The library was open, unending, free.) But if a reminder was needed, students at Yale provided one last year, along with some evidence that the stacks arent just for old people. The Washington Post reported that when the university announced plans to reduce the main undergraduate librarys print holdings from 150,000 to 40,000 to make space for additional seating, Nearly 1,000 students signed up on social media to participate in a browse-in, vowing to check out everything from Shakespeares Julius Caesar to Dr. Seusss The Sneetches to show university administrators that young people still value the printed word.Its unfortunate, then, that libraries making a case for their continued relevance tend to play up everything but the magic of the stacks. A few years ago, I served on the search committee for my colleges chief librarian. We received scores of impressive applications and hired someone superb, but not a single cover letter brought up the importance of browsing. A colleague to whom I mentioned this, someone who had presumably benefited as much as I from roaming privileges, responded with a shrug. Heres my question, she said. Do we even need a library?Having existed for the better part of a year without full access to mine, I know that I dosurely not as much as those who come for computer guidance, language lessons, the internet, or peace; more, Im betting, than those drawn by bean bag chairs, quinoa tabbouleh, and library-themed onesies. No matter what lures us to the library, though, as long as there are stacks, we may wander into them and never be the same. As they try to reopen or stay open, let struggling institutions not lose sight of this fact, nor five-star libraries make light of it.In his book More Lives Than One, the naturalist Joseph Wood Krutch relates the story of a boy whose intellectual life began in the unremarkable library of a tiny Iowa town. The boy had the privilege of the stacks, and by chance he pulled down a novel and read the first sentence: All happy families are alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. Asked if it was a good book, the librarian, who could have declared it too old for the boy, replied, Wellits a very strong book. Krutch noted that [t]he second most important thing about the little Iowa library was a wise librarian. But the most important thing was the fact that the book was there. That library would have been justified by its fruit even though no one else had ever read its copy of Anna Karenina.As it happened, the boy became a historian who wrote several books. Id treasure that library if he had merely gone on reading them.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

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Form 8.3 - The Vanguard Group, Inc.: Willis Towers Watson plc - Yahoo Finance UK

The Daily Beast

Last year the library in the town where I grew up unveiled a $20.8 million transformation project. Among the new features: a museum-quality store, an 18-foot video wall, two professional multimedia studios, an outdoor deck, an enhanced MakerSpace, and a Yamaha Disklavier piano. There were also water bottle refilling stations, extended caf hours, double the number of entrances, and fewer books.Was it true, as the bookish gossiped, that nearly a third of the librarys physical collection had been discarded? No official number was forthcoming. All we knew for certain was that the main floor, previously the home of the stacks, had become flex space, and the majority of the adult books were in tight quarters on the ground floor. Moreover, thanks to zealous weeding, some titles came and went so fast in the catalog that it was almost as if books were on loan to the library.And yet the bookish did not boycott the place. It was there, in fact, that I heard their grumbles about the reduced collection. Whenever I was in town to see my parents, I myself went to the library, and if it did not always have what I was looking for, it could be counted on to supply something oddly better: that which I didnt know I wanted. Sometimes I left the building with one pleasingly subversive sentence (Michael Gorra, from his foreword to The Daily Henry James: [N]o scholar has ever paid it much attention, and for decades it survived in the only way that forgotten books do survive: undisturbed in the stacks). More often, it was with a sense of a freshened-up self and world. Why had I never heard of X? How had I lived so long without Y? In the stacks, William H. Gass writes, such epiphanies, such enrichments of mind and changes of heart, are the stuff of every day. Which must be the reason that in final hours before the March shutdown, I visited my hometown library twice.France's Oldest Public Library is Paris' Best OasisThen I returned to the city where I now live, and where the two libraries I frequentone public, the other serving the college where I workwere also closed. Though Ive seldom gone a week of my literate life without the library, I thought Id be fine. After all, I have a makeshift home office, a regifted Kindle (never mind that I hadnt used it), access to wondrous databases, and, on my better days, a sure grasp of the word non-essential. During the first weeks of sheltering in place, I even forced myself to ask whether Id exaggerated the sense of possibility I associate with the stacks. My libraries arent exactly the Bodleian, and I am deeply familiar with huge portions of their collections. Really, how many miracles could still be in store?Throughout the spring I did my usual amount of reading, which yielded the usual number of leadsbooks I planned to borrow when the library reopened. I soon realized that no, I did not want them on a screen (my screen fatigue had reached the point where once, watching a video, I wished it were available as a book). And grateful as I was for curbside pick-up when it came along, I also realized that nothing would ever beat retrieving books myself. Shelf-shopping was what I longed for; I missed the sparks it set off in me, the accidents that happen only when you go from 027.4799 to 944.025 in under ten seconds.Almost a decade ago a state-wide library conference was held in my city. At a caf I met an attendee who provided me with statistics as memorable as her name, which was Starr LaTronica. Some studies have found that two-thirds of circulated materials are discovered serendipitously; others put the figure at 85 percent. I thought of those numbers whenever I reflected on how much my mind had been deprived of during the pandemic. This, of course, was why the library never grew stale: Though the collection didnt change all that much from day to day, I didthanks in large part to what I stumbled on there. Never quite the person Id been before the book Id most recently read, I was reliably game for something that had previously held scant interest.One would think that the glories of serendipity had already been established by writers and scholars, no small number of whom seem to have preferred the library to school. (I was made for the library, not the classroom, Ta-Nehisi Coates recalls. The classroom was a jail of other peoples interests. The library was open, unending, free.) But if a reminder was needed, students at Yale provided one last year, along with some evidence that the stacks arent just for old people. The Washington Post reported that when the university announced plans to reduce the main undergraduate librarys print holdings from 150,000 to 40,000 to make space for additional seating, Nearly 1,000 students signed up on social media to participate in a browse-in, vowing to check out everything from Shakespeares Julius Caesar to Dr. Seusss The Sneetches to show university administrators that young people still value the printed word.Its unfortunate, then, that libraries making a case for their continued relevance tend to play up everything but the magic of the stacks. A few years ago, I served on the search committee for my colleges chief librarian. We received scores of impressive applications and hired someone superb, but not a single cover letter brought up the importance of browsing. A colleague to whom I mentioned this, someone who had presumably benefited as much as I from roaming privileges, responded with a shrug. Heres my question, she said. Do we even need a library?Having existed for the better part of a year without full access to mine, I know that I dosurely not as much as those who come for computer guidance, language lessons, the internet, or peace; more, Im betting, than those drawn by bean bag chairs, quinoa tabbouleh, and library-themed onesies. No matter what lures us to the library, though, as long as there are stacks, we may wander into them and never be the same. As they try to reopen or stay open, let struggling institutions not lose sight of this fact, nor five-star libraries make light of it.In his book More Lives Than One, the naturalist Joseph Wood Krutch relates the story of a boy whose intellectual life began in the unremarkable library of a tiny Iowa town. The boy had the privilege of the stacks, and by chance he pulled down a novel and read the first sentence: All happy families are alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. Asked if it was a good book, the librarian, who could have declared it too old for the boy, replied, Wellits a very strong book. Krutch noted that [t]he second most important thing about the little Iowa library was a wise librarian. But the most important thing was the fact that the book was there. That library would have been justified by its fruit even though no one else had ever read its copy of Anna Karenina.As it happened, the boy became a historian who wrote several books. Id treasure that library if he had merely gone on reading them.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

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Form 8.3 - The Vanguard Group, Inc.: Aon plc - Yahoo Finance UK

November 16, Moldova: Pro-European Union candidate, Maia Sandu, won Moldovas presidential election against incumbent Igor Dodon with 57.7% of the vote, according to The New York Times. The loss of Dodon, who was openly endorsed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, represented a possible shift away from Russia for the former Soviet country. Sandu will be Moldovas first female president in the countrys history. We have a divided society, Sandu said in an interview with BBC. Its been further divided during this campaign by my opponent, but the short-term challenges of course are to help people go through this pandemic crisis, the sanitary crisis and the economic crisis.

November 18, France: French President Emmanuel Macron gave the French Council of the Muslim Faith 15 days to work with the interior ministry and agree to a charter of republican values in an effort to crack down on radical Islam. As part of this process, the CFCM agreed to create a National Council of Imams, which would require imams to go through an official accreditation process, according to BBC. Macron also introduced a bill that sought to prevent radicalization with measures that would include providing children with identification numbers to ensure they attend school and harsher punishments on those who intimidate public officials on religious grounds. Following the announcement, Pakistans human rights minister released a tweet that compared Macrons treatment of Muslims to Nazi treatment of Jews, which has since been deleted.

November 19, Bangkok, Thailand: Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha announced the government would crack down harder on protesters as anti-government protests continue. The situation is not improving, Chan-ocha said in a statement, as reported by Al Jazeera. There is a risk of escalation to more violence. If not addressed, it could damage the country and the beloved monarchy. The government will intensify its actions and use all laws, all articles, to take action against protesters who broke the law. Following the announcement, thousands of protestersmainly young studentstook to the streets of Bangkok on Nov. 21. Many were dressed in dinosaur costumes. We represent the meteorites crushing the dinosaurs to extinction, said 15-year-old high school student leader Benjamaporn Nivas to Reuters.

November 20, Nagorno-Karabakh: Following almost two months of violent clashes, Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to a Russia-brokered ceasefire agreement. According to Al Jazeera, Armenia agreed to return 1520% of the Nagorno-Karabakh territory. Azerbaijans army announced it entered the first of three districts to be returned on Friday. Armenian residents and soldiers were seen destroying buildings and burning down houses before the handoff began. The Guardian reported tens of thousands of Azerbaijanis are expected to return to the districts.

November 21, Guatemala City, Guatemala: A section of the Congress of the Republic of Guatemala was set aflame by protesters after Congress passed a controversial budget bill. The budget bill increased the stipends of Guatemalas lawmakers and cut funding for human rights programs, according to Al Jazeera. Protesters called for the resignation of President Alejandro Giammattei after he refused to veto the billone of the main demands by protesters. Approximately 10,000 people protested in front of the National Palace in Guatemala City. I feel like the future is being stolen from us, said Mauricio Ramrez, a 20-year-old university student, according to AP News. We dont see any changes, this cannot continue like this.

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This Week Around The World - Psuvanguard.com

Our constitution review plan Kalu, spokesmanWe borrow money to augment our salariesBy Levinus Nwabughiogu

The National Assembly is contemplating a reduction in the number of federal ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) in the country to save cost of running government, according to Hon. Benjamin Kalu (Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State), spokesman for the House of Representatives.

There are at least 428 federal MDAs in Nigeria. Kalu spoke to Sunday Vanguard on the heels of the second economic recession in Nigeria in five years.

To be honest, some of the MDAs are mere duplications and the National Assembly is looking at them. We can consolidate on the functions of the MDAs to reduce cost, he said.

The spokesperson also speaks on how NASS will carry out constitutional amendment, the legislatures budget of N128billion, lawmakers jumbo salaries, the backlash against protesters involved in #EndSARS and the role federal lawmakers will play in rebuilding states where properties were destroyed by hoodlums in the course of the protests among other issues. Excerpts:

Whats your assessment of the 2021 budget defense sessions? Do you entertain any misgiving?

I must commend the executive for taking the budget presentation and defense seriously the same way the head of government took it seriously and kept to the calendar of presenting it early enough for us to work on it and get it back to the public at the beginning of next year and I am impressed that they took a cue from there and they have been coming. We just met with the Minister of Agriculture who did not send his perm sec to us. He came himself. The other day we met with Works and Housing Minister Fashola who did not send anybody but came himself and I can go on and on. The Minister of Health was with us the other day. All hands appear to be on deck to reverse the budget calendar from what it used to be to January to December in 2021 which is healthy for our economy.

On the other side, what I have not observed so well is the impact of what COVID-19 brought on the budget. I have not seen the MDAs integrating the innovations introduced by COVID-19 in their budgets which include the use of technology to reduce cost especially on virtual meetings to reduce trips and travels. If you put the amounts in the MDAs together and the amount appropriated yearly on local travels and international travels, you will see that it is very huge and with technology we can save 50% of the amount we are currently spending on local trips and the rest of them. I have also not seen reductions in international travels. Most of the universities across the world, Harvard, Oxford, have gone online for their trainings, it doesnt reduce their credibility, it doesnt reduce the efficiency of the work they are doing with their students and so why are we not adopting that approach to training?

I have also seen that some people come to us not prepared. They come with the mindset that the National Assembly dont know what to look out for, they are not as thorough as they ought to be and so they will do any garbage in, garbage out and they expect us to accept it, the numbers are not adding up, their extra budgetary expenses, we dont do that; we call them to order and make sure those things are taken care of. So, generally, there is a big cooperation between the National Assembly and the executive in this budget defense.

There are four hundred and something agencies. In the course of this budget presentation, was there any thoughts by law makers to tinker with the number?

To be honest, some of the agencies are mere duplications and the National Assembly is looking at them. We can consolidate on the functions of the agencies to reduce cost. The present economic leadership philosophy is to block leakages of revenue and reduce cost of governance and also finish up projects that are ongoing as against getting involved in brand new ones. Now based on that, it calls for restructuring where necessary to achieve cost reduction expectations of this government.

There are two or three agencies that could come under one, it is one of the things the House is going to look at through motions and resolutions or the Acts that established some of the agencies and see how we can collapse them by repealing or amending the Acts for the sake of better control, efficient work and higher productivity as well as reducing cost and that is the yearning of Nigerians because we have so many petitions telling us that we have too many agencies doing similar jobs. But you know, it takes time and the situation was not created by this government.

The budget of the Presidency; of the President and his Vice on travels is still high as it used to be in previous years. So talking about cost reduction, would you want to reduce that as a parliament or leave it as it used to be?

Our job as the National Assembly is to be the watchdog and we have oversight functions. Our job is to look at the numbers before us, it doesnt have to be the President and the Vice President or the agencies of government, nevertheless, we deal with the judiciary as well as the executive, we look at the numbers that they are bringing to us and see how workable those numbers are in view of the challenging times and, if they are workable, we allow it, but if they are not sustainable, we say no to them and I am sure that is why the electorate elected us and this is for the interest of the people. It is not an attack, or to create acrimony or rancor; no, it is for the interest of the tax payers who have given us that confidence of overseeing, looking after their hard earned money.

Constitutional amendment is here again and many Nigerians feel that the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference which many think may have the solution to the clamor for restructuring should be adopted. How is this constitutional amendment going to incorporate some of these yearnings as put together in the 2014 National Conference?

In amending a Constitution, so many things come into play and information is harnessed to educate the framers of the Constitution, to educate the drafters of the Constitution, to educate the people amending the Constitution or reviewers of the Constitution. Constitution review is not something you just do, there is a template. It is a matter of understanding the wishes of the people. How do you harvest the desires of the people? It is by going into what has happened before that was documented. So, the report of the Constitutional Conference, if need be, would be called into use, the opinion of the public, if need be, would be called into use. Remember, people are going to send in memoranda and they will be collated, analyzed and incorporated into the process. So, no stone is going to be left unturned during this constitutional amendment. This constitutional review committee which I am a member of will reflect that.

The #EndSARS protests that erupted recently in parts of the country rattled the National Assembly and the Presidency, and the Federal Government appears poised to prosecute some of the promoters. Does that sit well with the House?

I dont think you got the Federal Government right. The Federal Government will never prosecute those who are expressing their rights constitutionally. There is a difference between those who protested and those who were vandals. There is a difference between those who protested and the honour of what they believe in for there to be change and as citizens they own that right; freedom of expression, freedom of association as allowed by the Constitution. Nobody can deny them that right. But if in the expression of that right, you stepped on the toes of the law, the limitation of your right is the commencement of the right of the other person. Therefore in exercising your freedom of association or freedom of expression you must have at the back of your mind the dictates of the law.

So the National Assembly will never support any attempt to silence those expressing their rights under the Constitution, no. But the National Assembly will support every move against hoodlums. The real protesters did not destroy properties, the real protesters did not burn down houses, the real protesters did not cause havoc but those ones who came and infiltrated the camp and started destroying cars, houses and all the rest of them, they should be prosecuted and the National Assembly will support their prosecution.

In rebuilding the worst hit states, what role will the House play?

It is taking interventions that will enable the executive to have the backing of the law to specially intervene where was greatly impacted. So any collaboration that the executive may demand from the House, we are willing to do it to make sure we rebuild our nation.

How much does an average lawmaker in National Assembly take home as salary?

I am not the institution. The institution is sitting on a tripod; the Senate, the Management and the House of Representatives. My answer will be different from the answer of a senator and the answer of the person that is working in Management. The Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Commission; these things are tabled there. Go to the Management, the Clerk of the National Assembly is here and request for it and it will be given to you.

But suffice to say it is very painful that Nigerians are not asking the right questions. We are known all over the world as very smart people and how come when it comes to this topic we pretend unintelligent? Why do we have this question coming up over and over again because of N128billion allocated to an arm of government, not a ministry, not a department of government, not an agency of government, a full arm of government? The budget of Nigeria, if shared to the three arms of government, do you think the National Assembly will be getting N128billion? This arm is the same as the executive arm and the judiciary.

They are at the same level, on the same platform. None is greater than the other and Nigerians have not deemed it right to look at the percentage representation of their money, where it is going to and they are focusing on N128billion out of N13trillion. N128billion is about 0.8% of the entire national budget. Now tell me, you are looking for your money and you leave 99.02% of the money and you are spending two, three years looking at 0.8%? Nigerians should start asking the right questions. They should ask what is happening to the 99.02% which is with the executive and these agencies that you mentioned.

Do you know that law makers borrow money to add to what they get here to be able to solve the needs in their various constituencies because the expectations are high and the resources are low?

Nigeria should support us to use less than 1% to oversight them. By Sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution, you are giving me a job to follow your money, audit your money, go after the money and make sure that the money we appropriated, N13trillion, is used for the right thing; which consultant will charge you less than 1% to oversee your project of 13trillion? The least they will charge you is about 10% and if you are taking about 10%, if the National Assembly were a private consultant, it should be about N1.3trillion. The budget of the National Assembly was 5% of the entire national budget before, it went down to 4%, from there to 3% and, today, it is at 0.8%, less than 1%; the Budget Office will tell you this and it has not changed and yet foreign exchange is going up whereas the purchasing power of the money that you are paying House of Reps members it is the same place.

The same amount of money that was paid to the 4th Assembly, 5th Assembly, 6th Assembly and 7th Assembly is a far cry from what National Assembly members are earning now. Now granted but not conceding that National Assembly members are earning all the money people claim they are earning, which of these arms of government is closer to the masses? I am a lawyer by training and I have friends in the judiciary, it is my immediate constituency. You dont see any judge interacting with people in the rural area with people coming for school fees, hospital bills, coming for burial, coming for my house has fallen down or I need to buy fertilizer, I need to do this and that, no judge will be seen. If a judge takes salary, its for him and his family.

How many ministers are being seen close to the rural people, that they can knock on their doors and they open and they saw that it is problem of I dont have clothes to go to school, I cannot pay my school fees? They dont see that? How many governors in your own village, how many times have your villagers had time to sit with their governor or minister? Zero! They only see them in public functions but we eat with these people. It is only the National Assembly that represents this government. The (President) Buhari they see is Benjamin Kalu when I am in the village.

The governor that they see is Benjamin Kalu when I am in the village and so if there is any problem that they have as long as they have seen me who represents government, they will table it and there is no excuse that you can give them, it is from that your salary, no matter how little it is, that you attend to their needs. It is from there you pay school fees, house rent, hospital bills, pay this and that. And what has that got to do with government? It reduces poverty, it reduces pain; it reduces the agitation that would have been activated by hunger. The little we share with our constituents keeps them calm not to carry arms.

Vanguardngr.com

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ECONOMIC RECOVERY: Reps mull reduction of 428 ministries, depts, agencies - Vanguard

By David M. Greenwald

Christopher Cabaldon has been Mayor of West Sacramento for the better part of two decades, having been first elected in 2004 and become one of the defining figures of his city as well as the region, leading the way toward massive redevelopment of West Sacramento as well a high profile gay elected official in the area.

But last week, in a tightly fought challenge by first term City Councilmember Martha Guerrero, he conceded defeat, having fallen behind by nearly 500 votes in the tally.

Im humbled by the fact that the people have voted me in to be their mayor, Guerrero told the Vanguard on Tuesday.

She stressed the need to protect infrastructure particularly during the pandemic, prioritizing services to the people, which she said was something that the voters expressed concerns for.

With the pandemic, its really brought to their attention whats important, she said. Quality of life is extremely important here in West Sacramento.

She said, Having a councilmember and someone in leadership who is tuned in to what their interests are I think is clear now to everyone that thats important.

Guerrero talked about the support she has had over the years which included an unsuccessful council run in 2016 and a successful one in 2018 firefighters she mentioned as a big group supporting her. Labor in general, always adversarial with Cabaldon, also played a big role.

A lot of citizens in the community have been interested in getting their needs met, in getting their views heard on city council, she said. I stated I was an independent voice and demonstrated that on council. She called it a campaign promise that was fulfilled.

Guerrero noted that the election in 2018 involving the mayor was relatively close. The two candidates challenging Cabaldon at that time made it a relatively close race. Cabaldon won just 53 percent of the vote in 2018. Joe DeAnda received 40 percent of the vote while Esther Moskalets won about 7.

In retrospect, that was a warning sign to Cabaldon.

That indicated to me that somethings not working, Guerrero said. There was a significant majority of people in West Sacramento had something more to say and was interested in doing something different.

But 2020 was still challenging with the pandemic and more limited ways to reach out to the public.

I was interested in seeing if I could help bridge any concerns that the community had with the council and with the administration, she said.

Still, she said, I was just a little surprised. The other factor was that the turnout in this election like it was in most places -was very high. Much higher than in 2018.

This wasnt a growth issue. I was supportive of seeing continued growth in our city, she said. But she said, I think we needed to be more inclusive of what their interests were and broaden how we provide direct services to people and families, especially during a pandemic.

Guerrero feels that the council is receptive to the type of changes she is looking to make. I know that councilmembers are plugged into whats going on in the community and have been engaged.

I think theyre hearing it too, she said. And will be receptive to the changes Im looking to bring as Mayor.

The biggest change, she said, is transparency.

She said, I had a hard time even as a councilmember understanding fiscally where the money was going and how we can adjust and pivot to the change in demand for service for example, public transportation.

She is also looking at investments in infrastructure will be more of a priority than what Ive observed in the last 20 to 24 years. She said, There has been a resonating concern that that was not a priority.

The issue of policing looms large. The last police chief was suddenly terminated and filed suit against the city. Concerns have been raised over an officer-involved shooting.

Weve had an interim police chief at a time when we needed a police chief, someone who is going to be representing the police department, she said. I have not been supportive of that situation.

She said, It gives us an opportunity with police reform to bring in a police chief who is going to help ensure that there is accountability within the police department.

Under Cabaldon they had transferred police officer positions into community outreach. She is looking at doing the Mental Health Services plan to do the community outreach but under the umbrella of the health and human services agency.

She is concerned that half the department has under five years of experience.

Thats not a good track record to keep, she said. We have situations that require police officers with experience to ensure that public safety is well served.

She noted a lack of interest in the profession and the high level of competition for trained and experienced police officers.

Guerrero also noted her experience working with the NAACP who have come forward with a set of recommendations for a reform agenda.

She said her workshops and outreach will be: transparent, open, with broad participation.

I just want to thank the public for their support and I look forward to working with them, she said.

David M. Greenwald reporting

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Longtime Mayor of West Sacramento Defeated by Martha Guerrero - The Peoples Vanguard of Davis

Though what the Federal Government offered striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, fell beyond the lecturers expectations, they agreed to suspend their eight months industrial action because of the economic situation in the country and pressures from some stakehoders.

The decision was not based on the negotiating ability of the government team which the union has not been comfortable with, checks by Vanguard have revealed.

As ASUU and FG teams met penultimate Friday, the National Bureau of Statistics announced that Nigeria had gone into another round of economic recession, as the Gross Domestic Products, GDP, shrank for the second consecutive quarter.

The fact was corroborated by the World Bank which described the recession as the worst in over 30 years.A leader of ASUU, who spoke to our correspondent in confidence, said if the union was to consider governments handling of the issue, the strike could go on for a very long time.

Though the government tried to paint us as the aggressor and engaged on futile propaganda, we wont be deterred. Yes, we all know the poor state of the economy now, but even when everything was going on well, what did the government do with the revenue? What are they doing now to make things better?

Many well-meaning Nigerians and groups have been in contact with us, appealing to us too. We are ready to soft-pedal on some conditions which we hope the government will not bungle, the source said.

With the government adding N5 billion to the N65 billion it promised paying for the revitalisation of the system and for the payment of Earned Academic Allowances and also promising to clear the withheld salaries of lecturers before the end of the year, the coast is now clear for universities to resume.

Vanguard News Nigeria

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Why ASUU agreed to call off strike Investigation - Vanguard

Trump

US President, Donald Trump, said Thursday for the first time that he would leave the White House if Joe Biden is officially confirmed the winner of the US election, even as he railed against the rigged vote.

Trump has made an unprecedented attempt to defy the results of the election by refusing to concede, spreading wild theories about stolen ballots and launching baseless legal challenges that have been thrown out by courts.

Answering his first questions from reporters since the November 3 vote, the president moved closer to accepting that he would serve only one term in office before Biden is inaugurated on January 20.

When asked if he would leave the White House if the Electoral College confirmed Bidens victory, Trump said, Certainly I will. And you know that.

But if they do, they made a mistake, he said, adding, Its going to be a very hard thing to concede.

I think that there will be a lot of things happening between now and (January) 20th, he said.

The Electoral College, which determines the White House winner, will meet on December 14 to certify Bidens victory, with Biden receiving 306 votes to Trumps 232.

This election was a fraud, Trump said, again without providing any evidence during his remarks to reporters at the White House after he spoke to military personnel via video-link on the Thanksgiving holiday.

He described the US voting infrastructure as like a third-world country.

Earlier in the day he tweeted that this was a 100% RIGGED ELECTION, while on Wednesday he called on his Republican supporters to turn the election over.

President-elect Biden has said that Americans wont stand for attempts to derail the vote outcome, and urged for Americans to unite to fight the worsening pandemic.

More than 260,000 people have died in the US from Covid-19, with daily death tolls surging to 2,000 on recent days.

Trumps refusal to concede the election to Biden has added to the countless norms he has torn up during his four years in power.

Supporters suggest he is already eyeing a run for president in 2024.

Trump, 74, is alleging among other conspiracy theories that voting machines deliberately deleted millions of his votes, though the government election security agency declared it the most secure election in US history.

Under pressure from some senior Republicans, Trump this week ended his blockade of government assistance to ease Bidens preparation for assuming the presidency.

Trump said Thursday he would soon travel to Georgia to campaign ahead of two key runoff elections that will decide which party controls the Senate.

Biden, 78, this week introduced a slate of veteran diplomats and policy-makers who will make up his national security and foreign policy team, saying: America is back, ready to lead the world.

He said that in his first 100 days in office, he would tackle the Covid crisis, scrap Trump policies damaging the environment and push legislation offering millions of undocumented US residents a route to citizenship.

[AFP]

Vanguard News Nigeria

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Trump says he will leave office if Bidens victory is confirmed - Vanguard