Lögberg-Heimskringla - 15.10.2018, Side 2

VISIT OUR WEBSITE LH-INC.CA
2 • Lögberg-Heimskringla • October 15 2018
Majority opposes EU
membership
mbl.is – If a referendum
were held today, a majority
of Icelanders would reject the
country’s membership in the
European Union, according
to the findings of a new
Gallup poll. Já Ísland (Yes
Iceland) commissioned the
poll. The association promotes
Iceland’s membership in the
EU. The results break down
as follows: 57.3 percent
oppose EU membership; 42.7
percent favour membership.
According to the poll’s results,
a majority of those supporting
the Reform Party (92 percent),
the Social Democratic Alliance
(80 percent), and the Pirates
(61 percent) want Iceland
to join the EU. However, a
majority of those supporting
the Independence Party (85
percent), the Centre Party
(80 percent), the Left-Green
Movement (62 percent), and
other parties (77 percent)
oppose membership in the
union. Despite the poll’s
findings, Icelanders were
still open to membership
discussions with the EU:
44.5 percent of respondents
favoured such discussions
while 40.1 percent opposed
them. In addition, when asked
about adopting the euro instead
of the króna, 46.1 percent
were in favour of doing so,
while only 36.6 percent were
opposed.
Equal wage certification
extended
visir.is – The period for
companies and institutions
to introduce equal wages
certification has been extended
12 months. The Minister of
Social Affairs and Equality,
Ásmundur Einar Daðason,
said that the introduction was
taking longer than expected
but emphasized to companies
the importance of resolutely
addressing equal rights affairs.
“The situation is simply that the
introduction has taken longer
than assumed when the act
was passed. This regards both
companies and certification.
Despite the government’s
allocation of more funding and
manpower to the project, this is
a very broad project. That is the
reason. There is no relaxation
of the policy, and the plan is to
enact the legislation passed by
Alþingi that entered into force
on December 1st. However, it
requires more time, and we are
responding to that,” said the
minister.
23 cases in 10 years, 6 still
before the courts
mbl.is – Ten years after
the Icelandic financial system
collapsed, there are still six
criminal cases before the
Icelandic courts, in which no
conclusion has been reached.
Judgments have been rendered
on former directors of all
three main commercial banks
as well as many of the banks’
other employees. Many of the
cases have been enormously
far-reaching, and a Special
Prosecutor’s Office was
established to examine these
cases at that time. That office
later merged with the Office of
Regional Prosecutors, founded
in 2016. Earlier this year, the
Office of Regional Prosecutors
finished investigating all of the
criminal cases related to the
banking collapse in 2008. It is
deemed unlikely that the last
actual cases from the collapse
will be finished before next
year and probably later.
Merger of Central Bank and
FSA proposed
visir.is – The Ministry of
Finance and Economic Affairs
has launched preparations
for the merger of the Central
Bank of Iceland and the
Financial Supervisory Authority.
The ministry said that the
preparations should strengthen
trust and ensure efficiency
in implementing national
economic precautions and
financial supervision. A draft
of the necessary amendments
to acts is due by the end of
February next year.
Iceland may receive 75
refugees next year
ruv.is – The government
has approved receiving up to
75 refugees next year. Most
of them are Syrians located in
Lebanon. However, Iceland will
also receive LGBTQ people
from Kenya. The government
based its decision on proposals
from the Refugee Committee in
collaboration with the United
Nations’ Refugee Agency. Last
year, the government approved
receiving 55 refugees. This is
the fourth time the country will
receive Syrian refugees.
New ambassador advised to
pack good rain gear
ruv.is – Jeffrey Ross
Gunter, U.S. President Donald
Trump’s designated new
U.S. ambassador to Iceland,
appeared before the House
Foreign Affairs Committee
earlier this month. He testified
and answered a few questions
from committee members.
The chair of the committee
recommended that the
ambassador pack good rain
gear, while the vice-chair noted
that Iceland had achieved
great results after the banking
collapse.
Car sales decreased in
September
Morgunblaðið – New
car sales in Iceland fell by
23.7 percent in September,
compared to September 2017,
according to the Motor Dealers
and Services Federation
(MDSF). The MDSF reported
that 935 passenger cars were
registered in September,
compared to 1,266 the previous
year. Since the beginning
of the year, car sales have
decreased by 12.6 percent.
At the same time, demand for
electric cars has increased, and
the registration of such cars
has increased by 34 percent
this year. The registration of
hybrid vehicles has increased
29 percent. MDSF believes the
main reason for the contraction
in car sales is the great
uncertainty resulting from
the government’s decision
regarding automobile taxes
on cars at the beginning of
summer. Car dealers say they
have suffered from a reduction
in secial orders.
Reprinted with permission
from Icelandic News Briefs,
published by KOM PR.
ICELANDIC NEWS BRIEFS
Theatre Projects Manitoba
John Ramsay is known throughout the Interlake for his
generous teaching and support of the New Iceland settlers
in the 1870s. He taught newcomers to hunt and fish in their
new environment, saving the lives of many as they experienced
treacherous prairie winters for the first time.
Theatre Projects Manitoba will present A Song for John Ramsay
film premiere and concert featuring William Prince, Scott Nolan,
and Duncan Mercredi on Thursday, October 25th, 7:00 p.m., at the
Riverton Hall, 175 Riverton Avenue West, in Riverton, Manitoba.
Admission is free.
In 2017, filmmakers Andy Blicq and Huw Eirug teamed up
with musicians William Prince and Scott Nolan to tell the story
of John Ramsay’s lasting legacy. This premiere and concert will
bring this creative team back together again as part of Theatre
Projects Manitoba’s This Land Floods: The Interlake Chautauqua
Tour. A special concert will follow the premiere of the film, A Song
for John Ramsay.
The concert will feature performances by Juno Award winner
William Prince, Winnipeg folk musician Scott Nolan, and poet-
storyteller Duncan Mercredi. Theatre Projects Manitoba is
especially thrilled to share the news that William Prince will be
releasing his song of the same name in conjunction with this event.
Discover this rich local history of early Icelandic settlers and
their friendship with the legendary local Indigenous man, John
Ramsay – right in Riverton, near where it all began.
This fall, Theatre Projects Manitoba is bringing to life a
travelling cultural shebang – a Chautauqua. A merry band of
multidisciplinary artists have hit the road together for one month,
conducting weeklong residencies in four Interlake locations: Steep
Rock, Arborg, Eriksdale, and Teulon. While the artists reside in
the community, they will collaborate with local citizens through
workshops, art projects, and performances. From striking up
a choir to hosting old time dances with seniors and high school
students, and from animating local history to co-hosting vínarterta
workshops, the programming in each week is built with the
community, for the community.
Theatre Projects Manitoba’s vision of theatre is intimate,
provocative, and artistically driven: shaped by a strong belief that
playwrights and plays are the heart of Canadian theatre. “Our goal
is to build a cultural narrative that speaks to our community and
reflects our shared experiences.” Committed to the cultivation of
Canadian Theatre, in the past 28 years TPM has staged more than
50 new Manitoban works.
Theatre Projects
Manitoba presenting
A Song for John Ramsay
GOVERNMENT OF ICELAND
SCHOLARSHIP
(Icelandic as a Second Language)
Approximately 15 scholarships are available
for the 2019-2020 academic year.
These scholarships are intended for students of modern Icelandic.
Students must have completed at least one year of University study,
and must also have prior knowledge of Icelandic according to the requirements
for BA study in Icelandic as a second language
(Icelandic knowledge on level with the courses Icelandic Online 1 and 2).
The scholarship covers registration fees and a monthly stipend
that should cover room and board for one person from Sept to April.
A dorm room will be available to rent.
Applications must be received in Iceland on or before December 1, 2018.
Detailed information and application form are available at:
www.inlofna.org (under Scholarships – Iceland, Ministry of Education)
Foreign Service rotations announced
visir.is – Foreign Minister Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson has
decided the rotations of the Foreign Service’s embassy officers
next year. Seven embassies are involved. The changes do not
entail the appointment of any new ambassadors but rather involve
transfers of current ambassadors.
Geir H. Haarde, ambassador to the United States, will leave
the Foreign Service on July 1, 2019, to become a director of the
International Monetary Fund’s executive board on behalf of the
Nordic countries and Baltic states. Bergdís Ellertsdóttir, currently
Iceland’ s permanent representative at the United Nations, will
take over as ambassador to the United States.
Helga Hauksdóttir, head of the ministry’s directorate for legal
and executive affairs, will take over as ambassador in Denmark,
while María Erla Marelsdóttir, director for international development
cooperation in the ministry, will become ambassador in Germany.
Jörundur Valtýsson will take over as Iceland’s permanent
representative at the United Nations; he has served as director
of the international security affairs office in the foreign ministry.
Hermann Ingólfsson, currently ambassador in Norway, will be
Iceland’s permanent representative to NATO, while Ingibjörg
Davíðsdóttir will take over as Iceland’s ambassador in Norway.
Ambassadors Benedikt Jónsson, Martin Eyjólfsson, and Anna
Jóhannsdóttir will return from abroad to positions in the ministry
at the same time. The changes are scheduled to take effect on
August 1st, 2019.
Reprinted with permission from Icelandic News Briefs,
published by KOM PR.