Lögberg-Heimskringla - 01.02.2019, Blaðsíða 3

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Lögberg-Heimskringla • 1. febrúar 2019 • 3
ruv.is – Review of Iceland’s constitution is a
priority for Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir.
She hopes it will be possible to finish the review
in two electoral periods. But Minister of Finance
and Economic Affairs Bjarni Benediktsson
thinks a comprehensive review is unnecessary
despite the coalition agreement’s provision about
it. The chairs of the parties in Alþingi have met
eight times since last fall regarding amendments
to the constitution.
The prime minister said she hoped that
the amendments could proceed in fair accord.
“Considering what we have discussed, we are
mostly in harmony regarding natural resources
and environmental affairs, and, in my view, I
would say we ought to try to achieve unity. Or,
at any rate, a relatively broad agreement on such
provisions, for example. Other provisions are
more controversial. For example, what we are
dealing with now – and the degree of dispute is
perhaps not clear – we are reviewing the section
on presidential power and the executive power.
Of course, we know that there are different
views on certain aspects, but we perhaps cannot
quite specify which points are salient,” she said.
The finance minister said that it was difficult
to say when amendments would be ready; they
must be drafted in unity. “The public of course
knows that the government parties have different
views, and I naturally see a considerable
difference in emphasis between individual
government parties and what my party has
advocated.” In October, at a meeting of the party
chairs in Alþingi, Bjarni had a protocol entered
into the minutes. He stated that he believed there
to be no need of comprehensive review, despite
the stipulation of this in the coalition agreement.
Rather, he considered it sensible to continue
working on the main provisions – on natural
resources, the environment, national referenda,
and ceding sovereignty. He said he respected
different perspectives, but the chairs had begun
discussing points outside of what he thought
needed discussing.
Reprinted with permission from Icelandic
News Briefs, published by KOM PR.
Constitutional review is priority for PM
PM praises record number of comments on time change
visir.is – Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir announced
that there have never been so many opinions submitted at the
government’s online consultation gateway as there were regarding
ideas on changing the clock in Iceland. It is clear that interest is
high in the proposals on time change contained in the article, “Local
Time in Iceland – Assessment of Status Quo and Proposals.” It
proposes three alternatives: the status quo, moving the clock back
one hour, or keeping the clock unchanged but with schools and even
companies beginning operations later in the morning. When asked
about implementation if changes are decided, the prime minister
did not want to confirm anything in this regard. “This is now in a
two- month consultation period, and then we will see what happens
– what comes out of it – and this will then be exciting. However, as
I say, one does not anticipate tasks, and that is just as it should be.”
U.S. county seeks WOW’s taxes and subsidies
visir.is – The Allegheny County Airport Authority in the
United States wants WOW Air to repay subsidies it received for
an agreement to fly to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for two years. In
addition, the Allegheny County Airport Authority will bill the airline
for landing fees at the airport, taxes that would have been dropped
if WOW Air had upheld its end of the agreement, according to the
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. WOW Air began flying to Pittsburgh in
June 2017. It reportedly signed an agreement with the Allegheny
County Airport Authority, which oversees the international airport
in the city. The Post-Gazette states that, in exchange for a direct
flight for two years from Iceland to Pittsburgh, the airport authority
promised to grant the airline a subsidy of US$800,000, divided over
the agreement period. In addition, the airport authority agreed to
cancel WOW Air’s landing fees for the two-year period if the airline
flew to Pittsburgh for the entire agreement period. The agreement
was due to expire in June this year.
Goal is to ban heavy fuel oil
mbl.is – According to their coalition agreement, the government’s
goal is to ban the general use of heavy fuel oil in Iceland’s Exclusive
Economic Zone. The action plan for climate change includes a plan
on how to reduce the use of heavy fuel oil and substitute other energy
sources. The Minister of Transport and Local Government Sigurður
Ingi Jóhannsson said, in response to a question in Alþingi: “The
goal is to reduce the use of heavy fuel oil off the coast of Iceland
through statutory amendments and/or regulations, with the goal of
completely phasing out the use of heavy fuel oil.” The minister’s
reply also stated that the Icelandic fishing fleet would primarily use
marine fuel oil and marine diesel oil as fuel for fishing ships’ main
engines. However, several ships will still use heavy fuel oil, which
is generally utilized for bigger and more powerful engines, although
their numbers are decreasing.
Whaling still advantageous to Icelandic economy
vb.is – Last spring, Minster of Fisheries and Agriculture
Kristján Þór Júlíusson asked the University of Iceland’s Institute of
Economic Studies to assess the macroeconomic effect of whaling.
The institute has now submitted its report and conclusions to the
minister. Its main conclusion states: “After considering everything,
whaling appears to be part of advantageously utilizing Icelanders’
natural resources. Logic suggests that it will be advantageous
for the national economy to continue hunting whales.” When
preparing the report, the institute considered numerous factors,
such as the performance and impact of whaling and whale
watching, the impact of whaling on other commercial stocks, and
its economic influence on tourism and export industries. This is the
second report that the Institute of Economic Studies has prepared
on the macroeconomic effect of whaling. The first report came out
in 2010. Its conclusions on all main points were comparable to the
conclusions of the latest report.
Reprinted with permission from Icelandic News Briefs,
published by KOM PR.
NEWS BRIEFS
“Paganism, Medieval
Iceland, and the Myth
of Vafþrúðnir” is the
title of an upcoming lecture
by Andrew McGillivray,
Assistant Professor of Rhetoric
and Communications at the
University of Winnipeg,
which will be delivered in the
Carol Shields Auditorium of
Winnipeg’s Millennium Library
on Wednesday, February 20,
from 12:10 to 12:50 p.m.
In his talk, Andrew will
introduce an influential
Old Norse-Icelandic myth,
“Vafþrúðnir’s Sayings,” its
comparative sources, key
characters, and fascinating
double narrative structure. This
myth features the Norse god
Ódinn, the goddess Frigg, and
the wise yet dangerous giant
Vafþrúðnir. Determined to meet
the giant, Óðinn travels from
the stronghold Ásgarður to see
which of the two – god or giant
– knows more about the past,
the present, and the future of
the mythological cosmos. The
meeting is epic in its own right,
for one of the two must die,
but even more vital for what it
reveals about the reception of
pre-Christian or pagan belief in
the medieval north.
Andrew McGillivray has
a research background in
medieval Icelandic literature,
focusing in particular on Old
Norse mythology in a literary
context. He has studied abroad
in Denmark and Iceland. While
continuing to research medieval
and Nordic topics, Andrew
also has a keen interest in the
connection between language
and culture.
Andrew’s talk is part of
the weekly SkyWalk Lecture
series at the Millennium
Library that features talks
during the academic year by
leading University of Winnipeg
professors, informing and
engaging the audience on
topics of broad historical,
political, and scientific interest.
The lectures are held on
Wednesdays, from 12:10 to
12:50 p.m., during the academic
year. On Thursdays, at the
same time, SkyWalk Concerts
feature an eclectic assortment
of local musical performers.
Andrew McGillivray to explore influential
Norse myth in upcoming SkyWalk Lecture
Wouldn’t your amma and afi be proud?
THE ICELANDIC NATIONAL LEAGUE OF NORTH AMERICA
Tel: (204) 642 5897
Email: inl@mts.net www.inlofna.org
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PHOTO: UNIVERSITY OF WINNIPEG