NY state of mind as Bloomberg and Pataki meet

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg jetted to Bermuda last weekend for a round of golf and some quiet time with New York Governor George Pataki.

The tabloid New York Post reported yesterday that Governor Pataki spent part of his weekend with the Mayor at his multi-million-dollar estate.

Mayor Bloomberg owns property in Tucker?s Town and has often come under criticism by New York reporters for spending weekend jaunts on the Island.

In the article a senior official is quoted saying: ?It appeared to be an effort by the Mayor to improve relations with the Governor because that?s what he does when he wants to make nice ? invites you to play golf in Bermuda.?

Mayor Bloomberg spent time playing a round of golf at the Mid-Ocean Club on Saturday after flying in on his private jet on Friday night and headed back to New York on Sunday, a golf club spokesperson said.

After being attacked by the media in 2002 for not telling New Yorkers where he was going after flying to Bermuda for the weekend, Mayor Bloomberg stated it was his personal life.

The Post said that the relationship between the Mayor and the Governor had been tested after the two clashed over the Mayor?s request for more state aid and they had both recently competed for federal funding for anti-terrorism.

Fuel prices rise

The Minister of Finance Eugene Cox announced that petroleum prices have risen on the Island.

The new fuel prices as of December 16, 2003 show gasoline prices rising by 3? per litre, diesel rising by 1.8? per litre and kerosene rising by 2.1? per litre.

The maximum retail prices displayed on the pumps for petroleum products are now:

Gasoline - 110.10 cents/litre

Diesel - 109.10 cents/litre

Kerosene - 85.60 cents/litre

Thieves strike homes

A thief got away from a Paget residence with a motorcycle and large sums of money on Tuesday.

The Glen Road residents noticed the motorcycle was stolen on Tuesday morning, however it was not until they arrived at work that they noticed money missing from a briefcase and a purse. Inquiries into the incident are underway.

Police issue speeding advisory

The Bermuda Police Service is reminding the public to take care on the roads this holiday season after noticing a high number of speeders in excess of 80 and 90 kilometres per hour.

?We would like to advise the public that Police will be very vigilant over the holiday period, and we are advising all the motoring public to obey the speed laws,? said a Police spokesman.

W&E manager at environment talks

Government?s waste management officer Allan Hunt has been asked to participate in a workshop about environmentally sound technologies for small islands.

The workshop opened on Tuesday and ends tomorrow. Organisers thought that Mr. Hunt?s experience in Bermuda?s waste management system will enable him to make an important contribution.

According to a press release, Mr. Hunt will share knowledge with other experts as well as review the draft directory of environmentally sound technologies for the integrated management of solid, liquid and hazardous waste for Small Island Developing States so that it can be adapted by the Caribbean.

Currently, Mr. Hunt is involved with the development of a new recycling plant.

PLP offers turkeys in Warwick South Central

Fifty free turkeys are up for grabs for Ewart Brown?s constituents on Saturday morning.

They will be available to the voters of Warwick South Central (constituency 26) at Hunt?s Food and Supplies.

Dr. Brown said: ?We realise there are many families who will have cut back this Christmas because of the terrible impact of Hurricane Fabian.

?Hundreds of Bermudians have either lost their jobs or have taken lower paid jobs.

?Our branch has raised enough money to buy 50 turkeys and we hope to give them away by noon Saturday.?

Distribution of the turkeys will begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday in the parking lot of Hunt?s off Khyber Pass. Organisers have a full print-out of voters? names and ID is required.

Flu shots are in short supply

The Health Department has received a new shipment of flu vaccine ? but supplies are so limited the shots will only be given to those on a high priority list who come to the Department, not through private physicians.

?It came in last night,? said senior medical officer Dr. Brenda Davidson yesterday. Bermuda ran out of the vaccine several weeks ago and had to order more from overseas. However, with the flu season beginning earlier and with the presence of more severe strains such as the Fujian flu in places like Britain, shortages of the vaccine developed in the States ? blocking Bermuda?s attempts to obtain more doses.

Fortunately Canada stepped up to the plate, though even they could not bail Bermuda out completely. ?We?d ordered 1,000 and they said they could give 500,? explained Dr. Davidson. ?In the end we got quite a bit less than that.

?It?s a very limited supply, and I don?t think we?re going to be able to get any more. For that reason we are giving it out only to those people on a priority list ? no one else, unless we get more, which is very unlikely.

?The idea is to protect those persons who are vulnerable in our community and could develop complications from the flu.?

The vaccine is only available at the Hamilton Health Centre, ?for high risk individuals only?.

Those individuals include:

Elderly people over the age of 65.

Adults or children with chronic heart or lung problems, including asthma.

Adults or children who have required regular medical follow-up or hospitalisation during the past year for diabetes mellitus, kidney dysfunction or other chronic debilitating illnesses.

Children six months to 18 years who are on long-term aspirin therapy.

Women in the second or third trimester of pregnancy.

Health care workers and some other individuals in essential community occupations.

Pregnant women should bring a letter from their physician stating their due date. The vaccine is available at the Health Centre on Victoria Street from 8.30 a.m. until 12 noon Monday-Friday. The cost is $10.