hiphopanonymous
06-10-08, - 09:39 AM
Minister accused of 'plagiarism':
http://www.thenassauguardian.com/national_local/346648843119491.php
..."By KRYSTEL ROLLE, Guardian Staff Reporter, krystel@nasguard.com
The Minister of State for Social Services is attempting to pass off a Progressive Liberal Party program as a "new program", suggested Melanie Griffin yesterday afternoon as debate on the 2008-2009 budget continued. The former social services minister went as far as to imply that the minister's program was a form of "plagiarism".
Griffin was referring to the government's CARE (Circumstance and Relief Emergency Desk Assistance) program, which is expected to assist persons "genuinely" impacted by the economic downturn.
"I really don't know where to begin with this one," she said. "The item was touted as a 'new program'."
However, she added that it was nothing more than a revamped version of a PLP program that was brought into force years ago.
"Now I have had occasion during my five years as minister to open emergency desks during critical times to service people who are in need. We did it after the hurricanes in Grand Bahama and New Providence. I was quite surprised therefore to hear that it was some new program by the department. I can only hope that there is no effort here to mislead the public and members of this honorable place," said Griffin.
What's more, she said an initiative started by the late George Mackey, who was the minister with responsibility for Social Services during the 90s, bore striking similarities to that of Butler's.
Last week, Butler said the CARE program was "crisis oriented and was intended to provide short term relief to those in need. Its target was those persons who have been terminated or placed on reduced working hours for the past 12 months, thereby creating financial hardship.
In order to meet the criteria for assistance under the program, persons had to be Bahamian citizens, residents of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, 18 years and over, in good health, able to work, actively seeking employment, and registered with the Bahamas employment exchange. They also had to be suffering genuine hardship in caring for themselves and dependents, and unemployed for a period not less than three months and not exceeding 12 months, however, in some case that could be extended to 24 months.
Yesterday during her communication, Griffin noted the similarities between Butler's and Mackey's programs.
Citing a newspaper article she said, Mackey's program was intended to offer temporary assistance to persons facing "genuine" hardship, and to establish temporary mortgage relief.
Some of the criteria for that program was that the person seeking assistance had to be a Bahamian, a resident of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, the head of a household, suffering genuine hardship, in good health and unemployed for no less than three months and not exceeding 12 months.
Meantime, rising on a point of order, Minister Butler said the government never denied that there had been emergency desks in the past. Defending her program, she said that this is the first time that the CARE assistance program was presented with such a line item.
Butler insisted that the program was brand new.
Still, Griffin went on to define plagiarism.
"Mr. Speaker to plagiarize is defined by Webster's Dictionary as 'to steal and pass off the ideas or words of another as one's own or to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source'."
She added: "This is a very serious thing, persons have been known to lose their jobs over plagiarism, you may recall a very prominent local case recently."...
http://www.thenassauguardian.com/national_local/346648843119491.php
..."By KRYSTEL ROLLE, Guardian Staff Reporter, krystel@nasguard.com
The Minister of State for Social Services is attempting to pass off a Progressive Liberal Party program as a "new program", suggested Melanie Griffin yesterday afternoon as debate on the 2008-2009 budget continued. The former social services minister went as far as to imply that the minister's program was a form of "plagiarism".
Griffin was referring to the government's CARE (Circumstance and Relief Emergency Desk Assistance) program, which is expected to assist persons "genuinely" impacted by the economic downturn.
"I really don't know where to begin with this one," she said. "The item was touted as a 'new program'."
However, she added that it was nothing more than a revamped version of a PLP program that was brought into force years ago.
"Now I have had occasion during my five years as minister to open emergency desks during critical times to service people who are in need. We did it after the hurricanes in Grand Bahama and New Providence. I was quite surprised therefore to hear that it was some new program by the department. I can only hope that there is no effort here to mislead the public and members of this honorable place," said Griffin.
What's more, she said an initiative started by the late George Mackey, who was the minister with responsibility for Social Services during the 90s, bore striking similarities to that of Butler's.
Last week, Butler said the CARE program was "crisis oriented and was intended to provide short term relief to those in need. Its target was those persons who have been terminated or placed on reduced working hours for the past 12 months, thereby creating financial hardship.
In order to meet the criteria for assistance under the program, persons had to be Bahamian citizens, residents of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, 18 years and over, in good health, able to work, actively seeking employment, and registered with the Bahamas employment exchange. They also had to be suffering genuine hardship in caring for themselves and dependents, and unemployed for a period not less than three months and not exceeding 12 months, however, in some case that could be extended to 24 months.
Yesterday during her communication, Griffin noted the similarities between Butler's and Mackey's programs.
Citing a newspaper article she said, Mackey's program was intended to offer temporary assistance to persons facing "genuine" hardship, and to establish temporary mortgage relief.
Some of the criteria for that program was that the person seeking assistance had to be a Bahamian, a resident of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, the head of a household, suffering genuine hardship, in good health and unemployed for no less than three months and not exceeding 12 months.
Meantime, rising on a point of order, Minister Butler said the government never denied that there had been emergency desks in the past. Defending her program, she said that this is the first time that the CARE assistance program was presented with such a line item.
Butler insisted that the program was brand new.
Still, Griffin went on to define plagiarism.
"Mr. Speaker to plagiarize is defined by Webster's Dictionary as 'to steal and pass off the ideas or words of another as one's own or to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source'."
She added: "This is a very serious thing, persons have been known to lose their jobs over plagiarism, you may recall a very prominent local case recently."...