Study: Canadian Skilled Migrants Highest Earners

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A new study on Canadian immigration policy has found that immigrants who come to Canada as independent skilled migrants had “consistently and substantially” the highest earnings of four categories of immigrants. The researchers concluded that Canada should continue to focus on skilled migration. The researchers also hope that their study will influence future Canadian immigration policy.
The Queen’s University study, Immigrant Earnings Differences Across Admission Categories and Landing Cohorts in Canada examined the first ten years after immigrants landed in three different time periods: 1982, 1988, and 1994.

The four categories include independent primary skilled migrant applicants, accompanying economic immigrants, family class immigrants, and refugees.
“The ten-year average of median earnings levels of skill-assessed economic immigrants exceeded the average median earnings levels for all immigrants by 30-37 percent across the [three periods studied] for men and by 39-56 percent for women,” the study noted.

Family class immigrants and refugees had the lowest earnings out of the four categories.
“Refugees, both male and female, also experienced declines in their real earnings levels across the three successive [study periods]”, the study said.
However, refugees had the highest earnings growth rates for both male and female immigrants during the first decade after coming to Canada.
Independent skilled migrants despite having the highest overall salary rates had the lowest growth rate over the first decade after coming to Canada.
The study also found that the economic downturns had a negative effect on immigrant earning levels and growth rates and that this effect was more pronounced for male immigrants than for female immigrants.

Immigrants who landed in Canada during the 1988 study period generally had the lowest median earnings growth rate for the three study periods due to the economic downturn in the early 1990s. The highest growth rate was in the 1994 study period, which experienced no economic downturn during the ten years.
The study noted that “since skill-assessed independent economic immigrants had substantially higher earnings levels throughout their first ten post-landing years, Canada should continue to place heavy weight on skill-assessed immigrants and not reduce the proportion of new immigrants admitted in the skilled worker category.”

Vanessa Mae Under The Acropolis

 

With a perfect skin and wide-eyed Bambi gaze, doll-like Vanessa May is the youngest person ever to attend the Royal College of Music, the youngest person ever to record the Beethoven and Tchaikovsky violin concertos and the fastest-selling classical artist ever.
On September 14, Athenians will enjoy the famous classical superstar violin prodigy whose repertoire reads from classical composers like Bach, Beethoven, Brahms and Vivaldi to Indian music, and pop songs. This is an excellent chance to experience the 33-year-old violin virtuoso performing outdoors in Athens’ most magical setting  of all:the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, right under the Acropolis.
Odeon of Herodes Atticus – Herodion
Dionysiou Areopagitou Street
Nearest Metro Station: Acropolis (Line 2)
Online booking: http://herodeion-events.gr
Telephone booking: +30210327200
 

From Father To Son, PASOK Celebrates its 37th Birthday


In 1974, a couple of months before the colonels’ junta collapsed, current Prime Minister’s father, Andreas Papandreou, left Toronto and returned home, in order to create the Pan-Hellenic So-cialist Movement, known as Pasok. Andrea’s political “child” had a a tint of Marxism mixed with a nationalist and socialist agenda. Thirty seven years on, Andreas son has taken over his dad’s business (family-run businesses are very popular in Greece) but he is paying for his father’s sins and is forced to apply policies that can hardly be perceived as socialistic. From salary cuts to increasing souvlaki’s VAT to 23% PASOK has long forgotten its socialistic roots and as a result, saw its popularity wane. Three opinion polls published in Sunday newspapers showed that PASOK’s main conservative opposition New Democracy party had widened its lead.  So what went wrong for the party that has won six of the nine elections since 1981?
Andreas brings change
On August 16, 1974 Andreas Papandreou‘s plane arrives at the old airport in Elliniko. Wearing a black leather jacket and sporting the sideburns trend, the charismatic academic, with almost zero governmental experience, had came to bring change. His supporters shouted numerous slogans, also referring to Andrea’s father, the (old man of Democracy), Georgios Papandreou-current prime minister’s namesake grandfather also a Greek prime minister- urging him to raise from the dead in order to see his son (σήκω Γέρο για να δεις το παιδί της αλλαγής!). Andrea’s popularity rallied. By 1981, his leftist ideological rhetoric and political Utopia, had diminished the Conservative Party’s leader and Greece’s prime minister Konstantinos Karamanlis-his direct right wing antipodes- who foreseeing his defeat quits and moves on to Greek democracy’s presidency. Andreas wins a crushing general election victory with 48% and his supporters go ballistic
He was determined to make big social reforms that would change Greeks’ quality of life after years of starvation and war. He creates ESY (Greek National Health-care System), he boosts the welfare system, healing of the wounds of the German invasion and the Greek civil war which enabled thousands of ex-communists and rebels to gain pensions. He upgrades forgotten rural countries by creating schools and medical centers. From sheep farmers on the rocky slopes of Crete to fishermen in Cyclades, the Greek underclass voted for him massively. And why wouldn’t they? He was the first to pay attention to ordinary Greeks like them. Pasok workers had visited the farmers in villages and islands that men of power in Athens had always ignored.
The fall out
But then spending went out of control. Despite the fact that at first he fiercely opposed to the European Union, Andreas kept Greece in the club and started milking it of money. Instead of investing the European packages, he hired thousands and thousands of civil servants in the already over-bloated public sector only based on “rousfeti” (Turkish word for reciprocal dispensation of favours). He even “hires” his son (current prime minister) in his cabinet. He nationalized failing companies, increased government handouts of every shape and form. He allowed female civil servants to retire at thirty five and granted tens of thousands of disability benefits to perfectly healthy people (there still are Cretan villages where 98% of the population is either blind or handicapped). Famous “Delor’s packages” kept pooring money for Greek rural areas to develop, funding non-existent cultivations and the same five sheep the villagers kept moving around the village  so that inspectors would give them the valuable  “επιδότηση” while Andrea’s Minister of Finance Dimitris Tsovolas, becomes the most recognisable slogan of the eighties “Τσοβόλα δώστα όλα!”(Tsovolas give us everything).
“Dirty ’89”
A plump man with steady dark eyes, George Koskotas, was the reason Andreas Papandreou fell off power, was taken to court and one of his Ministers had a heart attack and died during the trial- live on national television.The Koskotas scandal revealed a government riddled by extortion and criminality. The press claimed that Bank of Crete sponsored PASOK and the missing dollars were actually payoffs that went directly to PASOK officials. Andreas was also accused of using Koskota’s publishing empire to manipulate public opinion. Hilarious stories about suitcases full of cash coming back and fourth the Maximos Mansion were catching headlines on a daily basis.
Back at his seat 
However being dragged to court, however all the bad press on his inner court of cronies corruption, however marring  a rather controversial-some say vulgar- blond flight-attendant half his age, Greek people brought Andreas right back where he was. In 1993, Mr Papandreou led his party yet again to victory with an extraordinary 47% of the vote. But his body couldn’t take the heat and he was now on  life-support machines. Andreas remained leader of Pasok until his death and only surrendered the prime-minister-ship a few months before he passed away.
The Simitis era
Compared to his populist predecessor,  Mr Simitis seemed like a more low-key, modern-minded prime minister. Greeks perceived him as the leader who would finally turn Greece into a European country and he did-at least on the surface. Simitis certainly lacked Andrea’s rhetoric-he was actually nicknamed “the book-keeper” for boring audiences with statistics- but within his first four years of governance Greek economy revived so perkily that Greece joined the Euro-zone. Simitis was also the man who prepared Athens 2004 Olympic Games major projects.
Greeks were proud to have entered the euro and for pulling off the Olympic Games bet-despite widespread skepticism. But while both his accomplishments- entering the Eurozone and organizing the Games, gave a morale boost to Greeks’ ego- a couple of years later, the “Simitis bubble” was brutally burst both for his European counterparts and the Greek people. Turn’s out that “book keeper’s” statistics -based on which Greece entered the euro-zone-were all fake, as was the revival  of the Greek economy which was basically the result of overpriced Olympic Games where Greece won-yet again- the gold medal for overspending borrowed money.
Papandreou The Third
After an admittedly disastrous PASOK-governance-brake,  Papandreou The Third swept into power, as Karamanlis The Second hoped of the sinking boat. Trim, fit and elegant, the American born Greek Prime minister is often getting mocked by the Greek press for his small grammatical errors and for his unrealistic visions such as wanting to turn Greece into the Sweden of the Mediterranean!
In an agonising attempt to save Greece from bankruptcy, Papandreou Jr is trying to explain to Greek people why he pushes all those unpopular reforms, blaming  political parties for promising government jobs, social security perks and overspending-conveniently forgetting that it was his party governing the country for most of the time after 1981. And it is his own “comrades” that fight him the most: the old PASOK guard who’s still hooked on his father’s enduring myth limiting the current office holder’s room for manoeuvre. Ant they prove to be harder to convince -even more than his once close friend and dorm-mate at Amherst College in Massachusetts, current New Democracy leader, Antonis Samaras.

President Christofias Appeared Monday Before Commission for Naval Base Explosion

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President of the Republic Demetris Christofias appeared on Monday before a Commission of Inquiry, set up by the Cabinet, to look into the circumstances that have led to a massive explosion at a naval base, which killed 13 people and injured dozens.
This is the fifth day of the Commission’s public hearings concerning the deadly blast at the “Evangelos Florakis” naval base, near Limassol.
Following the blast, on July 11, the government appointed a commission of inquiry, headed by lawyer Polis Polyviou, to investigate the circumstances that led to the massive explosion of munitions, which killed 13 people and destroyed the island’s main power station. The commission will also look into possible political responsibilities.
The blast occurred in containers full of munitions, which Cyprus stored at the naval base, after confiscating the load from “Monchegorsk”, a vessel sailing from Iran to Syria in 2009. Cyprus was acting according to UN Security Council resolutions, imposing sanctions on Iran.
Head of the commission of inquiry Polys Polyviou has stated that the report of the commission will be concluded by September 30, and according to a recent decision by the Cabinet, it will become public.
Polyviou has said that that President Christofias might be asked to answer specific questions by the commission. Several government and army officials have also been called to testify.
“The President himself has told me to investigate everyone, including himself, and I believe it is an honour for the Republic that the first citizen of the country is asked questions that fall within the framework of the mandate set by the Cabinet and the President”, Polyviou pointed out.
He has however emphasized that the commission is not a court of justice, clarifying that he will attribute political responsibilities which have led to the tragedy.
“I am determined to prepare a report which will apportion responsibilities where those exist, without fear, without passion and without prejudice. This is my commitment, this is what I have told the President of the Republic, the President of the House of Representatives, the Attorney General and the relatives of the victims”, Polyviou said.
(source: cna)

EU President Rules Out Greece Euro Exit

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European Union President Herman Van Rompuy ruled out today any question of Greece leaving the euro.
΄΄This would create more problems than solutions,΄΄ he told VRT Flemish radio.
΄The euro has never been stronger than it is today, he stated adding that the first thing to do is to put in order the affairs of countries that implemented bad policies in the past and face problems today.
΄΄Financial markets see that there are still problems in the execution of budget plans in Greece and Italy. Europe must increase pressure on those countries in order for them to implement the plans they put together,” Van Rompuy said.
(source: capital)

Vardinoyiannis Announces Departure from PAO, Again

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Panathinaikos major shareholder Yiannis Vardinoyiannis announced on Monday he is about to concede his 54.7 percent stake in the club for free to anyone interested, showing for the fourth time since 2008 his and his family’s intention to depart from Panathinaikos.
“There is no chance you will see us again at Panathinaikos. Forget about us,” stressed Vardinoyiannis, a former car racing champion, insisting his family are putting an end to the club’s tenure that has lasted for 32 years.
He spoke for an hour and a half at a press conference revealing that a lawyer will now handle his stake.
“There is no price for our shares. The price is zero. If a company comes, a genuine one, then the sale can go on. If an offshore company came, the Professional Sports Commission would stop it, even if I wanted to give away my stake to it.”
Vardinoyiannis has undergone severe criticism for his inertia over the last few months, as he had insisted that that although he holds a stake of over 50 percent he would act as the owner of just 30 percent aiming to concede the rest to anyone interested.
(source: sport in greece)

2011 Hellenic Times Scholarship Recipient Cleopatra Haviaras Talks about Her Achievements

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Cleopatra Haviaras Honored with a 2011 Hellenic Times Scholarship

Cleopatra Haviaras is a 2011 recipient of the Hellenic Times Scholarship and an outstanding scholar of Queens College- CUNY. Her ambition and determination is to someday pursue a career in law. She talks about her Greek heritage, proudest accomplishments as a Greek-American female in New York, as well as a Queens College Ambassador Leader.

Cleopatra also shares her views on the Greek-American community and her impressive list of extracurricular activities she is involved in.

Cleopatra was born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Astoria, New York.  “I come from a Greek background; my father is from Chios, Greece and my mother is from Evia, Greece.  Greek was the first language that I learned in spite of my being born and raised in New York.  I credit my heritage for many things, especially, first and foremost, my love for history and ancient classical literature.”

On her educational background, Cleopatra remarks “I am currently a lower senior at CUNY Queens College.  I am majoring in History, with a double concentration in Ancient and European, and Classics.  I am minoring in Business and Liberal Arts Honors (BALA) Program, which is directed by esteemed professor Barbara Sandler, as well as Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies.”

“Being a 2011 Hellenic Times Scholarship recipient felt great – beyond what words can describe!” she exclaims. “It was not only my proudest moment as a Greek-American female student, but it was also my first time receiving a Greek scholarship.”

“What I enjoyed most about the 2011 Hellenic Times GALA event at the Marriott Marquis had to definitely be the guest list.  I was ecstatic with the fact that I obtained the rare opportunity to meet so many famous and talented people, such as Kalomira [whom I had met once before two years prior with my family], Ernie Anastos, Gilles Marini, and most importantly, Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas, whom I had the pleasure of meeting earlier that evening in the Law and Politics panel.”

According to Mr. Nick Katsoris, the President of the Hellenic Times Scholarship Find (HTSF), he remarks “The HTSF was proud to award Cleopatra a scholarship this year, and we wish her a bright future!”

“Ever since my involvement with my high school’s mock trial team, I developed a profound interest in the field of criminal justice,” Cleopatra states. “I aspire to become a prosecutor to, hopefully, modify the corrupt legal system for the better.  Being Greek has many advantages.  I am argumentative, talkative, persistent, and outgoing.  Law is the type of field that enables me to express who I really am by relying on my individual skills to properly execute the law against criminals.”

“I not only want to obtain my PhD in history, particularly in medieval history, but I also want to attend law school to further pursue my aspiration of becoming a prosecutor.  I have always been the type of person to voluntarily dedicate my time to other people and organizations, so law epitomizes, for me, the ultimate community outreach job,” she further adds.

On being chosen to represent the undergraduate class at the Queens College Alumni Event this year, she remarks that “it was, undoubtedly, both an honor and a privilege.  Being recognized as a potential candidate for such an event was an honor in it of itself, for rarely do students engage in events that involve the school – and the public – as a whole.  I felt wanted and needed for something other than just another student in a classroom consisting of four walls.”

“My proudest accomplishment, so far, has to be my acceptance into the New York State Assembly Internship Program, last year, in the spring of 2011 semester,” she acknowledges. “Unfortunately I could not pursue the off-campus internship opportunity due to inevitable family circumstances, I nevertheless was proud of the fact that all my hard work over the years finally paid off, and in a BIG way at that.”

“Sadly, I must reveal that I have never been to Greece, or outside of the United States for that matter.  I would, however, like to visit my parents’ home towns, in addition to Athens, Sparta, Kalamata, Crete, and Thessaloniki,” Cleopatra adds.

“The Greek-American community is filled with up and coming Greek-American students who are readily set and able to take on the world from all different angles.  Greek-Americans, especially high school and college students, are known for their willingness to preserve their Greek roots, as well as for their ability to teach others about their Greek heritage and the importance of being Greek in today’s society,” she admits.

Cleopatra’s talents are by no means limited to her superb academic ability alone! “I am involved in quite a vast multitude of extracurricular activities apart from my academic pursuits.  I am a Queens College Ambassador Leader, a Facilitator for the Center for Ethnic, Racial, and Religious Understanding, a mentor for Project ExCEL (otherwise known as the Black Male Initiative), a Lower Junior/Upper Senior Senate Representative, a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society and of Phi Alpha Theta (the History Honour Society), and a continued volunteer and supporter of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Smile Train,” Cleopatra reveals.

“The best possible advice that I can offer the Greek-American youth, as a means to preserve their heritage here in America, is for them to just be themselves and to not allow anyone to tell them what they should or should not do.  Being Greek is a privilege more so than a right.  Coming from such a rich, multifaceted, and undeniably dominant culture is enough to persuade anyone to preserve their heritage.  By taking part in the Greek Club, in GOYA, and in various Greek Orthodox Church day-to-day functions, will ensure such preservation,” she re-assures.

Cleopatra concludes, “I would like to thank my boyfriend, Charles Bremer, for always standing by my side no matter what.  “Charles has always been my number one supporter, and continues to be my number one supporter (and fan) to this day.  He makes me feel appreciated, loved, and needed.  I share my entire life with him and the 2011 Hellenic Times Scholarship was just another part of my life that I shared with him on that memorable night of May 14, 2011.”

In summation, Cleopatra Haviaras’ accomplishments and her strong work ethic make her a noteworthy role model for every Greek-American.

200 Fishermen Gathered at the White Tower in Salonika

Under the motto ”We go Fishing”, more than 200 amateur and professional fishers aged 15 to 50 years old, gathered today close to Salonika’s beach and participated in the first fishing festival organized by the Deputy Municipality of Youth, Athletes and Volunteers.
The beach was full with people wanting to fish and have pleasant time at Thermaikos. The main idea of the festival came from the mayor himself who decided to bring fishermen closer and to create a friendlier environment. Right away 4 fishing clubs supported the idea and helped to materialize the idea.

Greek State Will Own Taxi Licenses

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Taxi licenses will consist state property upon the application of the new law bill on the liberalization of the sector.
Information indicate that the new bill, which would most likely be table in consultation this week- will provide the full liberalization of the profession, while there would be special provision for municipalities with population of less than 70,000 inhabitants.
Those who meet specific criteria, such as expertise and foreign language, would gain access.
In order to tackle black market there would be a provision of a kind of “tax allowance”, which would be funded by the fines of those who sold a taxi license and did not declare the price of the transaction.
35,000 licenses have been traded in the last 10 years, with a total value of €5 billion, according to Infrastructure and Transport Ministry.
The licenses would be renewed every 3-5 years and would be returned to the state when they expire or when the owner retires.
(source: capital)

ECB Head Calls for Urgent Action on Greek Rescue

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The head of the European Central Bank Jean-Claude Trichet called on Monday for urgent application of the latest debt rescue measures for Greece.
Trichet also spoke of an “absolutely imperative” need to tighten up the monitoring of economies in the eurozone, in a speech against a background of renewed concern over the Greek and wider eurozone debt crisis.
Trichet said that EU and national legislation’s enacting much tighter monitoring of national budgets, and which were due to be adopted within “a few days” were “clearly absolutely imperative.”
He also said it was urgent to apply the EU decisions taken on July 21 to provide Greece with a second debt rescue.
“There also we have an immediate and imperative need for all of the decisions to be enacted,” he told the Institute Montaigne.
Trichet spoke against a background of sharply renewed concern about the state of Greek finances and the wider eurozone debt crisis.
(source: AFP)