Monday, March 15, 2021

Thousands protest in Algiers to

denounce legislative election plans

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VIDEO https://www.africanews.com/embed/1420668

RYAD KRAMDI/AFP or licensors
By Rédaction Africanews

Last updated: 13/03 -

ALGERIA

Thousands demonstrated in Algiers on Friday, rejecting early legislative elections announced the day before, as weekly rallies by the resurgent Hirak pro-democracy movement gain momentum.

Protesters defied a coronavirus-related ban on gatherings to rally from different parts of the capital, converging on the central post office, the Hirak movement's emblematic rallying point, AFP correspondents said.

Demonstrators shouted slogans including "No elections with mafia gangs" and "a civil not a military state", a key Hirak slogan.

President Abdelmadjid Tebboune on Thursday issued a decree setting June 12 for early legislative elections, after dissolving parliament last month.

"To safeguard itself, the system says: legislative (elections)," one poster read Friday.

The Hirak movement broke out in February 2019 in outrage at then-president Abdelaziz Bouteflika's bid for a fifth term in office.

The ailing strongman was forced to step down weeks later, but the movement continued with demonstrations, demanding a sweeping overhaul of a ruling system in place since Algeria's independence from France in 1962.

Since its second anniversary on February 22, the Hirak has restarted weekly Friday protests, suspended for almost a year due to the pandemic.

"The same system is still in place. We will not vote on June 12," M'Hamed, a 50-year-old shopkeeper who only gave his first name, told AFP from the protest.

People also took to the streets in other parts of the country, including northwestern Oran, central Tizi Ouzou and eastern Annaba.

The CNLD prisoners' rights group said protesters had been arrested in Tizi Ouzou, without providing further details.

Once a premier under Bouteflika and elected in a widely boycotted presidential poll in December 2019, Tebboune has reached out to the protest movement while also seeking to neutralise it.

In a gesture of appeasement, last month he announced pardons for dozens of jailed pro-democracy activists, including several prominent figures.

Tebboune has pledged that the June elections will be free of corruption and will "open the doors of parliament to young people".

A constitutional referendum in November saw record-low participation.

Time stands still at historic Cairo watch shop

A wall clock at The Papazian's, Cairo -

VIDEO

https://www.africanews.com/embed/1421606

Copyright © africanews
By Rédaction Africanews
and AFP Last updated: 14/03 -

EGYPT
Time seems to have stood still at Papazian's, an Armenian Egyptian watchmaker whose almost 120-year-old Cairo shop has withstood the decades, surviving political upheavals and urban transformations.

Sheltered from the hustle and bustle of the capital's unforgiving traffic and surrounded by street vendors in Attaba Square, the unassuming shop housed under the arcades of an old Haussmannian building is a time capsule of Cairo's rich cosmopolitan history.

It is a rare museum-like site where old clocks, watches and timepieces are meticulously repaired.

"I have spare parts from my grandfather's days," Ashod Papazian, the current 64-year-old owner who inherited the family business, told AFP.

The shopfront with patinated wooden frames boasts an impressive array of pocket watches and wrist models with ageing bracelets, as well as yellowed advertisements of the vaunted watchmaker.

At the turn of the 19th century, Egypt had become a popular destination for Armenians who specialised in delicate manual crafts such as jewell ery-making, along with a thriving European community that included Italians, Greeks, Jews and French citizens.

The Armenian community, estimated to have numbered between 40,000 and 60,000 before Egypt's 1952 anti-monarchy revolution, mostly living in Cairo and Alexandria, has dwindled to only around a few thousand now.

In his small office surrounded by a quaint mess of archives, books and clocks of all kinds, Ashod is the keeper of precious memories.

Two black-and-white portraits hang behind his armchair: of his grandfather Nerses, known as Francis, the founder of the store, and of Ashod's own father Sarkis.

Under the more than century- old counters, dozens of wooden drawers contain spare parts of almost every imaginable brand of watch.

Antique comtoise pendulum chimes or cuckoo clocks -- some from the 19th century -- occupy every inch of available wall space.

They belong to customers who have entrusted him to repair them or owned by the watch enthusiast himself -- who refuses to part with his rarest timepieces.

- The Rich and Famous -

In 1893, Nerses Papazian, drafted into the Ottoman army, escaped by jumping on a boat without knowing his final destination, his grandson said. He ended up in Alexandria on Egypt's Mediterranean coast.

Ten years later, he opened the watch shop in Cairo that carries his name on the storefront to this day.

Building a reputation, he attracted several stars from the golden age of Egyptian cinema such as Youssef Wahbi, Fouad el-Mohandes and Abdelmoneim Ibrahim as customers.

Papazian also said the family of King Farouk, Egypt's last monarch, called his father Sarkis to the royal palace to have their pick from a wide array of watches.

Later when Egypt's Free Officers movement led by Gamal Abdel Nasser, the country's first president, overthrew the monarchy, the newly-established republic's elite also adopted Papazian.

"After the revolution there were (army) officers who dropped by, they were friends with my dad. They loved watches," he said.

Papazian's retains many loyal customers, but there are no succession plans on the cards for his two sons in their 20s.

"Most of the clients have become friends. We don't have anyone just passing through here," he explained.

Talaat Farghaly, 71, said he has been frequenting the shop ever since 1965.

The Armenian watchmaker is "very reliable", he said.

"We respectfully call him 'Khawaga' (the foreigner)," said Farghaly, who works in import-export.

Ahmed el-Melegy, 62, a printer, is also an aficionado with more than 35 in his watch collection.

"My passion for clocks began in 1984," he said.

"I often passed Ashod's shop and was fascinated. One day I decided to buy myself a clock for my wedding. Since then I haven't been able to stop," he recalled.

At least six die in factory explosion in Gabes city, Tunisia

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VIDEO https://www.africanews.com/2021/03/14/at-least-six-die-in-factory-explosion-in-gabes-city-tunisia/?jwsource=cl

By Rédaction Africanews

Last updated: 14/03 -

TUNISIA

At least six people have died and one was injured in the explosion on Saturday of an asphalt tank in an industrial zone in Gabès, in south-eastern Tunisia.

The explosion, "the causes of which are not yet known", occurred at 9:30 am local (08:30 GMT).

"We made in a first preliminary assessment six dead and one wounded", Moez Triaa, the spokesperson for civil protection said.

Four people died on the spot and the other two after being transported to a hospital in Gabès.

Search operations to find other possible victims are still ongoing, added Mr. Triaa, without being able to give more details.

According to photos published by local media, a huge black smoke covered part of the industrial zone of Gabès.

Panic As Massive Deportation Of Nigerians From Germany Begins Tomorrow

The upcoming charter deportation operation will be the first for this year since the initial plan for January 18 was cancelled owing to the Coronavirus pandemic, SaharaReporters has gathered.

BY SAHARAREPORTERS,

NEW YORK

MAR 15, 2021

Many Nigerians illegally staying in Germany will leave Frankfurt for Lagos on Tuesday, March 16, 2021, as part of massive deportation plans by the German government, the Network for Critical Migration Consciousness (NfCMC) has announced.

The upcoming charter deportation operation will be the first for this year since the initial plan for January 18 was cancelled owing to the Coronavirus pandemic, SaharaReporters has gathered.

Nigerian activists protesting last year in Dresden at an event organised by the Voice Refugees ForumOsaren Igbinoba

A statement by the NFCMC noted that at a February meeting with the Nigerian Ambassador in Berlin, Ambassador Tugger informed the NGC president-led delegation of his engagement with the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 to address the situation of deportation and the risk of the Corona pandemic.

He further confirmed the Federal government's position to refuse landing permits for deportation flights based on the collective responsibility to contain the coronavirus's further spread.

Ambassador Tugger's intervention arose from a November 2020 Zoom conference organised by the Nigerian Community (NGC München) with the Nigerian Ambassador as a guest.

Ambassador Tugger was commended for his commitment to interact with Nigerians throughout the online section.

His attention was drawn to the ongoing deportation collaboration, ignoring Germany's position as a major Corona hotspot (Germany exporting Corona to Nigeria) – especially at a time when the country is still trying to cope with the continued economic hardship from the Corona lockdown, bad governance and subsequent incidents like insecurity and insurgency, corruption, religious and ethnic conflicts, #EndSARS #RestructureNigeriaNow revolution etc.

The group urged those who are not too sure of their residential status, otherwise with so-called Duldung Status (Tolerated/Obligated to leave the country), to contact their lawyers or their asylum counselling centres.

"Please be aware that arrest is ongoing based on provisions of the German Foreigners Law which legitimates keeping so-called tolerated persons in deportation custody to guarantee their availability for a planned deportation enforcement flight.

"We would categorically like to draw the attention of persons who are at the moment participating in the German so-called Voluntary Returns Program – a project of the racist "Perspective Heimat Program" meant to coerce asylum seekers to volunteer for their self-deportation.

"Experiences have proven that such persons could be used to fill up spaces in scheduled chartered deportation flights since their passports are in possession of the foreign officers.

"An obvious eyeopener was the December 10, 2020 deportation enforcement. Two young Nigerians, who had trusted and were actively cooperative in the Voluntary Return Program, were brutally deported to Nigeria.

"That deportation incidence exposes more realities of the German Voluntary Returns Program as a farce. Further investigation of the issue has proven that the respective Foreign Officers were receiving routine updates on their active and cooperative engagement in the training courses. A worse scenario is that the respective Foreign Officers were lying even three days before the deportation enforcement. They appeared for the covid-19 test unknowing that this was meant to prepare them for the following deportation flight schedule.

"After the scandalous and inhuman deportation incidence, correspondences with the deportation responsible, authorities confirm the fact that the so-called Voluntary Return program remains only as an offer with no binding legislation to suspend deportation until the successful completion of the Voluntary Returns Preparatory training. Such wasted expenses are borne out of taxpayers funds."

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Italian Firm On Corruption Trial Granted High Level EU Access To Lobby For Fossil Gas, Agency Alleges

A new report from Global Witness, a non-governmental online research agency, reveals alleged attempts to obstruct justice by Eni executives.

BY SAHARAREPORTERS, NEW YORK

MAR 15, 2021

An Italian energy firm, Eni, has been granted access to push fossil gas at the highest echelons of the EU, despite being on trial for an alleged bribery scheme involving millions of dollars channelled to politicians.

A new report from Global Witness, a non-governmental online research agency, reveals alleged attempts to obstruct justice by Eni executives.

This was contained in a release signed by Senior Communications Adviser, Dominic Kavakeb, obtained by SaharaReporters.

He said later this month, a verdict is expected in the Italian trial where Eni, Shell and senior executives are accused of knowing the $1.1bn they paid in 2011 for a Nigerian offshore oil field (OPL 245), would be used to pay bribes to Nigerian public officials.

According to the report, Eni’s CEO, Claudio Descalzi, who is also individually on trial in the same Italian case met with the EU’s Energy Commissioner in June, 2020.

Despite facing a possible eight-year prison term, Descalzi was granted a meeting with one of the EU’s most senior officials to discuss the role of fossil gas in the future of the EU, amongst other topics.

This follows a meeting with the Commissioner for Internal Markets in September 2018, the very same month public hearings in the corruption trial began.

According to the report, Eni’s in-house lobbyists hold more passes for the European Parliament than any other oil and gas firm. It was also alleged that, the lobbyists have been in 49 meetings with senior EU officials since 2014 — the second most of all Italian companies.

In that time, Eni, and the pro-fossil gas industry groups of which it is a member, have spent up to 100 million Euros lobbying in Europe.

With coal and oil out of vogue in the EU, fossil gas has become a key last stand for fossil fuel companies, with Eni central to the industry’s push.

A presentation, sourced by Global Witness from public records of information requests, delivered by Eni to EU climate officials argued for gas as a “clean and safe partner” for renewables and called for support for the “coal-to-gas switch”.

Gas Campaigner at Global Witness, Barnaby Pace said: “The European Commission has waxed lyrical over its ambitions to fight climate change yet grants unrivalled access to some of the world's biggest polluters. Serious action on the climate will not come about by giving fossil fuel companies access to policy making, particularly those who seem ever willing to ride roughshod over the rules.

“Fossil fuel companies must be prevented from polluting the political process. We don’t ask tobacco companies for advice on quitting smoking, so we shouldn’t be asking those who got rich from oil and gas for climate advice.”

Italian prosecutors also allege that Eni executives arranged kickbacks for themselves as part of the deal. In a separate, fast-tracked Italian trial, two middlemen involved in the deal have already been sentenced to jail terms with the judge in that case ruling that the management of Shell and Eni were “fully aware” that part of their $1.1bn payment for the block “would be used to remunerate Nigerian public officials''.

She further ruled that it was proven that Eni managers planned and possibly received kickbacks from the deal. The conviction has been appealed.

The ruling in the fast-tracked trial does not in any way determine the guilt of defendants in the ongoing trial, though it shows that the allegations against Eni, Shell, Descalzi and others are credible and must be taken seriously. The defendants in the case have all pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing.

Allegations of misconduct against Eni do not stop there. Italian prosecutors have alleged that Eni managers ordered surveillance against journalists, prosecutors and possibly even judges.

Descalzi and several other Eni managers are suspects in a related criminal investigation into attempts to interfere in the investigation into the OPL 245 case.

Eni told Global Witness that all the charges and allegations regarding OPL 245 and the alleged conspiracy are unsubstantiated and they have provided all the evidence to the Milan court and judicial authorities to support their case.

Eni also stated that its transition plan “is ambitious, detailed, and wider in scope commitments than our peers and has been welcomed by a number of external experts and commentators” and that it rejects “the allegations and insinuations” regarding the company’s “commitment to the energy transition.” The EU Commission did not respond to an opportunity to comment on the findings and recommendations of the report.

Barnaby Pace said: “From the criminal investigations into Descalzi and Eni you’d be forgiven for thinking this is an organised crime group on trial rather than a global oil and gas firm. Eni managers are accused of interfering in investigations, attempting to bribe a witness, and spying on law enforcement and journalists on top of paying hundreds of millions of dollars in bribes, all to secure oil and gas that cannot be burned if we are to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.”

AFRICA AT THE Grammy Awards 2021: Nigerians Burna Boy and Wizkid win

Copyright © africanewsAndy Kropa/2019 Invision

By Africanews Last updated: 8 hours ago

MUSIC

https://www.africanews.com/2021/03/15/grammy-awards-2021-nigerians-burna-boy-and-wizkid-win/?jwsource=cl

The 2021 Grammy Awards was historic this year and not just because artists performed on stage to no audience due to coronavirus restrictions.

The show dubbed as "music's biggest night" was monumental for African artists.

Nigeria Afrobeats stars Burna Boy and Wizkid both won awards.

Burna Boy, whose real name is Damini Ogulu, won the Best Global Music Album category with his Twice as Tall.

He said: "Africa is here! we are here! You hear me? This is something fantastic for all Africans of my generation, all over the world, and this should be a lesson for all Africans, whatever you are, wherever you are, you can achieve it."

His nomination said the album was "a masterclass in the vibe and hustle that have made Burna Boy an international musical force".

"[He] continues to torch limitations, seamlessly blending styles and genres and fearlessly fuelling the fire heating the melting pot of pop, Afrobeat, dancehall, reggae and more," it said.

His album features artists such as Stormzy, Youssou Ndour, Naughty By Nature, and Chris Martin of Coldplay.

Burna Boy lost out to Angelique Kidjo in 2020 for the same category.

The video which saw Wizkid win was described as "a feast for the fashion-forward and a celebration of Black and brown female beauty everywhere".

Wizkid's music video was for his song with Beyoncé; Brown Skin Girl, from Lion King: The Gift album.

The video which saw Wizkid win was described as "a feast for the fashion-forward and a celebration of Black and brown female beauty everywhere".

Beyonce's daughter Blue Ivy was also a winner on the song.

Social justice

The awards show in Los Angeles also made social justice a key theme.

South African host Trevor Noah introduced told viewers they can see the names of nearly 1,000 people in the music industry who died last year at Grammys.com.

H.E.R.'s "I Can't Breathe"-- a response to the death of George Floyd-- won song of the year.

"I've never been so proud to be an artist. We wrote this song over FaceTime, and I didn't imagine that my fear and my pain would turn into impact and it would possibly turn into change," she said as she accepted the award.

Brittany Howard, backed up by Chris Martin on piano, ended the tribute with a stirring version of the Broadway standard "You'll Never Walk Alone."

It was also a historic night for women Beyonce won her 28th Grammy and became the most decorated woman in Grammy history.

Taylor Swift also had a huge night had a historic night, becoming the first female performer to win album of the year three times.

Burna Boy, Wizkid, Seven Others Of Nigerian Descent Who Have Won The Grammy Awards

Burna Boy bagged the much-coveted Grammy award in the ‘Best Global Album’ category for his ‘TWICE AS TALL’ album.

BY SAHARAREPORTERS, NEW YORK

MAR 15, 2021

Nigerian music stars, Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, better known as Burna Boy and Ayodeji Balogun, better known as Wizkid, on Sunday night, won their first ever Grammy Awards.

Burna Boy bagged the much-coveted Grammy award in the ‘Best Global Album’ category for his ‘TWICE AS TALL’ album.

Burna Boy

He was nominated alongside Tuareg Desert rock group, Tinariwen; NYC afrobeat outfit, Antibalas; Brazilian-American, Bebel Gilberto; and British-Indian sitar player, Anoushka Shankar.

This is the second consecutive time Burna Boy has been nominated for the Grammys.

His previous album, ‘African Giant’ was nominated at the 62nd Grammy Awards for ‘Best World Music Album’, but the award went to Beninoise singer, Angélique Kidjo, who dedicated the award to Burna Boy and said he was leading the pack of young Africans who will shake up the global music space.

Burnaboy is the first winner of the recently renamed category, formerly known as Best World Music Album.

Wizkid, on the other hand, won a Grammy for the Best Music Video’ for his role in ‘Brown Skin Girl’, Beyonce’s 2019 hit song. The Best Music Video award is given to the artist, video director, and video producer.

Their video bested fellow nominees Future with Drake, Anderson.Paak, Harry Styles, and Woodkid.

Here are seven Nigerians who have won the awards in the past:

Helen Folasade Adu (Sade Adu)

Sade Adu, British-Nigerian singer, who turned 62 on 16 January, 2021 has won the award.

She made history as the first Nigerian singer to win a Grammy.

Born on January 16, 1959, in Ibadan, Nigeria, Sade was raised in London. She had been nominated for the Grammy awards nine times and won four times.

She won her first Grammy in 1986 in the Best New Artist category. She also won the Best R&B Performance by a duo or group with vocals in 1994 for the song, “No Ordinary Love.”

Sade also won another Grammy in 2002 in the category of the Best Pop Vocal Album, with the song “Lovers Rock,” while in 2011, she won the Best R&B Performance by a group with vocals for “Soldier of Love.”

Sikiru Adepoju

69 year-old Sikiru Adepoju is a percussionist and recording artist from Nigeria, primarily in the genres of traditional African music and world music. He plays a variety of instruments and styles.

Born in Eruwa, Oyo State, Adepoju was a member of Ebenezer Obey’s Inter Reformers Band until he left for the US in 1985. In the US, the ‘drummer boy’ joined O. J. Ekemode’s Nigerian All-Stars, and three months later met Babatunde Olatunji.

He became an integral part of Olatunji’s Drums of Passion, and through Olatunji met Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart.

He was part of Mickey Hart’s group Planet Drum, whose title album won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary World Music Album in 1991, the first year there was a Grammy in that category.

He was also part of Mickey Hart’s latest group Global Drum Project, whose title album won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary World Music Album at the 51st annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles 8 February 2009.

Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel (Seal)

Born Henry Olusegun Adeola Samuel in 1963, he is better known by his professional name– Seal. He is a British-Nigerian musician, singer and songwriter best known for his 1994 hit song, “Kiss from a Rose.” He has 14 Grammy nominations to his name and has won four. His song, “Kiss From A Rose” earned him three Grammy awards in 1996 and in 2011 he nabbed his fourth “Imagine”. He holds one of the highest numbers of Grammy awards by a Nigerian.

Lekan Babalola

Born in 1960, Lekan Babalola is a Nigerian jazz percussionist and musician who started playing the conga at an early age. He has seven albums to his name and two Grammy awards. He began his professional career after joining a band called Samba Samba Band and later New York City-based Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers band, where he perfected playing the Bongo drums and performing jazz music. In 2006, he became Nigeria’s first Grammy Award winner for his work on Ali Farka Touré‘s In the Heart of the Moon which he was credited in three tracks. He also won a second Grammy in 2009 for his work on Cassandra Wilson‘s 2008 album titled Loverly.

Hakeem Seriki

Nigerian-American Hakeem Seriki, better known by his stage name Chamillionaire is a rapper, entrepreneur, and investor from Houston, Texas. He was born November 28, 1979 in Washington D.C to a Muslim Nigerian father and an African-American Christian mother. He moved to Houston, Texas at the age of four

He began his career independently with local releases in 2002, including the collaborative album Get Ya Mind Correct with fellow Houston rapper and childhood friend Paul Wall. He signed to Universal Records in 2005 and released The Sound of Revenge under Universal. It included hit singles “Turn It Up” featuring Lil’ Flip and the number-one, Grammy-winning hit “Ridin'” featuring Krayzie Bone of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. The song won the Grammy in 2007 for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. It was also nominated for Best Rap song.

Chamillionaire is also known for his most anticipated Mixtape Messiah series, which ran from 2004 until 2009.

Kevin Olusola

Ethiopia's Tigray: 70% of health facilities 'vandalised and looted'

Arsema Berha, 9-years-old, is pushed by her mother as she

sits in a wheelchair at the Ayder Referral Hospital in the

Tigray capital Mekele on February 25, 2021 -
© africanews EDUARDO SOTERAS/AFP or licensors

By Africanews Last updated: 3 hours ago

ETHIOPIA

Almost 70% of health facilities in Ethiopia's war-hit northern region of Tigray have been looted and more than 30% had been damaged, a report by Medecins Sans Frontieres said.

The medical charity said health facilities were "deliberately" attacked to make them "non-functional", which has caused a "devastating" impact on the population, MSF said.

It visited 106 health facilities between mid-December 2020 and early March 2021.

The conflict erupted on November 4, 2020, after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed ordered an offensive to oust the region's former ruling party.

There are still reports of fighting despite Ahmed declaring victory at the end of November.

Before the conflict, Tigray had one of the best health systems in Ethiopia, according to MSF.

The charity reported a hospital in the town of Semema had been set on fire and a delivery room at Sebeya was destroyed after the facility was hit by a rocket.

The charity also said in rural areas of Tigray women died in childbirth because they were unable to get to a hospital due to the lack of ambulances, rampant insecurity on the roads and a night-time curfew.

'Protect health facilities'

“The health system needs to be restored as soon as possible,” said MSF's general director Oliver Behn,

“Health facilities need to be rehabilitated and receive more supplies and ambulances, and staff need to receive salaries and the opportunity to work in a safe environment.

"Most importantly, all armed groups in this conflict need to respect and protect health facilities and medical staff.”

Hundreds of civilians have been killed in the conflict and tens of thousands have been displaced.

Only 13% of the 106 facilities that teams from MSF visited between December and early March were operating normally.

In early March, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet called for an objective and independent investigation into Tigray, after having "corroborated serious violations" likely to constitute as "war crimes and crimes against humanity".

PIERRE VERDY/AFP
By Rédaction Africanews

French nuclear group Orano’s COMINAK uranium mine in Niger has announced it will shut down by the end of March 2021 due to the depletion of its reserves, the mine’s board of directors announced last week.

The company has been mining uranium in the region for over 40 years.

Cominak will render over 600 employees jobless but plans are underway to compensate for their social plan.

The company has announced that it will pay its employees between $36,000 and $109,000 as part of the compensation program.

The company has also vowed to restore the area to its original state and will plant trees after a complete demolition.

The French group had also cited high operational costs amidst scarcity of uranium and low prices of the ore on the market.

Prices have fallen in the face of oversupply in the wake of the signing of COP21, the Paris climate agreement

BOSTON

‘That doesn’t work for us’: Congressman Stephen Lynch blasts the MBTA over recent service cuts and furloughs

"Now they're going to take the billion dollars and lay people off? I don't think so."

Rep. Stephen Lynch speaks at a press conference in The Great Hall of Faneuil Hall on Monday. –Pat Greenhouse / The Boston Globe

By Christopher Gavin, Boston.com Staff
March 15, 2021

Congressman Stephen Lynch, speaking on behalf of the state’s congressional delegation Monday morning, slammed the MBTA for rolling out a wave of service cuts to its core system as Massachusetts receives $1 billion for its transportation agencies under the latest federal COVID-19 relief plan.

“It is incongruous with with our intent … that an agency would take federal support from the taxpayer and then cut services to those same taxpayers,” Lynch said during a press conference highlighting the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan passed by lawmakers last week. “That doesn’t work for us.”

On Sunday, the MBTA began controversial service cuts to subway and bus service in an attempt to save money lost by the significant drop in ridership during the pandemic. The move follows cuts to commuter rail and ferry service put in place earlier this year. Officials say they intend to restore service as ridership rebounds.

The loss in revenue also prompted Keolis Commuter Services, the company that operates the commuter rail, to indefinitely furlough 40 conductors and assistant conductors — approximately 9 percent of the system’s conductor workforce.

“They’re going to take the billion dollars and lay people off? I don’t think so,” Lynch said.

The MBTA received over $1 billion in federal relief funding over the past year — cash that helped cover losses in fare revenue. In the 2019 fiscal year, the agency brought in almost $700 million. By the time the current 2021 fiscal year ends in late June, the MBTA expects it will have collected less than $200 million.

Agency officials have said they are saving some of the previously allotted relief funds to put toward the 2022 fiscal year, as well as budget reallocations and other cost-saving efforts. (This year’s service cuts are expected to save about $21 million.)

They expect a gradual return to pre-2020 ridership to take several years, with the most optimistic scenario seeing a return of 89 percent of 2019 levels by 2026. Even so, a four-year budget deficit would total almost $1.8 billion by that point.

The projections notably do not account for the latest relief cash from federal lawmakers. MBTA officials said earlier this month they did not expect to receive specific numbers until several weeks after the massive relief package passed.

“With ridership remaining at less than a third of pre-pandemic levels, the MBTA continues to monitor work and travel patterns and match service to ridership, while increasing service for the most transit-critical communities,” MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo told Boston.com in a statement Monday in response to Lynch’s remarks. “As it plans ahead for the long-term budget impacts of the pandemic, the T will responsibly spend federal stimulus dollars and monitor ridership and make adjustments as necessary.”

Lynch, while detailing parts of the latest relief plan, said the state’s entire congressional delegation is opposed to the service cuts and furloughs. He told reporters his fellow lawmakers are “furious about this.”

“The whole idea here is to move the country and the state and cities and towns back to a more normal pattern of life,” Lynch said.

The South Boston Democrat called on Gov. Charlie Baker and MBTA leaders to “come back to the table” with legislators.

“Let’s get everybody on the same page because there are important decisions that have to be made,” Lynch said. “There are important fights that need to be fought, and we need to be together if we’re going to be successful on behalf of the people in Massachusetts.”

According to Lynch, Massachusetts is slated to receive about $8 billion in federal aid under the American Rescue Plan, with an additional, approximately $435 million allotment for Boston alone.

In total, the legislation provides $50 billion in aid to small businesses, $130 billion to help K-12 schools reopen, $27.5 billion in rental assistance, $10 billion for homeowner assistance, and $20 billion to expand COVID-19 vaccine distribution, among other allocations.

“We want to get America back to work and that will require all aspects of our society to re-emerge,” Lynch said.

LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment

Monday, March 15, 2021

Thousands protest in Algiers to

denounce legislative election plans

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