Who exactly is going on the latest trip and when is it leaving?
For what godly reason are they going to Normandy? If they wish to commentate D-day it should be on their own dime. Commissioner Juan Zapata, a self-proclaimed WWII history buff, said he is paying for his own trip there. Good for him.
Last I looked Miami Dade county did not have a role in foreign diplomacy..these trips are a joke right ..? And Spain AGAIN?? Why on earth would there be a mission there now, especially when they just went last year. By the way what were the results of that mission? What is the cost of these missions --- including all county and Beacon Participants vs number of direct jobs created in Miami Dade County? What is the return on investment? I will bet minus 0.
What were the specific results of the Paris air show mission? Word is that the mayor showed up late of at all to several meetings and spent lots of time sight-seeing with his wife and his lobbyist groupies. But I think he paid for her trip himself. Maybe?
How many companies are now legitimate prospects to locate and create jobs in Miami Dade as a direct result of the Spain and Paris missions?
Where are the quantifiable and verified results of their missions from the ITC? what is the ROI on their missions and how do they decide where there missions will go? Is Pepe Diaz back in charge of ITC? It's the County Commission travel agency on our dime. ITC stands for IDIOT TOURS for COMMISSIONERS.
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Oh please, give them a break,, The Mayor and his supporters on the BCC just balanced a spartan budget and saved the taxpayers $58 million by cutting workers pay for another year.( well some workers, fortuntaly the lawyers and top executives were once again spared any painful cuts) Now let them enjoy their spoils. They can't spend all their time making those " tough decisions" without a little R&R.
One can only hope The Bell Klan will embark on another ITC, permanently relocate, and set about corrupting that unsuspecting country's guv-ment.
This came up at the end of Comm. Bell's committee meeting, see for yourself - http://miamidade.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=2776 Comm Souto completely blew the cover on this huge travel junket to occur to Spain and France in June-in commemoration of the Normandy invasion. Dir. Johnson suggested further discussion to be "offline" and corrupt co-director Juan Kuryla is in charge of putting it all together. This would normally all occur out of sight. People going, all expenses paid will be commissioners, insiders, top brass, others owed favors, like directors employing friends and family of politicos. When is the IG going to look into these travel junkets costing $millions every year. The costs are buried in various department or commission budgets, and worse, there is a big scam where the port funds the World Trade Assoc. which then funds the trips without any oversight of costs because it is a "Private Trade Assoc." Juan Kuryla has been running this racket for years. When commissioners say they are paying their own way, what they mean is it will costs will be paid from their district budgets, totally funded by taxpayers. Good thing so many are going on the taxpayers' dime to represent Miami-Dade. Who knew there were so many Cubans involved in the Normandy invasion? Early into this meeting, watch as both Johnson and Kuryla try to grab the mike from Comm. Bell. Too funny- it has to be awkward for the 2 Port Directors each trying to run things. Too funny.
The link by above anon shows Lynda Bell recognizing Natasha Sejas in the audience. She ran, maybe still runs the J Malina International Trade Comm. another taxpayer funded racket providing travel junkets for insiders. There is definitely something up here. Sejas took this over from Pepe Diaz after his chief got caught falsifying trade progress reports. These taxpayer funded trade associations are a racket.
My then-19yo uncle trained on Miami-Beach in WWII before being shipped over-seas. He was the sole survivor when his B-17 was shot town while bombing Germany. He was an injured POW sent East on foot, barely surviving before being liberated. Seems like people like him should be sent to commemorate instead of our local politicos and their family and friends. What a travesty
Another scam from Carlos Gimenez and his lobbyist buddies and the nitwits on the BCC.
They need to study the sand, for importing it to Miami Beach, the greatest tourist city in America. :/
Why do you think Carlos Gimenez gave Juan Kuryla a massive Director's salary of $300,000, a 70$ increase, while all other employees got cuts, and the current director remains in place through 2015. Juan Kuryla is the new Carmen Lunetta (on crack)
ARTICLE CII. JAY MALINA INTERNATIONAL TRADE CONSORTIUM OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
Sec. 2-1501. Purpose and duties.
The Office of Economic Development and International Trade (hereinafter referred to as "The Office") shall promote Miami-Dade County as a Global Gateway and enhance access to economic development opportunities. It shall be authorized to exercise such powers and to perform such duties as are hereinafter provided:
(b) Promote Miami-Dade County as a Global Gateway both locally and abroad by developing and expanding trade opportunities with Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Western Hemisphere.
(c) Liaise with trade offices and chambers of commerce.
(j) Staff and support the International Trade Consortium and the Dr. Antonio Jorge Social and Economic Development Council for Miami-Dade County.
(m) Accept, receive, and expend public and private monies, gifts, fees, revenues and donations in addition to County funds.
(n) Coordinate and act as a proactive liaison between the County and the Consular Corps of Miami.
(o) Submit an annual report to the Mayor and Board of County Commissioners detailing the Office's activities, goals, outcomes, and statement of all its accounts.
(p) Perform any other such functions reasonably related to the execution of the Office's functions and responsibilities.
Sec. 2-1504. Composition, qualifications, and appointment and tenure.
(b) Qualifications. The provision of Section 2-11.38 of the Miami-Dade County Code providing that no person shall serve on more than one County board simultaneously, shall not apply to the members of the Advisory Board appointed since its inception.
https://library.municode.com/HTML/10620/level3/PTIIICOOR_CH2AD_ARTCIIJAMAINTRCOMIDECO.html#TOPTITLE
For the same reason he keeps John Renfrow (WASD Director) on board: they kowtow to him.
Btw, John Renfrow recently remarried. He is now married to Betty Jimenez, aka Betty de Yurre (Ex is former Miami Commissioner Victor de Yurre who recently lost a bid for judge). Guess where new-wife Betty works? The county of course! She runs another mythical department... Elder Affairs.
But you want to know what's worse?
They read this blog and LAUGH! They do it at Staff Meetings!
Betty must have a preference for short men! But at least Victor has some meat on his bones. Renfrow is a 98-pound weakling, pale as a ghost, and his black-dyed hair is too funny!
OK everyone, time to play Connect the Dots! This item by Kenneth P. Vogel was published by Politico this morning: "Plans in the works [for social issue conservative donors] range from aggressive super PAC spending in primaries against Republicans deemed squishy on social issues, to holding a donor conference in Normandy, France, tied to the 70th anniversary of the D-Day invasion
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2014/01/social-conservatives-fundraising-101666.html#ixzz2pI3JCt3Z
Coincidence? You be the judge.
This is what happens when a community is to busy to bother with the civic process and when U.S. citizenship is given to anybody who can answer three questions ( in other than the English language of course). The apathy of voters has brought us a strong mayor system that is totally corrupt. Enjoy your trip rats! Tapas for free at La Boqueria!
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