Latest news with #Wagstaff
NDTV
22-05-2025
- Business
- NDTV
Ex-CEO Of Ocean Theme Parks Defends Record After Dolphin Deaths
Another dolphin has died in an aquatic park operated by The Dolphin Company, the fifth in the last year as an executive and lenders fight for control of the bankrupt company. Independent managers in the US were unable to get help investigating the cause of the death from company veterinarians in Mexico, where Chief Executive Officer Eduardo Albor maintains control of the headquarters and some of the parks. Operations in Europe, the US and the Caribbean are under the control of lender-appointed managers. The dolphin, named Robin, died at one of the attractions in Italy last month, said Robert Wagstaff, chief restructuring officer for the lender-controlled side of the business. Wagstaff was hired by a newly installed independent director in March. Wagstaff and Albor testified in federal court in Wilmington, Delaware on Wednesday as part of a fight over the company's Mexican operations. Under questioning by his lawyer, Albor insisted that his top priority was protecting about 300 dolphins and other animals that are the main attractions at the parks and also serve as collateral for the lenders. "Other than people safety, animal health care comes first," Albor said. "We don't look at this as strictly business. This is a mission that we have." Wagstaff testified that after he was appointed by lenders, he discovered serious financial problems that threatened operations at some the US parks. At one point a park was closed for 10 days because worker compensation insurance benefits had not been paid, he said. Locks Changed The lenders have been trying to remove Albor since last year when the company defaulted on about $100 million in debt. Albor has used court cases in Mexico to try to block lenders from taking over the company and to remove their representatives from the headquarters in Cancun. Last month, Albor, with help from state police officers, took back control of the headquarters building, which the executive owns. After putting the corporation into bankruptcy in the US, lenders had temporarily changed the locks on the building, including on Albor's personal office. The two sides have been fighting over company records, computer systems and access to employees who are needed to operate the Mexican businesses. US Bankruptcy Judge Laurie Silverstein must decide whether to take action against Albor or allow him to keep trying to fight the lenders in court in Mexico. The lenders want Silverstein to order Albor to cooperate with their efforts to reorganize the parks, including those in Mexico. Caught between the two sides are employees and animals spread among the company's various parks. The dolphins, sea lions and other animals are both the main attractions and valuable collateral for the lenders. Albor denied that he ordered the company's most senior vets in Mexico not to cooperate with the lender-installed managers in the US. Florida authorities opened investigations following the premature deaths of bottlenose dolphins at Gulf World Marine Park in Panama City Beach. Jett, a 14-year-old dolphin, died in March from acute head trauma after hitting the shallow portion of the pool during a live show. Three other dolphins at Gulf World died within days of each other in October, according to court records. US Department of Agriculture inspectors said in a January report that multiple enclosures housing marine mammals were "in disrepair" and said algae growth in pools had reduced dolphins' visibility. While describing the pools, the report said a USDA inspector scraped algae off a step "that was almost 6 inches in length." Valerie Greene, a former Sea World trainer and animal welfare advocate, shared the USDA report with Bloomberg News. The report also noted rust on sea lion pools where animals were swimming. Company bankruptcy lawyer Robert Brady said at a hearing last month that US advisers hired an outside animal welfare expert who oversaw the transfer of sea lions out of Gulf World after Florida authorities forced the company to close a pen for necessary maintenance. The case is Leisure Investments Holdings LLC, number 25-10606, in the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.
Scoop
13-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Unions Barred From Budget 2025 Lock-Up
The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi has sent an open letter to the Government objecting to its decision to block the NZCTU and other unions from attending the Budget lock-up on 22 May. 'We object in the strongest possible terms to the Government's decision to bar the NZCTU from the Budget 2025 lock-up. The NZCTU represents over 300,000 workers across the private and public sectors and is the largest democratic organisation in New Zealand,' said NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff. 'Workers will be significantly impacted by the decisions made by government at Budget 2025, and it is important that the NZCTU can accurately report on Budget decisions to ensure working people are properly briefed. 'This Government appears to believe the banks, international financial institutions, and consulting houses are more important than working people, and it seems that is why the representatives of working people have been denied access. 'Last week the Government made the highly controversial decision to unilaterally gut the pay equity claims process. It is therefore unsurprising that it doesn't want working people to understand the rationale and impacts of its Budget decisions this year,' said Wagstaff.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Plans for less frequent breast screening criticised
Calls have been made for the Isle of Man government's health department to review its policy on breast cancer screening following the publication of plans to offer screenings every three years. Manx Care has set out its aims for the next financial year in line with a mandate from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). The department has directed the operator to align its screening policy with the UK, where breast screenings are offered every three years - whereas in the Isle of Man they are currently available every two years. Cancer survivor Karen Wagstaff said if she had had to wait another year to be diagnosed she "might not be sitting here today telling this story". The mandate, to be debated in Tynwald later this month, directs Manx Care to implement recommendations from the UK National Screening Committee, which includes "decreasing the frequency of routine screening for breast and cervical cancer". Ms Wagstaff is one of the founding members of the Manx Breast Cancer Support Group, which has set up a petition to prevent the change moving forward. She was diagnosed with breast cancer 16 years ago, and said she "managed to get through the 10-year mark" before discovering the disease had returned after attending her biannual screening. She said: "I was diagnosed and it was picked up at a screening at a very early stage. "Had I had to wait another year I might not be sat here today, that's the harsh reality." She called any potential move to three-yearly screening "shocking" and pleaded with health bosses to "see some sense here". However, the health minister said there were no plans to change the system over the next 12 months. Claire Christian said there were "no supported recommended changes to the screening for any cancer services". However, when asked to commit to keeping the screening frequency at its current level, Ms Christian told the House of Keys it was "difficult to give assurances". Recommendations on cancer screenings are among a raft of changes laid out by the DHSC, as part of various money-saving measures. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X. Focus away from hospital care in plan to cut costs Rising costs ignite review into off-island care Additional £20m sought for healthcare overspend Health minister resigns over future funding Mandate to Manx Care 2025 Manx Breast Cancer Support Group
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
North Las Vegas man says he lost federal job as part of ‘DOGE' cuts
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – The Department of Government Efficiency continues cutting government spending and cites billions of dollars in savings. Still, thousands have been directly affected across the country, including a Southern Nevada man who told 8 News Now he lost his job after two decades of public service. Mark Wagstaff has dedicated most of his life to public service. 'I never thought about doing anything else since I was 21,' Wagstaff said. He served in the Marine Corps for 10 years and was honorably discharged as a sergeant. He then worked as a federal employee for six years, first for the Department of Defense, then as an administrative officer for the Department of Veterans Affairs in Southern Nevada after a recent promotion. However, two weeks ago, he told 8 News Now everything changed. 'It felt like you just walked in,' Wagstaff recalled. 'And just oh we don't want you no more.' Wagstaff was one of thousands of people terminated due to orders by President Trump and Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). 'We've cut billions and billions and billions of dollars,' President Trump said during a recent press conference. 'We are looking to get it maybe to a trillion dollars if we could do that.' Trump and Musk are still taking various actions to shrink the size of the federal workforce and cut that spending with rounds of firing and layoffs. 'DOGE is a support function for the president and for the agencies and departments to help achieve those savings,' Musk said to reporters on the department recently. 'And to effectively find 15% in reduction and fraud and waste.' DOGE officials haven't released an official tally, however, many let go were among the government's 220,000 probationary workers. The status is classified as anyone hired or promoted within the past year. Wagstaff told 8 News Now he fell under the latter category, which led to his termination. 'We want America to succeed, but at the same time we want you to do it the right way,' Wagstaff said. 'And not just tear us down to the ground like we're less than human.' He said he is now doing what he can to make his message known while also trying to figure out what comes next. 'It's not just my story,' Wagstaff concluded. 'It's every other American story.' Wagstaff told 8 News Now he lost access to his government email quickly, so he has not gotten much more communication. No severance has been offered, and he said while he put in a request to access his 401K, that has not been granted. Wagstaff has started a GoFundMe account titled 'A Veteran In Need' to help him with living costs. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
