The Hellenic Navy (HN) (Greek: Πολεμικό Ναυτικό, Polemikó Naftikó, abbreviated ΠΝ) is the naval force of Greece, part of the Greek Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy has its roots in the naval forces of various Aegean Islands, which fought in the Greek War of Independence. During the periods of monarchy (1833–1924 and 1936–1973) it was known as the Royal Navy (Βασιλικόν Ναυτικόν, Vasilikón Naftikón, abbreviated ΒΝ).The total displacement of all the navy's vessels is approximately 150,000 tons.The motto of the Hellenic Navy is "Μέγα το της Θαλάσσης Κράτος" from Thucydides' account of Pericles' oration on the eve of the Peloponnesian War. This has been roughly translated as "Great is the country that controls the sea". The Hellenic Navy's emblem consists of an anchor in front of a crossed Christian cross and trident, with the cross symbolizing Greek Orthodoxy, and the trident symbolizing Poseidon, the god of the sea in Greek mythology. Pericles' words are written across the top of the emblem. "The navy, as it represents a necessary weapon for Greece, should only be created for war and aim to victory."...............The Hellenic Merchant Marine refers to the Merchant Marine of Greece, engaged in commerce and transportation of goods and services universally. It consists of the merchant vessels owned by Greek civilians, flying either the Greek flag or a flag of convenience. Greece is a maritime nation by tradition, as shipping is arguably the oldest form of occupation of the Greeks and a key element of Greek economic activity since the ancient times. Nowadays, Greece has the largest merchant fleet in the world, which is the second largest contributor to the national economy after tourism and forms the backbone of world shipping. The Greek fleet flies a variety of flags, however some Greek shipowners gradually return to Greece following the changes to the legislative framework governing their operations and the improvement of infrastructure.Blogger Tips and Tricks
This is a bilingual blog in English and / or Greek and you can translate any post to any language by pressing on the appropriate flag....Note that there is provided below a scrolling text with the 30 recent posts...Αυτό είναι ένα δίγλωσσο blog στα Αγγλικά η/και στα Ελληνικά και μπορείτε να μεταφράσετε οποιοδήποτε ποστ σε οποιαδήποτε γλώσσα κάνοντας κλικ στη σχετική σημαία. Σημειωτέον ότι παρακάτω παρέχεται και ένα κινούμενο κείμενο με τα 30 πρόσφατα ποστς....This is a bilingual blog in English and / or Greek and you can translate any post to any language by pressing on the appropriate flag....Note that there is provided below a scrolling text with the 30 recent posts...Αυτό είναι ένα δίγλωσσο blog στα Αγγλικά η/και στα Ελληνικά και μπορείτε να μεταφράσετε οποιοδήποτε ποστ σε οποιαδήποτε γλώσσα κάνοντας κλικ στη σχετική σημαία. Σημειωτέον ότι παρακάτω παρέχεται και ένα κινούμενο κείμενο με τα 30 πρόσφατα ποστς.........

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

£80 on-the-spot fines for possessing cannabis [ 170 ]

More than half of Londoners given £80 on-the-spot fines for possessing cannabis have failed to pay, the Standard can reveal.
06.07.09
Met police statistics show that in the four months since the penalties were introduced as part of a government clampdown only 412 of the 977 recipients — 42 per cent — have paid within the 21-day limit.

The remaining 565 will have to be pursued by the courts — which often already struggle to collect unpaid fines — adding to the expense faced by taxpayers for enforcing the new law. Some offenders may avoid paying altogether.

Today's figures, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, provide the first snapshot of the fines' effectiveness since they were introduced in January as the Government upgraded cannabis to a class B drug.

The fines are part of a three-tier penalty system under which those caught with the drug for the first time will be cautioned, those caught a second time will be fined £80 and those caught for a third time will be prosecuted.

Of the 565 who have failed to pay, 13 are described by the Met as subject to potential prosecution with a court hearing requested, while a further 470 are recorded as “fine registered” cases in which the debt will be pursued by magistrates.

Another 82 cases are simply recorded as “unpaid” although officials say they will also be passed to the courts.

The number of Londoners prosecuted for a third offence in the same four-month period was 503.

The number cautioned was 12,482, meaning the totals for fines — and non-payers — are likely to rise substantially.

Met officials said the payment rate had remained roughly the same since May, but the force, which is not responsible for collecting fines, was not finding the level of evasion a problem.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice, which oversees fine enforcement, said those who failed to pay would face action, such as confiscation of the money by bailiffs or a deduction from their earnings or benefits.

Cannabis was downgraded to class C under Tony Blair's premiership in 2004. That decision has been reversed because of evidence linking mental health problems to the drug and the increasing prevalence of high strength “skunk” cannabis
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