DRUGGED-DRIVING ON THE RISE (Aftenposten)

Police are now apprehending as many motorists on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs as they are for drunk driving. Drunk driving still takes the lead in the number of convictions, but police are concerned that many who drive under the influence of drugs are being let off the hook. Amphetamines and cannibis are the most common drugs involved. Five thousand motorists were stopped last year on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs; ten years ago this figure was only 2000.

UNION LEADERS DIVIDED ON RØKKE’S ACQUISITIONS (Dagsavisen)

Senior group shop stewards in Aker og Kværner are divided in their views regarding Kjell Inge Røkke’s Kværner acquisitions. Minister of Trade and Industry Grete Knudsen interrupted her holiday yesterday to meet with representatives of the Norwegian Federation of Industrial Workers' Unions, followed in turn by employee representatives from Kværner and Aker. Workers in both groups fear that if Aker and Kværner divisions merge, shipyards may be closed and contracts sent abroad along with thousands of jobs. Senior Kværner group employee representative Rolf Utgård calls on Kværner shareholders to mobilize against Mr. Røkke, while his counterparts in Aker Maritime feel employees should work together with him.

LINDHOLT SPEAKS OUT AGAINST RØKKE (Aftenposten)

Kjell Inge Røkke has shown a knack for enriching himself, but he has never demonstrated any ability to increase the value of anything under his control, in the view of National Insurance Administration director Tore Lindholt. Mr. Lindholt has long been one of the most outspoken critics of Mr. Røkke and his business methods. "The National Insurance Administration has no wish to actively debate Kværner’s future, but communications from small shareholders and others with interests in the company have convinced us of the necessity of expressing our support for Kværner’s board and management, who have also made it clear that the interests of small shareholders are also to be upheld," says Mr. Lindholt.

LINDHOLT IN TROUBLE WITH BOARD (Verdens Gang)

Tore Lindholt had not spoken with all of the board members before issuing a sharp public statement against Kjell Inge Røkke yesterday on behalf of the National Insurance Administration. One of the board members now says Mr. Lindholt must be taken as having spoken only for himself. Mr. Lindholt may now have to explain himself to the board.

ADMISSIONS STANDARD DROPPING (Aftenposten)

Admission to colleges and universities in Norway has become easier. Academic admission requirements are down in most studies, and there is room for more students in all but the most popular subjects. This year’s admission statistics show that 93 per cent of all qualified applicants were accepted, with 68 per cent being accepted at their first choice of institution and studies.

ALCOHOL PRODUCT INFORMATION TO BE PUBLISHED ON INTERNET (Vårt Land)

When the state wine and spirits monopoly starts selling its wares via the Internet, the strict ban on alcohol advertising may fall. The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs has recently given the monopoly the green light for publishing price and product information on its website after 1 August.

WORTH NOTING

• The Labour, Centre, Socialist Left and Christian Democratic parties all feel a Defence Policy Commission proposal to dismantle Headquarters Defence Command Norway (OF) should be studied. These parties will make up a majority if they decide to follow the proposal. (Aftenposten)
• Telenor missed out on net profits of over NOK 30 billion when group CEO Tormod Hermansen turned down the opportunity of investing in a US cell-phone operator in 1998. The block of shares was bought by Sonera, a Finnish corporation, instead. (Dagens Næringsliv)
• Telenor chief Tormod Hermansen met yesterday with the finance analysts in charge of selling Telenor’s share issue when it goes public this autumn. The response from potential buyers will influence the price. A gigantic PR campaign will also be mounted to encourage Norwegians to invest in Telenor. (Aftenposten)
• The risk of accident is 30 per cent higher on Signatur high-speed trains than on other trains, according to two risk studies performed by Den norske Veritas (DnV) earlier this year. Despite these alarming conclusions, the Signatur trains were not taken out of service until one of them derailed in June. (Aftenposten)
• Norwegians consume NOK 510 million worth of anti-depressants every year. No one has looked into who the users are or whether they really need them, however. (Verdens Gang)
• The high cost of cabins and holiday homes in Norway is driving Norwegians in search of leisure property across the border. Nearly 600 holiday homes were bought by Norwegians in Sweden last year. (Dagsavisen)

TODAY’S COMMENT from Verdens Gang

Minister of Social Affairs Guri Ingebrigtsen has not taken a holiday this year and that has spelled trouble for retired persons. Ms. Ingebrigtsen wants the "affluent elderly" to pay more for nursing and care services. She is not the first Minister of Social Affairs to toy with this idea. So far it is only an idea, and we feel it should remain so this time, too. Ms. Ingebrigtsen does not say who she considers the "affluent elderly". We only know that this is a highly diverse group. Some are affluent because they have scrimped and saved all their lives. Others could have been affluent if they had not spent their money on expensive holidays and other material pleasures. Some have inherited assets valued in the millions of kroner, but in the form of farms, for instance. Some are healthy and some are not. One thing is certain, though: most of them have paid their taxes in proportion to what they have earned and spent. How can Ms. Ingebrigtsen even hope to find an equitable dividing line between the affluent and the rest? It would be utterly immoral to lay an extra charge on some elderly, but not others, as their lives draw to a close.

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