US TO CHARGE ENTRY FEE FOR TRAVELERS ENTERING COUNTRY

Travelers to the US will be asked to pay a $11 dollar fee to fund a program to boost tourism. And to help the economy.

This fee will apply to the US "visa waiver" program that is mostly used by tourists and short-stay business travellers from 34 countries.

Details of this fee appeared in the Travel Promotion Act, which Barak Obama signed into law last week.This plan is expected to raise about half the funds for a $220 million global "Come to America" campaign.Travellers requiring a visa waiver will still be expected to apply before their travel dates to avoid being stopped from entering the US.

The US has had fewer overseas travellers every year since 9/11. A bank has not yet been found to handle processing the fees. The campaign will be administered by a private sector committee which will be overseen by the Department of Commerce in accord with the departments of State and Homeland Security.

GEORGIA TO START PRIVATIZATION OF STATE PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALS

Earlier plans were for limited privatization, now talks are underway to hire for-profit companies to build and operate three new psychiatric facilities to replace all seven existing state hospitals.

This would end 150 years of state-provided psychiatric care in Georgia.There is now an investigation of the hospitals by the Justice Department. Other states have mixed reviews after turning over care to the private sector.Just look at what happened to the state prisons. Florida can't track any difference in care and North Carolina auditors said the state wasted $400 million after allowing unqualified private companies perform treatments.