iNews Briefs
Cayman Islands’ Taste of Cayman 2015 admission tickets to cost more unless you buy them now
The Cayman Islands Taste of Cayman 2015 admission price will bet $5 more than this year’s, unless you act between now and December 15th. After that advance tickets will cost $40 and at the gate $50.
The Food and wine festival will be held at the Festival Green in Camana Bay on Saturday 7th February.
The additional cost does include more food tickets. Drink tickets will now be available for purchase in advance.
The Cayman Islands Tourist Authority (CITA) says they still have room for sponsorships, as well as some spots for volunteers.
Steven Hayes, one of CITA’s primary Taste of Cayman organizers told CITN/Cayman 27 it has been a few years since they have had to raise prices.
Taste of Cayman is CITA’s biggest fundraiser of the year. Tickets are available online here at the Taste of Cayman website: http://www.tasteofcayman.org/gate-admission-to-taste-of-cayman-increases-earlybird-tickets-on-sale
How Disney has McDucked its tax, left Australia holding pumpkin
By Neil Chenoweth From Financial Review
The modern fairytale had a Cinderella ending. The Walt Disney Co began a restructure of its Australian operations with a $1 share trade and ended 25 days later with tax-free profits of $1.3 billion.
Picture Scrooge McDuck settling down with the Beagle Boys to enjoy tax residence happily ever after in Luxembourg and the Cayman Islands, perched on a pile of money.
A new leak of tax documents spells out how Disney orchestrated a corporate shuffle that produced billions in tax-free profits, including a windfall from Australia.
In 2008, income tax accounted for 18 per cent of Disney’s combined earnings of royalties and profits in Australia. Last year it was 5 per cent.
For more: http://www.afr.com/p/national/how_disney_has_mcducked_its_tax_FFnYkdLFS9qJzpSsckct2J
The Pirate Bay taken offline, raided by police
By Chris Morran From Consumerist
The Pirate Bay, perhaps the most popular — certainly the best known — destination for anyone looking to score pirated movies, music, books, games, and other digital content, was taken offline earlier today after a raid by police in Stockholm.
TorrentFreak reports that the site, which connects users for peer-to-peer file sharing via BitTorrent, went offline earlier today without notice. Shortly after came news that authorities in the Bay’s home country of Sweden had seized servers and computers from an unspecified location.
“There has been a crackdown on a server room in Greater Stockholm. This is in connection with violations of copyright law,” reads a statement from the police national coordinator for IP enforcement in Sweden.
TorrentFreak also reports that other torrent-tracking sites, including EZTV, Zoink, Torrage, and Istole, were also offline as of this afternoon.
In 2008, operators of TPB were charged in Sweden with promoting copyright infringement. In April 2009, a court found them guilty. The defendants continued to appeal the verdict for several years, but in 2012 Sweden’s highest court opted against hearing an appeal in the case.
Two defendants tried to have their appeal heard by the European Court of Human Rights, but in 2013, the ECHR rejected that application, saying that while the Swedish ruling may have impinged upon their rights to free speech, the site’s operators had not respected copyright holders’ right to protect their works.
Numerous countries, including the UK, have instructed Internet service providers to block access to the site, but it continued to operate.
For more: http://consumerist.com/2014/12/09/the-pirate-bay-taken-offline-raided-by-police/
Cayman Islands liquor board grants 1 hour extension for NYE
The chairman of the Liquor Licensing Board, Mitchell Welds, has confirmed people holding a liquor licence will get a one-hour extension beyond their existing regular closing times on New Year’s Eve. Officials said liquor-licence holders in all seven categories would get this extension. However, is not automatic and licence holders must apply for the extension.
Welds said the additional hour is added to the closing time, so a business that normally closes at 1am in accordance with its licence can apply for an extension to close at 2am. He added tall other licence stipulations remain in effect.
“Liquor sales and the playing of music must cease during the last ten minutes of permitted opening hours for retail, hotel, restaurant, and beer or wine categories of licences,” he said. ‘Furthermore, customers are to vacate the premises before closing.”
For more information, licence holders and members of the public may contact the Liquor Licensing Board’s Executive Secretary, Marva Scott, on 244-3168 or [email protected]
Will you stand up for her?
From Walk Free.Org
This is the desperate cry of a 17-year-old girl trapped in sexual slavery under Islamic State militants. The horrifying reality is, there are thousands of young women currently enslaved by the extremist group — violently removed from their families and forced into terrifying ‘marriages’ and sexual slavery in Iraq.3
Today is Human Rights Day. Will you take a minute today to stand up for this 17-year-old girl and others like her? If enough of us speak out, we can help secure justice for those enslaved.
Fight for her today: call for slavery in Iraq to be referred to the International Criminal Court.
The International Criminal Court was created for situations just like this. Slavery is a crime against humanity, and its victims have the right to receive justice. It’s time for world leaders to take a strong stand against sexual slavery in Iraq, on behalf of thousands of young women and girls.
Urge world leaders to secure justice for those enslaved by Islamic State militants.
We can use today, Human Rights Day, to draw the world’s attention to the terrible situation in Iraq. Once you’ve signed your name, will you forward this email to your friends, asking them to do the same?
For more: www.walkfree.org
Transparency activists hit Guyana streets against corruption
By Denis Scott Chabrol From Caribbean News Desk
Activists of Transparency Institute of Guyana Inc. (TIGI) on Tuesday- International Anti-Corruption Day- marched through the streets of Guyana’s capital, Georgetown, to pressure government to address corruption.
The theme of this year’s United Nations-designated day is “Breaking the Corruption Chain.”
The global anti-corruption watchdog, Transparency International, has ranked Guyana the lowest in the Caribbean as far as perceived corruption is concerned.
The Guyana government has consistently attacked Transparency International for low marks awarded and the formula used to calculate the corruption perception index, they say, by listening mostly to anti-government persons.
Director of the Transparency Institute of Guyana Inc; Gino Persaud told Caribbean News Desk that efforts to ensure greater openness and accountability are paying off slowly in areas such as the enactment of Access to Information legislation and the appointment of an Ombudsman after several years. He, however, recalled that it was difficult for TIGI to access information from the Commissioner of Information, Retired Justice Charles Ramson. “I think those are some of the challenges that remain despite legislative enactment of some things, the workability of some of these bodies commissions and offices and statutory bodies, etc,” said Persaud.
He said getting such entities to function properly was the task of all Guyanese, not only TIGI.
The TIGI Director said that his organisation has been able to heighten awareness about corruption in Guyana. However, the turnout to the march was under 100 persons.
For more: http://www.caribnewsdesk.com/news/9085-transparency-activists-hit-the-streets-against-corruption
Cayman Islands bikers rev up for Toys for Tots
The Cayman Islands Motorcycle Riders Association is revving up its engines to make sure children in Cayman have a present this Christmas.
Together with The Lions Club of Grand Cayman they are promoting the Toys for Tots 2014 toy drive this coming weekend.
After radio & TV spots the last few days they are hoping for the biggest turnout of riders for this Sundays ride!!!
Toys for Tots toy drive
Friday 12 December | LIME
Saturday 13 December | Cost U Less
Bring new and unused toy
Toy Run Ride
Sunday 14 December
Registration begins at 10:00 a.m.
Start at Turtle Farm, end at North Side public beach
All motorcycles and scooters welcomed
To join all riders must donate new & unused toy
Nissan settles class-action suit over faulty brakes, consumers could receive between $20 and $800
By Ashlee Kieler From Consumerist
Current and former owners of nearly 350,000 Nissan vehicles could be on the receiving end of a reimbursement check after the car company agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit involving vehicle defects that caused brakes to suddenly fail.
Reuters reports that if the settlement is approved, customers can expect to receive reimbursements between $20 and $800 each.
The agreement, which was filed December 5, affects current and former owners of approximately 350,000 model year Nissan Armadas, Infiniti QX56s or certain Nissan Titans.
The settlement would resolve the a 2011 lawsuit against Nissan that claimed a problem with an electrical component could cause the brakes to fail without warning.
Plaintiffs in the case sought reimbursement for monetary losses, including expenses incurred for replacement and repairs, but did not include claims for physical injury, Reuters reports.
Under the settlement, owner reimbursement would be based on the vehicle’s mileage.
While the filing did not estimate how much Nissan would pay overall, it did reveal that the company would not oppose up to $3.45 million in legal fees and expenses for the plaintiff’s lawyers.
Doing Business in Canada By Osler From Corporate Counsel
“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” – Benjamin Franklin
Doing Business in Canada, now revised and updated, helps you prepare with an overview of Canada’s economic framework and key business legislation.
The erudite American founding father certainly had an ear for common sense. It seems so rudimentary, how could a business person not prepare in advance of a new venture in a foreign country? Indeed most do prepare. And over the years many business executives, counsellors and potential investors have turned to Osler’s Doing Business in Canada as part of that preparation.
Just revised and updated, the 2014 edition offers much new information. Since the last publication, many developments have taken place in Canada, from market developments in the regulatory environment, to the enforcement of the new anti-spam legislation, and increased recognition of the significance and impact of Aboriginal interests particularly in matters with regard to resource development.
Written in a forthright and easily digestible prose, informative and actionable, Doing Business in Canada is an excellent and thorough introduction to anyone contemplating or already engaged in business in Canada.
The guide is free and available for download.
Highlights from Doing Business in Canada
An Introduction to Canada’s Tax System
Regulation of Foreign Investment in Canada
Competition Law in Canada
Employment and Labour Law in Canada
Temporary Business Visits, Executive Transfers and Permanent Relocations
Privacy Law in Canada
Regulatory Environment and Risk Management
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP | osler.com
100 King Street West, 1 First Canadian Place, Suite 6300 Toronto, ON M5X 1B8
Opposition leader sued by former secretary
From Caribbean360
KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent, CMC – Lawyers for Rishatha Nicholls, the former secretary to Opposition Leader Arnhim Eustace, have written to him claiming that he has defamed their client and are demanding apologies and compensation.
The Law Firm of Marks & Marks, in two letters to Eustace on November 12, said that he had defamed Nicholls during calls he made to a radio programme on April 23 and 24, this year.
The lawyers contend that Eustace in his statements on April 23 “meant and were understood to mean that Mrs. Rishatha Nicholls was involved in corruption and had committed the criminal act of theft, an offence that is punishable by imprisonment.
“By your false and malicious utterances, you have gravely injured our client’s character and reputation,” the attorneys said, demanding that Eustace issues a public apology on the same radio programme and publish the apology in the local newspapers.
They are also demanding that Eustace fully retracts “these false and malicious statements and publicly admit that they are untrue.
“This retraction can be included in the public apology or published separately both on the said radio programme and local newspapers,” the attorneys said.
They are also demanding that Eustace gives “a written undertaking to our client that you would not publish these false and malicious statements or any other defamatory statements against her” and that Eustace compensate Nicholls “in an amount to be agreed upon by our Chambers”.
“Failure to meet any of these demands within seven days hereof would result in legal proceedings being brought against you in the High Court of Justice.”
In another letter, the attorneys said that statements reportedly made by Eustace on his radio programme on April 24 also defamed their client and they are also demanding that Eustace publish an apology n the media and that he pays compensation in a sum to be approved by the firm.
The letters demanding apologies and compensation are the latest in a string of developments since Nicholls was employed as Eustace’s secretary from August 1, 2001 to March 28, 2013, when she was fired without severance pay.
She brought a claim of unfair dismissal case before the Hearing Officer of the Department of Labour, who ruled that Nicholls was unfairly terminated.
Eustace appealed that ruling, and the Appeals Tribunal of the Department of Labour on March 14, 2014 upheld the decision of the Hearing Officer and ordered that Nicholls be compensated in the sum of EC$16,199.99 (One EC dollar =US$0.37 cents).
For more: http://www.caribbean360.com/news/opposition-leader-sued-by-former-secretary#ixzz3J8qZU8ot
