iNews Briefs & Community Events
Community Events
MAY 4
Grand Court Jurors Reporting Date
The Grand Court jury report date has been changed.
Grand Court Jurors who are in the 1st April – 30th June 2015 session are now to report on Monday, 4th May 2015 at 9:45 a.m.
Please call the Jury Information line at 945-5072 for the most up-to-date information.
Special Olympics Cayman Islands Bocce
Special Olympics Cayman Islands invites you to the 2015 Annual National Games and Week of Awareness. The next event is Monday (4 May) at 530pm at the Truman Bodden as athletes compete in Bocce.
Cayman Islands Education and Finance announce work experience partnership for students
The Ministry of Education, Employment and Gender Affairs, the Ministry of Financial Services, Commerce and Environment, and Cayman Finance will be working in a cooperative partnership to offer an education and work experience initiative for up to 50 of the Year 12 students in the dual enrolment government system.
It is anticipated that the programme will:
- promote Public-Private Partnerships in the education and training of our children
- provide one-to-one coaching, networking and relationship building with a professional in the financial services industry
- provide real world work experience to high performing students who are interested in a future career within the financial services industry
- educate students on the various aspects of the financial services industry, making them aware of the different careers available
- align interested students with the largest industry in the country to enhance potential future employment prospects
- facilitate work experience for dual enrolment students
- educate students on various aspects of the financial services industry, including, but not limited to, the various sectors within it and its role in the global economy
Second quake off Barbados
By Sherrylyn Toppin, From nation news
The UWI Seismic Research Centre recorded an earthquake off Barbados at 2:33 a.m. today [May 2 2015]. (GP)
According to the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre in Trinidad and Tobago, the 4.5 magnitude quake was recorded around 2:33 a.m. at a depth of 10Km, some 142Km east south east of Barbados.
One person on the Centre’s facebook page reported feeling the tremors for 15 to 20 seconds in St James.
A quake was also recorded on Monday to the south of the island.
For more: http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/66885/quake-barbados#sthash.sgYKv0y2.dpuf
FOOTBALL: Jamaica And Cayman To Host CONCACAF Boys’ Under-15 Tournament
From The Jamaica Gleaner
Jamaica and the Cayman Islands have been selected as joint hosts of the CONCACAF Boys’ Under-15 tournament in August.
The second-ever edition of the tournament, which has evolved into an intercontinental event, will be contested by 37 teams including the national Under-15 teams of Brazil, England and Vanuatu.
Along with eight other teams in the group stage, the Vanuatu team will be based in Kingston, while England and Brazil will have headquarters in the Cayman Islands.
The Jamaican leg kicks-off on August 7.
The quarterfinals, semi-finals and finals will all take place in Grand Cayman from August 19-23.
Cayman University respects death of Dean
The University College of the Cayman Islands on Thursday (30 April) was closed from 1pm as a mark of respect following the death of Dean of Administration Perry George.
In the campus’ Cascade Room a commiseration ceremony was held.
Caribbean Food and Drink Conference & Expo 2015 London
The Caribbean Food and Drink Conference and Expo 2015 in London, July 10th and 12th respectively at the historic, Windrush Square Brixton South London.
Caribbean Food and Drink 2015 is pleased to present Mrs Elizabeth Mullings Smith who will be on the panel of speakers at the Caribbean Food and Drink Conference, Friday 10th July 2015. Mrs Mullings Smith will speak on the topic, ‘Climate change – agriculture, food, recycling and waste management: Taking responsibility at the front end’.
Mrs Mullings Smith:
A hydrogeologist (groundwater engineer) by profession, Elizabeth has worked internationally in engineering, environment management and environmental forensics for the past 25 years; developing successful, sustainable outcomes in technically challenging circumstances internationally.
For more: http://www.caribbeanfoodanddrinkexpo.com
See attached flyer. – Click to enlarge
A Skate mission to the Cayman Islands
By Volcom From Vision 3E
A Volcom skate mission to the Cayman Islands
Last January, Remy and Steve Stratton planned a trip with Rune Glifberg, Mark Appleyard, Collin Provost, Ivan Rivado, Alain Goikoetxea and Han Claessens to the skate the Black Pearl Skatepark in the Cayman Islands. The boys skated under the hot sun at the park and chilled on the beautiful Caribbean island and this is a little sneak peak of all the action.
– Music –
Song: “It Probably Only Seemed Like a Laser Beam”
Artist: ((Sounder))
Release: There Is Another Sun Clouded Over With Meticulous Care
iTunes: http://georiot.co/BV0
Song: “Cracks in the Sky”
Artist: ASG
Release: Feeling Good is Good Enough
iTunes: http://georiot.co/1YtS
For more and video: http://www.vision3e.ky/a-skate-mission-to-the-cayman-islands?page=1
Turrialba Volcano continues active phase erupting Thursday
From the Costa Rica News
IMAGE: TurrialbaVolcanoCostaRica6
The Costa Rica News (TCRN) – Costa Rica’s Turrialba Volcano continues its active phase erupting and releasing ash a number of times on Thursday, April 23, 2015. The outburst caused 16 flights to be delayed or cancelled.
Turrialba Volcano started this active phase last October, and then saw larger eruption last month and April 5, 2015.
Scientists with the University of Costa Rica’s National Seismological Network (RSN) are watching the volcano close during this active phase.
There was wide spread reports of falling ash in San Jose and as far as West Alajuela.
This Turrialba eruption follows closely on the heels of Calbuco Volcano 3 located in southern Chile, which also erupted yesterday April 23, 2015, cause flight cancellation and evacuations.
For more: http://thecostaricanews.com/turrialba-volcano-continues-active-phase-erupting-thursday/23067
Medicaid billed for services while beneficiaries were on Caribbean cruise
By Quincy Hodges, NOLA.com From The Times-Picayune
4 booked on Medicaid fraud charges
Four individuals are accused of defrauding the state’s Medicaid Program after they allegedly submitted fraudulent claims for medical services that were not rendered to recipients who were actually on a Caribbean cruise, Attorney General Buddy Caldwell said Thursday in a news release.
Breonna L. Diggs, 23, of Boutte, and her mother, Yvette M. Diggs, 44, of Luling, were each charged with two counts of Medicaid fraud. Denene R. Thomas, 50, and her brother Fernandez Robertson, Jr., 59, both of Hahnville, were arrested on a single count each of Medicaid Fraud.
All four were arrested Wednesday and booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison.
Breonna Diggs worked as a personal care attendant providing in-home care services to her mother and brother.
She is accused of submitting false timesheets and service logs for payment to her employer indicating that she was providing personal care services to her mother and brother on multiple occasions between Jan. 21-Jan. 26, 2013 when she was actually attending school in Houston, while her mother and brother were on a cruise to the Caribbean.
After returning from the cruise, Yvette Diggs signed off on service logs for herself and her son, as if they were both at home receiving caregiver services from her daughter, the news release said.
Thomas is accused of billing the Medicaid Program for 19 hours of caregiver services during the six-day period when Robertson was also out of town on the same cruise with Yvette Diggs.
Robertson signed service logs verifying he received care, the news release said.
Personal care attendants are hired by Medicaid providers to care for physically handicapped or elderly Medicaid recipients. They provide caregiver services such as cooking, grooming and bathing.
For more: http://www.nola.com/crime/baton-rouge/index.ssf/2015/04/medicaid_billed_for_services_w.html
Dust from Sahara desert blankets sections of the Caribbean
From Jamaica Gleaner
Dust particles from sand storms in the Sahara desert have blanketed sections of the Caribbean, affecting air quality in the region.
Each year, Saharan dust storms pass through the region, usually in the spring and summer months.
Meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Puerto Rico, David Sanchez says the dust cloud is a significant event when it comes to the quality of dust in the air
“It’s basically high pressure across the Atlantic and all levels of the atmosphere, that brings the dust in”.
The dust also raises the heat index, making the air feel quite hot. It is not just sticking around through the end of the week, it is going to get worse, Sanchez said.
The dust, which comes from the Sahara Desert, causes the skies around the region to be hazy, which reduces visibility and results in poor air quality.
As a result of the dust storms and warm air, the sand rises above the desert and is carried from North Africa west over the Atlantic Ocean and across the Caribbean.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Saharan Air Layer can act to weaken a tropical cyclone by promoting downdrafts around the storm, while its strong winds can substantially increase the vertical wind shear in and around the storm environment.
Saharan dust is not harmful, however, people with allergies or respiratory ailments should remain indoors when possible and consult their physician or health care professional for further guidance.
For more: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/caribbean/20150430/dust-sahara-desert-blankets-sections-caribbean
New Port Terminal in Costa Rica to open the Caribbean coast
From The Costa Rica News
The Costa Rica News (TCRN) – In March 2011, APM Terminals was awarded a 33-year concession for the development and management of the new Moin Container Terminal at Puerto Limón, Costa Rica. The $1 billion container terminal is slated for completion in 2016.
APM Terminals is a private industry container terminal builder and port management organization. Founded in 2001 the company is presently in 58 countries with 167 ports and with offices worldwide and annual revenue US$4.45 billion (2014).
As a major component of Costa Rica’s continued growth in international commerce, the new Moin Container Terminal will also play a critical role for the entire Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. Since the projects inception the region has seen a significant increase in investment from foreign investors for support services development such as local transportation, and distribution operations and warehousing which will have a real impact on the region’s growth. Investor confidence is also being reflected in the real estate developers industry, the tourism industry, Free Trade Zone investors as well as the manufacturing sector.
The current port facilities at Limon have a reduced capacity for large vessels with the time needed for each ship to be attended (load, unload process) to being approximately 24 hours, sometimes more. The new facilities will see a direct investment of US$ 992.2 million, and will significantly reduces ship turn-around time. This turn-around, access and capacity will benefit from the Panama Canal expansion, having been designed to serve the larger post-panamax ships.
The construction phase of the project requires approximately 700 workers for the first 3 years of construction, then another 600 people to operate the terminal initially, and eventually that number will rise to about 1000 workers.
How many indirect jobs could be created through this project and the supporting developments is hard to say, however the administration has indicated it could be in range of 10,000 jobs that will be created in Limon region.
This new facility and the supporting infrastructures have the region abuzz with investors, business people and residents. Infrastructure has always been precursor to growth and this is a mega development in a small region, leading many to think that the next Central American boom will be Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast.
For more: http://thecostaricanews.com/new-port-terminal-in-costa-rica-to-open-the-caribbean-coast
Dutch king and queen on royal tour of southern Caribbean
Associated Press From Yahoo News
IMAGE: Queen Maxima and King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands stand in the middle of a ring of children during celebrations on the "Dia di Rincon" in Kralendijk, Bonaire, Thursday, April 30, 2015. Thursday is an official holiday commemorating the oldest village of this Caribbean island. (AP Photo/Stephan Kogelman)
RINCON, Bonaire (AP) — The islands of the Dutch Caribbean are getting a royal visit.
Dutch King Willem-Alexander and his Argentine-born wife, Queen Maxima, are touring the islands of Bonaire and Aruba as part of the two-year bicentennial celebration of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Their visit started Thursday in Bonaire. They attended an annual celebration in Rincon, the first colonial settlement on the southern Caribbean island.
The royal couple was expected later to travel to Aruba for a two-day visit.
Both Aruba and Bonaire are part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
For more and images: http://news.yahoo.com/dutch-king-queen-royal-tour-southern-caribbean-211217205.html
Magazine prints issue with HIV-positive blood to tackle stigma
By Blathnaid Healy From Mashable
IMAGE: Only 3,000 copies are being printed.IMAGE: VANGARDIST SAATCHI & SAATCHI
An Austrian men’s magazine is confronting the stigma around HIV head-on by using HIV-positive blood in its latest edition.
Three thousand copies of the special Vangardist issue have been printed, calling on readers to take a “hands-on” approach to end the social stigma around people who are HIV-positive.
Vangardist describes itself as a publication for the progressive man, who wants to make his life more individual, according to a Google translation of its website.
The issue costs €50, with profits going to charities that work on addressing the stigma around HIV. It’s currently only available to subscribers, but will appear on select newsstands next week.
The ink was made with regular ink infused with the HIV-positive blood of three people, and handling the issue poses no threat of infection, according to ad agency Saatchi & Saatchi, which worked on the issue. Vangardist followed guidelines established by Harvard and the University of Innsbruck in Austria, it said.
A gay man who contracted the virus a year ago, a mother-of-two who contracted it from her husband and a heterosexual man who contracted it and found he had no one to talk to about HIV, donated the blood in a doctor’s office,” Jason Romeyko, executive creative director of Saatchi & Saatchi Switzerland, told Mashable.
The blood was brought to the University of Innsbruck, where it was pasteurized — an extra step that was taken even though HIV doesn’t survive for long once it’s outside the human body, Romeyko said.
Despite these precautions, Vangardist still found it challenging to find a printer willing to print the issue. Eventually, though, it found one that agreed, and every word, line, photo and page was printed with the special ink.
“With 80% more confirmed cases of HIV being recorded in 2013 than 10 years previously, and an estimated 50% of HIV cases being detected late due to lack of testing caused by social stigma associated with the virus,” the magazine’s publisher Julian Wiehl said in a statement. “this felt like a very relevant issue for us to focus on not just editorially but also from a broader communications stand point.”
UNAIDS said stigma and discrimination are among the biggest barriers to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. It added that stigma often means people with HIV find it harder to stay healthy if they are living with the virus.
Vangardist’s latest issue can be purchased via its website in Austria, Switzerland and Germany. Copies are available outside these three countries, but written permission by email needs to be given by the purchaser.
Antarctic penguins boost their breed by melting snow with poop
By Molly Lynch From Mashable
Apparently these Antarctic Gentoo penguins know a thing or two about landscaping.
This footage, collected by the University of Oxford-sponsored Penguin Watch program, shows a large group of the penguins seemingly using their poop to melt the snow. Gentoo penguins have to wait until rock is exposed to be able to breed, which means they are rather eager for snow to melt in the spring.
According to data collected by the Penguin Watch program, the Gentoos are actually outcompeting other Antarctic species, such as the Chinstrap and Adélie penguins. The scientists are quick to point out, however, that the penguins are definitely not using their poop to landscape on purpose, even if it is giving them an advantage.
The snow melt is caused by a combination of the penguins walking over the same patch of ground multiple times, and the darker color of the poop absorbing more heat from the sun.
Norwegian launches new routes to the Caribbean and Croatia from London Gatwick
By Vicky Karantzavelou From Travel Daily News
The airline is also adding more weekly flights between London Gatwick and New York.
Norwegian continues to expand its long-haul network with new direct routes. Starting November 2015, Norwegian will launch a non-stop service between London Gatwick and the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. As of May 2015, Pula in Croatia will be a new destination from London Gatwick. The airline is also adding more weekly flights between London Gatwick and New York.
“The response we’ve had on our intercontinental destinations has been overwhelming and it is obvious that affordable fares were scarce before Norwegian entered the market. This makes it even more enjoyable to add more destinations to our route map of more than 100 destinations. We are looking forward to welcoming new and returning customers on our new routes between London Gatwick and the Caribbean,” said Norwegian’s Chief Commercial Officer Thomas Ramdahl.
“We are also adding more weekly flights between New York and London Gatwick, and Los Angeles and London Gatwick because of the great response. Pula in Croatia is also a new destination from London Gatwick this summer,” he added.
Norwegian has a long-haul and a short-haul base for cabin crew and pilots at London Gatwick. The routes across the Atlantic will be operated by the Gatwick-based crew and Norwegian’s US-based crew.
An excellent starting point for island hopping in the Caribbean
Norwegian’s new Caribbean destination from Gatwick will be popular among sun- and adventure seekers; Puerto Rico is an excellent starting point for island hopping.
“Puerto Rico is more than ready to broaden its horizons in the European market and we are very excited to welcome Norwegian’s new service to San Juan. Puerto Rico offers an outstanding variety of options making it an attractive a five-star Caribbean destination accessible to British and Scandinavian travelers. We are certain that Norwegian’s five weekly flights will significantly boost and diversify the tourism industry in Puerto Rico. We look forward to a productive partnership with Norwegian,” stated Ingrid I. Rivera Rocafort, Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company.
Last week Norwegian also launched direct flights between Scandinavia and Puerto Rico, as well as flights between the largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Croix, and Copenhagen. Las Vegas is also a brand new destination; the airline will now offer flights between Stockholm/Copenhagen and Las Vegas.
New routes:
Caribbean – San Juan, Puerto Rico
London Gatwick – two weekly departures on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Start date: November 4, 2015
Copenhagen – one weekly departure on Fridays. Start date: November 6, 2015
Stockholm – one weekly departure on Tuesdays. Start date: November 3, 2015
Oslo – one weekly departure on Sundays. Start date: November 1, 2015
Caribbean – St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Copenhagen – one weekly departure on Fridays. Start date: November 9, 2015
Las Vegas
Copenhagen – one weekly departure on Tuesdays. Start date: November 10, 2015
Stockholm – one weekly departure on Saturdays. Start date: October 31, 2015
Pula – Croatia
London Gatwick – one weekly departure on Sundays. Start date: May 24, 2015
Added frequencies on existing routes:
New York
London Gatwick: Norwegian will offer daily flights between London Gatwick and New York (JFK) as of November, 2015
Los Angeles
London Gatwick: Norwegian will offer three weekly flights between Los Angeles and London Gatwick this winter season
Oslo: Norwegian will offer flights between Los Angeles and Oslo all year round.
