iNews Briefs, More & Community Events
Community Events
MAY 26
National Conservation Council Meeting
The National Conservation Council will hold a general meeting on Tuesday (26 May) from 2pm to 5pm in the ground floor meeting room of the Government Administration Building . The Agenda of the meeting is available on the Department of Environment’s website: www.doe.ky
Cayman Islands Agricultural Society Meeting
The Cayman Islands Agricultural Society invites everyone interested in animal importations to a meeting at the William Allen Civic Center in East End on Tuesday (26 May) at 7:30pm.
MAY 27
2015 Hurricane Training
2015 Hurricane Training for Shelter Managers & District Representative Volunteers are Wednesday and Thursday (27 May & 28 May) at the Prospect Primary School Hall from 5:30 to 9:00 pm. For more information call 949-0290.
Nosotros: Spanish Floetry
Nosotros: Spanish Floetry is Wednesday (27 May) at 7pm at Books & Books.
Basic food hygiene course
Certification courses in basic food hygiene are being offered by the Department of Environmental Health. The next meeting is Wednesday (27May) from 9am until 4pm. For more information, call the DEH at 949-6696.
MAY 28
Cayman Islands Facility Management Association meeting
The Cayman Islands Facility Management Association would like to invite you to a regular meeting on May 28 at Camana Bay. Please accept the invite to RSVP for this meeting. Guests are always welcome.
Date: May 28, 2015 Time: 9am-11am
Location: The Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort
Regular Meeting before and networking afterwards
Admission: Free
Grand Court Jurors Notice
Grand Court jurors in the current session must now report on Thursday (28 May) at 9:45am.
PTA meeting of the Layman E. Scott High School
The PTA meeting of the Layman E. Scott High School on Cayman Brac is Thursday (28 May) at 7pm.
CULTURE SHOP STREET FAIR
WEST BAY PIRATES WEEK COMMITTEE IN COLLABOARATION WITH THE PIRATES WEEK FESTIVAL OFFICE PRESENTS CULTURE SHOP STREET FAIR ON CARDINAL AVENUE IN GEORGE TOWN ON THURSDAY (28 MAY) FROM 9.00AM -4:00PM.
Foster Parent orientation dinner
The Foster Parent orientation dinner is Thursday (28 May) at Grand Old House from 5:30 — 7pm. For more information call 949.0290
Panel Discussion Photography: Subject vs. Content
The National Gallery’s Panel Discussion on Photography: Subject vs. Content is Thursday (28 May) at 6pm.
MAY 29
Smoking Cessation Classes: ‘I Can Quit’
The Public Health Department urges smokers who wish to quit the habit to sign up for upcoming smoking cessation classes. These classes start on 3 June 2015, and will take place from 5.15pm to 6.45pm, every Wednesday for seven weeks, in the Public Health Waiting Room. Registration deadline is May 29, 2015.
For more info or to sign up, contact the Public Health Department on 244-2889/244-2648, or email [email protected].
Proud of the Them
Nominate Cayman’s Houth for the Proud of the Them campaign. Nomination forms can be found online at gov.ky. The deadline to submit a nomination is Friday (29 May)
Prospect Primary School Exhibition
Prospect Primary School’s Exhibition on Minimizing the Waste Impact to the Environment is Friday (29 May) from 9 until 1
Coral Nurseries Propsal
The Cabinet of the Cayman Islands has approved a policy for managing coral nurseries in the Cayman Islands. The Department of Environment will be accepting proposals to establish nurseries under this policy thru May 29th, with projects to commence October 2015 or later. Proposals should be for establishing nurseries for Acropora corals and eventual outplanting on Cayman’s reefs. Proposals, or requests for information, may be submitted to [email protected].
Bingo Game Night
The Cayman Islands Umpire Association presents a Bingo Game Night on Friday (29 May) at the Smith Road Oval at 6pm.
Warren MacDonald Book Signing
A Test of Will — One Man’s Story of Survival author, Warren MacDonald, hosts a presentation, book signing and dinner on Friday (29 May) with a presentation at 5:15pm at regal cinemas and a book signing at 6:15 at Books and Books. Dinner follows at Abacus at 830pm. Tickets can be purchased at CITA offices or the Town Centre in Camana Bay.
MAY 30
Businessmen’s Breakfast
The Grand Cayman chapter of the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International is having its monthly breakfast on Saturday May 30th at 7:30am, at The Upper Crust restaurant in Camana Bay. Our speaker is Allan Turner
Come out to hear the how God is making a difference in the life of men like you, right here in Cayman.
St. George’s Anglican Church’s Mothers’ Union Tea Party
The St. George’s Anglican Church’s Mothers’ Union invites you to their Annual Tea Party Delight on Saturday (30 May) at 3:30 p.m.
Fundraiser Family Event
Cayman Islands Baptist Church is holding a Fundraiser Family Event with a Garage Sale — Dinner Sale — Car-Wash-a-Thon — Prayer Station — Silent Auction on Saturday (30 May) from 7am — 4pm on Pedro Castle Road
2nd Annual Outpouring Worship Gathering
Harvest Fellowship Church invites you to their 2nd Annual Outpouring Worship Gathering on Saturday (30 May) at 6pm.
Cayman Brac’s Little Miss and Master 2015
The Lions Club of Cayman Brac’s Little Miss and Master 2015 event is Saturday (30 May) at 7pm at the Aston Rutty Center.
Ride for a Life Bike-a-thon
The Ride for a Life Bike-a-thon is Saturday (30 May) at 630am at the Credit Union parking lot.
Butterfield 800m Sea Swim
The Butterfield 800m Sea Swim is Saturday (30 May) at Governor’s Beach starting at 4pm.
Caywriters
Caywriters is Saturday (30 May) at 530pm at Books & Books.
2015 South Sound Stride 5K Run/Walk
The 2015 South Sound Stride 5K Run/Walk and Pancake Flip is Saturday (30 May) at 7am with the Pee Wee Fun Run for children 7 and under starting at 8. The event is at the First Baptist Christian School
RCIPS Ride for a Life Bike a Thon
RCIPS Ride for a Life Bike a Thon is Saturday (30 May) at 630am at the Credit Union Parking Lot. For more information, call 525.9395.
Top Cayman Islands Business Awards announced
In their sixth year, the annual Cayman Islands Society of Human Resources Professionals awards were announced at a gala at the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort last Saturday (23).
Scotiabank received the top award for the large employer category.
Baraud earned the top spot for a small/medium-sized business.
The Top Employer awards honour the best places to work in the Cayman Islands.
This was the first year the society announced a new award called CAHRE (CISHRP Awards for Human Resources Excellence) in order to honor companies and individuals in the human resources industry. The awards were divided into five categories:
Best Training Programme – National Gallery;
Best Community and Corporate Responsibility Initiative – KPMG;
Best Wellness Programme – dms;
Excellence in Talent Management and Retention – Walkers
Talent Specialist – dms,
Janelle Muttoo, won the HR Young Talent of the Year award and praised for her leadership skills.
Turks & Caicos Islands civil servants get pay hikes under $9 million plan
From CARIBBEAN360
PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos Islands, Sunday May 24, 2015 – Most civil servants are going home with bigger salaries under a pay and grading review that will see government spending $9 million to attract, retain and reward front line public workers.
The increases are targeted at those with the required technical and professional competencies, especially those working in the fields of education, health and immigration, as well as firefighters.
“Ninety per cent of our civil service is set to benefit from significantly increased remuneration,” said head of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) civil service and Deputy Governor Anya Williams.
“Everyone will benefit from the improved structures and the reintroduction of future pay increments. Not one person will see their earnings reduced, although the most senior levels of management, such as the permanent secretaries, are not receiving any increases.
“This implementation will benefit our efforts to attract and keep the right calibre of people in our public sector by rewarding their competencies and roles,” Williams added.
The new system will also benefit government by absorbing a complicated and inconsistently applied set of allowances into one simpler, fairer and more appropriate pay and grading structure.
It has been designed to be transparent, fair, equitable, reflect the major differences in responsibility and skill levels and allow the TCI public service to have a structure for the proper and transparent management of remuneration, the administration said.
The new system was developed through extensive consultation via a working group, including the Civil Servants Association, and the senior executive.
For more on this story go to: http://www.caribbean360.com/business/turks-caicos-islands-civil-workers-get-pay-hikes-under-9-million-plan#ixzz3bAYpryIw
Cayman Islands: Duke of Edinburgh Gold Awards – Presentations this Wed (27)
WHO: Governor Helen Kilpatrick, CB
Duke of Edinburgh participants, leaders & supporters
Katherine D. Jackson, National Chairman
Youth Awardees
WHAT: Duke of Edinburgh Scheme – Awards Presentations
(After years of treks, exhibitions and public service, 70 young people will receive Gold, Silver and Bronze awards.
Also being recognised is Ms Janet Dixon, who retires after many years as Expedition Leader.)
WHEN: Wednesday, May 27 at 4:30 p.m.
WHERE: Government House, West Bay Road
“The Award – Challenging Young People Everywhere!”
The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award is the world’s leading youth achievement award, bringing together practical experiences and life skills to create committed global citizens and equipping young people for life. Since it was founded by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh in 1956, over eight million people have participated in the Award in over 140 countries and territories.
Our ambition is that every young person aged 14 to 24 in the world should have the opportunity to participate in the Award.
Mexico tornado: Ten dead in Ciudad Acuna
From BBC
Damage after tornado in Ciudad Acuna. 25 May 2015
Cars were blown on to properties by the force of the tornado
At least 10 people are reported to have been killed by a tornado that hit the northern Mexico border city of Ciudad Acuna.
Hundreds of homes have been damaged or destroyed in the city, in Coahuila state, which is just across the border from Del Rio, Texas.
Images from the scene showed cars upended and leaning against buildings.
Dozens of people have been injured and officials warned that the death toll could rise.
City Mayor Evaristo Lenin Perez said a seven-year-old boy was missing.
“Most of the dead are people who were outside, not people who were inside their homes,” he said.
Witnesses said a bus has also been flipped over by the tornado.
Damage after tornado in Ciudad Acuna. 25 May 2015
The tornado struck as many people were getting ready to go to work
“There are cars on top of houses, there are dead people lying in the street, it is total chaos,” said local resident Maria del Rosario Ramirez, quoted by Mexican newspaper La Jornada.
Victor Zamora, Coahuila’s interior secretary, said an area of about seven blocks had been “devastated” by the tornado, which struck at about 06:10 (11:10 GMT).
The interior department said state officials were co-ordinating a response.
Severe weather is also affecting southern US states including Texas.
A dozen people are missing after flash floods struck the Blanco river in central Texas on Sunday. The floods also damaged hundreds of homes, some of them swept off their foundations.
A tornado damaged a block of flats in Houston over the weekend.
For more on this story go to: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-32877631
Alan Grayson’s profane Caymans tirade, ‘gold digger’ crack bother some Dems
From Palm beach Post
Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Orlando, calls his estranged wife a “gold digger” to an Orlando TV station last week.
It’s not just Republicans and Beltway Democratic establishmentarians who have voiced concern about firebrand liberal Rep. Alan Grayson‘s antics.
Leadership of the Democratic Progressive Caucus of Florida wants Grayson to enter the 2016 Democratic Senate primary against establishment backed Rep. Patrick Murphy of Jupiter. The caucus is giving Grayson a pass on his Cayman Islands hedge fund (it’s not the tax-avoiding kind, Grayson says and a “completely satisfied” Prog Caucus spokeswoman agrees) and his profane rant to a Tampa Bay Times reporter who questioned it. And the caucus doesn’t want “veer into the personal” regarding Grayson’s messy legal fight with his estranged wife.
But at least one caucus member says the sentiment isn’t universal within the 200-member liberal group. And liberal state Sen. Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood, says Grayson’s tirade makes him “unqualified” for U.S. Senate.
See also iNews Cayman story “Potty-mouthed Alan Grayson and his offshore investments” at: http://www.ieyenews.com/wordpress/potty-mouthed-alan-grayson-and-his-offshore-investments/
Takeda, AstraZeneca sue 10 generic drugmakers
By Charles Toutant, New Jersey Law Journal
Pharmaceutical companies Takeda and AstraZeneca have filed 10 separate patent infringement suits against generic drugmakers looking to produce lower-cost versions of the lung disease drug Daliresp.
The suits were all filed in federal court in Trenton on May 15, and they seek to enjoin the defendants from offering to sell versions of Daliresp in the United States before the drug’s patents expire. The suits also seek monetary relief from the defendants for any efforts to manufacture their versions of the drug before the expiration of the patents.
The suits also seek to postpone approval of the defendants’ applications for approval to sell the drugs before the patents expire.
The defendants in the 10 suits are Torrent Pharma, Micro Labs USA, Zydus Pharmaceuticals (USA), Strides Pharma, Apotex Corp., Prinston Pharmaceutical, Breckenridge Pharmaceutical, Citron Pharma, Mylan Pharmaceuticals and Hetero USA.
Each of the 10 defendants has filed an abbreviated new drug application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for production of generic Daliresp tablets, which are used for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The suits claim the defendants infringed on patents identified as ’206, ’064 and ’142, all of which were issued in 2013 and are set to expire in 2024. Some of the complaints also reference the ’298 patent, which expires in 2016 but is expected to be extended to at least 2020.
The patents for Daliresp are held by Takeda. AstraZeneca owns the rights to sell Daliresp in the United States and Canada after acquiring them from Actavis earlier this year, according to court documents.
The 10 complaints say each defendant put Takeda and AstraZeneca on notice that they consider the patents-in-suit invalid and unenforceable or believe they will not be infringed by the manufacture and sale of their respective generic versions of Daliresp. The complaints also state that each of the defendants offered the plaintiffs confidential access to portions of their ANDAs under certain conditions, but restrictions sought by the defendants were “well beyond those that would apply under a protective order on who could view the ANDA,” the plaintiffs said in each complaint.
For example, the complaints claim, the restrictions included unreasonably limited access, which would bar outside counsel from seeking the opinions of objective experts or to discuss their relevant findings with the plaintiffs. The proposed restrictions contravene federal statutes, which state that an offer of confidential access “shall contain such restrictions as to persons entitled to access, and on the use and disposition of any information accessed, as would apply had a protective order been entered for the purpose of protecting trade secrets and other confidential business information,” the suits claim.
John Flaherty of McCarter & English in Newark, who represents Takeda and AstraZeneca, did not return a call about the case. Sanjay Gupta, a representative of Torrent Pharma, said his company would not comment on the case. The other nine defendants did not respond to requests for comment about the suits.
St Kitts & Nevis: His Excellency Tapley Seaton swears to uphold high standards
Basseterre, St. Kitts, May 19, 2015 (SKNIS): His Excellency S. W. Tapley Seaton Q.C. promised to “uphold the high standards of office,” as he was sworn in as Acting Governor General, at Government Headquarters, this morning (May 19).
“I pledge that to the country of St. Kitts and Nevis which I hold dear,” he committed. “And certainly that will be my entire desire and all that I would strive to accomplish.”
As the Queen’s representative to St. Kitts and Nevis, the Acting Governor General has a responsibility to Her Excellency Queen Elizabeth II as outlined in the oath.
The Constitution was another key element. The Acting Governor General promised to “honour, uphold and preserve the Constitution of St. Christopher and Nevis and the law,” and to “conscientiously [and] impartially” discharge his “duty as Acting Governor General and do right to all manner of people without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.”
Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris congratulated His Excellency on his new appointment.
“We all have great expectations of him and of this office,” Prime Minister Harris said. “I have every confidence that he will perform to the delight and in accordance with the high expectations which every citizen ought to have of the office of the Governor General.”
Earlier today via a national broadcast, Prime Minister Harris announced that Attorney General Vincent Byron and himself had met with Sir Edmund Lawrence, yesterday, to appraise him that the Queen had approved the withdrawal of his appointment as Governor General and approved that of S.W. Tapley Seaton as Acting Governor General.
“I wish to record our gratitude to Sir Edmund and Lady Lawrence for their service in the said office,” Prime Minister Harris had said.
The brief ceremony was also attended by Resident Judge Her Ladyship Justice Marlene Carter, High Court Registrar Janine Harris-Lake, Cabinet representatives – Attorney General Vincent Byron, Minister Ian “Patches” Liburd, Minister of State Wendy Phipps and Cabinet Secretary Josephine Huggins.
IMAGE: Resident Judge Her Ladyship Justice Marlene Carter (far right) congratulates Acting Governor General Seaton after administering oath in the presence of Cabinet members (left to right) Minister Ian “Patches” Liburd, Minister of State Wendy Phipps, Attorney General Vincent Byron and Prime Minister Harris
Related story:
From Caribbean News Now: St Kitts-Nevis governor general replaced
“The decision to withdraw the appointment of the outgoing governor general comes as no surprise. He had been accused by the then Team Unity opposition of adopting a partisan approach to the motion of no confidence issue by ignoring their letter to him informing Lawrence that they had the elected majority in the federal parliament at the time – six of the eleven: two from the People’s Action Movement, two from the Concerned Citizens Movement and two from the then newly formed Peoples Labour Party.
“Team Unity had expressed concern that their appeal to him to move the process forward had been completely ignored.
“The Throne speech at last Thursday’s opening of the new parliament was read by Seaton, leading to accusations from the opposition St Kitts Nevis Labour Party that the new administration has been disrespectful to Lawrence, and that that turn of affairs amounted to political scheming on the part of the prime minister and the attorney general.”
To read whole article go to: http://www.caribbeannewsnow.com/topstory-St-Kitts-Nevis-governor-general-replaced-26186.html
Minister calls for regional approach to grow Caribbean tourism
From eTN Global Travel Industry News
MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica – Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill, is pressing for a regional approach to growing the Caribbean tourism market.
“Our regional governments must continue to work together to strengthen our ties with meaningful cooperation as we build a strong, multi-destination industry,” said Minister McNeill ahead of going to Haiti on Tuesday (May 19) to participate in the International Seminar on Multidestination Opportunities for Regional Integration with fellow regional Ministers of Tourism, which is being jointly organized by the Haitian Government and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
Addressing a regional gathering of more than 600 Rotarians at the Rotary District 7020 Banquet at the Half Moon Resort Saturday night, Minister McNeill noted that he anticipated a high level of collaboration and the sharing of ideas at the Haiti consultation. “It is crucial that we hold our own in a global industry that necessitates that we keep at the top of our game,” he said.
Meanwhile, Minister McNeill continues to be upbeat on growth prospects for the local tourist industry.
“Our industry has been an important part of our economy for many years. As a matter of fact, our marketing arm, the Jamaica Tourist Board, is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year and we are proud of the work that it has done for Jamaica,” he told Rotarians as he underscored the importance of the industry to the country’s socio-economic development.
With the industry topping the two million mark in visitor stopovers in the last two consecutive years, Minister McNeill said he expects the trend to continue. “Tourism is performing well and we are seeing a resurgence of investment in the country. Plans are well advanced for the construction of over 3000 new rooms,” he said.
Minister McNeill stressed, however, that “just bringing investments to Jamaica is not what tourism does; what makes tourism important in Jamaica is the impact that it has on the socio-economic life of every single Jamaican.” Consequently, while seeking to bring more visitors to the country, “we are also trying to increase the impact that tourism has on Jamaica,” he said.
Turning to the Rotarians, Minister McNeill welcomed their choice of Jamaica for their 41st annual District Conference to train leaders in Rotary International District 7020. The five-day conference ended with Saturday’s night’s banquet. He said Jamaica was fortunate to be able to attract so many people from so many countries across the region for this prestigious event.
Minister McNeill described the service organization as one of the world’s most respected and effective volunteer groups. As the push to grow the tourism sector continues, he underscored the need for all parties, government, private sector, NGOs and organisations such as Rotary, to be engaged, adding, “You can readily understand why the work of Rotary is so important to us. Your high standards of community building and creative programmes support these aspects of the tourism industry. We warmly welcome the work you do in our communities across this entire region of which we are all a part and where tourism is so important.”
For more: http://www.eturbonews.com/59151/minister-calls-regional-approach-grow-caribbean-tourism
Grenada named host for CONCACAF Under-17 Women’s Championship 2016
Eight teams will compete for regional championship and three spots in the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Jordan 2016
Miami – The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) announced today that Grenada will host the 2016 CONCACAF Under-17 Women’s Championship, which has been scheduled for March of next year.
The Caribbean island nation is the site for the Under-17 Women’s Championship Grenada 2016, to be played from March 3-13, 2016. The tournament will crown the Confederation’s champion at this level, and qualify three teams to the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup to be played in Jordan next September.
“We are extremely pleased to award next year’s Women’s Under-17 Championship to Grenada, in the heart of the Eastern Caribbean,” said CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb. “Hosting this Championship marks a milestone for sport in Grenada, and proves the Confederation’s eagerness to reward those Member Associations who are willing to assume important responsibilities within the region.”
The Under-17 Women’s Championship Grenada 2016 will include eight teams, three from the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), two from the Central American Football Union (UNCAF) and three from North America.
Canada, Mexico and the United States are automatically qualified from North America, while the qualifying processes in CFU and UNCAF will take place in coming months. As host country, Grenada is automatically qualified as one of the three representatives of CFU.
“The decision of the CONCACAF Executive Committee to award Grenada such a prestigious tournament is a major milestone, and we appreciate the confidence shown in our association. The staging of such an event will require all stakeholders to work together to make the event a major success,” said Grenada Football Association President Cheney Joseph. “This is the first time that Grenada will be hosting a tournament of this magnitude, and we are very thankful for this opportunity. Grenada stands ready to host the best of the federations’ under-17 girls and we do hope to make their time here a very memorable one.”
“Grenada is definitely supportive of CONCACAF and the promotion and development of women’s football in the region,” said Grenada Minister of Sport Emmelin Pierre. “We are excited and grateful for this tremendous opportunity to host a women’s final and will work closely with the GFA to be a great host.”
The date of the official draw for the CONCACAF Under-17 Women’s Championship Grenada 2016 will be announced later this year. At the draw, the eight qualified Participating Member Associations will be divided in two groups of four.
After the group stage, the winner and second-place team from each group will qualify to the semi –finals. The winner of each semifinal match advances to the final, and also directly to the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Jordan 2016. The two losing semifinalists will reach the third-place match, from which the winner will also advance to the World Cup.
Mexico is the defending champion of the CONCACAF Under-17 Women’s Championship, having won the title in Jamaica in November 2013.
CONCACAF Under-17 Women’s Championship Grenada 2016
Date: March 3-13, 2016
Site: Grenada
Teams: 8
Caribbean Football Union (3)
Central American Football Union (2)
North America (3)
Number of teams to qualify for the World Cup: 3
Format: Eight (8) Participating Member Associations are divided into two (2) groups (A, B) of four (4) teams each for the group stage. After the group stage, the winner and second-place team from each group will qualify to the semifinals. The winner of each semifinal match advances to the final, and also directly to the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. The two losing semifinalists will reach the third-place match, from which the winner will earn the third and final CONCACAF spot in the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Jordan 2016
Loro Piana Caribbean Superyacht Regatta & Rendezvous 2015
By Gary Brown From All At Sea
The final race day of the Loro Piana Caribbean Superyacht Regatta & Rendezvous was a fittingly gripping affair that brought three days of hard-fought and incredibly tight racing to a close and saw overall victory awarded to P2 (Class A) and Marie (Class B). Unofficial accolades also went to the new ORCsy handicap rule, implemented for the first time ever during this event, which assured compact racing and scene-stealing finishes throughout. The event, organized by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda and Boat International Media, ran from March 11th -14th.
Both classes completed an anti-clockwise round-the-island course on the final day. This took took them from a downwind start on a spectacular run to Round Rock off the south western tip of Virgin Gorda. A long and challenging upwind beat followed as the boats battled ten-foot waves around the back of the island before finishing just off the North Sound.
Only two points separated the top three boats in Class A heading into the final race, so every second and every manoeuvre counted. A battle to the finish ensued between P2, Freya and Cape Arrow with less than 40-seconds separating the top three boats across the line after 29 miles of racing. The Southern Wind yacht Cape Arrow, with Pier Luigi Loro Piana at the helm and Francesco De Angelis calling tactics, stormed down the final stretch to overtake the Swan 90 Freya just metres from the finish line. The 125-foot Perini Navi sloop P2, meanwhile, claimed her second consecutive bullet to assure her overall victory over the Vitters ketch Inoui with Freya just one point behind in third place.
Gerhard Andlinger, of P2, was understandably pleased with his result. “We won by just seconds, the new rating system is really working out. It was pretty relaxing until the last 15 minutes when you see the competition. You see the sails, you see how fast they’re going and you begin to mentally calculate. I have a great crew and this victory is theirs, not mine.”
In Class B, the Perini Navi ketch Seahawk put in another first-rate performance to notch up her second bullet of the event. A DNF in the first race, however, caused by a rigging failure, meant she was able to climb no higher than third place overall. Although the 2014-launched Royal Huisman sloop Wisp gained the upper hand in the race to place second ahead of Marie, it was not sufficient to unseat the 180-foot Hoek-designed ketch from the overall top spot which she had held since day one. Seahawk, at 190 feet in length the giant of the fleet, took third place overall.
Tony Rey, tactician on board Marie was a satisfied sailor. “This kind of racing is spectacular. The ORCsy rating couldn’t ask for a better soft launch. This event at YCCS was absolutely spectacular and the perfect way to introduce it. The fact we had a few different winners, close finishes: that’s what we want and that’s what we got.”
Speaking at the prize giving, YCCS Commodore Riccardo Bonadeo thanked the owners for bringing their beautiful yachts to the event.
“The racing was fantastic this week, very close, and the Race Committee did an excellent job. When the people who didn’t win say that the new rule worked well then you know it really did work well,” he said.
Loro Piana Deputy Chairman Pier Luigi Loro Piana was equally happy. “I want to express my gratitude for everything that was organized this week by the BVI government and by the yacht club. It was a spectacular, beautiful week and I am certain many of these boats will be joining us both for the Porto Cervo event, and the 2016 edition in Virgin Gorda.”
During the prize giving, attended by the BVI Premier Dr. Orlando Smith, P2 also received the Loro Piana Prize – Boat International Media Trophy for the lowest scoring superyacht overall.
IMAGE: Loro Piana Regatta. Photo courtesy of Press Office YCCS / Jeff Brown
Caribbean Regatta Dates 2014: January – March January 13, 2014
For more: http://www.allatsea.net/loro-piana-caribbean-superyacht-regatta-rendezvous-2015/
Engineer, 64, sues Google for age discrimination
By Marisa Kendall, From The Recorder
SAN FRANCISCO — A 64-year-old software engineer rejected for a job at Google Inc. is suing the company for age discrimination.
Plaintiffs lawyers with Kotchen & Low in Washington, D.C., claim Google systematically excluded middle-aged and older workers from jobs for which they were well qualified. The lawyers seek to represent a class of job applicants 40 and older who were rejected by Google from August 2010 through the present.
“The end result of Google’s pattern and practice of age discrimination is a workforce with a median age of 29,” the lawyers wrote in a complaint filed Wednesday in the Northern District of California.
That compares to a 2013 median age of 42 for all U.S. workers, and a median age of 41 for software developers, the lawyers wrote, citing U.S. Department of Labor data.
Google did not respond to an email requesting comment.
Named plaintiff Robert Heath was a candidate for a software-engineer position at Google in 2011, when he was 60. His resume listed information-technology experience dating back to 1978, suggesting his age, the lawyers wrote. A Google recruiter emailed Heath about the job, telling him he would be a “great candidate,” and alerting him that Google was embarking on its largest recruiting and hiring campaign in history. The recruiter set up a phone interview for Heath with a Google software engineer, but the interview went poorly, according to the complaint.
The interviewer called 10 minutes late, and was barely fluent in English, the lawyers wrote. He also conducted the interview over a malfunctioning speakerphone, which made it hard for the two parties to communicate. The interviewer cut Heath off while he was answering a question, the lawyers wrote. He tested Heath by asking him to write a program, but then refused to accept the completed work via Google Docs or email. When Heath read his program coding aloud over the phone, it was clear the interviewer didn’t understand what he was reading due to the language barrier and faulty speakerphone, the complaint alleges.
Two days later, the recruiter emailed Heath and told him Google was “not going to be continuing on to the next step in the process.” Heath complained to Google’s human resources department, and a representative agreed the interviewer had acted inappropriately, according to Heath’s lawyers.
“Google intentionally did not allow Mr. Heath to communicate or demonstrate his full technical abilities, and did not have a sincere interest in hiring Mr. Heath,” his lawyers wrote. “Google failed to hire Mr. Heath and other members of the putative class in favor of younger applicants under the age of 40.”
Similar age discrimination claims against Google were the subject of a 2010 California Supreme Court decision. Former Google executive Brian Reid, at the time in his 50s, claimed his co-workers said his opinions and ideas were “obsolete” and “too old to matter,” and called him an “old fuddy-duddy.” The Supreme Court held Reid had presented sufficient evidence to warrant a trial and the case settled for an undisclosed amount.
