iNew Briefs
Cuban migrant in surgery at Cayman hospital after self harm attempt
A Cuban migrant is undergoing surgery at the Cayman Islands Hospital, after trying to harm himself today (Wednesday 2 July, 2014).
Immigration and prison authorities are investigating the matter.
Cayman money manager charged with money laundering changes plea to guilty
The Managing Director of Cayman Islands company Clover Asset Management, Eric St-Cyr, has changed his earlier ‘not guilty’, plea to money laundering to ‘guilty’.
Two weeks ago his employee, Joshua Vandyk, who was arrested with him along with Turks and Caicos-based lawyer Patrick Poulin, had also changed his plea to guilty.
See related iNews Cayman stories:
June18 2014 under iNews Briefs “Former Cayman company investment adviser pleads guilty to money laundering” at: http://www.ieyenews.com/wordpress/inews-briefs-139/
April 10 2014 under iNews Briefs“Cayman MD, arrested and jailed for alleged money laundering, bailed” at: http://www.ieyenews.com/wordpress/inews-briefs-96/
April 9 2014 “Cayman Islands advisors arrest suggest U.S. government receiving more information about Offshore Accounts” at: http://www.ieyenews.com/wordpress/cayman-islands-advisors-arrest-suggest-u-s-government-receiving-more-information-about-offshore-accounts/
April 6 2014 “An undercover U.S. sting is focusing attention on undeclared accounts in the Cayman Islands” at: http://www.ieyenews.com/wordpress/an-undercover-u-s-sting-is-focusing-attention-on-undeclared-accounts-in-the-cayman-islands/
March 26 2014 “Canadian lawyer practising in TCI arrested for money laundering in the USA” at: http://www.ieyenews.com/wordpress/canadian-lawyer-practising-in-tci-arrested-for-money-laundering-in-the-usa/
Man arrested after catching boy showering with his daughter
By Anika Rao From Y News
A man ended up behind bars after catching a boy showering with his daughter, police in Georgia said.
Athens Police said that they arrested the 49-year-old father of the girl on Tuesday, on charges of assault and cruelty to children after he allegedly beat the teen for showering with his daughter.
The incident began when police responded to a call from Clinton Antonio Ward, who said that he caught a teen inside his apartment.
When officers arrived, they spoke to Ward outside of the home, but when they entered, they saw Ward’s 16-year-old daughter and her 16-year-old boyfriend.
Ward told police that when he came home and sat down on his couch he heard his daughter talking in the bathroom, and at first he thought she was on the phone. However, suddenly, he heard a man’s voice.
After a few minutes, Ward’s daughter came out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel while her boyfriend came out without clothes. That is when Ward began cursing and yelling at the two teens.
The two teens quickly ran into a bedroom, and as the boy was picking up his clothes, Ward pushed him against a wall, and punched him in the chest and face. The girl said that she was also hit in the face.
Police arrested Ward, and charged him with battery and cruelty to children.
For more: http://www.yourjewishnews.com/2014/03/n32122.html
Cayman’s body builders donates to Special Olympics
Cayman Islands bodybuilders competed in the recent Fitness Extravaganza/Monster Nutrition 2014 and were able to flex their muscles and raise some money to help Special Olympics Cayman Islands (SOCI).
Last Monday (30) Jenique Smith, who promoted the show with brother Jason that was held three weeks ago at the Arts and Recreation centre in Camana Bay, handed over the donation to Kanza Bodden and her mother Nancy Bodden.
This was the inaugural annual fitness show and Smith said, “Due to the high attendance from the public, we are able to donate towards helping the athletes of SOCI reach their goals. It is always a wonderful experience when you can contribute back to your community.”
The SOCI athletes plan to attend the 2015 Special Olympics Games in Los Angeles and will use this donation towards funding that trip.
Macy’s hosts the Caribbean Heritage Reception
By Munson Steed From Rolling Out
The Carib News Fourth Annual Caribbean Heritage Reception Celebrating Caribbean Heritage Month & Caribbean Achievers, hosted by Macyʼs Inc., was recently held at Macyʼs Executive Offices, Herald Square, New York. Honorees for the evening were: in education, Dr. Marcia Keizs, President York College and artist Michael Escoffery. The guest speaker was Commissioner Rosemonde Pierre-Louis, Mayorʼs Office to Combat Domestic Violence.
The evening’s hosts were Mr. Ed Goldberg and Mr. Bill Hawthorne of Macys, ably assisted by Ty Stone-Adams. Among the guests were Mr. Jay Hershenson, senior vice chancellor, City University New York, who presented the award to Dr Keizs, the Consul Generals of Barbados and Jamaica, Hazel Dukes, President NY NAACP.
Men’s jewelry designer Mateo Bijoux, a participant in The Workshop at Macyʼs program in 2013, was introduced to the audience. Mr. Hawthorne spoke about the many community projects in which Macy’s is involved and mentioned his visit to Haiti and the display of Haitian Arts and Crafts in Macy’s. Jovia Radix, a representative of the governor, presented a proclamation to Carib News on behalf of the governor of New York. The Mighty Sparrow and Calypso Rose entertained the audience with a variety of well loved songs.
Caribbean Export Development Agency meeting heralds a boost to regional trade
At the Caribbean Export Development Agency meeting held at the Westin Resort from June 25 to 27 on Grand Cayman the message was loud and clear to increase and invigorate trade between the territories of the Caribbean region.
Executive director Pamela Cooke-Hamilton admitted trade between the CARIFORUM, FCORs and OCTs although has been going on for a long time, it has fallen off over the past decade.
“We have actually regressed as a region,” she said. “What we are trying to do through this engagement and our geographical proximity is to increase and invigorate that trade once again.”
She also spoke on immigration issues saying this was a subject that needed to be addressed “from the perspective of business.”
She said, “I understand that every country has the inviolable right to retain and protect its immigration borders. But I think it is very important that we facilitate the movement of business people in a manner that does not cause restriction.”
Delegates from 15 Caribbean countries also visited Cayman Enterprise City and met with member companies of the special economic zone.
Cayman Enterprise City won the Caribbean Export Agency’s Special Award at the 2013 Regional Investor of the Year Awards. It was because of this award that influenced the Caribbean Export Agency’s decision to host a business forum in the Cayman Islands.
Gay rights group criticises Jamaica CAUSE stance on buggery laws
From Caribbean360
KINGSTON, Jamaica, Tuesday July 1, 2014, CMC – The Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All Sexuals and Gays (JFLAG) says the huge turnout at Sunday’s mass rally organised by Jamaica CAUSE in support of retention of the country’s buggery laws did not come as a surprise.
While stating that JFLAG is not daunted by the level of support shown for retaining the law, JFLAG’s Executive Director, Dane Lewis, criticised the church groups for not showing the same level of support for other issues as they are doing against homosexuality.
“What’s interesting is that they have not rallied around other critical issues facing the country at this time, we would be more encouraged if they were able to take on more of the hot-button issues that affect all Jamaicans,” Lewis said in a release on Monday.
He said the JFLAG maintains that the buggery laws should be reviewed.
More than 20,000 people gathered in Half Way Tree square Sunday at a mass rally organized by church groups under the umbrella of the newly formed civil society group – Jamaica CAUSE (Churches Action Uniting Society for Emancipation).
The crowd packed Half Way Tree square for close to four hours to take a stance against what has been described as the push by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) community to victimize those who speak out against its agenda.
Jamaica CAUSE, was established following the removal of Professor Brendan Bain as Director of the Caribbean HIV/AIDS Regional Training Network.
Latin American and Caribbean Cyber Security Trends 2013
A new report has been published, “Latin American and Caribbean Cyber Security Trends 2013” that provides an overview of cybersecurity and cybercrime-related developments in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2013.
It assesses the major trends in the region in terms of the threats to the cyber domain and those who depend on it, from government institutions to private enterprises to individual users. It also takes stock of the advances made by government authorities to better address the challenges they face in an increasingly connected and ICT-dependent world.
The research for and writing of this report was carried out jointly by the Organization of American States and Symantec, with additional input and support from AMERIPOL, Microsoft, the Latin American and Caribbean Network Information Center (LACNIC), the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), and the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG).
The OAS and AMERIPOL leveraged their network of official contacts with governments throughout the region, and in particular those national agencies or institutions leading cybersecurity and/or cybercrime related efforts.01 Symantec gathered information through its global network, which is made up of more than 41.5 million sensors and records thousands of events per second. Spam, Phishing, and Malware data provided by Symantec is captured through a variety of sources including a system of more than 5 million decoy accounts, and a threat detection network processing over 8.4 billion email messages each month and more than 1.7 billion web requests each day across 14 data centers
The document can be downloaded at: http://caribseekdocuments.com/94-latin-american-and-caribbean-cyber-security-trends-2013-organization-of-american-states
No money in kitty for new learning centre in Cayman for persons with disabilities
Despite plans having been drawn up and a report executed in 2010 by Consultants Deloitte that showed the urgent need for a new centrally located learning center for the growing number of adults with disabilities in the Cayman Islands, no monies have been allocated in this year’s budget.
It was the same in 2010 when the report was executed and it was not even released.
However, the reports findings were discussed during Finance Committee hearings last week, and Education and Training Minister Tara Rivers said the situation with funding was the main barrier to getting a new facility that has been estimated to cost $8M.
Shari Smith, director of the Sunrise Adult Training Centre, in West Bay said the current facility that provides training and support to help people with disabilities maintain their independence, holds room for 50 persons. Very soon it will need to provide room for 50 more.
Most clients to the centre come from the Lighthouse School.
Trinidad man found not guilty of leaking 2008 CXC exam papers
From Caribbean360
CXCPORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, Tuesday July 1, 2014, CMC – A 26-year-old man has been found not guilty of two charges of illegally obtaining examination papers of the Barbados-based Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC).
Magistrate Lisa Ramsumair-Hinds, sitting in the San Fernando Magistrate Court, Monday dismissed the charges against Mikquel Torres, who had been charged with unlawfully procuring the May/June 2008 CXC Mathematics and English examination papers.
Torres, who did not testify in a trial, had earlier pleaded not guilty. He had been on one million TT dollars bail (One TT dollar =US$0.16 cents) after he was charged with the offences on May 22, 2008.
Torres was among several people charged with procuring examination papers relating to the 2008 CXC examinations. These matters were all dismissed last year.
In 2008, more than 20,000 pupils had to re-sit the Mathematics and English examination which were rescheduled because of the leaked papers.
Witnesses from the CXC and the Ministry of Education as well as two police officers testified during the trial.
Torres’s attorney had made a no case submission but the magistrate overruled the submission. However she said the prosecution had failed to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.
For more: http://www.caribbean360.com/news/trinidad-man-found-not-guilty-of-leaking-2008-cxc-exam-papers
Cayman anti-corruption unit will receive no increase in funds
The Cayman Islands budget for the Cayman Islands Anti-Corruption Unit will stay the same as in the previous budget year.
The unit’s only two investigators will have to continue to look into reported cases, said Anti-Corruption Commission manager Deborah Bodden.
Almost a quarter of the cases are still considered “active investigations.”
“This remains a concern and the manager has agreed to discuss the matter further with senior officials,” states the most recent meeting minutes of the commission.
Jamaica’s commissioner of police retires unexpectedly
From Caribbean360
Jamaica, Tuesday July 1, 2014, CMC – Jamaica will soon have a new Commissioner of Police. In a surprising development on Monday, it was announced that Commissioner of Police Owen Ellington will be retiring from the post on completing vacation leave.
Ellington will go on vacation leave on Tuesday.
In a statement on Monday afternoon, National Security Minister, Peter Bunting said
Deputy Commissioner of Police Glenmore Hinds has been appointed to act as Commissioner effective Tuesday while the Police Service Commission commences the process of appointing a new Commissioner of Police.
Bunting, said he has been advised of the request by the Commissioner of Police.
Ellington has reportedly indicated his decision to retire based on the need to separate himself from the management of the Force prior to the commencement of the West Kingston Commission of Enquiry.
The Enquiry will look into the conduct of the operations of the security forces in Western Kingston and other areas during the limited state of emergency in 2010.
In addition, he believes it will allow the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) to conduct its probe into allegations of police-involved killings in the central parish of Clarendon some of which occurred during his tenure without any perception of influence or interference on his part.
Ellington was appointed Commissioner of Police on April 5, 2010.
He succeeded Rear Admiral Hardley M Lewin.
For more: http://www.caribbean360.com/news/jamaicas-commissioner-of-police-retires-unexpectedly
Cayman hospital admits shortage of drugs
Cayman Islands Health Services Authority (HSA) has disclosed at the recent Cayman Finance Committee meeting at the Legislative Assembly there is a shortage of drugs at the George Town Hospital pharmacy.
Colin Medford, the HSA’s chief pharmacist, said even when orders are placed there is no guarantee that the ordered amounts will be delivered because there is a current global shortage of medicines.
“The drug shortages that are occurring in the US and UK is causing a trickledown effect here in the Cayman Islands as both the US and the UK are our largest direct and indirect suppliers,” he said. “To reduce the inconvenience, the pharmacy tries to obtain whatever stock is available on the island.”
The situation is said to be improving.
