iNews Briefs
Miss Cayman pageant in doubt
Although the Cayman Islands government has budgeted $70,000 for the Miss Cayman pageant that includes $20,000 for a scholarship prize, Heather Bodden, deputy chairperson of the Miss Cayman Islands Committee said she doubts there will be time to host a pageant this year since the chair Lynn Bodden’s resignation.
The Cayman Islands has not staged the pageant since 2011.
Developers withdraw plan for Mexico resort
From SF Gate
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Developers have withdrawn a proposed plan to build a resort complex on Mexico’s Holbox island, a low-key ecotourism site known for its flocks of flamingos.
The head of the Environment Department’s office on the Caribbean coast says developers voluntarily withdrew a plan they submitted several years ago.
Raul Gonzalez said Monday the department officially closed its file on the application to build three hotels and 872 residential units on Holbox.
Gonzalez said the developers gave no reason for the decision.
Holbox is located near the northern tip of the Yucatan peninsula. Developers had planned to dredge its shallow lagoon for a boat channel to provide access to the resort.
Earlier this year, another group of developers withdrew plans for a massive resort near the Cabo Pulmo reef off Baja California.
For more: http://www.sfgate.com/news/world/article/Developers-withdraw-plan-for-Mexico-resort-5539118.php
Tourism rises in Cayman
The latest Cayman Islands statistics for tourist arrivals show an increase in air arrivals every month from January – April in 2014 compared to 2013.
Apart from January that saw a big drop of over 27,000 tourists arriving on cruise ships, there has also been a steady increase in the four months over 2013 with March being the best month with over 185,000 passengers. This was an increase over 2013 of over 29,600 tourists.
See attachment for the stats – click on image to enlarge
Gold found in Montana tap water
By Walter Mcdaniel from Digital journal
Whitehall – Some Montana residents turned on the tap to get a glass of gold flakes. After testing proved that the gold was genuine some residents are concerned about their drinking water quality.
Mark and Sharon Brown were quite shocked to find flakes of gold in their water. They quickly took it to a nearby antique dealer who tested the samples. They found that the gold flakes were pure after multiple tests with a solution that dissolved impurities. Everyone was amazed by the results.
Pure gold in and of itself is not toxic to ingest. While it might certainly cause some digestion problems if your body is not used to it this material won’t make you ill. However it does raise concerns about the filtration system of the city. If gold can get through then much more dangerous substances might be able to as well.
Representatives from the Whitehall government say the filtration is working properly and that this is a small incident tied to some pumping or piping equipment that they have. Reporters at NBC Montana are supposed to be investigating it further. However it has been a few days without a follow-up from the original reporter of the story so it may have been put on the back burner.
Cayman government pays $650,000 a year for MLA offices
It costs the people of the Cayman Islands approx. $650,000 for government to operate Members of the Legislative Assembly’s (MLA) District Offices.
The offices are either rented or owned accommodations and constituency allowances are allocated to also pay for personnel staff at the offices, utility bills and other operating costs.
Some MLA’s share accommodation.
Mosquito-borne Caribbean fever found in NE Indiana
From CBS Cleveland
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana health officials say a mosquito-borne virus that has spread quickly since the first locally transmitted case in the Western Hemisphere in December has been confirmed in a Fort Wayne-area resident who recently traveled to the Caribbean.
The Indiana State Department of Health says the chikungunya virus detected in Allen County doesn’t often cause death, but symptoms including high fever and joint pain can be severe. Other symptoms include headache, muscle pain, joint swelling or rash. It says most patients feel better within a week, but joint pain can persist for months.
The agency says people who develop these symptoms after traveling to the Caribbean or other areas where chikungunya is found should contact a health care provider immediately.
It also advises people to protect themselves against mosquito bites.
For more: http://cleveland.cbslocal.com/2014/06/09/mosquito-borne-caribbean-fever-found-in-ne-indiana/
800 ex Cayman seamen receive benefits whilst 793 wait to get on list
Cayman Islands premier Alden McLaughlin said in the Legislative Assembly last Friday (6) that as of 31st May, more than 800 ex-seamen were receiving payments from government while 793 people were on the waiting list. As more ex-seamen reach 60, that list grows, he said, and the government did not have the means to increase the budget for benefits.
Government is spending over $6.2M in direct benefit payments to Caymanians or their surviving widows who served at sea, fought in either of the world wars or served in the Trinidad Navy.
However, there is no means test in place and there are ex-seamen and their widows receiving payments who are not really in need whilst others on the waiting list need help.
The premier said the government would be examining the criteria and the circumstances surrounding these benefits.
Man injured when ‘wild elevator’ rushes up 31 floors, hits roof
By Igor I. Solar From Digital Journal
Santiago – A man in Chile suffered serious injuries in a freak accident: the elevator he was riding from the basement to an upper floor of his building became out of control for unknown reasons and went up 31 floors in 15 seconds.
The unfortunate accident took place at the “Bustamante Park Community” building, located in the municipality of Ñuñoa, in Santiago de Chile. The lift’s security cameras recorded the exact time of the elevator failure, capturing the desperation of the affected man who tried by all means to stop the elevator.
However, despite his frantic efforts, the elevator stopped only when it hit hard against the roof of the elevator shaft, causing severe injuries to the man’s head and legs, and multiple bruises. It is estimated that the elevator hit the roof at a speed of almost 80 Km/hr.
Cayman NT and CUC to host night time fun run
The Cayman Islands National Trust and Caribbean Utilities Company (CUC) are hosting a new and unique charity fun-run with the theme “Light up the Night for a Brighter Future”.
The first ever glow run in Cayman is set for 21 June in George Town. The idea is that runners and walkers will be glowing in the dark in luminous outfits as they race through the capital from 7pm. Neon face-painting, biodegradable and non-toxic UV reactive paint, glow bands should help competitors light up from head to toe in their wacky running attire.
Starting and ending at Margaritaville after they follow a looped course around George Town, the race ends with a glow after party. To encourage sign ups 50 CUC water bottles will be dispersed in anonymous runners packs and a lucky winner will find a gift certificate thanks to Logic Cayman for a brand new Apple TV!
Prizes will be awarded to the top three finishers for the male, female and children’s category as well as the best glow costumes. All ages and fitness levels are encouraged to show up and get glowed up to run or walk.
Participants are encouraged to arrive for registration at 6pm and take advantage of free UV neon face painting. Additional glow items will also be on sale. Participants have the option to partake in a splash of biodegradable and non-toxic UV reactive paint and powder along the route and expect to go into extreme glow as they approach KPMG “Glo Hard or Go Home” stations.
Proceeds from this community event will benefit the National Trust for the Cayman Islands and Rotaract Blue Cayman Islands. Interested participants may register online at www.nationaltrust.org.ky. For further details email [email protected] or call 749-1121.
Cayman Islands prison farm has uncertain future
What to do with the Cayman Islands former prison farm that occupies 300 acres of property in High Rock, East End, has many questions and no real answer.
It has an uncertain future was the only answer the Minister for Lands, Kurt Tibbetts could come up with when asked in the Legislative Assembly.
There is a committee (of course) looking at how the land will be divided up and leased out to Cayman’s farmers but Tibbetts said there were “some real time factors which I don’t have full control over which makes it difficult for me to say how long it is going to take. I would like to say that I would get it to the point where people use the property long before this terms is over.”
Since a murder victim was discovered there in 2009 the property has been closed although the Doppler Radar Station installed in 2013 is using part of it.
Cayman tour bus overturns but no one injured
A Majestic Tours bus with only the driver on board overturned on Grand Cayman’s Esterley Tibbetts Highway last Sunday (8) morning causing serious damage to the vehicle.
The driver was unhurt and blamed the wet condition of the road for the reason he lost control of the bus.
Guatemala’s Mazariegos wins CONCACAF Interactive 2014 championship
Emerges from field of nearly 3,000 to top Hexagonal standings
MIAMI (Monday, June 9, 2014) – The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) announced today that Guatemala’s Fred Mazariegos has been crowned the CONCACAF Interactive 2014 (CI14) champion.
Mazariegos, who goes under the Play Station 3 (PS3) gamer tag of mfnfr, defeated Trinidad & Tobago representative Damani Garcia 3-1 on the final day of play to top the Hexagonal table with 13 points, going unbeaten in five games with a 4-1-0 record.
As a result of capturing the CONCACAF Interactive title, Mazariegos won a trip to Brazil as a special guest at the FIFA Interactive World Cup (FIWC) 2014 Grand Final, July 2-3.
The Hexagonal’s six participants, each representing a CONCACAF Member Association, qualified from a field of nearly 3,000 entrants. They ultimately progressed via their play in Season 6 of the FIWC Online qualifiers in March 2014 accessed through EA SPORTS™ FIFA 14 on PS3.
For complete CI14 results and standings, click http://www.concacafinteractive.com/category/profiles/
World Blood Donor Day at Cayman HSA June 14
The Cayman Islands Health Services Authority invites you to attend the 11th World Blood Donor Day this Saturday 14th June at the Cayman Islands Hospital Blood Bank (2nd floor across from Paediatric Ward) from 9:00am – 5:00pm.
UPDATE: Hon. Osbourne Bodden, Minister of Health, Sports, Youth and Culture will now be present for the photo opportunity, instead of his Councillor, Mr Alva Suckoo as previously reported
will be present from 12:30 – 1:00pm where he will tour the blood bank.
See flyer for more details.
