iNews Briefs
Grenada enforces 1952 legislation to deal with chikungunya virus
From Caribbean360
ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, Wednesday July 2, 2014, CMC – Health authorities here have resorted to decades old legislation as the island moves to deal with the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus.
Grenada has so far recorded five cases of the disease and the authorities have moved to enforce the 1952 legislation which makes its mandatory for home and business owners to rid their premises of all forms of containers that can cause the continuous breeding of mosquitoes.
Called the Mosquito Destruction Act, it came into effect on June 28th 1952 during the period when Grenada was a British colony.
The Ministry of Health has been issuing public service announcements warning people that failure to keep their surroundings clean can result in Health Sanitation Officers taking legal proceedings in accordance with the legislation.
Anyone found guilty of an offence under the legislation, could face a fine of EC$250 (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) for a first offense and EC$500 for subsequent offences.
Last week Health authorities confirmed that there were five cases of chikungunya but said it was confined to two small communities in Carriacou.
Since chikungunya was first identified in the region in December 2013, there have been more than 100,000 suspected cases throughout the Caribbean of the viral disease that is transmitted by the bite of infected mosquitoes with the man symptoms being fever and joint pain as well as headache, muscle pain, joint swelling, or rash.
For more: http://www.caribbean360.com/news/grenada-enforces-1952-legislation-to-deal-with-chikungunya-virus
Cayman’s top javelin thrower misses Commonwealth Games
Cayman Islands national javelin record holder Alex Pascal will not be competing at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games starting 23rd July.
Pascal will be undergoing surgery on his arm next week and may be out of action for about 7 months.
Freak garbage truck accident kills woman trying to save her dog
By Joe Coscarelli From New York Mag
A 58-year-old Manhattan woman was killed this morning when she reached under a sanitation truck to retrieve her Boston Terrier after it got loose and ran into the street. Unaware the woman was underneath, the vehicle, which had been idling, then pulled forward over her, according to witnesses. “The driver didn’t know she was there,” a man told the Daily News. The dog was unharmed.
“One of our collection trucks was involved in a fatal accident this morning and the investigation is ongoing,” a Sanitation Department spokesperson confirmed. The accident occurred in Chelsea, on 15th Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues, at about 10:10 a.m., the New York Times reports. “She saw the truck was stopped,” explained another witness. “She went under it to get the dog. The truck moved. It hit her.”
“You can’t process this,” she said. “You don’t know how to process this.”
Cayman birdwatchers win Texas Birding tournament
A team from the Cayman Islands Bird Club that included founders Peter Davey and Michael Marsden won the Rio Grande Valley race to report the most species in a single day, when they went to the Great Texas Birding Classic Big Day tournament in April.
Other members included Stuart Mailer who leads the National Trust’s Mastic Trail tours and Christine Rose-Smyth a Cayman administrator for the Cornell University citizen science project eBird.
The Cayman Cowboys reported 178 different bird sightings. With sponsors pledging $1 a bird for the National Trust the money will be spent to rebuild infrastructure at Governor Gore’s Bird Sanctuary off Spotts Newlands Road and create improved signage on the Mastic Trail to enable increased appreciation of Cayman’s richest biodiversity.
Pledges can still be made by contacting [email protected] or Christine Rose-Smyth directly at [email protected] or Stuart Mailer [email protected]
Caribbean leaders address risk reduction in Martinique
From Share
The first international seminar for the Greater Caribbean’s “CARIB RISK CLUSTER” recently concluded in Martinique with the signing of a co-operative agreement to address risk reduction across the region.
The meeting addressed the many aspects of risk reduction, including the prevention and management of disaster risks facing the Caribbean Basin and how to protect human lives and safeguard socio-economic development.
About 150 delegates and officials from seven Caribbean countries and territories: Barbados, Dominica, Jamaica, Martinique, St. Lucia, St. Martin and Trinidad & Tobago, focused on thematic areas during the three-day meeting, addressing meteorological risks, town and country planning, health and epidemic risks, and public information services.
The final declaration reiterated a commitment to regional cooperation through the “CARIB RISK CLUSTER”, which was established in 2011 by the General Council of Martinique.
Co-financed by the European Union through the INTERREG CARAIBES IV Program, the project, originally entitled “Caribbean Cluster on natural risks and risks from the sea”, seeks to co-ordinate and strengthen risk management policies in the region.
Delegates agreed to leverage the combined efforts of the Caribbean Meteorological Organization (CMO), the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (OPDEM), and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA).
For more: http://sharenews.com/caribbean-leaders-address-risk-reduction-in-martinique/#sthash.ZfJPwb5z.dpuf
Cayman Chamber wants members to tell them how the government is doing
The Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce is asking its members to fill in their electronic questionnaire that poses a number of questions about how the Progressives (PPM) led government is performing after one year in office.
It asks employers about their concerns and priorities, their thoughts on the privatization of government and how it is handling the major projects, as well as how well they think the premier and the opposition leader are doing their $100k plus per annum jobs.
To take part in the survey go to: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/issuesandperformancesurvey
Caribbean Internet Governance Forum (CIGF)
From Wednesday 06 August 2014
To Friday 08 August 2014
The Bahamas will host the 10th annual meeting of the Caribbean Internet Governance Forum (CIGF).
This meeting is to take place from the 6th – 8th August 2014 under the pertinent theme of: “Building national capacity for global influence in Internet Governance.”
The event will be held at the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort. More information can be found on the website here.
Contact : http://ctu.int/events/details/129-10th-caribbean-internet-governance-forum
Cayman’s Clifton Hunter High School still costing millions
Even after costing the Cayman Islands $110M to construct, correct bad work and legal costs for the Frank Sound Clifton hunter High School (with classrooms without walls but having sound curtains) another $2.4M was incurred in operating costs in its first year.
Roofing and windows not being square were some of the faults that had to be corrected. Then soundproofing and constructing partitions within the learning academies to basically buffer sound had to be installed. (Are you surprised?)
The cost of building the school was almost government’s original estimates for constructing two new high schools.
The above revelations came to light at the recent Finance Committee in the legislative Assembly.
One year on, the U.K.’s Internet porn filters are still an epic disaster
By Brad Reed From BGR
Who could have predicted that strong-arming ISPs into hastily implementing content filters intended to stamp out pornography would be a disaster? Well actually, pretty much everyone could except for the architects of the policy itself — one of whom, ironically, was just charged with allegedly possessing child pornography. Now The Guardian is reporting that “nearly one in five of the most visited sites on the Internet are being blocked by the adult content filters installed on Britain’s broadband and mobile networks.”
Essentially, assorted filters on different ISPs have blocked websites ranging from “a Porsche car dealership, two feminist websites, a blog on the Syrian War” and a popular political blog. For their part, U.K. ISPs are encouraging customers to alert them whenever non-pornographic content is getting filtered so that they can investigate the reasons why that content was blocked.
All of this is cold comfort to people like Philip Raby, a U.K. Porsche dealer who found that his business’s website had been blocked by ISP O2 for now apparent reason. Raby tells The Guardian that he’s sent emails and made phone calls to O2 but so far nothing has worked.
“We must have lost some business as a result,” he tells The Guardian. “It doesn’t look great telling people the site is not suitable for under 18s!”
Cayman Premier says Standards in Public Life Law must be changed
The Cayman Islands Standards in Public Life Law requires any “person in public life,” within 90 days of assuming the functions of his or her office, to make a declaration to the Commission for Standards in Public Life of their income, assets and liabilities acquired during the previous year. It also uses the phrase “ connected person” i.e. Section 12: In making a declaration required [under the law], a person in public life shall include, in relation to himself and any connected person, details relating to – [subsection 1e] any land, whether beneficial or otherwise.
It is this phrase that has caused most of the concerns.
The legislation defines “a connected person” as anyone who acts on behalf of, or for the benefit of the person making the required financial declaration. This can include an employee, a co-worker, a company, a trust or a family member.
Premier Alden McLaughlin has said changes must be made to the law before the legislation takes effect.
“We have had significant push-back from many people who are serving on commissions or boards,” he said last month. “There is the threat, quite frankly, of mass resignations if the law comes into force in its present form.”
19-Year-old American woman charged with trying to help ISIS militants
By Paul Szoldra From Business Insider
A 19-year-old Colorado woman has been charged with providing material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organization, after she was arrested trying to board a flight from Denver to allegedly meet with members of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), The Denver Channel is reporting.
An FBI criminal complaint alleges that Shannon Maureen Conley, along with others, attempted to make contact with the militant group and travel to Syria via Turkey, AP reports.
Reuters has more on the criminal complaint:
It said she met a co-conspirator, only identified as Y.M. in court papers, on the Internet sometime in 2013. It said the pair “shared their view of Islam as requiring participation in violent jihad against any non-believers,” and Y.M. told her he was an active member of ISIL.
It said Conley planned to travel to Syria via Turkey to meet Y.M., and first attended military tactics and firearms training with the U.S. Army Explorers in Texas in February of this year.
At her arrest, she was allegedly found with materials about jihad, Al Qaeda, and CDs and DVDs labeled “Anwar al-Awlaki,” CBS Local reports.
Conley allegedly told members of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force that she was a Muslim convert and “If they think I’m a terrorist I’ll give them something to think I am,” according to CBS Local.
For more: http://www.businessinsider.com/woman-aid-isis-militants-2014-7#ixzz36QPlzTQ7
Dart Cayman employees sign up for wellness programme
203 Dart Cayman employees have signed up to VirginPulse, an innovative Corporate Wellness Programme that is part of Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group.
VirginPulse is a web-based programme, and is available through BritCay Insurance as a corporate wellness initiative for its clients. It is designed to promote a healthy lifestyle by encouraging, measuring and rewarding physical activity. The programme has reached more than 1 million employees worldwide.
Kim Wallace-Watler, senior manager, Human Capital Services said, “At Dart our employees are our most important asset. Healthy employees are more energetic, focused and driven in both their personal lives and work environment. Equally the positive outcomes for our company include healthier employees who are better equipped to manage health or illness concerns, decreased absenteeism, increased engagement, and ultimately the goal of achieving reductions in health insurance premium costs. Therefore, the value of these behaviour changes are tremendous to both sides.
“Fortunately for us, our employees respond exceedingly well to group and team driven health initiatives, so VirginPulse appeals to the majority and definitely works for us. This award winning programme offers an innovative daily outreach that provides a holistic approach to all areas of wellness in our employees’ lives. We’re hoping to see more companies in the community join this philosophy of wellness going forward.”
Outfitted with pedometers called “max” devices, Dart employees sign in to VirginPulse’s multi-platform interactive online health portal and there they can monitor number of steps taken; distance walked and other health related activities.
This Is The Keurig of Beer
By Jill Comoletti By Business Insider
CRAFT beer on tap is about to become available in your kitchen.
SYNEK, a St. Louis-based startup that launched on Kickstarter last month, is basically a Keurig coffee machine for beer.
The SYNEK takes vacuum-sealed bags of beer and pumps in carbonation, much like a Sodastream. It’s meant for small craft breweries who want to avoid the expense of bottling and the short shelf life of growlers.
Many craft beer brands have already agreed for their brews to be sold in SYNEK bags, including Harpoon Brewery and Red Eye Brewing Company, among others.
Users can also fill their bags with the beer of their choice, using a special hose.
According to the company’s Kickstarter page, SYNEK bags maintain their quality for more than 30 days, compared to growlers, which last two days after bring opened. Users can also adjust the temperature and CO2 pressure in the SYNEK dispenser to create their perfect brew.
The machine plugs into any outlet.
“It’s got the convenience of a Keurig coffee machine, the volume of two growlers, the spirit of a falcon, and all the variety you’ve ever wanted,” said founder Steve Young in a video about the product (below).
SYNEK is working towards its fundraising goal of $250,000 and hopes to launch in early 2015.
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/synek-beer-dispenser-2014-7#ixzz36QaM2crF
Chinese propagandists caught in blatant Photoshop fail
By Joe Weisenthal From Business Insider
There were huge pro-Democracy protests in Hong Kong this week, and as we already noted, state media in China reacted pretty awkwardly, describing the event as a big chance for everyone to exercise and have a jolly old time.
That wasn’t the only hilarious response to the protests, however.
The media also tried to depict a massive pro-mainland demonstration.
Except as internet sleuths quickly observed (via @cloudyip) the propagandists failed Photoshop 101.
This was supposedly a photo of a 500,000 strong pro-mainland protest, except even in a tiny crowd, you can see the same faces used multiple times.
This comic on Facebook has some fun with the Photoshop failure:
See attachments
For more: http://www.businessinsider.com/chinese-propaganda-photoshop-2014-7#ixzz36QIuBoTY
