iNews Briefs
Bahamas: Government press officer shot and killed
From Jamaica Observer
NASSAU, Bahamas (CMC) – The Bahamas Government has paid tribute to Latore Mackey, the former Deputy Director of the Bahamas Information Service (BIS), who was shot and killed on Monday.
Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell said he was “saddened” by the murder, adding that Mackey, on joining the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) worked “like a fish in water”.
“He carried out excellent work at the Bahamas Information Services and in the Office of the Prime Minister and was the future of our party; now we have lost him all too soon,” Mitchell said in a statement.
Media reports said that Mackey was shot “multiple times in his government registered vehicle”.
Police are working on the theory that an argument inside a nearby club may have led to his death.
For more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/latestnews/Bahamas–Government-press-officer-shot-and-killed
Cayman Islands netball team get 1st win
The Cayman Islands National Netball team 24 August picked up its first win of World Cup qualifying when they beat Argentina 55-27.
Unfortunately the team lost all its other 5 games but obtained valuable experience.
Three of the teams they played appear in the world rankings.
Caribbean Shipowners Association adopts 2014 peak season surcharge
From Jamaican Gleaner
The members of the Caribbean Ship Owners Association have adopted a voluntary guideline calling for the implementation of a 2014 peak season surcharge (PSS).
According to a release issued by the association, effective September 28, 2014 through January 3, 2015, a temporary PSS of USD175 per 20-foot equivalent unit will be applied, without exception, on southbound cargo to the Association’s Caribbean basin service destinations.
The stress on availability of containers and space to serve exports from the United States (US) is expected to last through the 2014 peak season.
Caribbean Ship Owners Association said that the surcharge will enable carriers to recover the higher costs caused by increased volumes, including equipment positioning, labour overtime, port congestion, cruise liners and extra loaders.
This surcharge will be assessed as follows: 20-foot container – US$175; 40-foot container – US$350; over 40 feet – US$394. Additionally, vehicles up to 700 cubic feet (cft) will attract a fee of US$105 each, while vehicles exceeding 700cft will incur a fee of US$8 w/m (40cft or 2,000lb).
Breakbulk, less than container local (LCL), LCL 1cft and LCL (100lbs) will attract fees of $8 w/m (40cft or 2,000lb); $21/cft and $42/cwt, respectively.
The members of the Caribbean Ship Owners Association implementing this surcharge include CMA CGM, Crowley, King Ocean, Seaboard, SeaFreight, Tropical, United States Lines and ZIM Integrated Shipping Line.
The surcharge will be applicable on all US southbound cargo to the following Caribbean destinations: Anguilla, Antigua, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saba, St Eustatius, St Kitts, Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent, Trinidad, Jamaica, Guyana, and Suriname.
For more: http://mobile.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20140826/shipping/shipping1.php
Cayman Equestrian finishes 15th after disappointing first round
Cayman Islands Equestrian Polly Serpell finished 15th in the Individual Jumping Event at the 2014 Summer Youth Olympics in Nanjing, China.
Serpell received 12 penalties in her first round putting her in 22nd place.
Her next round recorded only four penalties and she finished tied for fifth place.
Her combined scores left her in 15th place.
Serpell became the first Cayman Islands athlete to win a medal at the Youth Olympics when she won bronze with team North America in the International Team Jumping event.
Watch this: A robot traverses the English countryside on a hoverbike
By Billy Steele From engadget
Oh, that? It’s just a robot riding across the English countryside on a 1/3-scale model of a hoverbike. The folks at Malloy Aeronautics are hard at work on a similar full-sized vehicle for humans, but as part of its Kickstarter effort to raise funds for the project, a smaller version is offered to backers. What was originally a proof of concept piece is now a fully-operational aerial drone, and can be yours if you’re willing to part with around $1,000 (£595) in support of the endeavor. For now, just enjoy watching that tiny robot take flight in your stead, just after the break.
For more and video: http://www.engadget.com/2014/08/25/robot-rides-hoverbike-drone/?ncid=rss_truncated
Cayman’s youth complete their time at the Youth Olympics
The 2014 Summer Youth Olympics in Nanjing, China came to a close last weekend and the Cayman Islands team did the country proud.
With equestrian Polly Serpell winning a bronze medal, Cayman’s first ever, Pablo Bertran finished 17th overall in the One person Dinghy sailing events with Florence Allan five places behind him finishing 22nd.
Pearl Morgan finished 18th overall in the girls 200-metres dash.
Governments are buying tools that track your phone nearly anywhere
By Jon Fingas From engadget
The eyes are watching you
Don’t think that widespread cellphone surveillance is the sole province of big nations like the US and UK; apparently, it’s within reach of just about any country with enough cash and willing carriers. The Washington Post understands that “dozens” of countries have bought or leased surveillance tools that let them track phones around the world with relative ease, so long as providers cooperate. The software exploits poor security in SS7, an inter-carrier network, to get your rough location by plugging in your phone number. With enough queries, suspicious governments (and well-connected gangs) can easily find out where you’re going, whether you’re in town or on the other side of the planet. To make things worse, these systems are frequently paired up with StingRays and other devices that can both get more accurate positioning and intercept phone traffic.
The FCC is already investigating whether or not StingRays are falling into the wrong hands, and it tells the Post that the SS7-based tools might be subjected to an equal level of scrutiny. Preventing abuse in the short term may be difficult, however. The newspaper found that 75 percent of carriers accepted location requests, and many networks can’t block them successfully. SS7 should be replaced by a more secure system within 10 years, but that’s not comforting if you have to visit a paranoid regime right now — especially since the tools are marketed as ways to get personal data that providers refuse to offer. While you’re not necessarily a target, you’ll want to be cautious about who gets your phone number in the future. It might be used for a lot more than just annoying telemarketing calls.
For more on this story go to: http://www.engadget.com/2014/08/25/governments-buying-phone-tracking-tools/?ncid=rss_truncated
Jamaican philanthropist and Cayman Islands resident Pamela Hart dies
“Pamela Hart, leader and philanthropist, passes on”
By David R. Legge From Cayman Compass
Following a protracted illness, Pamela Hart, a well-known philanthropist who gave of her time as well as her resources, passed away peacefully Friday at the family’s home in South Sound.
Mrs. Hart served on several community boards and for many years was a chief benefactor of the Cayman Islands Humane Society. She also founded and funded “Feline Friends” to address issues with Cayman’s burgeoning cat population.
In Jamaica, Mrs. Hart led the charge in the restoration and revival of historic Port Royal.
Cayman National Corporation dividends announced
August 26, 2014 (10:45 am)
The board of directors of Cayman National Corporation approved an interim dividend of five cents per share to shareholders of record on August 31.
Payment date will be September 8, 2014.
Cayman National Corporation Ltd. offers financial solutions in Cayman Islands and internationally. The company was founded in 1974 and is based in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands with an additional office in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It has branches in Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman, Cayman Islands.
Caribbean poet heads to lakes
From Cumbria Live
AN internationally-renowned poet is to read from his new collection at the Lake District’s premier poetry night.
Jamaican-born Kei Miller will be at The Daffodil Hotel in Grasmere tomorrow night along with one of the UK’s best young performers.
Miller is rapidly developing a reputation as one of the best readers of poetry around.
He returns to the Wordsworth Trust to read from his new collection The Cartographer Tries to Map a Way to Zion, which draws on his experience of living in different nations, and explores what happens when one system of knowledge encounters another.
His poetry has been shortlisted for awards such as the Jonathan Llewelyn Ryhs Prize, the Dylan Thomas Prize and the Scottish Book of the Year.
With an MA in creative writing, his fiction has also been shortlisted for the Phyllis Wheatley Prize, the Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best First book and has won the Una Marson Prize.
Alongside him appears Liz Berry, who has rapidly developed a reputation as one of the best in the business. She grew up in the Black Country and the spoken language, as well as the experience of living there, has informed much of her work.
Her first reading in Grasmere marks the publication of her debut full-length collection by Chatto.
For more: http://www.cumbrialive.co.uk/home/caribbean-poet-heads-to-lakes-1.1157496
Cayman Islands Heart Fund thanks Butterfield Bank
The Cayman Heart Fund would like to express our heartfelt thank you to Butterfield Group Cayman for once again supporting the our non-profit organization as a Gold Sponsor.
We truly appreciate your support! Thank you very much.
“The Cayman Heart Fund is a non-profit organization that relies on the support of its sponsors and members for their funding.”
BET to host some of the Caribbean’s top recording artistes
From RED96.7FM
On August 27, BET will play host to some of the Caribbean’s top recording artistes, as part of their Carnival Take-Over show. The artistes will be featured on 106 and Park and will each get a chance to perform and do interviews.
Among the list of artistes slated to perform are Elephant Man, Gyptian, Wayne Marshall, Bunji Garlin, Kranium, QQ, Bunji Garlin,and Fay-Ann Lyons.
Elephant Man, who is no stranger to performances on BET says his invitation shows his relevance internationally, a contradiction to claims made by Beenie Man in a United States interview in which he sold himself as the only consistent Dancehall Act.
The Pon Di River singer last performed for bet at the station’s annual award show in 2013.
Wayne Marshall, who is currently signed to Damian Marley’s record label, Ghetto Youths International, took to social network to confirm his appearance on BET.
Via instagram he said, caribbean people, we are going to be taking the music and culture to BET … We are moving together as one people. Full take-over.”
For more: http://red967fm.com/bet-host-caribbeans-top-recording-artistes/
