iNews Briefs
Grand Cayman utility company to replace DT GT lines – outages planned Sunday (7) PLEASE NOTE
Caribbean Utility Company (CUC) Grand Cayman’s electrical power supplier have announced they will be replacing lines in downtown George Town this Sunday September 7th from Rackam’s Waterfront Bar to the Pirates Week Office on Shedden Road.
As a result this area will be without power for unspecified times between 7am and 4pm.
Those affected include Rackam’s Waterfront Bar and Restaurant, Strathvale House, Coe Centre, Diver’s Down, Casanova’s, Cabana Club, Harbour Centre, Waterfront Centre, Beach Bum Watersports, The Shops at Royal Watler, AALL Building, Dittman Building, Jack and Jill Building, The Legislative Assembly, Fort Street Market, Old Huntlaw Building, Westwind Building, Flagship Building, Elmslie Memorial United Church, North Terminal, Port Authority, Harbour Drive Jewellers and the Pirates Week Office on Shedden Road.
Motorists are asked to drive with caution when using North Church Street and Harbour Drive as CUC will have a number of vehicles and staff in the vicinity.
CUC apologises for the planned power supply cuts but says it was necessary to facilitate the upgrading of lines.
Nephew of Antigua’s newly elected prime minister murdered
From Caribbean360
ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, Wednesday September 3, 2014, CMC – The 18-year-old nephew of Prime Minister Gaston Browne was shot and killed on Monday night.
Police confirmed that Albert “Pressureman” Browne was killed, the 10th person murdered here so far this year.
Antigua’s OBSERVER media was told by police spokesperson Senior Sergeant William Holder, “the police are following some leads at this time and we are appealing to the general public with any information to contact the nearest police station…If they don’t want to come to the police they should utilise crime stoppers hotline (800 TIPS {8477}).”
“I came over to Point after him and was sitting around the corner near the alley when I heard the shots. I got up and went to check, and saw him lying on the ground in the alley. He never said anything to me,” his father, Glen Browne, told reporters.
He said his son was shot multiple times in the chest, and he had no idea who did it or why.
Cuba clamps down on personal importation of foreign goods
From Caribbean360
HAVANA, Cuba, September 2, 2014, CMC – Cuba has implemented new rules that will restrict the personal importation of foreign goods into the country except where locally made items are expensive and scarce.
The government says the restrictions are meant to curb abuses that have turned air travel in particular into a way for professional “mules” to illegally import supplies for both black-market businesses and legal private enterprises that are supposed to buy supplies from the state.
With the new guidelines in place a list detailing the number imported items that can be imported has been published.
According to the list, for example, 22 pounds of detergent will be allowed instead of 44; one set of hand tools instead of two; and 24 bras instead of 48.
The rules also state that tour car tyres are still permitted, as are two pieces of baby furniture and two flat-screen televisions.
Cuban customs also bars passengers from bringing in items worth more than US$1,000.
Instead of examining receipts, customs agents are given a long list assigning pre-set values to certain goods.
The new rules similarly increase the duties paid on goods shipped from abroad, another major source of foreign merchandise for the island.
No new cases of Chikungunya reported in Cayman Islands since late July
From Cayman Islands Public Health Department
Chikungunya Update as of 1 September 2014
Total confirmed cases of chikungunya remain at five as reported on 28 July 2014. Since then there have been no new confirmed cases.
- Since the last update of 25 August 2014, three new cases were under investigation during the week of 26 August to 1 September 2014. The blood samples were sent for testing at Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) in Trinidad on 2 September, 2014
- Four results were received this week from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), all tested negative for chikungunya.
- Total cases investigated for chikungunya since 25 June 2014 is 29.
- The total results received thus far are: out of 26 test results received, five have come back positive, twenty negative and one inconclusive. Results of three blood samples sent on 2 September are awaited.
To date, 9,139 confirmed/probable cases of chikungunya have been reported in 20 CARPHA Member States and 11 other Caribbean countries/territories. Total suspected cases are 643,211.
Further information can be obtained through www.hsa.ky
Regional updates can be accessed by visiting the CARPHA website on http://carpha.org/What-We-Do/Public-Health-Activities/Chikungunya. In addition United States updates are available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on http://www.cdc.gov/chikungunya/geo/united-states.html
SVG sends 25-member soccer squad to Caribbean Cup prelims
From I-Witness News
The Vincentian squad the E.T. Joshua Airport on Monday. The Vincentian squad the E.T. Joshua Airport on Monday.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines has sent a 25-member squad, including seven officials, to represent the country at the group stage of the Caribbean Cup in Antigua from Sept. 3 to 8.
The team left the country on Monday.
The list of players reads: Dwaine Sandy, Kenyan Lynch, Dorren Hamlet, Azinho Solomon, Nazir McBernette, Ronsil Badnock, Jarrel McMaster, Jahvin Sutherland, Tevin Slater, Oalex Anderson, Vasbert Ledger, Kyle Edwards, Emerald George, Myron Samuel, Danroy Edwards, Roy Richards, Shorn Lowman, and Kevin Francis.
The management team is comprised of Cornelius Huggins (Coach), Kevin Richardson (GK Coach), and Wesley Charles (Assist Coach), Othneil Douglas (Manager), Denis Byam (Physio), Alnif Williams (Kit Manager), and Dominique Stowe (Executive Officer).
On Wednesday, Sept. 3, at 5 p.m., SVG will play the Dominican Republic, then Anguilla on Friday, also at 5 p.m. The Vincentian will then take on the host, Antigua, at 7 p.m. on Sunday.
All games will be played at the Antigua Recreational Ground (ARG).
For more: http://www.iwnsvg.com/2014/09/02/svg-sends-25-member-soccer-squad-to-caribbean-cup-prelims/
Cayman Islands Marathon – deadline approaching for cheap registration
The 2014 Intertrust Cayman Islands Marathon organisers are reminding runners the deadline to get the least expensive registration rate is Thursday Sept 4th.
The registration fee for the marathon on Dec. 7 is now $72, the half-marathon fee is $48, and registration for the 4-person relay is $152. These rates will increase Friday, Sept. 5, by $8, $4 and $16, respectively, and will continue to increase until the week before the race.
Individual runners who have participated in the Cayman Islands Marathon or Half-Marathon for three consecutive years are eligible to receive the least expensive of the 2014 early-bird discounts, no matter when they register.
Those rates – $72 for the full marathon and $48 for the half – can be taken advantage of up until the day before the race.
EU signs development programs with 21 African, Caribbean and Pacific countries
From Shanghai Daily
BRUSSELS, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) — The European Union has signed development programs with 21 African, Caribbean and Pacific countries for a total amount of 339 million euros (445 million U.S. dollars), an EU statement said on Tuesday.
Andris Piebalgs, European Commissioner for Development, and representatives from the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries inked the National Indicative Programs (NIP) under the 11th European Development Fund for the period 2014-2020 in Samoa.
The list of signatory countries includes 10 from the Caribbean Region, 10 from the Pacific region and one from Africa.
“Today’s signatures mark the official go-ahead to continue strengthening our development cooperation with the concerned countries,” Piebalgs said after the signing ceremony.
The NIPs represent an important step in the programming of EU aid. EU Member States agreed in 2013 the overall amount for development cooperation that will be channeled to 78 African, Caribbean and Pacific countries through the 11th European Development Fund EDF during the financing period 2014-2020 would total 30.5 billion euros.
It is foreseen that by early 2015, the remaining NIPs will be finalized and signed. In parallel, work on preparing concrete projects and programs has also started in all countries.
For more: http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/article_xinhua.aspx?id=239032
Scotiabank named world’s best consumer Internet bank in Barbados
From Bajan Reporter
Scotiabank has been recognized by Global Finance Magazine as the Best Consumer Internet Bank in Barbados for 2014. In total, Scotiabank received recognition in 22 countries across the Caribbean and Central America.
“We are very proud to have been recognized by Global Finance for the quality of our online banking and customer service in Barbados,” said Managing Director for Scotiabank Caribbean East, David Noel.
“At Scotiabank one of our priorities is to make it easier for our customers to do business with us. Our online banking platform, which allows customers to bank when and where they want, is an important part of how we are delivering on that.”
Scotiabank also received Best Consumer Internet Bank recognitions in Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Panama, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks and Caicos and the US Virgin Islands.
Winning banks were selected based on the following criteria: strength of strategy for attracting and servicing online customers, success in getting clients to use web offerings, growth of online customers, breadth of product offerings, evidence of tangible benefits gained from Internet initiatives, and web site design and functionality.
“The Internet has transformed the way many consumers and most businesses bank,” said Joseph D. Giarraputo, publisher of Global Finance. “The continuing improvements in Internet offerings represented by this year’s entries show that more significant Internet banking developments are still ahead of us.”
Cayman Islands MLA’s want WP fees monies to train locals
Cayman Islands back-bench Members of the Legislative Assembly, Winston Connolly and Alva Suckoo, have indicated they will be putting forward a Private Members Motion calling for government to set aside money for training and income supplements.
The money will come from work permit fees.
”The fund should be used solely for the training and up-skilling of locals in order to teach skills and retool workers,” the motion states.
Cayman Islands Chamber concerned about increased crime
The Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce is concerned at the increasing crime rate on not only Grand Cayman but on one of the Sister Islands Cayman Brac.
The Chamber has announced it is going to survey its 700 business members to gauge the true impact crime has on the economy.
The survey will be conducted early next year and they will be hosting a series of workshops aimed at the tourism industry, to show the best ways to protect business.
Southwest to drop three Caribbean routes from Atlanta
From curacao Chronicle
DALLAS – Southwest Airlines announces that effective March 1, 2015 it will drop two weekly international routes from Atlanta; Aruba and Montego Bay. The company will also drop the Atlanta-San Juan route on March 7, 2015 per Airline Route.
Effective on March 7, 2015 Southwest will add weekly San Antonio-New Orleans service.
For more: http://curacaochronicle.com/aviation/southwest-to-drop-three-caribbean-routes-from-atlanta/
