iNews Briefs
Judges can decide to hear court matters via video link
An amendment to the criminal procedure code was passed in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday (30) allowing judges to decide to hear court matters via a video link between the court and prisons.
Any short court appearance from prisoners at Northward can now be executed via video if both the judge and the prisoner agree.
It is a win win situation for both the prisons and the court as it will lower security risks, keep prison officers at Northward and speed up allocated court time.
DEH says yes to proposal to use dumped tyres as fill on developments
Following a proposal by the Ironwood group that if they are able to proceed with their plans to construct a major housing and golf course in Frank Sound, they would use the millions of dumped tyres on the George Town landfill as fill, the Department of Environmental Health (DEH) said the proposal is welcomed.
However, Dr Maysson Sallam, Assistant Director at the Cayman Islands Government Environmental Services said new tender documents would have to be drawn up with different factors and parameters. It would have to be transparent and “environmentally sound.”
A tender is out for bid at the moment for businesses to remove the tyres from our Islands.
Because of the additional costs of transporting the tyres off the island and the millions of old tyres available in other countries the number of tenderers could be small. This is the fourth time government has put the removal of tyres out for bid with no previous luck.
Fire Officers overtime pay in arrears
In a story on CITN/Cayman27’s News on Friday (31 Jan) they reported fire officers are owed hundreds of thousands of dollars in overtime pay.
The story goes on to say, “Government admits the arrears and says they are dealing with the matter by enlisting the help of Britain’s Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser Peter Holland.
For the whole story go to: http://www.cayman27.com.ky/2014/01/31/fire-officers-owed-hundreds-of-thousands-in-overtime
Education Ministry launches National Teachers Forum
Following meetings between Education Minister Hon. Tara Rivers and teacher representatives from Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac, a National Teachers Forum to improve dialogue between educators and policy makers has been launched.
This has resulted in their concerns and suggestions being included in the Cayman Islands Strategic Plan for Education for 2012 to 2017.
4 indicted for drug trafficking in Caribbean
From The Independent.com
Four men have been indicted on drug trafficking charges after the Coast Guard seized $37 million worth of cocaine during an operation in the Caribbean.
A federal grand jury returned the indictment on Wednesday charging 42-year-old Linberto Gallardo-Gonzalez, 35-year-old Uriel Julio Tapia, 37-year-old Miguel Vasquez-Barrios and 40-year-old Miguel Angel Sori-Ortiz.
They were charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, among other charges. Each faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years if convicted.
They were taken to Tampa for prosecution.
The U.S. Coast Guard says it offloaded 2,500 pounds of cocaine valued at $37 million on Jan. 22 south of the Dominican Republic. The men were seen tossing packages of drugs overboard during a pursuit launched from a British military ship.
For more on this story go to:
CUC receive 2nd writ claiming damages after explosion
Lawyers for Anrey Ebanks have filed a writ against Grand Cayman’s utility company, CUC, claiming Ebanks suffered various injuries, including burns in a blast during an explosion in the engine room at the CUC plant in 2011. The writ also says he has suffered mental and emotional trauma.
This is the second writ served on CUC in connection with an explosion in one of the company’s nine-megawatt diesel generators.
The first one was issued at the Grand Court by Travers, Thorpe, Alberga on behalf of Ebank’s colleague Kurt Scott.
When the cure kills
By Ray Weaver From The Copenhagen Post
Deaths of three Aarhus cancer patients may have been caused by an overdose of chemotherapy
Some 28 cancer patients being treated at Aarhus University hospital were given an overdose of the chemotherapy drug cabazitaxel. The deaths of three patients may be directly related to the overdoses, which were 16-21 percent higher than the recommended amount of the drug. The overdoses, which were given mostly to prostate cancer victims, resulted in more violent side effects than usual.
“This is a critical and totally unacceptable situation,” Ole Thomsen, the head of health Region Midtjylland, told DR Nyheder.
The hospital sent letters explaining the mistake yesterday to the surviving patients and relatives of those who have died.
Patients were offered a consultation to discuss the mistake and treatment options. They were also informed that they can apply for compensation from the Patient Insurance Association.
For more on this story go to:
http://cphpost.dk/news/when-the-cure-kills.8505.html
Hockey tournament raises funds for Feed Our Children
On Saturday (25) dozens of youngsters took part in the Cayman Islands Youth Roller Hockey Club’s fourth annual 4-on-4 street hockey tournament to raise funds for Feed our Future Cayman.
The competition was held beside Camana Bay’s Arts and Recreation Center drew all ability levels in the 14-and-under age group.
Feed our Future is a not for profit association whose primary mission is to solve childhood hunger and to support intellectual nourishment in the Cayman Islands through the funding of nutritionally balanced low cost or free school meals to children in need in public and private schools thereby serving a dual purpose of enriching the learning potential and health of the child and reducing the burden on the community that supports them. Feed our Future was established in mid 2011.
Our mission is to provide children in need school meals.
