iNews Briefs
2014 PwC Men’s Invitational Championships
The PwC Men’s Invitational Championships in Grand Cayman at the South Sound Tennis Club had $12,000 worth of prize money and went as expected to the four world class players who competed.
American Denis Zivkovic returned with last year’s doubles champion Italian Stefanno Ianni.
Also competing were Italian Adriano Biasella and American Robert Kendrick.
In the singles Kendrick beat Biasella 6-2, 6-2 in the semis and in the finals Kendrick, who was seeded #1 beat Zivkovic 6-2, 6-4.
The winners of the doubles were Zivkovic and Ianni who beat Kendrick and Biasella.
HRC has concerns over confidentiality in FOI Law
Representatives from the Cayman Islands Human Rights Commission reported to the Legislative Assembly (LA) last week that some confidential items in the commission’s possession may not be exempted from becoming released under Cayman’s Freedom of Information Law.
A report by them to the LA said, “The HRC expressed its disappointment that the subcommittee responsible for making these recommendations did not afford the HRC an opportunity to provide input or discuss the potential impacts of such amendments.”
The recommendations referred to were from the Freedom of Information Unit that was approved by the LA.
“It is the belief of the commission that the current exemptions in the Law do not adequately cover the needs of the commission once the Standards in Public Life Bill is passed into law,” the commission stated in its report.
New BT cemetery underway
The 3.75 acres of land adjacent to the Bodden Town Civic Centre bought by the previous government for the purpose of providing much needed burial space is underway.
“The cemetery entrance and compound is being well decorated and will become a nice graveyard for our loved ones. The land is very deep and property is also owned on both seaside and landside. So, hopefully, we are good for many years,” said government minister and resident of Bodden Town, Osbourne Bodden.
The construction of the new cemetery will be in three phases with the first phase slated to be completed by mid March this year. It will be able to accommodate 24 vaults. Phase 1 and 2 of the site is on the landside and phase 3 will be on the seaside.
Texas ship that had 180 ill aboard departs for new trip
From Reporter news
(AP) A ship that returned a day ahead of schedule this week with more than 180 ill passengers has sailed from a Houston-area port on another trip.
Princess Cruise lines spokeswoman Julie Benson says the Caribbean Princess sailed at 12:30 p.m. Sunday. It is headed for the Caribbean with about 3,000 passengers and expected to return next Saturday. She said the ship was delayed a day because of fog.
Earlier this week, Princess Cruises had said the Caribbean Princess returned Thursday, a day early, because of a dense fog advisory, not because of an outbreak that left people vomiting and with diarrhea.
The Caribbean Princess departed Jan. 25 for the Caribbean with more than 4,200 people on board
For more: http://www.reporternews.com/news/2014/feb/02/texas-ship-had-180-ill-aboard-departs-new-trip/
US official visits Haiti to help with adoptions
From Washington Post
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — A U.S. State Department official is visiting Haiti to help the impoverished Caribbean nation improve its procedures for adoptions by foreigners.
The agency said in a statement Monday that special adviser for children’s issues Susan Jacobs is in Haiti for three days to discuss adoptions following Haiti’s recent ratification of the Hague Adoption Convention.
An estimated 50,000 children in Haiti live in orphanages, in part because many parents give up their children because they can’t afford to take care of them. Many of the orphanages are poorly run and have little oversight.
Some Haitian children are trafficked into the neighboring Dominican Republic or elsewhere. The United Nations Children Agency recently estimated that at least 2,000 Haitian children were smuggled across the border in 2009.
Injured Travers will still compete in Olympics
Although Cayman’s sole representative in the Sochi 2014 Olympics injured his leg last month, Dow Travers says he is confident he will be completely fit when he competes.
Travers injury occurred after a large crash when he was training in Denver, Colorado two weeks ago.
Travers first competes in the Men’s Giant Slalom on 19 February and then in the Men’s Slalom on 22 February.
Brac fight: 4 more arrests
The RCIPS have reported they have made four more arrests in connection with a fight at La Esperanza bar, Cayman Brac on Saturday, 25 January.
All four were arrested on suspicion of obstructing police in the execution of their duties and are on police bail while enquiries continue.
CIAA signs contract for airports’ study
The Cayman Islands Airport Authority (CIAA) has signed a contract with accountants PricewaterhouseCooper (PwC) to assess the cost, planning, and environmental impact of building new facilities at all three of Cayman’s airports.
PwC is expected to deliver its recommendation to government in April.
Moses Kirkconnell , Cayman’s Minister for Tourism and Deputy premier, said it was imperative that swift action was taken to improve infrastructure and eliminate the overcrowding especially at Owen Roberts International Airport.
Where has the stolen money gone asks Judge?
At the second sentencing hearing on Monday (3) after Patricia Glasgow admitted to stealing US$437,300 in November last year from Rochester Ltd in some 74 fraudulent transactions while she was a trustee working for Bodden Corporate Services Ltd., Justice Quin announced he would not be delivering his ruling until further enquiries were made into the missing cash. He also said Glasgow may have remaining assets that could be seized.
Glasgow has provided no specific information where the entire stolen money has gone.
Glasgow admitted she had used some of the money to pay off her house mortgage and other debts and another sum was given to her brother.
The crown is seeking to recover the missing money.
See also iNews Cayman story July 16 2013 “Former employee of BCSL denies stealing nearly $440,000” at: http://www.ieyenews.com/wordpress/former-employee-of-bcsl-denies-stealing-nearly-440000/ and:
Local woman employed as trustee pleads guilty to S437K theft January 22 2014 at:
http://www.ieyenews.com/wordpress/inews-briefs-42/
First English-speaking Caribbean cardinal
Dominican-born, retired Archbishop of Castries Kelvin Felix, is preparing for an historic ceremony at the Vatican on February 22, when he will officially become the first ever cardinal from the English-Speaking Caribbea
Cardinal Kelvin Felix spoke recently in his first television interview since his nomination, about a number of issues, including what receiving the symbolic ‘red hat’ will mean for his future, his vision for the Church, and why he believes the Church is poised for some major changes
To see his interview go to: http://cathnews.com/cathnews/16646-cardinal-felix-from-caribbean
Kate Middleton and royal baby George return home after week-long Caribbean island break
The Duchess of Cambridge and Prince George have returned home from their week-long holiday on the island of Mustique.
Kate, 32, and six-month-old George were reunited with husband and daddy William who stayed in the UK to study agricultural management in Cambridge.
William missed out on a luxury stay in the £15,000-per-week Aurora villa, which boasts “sweeping vistas of the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean”.
For full story go to: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/kate-middleton-duchess-cambridge-royal-3109525#ixzz2sNMmySmR
National Trust Then and Now at Fort George
The National Trust for the Cayman Islands are inviting members and friends of the Trust for Then and Now at the opening of the Historic Fort George Site, George Town (next to the cruise ship terminal).
DATE: Thursday 6th February 2014 TIME: 4pm – 6pm
RSVP to [email protected]
