iNews Briefs
WestStar TV did not fund Cayman 27 since its inception
In a statement on the Cayman 27 website that was also broadcast it says “WestStar has funded Cayman 27 since its inception in 1992”. This is incorrect.
CITN, as it was first known and broadcast with the slogan “CITN – bringing the world to you” was funded completely from its inception by Joan and Colin Wilson the owners of Cayman International Television (Caribbean) Network Ltd.
It’s very first broadcast was on September 10th 1992 that coincided with Joan’s birthday.
CITN employed the services of WestStar TV to provide the additional funding and to implement the cable business in November 1992.
CITN was sold to WestStar TV not until August 2004. Up until then the company remained in the ownership of its founders. A number of programmes broadcast on the free over the air channel (27) were bought and paid for by CITN during that time when Colin Wilson was the Programme Manager.
Arnold Palmer to launch Cayman’s new Ironwood Golf Course on 27 February
East End is in the spotlight as the new and prestigious Ironwood development launches the first Arnold Palmer 18-hole championship golf course in the Caribbean. Arnold Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men’s professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955. Mr. Palmer will be presiding over the official launch of his first Caribbean golf course at the East End site on Thursday, 27 February. Invitations will be distributed to members of the public.
Not only esthetically beautiful the new golf course places Cayman atop the world-stage in its innovative and eco-friendly design. By seeking to remove more than 1,000,000 tires from Cayman’s landfill and using them to facilitate fill and drainage for the golf course, the design team is making a good start on preserving the natural beauty and sustainability of the East End site, which has many phases to come. The Ironwood project will bring tourists as well as business and employment opportunities for the people of East End and Cayman as a whole.
Ironwood is a 600-acre development with $360 million invested in a commercial, tourism and residential community in East End. The community will feature a Town Centre with boutique shops, conveniences including a grocery store and entertainment. In addition, Ironwood will boast a sports training complex, an Arnold Palmer Signature 18-hole championship golf course and a vacation resort.
Suspected jewel thief appears in court in wheelchair
Jonathan Ramoon appeared in court in a wheelchair last Friday (14) together with his co-accused Christopher Myles and James Mclean in order to answer charges in connection with the robbery at Diamond’s International on New Year’s Day at gun point in front of hundreds of cruise ship visitors. They made off with hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of jewellery but as they tried to leave in their get away vehicle Cayman Islands Commissioner David Baines was driving past. He spotted the men and drove his vehicle into their car prohibiting their escape.
Ramoon was run over by the Commissioner’s car after he and the others allegedly fled on foot and suffered injuries that included one of his legs that is still in a cast.
The case against the three men was adjourned until 28th February after the court heard that the crown had just served further information on the defence attorneys.
Ramoon also fired his attorney on Friday.
9 Years and 4 months for cocaine importation
Ithran Brackman Powell, who pleaded guilty to the importation of nearly 11 pounds of cocaine in a suitcase that was discovered at Cayman Islands Owen Roberts International Airport on March 26, 2013, was sentenced to spend 9 years and 4 months at HMP Northward. The suitcase was discovered to have a false bottom.
Powell had given his reason for the crime was to help his sick mother with her medical bills. He was only the courier he said and told officers someone was to have collected the cocaine on his arrival, but he did not know who. He was to have received $6,000.
The magistrate, Valdis Foldats, was not impressed and in giving his judgment said sentences had to be severe “to denounce this type of crime and deter like-minded individuals”.
The starting point for offence was 15 years but the magistrate took into consideration the ‘guilty’ plea and Powell was of previous good character.
Manhunt for boyfriend of beheaded woman in bloody Jamaican weekend
From Caribbean360
Police are also searching for gunmen thought to be responsible for the murder of a man and an infant as well as a retaliatory shooting.
KINGSTON, Jamaica, Monday February 17, 2014, CMC – The police are searching for the boyfriend of a woman who was beheaded in Kingston early Sunday morning.
The woman, Karen Renford, 24, was killed a few metres from her house off Mountain View Avenue in the Corporate Area.
The police report that neighbours heard screams coming from the house shared by the couple and when they went to investigate, Renford’s headless body was found outside.
The father of four of her children has not been seen since the incident and the police are now searching for him.
The police are also searching for two groups of gunmen believed to be responsible for Friday’s murder of a man and a 17-month-old baby in the Corporate Area as well as a retaliatory shooting which left two persons seriously injured
According to police reports, in the first incident, which occurred shortly after 10:00 pm on Friday, a group of residents was having a Valentine’s Day party when heavily armed gunmen invaded the party.
The men opened gunfire on the group, killing a man and the 17-month-old child.
The police say moments later, the men went to another street in the area where they kicked open a door to a house where a woman lived with her two-month-old baby.
The gunmen allegedly shot the father and the mother. The baby, who apparently was also their target, escaped uninjured.
Jealous lover found guilty of wounding after brawl in Cayman
Michael Joseph Fischetti, an executive sous chef at a restaurant in Camana Bay, was found guilty of wounding Edenis Miguel Rives when he punched Rives so hard he broke his jaw and knocked him out even though the man was trying to get away.
The incident that was shown to the court by CCTV footage showed Fischetti’s girlfriend greeting two friends at a gas station in the early hours of 16th March 2013. Although the incident was harmless Fischetti did not see it that way and hurled insults at the two men threatening to kill them. A brawl ensued and when Rives backed away and started to run Fischetti pursued him and after catching him up landed the critical blow.
Fischetti had pleaded self defence at the judge alone trial but visiting Justice Malcolm Swift did not see it that way and gave his guilty verdict.
Biggest-ever solar thermal power plant goes online in California
By Jon Fingas From engadget
Solar power just hit the big time in the US — BrightSource Energy has confirmed that the world’s largest solar thermal plant, the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System in California, is up and running. The array, also backed by Google and NRG Energy, produces a total 392MW of power through 173,500 multi-mirror units. That’s enough to power 140,000 nearby homes, and it represents 30 percent of all the solar thermal energy in the US. The Ivanpah harvester has its drawbacks; with roughly 5.5 square miles of mirrors, it’s creating trouble for birds and other nearby wildlife. Even so, it represents an important breakthrough for delivering clean energy on a grand scale.
More tourists arrived in Cuba in 2013
Havana (Prensa Latina) – Cuba welcomed 2,852,572 international tourists in 2013, a figure that means 0.5 percent more than last year, according to data published today by the National Statistics and Information Office (ONEI).
According to the publication “International Tourism: Selected Indicators from January to December, 2013,” the highest number of foreign visitors by geographic areas came from North America (45 percent), the Caribbean (13.7 percent), Western Europe (10.4) and South America (9.2 percent).
Canada remained as the greatest sender of tourists to the Caribbean island (48.9 percent), followed by the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Argentina, Mexico, Spain and Russia.
ONEI statistics show that by ages, most visitors were between 25 and 44 years of age, followed by the group from 45 to 59 years of age.
Of the total of foreigners that arrived in the country last year, 2,721,923 did it for leisure, recreation and vacations, a figure that exceeded those of 2012 in 20,557.
The trips for health reasons also increased, but slightly: from 4,739 in 2012, to 4,900 last year.
Even when the entrance of international tourists in 2013 exceeded that of the previous year, the goal of welcoming three million tourists, planned by the Tourism Ministry, was not met.
MV Star Flyer sails into Cayman Brac
A 110m tall four masted modern sailing passenger vessel – the Star Flyer – carrying 114 passengers on board landed at Cayman Brac last Friday (14).
Deputy Premier and Minister for Tourism Hon. Moses Kirkconnell was there to meet the passengers as they embarked.
The ship is scheduled to make six journeys to Cayman Brac and is operated by Star Clippers Ltd of Sweden.
Caribbean comeback after royal visit
From Breaking Travel News
New research by Holiday Extras reveals that many British holidaymakers now crave the royal treatment when it comes to holidaying abroad. The life of our young Royals is well documented in the media, with endless snaps of charity galas, event openings and global meet and greets. However, it has been the recent inundation of pictures of the Duchess of Cambridge and baby Prince George on their holiday to the Caribbean island of Mustique, which has captured the public’s interest. The survey results revealed that their choice of holiday destination has rubbed off on our travel attitudes, with 32% of Brits fantasising about sunbathing on the white sandy shores of the Caribbean.
Whilst flying off to Mustique in a private jet may not be a reality for the majority of us, there is nothing to stop us daydreaming about following in the travel footsteps of the most famous family in Britain
For more: http://www.breakingtravelnews.com/news/article/caribbean-comeback-after-royal-visit/
Cayman’s ICTA determines rebroadcast of government channel meets requirements
All cable television operators must provide a local channel for free in order to have a license says the Information Communications and Technology Authority (ICTA).
However, they need not provide their own TV broadcast channel as has WestStar TV with CITN/Cayman27. The ICTA has determined the rebroadcast of the government channel meets the requirement.
There is a planned upcoming public consultation on what defines local television content.
Jamaican bobsledders bottom-out on first day of competition at Sochi
From Caribbean360
The team of Winston Watts and Marvin Dixon will enter the third and final heat at the Winter Olympics on Monday after finishing last on their Sunday outing.
SOCHI, Russia, Monday February 17, 2014, CMC – Jamaica’s two-man bobsleigh team finished at the bottom of the standings after the first day of competition at the Winter Olympics at the Sanki Sliding Centre on Sunday.
The team of Winston Watts and Marvin Dixon had a combined time of 1 minute 57.23 seconds, almost five seconds behind the Russian pair of Alexander Zubkov and Alexey Voevoda who clocked 1:52.82.
The Russians are ahead of second-placed Beat Hefti and Alex Baumann of Sweden in 1:53.14.
Americans Steven Holcomb and Steven Langton are in third position.
This season’s World Cup winner Holcomb, who also won the 2010 gold medal in the four-man event, was just 0.09sec behind Zubkov after the first attempt but finished third with a time of 1:53.18.
The Jamaicans will enter the third and final heat on Monday.
Jamaica made its debut at the Olympic Winter Games in 1988 in Calgary when a team made up of track sprinters was entered in the men’s four-man bobsleigh competition.
Caribbean Chemicals warns businesses of ‘well-organised’ cheque fraud
From Stabroek News
“-after conman buys fertilisers with bogus $2.2M cheque”
After being defrauded of more than $2.2 million by way of a bogus cheque it received, Caribbean Chemicals yesterday warned business owners to be alert and not fall victim to a “well organised” gang preying on businesses countrywide.
“We understand that our company is not the only company to have fallen victim to this scam and we would like to alert the business community to be on their guard,” Director of Caribbean Chemicals Francesca Pires said at a press conference yesterday.
She explained that someone had called the office identifying himself as a farmer and enquiring about fertiliser purchases. After receiving the necessary information, the person said he would go to the office to make the purchase.
The person then went to the office and paid with a Demerara Bank cheque for 350 bags of fertilizer.
Caribbean to receive $6.8M for energy projects
From The Big Story
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP) — Germany has pledged $6.8 million to help Caribbean trade bloc nations reduce their dependence on petroleum.
Caricom said Saturday that the money will be made available through a regional renewable energy and efficiency assistance program.
German officials met with Caricom leaders this week to talk about the development of solar, wind and hydropower projects, among others.
Germany has contributed nearly $22 million to help boost the Caribbean’s renewable energy sector.
For more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/caribbean-receive-68m-energy-projects
Settlement will help save Florida corals threatened by global warming
In a settlement filed in federal court last year, the National Marine Fisheries Service committed to developing a recovery plan for elkhorn and staghorn corals that live in Florida and throughout the Caribbean. The agreement between the Center for Biological Diversity and the federal agency ensures that the Fisheries Service will publish a draft plan by 2014 and promptly finalize it in the following months. These corals were protected under the Endangered Species Act in 2006 because of threats from global warming and ocean acidification but, before today’s settlement agreement, had still not received the legally required recovery plan needed to save them from extinction.
Meanwhile, the agency has proposed to reclassify the corals from “threatened” to the even more serious category of “endangered” because of their rapid decline.
“A recovery plan and quick action to reduce carbon dioxide pollution are the two missing pieces necessary to save these beautiful corals from extinction,” said Jaclyn Lopez, a Florida attorney at the Center.
Elkhorn and staghorn corals have declined by 90 percent since the 1970s and now need the safety net of the Endangered Species Act to survive. The Center authored a scientific petition in 2004 to protect the two corals under the Endangered Species Act due to impacts of global warming and ocean acidification. Reefs in Florida and the Caribbean were once dominated by these beautiful, branching elkhorn and staghorn corals, but now the species face steep declines due to bleaching from increasing ocean temperatures, pressures from disease, fishing and pollution, and impacts from ocean acidification.
Source: commondreams.org
Turkey brings ‘strong commitment’ to Caribbean states
From Turkish Press
Turkey’s development minister says committment to Caribbean countries will be clear during G20 presidency in 2015.
ANKARA – Turkey is committed to fostering good relations with Caribbean countries, Turkey’s Development Minister Cevdet Yilmaz on Friday told the ministerial council of the Association of Caribbean States in Trinidad and Tobago.
Yilmaz said Turkey’s interest in the region has a more than decade-long history.
“Turkey’s commitment to your region is strong, multifaceted and longstanding,” he told the council, adding that the country’s trade volume with the region has increased nine-fold in ten years, to reach $8 billion.
“We believe that Turkey can provide significant added value to global peace and security in an era of critical and rapid change in regional and international affairs.”
Yilmaz said Turkey’s role in this regard would become more pronounced during its G20 presidency in 2015 and when it hosts the first-ever World Humanitarian Summit in 2016.
Turkey spent more than a billion US dollars in humanitarian aid in 2013, according to a report on global humanitarian assistance by anti-poverty group Development Initiatives. It allocated the largest portion of this sum to its response to the Syria refugee crisis. Close to 600,000 Syrians are registered as refugees in Turkey, according to the UN’s Refugee Agency.
For more on this story go to:
http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=388791
Qannas Investments wins shareholder approval for move to Cayman Islands
LONDON (Alliance News) – Qannas Investments Ltd Monday said it will continue to work with regulators in order to complete its move to the Cayman Islands from Jersey, after shareholders passed a number of resolutions at an extraordinary general meeting.
News of the shareholders’ vote comes two weeks after Qannas said it would seek their approval over its proposed acquisition of interests in two investment funds financed by the issue of about 44.7 million new shares at USD1 a share.
Now that shareholders have given their approval, Qannas said it expects the move to the Caymans and the cancellation and re-admission of its shares to trading on AIM to become effective in late March.
By Samuel Agini; [email protected]; @samuelagini
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