First operation at Health City Cayman postponed

Cayman’s Health City that has just opened to world wide publicity was expected to execute its first operation this week but sources tell us that some last minute details have to be sorted out.

The operation is expected to happen within the next two weeks.

Cayman Enterprise City Partners with CI Government

Things are certainly adding up for school children after getting a helping hand from Cayman Enterprise City (CEC). Students at the John Gray and Clifton Hunter High Schools, the Cayman Islands Further Education Centre and the Lighthouse School will be given new calculators, through Enterprise City’s partnership with government.

Caribbean resort uses solar to offset energy consumption

By Kathleen Zipp From Solar Power World

The Westin Dawn Beach Resort & Spa, St. Maarten, as part of the Westin brand, has completed a solar installation that allows the resort to produce six to eight hours of its own power during peak times.

The resort began taking advantage of the island’s abundance of sunshine in 2007 with the installation of solar panels to heat the water used in the property’s guest rooms.

The resort’s owner, Columbia Sussex Corporation, working with OneWorld Sustainable, has completed the installation of 2,602 Lightway solar panels for a total system capacity of 755 kW.

The completed solar system will produce approximately 1,223,000 kWh per year. This is enough electricity to power 111 average sized American homes. The system will avoid 1.9 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions or the equivalent of CO2 emissions from energy used by 43 homes annually, or 707 acres of forest preserved from deforestation by carbon sequestering.

To install the panels and mounting hardware, OneWorld Sustainable worked with a local St. Maarten company whose employees provided valuable assistance during the three month-long project.

“In very few places around the world does it make better sense to utilize the power of the sun to generate electricity than in the Caribbean,” says OneWorld Sustainable’s President Tim Blackwell.

For more: http://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2014/03/caribbean-resort-uses-solar-offset-energy-consumption/

Cayman’s largest solar farm unveiled

Although Cayman’s largest solar farm at Caledonian Financial Services car park off West Bay Road has been generating electricity since mid-January, it wasn’t officially unveiled until last Thursday (13 March) night at a ceremony attended by Minister of Infrastructure Hon. Kurt Tibbetts.

520 photovoltaic panels have been installed to produce approx. half the energy Caledonian uses. Caledonian said the solar farm should pay for itself in 5 to 6 years, and has a life span of more than 20.

Cayman Chamber asking members if they support minimum wage

The Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce have asked their members whether they support a minimum wage by sending them a questionnaire on whether a proposed base rate will impact their businesses and by how much.

The results will be used in a report that will be sent to the Cayman government including the new committee being formed to review the introduction of a minimum wage.

Cayman first solar charger for electric cars being installed

Crews on Grand Cayman are engaged in installing photovoltaic panels on the Cayman Islands first solar charger for electric vehicles. The venue is Governor’s Square off the West Bay Road.

A one-hour solar charge is estimated to get an electric car enough energy to travel a distance of twenty miles

Puerto Rican cops collar dozens in major drug bust

From Caribbean360

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Friday March 14, 2014 – Sixty-three people accused of running a US$10 million drug-trafficking operation in Puerto Rico’s second largest city have been arrested, authorities in the US island territory said on Wednesday.

The suspects are accused of trafficking crack, heroin, cocaine, marijuana and prescription medication in the southern coastal city of Ponce, according to US Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodriguez.

Rodriguez added that the suspects began operating the ring in 2003 at a public housing project.

The arrests were carried out by Puerto Rico police and agents with the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) with help from other federal and local authorities.

The same day, in an unrelated case, the FBI announced two arrests involving more than US$7 million worth of cocaine.

According to FBI spokesman Moises Quinones, one of the suspects had jumped from a boat that authorities detected travelling toward Puerto Rico’s south coast late last year, while the other suspect was one of eight people awaiting the alleged drug shipment at a beach in the island’s southern region.

About 318 kilograms (700 pounds) of cocaine had been found in the boat, the federal agent said.

For more on this story go to: http://www.caribbean360.com/index.php/news/puerto_rico_news/1107279.html?utm_source=Caribbean360+Newsletters&utm_campaign=e0613d70a0-Vol_9_Issue_053_News3_14_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_350247989a-e0613d70a0-39393477#ixzz2w2RrZJxQ

See iNews Cayman related story: “Bryce Merren alleged to be involved in drug smuggling and money laundering” at: http://www.ieyenews.com/wordpress/randy-merren-alleged-to-be-involved-in-drug-smuggling-and-money-laundering/

Cayman launches new job interface

The Cayman Islands National Workforce Development Agency (NWDA) within the Ministry of Employment has joined the Immigration Department in launching an online job interface.

Hon. Tara Rivers the Minister for Employment said on CITN/Cayman27 last Thursday (13) that it was an efficient way for employers to recruit suitable Caymanians and also allow the agency to provide information to the Immigration Department to make decisions on the work permit process.

Those eligible to self-refer for jobs include Caymanians, spouses of Caymanians, people with permanent residency and legal and ordinary residents.

Indian Women in Caribbean Colonies – CFP

Call for Papers: Re-Memory/Remembering: Indian Women in Caribbean Colonies

Deadline: 300 word abstract by 21 March 2014

Send to Mayuri Deka: [email protected] and Alison Klein: [email protected].

Although Kemla Persad-Bissessar, a woman of Indian descent, was recently elected Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, the role of Indian women in Caribbean history remains largely invisible. However, the last decade has seen a dramatic increase of writers such as Ramabai Espinet, Peggy Mohan, and Gauitra Bahadur pushing against this invisibility. These authors imagine the experiences of the thousands of Indian women who labored under indenture on British plantations in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, often structuring their stories by overlapping events from the present with memories of the past.

The panel invites papers that examine depictions of Indian women in the indenture period of the Caribbean, considering the ways these texts bring the lives of these women back into public memory. They are especially interested in papers that explore the ways these women.

Cayman Islands Internal Complaints Process (ICP) Seminar

The Office the Complaints Commissioner (OCC) will hold its annual seminar to assess how the Internal Complaints Process (ICP) is working throughout Government on 18th March 2014 from 9am -12:30pm in the Conference Room at Cayman Conference Center, Elizabethan Square.

This is to assist Civil Servants primarily dealing with internal complaints and will be an open forum for discussion, advice and best practice. All Internal Complaints Managers or persons dealing with complaints MUST attend.

The OCC is also honoured to have Mr. Vaughan Carter who will be conducting training on Investigative Techniques.

The OCC ICP Manager for Internal Complaints, Ms. Julie Faulknor, will also make a presentation. The Commissioner will be present. The Deputy Governor will address the attendees.

Bahamas Minister of the Environment and Housing on landfill remediation

Hon. Kenred Dorsett M.P., Minister of the Environment and Housing

RE: Reports of Landfill Secrecy

LOS CABOS, Mexico – Landfill remediation has been a topic that I have discussed openly on various talk shows and via other media modes on numerous occasions. I have informed the Bahamian people of the government’s intention to joint venture with Renew Bahamas to effect change in the waste management processes at the New Providence Landfill. I have also discussed the circumstances surrounding the agreement.

As part of the joint venture with the Government of The Bahamas, Renew Bahamas will be constructing a materials recycling facility (MRF) for the government which will be manufacturing recyclates from waste and the revenue will be shared . This is to be done in addition to the environmental remediation of the New Providence Landfill.   Let me state emphatically that the government of The Bahamas will continue to control the New Providence Landfill.

As to the notion that Bahamian companies are being shut out of ‘million dollar solutions to environmental disaster’ by the government this is not the case. I met with Ms. McKinney of Waste Not along with representatives of other Bahamian sanitation companies which were given the opportunity to advance a similar programme. Ms. McKinney indicated in the meeting that they could not do it without incorporating the generation of energy and a long term Power Purchase Agreement. The government has continued to maintain the position that a properly structured RFP for Waste to Energy will be advanced subsequent to the energy liberalization exercise with BEC and that it was not prepared to couple this matter with landfill remediation efforts and the construction of a MRF. It should be noted that this group also met with the Prime Minister on this.

I have been very open with the media and the public on matters pertaining to my ministry, this matter is no different. For Ms. McKinney or anyone else to assert landfill secrecy is disingenuous at best. Ms. McKinney was intentionally involved in discussions regarding the way forward and the direction this administration chose to take with landfill remediation by my ministry.

Renew Bahamas has not assumed any responsibility at the New Providence Landfill any questions concerning the landfill should be remitted to the Department of Environmental Health or myself. When Renew Bahamas does begin their work the general public and the media will be notified and both parties will be open for any questions.

OCC appoints new Investigator

“As a Caymanian, his depth of local knowledge coupled with his extensive investigative experience…” said Nicola Williams, Complaints Commissioner

The Office of the Complaints Commission is pleased to announce the appointment of Daniel Lee as an OCC Investigator, bringing the total complement of OCC investigators to two.

Mr. Lee was a former member of the RCIPS with 27 years’ service. During this time he attended several management training courses in Canada, Jamaica, Barbados, USA and the U.K. and headed up various units within RCIPS, including the Uniform Support Group, the Training Department, the Security and Firearm and Firearm Licensing Department and was a Critical Incident Manager. He was also aide-de-camp to four different Governors of the Cayman Islands.

Daniel Lee holds a BA (Hons.) Law degree from the University of Liverpool. He is a Bronze, Silver and Gold Award holder of the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme and is a member of the Duke of Edinburgh Executive Committee and the Cayman Islands Football Association Disciplinary Committee.

Complaints Commissioner Nicole Williams states: “Daniel Lee is a welcome addition to the OCC Team. As a Caymanian, his depth of local knowledge coupled with his extensive investigative experience will make him an asset to this Office.”

Grades falling in Cayman’s primary schools

In a Freedom of Information request by a concerned parent it showed more than 50% of primary school leavers in 2013 failed Mathematics, English and Writing.

Despite poor grades children still graduate.

Councillor Winston Connolly said although it is alarming he thought it was “correctable”.

Someone stole our zebra and we want it back – [and it came back]

If you know the whereabouts of a kid friendly purple polka dotted zebra and you didn’t steal it there could be a $100 reward for you if it is found.

The decorative zebra is a popular feature at Grand Cayman’s Mini Golf Course on the West Bay Road.

Co-owner of the golf course, Neil Bryington, said on local television on Friday (14) this special message to the thieves.

“It’s very brazen we feel, because you must have climbed over the fence. Its not a small animal so you must have had some sort of truck or something to take it away. Whether it was an instant thing that you wanted to do, you just decided to do [it] or you planned it. We’re fine with that, just get our zebra back.”

LATEST: The zebra that was stolen from a popular West Bay Road attraction has been returned. No details have been given who “borrowed” it and No charges have been filed.

CIASA announces 28 swimmers to CARIFTA

The Cayman Islands Amateur Swimming Association (CIASA) has announced it is sending 28 swimmers to the 2014 CARIFTA Championships to be held in Savaneta, Aruba 20-27 April.

The swimmers are:

– Girls 11-12: Jade Barnes (CBAC), Alison Jackson (SSC), Miquela Montana (SSC), Zororo Mutomba (CBAC), Ria Plunkett (SSC), Holly Stradling (CBAC) and Monina Thompson (SSC).

– Boys 11-12: Jordan Crooks (CBAC), Liam Henry (SSC), Iain MacRae (SSC), Zachary Moore (CBAC) and Matthew Penner (CBAC)

– Girls 13-14: Samantha Bailey (SSC), Stefanie Boothe (SSC), Lauren Hew (CBAC), Flynn Hope (CBAC), Sarah Jackson (SSC), Katie Klein (SSC), Kavanagh Lambert (CBAC) and Ella Plunkett (CBAC)

– Boys 13-14: Rory Barrett (CBAC), Jonathan Key (SSC), Matthew Somerville (CBAC) and Eddie Weber (CBAC)

– Girls 15-17: Catriona MacRae (SSC)

– Boys 15-17: Simon Butler (SSC), Iain McCallum (SSC) and Cole Morgan (SSC)

Guardian of the Reef finally arrives in Cayman

The Guardian of the Reef bronze statue has finally arrived in Grand Cayman and was delivered to Dive-Tech’s Lighthouse Point location Friday afternoon (14 March).

The statue has to acclimate before being sunk to a sandy spot 65 feet below the water’s surface.

Canadian artist Simon Morris, the same man who designed Amphitrite, the iconic underwater mermaid at Sunset House also has designed The Guardian of the Reef.

See iNews Cayman related story “Divetech celebrates with the guardian of the reef “at: http://www.ieyenews.com/wordpress/divetech-celebrates-with-the-guardian-of-the-reef/