iNews Briefs
Cayman bank refuses to process former FIFA VP’s payments
According to a report by the UK’s Daily Telegraph, former FIFA Vice-President, Jack Warner, is alleged to have been personally paid approx. $1.2M by a firm controlled by a former Qatari football official, shortly after the decision to let the country host the 2022 World Cup.
When Warner went to a Cayman bank it refused to process the payment amid fears over the legality of the money transfer. The funds were then processed via a bank in New York – a transaction that is understood to have come under the FBI’s attention.
Caribbean: 1 In 5 unaware of TB diagnosis, says Health Organisation
WASHINGTON, March 24 (BERNAMA-NNN-CMC) — The Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) says one in five people infected with tuberculosis in the Americas, including the Caribbean, remains unaware of the disease.
PAHO said this is due to “failure to access health services or because they are not properly diagnosed.” In 2012, PAHO said regional countries reported 220,000 cases of tuberculosis, and an estimated 19,000 people died from the disease.
But it said an additional 60,000 people are believed to have TB, who have not yet been diagnosed.
“This situation not only endangers their lives, it also facilitates further transmission of TB, producing more disease and generating socioeconomic costs for individuals, families and communities,” PAHO warned.
It issued the statement in commemoration of World TB Day that sought to raise awareness on the tuberculosis burden in the world, as well as the efforts made for its prevention and control.
Throughout the years, PAHO said this commemoration has offered the opportunity to mobilize the political, economic and social commitment for the prevention and control of TB in the countries.
For the 2014 campaign, PAHO said it will follow the worldwide focus on TB diagnosis and case detection of those still not reached, “with emphasis in the Americas on vulnerable populations, social determinants and large cities.”
For more: http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v7/wn/newsworld.php?id=1024234
Cayman’s Rotaract’s “Building our Future with Vision” held last Sat (22)
The various Rotaract clubs in Cayman got together last Saturday (22) at the George Town Primary School Hall to organise an event for a vision project being held in 10 different countries.
The day started at 9am and finished at 2pm with Rotaract providing free eye exams and glasses to children between the ages of 4 and 12.
The theme for the district this year is “Building our Future with Vision”.
Sask. naval commander helps with seizure of $80M worth of cocaine in Caribbean
From The Leader-Post
Saskatchewan’s Lt.-Cmdr. Victoria DeVita, commander of the HMCS Glace Bay.
Photograph by: Photo courtesy Royal Canadian Navy , Formation Imaging Services
REGINA — A Canadian naval vessel commanded by Saskatchewan’s Victoria DeVita is being commended for its role in a large drug bust in the Caribbean Sea.
On March 15, HMCS Glace Bay in conjunction with U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment was on patrol and searched a fishing vessel for drugs but came up with nothing, according to a press release.
However, the fishing vessel caught fire and sank. Another search of the area found 97 bales, or 2,400 kilograms of cocaine, floating in the water. The estimated value of the cocaine is $80 million.
The bust was part of Operation CARIBBE — a multinational effort to prevent illegal drug trafficking in the Caribbean basin, the eastern Pacific Ocean and coastal Central America.
Lt.-Cmdr. DeVita, born and raised in Indian Head, is the fourth female in Canadian history to command an HMCS vessel.
Cayman’s Law Reform Commission’s paper for discussion on the sub judice rule
The Law Reform Commission submits a discussion paper on the sub judice rule which falls under the law of contempt.
The discussion paper will be published on www.gov.ky as well as on www.lawreformcommission.gov.ky (or www.lrc.gov.ky). Members of the public are invited to submit their comments on the paper. Submissions should be made no later than 21st April, 2014 and should be posted to the Director, Law Reform Commission, P.O. Box 1999 KY1-1104, delivered by hand to the offices of the Commission at 1st floor dms House, Genesis Close or sent by e-mail to [email protected]
UK’s new passport fees reduced
New passport fees will come into effect on 7 April for expatriate British nationals applying from overseas countries. The reduction will benefit over 4 million overseas customers and is a result of the efficiency savings made by bringing the processing and issuing of overseas passports back to the UK.
The Governor of the Cayman Islands, Her Excellency Helen Kilpatrick said, “I am delighted that the UK Passport Office has announced these new fees. The significant cost reduction will benefit expatriate British nationals that are resident in the Cayman Islands.”
The new fees are as follows:
Adult 32 page passport will cost £83. Reduced by £45
A child 32 page passport will cost £53. Reduced by £28.50
48 page (Jumbo) passports will cost £91.00. Reduced by £63.50.
Overseas customers will continue to pay a courier charge in addition to the passport fee.
2 CARIFTA athletic meets sponsored by Cayman Islands’ CUC
The Cayman Islands Athletic Association is holding the CUC 2014 National Youth & Junior Championships next week, and for the top athletes it is a great chance to qualify for the CARIFTA championships.
The two meets are at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex on April 4 at 6 p.m. and on April 5 at 4 p.m. The meet, which will be used as a qualifier for the CARIFTA championships in Martinique over Easter, is sponsored by Caribbean Utilities Company.
This event has been staged by CUC for more than 25 years and is one of the major meets on the calendar.
With the Inter-Primary and Inter-Secondary Track & Field Championships looming, the organizers are expecting plenty of entrants.
There are some athletes who are very close to achieving the qualification mark, including Tahj Lewis and Tiffany Cole, and this meet could secure their berth. Registration is open to various age groups.
Qunar Cayman shares move down
Qunar Cayman Islands Ltd (NASDAQ:QUNR), China’s leading search-based travel commerce platform, announced the appointment of Ms. Yilu Zhao as the Company’s Chief Strategy Officer, effective March 25, 2014. She will be responsible for leading capital markets activities, investor relations and mergers and acquisitions. Qunar Cayman Islands Ltd (NASDAQ:QUNR) shares moved down -7.84% in last trading session and was closed at $28.68, while trading in range of $28.30 – $31.12. Qunar Cayman Islands Ltd (NASDAQ:QUNR) year to date (YTD) performance is 8.10%.
Colombia to produce 50 percent more biofuel this year
From Before It’s News
Colombia, the fifth-largest producer of palm oil-based biodiesel and 10th-largest maker of sugarcane-based ethanol, plans to boost production of both biofuels by around 50 percent in the 2014-2015 period.
The National Biofuels Federation’s director of planning, development and innovation, Carlos Mateus, made the announcement to reporters Thursday prior to the inauguration of the inaugural International Conference on Biofuels in this Caribbean city.
International scholars and private- and public-sector experts are attending the conference.
“There are projects for 2014-2015 to boost installed production capacity by 50 percent for ethanol and 60 percent for biodiesel to meet the needs of the domestic market, come up with better blends in that market and target international markets,” Mateus said.
Colombia’s biofuels industry was spurred by laws enacted at the beginning of the last decade; since then, installed production capacity for biodiesel and ethanol has grown to 600,000 tons annually and 1.2 million liters per day, respectively.
Ethanol is currently produced from sugarcane in the Andean nation but scientists are studying ways to make the biofuel from bitter cassava.
More than 300,000 people in Colombia depend on the biofuels industry for their livelihoods, 85 percent of whom live in rural areas.
For more: ttp://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2014/03/colombia-to-produce-50-percent-more-biofuel-this-year-2923738.html
Anti-doping workshop from Cayman’s Olympic Committee
The Medical and Anti-Doping Commission, a sub-commission of the Cayman Islands Olympic Committee, recently hosted an anti-doping workshop for athletes, coaches, sports administrators, physical education teachers and the media.
The March 15 workshop at the Government Administration Building was designed to educate participants on anti-doping efforts throughout the Cayman Islands.
James Myles, chairman of MADC, opened the workshop with a brief history of the organisation.
Guest speaker Tessa Chaderton-Shaw, executive director of the Caribbean Regional Anti-Doping Organization, provided information on the efforts of the Caribbean RADO. She also spoke about how the Caribbean RADO deals with managing results after doping control tests have been conducted. The doping control officers – James Myles, Merta Day and Carl Brown – with the help of the newly appointed athlete representative of MADC, James Geary informed the audience about the doping control process.
The first session of the workshop was aimed at coaches and physical education teachers. The second session targeted athletes, sports administrators and the media. The Cayman Islands Olympic Committee funded the workshop with support from the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
The Cayman Islands Olympic Committee acquired a support grant from UNESCO to implement anti-doping education throughout the territory.
Bermuda gets top dive vote
By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent From Boston.com
Said to be home to more wreck dive sites per square mile than anywhere else in the world, Bermuda was voted the number one wreck diving site in the Caribbean and Atlantic by readers of Scuba Diving magazine, as part of its 2014 Readers’ Choice Awards. In addition, the popular Cristobal Colon wreck was named best wreck dive as part of the magazine’s Top 100 Gold List. The luxury liner sank in 1936 and is Bermuda’s largest shipwreck, nearly 500 feet long, with it remains scattered over 100,000 square feet of ocean floor.
In all, Bermuda has more than 300 wreck diving sites, most within a short boat ride from shore. There is also 200 miles of coral reefs to explore. For Bermuda info, check out www.gotobermuda.com
For more: http://www.boston.com/travel/blog/2014/03/bermuda_gets_top-dive_vote.html
Cayman Tingyi rallies as high-end proprietary noodles wins UBS praise
By Moxy Ying from Bloomberg
The new noodles at Tingyi (Cayman Islands) Holding Corp. (322) are getting rave reviews at UBS AG.
“Tingyi’s launch of high-end proprietary steamed noodles with improved ingredients might be a major breakthrough for the industry and the company,” UBS analysts including Christine Peng wrote in a report dated today. Shares jumped 5.9 percent at 11:01 a.m. in Hong Kong, the second-biggest gain in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, as UBS joined China International Capital Corp. in upgrading Tingyi to buy.
Both brokerages predict profitability in the noodle business will rebound and that potential acquisitions may drive further gains in the stock, which reached a one-month low yesterday on earnings that trailed analysts’ estimates. UBS said the stock may climb 16 percent in the next 12 months from yesterday’s close, while CICC estimates it will gain 28 percent by yearend.
Tingyi has climbed 8.2 percent in Hong Kong trading during the past year. The company reported 2013 net income of $408.5 million yesterday, versus the $427.2 million average estimate in a Bloomberg News survey.
Tingyi will probably accelerate product upgrades in its noodle business to combat the risk of a shrinking market, UBS said. Profit margins in noodles may climb back to 2009 highs, while overall earnings may grow 14 percent this year and 13 percent in 2015, UBS said.
“We see an inflection point ahead,” CICC analaysts led by Brad Yang wrote in a report today. “The market still remains very conservative especially since its earnings miss.”
For more go to: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-03-24/tingyi-rallies-as-high-end-proprietary-noodles-wins-ubs-praise
Cayman’s “No Make-up selfie” raises $1,000 in 2 days
The Cayman Islands Cancer Society has adopted here the national social media campaign #nomakeupselfie that has raised over $3M for cancer research.
The campaign encourages women to post pictures of themselves with no make-up and nominating a friend to do the same to raise awareness of breast cancer and raises money from donations from Facebook, Instagram and Twitter users.
Here in Cayman within a couple of days donations to the Cancer Society went up to $1,000. And you can donate without taking a selfie!
The money raised through the campaign will go towards a new chemotherapy unit on island.
See related story:
‘No make-up selfie’ donations error: Thousands of pounds sent to wrong charity
By Louisa Peacock, From UK Telegraph
Thousands of pounds donated to the #nomakeupselfie campaign have ended up at the wrong charity – one which supports polar bears, after a text messaging error, according to reports
Almost £20,000 has been donated to Unicef in error, instead of Cancer Research UK, after people pledging money via text wrote “donate” rather than “beat” in the message.
Others accidentally enquired about adopting a polar bear from the World Wildlife Fund, according to the BBC.
Unicef said so far £18,625 had been accidentally donated under the #nomakeupselfie campaign – an internet craze that has seen thousands of women post pictures of themselves wearing no make-up – when it should have gone to Cancer Research UK.
Unicef is now working with the charity to transfer the funds donated.
So far more than £8 million has been raised for Cancer Research UK as part of the campaign.
Mike Flynn, director of individual giving at Unicef UK, said the “genuine mix-up” came after people texted the word “donate” to 70099, rather than the word “beat”.
‘Donate to 70099’ is a combination which Unicef has sole use of.
The accidental polar bear enquiries are thought to have come because some people’s smartphones corrected the word ‘beat’ to ‘bear’, automatically triggering a question about adopting a polar bear with WWF.
Westminster Group wins consultancy deal in Caribbean
By Jamie Ashcroft From Proactyive Investors
Work begins immediately and it will see a specialist team being deployed in the country for several weeks.
Security specialist Westminster Group (LON:WSG) has won a new contract to provide a Caribbean government with extensive security consultancy services.
Westminster will support the government through a review and assessment of the country’s K9 law enforcement operations, for the police, customs, prisons and army.
This, the company said, will involve an evaluation for each agency including a full training needs evaluation; a review of each unit’s K9 standards; and a review of standard operating procedures and current deployment practices.
Work begins immediately and it will see a specialist team being deployed in the country for several weeks.
Chief executive Peter Fowler said: “I am both pleased and proud that Westminster has been selected to undertake this important and extensive assignment which underpins our growing reputation around the world not only for the provision of equipment and technology solutions but also for the provision of specialist consultancy services.
“Of particular relevance is the fact that Westminster has secured this contract, which had been in negotiation over several months, for a new governmental client in the Caribbean.
“This now means we have K9 operations covering three continents and we are already in discussions with the government concerned regarding more extensive services both from our Technology and also Managed Services Divisions.”
Money spinning tourism ventures potentially damaging to Caribbean
Deborah Beal, an environmental science lecturer at the University College of the Cayman Islands (UCCI), said “money spinning tourism ventures across the Caribbean were potentially damaging the environment.”
Speaking last week at the UCCI Conference she stated, “Swimming with the dolphins, at first glance it doesn’t seem to do much harm, the dolphins are raised in captivity, they are trained to allow humans to interact. It seems to be an okay activity.
“Most people get a big kick out of it and maybe begin to get an appreciation for dolphins. It sounds fine till you look at what a normal dolphin migration pattern is. Their range in the wild is thousands of miles and now we are keeping them in basically a swimming pool. It would be like us being kept in one room of our house for our whole lives, despite the fact that we are social creatures.”
She raised similar concerns about the Turtle Farm and, to a lesser degree, Stingray City.
CONCACAF President Discusses Anti-Corruption in the Caribbean
Speaking on integrity and transparency on the Sports Panel at the UCCI Conference
Grand Cayman (Tuesday, March 25, 2014) – Providing a top level perspective from the regional football confederation, FIFA Vice President and CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb delivered a message at the UCCI Conference in Grand Cayman that touched on CONCACAF’s progress in building new foundations based on strong pillars of transparency, ethics and development.
“Improving governance standards should be a priority for any organization,” said Webb. “Without trust at every level, it is impossible to create a strong region like the one we are envisioning. The Caribbean region has diverse cultural, social and economic elements that, while positive in many respects, provide inherent difficulties. The real challenge of uniting nations that are in such different places is defining an integral regional vision of the future.”
Mentioning that he has been enormously gratified by the warm welcome and support received throughout his travels, Webb expressed his commitment to enrich the region’s diversity, as well as communicate core values and distinctive identities through sport.
“It is our task to make sure that we all work to restore the value of integrity, to ensure that we work for the love of society,” he noted. “This is our time to forge a common agenda, to build on solid foundations, and guarantee professional excellence.”
The two-day conference, entitled “Towards a Corruption-Free Caribbean: Ethics, Values, Trust and Morality,” focuses on various aspects of values and ethics, as they relate not only to the function of Caribbean governments and political parties, but also to the role of every institution – whether educational, religious, or social — across the region.
Caribbean Princess remains in Houston, Navigator in Galveston due to channel closure
From Seatrade Insider
Despite earlier optimism that the Houston Ship Channel might be able to reopen Monday evening, the US Coast Guard continues to assess the situation with oil in the channel and no decision is expected until Tuesday. That prompted Princess Cruises to approve a 100% refund and 25% future cruise credit for Grand Princess passengers and Royal Caribbean International to provide the same for Navigator of the Seas passengers. In the case of both ships, passengers are free to disembark and return home or may remain on board where a full array of entertainment and activities are offered.
Caribbean Princess remained alongside at Houston’s Bayport Cruise Terminal for a third day and Navigator of the Seas was delayed at Galveston since the Houston Ship Channel continues to be closed following Saturday’s collision between a bulk carrier and a barge.
Navigator of the Seas’ return to Galveston was delayed from Sunday morning to Sunday night. The Royal Caribbean International ship embarked passengers for the next cruise but remains alongside and hopefully will be able to sail later on Monday, a company spokeswoman said. The scheduled itinerary includes Jamaica’s Falmouth, Grand Cayman and Cozumel.
Caribbean Princess should have departed on Saturday for its weekly cruise to Cozumel, Roatán and Belize. The ship is carrying 3,354 passengers.
Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman enhances its guests’ experience with Motorola’s wireless technology
365-room luxury hotel hosting tourists and executives from around the world allows guests to enjoy unrestricted connectivity
GRAND CAYMAN, Cayman Islands–(BUSINESS WIRE)–March 25, 2014–
Motorola Solutions Inc. (NYSE: MSI) announced that the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman has deployed Motorola’s WLAN wireless solution throughout the hotel to provide its guests with exceptional service. The Ritz-Carlton found Motorola’s WLAN technology to be a stable, reliable and scalable solution that helps improve guest satisfaction, especially during the highest demand times each day.
Hotel guests enjoy high-performance Internet for web access and data streaming from any area of the hotel, including conference rooms. The WLAN technology also offers enhanced service to the hotel staff who can be more effective and quick in their response to any guest requirement.
KEY FACTS
— The Motorola WLAN solution offers high-speed connectivity at 2.4 and 5
GHz to all hotel guests, with functionalities pertaining to WiNG 5
technology, such as smart power and traffic management, roaming and
security.
— WLAN access points (APs) provide safe connectivity and reliable business
performance for any environment, both indoors and outdoors.
— The solution is managed on a centralized basis with a RFS7000 wireless
controller, AP622, AP6562 and AP8132.
— Data, video, and voice applications may be supported by this solution,
which offers Quality of Service (QoS).
— This solution was deployed in association with Guest-tek, a worldwide
leader in technology integration for the hotel industry.
SUPPORTING QUOTES
Jerry Ulrich, vice president, Information Technology at Marriott International
Caribbean
“We are pleased to be working with Motorola Solutions at The Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman. Motorola was selected for this five diamond hotel because their solution meets our Global Property Network Standards which are designed to provide reliable Internet services for our guests to remain connected with colleagues, family and friends.”
Thomas Moore, director, Retail & Hospitality, Motorola Solutions North America
“We are very proud that the Ritz-Carlton has chosen our WLAN wireless communication solution and has allowed us to furnish a tool that will stand behind their promise to provide their guests with unforgettable connectivity.”
U.S. Adults favour smartphones over sex, study says
By Matt Petronzio From Mashable
You’ve heard it before: Our digital lifestyle is changing priorities, including in the bedroom.
One in 10 Americans uses a smartphone during sex, high-tech adult toys are rising in popularity and there’s a whole bevy of apps available to spice up your sex life.
Although past studies have shown that people enjoy sex more than Facebook (is that really a surprise?), new data from Harris Interactive suggests that more U.S. adults can live without sex than live without mobile devices.
Created by Statista, the attached chart shows the top 10 things U.S. adults can’t live without. Some, such as food, are a given — our overwhelming reliance on gadgets, however, may surprise you.
