iNews Briefs
CNCF wants storytellers and poets
The Cayman National Cultural Foundation (CNCF) is calling on all Cayman’s storytellers and poets to submit their family friendly works directly to the CNCF at http://www.artscayman.org/.
The reason the CNCF want their work is to feature it in their “Caymanian Stories”
Saturday morning radio show.
Authors are being encouraged to voice their works as well.
Trinidad police kill four in separate incidents
From Caribbean360
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Police shot and killed four people in separate incidents as they clamped down on criminal activities across the oil-rich twin island republic.
The killings have brought to 11, the number of people shot and killed by police during security operations in Trinidad and Tobago.
Police have identified those killed as 18-year-old Anthony Hospedales, 23-year-old Satrohan Ramdhanie, Jeremy Clunis, 23, and 25-year-old Gilbert Brown.
In the first incident police in the Central Division shot and killed Hospedales and Ramdhanie during a shootout after they had held up a taxi and robbed the driver and passengers of cash, cell phones and the vehicle for a total amount of TT$137,700 (One TT dollar = US$o.16 cents).
Police said they have also recovered a gun and four rounds of ammunition. One police officer was shot and injured during the shootout.
In the other incident, Clunis and Brown were also killed by lawmen during a shootout on a street in Morvant, east of Port-of-Spain.
Police said they had gone to a house to execute a search warrant for arms and ammunition when they were fired upon.
A gun battle ensued and the two men were found suffering from gunshot wounds. They were pronounced dead at the hospital.
Police said they have recovered a mini Uzi sub-machine gun.
Earlier this week, the two men had appeared in court on gun-related charges
Honouring Women Month’s ‘oldies’ netball spectacle held in Cayman at weekend
The Oldies Netball Social was held at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex netball courts on Sunday March 30 from 5:30 pm. until 8 pm as part of Honouring Women Month. The social was targeted at past and present netballers age 45 or older and they came out dressed to participate to have a fun evening.
Last week the Cayman Islands Netball Association honoured Governor Helen Kilpatrick as a patron of Cayman netball.
Inquest into former Jersey cricket chairman Keith Dennis death opened
The inquest has opened into the death of former Jersey cricket chairman Keith Dennis.
Mr Dennis, who was 71, was out in Malaysia watching Jersey’s promotion from World Cricket League 5.
But he passed away just hours after the island’s victory over the Cayman Islands after suffering from severe breathing problems.
Captain Peter Gough described him as a ‘hero’ for coming out and supporting the team in Kuala Lumpur and was ‘proud to have shaken his hand’ after guiding Jersey to glory this week.
Operation did not cure Cayman toddler’s mystery illness
After Cayman toddler Dara LaShae Bodden continued to have frequent seizures local doctors believed that a blockage in Dara’s ear was the cause.
The toddler went overseas and had the operation that was initially thought to be a success.
However soon after her return to Cayman her mother found Dara lying on the ground having another seizure.
Now doctors believe the toddler is suffering from Idiopathic Seizures – an epileptic disorder.
Society for Caribbean Studies
In spring 1974, a conference on the Caribbean was held at the Latin American Centre, Liverpool University, convened by Colin Clarke. During 1975 and 1976, further meetings were called by David Lowenthal to discuss the development of Caribbean Studies in the United Kingdom. These led to the establishment of a Society for Caribbean Studies, which held its inaugural meeting at the University of York in 1976. This meeting was attended by some 70 persons from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and the United States. The first officers of the Committee of the Society were elected in 1976.
Conferences of the Society have been held in locations around the UK every year since the inaugural meeting of 1976. The early founders and pioneers of the Society have since been recognized as Honorary Life Members, including Professor David Lowenthal and the late Richard Hart (awarded honorary membership in 1989), Professor Colin Clarke (2004), Professor Jean Besson (2010), Professor Gad Heuman (2011), and Professor Gertrud Aub-Buscher (2012).
NORCECA beach volleyball starts tour in Cayman
The North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA) will commence its 2014 14-stop tour the weekend of 25-27 April in the Cayman Islands.
It will be held on the Public Beach (7 Mile Beach) Grand Cayman and once again will be FREE to the public.
After not appearing in Cayman for the last few years because of immigration concerns Cuba will be sending a team this year.
Coast Guard Rescues Cuban Immigrants Stranded On Tiny Caribbean Island
By Scott T. Smith / CBS12 News
BAHAMAS — The U.S. Coast Guard rescued 12 Cuban immigrants stranded on a tiny island north of Cuba after their boat sank in the Caribbean Thursday.
After the immigrants were found, a helicopter dropped food, water and a radio to them.
A Coast Guard MH60 helicopter transported the immigrants to Nassau, Bahamas, Thursday evening.
The group was dehydrated but uninjured. according to the Coast Guard.
It’s not clear what will happen to the group, but The Bahamas typically returns immigrants to their country of origin.
For more: http://www.cbs12.com/news/top-stories/stories/vid_14460.shtml
Contraband destroyed by customs at Cayman’s GT Landfill
2,500 pounds of ganja (marijuana) worth a street value of $1.2M was the bulk of the combustible contraband that included cocaine which was destroyed by incinerator at Grand Cayman’s George Town landfill on Friday (28).
Also destroyed were guns in the incinerator fire reaching temperatures of 2,000 degrees F.
The last controlled incineration of contraband was in 2008.
Pactera announces completion of merger
BEIJING, March 28, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Pactera Technology International Ltd. (Nasdaq: PACT) (“Pactera” or the “Company”), a global consulting and technology services provider strategically headquartered in China, today announced the completion of the merger contemplated by the previously announced Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of October 17, 2013 (the “Merger Agreement”), among the Company, BCP (Singapore) VI Cayman Acquisition Co. Ltd. (“Parent”), BCP (Singapore) VI Cayman Financing Co. Ltd. (“Midco”) and BCP (Singapore) VI Cayman Merger Co. Ltd. (“Merger Sub”). As a result of the merger, the Company became indirectly wholly owned by Parent.
Cayman’s proposed Ironwood development comes to North Side
North Side’s independent Member of the Legislative Assembly, Ezzard Miller, called for a public meeting to discuss the proposed $360M hotel and golf resort in Frank Sound.
It took place last Thursday (27) with Ironwood developer Dave Moffitt who answered questions.
Miller said he welcomed the planned development in East End saying it was exactly the type of project needed here. “It is going to provide long term employment to the construction industry and also opportunities after it’s done.”
Moffitt promised they would not be bringing outside people in to do the work but would be using local contractors.
He also said he would be sitting down with all parties like the National Trust and officials at the Department of Environment to discuss their environmental concerns that include the wetlands and the Mastic Trail. He was confident they would all come to an amicable agreement.
Caribbean identified as first to suffer from Climate Change
A 2013 study identified the Caribbean as one of the first to suffer the effects of Climate Change.
It is predicted that cities in the region will be among the first on the planet to reach the global warming tipping point by 2023.
The implications are staggering: extreme heat, coastalerosion, vector borne disease, drought, floods and more intense storms will affect everything from personalcomfort to physicalinfrastructure to the agriculture and tourism industries on which we rely. Extreme weather events such as the Christmas 2013 floods in St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Dominica which caused extensive socialand physicaldamage brought into focus the need for regionalawareness and action to manage the impacts of climate change.
For more: http://www.earthhour.org/caribbean
Cayman’s Miss Nadine’s preschool students experience other cultures and heritage
During this year’s International Day celebrations young students at Miss Nadine’s preschool in George Town, Grand Cayman, learned about Brazil and St. Lucia.
The children performed dance recitals for their parents showcasing something from those two countries.
The idea is to educate the young pupils to be more understanding of foreign customs and practices.
Three Cuban migrants still on the run in Grand Cayman
Over one week ago three Cuban migrants escaped from the George Town, Grand Cayman, Immigration detention lock up on Fairbanks Road and are still at large.
Deputy Chief Immigration Officer Garfield Wong said, “It is an offence to assist illegal migrants in leaving our islands.”
Vietnam Prime Minister Visits Haiti
From Caribbean Journal
Vietnam President Nguyen Tan Dung arrived in Haiti on Friday for an official visit to the Caribbean country.
The Vietnamese leader was received on Friday at the National Palace by Haiti President Michel Martelly, who expressed a desire to cooperate with Vietnam on issues like tourism, agriculture, energy and culture, according to a statement from Martelly’s office.
Dung’s visit included a stop to the Museum of the Haitian National Pantheon (MUPANAH) on Friday.
Dung announced plans to establish an embassy in Port-au-Prince, along with a new pledge of nearly 200,000 tons of rice for Haiti
The Vietnamese PM also met with Haiti Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe, discussing areas like oil, trade and agriculture, among others.
Dung’s Haiti trip followed a high-level trip to Cuba earlier this week.
For more: http://www.caribjournal.com/2014/03/29/vietnam-prime-minister-visits-haiti/
Internet banking scammers are targeting Cayman Islands
The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service Financial Crime Unit is warning customers to be on the look out for cyber scammers. They are here.
It is a fact that less people are physically going into Cayman’s banks as more people are using Internet banking.
It is because of this, fake emails are flooding inboxes across the Cayman Islands, and banks and the police are warning persons to be careful about the information they give out.
Officials here are telling you to look at the web address you receive purporting to be from your bank. When it gives you a link, if you hover over it with your mouse, it will show you a web address that typically isn’t the banks.
Also, consumers should watch out for any grammatical errors in the email and look to see if there is an additional ‘s’ to the top address – http is normal but secure addresses are htpps.
The best thing to do is call the bank and verify whether they actually sent that email to you.
Chikungunya Suspected And Confirmed Cases Top 18,000 In The Caribbean, Suspected Outbreak In The Dominican Republic Being Investigated
From The Global Dispatch
The number of confirmed and suspected chikungunya cases in the Caribbean continues to increase, in fact, some new cities on the islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe have reported cases for the first time, according to a European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) update today.
To date, there has been 3,211 confirmed/probable chikungunya cases reported in the region, including five deaths and 15,282 suspected cases.
In addition, a suspected outbreak is being reported in the Dominican Republic according to the Spanish language news source, Noticias SIN (computer translated).
According to Health Minister Freddy Hidalgo, more than a thousand patients, since February, have come to the medical center with chikungunya-like symptoms.
Samples have been sent to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for confirmation.
The report does note that there are no confirmed cases of chikungunya to date.
Cayman supermarket robbery getaway driver jailed
The getaway driver who helped three armed robbers flee Chisholm’s Supermarket in North Side has been jailed for 2 years.
Ian Ellington, although denying he took part in the robbery, pleaded guilty to being the getaway driver and was sentenced to 3 years at HMP Northward, reduced by one year because of his guilty plea.
The thieves stole cash, mobile phone, cigarettes, a watch and ripped jewelry from one shop keepers neck amounting to around $1,500.
3 men took part in the robbery, 1 has been jailed and the other 2 are still to be dealt with by the courts.
St Vincent police search for woman after British man’s body found by burning yacht
From Metro UK
Police have launched a murder investigation after a British man was found dead in the Caribbean sea.
John Garner’s yacht was destroyed by fire and police are suspecting ‘foul play’ as the 53-year-old’s floating body was discovered with head and leg injuries.
Police on the island of St Vincent are now searching for a Norwegian woman, Heidi Hukkelaas, who they believe was his wife.
‘We suspect foul play and will investigate the matter fully,’ explained St Vincent police commissioner Michael Charles.
The body of 53-year-old British national John Garner was found on board a partly burnt raft at sea on Wednesday
‘Miss Hukkelaas is a person of interest and as with every murder investigation we have to look at everyone and everything and will leave no stones unturned,’ he added.
Mr Garner’s daughter Elisabeth told the Daily Mail that Miss Hukkelaas had returned to Norway two days earlier to look after her children and was unaware her father’s death was being treated as a potential murder.
‘This is a shock for everybody. We have not been told that this is being treated as suspicious. As far as we have been told, it is being treated as a tragic accident,’ she explained.
But despite Elisabeth’s testimony the Jamaica Observer reported that police checks said Miss Hukkelaas had not been officially recorded leaving any airports or seaports.
Investigations are ongoing.
See also The Times related story: “Caribbean yacht death was an accident, says victim’s family” – “Friends and family of a British yachtsmen whose lifeless body was found floating beside the remnants of his boat in the Caribbean on Wednesday have said they believe his death was a tragic accident and have criticised a decision by local police to open a murder inquiry.” At: http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/world/americas/article4047767.ece
Cayman’s lobster catching is off limits
The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service is advising residents and visitors alike that lobster season is over and doesn’t open again until December 1st. The lobster catching season runs for three months only and closed on February 28.
Cayman Islands Department of Environment (DoE) says allowing the animals to reproduce during their mating season will ensure there will be plenty to enjoy year after year.
The DoE also reminds everyone reminds us it is not permissible to take any marine life from replenishment zones, marine parks, and environmental zones.
For more information contact the Department of Environment:
Mail: P. O. Box 486 GT Grand Cayman
Telephone: 345-949-8469, Fax: 345-949-4020
Email: [email protected]
Thousands march against gov’t in Haiti
From New Zealand Herald
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) Several thousand people demonstrated in Haiti’s capital on Saturday to call for the resignation of President Michel Martelly.
The protesters, aligned with opposition parties, said Martelly hasn’t done enough to alleviate hunger in the impoverished Caribbean nation since he was sworn in as president in May 2011.
The demonstrators, carrying banners and chanting songs in the biggest anti-government protest of the year so far, also complained that legislative and local elections are more than two years overdue. Under pressure from the United Nations, United States and others, Martelly has said he wants to hold the vote this year but no date has been set.
The election would fill 20 of the 30 Senate seats, all the seats in the 99-member Chamber of Deputies and 140 posts at the local level.
The delayed vote was raised Friday in a meeting between Martelly and a visiting U.S. congressional delegation that consisted of Florida Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Mario Diaz-Balart and Frederica Wilson.
For more: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11229023
Cayman Islands OCC recognises good practice in complaint handling
Recently, the Office of the Complaints Commissioner (OCC) held its fourth annual seminar for internal complaints officers within the Cayman Islands Civil Service. The morning seminar, which had a significant training component, was the best attended ever, with over 90 attendees from across the Cayman Islands — a response so overwhelming that a last-minute venue change was needed to accommodate numbers.
The Deputy Governor and Head of the Civil Service, the Honourable Franz Manderson, continued to show his support and endorsement of this OCC venture by once again attending to open the seminar and endorse this OCC initiative. Brett Basdeo of Maples and Calder spoke about the OCC Small Claims Handbook that he is drafting and updating for the OCC.
Training was provided by Julie Faulknor-Grant on “Difficult Complainants and How to Best Deal With Them”, and by Vaughan Carter of Solomon Harris and Juris Consulting on “Investigative Techniques”.
Later that evening Her Excellency Governor Kilpatrick graciously co-hosted the OCC Awards at Government House. As well as H.E. the Governor and OCC staff, also among the many attendees were the Honourable Mr. Justice Quin and Mrs. Quin: Deputy Leader of the Opposition Mr. Bernie Bush; Councillor Mr. Roy McTaggart; Mr. Leonard Ebanks of the Anti-Corruption Commission (whose daughter, Tamara Ebanks, was a previous award winner); the Complaints Commissioner of the Turks and Caicos Islands, Mrs. Cynthia Astwood; the Acting Information Commissioner Jan Liebaers and Mrs. Liebaers; and the Ombudsman of Ontario, Mr. Andre Marin. Both Joseph Woods of the Port Authority and Tracy Ebanks of CIDB won awards.
3rd Caribbean Conference on the International Financial Services Sector 2014
Event Subtitle:
The Caribbean engaging the World in financial services
Country: Bahamas
Event Date(s):
Monday, March 31, 2014 to Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Category: Business and Finance
Type: Conference
Website:
3rd Caribbean Conference On The International Financial Services Sector 2014
Language: http://www.carib-export.com/
The Caribbean’s fiscal dilemma: To cut or not to cut?
By Valerie Mercer-Blackman From IADB
What has been the technical assistance and policy advice from International Financial Institutions (IFIs) to select Caribbean countries in the area of fiscal sustainability? The International Financial Institutions (International Monetary Fund in particular, World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank and the Caribbean Development Bank) have invested a lot of resources in technical assistance and policy advice over the last 20 years advising on policies which can improve fiscal sustainability. A recent IDB Policy Brief entitled: ‘To Cut or Not to Cut’ looks at this issue.
It turns out that policy advice has had an important influence in shaping the debate in these countries, and this is because advice does not happen in a vacuum. Rather, it is the result of a close dialogue and a ‘consensus of sorts’ reached after extensive discussions between policy-makers and technical staff in IFIs. Indeed, IFIs rely heavily on the information they acquire from within the country to make their analysis.
Why is there not greater uptake? Actually, there is uptake in many areas, but the enduring reforms generally take time and are not always reflected in higher growth, so their impact is difficult to measure. Moreover, policy-makers are constrained by political cycles and the need to build consensus, and sometimes there may just not be enough of it.
In some cases, the advice of IFIs coincides with a window of opportunity in a country, where a policy-maker becomes a national champion for reform, leading the charge by using the IFIs to move their agenda ahead, rather than the other way around (i.e., a passive implementer of IFI advice).
Moreover, the small size and susceptibility to shocks from outside the Caribbean countries already limit the degrees of freedom these countries have to manage fiscal policy. Therefore, a modicum of reality needs to be injected in the expectations of what can be achieved, while not letting complacency take over.
For more:
