iNews Briefs, More & Community Events
Community Events
Grand Court Jurors Report Date Changed
The Grand Court jury report date has been changed.
Grand Court Jurors who are in the 1 July – 6 October 2015 session are now to report on Monday, 3 August, 2015 at 9:45 a.m.
Please call the Jury Information line at 945-5072 for the most up-to-date information.
Immigration Department Closure On 31 July 2015
The Department of Immigration Headquarters, including Passport & Corporate Services, Visa Office and Front Counter, will be closed to the public for all but essential services on Friday, 31 July 2015. Only work permit and permanent residence applications (including applications for permission to continue to work (PCW)) that must be submitted prior to 1 August in order to allow continued employment will be accepted.
Time sensitive applications for visitor extensions will also be accepted.
The Passport & Corporate Services Office will not accept any applications but passports and visa waivers may be collected at the Immigration main counter location.
The Department will resume normal operations on Monday, 3 August and will also remain open to the public until 7.00pm on Wednesday 29 and Thursday 30 July.
The Department apologizes for any inconvenience the closure on 31 July may cause.
THU 30 JULY
Plumbers Examination Board
The next meeting of the Plumbers Examination Board is Thursday (30 Jul.) For more information, call 919-2837
National Gallery Summer Arts Drop Ins
The National Gallery of the Cayman Islands is thrilled to be hosting a Summer of Art, free programming that allows kids to utilise their creativity by participating in a range of imaginative activities. Drop-in sessions will take place in the National Gallery Education Centre every Thursday afternoon from 2:00 PM — 4:00 PM Each Summer Camp Drop-in session is different and gives kids ages 6 to 14 multiple opportunities to take part in a range of art-related activities including stenciling, creative group activities, painting, drawing and more.
FRI JULY 31
Deadline for Early Childhood Assistance Programme
The Ministry of Education offers funding to assist eligible young Caymanian children to attend an early childhood centre. Children who are eligible for either full or partial funding are able to receive this support between September 1st, 2015 and June 30th, 2016Application forms are available at the Government Administration Building on Elgin Avenue, at the Department of Education Services on Thomas Russell Way, and from early childhood centre directors/operators.
SAT AUG 1
Clifton Hunter High School Uniform Shop Open
The Clifton Hunter High School Uniform Shop will be open Saturday (1 Aug) from 10am until 12pm.
Webster Memorial United Church in Bodden Town Breakfast Sale
The Webster Memorial United Church in Bodden Town will be having a Breakfast Sale on Saturday (1 Aug) at the Church Hall from 7:00 a.m to 10:30 a.m.
5th Annual Memorial Family Fun Day for Jeremiah
The All Against Violence in Cayman group is inviting everyone to the 5th Annual Memorial Family Fun Day for Jeremiah at 7 Mile Public Beach on Saturday (1 Aug) from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
National Gallery Cayman Brac Summer Camp
The annual National Gallery Cayman Brac Summer Art Camp will be held on Saturday (1 Aug.) The exciting, full-day summer camp will feature guest artist Robin McLaurin, a fine art photographer and educator with years of experience under her belt. The day will host a wide variety of art activities and discussions, and will close with an art show of the work completed during the Summer Art Camp. For details and to register, call 945 8111.
Prison Sports Club 2nd Annual Fish Fry
For the Love of Cricket Prison Sports Club 2nd Annual Fish Fry is Sunday (1 Aug) at the Smith Road Oval.
Man offers description of intruder on Cayman Brac
A man reported to police that he surprised an intruder in his home at about 1:15AM Tuesday morning, 28 July, when he was disturbed by a noise and descended the stairs of his home to find a tall, slim man, approximately 5’10” in height, of dark-skinned complexion, wearing a hoody sweatshirt. The intruder ran from the home, which is in the vicinity of Brig Street and Frigate Drive on Cayman Brac. At this time nothing appears missing from the premises.
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Cayman Brac Police Department at 948-0331 or Cayman Crime Stoppers at 800-8477 (TIPS).
Caribbean Countries develop plan against new bird flu virus
From Latin American Herald Tribune
SAN JUAN – Caribbean countries have developed a strategic plan to ensure food security and safeguard livelihoods across the region in the face of the threat posed by the new H5N2 strain of avian influenza, the government of Barbados said Tuesday.
Officials and private sector representatives from around a dozen countries met in Barbados to define a preparedness plan for H5N2, which has been infecting areas in North America.
“To date, more than 50 million birds have either died or have been destroyed, costing the industry and governments billions of dollars,” said the senior veterinary officer of the Barbados Agriculture Ministry, Mark Trotman.
Trotman said that more than 90 percent of the hatching eggs and day-old chicks required in the region for the production of table eggs and broiler meat were sourced from the U.S.
For more: http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=2393299&CategoryId=14092
Cayman Islands winning medals at Special Olympics
Up to Monday night, Cayman Islands had won eight medals in aquatics and bocce.
The Special Olympics Cayman Islands (SOCI) team is at the World Games in Los Angeles.
SOCI sent a delegation of 55 that included 28 athletes who will be competing in athletics, bocce, basketball, football and aquatics.
Seismic activity declines at underwater volcano in Caribbean
From Caribbean Digital Network Source: Latin American Herald Tribune
IMAGE: kick-em-jenny
SAN JUAN – The Seismic Research Center of the University of the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago has downgraded from orange to yellow its alert about seismic activity at Kick’em-Jenny, an underwater volcano located near Grenada, an official at the center confirmed to EFE on Monday.
The yellow alert means that vessels should observe a 1.5 km (0.9 mile) exclusion zone, though both the center and Grenada’s National Disaster Management Agency urged continued caution.
After conducting observations on the volcano’s recent seismic activity on the weekend, “there was absolutely nothing unusual in the area,” NaDMA said in a statement.
Kick’em-Jenny is located some 9 kilometers (5.5 miles) northwest of Grenada and about the same distance from Ronde island in the Grenadines.
The UWI Center detected a magnitude-3.0 seismic event at the volcano last Thursday.
Kick’em-Jenny’s largest eruption to date was registered in July 1939, when volcanic ash and gas reached the ocean surface and a series of tsunamis brought waves 2 meters (6.55 ft.) high to the coasts of nearby islands.
For more: http://www.caribbeandigitalnetwork.com/seismic-activity-declines-at-underwater-volcano-in-caribbean/
No witnesses so murder suspect freed before Cayman Islands trial starts
The Cayman Islands deputy director of public prosecutions, Patrick Moran, has dropped murder and gun possession charges against Justin Manderson (23) because of lack of evidence and witnesses.
Manderson was expected to stand trial on Wednesday (29) for the murder of Victor Oliver Yates (22) on January 3rd.
Yates was shot and killed in a suspected gang-related shooting at the back of Super C’s Bar and Restaurant on Water Course Road, West Bay.
None of the witnesses to the shooting were willing to give evidence in court.
Ecopetrol announces important hydrocarbon discovery in Colombian Caribbean ultra-deepwater
— Presence of hydrocarbons at a depth of 3720 meters (12200 feet) was verified at Kronos-1 well, proving proposed geological model.– The Kronos discovery is of great significance for Colombian offshore exploration, confirming the high prospectivity of a new petroleum province in south Caribbean.– Once operations are finished at Kronos-1, the same drillship, of latest technology, will be used to drill Calasu-1, located 145 Kilometers (90 miles) north east in Fuerte Norte Block.
BOGOTA, Colombia, July 28, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Ecopetrol S.A. (bvc:ECOPETROL) EC, +2.12% (ECP) informs that at a depth of 3720 meters, the Kronos-1 well verified the presence of hydrocarbons in ultra-deepwater of Colombian south Caribbean area. This discovery proves the geological model proposed for an unexplored area with high hydrocarbon potential.
Kronos-1 is located in block Fuerte Sur, 53 Kilometers (33 miles) offshore, where partners Anadarko, operator, and Ecopetrol, each hold 50% interest.
According to Operator’s quarterly operations report, after drilling at a water depth of 1584 meters (5195 feet), the well reached total depth of 3720 meters (12200 feet) and encountered a net pay thickness between 40 to 70 meters (130 to 230 feet) of gas bearing sandstones. Ecopetrol and Anadarko’s integrated technical teams are continuing to evaluate the Kronos discovery results. Nowadays the drilling operation continues, aiming to reach a deeper target to determine possible additional results.
“We are pleased to announce this discovery in Colombian Caribbean deepwater, this time accompanied by Anadarko. This discovery adds to the one accomplished in December at the Orca-1 well, located in the deep water of Tayrona block offshore Guajira, where we are partners with Petrobras, Repsol and Statoil. These results are very important and confirm the potential of the Colombian Caribbean petroleum system in a vast area and are aligned with Ecopetrol’s new strategy, in which one of the key areas is the exploration on high potential marine basins,” Ecopetrol president Juan Carlos Echeverry said.
In 2012, the Ecopetrol – Anadarko partnership undertook exploration in the South Caribbean in blocks Fuerte Norte, Fuerte Sur, COL5, URA4 and Purple Angel.
Our partner, Anadarko, is one of the most recognized companies worldwide for its experience in deepwater and ultra-deepwater exploration, project management and execution. Currently Anadarko is executing the biggest seismic acquisition campaign in the history of the Colombian Caribbean with an extension of more than 16000 square kilometers.
Once activities at Kronos-1 are concluded, the drillship Bolette Dolphin, employed in this operation, will move to Fuerte Norte Block to continue drilling Calasu-1 well, located 145 Kilometers or approximately 100 miles north east of Kronos-1.
Ecopetrol is the largest company in Colombia.
Collins named Butterfield’s new CEO
By Raymond Hainey From The Royal Gazette
Butterfield Bank executive Michael Collins is to become the new chief executive officer, the bank announced today (28).
Mr Collins, at present senior executive vice-president, will replace Brendan McDonagh, who has been CEO for three years, in the role.
But Mr McDonagh, who was chairman and CEO, will become executive chairman, where he will continue to lead Butterfield.
And senior executive vice-president, international Conor O’Dea will take on the roles of president and chief operating officer in addition to his current job.
Mr McDonagh said: “Michael and Connor are highly experienced and have demonstrated their abilities to effect change and deliver results.
“We are fortunate to have them on our team and I congratulate them both on their new appointments.”
Barclay Simmons, Butterfield’s vice-chairman and a senior independent director added: “Since Brendan took on the CEO role, he has focused relentlessly on rebuilding value for shareholders through investment in our core businesses, accretive acquisitions and carefully managing expenses and risks.
“We have been successful in this regard, which is evident in the bank’s first half 2015 results.”
Olivier Sarkozy, managing director and head of Carlyle’s Global Financial Services Group, a Butterfield board member since 2012, added: “The new management structure is a natural evolution that builds upon the momentum that the bank has so clearly achieved since Brendan took over as chairman and CEO.
“We were fortunate to have such a deep bench of management talent within the bank to draw from and, as the bank’s largest shareholder, very much look forward to supporting our expanded management team as they implement Butterfield’s well thought-out and clearly articulated strategy.
“On behalf of the board, I would like to extend sincerest congratulations to all three members of management on this important evolution in their respective careers.”
In his current role, Mr Collins has overall responsibility for all of Butterfield’s client businesses in Bermuda, including corporate, private and retail banking.
Mr Collins, who has 25 years’ experience in banking and joined Butterfield from HSBC in 2009, also manages the operations custody and marketing sectors in Bermuda and the Cayman Islands.
Mr O’Dea has worked for Butterfield since 1989 and became managing director of Butterfield’s Cayman banking arm in 1997.
He later assumed oversight of the firm’s operations in The Bahamas and Barbados and in 2011, all international operations.
All the new appointments will take effect at the start of September.
For more: http://www.royalgazette.com/article/20150728/BUSINESS03/150729644
Faith in State support extends fall in Chinese stocks
By Raymon Pickle From Wall Street Observer
Chinese stocks fell (July 28) in volatile trading, extending the biggest one-day loss since 2007, as concern grew unprecedented government intervention will fail to shore up equities.
The Shanghai Composite Index dropped 1.7 percent to 3,663 at the close, after sinking as much as 5.1 percent and gaining 1 percent. About three stocks slid for each one that rose. Energy and technology shares slumped, while brokerages led an advance by financial companies. The gauge tumbled 8.5 percent on Monday amid concern a three-week rally sparked by unprecedented government intervention is unsustainable.
Chinese traders reduced leveraged stock bets on Monday by the most in two weeks as the stock plunge erased $613 billion in value. The securities regulator assured investors in a statement after the market closed the government hasn’t withdrawn support for equities.
“Confidence is very weak and the market will probably still seek a lower level of support,” said Wu Kan, a Shanghai-based fund manager at Dragon Life Insurance Co., which oversees about $3.3 billion. “If the market falls to or approaches the previous low, the government will take further rescue measures.”
The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index dropped 0.5 percent in Hong Kong, while the Hang Seng Index climbed 0.6 percent. The CSI 300 Index retreated 0.2 percent, paring a loss of as much as 5 percent. A measure of 30-day volatility in the Shanghai Composite jumped to its highest level since 1997 on Monday.
Trading volumes were 3.8 percent below the 30-day average on Tuesday. Data on Tuesday showed the number of new stock investors fell 26 percent to 391,500 in the week ended July 24, down from 1.5 million in the first week of June.
Monday’s retreat shattered the sense of calm that had fallen over mainland markets last week and raised questions over the viability of government efforts to prop up share prices as the economy slows. The International Monetary Fund has urged China to eventually unwind its support measures, according to a person familiar with the matter.
UPDATE: Shares in mainland China bounced back significantly on Wednesday (29) as the government’s moves to calm investors restored some stability to the market.
The benchmark Shanghai Composite closed 3.4% higher at 3,789.17 – ending a three-day slide that included an 8% plunge on Monday.
Authorities tried to calm markets with a probe into illegal share “dumping”.
They also pledged to buy stocks, while the central bank hinted at possible further easing.
Investors’ confidence was also boosted by a higher close overnight for Wall Street, with the Dow Jones breaking a five-day losing trend.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was also higher, ending up 0.5% to 24,619.45 points.
From BBC
For more: http://www.bbc.com/news/business-33698807
Colombia Navy seizes 447 kilos of cocaine off Caribbean coast
From Colombia Reports
The Colombian Navy said Tuesday it had seized 447 kilos of cocaine 30 miles off the country’s Caribbean coastline.
The drugs were seized from a fishing boat off the coast of the country’s most northern province, La Guajira.
The cocaine was found aboard la “Reina 1”, a fishing boat carrying the Colombian flag, as it made its way from Barranquilla along the coast toward the Caribbean Sea.
The Navy stated that it was a coordinated operation with help from the Puerto de Bolivar Coast Guard and the Technical Investigation Team from the Prosecutor General’s Office.
Five crew members were arrested and, along with the seized shipment, taken to the city of Riohacha, where they will be prosecuted.
Preliminary investigation suggests the shipment belonged to the “Los Urabeños,” according to newspaper El Espectador.
After finding the packages of cocaine marked with cartoon figures, cloves, and car brands, authorities believe the Urabeños oversaw the shipment.
The Urabeños are a neo-paramilitary group from northern Colombia that grew from the demobilization of the AUC between 2003 and 2006 and has violently asserted control of the Caribbean coastal region.
During the demobilization process mid-level commanders and fighters took over existing AUC operating structures.
If this shipment proves to belong to Los Urabeños, it will add to a list of large seizures the group has been linked to this year.
Radio Santa Fe estimated that the 447-kilo seizure could mean a $5.3 million loss for the organization.
For more: http://colombiareports.com/colombia-navy-seizes-447-kilos-of-cocaine-off-caribbean-coast/
Quarter of staff would flog company data for a Caribbean jolly
By Phil Tottman From CRN
Report claims a quarter of employees would sell data for £5,000 – the price of a family jaunt to the Bahamas
A quarter of employees have admitted that they would sell company data for £5,000 – the price of a family holiday to the Bahamas, according to a new report.
The study, which surveyed 4,000 employees in the UK, Germany, US and Australia, also found three per cent would release sensitive data for as little as £100. Some 18 per cent said they would do it for £1,000.
Clearswift states that competitors and criminals see bribery as an easy way to tap into a company’s information – such as credit card or patent details – as security systems become more sophisticated and effective.
Heath Davies, chief executive at Clearswift, said: “While people are generally taking security more seriously – 65 per cent of employees said they wouldn’t sell data for any price – there is still a significant group of people who are willing to profit from selling something that doesn’t belong to them. This information can be worth millions of pounds.”
The report claims data is put at higher risk when more people have access to it. It claims 61 per cent of respondents said they had access to private customer data, 51 per cent dealt with financial data and 49 per cent could see sensitive product information, such as launch dates or patents.
Davies added: “It is not good business to live in fear of your employees, especially as most can be trusted. Getting the balance right has always been hard. But truly understanding where the problems come from, combined with advances in technology which can adapt to respond differently to different threats, really changes the game here.”
Caribbean parliamentarians gather in the VI
By Chrystall Kanyuck From The BVI Beacon
The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s annual conferences could be described as the university of the Westminster system of government, House Speaker Ingrid Moses-Scatliffe said Monday afternoon during the opening ceremony of the organisation’s conference for the Caribbean.
“It’s like university classes you take in subjects, such as parliamentary ethics 101, the rules of the House 102, and parliamentary practice 103 — all to assist you in being better parliamentarians,” she said.
The conference, which continues until Saturday, brings together more than 70 parliamentarians from Commonwealth countries around the Caribbean. This year’s theme is “Promoting Democracy and Good Governance: A Unified Approach.”
Ms. Moses-Scatliffe said that elected leaders from around the region come from a wide variety of backgrounds and professions, and she praised attendees for wanting to learn more about how best to improve governance in their various countries.
“I believe you are here because you care to be taught about the topic of democracy and good governance, which no doubt can assist you as you lead your respective countries as parliamentarians,” Ms. Moses-Scatliffe said.
Part of Pentagon email network taken down over suspicious activity
From Caribbean Digital Network | July 28, 2015
WASHINGTON, July 28 (Reuters) – An unclassified email network used by Army General Martin Dempsey and other members of the U.S. military’s Joint Staff has been taken off line because of suspicious activity, a Pentagon spokeswoman said on Tuesday.
Army Lieutenant Colonel Valerie Henderson said the unclassified email network for all users on the Joint Staff was taken offline by the Defense Department because of suspicious activity noted over the weekend and is “currently down.”
“We continue to identify and mitigate cybersecurity risks across our networks,” Henderson said. “With those goals in mind, we have taken the Joint Staff network down and continue to investigate.”
Henderson did not specify the nature of the suspicious activity on the network. She said the network was taken offline by the department, not by the activity or any outside party.
US Court rejects privacy claim over pocket-dialed call
By Zoe Tillman, From The National Law Journal
But federal appeals panel revives claim from the caller’s wife, who was also overheard..
A cellphone user who unknowingly places a call doesn’t have a reasonable expectation of privacy in conversations exposed to the person on the other end of the line, a federal appeals court said on Tuesday.
The court compared the inadvertent dialing of a cellphone—commonly known as pocket- or butt-dialing—to a homeowner who fails to cover his or her windows to block the view of passersby.
“In sum, a person who knowingly operates a device that is capable of inadvertently exposing his conversations to third-party listeners and fails to take simple precautions to prevent such exposure does not have a reasonable expectation of privacy with respect to statements that are exposed to an outsider by the inadvertent operation of that device,” Judge Danny Boggs of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit wrote.
The court considered the case of James Huff, the former chairman of the board that oversees the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. Huff inadvertently pocket-dialed an airport employee, Carol Spaw, while he was traveling with his wife Bertha Huff and another board member.
Over the next 91 minutes, Spaw claims she heard Huff discuss personnel matters—including the possible replacement of the airport’s chief executive officer—with the other board member and with Bertha Huff. Spaw took notes and recorded the final four minutes on an iPhone. She shared a typewritten summary of her notes and the audio recording with other members of the airport board.
The Huffs sued Spaw in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, accusing her of intentionally intercepting their communications in violation of federal law. A U.S. district judge ruled in favor of Spaw, finding that the Huffs could not reasonably expect that their conversations would not be intercepted under the circumstances.
“The court concludes that society is not prepared to recognize plaintiffs’ expectation as reasonable or legitimate,” U.S. District Judge David Bunning wrote in January 2014. The Huffs appealed.
The three-judge panel found that James Huff, as the cellphone user, had no privacy expectation. Boggs wrote that Huff failed to take “simple and well-known measures” to protect against pocket-dials, such as locking his phone or downloading apps that prevent accidental calls.
“The Huffs warn that, if we do not recognize James Huff’s reasonable expectation of privacy in this case, we would deprive all cellphone-carrying Americans of their reasonable expectations of privacy in their conversations,” Boggs wrote. “We disagree. Not recognizing James Huff’s expectation would do no more injury to cellphone users’ privacy interests than the injury that the plain-view doctrine inflicts upon homeowners with windows or webcams.”
However, the appeals court revived Bertha Huff’s claims, finding she had a privacy expectation even if she was aware that her husband’s phone could accidentally make phone calls.
“If Bertha waived her reasonable expectation of privacy from pocket-dials by speaking to a person who she knew to carry a pocket-dial-capable device, she would also waive her reasonable expectation of privacy from recordings and transmissions by speaking with anyone carrying a recording-capable or transmission-capable device, i.e., any modern cellphone,” Boggs wrote.
The court sent the case back to the district judge to decide if Spaw’s actions, such as answering the phone, turning up the volume, taking notes and making a recording, met the standard for an “intentional use of a device” to intercept Bertha Huff’s statements. Sixth Circuit Judge Deborah Cook and U.S. District Judge Gordon Quist, sitting by special assignment in the appeals court, also heard the case.
Aaron VanderLaan of Arnzen, Molloy, Storm & Turner in Covington, Kentucky, who argued for the Huffs, said he did not plan to ask a full sitting of the Sixth Circuit to reconsider the panel’s decision with respect to James Huff.
“I think the Sixth Circuit did a good job in terms of separating the issues here and properly examining the differences between Jim Huff and Bert Huff,” VanderLaan said. If the U.S. district judge finds Spaw liable, Bertha Huff could seek damages and an order stopping the spread of information about what she said during the conversation with her husband, VanderLaan said. The other member of the airport board whom Spaw heard speaking with Huff, Larry Savage, was not a party in the case.
Jonathan Allison of Freking & Betz in Cincinnati argued for Spaw. He did not immediately return a request for comment.
IMAGE: Credit: MagMos/iStockphoto.com
For more on this story go to: http://www.nationallawjournal.com/id=1202732678849/Court-Rejects-Privacy-Claim-Over-PocketDialed-Call#ixzz3gdOzEAxP
