Cayman Islands Community Events       

WED JUNE 3

National Workforce Development Agency in Bodden Town

The National Workforce Development Agency will be at the Bodden Town Library on Wednesday (3 Jun) from 2 — 5pm.

Quiz Night is next Wednesday have you booked your table yet?

CARE – Cayman Animal Rescue Enthusiasts

Why not get a team together and join us for the first Wednesday of every month for Quiz night at PD’s! This Wed June 3 at 7:00pm

If you are unable to make it but would like to help spread the word about our Quiz, please download the PDF flyer to share on your office notice board.

CARE-Cayman Animal Rescue Enthusiasts www.caymancare.ky 938 2273

THU JUNE 4

Dart Realty Presentation

The Chief Operating Officer of Dart Realty will be hosting a public presentation on the Dart group of companies’ upcoming real estate development plans on Thursday (4 Jun) at 5:30 pm in Regal Cinemas at Camana Bay.

ICCI Reps In Local Libraries

Representatives from the International College of the Cayman Islands will be available at the West Bay Public Library on Thursday (4 Jun) from 3:00pm – 4:30pm and at the George Town Public Library on Thursday (5 Jun) from 3:00pm – 4:00pm to answer any questions you have about the university.

FRI JUNE 5

Estella Scott Roberts Foundation Gala

In support of the Estella Scott Roberts Foundation grant program, the foundation will be hosting its annual fundraising event at the George Town Yacht Club on Friday June 5th 2015 at 8:00pm under the theme ‘Soul Train’. Tickets can be purchased at Papermans in Mid Town plaza or any ESRF member.

Rundown heads to Cayman Brac

Rundown heads to Cayman Brac on Friday (5 Jun) at the Aston Rutty Center at 7pm. Tickets can be purchased at the door.

 

Nike, the Brazilian national football team, and $40 million paid into a Swiss bank account

Business Insider By Lara O’Reilly From Yahoo News

The FIFA bribery scandal has entangled many individuals in its web. Now it looks like Nike may have been dragged into the alleged “rampant, systemic, and deep-rooted corruption” that US Attorney General Loretta Lynch says has sullied world football for decades.

Nike is not named in the US Department of Justice indictments charging 14 people with racketeering, wire fraud, and money laundering conspiracies. The charges allege those indicted participated in a “24-year scheme to enrich themselves through the corruption of international soccer.” Nike has said it has not been accused of wrongdoing.

The Financial Times and Bloomberg have linked Nike with the unidentified “Sportswear Company A” and “Sportswear Company E,” who are listed in the indictments. (The nomenclature is confusing but text of the two separate indictments describes A and E as if they were the same company.)

Those indictments claim the sportswear company, with the help of a mediator — Brazil-based sports marketing company Traffic Group — signed a 10-year, $160 million deal in 1996 with Brazil’s national football federation CBF to sponsor the Brazilian national football team. Nike signed its long-running partnership with the Brazilian football team in the same year.

Traffic Group has not yet responded to a request for comment from Business Insider.

The indictment says a high-ranking official from CBF and Traffic Group siphoned off millions of dollars from the deal for themselves in bribes and kickbacks.

It also alleges the sportswear company paid $40 million to Traffic via an affiliate with a Swiss bank account. That, on the surface of it, seems strange. Why pay into an off-shore account — especially in Switzerland, where banks do not share customer information with governments of other countries?

Again, there’s nothing to suggest any wrongdoing on the sportswear company’s behalf. But it is odd.

The indictment doesn’t name Nike. Nor does it accuse Nike of any wrongdoing.

However, worryingly for executives at the sportswear company’s headquarters in Oregon, it does pull Nike into the ever-changing, murky FIFA scandal.

Nike has not responded to a request for comment from Business Insider. However, the company told The Financial Times: “The charging documents unsealed yesterday in Brooklyn do not allege that Nike engaged in criminal conduct. There is no allegation in the charging documents that any Nike employee was aware of or knowingly participated in any bribery or kickback scheme.”

Here’s what happened, according to the indictment:

1994: The Brazilian national football team lifts the World Cup in the USA. At around the same time, a representative from Sportswear Company E approaches CBF to see if it would be interested in sponsorship. At the time, the Brazilian team was sponsored by Umbro.

An unidentified high-ranking CONMEBOL (the South American Football Federation) and CBF official, and the founder of Traffic Group José Hawilla (who in December of last year waived indictment and pleaded guilty to charges of racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, and obstruction of justice), began negotiations with Sportswear Company E.

1996: Discussions finally closed in New York. On July 11, a contract for a $160 million, 10-year deal was signed between the high-ranking CBF official, Hawilla on behalf of Traffic Brazil, and four members of Sportswear Company E. The sportswear company became a co-sponsor and exclusive footwear apparel, accessories, and equipment supplier.

As part of the agreement CBF remitted a percentage of the value of the payments it received from the sportswear company to Traffic Brazil.

Sportswear Company E also agreed to pay an affiliate of Traffic with a Swiss bank account an additional $40 million in compensation, on top of the $160 million it was obligated to pay to CBF.

1996-1999 Over this period, Traffic invoiced the sportswear company directly for $30 million in payments.

An executive from Traffic “agreed to pay and did pay” the high-ranking official from CBF half of the money he made from the sponsorship deal, “totaling in the millions of dollars, as a bribe and kickback.”

2002 The parties terminated the agreement before the end of the 10-year term.

The two separate criminal investigations — by the Swiss Attorney General and the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York — into the alleged corruption surrounding FIFA, national football governing bodies, and sports marketing agencies are ongoing.

IMAGE: brazil 1998 world cup (Getty Images) Brazil’s national team lining up ahead of the 1998 World Cup Final in France.

For more on this story go to: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/nike-brazilian-national-football-team-143840916.html

 

Cayman Islands motor bike rider touring Europe after riding through all US States

Photographer and owner of Joe Tourist agency, Gilbert Nicoletta, who once was a CITN local television reporter, is a motorcycle riding enthusiast.

Born and bred in the Cayman Islands, Nicoletta last year rode through all 50 United States.

He is now touring Europe and hopes to visit the entire European Union (EU) of 28 countries. He is taking many photographs and will be publishing a book on his two tours.

He is also promoting the Cayman Islands as a tourist destination and as a conversation starter will be handing out specially marked bottles of Cayman made Seven Fathoms Rum.

 

The Caribbean prepares for hurricane season           

Georgetown, Jun 1 (Prensa Latina) Caribbean countries receive as of today the hurricane season 2015 with contingency plans to protect human lives and prevent economic losses to face the arrival of hurricanes to the region.

Weather forecasts indicate the stage will be less active, but up to 11 storms can affect the region, six of which could reach a hurricane category.

Before those projections, national entities for the Management of Emergencies as of this day, will check structures in their territories to evacuate citizens in the case of buildings collapsing, air accidents, floods, landslides or any other catastrophe scenario.

Their officials will evaluate the availability of power generators, water, food and basic product reserves in refuges and government buildings which will also serve as shelters.

They will also carry out campaigns to educate the population on how to protect their homes, what to do in case of a hurricane and the main ítems to store.

The Caribbean has an increasingly stronger hurricane activity since 1995, when according to experts, a new active cycle of hurricanes with the occurrence of 19 tropical storms.

Ever since that year, many of the meteors left thousands of deaths, millions of victims and great losses in the fragile infrastructures and economies of the area.

Such reasoning forced Caribbean governments to install appropriate systems of early warning to better prepare their peoples and reinforce the capacity of institutions to answer disaster situations.

For more: http://www.plenglish.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3854241&Itemid=1

 

Two St. Kitts and Nevis artists on the Caribbean Gospel Music Tour

IMAGE: The two Jife Music artists: Nyquan (left) and Dominic Brookes at the RLB International Airport before their departure to St. Maarten

June 2nd, 2015 — Two artists from St. Kitts and Nevis made history last week when they became the first artists from the Federation to be featured on the Caribbean Gospel Music Tour which has been around since 2012. Dominic Brookes and Nyquan, both signed to St. Kitts-based gospel music label Jife Music, left the island for St. Maarten last week to participate in the St. Maarten leg of the tour, which is coming to an end on Tuesday. They return to St. Kitts on Wednesday to begin the St. Kitts leg of the tour with four other artists from St. Maarten, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and Guyana.

The tour started by Trinidad and Tobago gospel artist Curtis Jordan, provides the opportunity and platform for Caribbean gospel artists to minister to thousands throughout the entire length of the tour. The artists visit several islands over a two month period getting exposure to their ministry and career and making valuable connections with concert promoters and churches while building a new fan base. Nyquan and Dominic Brookes perform as solo artists but in April released a debut single together entitled “Amazing—” A dance infused gospel track celebrating the amazing love of Jesus Christ.

While in St. Maarten, the artists were featured on the Power School Tour performing at 15 schools and two concerts last weekend, sharing stage with some of Caribbean gospel music heavy weights like DJ Nicholas, Rizon and Kevin Smith. In the process, Nyquan released his first EP: No Distance, which features the hit single “Amazing” and will have those CDs on sale in St. Kitts during the events this Friday and Saturday. Here in St. Kitts, both artists are also expected to tour with the visiting Caribbean artists, including being a part of the Unleash School Tour visiting 10 schools in both St. Kitts and Nevis.

On Friday June 5th at 7:30pm, the artists will perform at Bigger Better Louder Concert at the New Birth Gospel Tabernacle in Cayon. The concert will be in the form of a club style atmosphere and will also feature some other local acts. The headline acts for the event are: Curtis Jordan (Trinidad and Tobago), Nyquan (St. Kitts and Nevis), Dominic Brookes (St. Kitts and Nevis), Omar Ewen (Jamaica), Shawn English (Guyana), Keron Thomas (Trinidad and Tobago) and Joshua Ferrol (St. Maarten).

This event is followed by a Youth Rally in Sandy Point at the Unique Touch Christian Center on Saturday June 6th at 6:00pm. For more information on the events, persons are asked to call 662-2200 or 763-0064. Those interested in purchasing music from Nyquan or to learn about the other artists on the Jife Music label can visit: www.jifemusic.com.

 

Caribbean disaster preparedness underfunded, says regional exec

From The Jamaica Gleaner

Executive Director of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), Ronald Jackson, has made a call for more funding to be allocated to disaster risk reduction regionally.

Speaking with The Gleaner/Power 106 News Centre Jackson lamented that there is insufficient funding for disaster risk reduction.

Jackson says disaster preparedness in the region is underfunded.

He says a focus on climate change has overshadowed disaster risk reduction efforts.

The former director general of ODPEM said that Jamaica has one of the more developed disaster mechanisms in the region.

However, he says this should not be a cause for complacency.

He also said that CDEMA is depending on Jamaica to provide support to other countries in the region in the event of a hurricane.

Jackson also pointed to weaknesses in first responder services and called for these to be strengthened and properly funded.

For more and audio go to: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20150602/caribbean-disaster-preparedness-underfunded-says-regional-exec

 

Carmelo Anthony tours Caribbean as potential soccer owner

By Post Sports DeskJune 2, 2015 | 10:18am

Carmelo Anthony is reportedly seeking an ownership role in the North American Soccer League.

The Knicks star visited Puerto Rico this month to explore potential stadium sites for either a new team or to revive the Puerto Rico Islanders, which were disbanded in 2012, according to a report from the website Empire of Soccer.

Anthony’s father hails from Puerto Rico. The NASL is the de facto second-tier North American league after MLS.

Anthony traveled to Cuba with the New York Cosmos as a “guest of the league,” the report said, for their historic match Tuesday against the country’s national team.

IMAGE: Knicks star Carmelo Anthony arrives in Havana to watch a historic soccer exhibition between Cuba’s national team at the New York Cosmos. Photo: AFP/Getty Images

For more: http://nypost.com/2015/06/02/carmelo-anthony-tours-caribbean-as-potential-soccer-owner/

 

A “Pirates Of The Caribbean” actor has gone to Syria to fight ISIS

Michael Enright, a British-born actor who lived in the U.S., has joined a Kurdish group fighting against the Islamic extremists.

By Shyamantha Asokan From BuzzFeed

Michael Enright, a British-born actor who appeared in the second Pirates of the Caribbean film, has gone to Syria to join the fight against the Islamic extremist group ISIS.

“ISIS, they need to be wiped off, completely, the face of this earth,” Enright said in an interview with the Dubai-based Al Aan television channel last week. “They are a stain on humanity.”

The actor told the channel that he was moved to join the fight against ISIS after the group released a series of execution videos in which they killed individuals from both Western and Arab countries. ISIS has been taking over territory in Iraq and Syria since last summer.

Enright, who is from Manchester, England, lived in the U.S. and has featured in minor roles in films and television shows. He appeared in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, CSI, and Law & Order: LA.

In the Al Aan interview, Enright said he joined Kurdish forces fighting ISIS because he saw them as a better bet than some of the other groups trying to stop the Islamists.

Kurdish forces in both Iraq and Syria are often viewed as more motivated and tenacious than the two countries’ armies, the Associated Press has reported. In Iraq, Kurds are also the U.S.’s main ally on the ground, although some feel that they’re doing the West’s dirty work, BuzzFeed News reported earlier this year.

Enright is fighting with the Kurdish People’s Protection Units, a group based in Syria that’s also known as the YPG, the Washington Post reported.

The actor told Al Aan he was aware of the risks of putting himself on the front line. “I hope to see them again,” he said, referring to his friends and family. “But, you know, we’re in a war so I don’t know if that will be in this life or the next.”

For more and video go to: http://www.buzzfeed.com/shyamanthaasokan/a-pirates-of-the-caribbean-actor-has-gone-to-syria-to-fight#.ww3J9p8Ve

 

Vodafone adds Caribbean 4G roaming for summer holidays

By Alex Scroxton From Computer Weekly

Vodafone extends its 4G services to a number of destinations – including Caribbean holiday hotspots – for UK customers travelling abroad

Mobile network operator Vodafone has added a number of destinations to its WorldTraveller programme in time for the summer holidays.

The network operator added 22 more countries to the eight already covered in the scheme, launched in July 2014.

Among the countries the WorldTraveller plan now covers are a number of popular Caribbean destinations, including Anguilla, Aruba, Barbados, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Caymans, Curacao, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The service will be available in several Central and South American countries, including El Salvador, Guyana, Panama and Suriname.

WorldTraveller – which costs £5 a day on pay monthly and a selected number of business plans – was already available in Australia, Egypt, Ghana, India, New Zealand, Qatar, South Africa and the US.

WorldTraveller now covers 22 countries around the world, and its EuroTraveller programme – which costs £3 per day and has so far been used by over 2.5 million customers – covers most European countries; and French territories in the West Indies.

Vodafone 4G roaming is available in several other tourist destinations, including Canada, Israel and Thailand.

Vodafone added that, for customers choosing not to opt into the European or worldwide roaming programmes, it will now cap data spending at £36.40 per month, from 1 July 2015.

EU roaming charges sting UK travellers

A recent survey conducted for comparison website uSwitch.com warned that one in six British travellers had been forced to pay bills of over £100 after returning from holidays in the European Union (EU), amounting to an annual total of £573m.

The survey suggested the European Commission (EC) had done too little to inform consumers of its U-turn on its decision to scrap mobile roaming charges altogether in the 27 member states, which was supposed to happen later this year but is now on hold indefinitely.

USwitch telecoms expert Ernest Doku commented: “Measures in place to financially protect UK mobile users abroad aren’t robust enough, and are too easily rendered ineffective.

“The networks’ cap of around €50 is clearly insufficient in that it only covers mobile data, and doesn’t extend to calls, texts and voicemail costs – and 13% even end up opting out of their network’s roaming caps, often because the cap is too restrictive.”

Worryingly, the survey also found that a good number of Brits had been using their mobiles thinking they were in the EU when they were not; close to 50% of British holidaymakers thought Turkey was an EU member state, and that 10% thought African nations Morocco and Tunisia were in Europe.

For more: http://www.computerweekly.com/news/4500247362/Vodafone-adds-Caribbean-4G-roaming-for-summer-holidays

 

Guardian Life of the Caribbean president ‘satisfied’

From The Barbados Advocate

PRESIDENT of Guardian Life of the Caribbean, Anand Pascal, said he is satisfied with the performance of the company in the 10 years it has been operating in Barbados.

Speaking at a 10th anniversary function the company held recently, Mr. Pascal said that while they have operated for 168 years, it was 10 short years ago that the company entered the Barbados market.

The company which is a leading life insurance company operating across the Caribbean, offers life, health and pensions service. It is part of the Guardian Group.

“In that time, our people and products have been warmly accepted by the population of Barbados and we continue to deepen our ties and relationships,” Mr. Pascal said at the function which took place at the Sweetfield Manor, Brittons Hill, St. Michael.

“We offer all of our policyholders an opportunity. An opportunity to protect their families and loved ones from the hardships that prevail from unfortunate circumstances,” Mr. Pascal said.

He said that it is their view that once the peace of mind from that protection is obtained, it then allows persons to productively focus their attention on the things that matter.

According to him, “Too often financial worry creates a vicious cycle that holds someone back from achieving their true potential, potential that once unleashed has the power to change lives, communities and nations.”

He recalled that from the inception when Guardian Life began with the launch of two products, they have continued to introduce new products to serve their clients’ requirements.

Noting that other products will be launched shortly, Mr. Pascal said “this again demonstrates our view of and commitment to Barbados and our plans to be here for another 10 years”.

He added that their partnerships have remained solid over the years and “we have engaged in various sponsorships with as a business unit as well as a Group”.

For more: http://www.barbadosadvocate.com/newsitem.asp?more=business&NewsID=43759

 

Future power generation choices in Caribbean power generation

By Harry Valentine From Energy Biz

The recent thaw in American – Cuban relations opens possibilities for co-operation in such areas as energy, initiatives that may spread to include several other Caribbean nations. A relatively short distance across the shallow Florida Strait and Nicholas Channel allows for possible future installation of several pairs of undersea power cables that each carry 2.4GW of power. The relatively short and shallow

Windward Passage between Cuba and Haiti allows for possible installation of undersea cables that may supply power for both Haiti and Dominican Republic, from where undersea cables may connect to Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands.

At the present day, most Caribbean nations generate electric power using maritime oil engines that burn low-grade diesel and low-grade, low-cost bunker fuel. Periods of low oil prices and easy availability of oil reduces the cost of Caribbean power generation. The Lesser Antilles that extend from the US Virgin Islands to Trinidad are blessed with abundant sunshine, abundant wind energy, a strong ocean current and ample energy in the ocean waves. At present, the high cost of renewable energy reduces the ability of Caribbean government utilities to afford the installation of such technologies, leaving such development to private interests.

Summer weather conditions include the propensity for annual hurricanes and tornadoes that inflict costly damage to solar photovoltaic and wind energy installations. Wind installations are frequently shut down due to the frequent powerful winds. While wind-driven ocean waves offer a potentially reliable and viable means by which to generate alternative future power, offshore versions of the technology is still being developed with the appearance of viable, cost-competitive technology being many years into the future. Ongoing research into large-scale oceanic turbines that may be installed in the Florida Strait shows promise with each installed unit possibly generating up to 10MW.

An alternative to high cost renewable energy technologies would involve undersea and overland power cables linking between Florida and the Greater Antilles, allowing for future development of offshore nuclear power plants on small, uninhabited islands located in the Florida Keys or along the Cuban coast on an island of Archipelago de Sabana. At present, research is underway in the USA, India and China that involves thorium-based nuclear fission where `spent’ thorium may continually be reprocessed for further power generation. However, thorium nuclear power generation that could supply electric power to Caribbean economies would be many years into the future.

At present and perhaps over the next 5 to 20-years, maritime engines will form the basis of much Caribbean power generation. While present world oil prices are low, Caribbean oil-based power generation is affordable. However, oil prices may reach bottom within the next 12-months and then begin to climb to higher levels, including low-grade bunker oil and constraining several Caribbean economies. While world oil prices could rise within the next 12-months, natural gas prices are expected to remain low, perhaps prompting Caribbean utilities to consider modifying maritime engines to burn natural gas.

Most builders of large maritime engines offer multi-fuel capability, with spare parts being available to adapt the same engine to operate efficiently on natural gas. The geographic proximity of Caribbean nations to the Gulf of Mexico with its massive deposit of undersea natural gas provides future market opportunity for American suppliers of (liquefied) natural gas. However, some American political forces seek to achieve energy independence, possibly restricting export of American natural gas. Over the short-term, exporting American LNG to Caribbean nations would allow them to electric power at comparatively lower costs until cost-competitive alternative energy technologies become commercially available.

Jamaica and Dominican Republic represent potential future markets for American LNG, with possibly markets extending across the island nations of the Lesser Antilles. Given the relative size of Caribbean nations to the USA as well as the differences in the size of their economies, their consumption of American sourced LNG would likely be comparatively miniscule to present and future American consumption of LNG. LNG-based electrical power generation could serve several Caribbean nations for up to 2-decades, by which time viable and cost-competitive renewable technologies and/or nuclear generation combined with undersea power transmission could become commercially available.

For more: http://www.energybiz.com/article/15/05/future-power-generation-choices-caribbean-power-generation

 

 

Val Kilmer appears frail and wraps up in two scarves for church outing after denying he is suffering from throat tumor

From DAILY MAIL.COM UK

He has denied rumours that he is battling throat cancer.

But Val Kilmer, 55, looked frail and a shadow of his former self on an outing in Malibu on Sunday and wrapped two scarves around his neck.

The actor – who has reportedly been relying on his Christian Science faith to heal his health problems- was also seen hiding a portion of his face with as he left the service.

Val teamed beige slacks with a pale blue shirt and pulled his greying locks into a ponytail.

The father-of-two wore sporty grey trainers and carried a medical style shoulder bag.

Earlier this year Val was hospitalized after he coughed up blood but after being released from hospital he took to Facebook to deny that it was cancer.

At the time he explained that it was ‘a complication where the best way to receive care was to stay under the watchful eye of the ucla ICU’

He added: ‘Friends have assisted who know my spiritual convictions and have been most sensitive and kind for the extra effort in making sure there’s minimum gossip and silly talk.

The star did not shed any more light on what he was at the medical centre for.

Sources told TMZ that Val’s family was ‘upset’ because they feel the actor has ‘ignored the [tumor] problem and allowed it to get worse.’

Val was seen on January 16 with a scarf around his neck during a Lakers game which he attended with his son Jack.

Christian Science followers are known to believe that prayers heal over medical treatment.

According to the insider, anyone who persisted with asking the actor to seek medical help was simply cut out of his life.

The Kiss Kiss Bang Bang star is known as a devout Christian Scientist, although he once said in a 2005 interview that it was ‘quite a challenging faith’.

Val was married to Joanne Whalley from 1988 to 1996. In addition to Jack, he has a daughter Mercedes, 23.

IMAGES:

Casual outing: The Top Gun star wore beige slacks and a blue shirt and tied his hair back in a ponytail

Reports earlier this year suggested Val was relying on his Christian Science religion to heal his health problem

For more on this story go to: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3106428/Val-Kilmer-appears-frail-wraps-two-scarves-church-outing-denying-suffering-throat-tumor.html#ixzz3bvC5vPqT