iNews Briefs, More & Community Events
Community Events
RENT: The Musical
Opened Thursday September 10th, 2015
Runs to October 3rd, 2015
Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays
Doors open at 6:30 PM for Happy Hour
try our special Tom Collins cocktail!
at The Prospect Playhouse
Do not miss out on the musical event of the year!
No Day but Today!
Click here for tickets: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/rent-the-musical-all-ticket-prices-in-us-tickets-17993960420?aff=ehomecard
See iNews Cayman review: “Rent The Musical is NOT Rogers and Hammerstein! But it’s Brilliant!!” at: http://www.ieyenews.com/wordpress/rent-the-musical-is-not-rogers-and-hammerstein-but-its-brilliant/
RUGBY WORLD COP SCHEDULE
Please join the Cayman Jewish Community for the following programmes:
Sunday September 27th
6:30 pm Sukkot Under the Stars
Tuesday, September 29th
4:00pm Sukkot Children’s Party
Monday, October 26th
Mark Halawa: From Kuwait to Jerusalem
Wednesday, December 9th
4:00 pm Pardes Rock Chanukah Concert
Wednesday, January 6th 2016
Jerusalem Uncovered: Rabbi Avraham Stolik
8th Annual CISPA Gala “Back to the Future-Celebrating 45 years of excellence”
Date: 10/10/2015
Time: 6:30 PM
Ritz Carlton Seven Mile Beach
Phone: 749 3360
Register
Event Description: The 8th Annual CISPA Gala “Back to the Future-Celebrating 45 years of excellence” is a time to celebrate Caymanians who recently attained their professional accounting designations as well as a chance to celebrate the past and look to the future
Directions: The Ritz Carlton, Grand Cayman
Annual Meals on Wheels Dress Down Day
SAVE THE DATE
Dress Down Day Friday, 20th November, 2015
Help feed our Seniors we believe no-one in Cayman should go hungry.
Individuals can help by purchasing an orange ribbon for $5.00 or a tee shirt for $15.00 and wearing them on Dress Down Day, we are encouraging companies to match employee donations.
For more information or to sign up to participate please feel free to contact us via email at [email protected] or via telephone at 949-3905.
Lions Club of Tropical Gardens Brenda Tibbetts-Lund Memorial 5K Walk/Run5K
Sunday October 3, 2015 in North Side at 6am
Public Consultation Meetings Begin for Marine Parks
Public meetings on the proposed Enhanced Marine Parks System are being held this month in all districts on Grand Cayman. The schedule is as follows:
* Bodden Town Primary School Hall on Wednesday, 23 September, at 7pm
* North Side Civic Centre on Thursday, 24 September, from 8pm
* East End Civic Centre serves on Monday, 21 September, at 8pm
Details of meetings for Cayman Brac and Little Cayman will be announced soon.
For more information of the proposed Enhanced Marine Parks System, visit http://www.doe.ky/marine/marine-parks-review/.
To submit an opinion about the proposals, email [email protected]
General queries can be directed to [email protected]
The deadline for submissions is Friday, 4 December.
Grand Court Jurors Report Date Changed
The Grand Court jury report date has been changed.
For Grand Court Jurors who are in the 1 July – 6 October 2015 session, the report date has been changed to Monday, 21st September 2015 at 9:45 a.m.
Please call the Jury Information line at 945-5072 for the most up to date information.
AIMA – CAYMAN ISLANDS CHAPTER MEETING
Ron S. Geffner, Partner and Head of the Financial Services Practice will speak at the AIMA Cayman Chapter Meeting on US Regulatory Developments and the outlook for the US and Cayman investment funds industry on November 24th at 12:00 noon.
Speaker: Ron S. Geffner
Start Date: 11/24/2009
End Date: 11/24/2009
Location: The Wharf Restaurant, Cayman Islands
Associated: Ron S. Geffner
MON SEP 21
Peace Building workshops
There are several Peace Building workshops hosted by the Family Resource Center on Peace Day (21 Sept). Meetings are scheduled at Sir John A. Cumber Primary School, the Family Resource Center and Savannah Primary School at 6pm, at Bodden Town Civic Center at 7pm and at the East End Primary School at 630pm.
Grand Court Jurors Notice
Grand Court jurors in the current session must now report on Monday (21 Sept) at 945am.
Enhanced Marine Parks System
Public meetings on the proposed Enhanced Marine Parks System are being held this month in all districts on Grand Cayman. The next is at East End Civic Center on Monday (21 Sept) at 8pm
WED SEP 23
Conservation Council Meeting announced for Cayman Islands
The National Conservation Council will hold a general meeting on Wednesday September 23rd, 2015, from 2pm to 5pm in the ground floor meeting room (1038) of the Government Administration Building (Grand Cayman). This meeting is open to observers from the public and the press. The Agenda of the meeting is available on the Department of Environment’s website, www.DoE.ky
Prayer & Prayz prayer and worship conference
Prayer & Prayz prayer and worship conference with Minister Jermaine Gordon is Wednesday — Friday (23 — 25 Sept) at 7pm nightly at the Light of the World Christian Fellowship.
Enhanced Marine Parks System
Public meetings on the proposed Enhanced Marine Parks System are being held this month in all districts on Grand Cayman. The next is at Bodden Town Primary School on Wednesday (23 Sept) at 7pm
THU SEP 24
Lions Club of Grand Cayman’s PACCE Committee Awareness Meeting
The Lions Club of Grand Cayman’s PACCE Committee invites you to their prostate and colon cancer awareness meeting on Thursday (24 Sept) at 7pm with PSA testing at 6:30pm at the Webster Memorial United Church Hall.
Enhanced Marine Parks System
Public meetings on the proposed Enhanced Marine Parks System are being held this month in all districts on Grand Cayman. The next is at North Side Civic Center on Thursday (24 Sept) at 8pm
National Gallery presents EY’s Meet Me
The National Gallery presents EY’s Meet Me on Thursday (24 Sept) from1130 — 1230pm. The National Gallery’s offerings for caregivers and individuals wanting to combat dementia is designed for groups coming from care organisations such as The Pines, and for members of the general public in the early and middle stages of dementia. This programme incorporates conversations about artworks, may include art-making components and takes place in the Gallery’s exhibition halls and education studio.
SAT SEP 26
Men’s Breakfast Meeting
The Grand Cayman chapter of the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International is having its monthly breakfast on Saturday September 26th at 7:30am, at The Upper Crust restaurant in Camana Bay. Dr. Curtis Barnett to be our guest speaker.
Come out to hear the how God is making a difference in the life of men like you, right here in Cayman.
CIBC FirstCaribbean Auto Fair
100% Auto Financing, Fast Approval, Low Interest Rates, * at:
CIBC FirstCaribbean Auto Fair
Saturday, 26th September 2015
10:00am – 4:00pm
25 Main Street, George Town, Grand Cayman
CARE announces Cayman Islands 5th Annual Paws for wine
Sat Sept 26th Ristorante Pappagallo
Cayman Islands badly burned car crash victim airlifted to Jamaica
A 21 year old woman who was badly burned (over 80% of her body) has been airlifted to a specialist burns unit in Jamaica.
Jessie Perry was a passenger in a car that crashed near the Public Beach on the West Bay Road, Seven Mile Beach, on Grand Cayman last Monday (14) at approx. 1:30am.
She was transported to the George Town Hospital where she was stabilized but needed special treatment for her injuries.
Perry has no medical insurance and her family have appealed for help from the community. The Cayman Islands government have contributed along with community donations but a lot more is needed.
An emergency fund account to collect donations for Perry’s treatment has been set op at at CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank – account number 10459786.
The driver of the car also has burn injuries (20%) and remains in the George Town Hospital’s ICU.
For more details on how to help, contact Jacqueline Ebanks at: (345) 322-5673.
Anesthesia Camp Grand Cayman
DATE: January 27, 2016 – January 30, 2016
6:00 AM – 1:00 PM
LOCATION: Grand Cayman, Other, Cayman Islands
MEETING TYPE: Other
$1295 (Member) | $1295 (Non-Member)
Anesthesia Camp Grand Cayman
CONTACT INFORMATION
Tracy Ellis
1700 East 56th Street
Suite 3801
Chicago, IL, United States of America 60637
Phone: (773) 417-0075
Fax: (888) 286-5815
Email: [email protected]
CONCACAF Statement
“Today [Sep 17] in Mexico City, CONCACAF had a very productive meeting with CONMEBOL and our broadcast partners, Univision and Televisa, regarding the Copa America Centenario. While all parties recognize that there are still issues that must be resolved, we are all in alignment regarding the next steps to be taken as well as the aggressive timeline towards realizing our common goal of staging the Copa America Centenario in the United States. We remain committed to working with all parties to resolve outstanding issues and operational components of the tournament.”
Cayman Islands bank hacked by “Hack for Trump”
A Cayman Islands bank belonging to the Fidelity Group has had its website hacked by hackers calling themselves “Hack for Trump”.
The bank has taken down its website temporarily although they said the hack was very minor and in a Press Release said:
“Fidelity has analyzed the websites that were reportedly hacked and they hold minimal client information. While the bank understands that there is the potential that a very small number of customers may have emailed the bank via the website, as mentioned above, given that the server accessed was the bank’s vendor’s server the potential exposure is very minor.”
The Cayman Compass reported they had received an email from the hackers saying:
“We did not get access to their customers’ financial data, but we managed to dump three databases serving their main website. This data contains various confidential details about the bank, as well as hundreds of emails sent by prospective and existing customers, both local and foreign ones.”
The Compass article also says the hackers would make the stolen data public unless Fidelity pays them $30,000 before Friday Sept. 18th. The funds would be used to help “Donald Trump get elected to the White House, as he is the only candidate who can restore America to its former glory.”
Fidelity said it had not accepted the blackmail demand and has taken during the past week “all reasonable steps to ensure that client data has not been compromised.”
The Royal Cayman Islands police Service is investigating.
Governor’s aide dies after being shot during NY Caribbean day parade
By Gerren Keith Gaynor From Centric
IMAGE: Carey Gabay, 43, shot in head and declared brain dead
A former aide for New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has died after being declared brain dead from a shooting during Labor Day weekend.
Carey Gabay was taken off life support a week after he was hit in the head by a stray bullet while celebrating pre-Caribbean Day Parade festivities in the streets of New York City.
“There are difficult decisions we will face in the coming hours and days as our family struggles to process what this means for us,” his family said in a statement, according to the New York Daily News. “This is a nightmare that’s shaken our resolve and tested our faith.”
Gabay was a Harvard-educated and the son of Jamaican immigrants. He was recently named first deputy counsel to the Empire State Development Corp.
The 43-year-old was attending a J’Ouvert celebration at 3:45 a.m. on Sept. 7. When shots rang out he ran for cover, but was struck.
“Carey was the epitome of an outstanding public servant,” Gov. Cuomo said in a statement. “No one should have to experience the pain of losing someone they love to random gun violence.”
Detectives said Wednesday they were closing in on a suspect. “We do have some identifications and are going forward with that right now,” said NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce.
(Photo: REUTERS/ Governor’s Office of New York /LANDOV)
Rex Crighton one of Cayman Islands pioneer developers dies
Rex Crighton, a much beloved Caymanian developer and realtor, died at his home last Monday (14) at the age of 81.
Mr. Crighton was one of Cayman’s pioneers in development and started one of the Island’s first property companies Bodden Crighton development Ltd with the late James M. Bodden.
He was a founding member of the Cayman Islands Real Estate Brokers Association and a past president of the Rotary Club of Grand Cayman Central. He was also for many years a Special Police Officer.
His home in Spotts is lit up with spectacular electrical display at Christmas and he used to dress up as Santa Claus and give out presents to the many children that gathered in his yard to view the lights.
Mr. Crighton is survived by his wife Cecile, son Dale and daughters Thora and Tammy.
The funeral service for the late Rex Crighton will take place at the Church of God Chapel on Walkers Road at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26th.
Soccer bribery suspect Eugenio Figueredo to be extradited to U.S.
By Joe Wright From Sporting News
A FIFA official accused of taking bribes will be extradited to the United States, Switzerland’s Federal Office of Justice has confirmed.
Eugenio Figueredo, the former vice president of CONMEBOL, South American soccer’s governing body, was among FIFA officials to be arrested in May on suspicion of corruption.
Figueredo, 83, is accused of accepting bribes from a marketing firm in his native Uruguay in connection with the sale of TV rights for the 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2023 Copa America finals. He is also alleged to have acquired U.S. citizenship unlawfully.
The Federal Office of Justice announced that it has sanctioned his extradition to the U.S., specifically as the crimes for which he is accused are also punishable under Swiss law.
Figueredo has 30 days to lodge an appeal against the decision.
FIFA is soccer’s international governing body.
Cayman Islands police report a “Tactical Vehicle Stop” last Thu (17)
The Royal Cayman islands Police Service (RCIPS) have confirmed that at about 16:45 hrs last Thursday, 17 September, officers from the Uniformed Support Group conducted an armed tactical vehicle stop in the vicinity of Governor’s Harbour. During this stop two men, ages 42 and 31, were detained relative to suspicious activity on their part. Both men have since been released.
Barbados to host Caribbean Youth Entrepreneurship Summit On September 24th!
Regional policymakers, young entrepreneurs, and other major stakeholders, will meet in Barbados on Thursday 24th September, 2015 during the Caribbean Youth Entrepreneurship Summit (C-YES), to chart a future for youth entrepreneurship in the Caribbean. The C-YES is a new platform for entrepreneurs and policy makers, to collectively build a better future for entrepreneurship development in the Caribbean. It will also provide a golden opportunity to engage governments, regional stakeholders and other institutions in an examination of our entrepreneurial ecosystem, with a view to further strengthening the impact of entrepreneurship as a driver of economic growth in the region.
The Summit will be formally opened by Honourable Stephen Lashley, Minister of Culture, Sport and Youth and opening remarks will be delivered by Ambassador Larry L. Palmer, U.S. Ambassador, Barbados and Eastern Caribbean. Trinidad and Tobago entrepreneur, Mrs. Tameika Fletcher-Birmingham shall deliver the keynote address. Other speakers include Mr. David Clarke, Chairman of the Barbados Youth Business Trust and representatives from UWI, CARICOM, the Caribbean Development Bank and Youth Business International.
C-YES will be co-hosted by a number of agencies that support young entrepreneurs from Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia and Dominica along with London-based network organization Youth Business International (YBI), who have reinforced their commitment towards the continued development of youth entrepreneurship. During the past three (3) years, these organizations have been working collaboratively to deliver the Youth Entrepreneurship Program for the Eastern Caribbean (YEPEC), with funding from USAID. YEPEC involved the delivery of high quality training, mentoring and network support to help young people to establish sustainable businesses, as well as capacity-building of the institutions involved in the provision of this support.
Cayman Islands motor cycle /car crash victim laid to rest
Matthew Owens (31) was laid to rest at a service of thanksgiving at the Church of God Chapel in George Town, Grand Cayman last Wednesday (16).
Mr Owens died as a result of a two car crash when he was knocked off his motor cycle.
One of the drivers of the crashed cars has been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and causing death by dangerous driving.
Bahamas PM: Creative industries must feed into main economic pillars
From CARIBBEAN360
NASSAU, Bahamas, Thursday September 17, 2015 – Prime Minister Perry Christie says there needs to be more investment in the creative industries to feed into the country’s main economic pillars and develop sustainable linkages across sectors of the economy.
And he says the climate is ripe for inward investment in the Caribbean.
Addressing the recent 2015 Caribbean Investment Summit in London, he said a “substantial” amount of foreign direct investment must continue to build on the traditional sectors such as tourism, financial services, business service outsourcing, fisheries and agro-processing – where the Caribbean has a competitive advantage.
He noted that foreign investors are now venturing into previously unexplored sectors of the economies, like natural resources, infrastructure, energy, manufacturing, real estate, transport, telecommunications, stem cell research and medical tourism, which, he said, as a single market develops will reap real rewards over the long term.
The region, he affirmed, provides competitive advantages of accessibility, economic and political stability, adequate labour supply, modern infrastructure, robust investment incentive frameworks and trade facilitation, with some preferential access to markets through its trade agreements with Europe, the United States and Canada.
“Consequently, there are many opportunities for inward investment, and promotional efforts in this direction are yielding good results,” Christie said.
The prime minister said he remained convinced that the tourism sector and its niche industries will continue to be the engine of economic growth, employment, human capital development, industry diversification and business improvement for most of the 40 million citizens of the Caribbean.
Third double-murder for the week in Trinidad
By Trinidad Express From St Lucia News online
TRINIDAD EXPRESS – A jilted lover is the suspect in the double murder in Tacarigua on Wednesday, where 18-year-old Jewel George and her 20 year old friend Akeem Bascillo were shot and killed on the street, as they walked out of a pharmacy at Eastern Main Road, Dinsley Junction.
The killings happened at around 9p.m. Police were told that the two victims were approached by a man who shouted, pulled a gun and began firing. Both died at the scene.
Grieving relatives said Bascillo was a popular disc jockey .
“The man was just normal…he eh deserve this… he eh deserve this at all… what you kill them for? Come na man….life is to precious for you to just waste it like that…you take away my cousin for what? For nothing,” said a relative.
Homicide investigators on the scene told Express that this was the fourth report that they had received within six hours.
Express was informed that while officers were on the Tacarigua scene, they were told about a shooting homicide in Port of Spain.
According to police reports, at about 9p.m. Franklin Carr, 51, of Upper St Barbs, Second Hamlet Trace, Laventille, was driving a silver Nissan Almera, along Nelson Street, Port of Spain, when upon reaching in the vicinity of Apartment Buildings 16-18, he was shot.
Residents of the area notified police and upon checking, they found Carr slumped across the passenger front seat of his vehicle.
At around 3p.m. on Tuesday, John Phillip, 28, of Bazilon Street, El Dorado, was stabbed to death after getting into a fight with an unknown assailant. Philli was a technician with Car Search Limited and was in company with another employee in the vicinity of El Dorado Road when the incident occurred.
Phillip was stabbed several times to his chest and arms and had to be rushed to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex for treatment.
On Saturday morning Kareem Turton, 28, and Amit Ramlogan, 18, were both shot to death in Belmont; while on Saturday night Amit Samaroo, 30, and Kimberly Mohammed, 19, were both gunned down in Icacos Village.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul received Icon Award by the Indo-Caribbean Alliance
From Jagran Josh
Who: Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Where: New York
What: Received Icon Award by the Indo-Caribbean Alliance
When: 17 September 2015
Veteran Test cricketer of West Indies Shivnarine Chanderpaul was on 12 September 2015 honoured with the Icon Award by the Indo-Caribbean Alliance.
The 41-year-old left-handed batsman was given the award in New York along with three others, namely television personality Lakshmee Singh, New York City council member Eric Ulrich and businessman Dave Kadernauth.
Icon Award is the highest award given by the New York City-based Indo-Caribbean Alliance.
Chanderpaul as a Cricketer
Shivnarine Chanderpaul is a Guyanese cricketer and former captain of the West Indies cricket team. He is the first Indo-Caribbean to play 100 Tests for the West Indies, and captained them in 14 Tests and 16 One Day Internationals. He is well known for his unorthodox batting stance, which has been described as crab-like.
In 2008 he was named as one of the five Cricketers of the Year by the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, and as the Player of the Year by the International Cricket Council.
As one of the most prolific run-scorers in West Indies cricket, he amassed 11867 runs from 164 Tests at an average of 51. He is only second to Brian Lara in aggregate.
In One Day Internationals, he has scored 8778 runs in 268 matches.
Indo-Caribbean Alliance (ICA)
ICA is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization based in Queens, New York. It was founded in 2008 by three residents who wanted to organize their community to create the programs and services in the underserved Indo-Caribbean and South Asian enclaves of South Queens including Richmond Hill, South Ozone Park, Ozone Park, South Jamaica and Jamaica.
Our mission is to unify and advance Indo-Caribbean and South Asian interests by fostering joint and collaborative actions among different peoples, organizations and businesses. The alliance acts as a liaison and an advocate to government agencies, elected officials and other non-profit organizations to create specialized educational, arts and social service programs.
US seizes $12 million of drugs in Caribbean
AFP From The Tico Times
Officers of the Coast Guard Cutter Bernard C. Webber unload 2,200 pounds of cocaine after it was seized in the ongoing Operation Martillo on April 26, 2013 in Miami. For illustrative purposes. Joe Raedle/Getty Images/AFP
MIAMI – The U.S. Coast Guard said Friday it had seized cocaine and marijuana worth an estimated $11.8 million in the Caribbean Sea as part of an effort to counter rampant drug trafficking.
On Sept. 3, U.S. patrol aircraft detected a suspicious Panamanian-flagged vessel sailing southeast of Nicaragua that did not respond to radio calls. A U.S. law enforcement team boarded the ship after receiving permission from the Panamanian government, and found 560 pounds (255 kilograms) of cocaine in a hidden compartment with a wholesale value of $8.5 million.
The same day, while responding to a sunken vessel call, the Coast Guard cutter Vigilant located 68 bales of marijuana floating in the water.
Crews recovered more than 3,600 pounds of marijuana, with an estimated wholesale value of $3.3 million.
The Coast Guard offloaded the drugs on Friday in Miami Beach.
‘Great pride’ in drug trafficking battle
“We take great pride in knowing that these seizures will help our investigatory agencies begin to dismantle the transnational organized crime networks that wreak havoc across the Western Hemisphere,” said Commander Timothy Cronin, deputy chief of law enforcement for the Coast Guard Seventh District.
Since October 2014, the Coast Guard has seized on both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts nearly 130 tons of cocaine worth an estimated $4.3 billion, the most since 2008.
And in another record, the Coast Guard and its federal partner agencies have brought 439 smugglers in for prosecution and seized 135 vessels.
The latest seizure was conducted as part of Operation Martillo, part of an effort to counter the use of Central American coasts as shipment routes for illegal drugs, weapons and cash.
For more: http://www.ticotimes.net/2015/09/18/us-seizes-12-million-of-drugs-in-caribbean
Jamaican architect receives doctorate from University of Seville
From The Jamaica Gleaner
IMAGE: Dr Patricia Green (centre), the first from the English-speaking Caribbean to receive a PhD from the University of Seville, accepts her doctoral certificate in Architecture from the Ambassador of Spain to Jamaica, His Excellency Aníbal Jiménez Abascal (right). Sharing the moment is Deputy Head of Mission in the Embassy of Spain, Carmen Rives Ruiz-Tapiador, at embassy in St Andrew.
Patricia E. Green, historic preservationist and head of the Caribbean School of Architecture in the Faculty for the Built Environment at the University of Technology (UTech), was recently officially presented with her doctoral certificate in Architecture from the University of Seville by Spanish Ambassador Anibal Jimenez Abascal.
Dr Green is the first from the English-speaking Caribbean to receive a PhD from Universidad de Sevilla, one of the top-ranked universities in Spain.
The degree was presented at a special ceremony at the Spanish embassy in St Andrew, attended by her parents Leonard and Stephanie Green, as well as other family members.
In making the presentation, Ambassador Jimenez made reference to Spain’s uniqueness in relation to architecture, heritage and environment and outlined the beauty and history of Jamaica, in particular Seville in St Ann. He also mentioned the links between Jamaica and Spain, including “tourism and the outstanding bilateral relations existing today”.
Dr Green’s thesis was titled, ‘Sustainable Development in the Conservation of the English Caribbean Cultural Landscape: The Caribbean Vernacular and the Role of the Spanish Architectonic Heritage of the Islands of Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago’.
“My research and work were on the Spanish period of the English Caribbean territories from 1492, covering the periods that they were under Spanish rule. Sevilla is the city where the Archivo de Indias is located and it is the repository of the largest collection of original documents on the exploration and settlement of the Caribbean and the Americas,” Dr Green said.
She added, “In addition, I received an international doctorate from the university as a special award, because my research was carried out internationally.”
A practising architect for more than 30 years, Dr Green is an expert in historic preservation and the conservation of heritage and the environment for cultural heritage tourism. She has worked in Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, Grenada and other Caribbean territories and served as an international consultant to the United Nations Educational Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Centre, and for the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS).
She completed studies in professional architecture from the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London and her MSc in Historic Preservation at the University of Pennsylvania, among other qualifications.
10 dead in land conflicts among Nicaragua settlers, Indians
From The Olympian
(AP) MANAGUA, NICARAGUA Land conflicts between settlers and Miskito Indians on Nicaragua’s Atlantic coast have left at least nine people dead this month and 20 wounded.
Indians have armed themselves and are seeking to expel the settlers, who are drawn in part by the area’s rich tropical hardwood forests.
The latest death was that of Yatama Indian community leader Mario Lemans. Hundreds of Indians gathered Thursday in the coast’s main city, Puerto Cabezas, in preparation for his funeral.
President Daniel Ortega has blamed illegal land sales for the wave of settlers.
Police say the Indians have burned some settlers’ homes. The Indians say police stationed in the area have shot at them.
Nicaragua’s central government has granted Indian communities some autonomy and recognition of their territories. But tensions between the Miskitos and the leftist government date back to the 1980s, when the Indians resisted efforts to incorporate them more closely into the Sandinista system.
For more: http://www.theolympian.com/news/nation-world/article35615466.html#storylink=cpy
Restoring mangrove forests in the Caribbean
By Amy Heemsoth from Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation
I’ve just touched down in sunny Abaco, Bahamas and it is absolutely beautiful here. There are white sandy beaches, turquoise-colored ocean, palm trees, and mangrove trees. Yes, mangrove trees.
Mangroves are trees or shrubs that can tolerate living in salty conditions in coastal areas. Each species has specialized adaptations that allow them to get rid of the excess salt from the sea water. Mangroves are a really important ecosystem that provides billions of dollars in goods and services each year to individual countries. Not to mention, they are responsible for filtering nutrients and toxins out of the water, providing good water quality to coral reefs and seagrass ecosystems. These trees are the reason that I’m in Abaco.
Last school year, we initiated a Mangrove Education and Restoration pilot program in Falmouth, Jamaica called the Jamaican Awareness of Mangroves in Nature (J.A.M.I.N.). I’m happy to announce that we have expanded the program this year to include schools in The Bahamas.
Over the next two weeks, I will visit two schools in each country to implement the Mangrove Education and Restoration Programs with the help of our partners, Friends of the Environment (FRIENDS) and the University of the West Indies Discovery Bay Marine Lab (DBML).
We will provide classrooms with lesson plans and classroom activities as well as funding and support to take students on field trips to mangrove forests. The students will get a hands-on experience in the mangrove ecosystem and learn what they could do to restore it. Throughout the duration of the project, students will grow mangrove propagules (the mangrove equivalent of a seed), in their classroom and at the end of the school year, they will return to a local mangrove forest where they will plant their mangroves, helping to restore the ecosystem.
IMAGE: Caribbean Mangroves Red mangrove trees.
For more: https://www.livingoceansfoundation.org/education-restores-caribbean-mangroves/
America drops to 16th place in ranking of economic freedom
By R Williams From Newsmax
U.S. economic freedom has deteriorated so much in the past 15 years that people in countries like Singapore, United Arab Emirates and the former Soviet republic of Georgia have greater liberties, a study says.
America this year dropped in the ranking of economic freedom to 16th place from 2nd place in 2000 as the federal government enacted stricter regulations and legal protections for individuals weakened, says study author Robert A. Lawson, a business professor at Southern Methodist University.
“The United States has experienced a significant move away from rule of law and toward a highly regulated, politicized and heavily policed state,” Lawson says in the Dallas Morning News. “During the past decade, non-tariff trade barriers, restrictions on foreign investment and business regulations of various kinds have grown extensively.”
Hong Kong was the only region with greater economic freedoms than the U.S. in the 2000 study. Now, New Zealand, Switzerland, Jordan, Ireland and Qatar are among the countries that rank higher. Venezuela and Congo are in last place because Cuba and North Korea aren’t rated.
The study uses broad indicators of economic freedoms, making precise explanations for the change in rankings difficult to pinpoint, according to Lawson, who co-wrote the report with James Gwartney of Florida State University and Joshua Hall of West Virginia University.
Lawson provides several hints of why the U.S. has fallen in the rankings.
“What of increased environmental, safety and health rules and new acts like Sarbanes-Oxley, Dodd-Frank and the Affordable Care Act? Could they be a threat to property rights?” Lawson writes. “Could it be a factor that local police officers now sport armored cars, assault rifles and body armor, and look more like soldiers at war than cops keeping the peace?”
Caribbean most popular tourist destination
From Jamaica Observer
MADRID, Spain (CMC) – The United Nations says the Caribbean continues to be among the most popular tourist destinations, despite global concerns about safety and security.
According to figures released by the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Oceania joins the Caribbean in being the most popular regions.
The Madrid-based UNWTO said tourism rose in those regions by seven per cent last year, compared to Central and Eastern Europe and Central America, which rose to six per cent.
International tourism figures on a whole grew by four per cent in the first half of 2015, an increase of 21 million when compared to the same period last year, UNWTO said.
Besides safety and security concerns in some regions, UNWTO said the recovery of advanced economies and the slowdown of emerging ones have also affected tourism figures.
Lower oil prices and currency fluctuations, such as the weaker currency in the Euro area, have also played a part, UNWTO said.
“These results show that, despite increased volatility, tourism continues to consolidate the positive performance it has had over the last five years and to provide development and economic opportunities worldwide,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai.
“As UNWTO prepares to meet in Medellin, Colombia, for its 21st General Assembly, this is the appropriate moment to call for a stronger support to tourism as the sector has the potential to deliver on some of the most pressing challenges of our time, namely job creation, economic growth and social inclusion,” he added.
In terms of outbound tourism, data for 2015 so far shows a mixed picture in spending overseas.
For more: http://m.jamaicaobserver.com/mobile/latestnews/Caribbean-most-popular-tourist-destination
Australian woman reportedly raped on Carnival Cruise ship in Caribbean
From 9NEWS Au FTBA
An Australian employee on a Carnival Cruise ship docked in the Caribbean has reportedly been raped on board by a fellow worker.
The attack allegedly occurred inside one of the cabins of the Carnival Liberty, which is currently docked in San Juan.
The worker accused of raping the employee has been detained in Puerto Rico, the Associated Press reports.
Jennifer De La Cruz, a spokeswoman for Carnival, confirmed the cruise ship employee is Australian.
Police in Puerto Rico had previously misidentified her as a tourist on-board the cruise.
The alleged attacker has not been charged.
South African animal rights group tries to stop big game hunt
From The Guardian UK
NSPCA granted a warrant to gain access to private reserve and can bring charges against organisers of the week-long hunt if they see signs of animal cruelty
An impala grazes at Kruger national park in South Africa.
Impala are among the animals that have been killed in a big game hunt in South
South African animal rights group the NSPCA has said it has obtained a warrant in its attempt to stop a week-long large game hunt that could see hundreds of animals die.
The group said game such as gemsbuck, wildebeest, warthog and impala had already been killed in the hunt, taking place on a private reserve in the Limpopo region.
Critics say the method of killing, which involves tracking the beasts then driving them towards hunters waiting on special platforms, is legal but cruel as animals are often only wounded and then left to die a slow and painful death.
The NSPCA was granted a warrant by a South African court and can bring charges against the organisers if they see signs of cruelty towards animals during the hunt.
“Our team has successfully obtained a warrant to gain access to the farms for the next four days,” the NSPCA announced.
“Please be assured that we are doing everything possible to stop the hunt.”
The controversy comes just over two months after Cecil the lion was killed by an American recreational game hunter in Zimbabwe, causing a global outcry against inhumane hunting.
The NSPCA said some animals had already been killed during the organised hunt.
“We can confirm that 18 animals were killed today, including gemsbuck, eland, wildebeest, warthogs, impala and duiker.”
Complaints procedure for schools Caribbean Netherlands
Press release RCN
On August 1 of this year the complaints procedure for schools in the Caribbean Netherlands (CN) came into effect. This means that each school funded by the Kingdom Government now adheres to a standard procedure for handling complaints by parents, pupils and personnel and that a central Complaints Committee(Complaints CommitteeCaribbean Netherlands) has been appointed.
As laid down in the complaints procedure, the first step is always to discuss the complaint with the person or persons directly involved within the school. If the matter cannot be solved between those parties, the complaint can be escalated to school management and, if necessary, to the school bard. If this does not offer a satisfactory solution then as of August 1, 2015 an official complaint can be submitted to the Complaints Committee CN after having filled out a standard form. It is mandatory for schools to provide information about the complaints procedure, for instance via their school guide or website.
The committee handles complaints confidentially and will respond within four weeks. Based on the advice of the Complaints Committee the school board can take action. The advice of the Complaints Committee is not binding but may result in new views on the matter. The Complaints Committee consists of 1 representative for each of the three islands of the Caribbean Netherlands.
For general questions about the complaints procedures or the Complaints Committee, you can contact RCN/OCW via e-mail: [email protected].
Jamaica mulls making Caribbean Tribunal its Court of Final Appeal
From Latin American Herald Tribune
SAN JUAN – The Jamaican Senate will debate next month three bills that propose making the Caribbean Court of Justice the country’s court of final appeal, a government spokesperson confirmed to EFE on Monday via telephone.
The legislation calls for amending the constitution to substitute the CCJ for the UK Privy Council as Jamaica’s ultimate appellate panel.
“It must be the firm desire of every senator to have his or her vote recorded in this historic debate, which really is meant to serve as a platform concerning the character of Jamaica’s system of government for the future,” Sen. Arnold Joseph Nicolson said in a statement.
Twelve of the 15 Caribbean Community member-states are signatories of the CCJ: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.
All 12 use the CCJ as a court of Original Jurisdiction for interpretation and application of the treaty establishing CARICOM, but only Dominica, Barbados, Guyana and Belize employ the CCJ as the court of final appeal in civil and criminal cases.
For more: http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=2396446&CategoryId=14092
ECCU non-peforming loan ratio highest in region
By Andre Huie From WINN FM
St. Kitts and Nevis (WINN): Non-performing loans ratio in the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union stands at 18%, the highest in the entire Caribbean and well over the recommended 5% mark for the sub-region. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is positing several reasons for this. IMF’s Regional Resident Representative in Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU), Wayne Mitchell, gives a snapshot of the health of the financial sector in the Caribbean, looks at the aspect of non-performing loans across the region. “In the Eastern Caribbean, the standard is 5% (non-performing loans)…with the exception of Haiti and Trinidad and Tobago, all countries are way above the 5% with the Eastern Caribbean showing the highest non-performing loans ratio as of 2013/2014 at 18%. So that’s extremely high and of great concern,” Mitchell said.
WINN asked Mr. Mitchell if a lack of adequate supervision of banks and lending agencies, could be blamed for the high percentage of non-performing loans in the Eastern Caribbean. “The global recession, has had tremendous adverse impact on our economies and that has fed through to the banking systems,” Mr. Mitchell noted. He explained that a decline in tourist arrivals, leading to a decline in revenue for both government and private sector, impacts persons’ ability to service loans.
The IMF says that despite the high liquidity of banks in St. Kitts and Nevis and the stability of the financial sector, private sector credit remains weak. Mr. Mitchell offers an explanation as to why this is so. “The issue banks are facing is one of concern in terms of the riskiness of lending and so in an environment (which is) naturally risk averse, there is a tendency for them to be even more cautious in lending and jeopardizing their loans portfolios,” Mitchell said.
For more & audio: http://www.winnfm.com/index.php/news/local/13939-eccu-non-peforming-loan-ratio-highest-in-region#sthash.UWFhTqmI.dpuf
Caribbean physicians and specialists study in Santiago de Cuba
From Radio Cadena Agramonte
Santiago de Cuba, Sep 16.- The University of Medical Sciences (UCM) of Santiago de Cuba received the first students of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), through a plan of scholarships offered by Cuba to train physicians and specialists in the various branches of Medicine.
Ramon Romero, methodology expert of foreign scholarship holders at the UCM, explained on Tuesday that these are subventions to help train experts in countries of the region, which will benefit the social development of their nations and improve their health systems.
Studying at the UCM are 580 foreigners from 43 nations in four faculties, most of them from Haiti, with 91 students, in pre- and post-graduate courses and health technologies. Also included are Cuban graduates from Havana’s Latin American Medical School (ELAM).(RHC)
