Job swapping at CINICO

Swapping of the two top jobs at the Cayman Islands National Insurance Company (CINICO) has taken place.

According to an announcement published in the government’s Cayman Islands Gazette Monday (3), Mr. Scott Cummings, who has been chairman for three years, is now deputy chairman of CINICO and will serve in that capacity until the end of this month, while Mr. Seamus Tivnan who was Cummings’ deputy will be chairman until the end of June 2014.

The reshuffle had been agreed several weeks ago and was done to ensure that both the chairman and deputy chairman would not be leaving their positions at the same time.

Cummings and his family moved back to Texas, where he was born, in January and has been remaining in touch with CINICO staff and its board via email, BBM and videoconferencing.

Nelson reappears

Cayman Brac’s famous large rock iguana named Nelson who has not been seen for nearly a year has reappeared.

Nelson was airlifted to Grand Cayman in April last year for treatment after suffering a broken leg thought to have been caused by a car on South Side Road. The iguana initially recovered in a bath tub at the home of former Department of Environment officer Mat Cottam in Grand Cayman and in July was flown back to Cayman Brac.

Nelson recuperated on the sister island at Bonnie Scott Edwards’s home before being released into the wild.

Bonnie played a big role in saving Nelson and she spotted the iguana last month and reported she seemed to be doing well.

“For weeks, I’ve been hearing about an iguana crossing Dennis Foster Road near the high school and today I saw it basking and got a good zoom of the beads. It’s Nelson,” she said.

CONCACAF opens office in Cayman

CITN/Cayman27 have reported that FIFA Vice-President, CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb saying the football governing body is consolidating its operation to two main offices — one in Miami and one in the Cayman Islands.

CONCACAF is closing its office in the Trump Tower, in New York.

Not only will Cayman be headquarters for one of world football’s six confederations, it will also house CONCACAF’s development arm. That means many of its regional directors will live and work here in Cayman.

For more go to http://www.cayman27.com.ky/2013/06/05/concacaf-opens-office-in-cayman

Joey Ebanks trial also moves to Grand Court

Joey Ebanks, the former head of the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) will face trial in Grand Court after several of the long list offences he has been charged with were transmitted from Summary Court last Tuesday (4).

Ebanks will still face seven of his charges in the Summary Court relating to amounts under $5,000, plus two drugs related charges.

Ebanks’ charges to be dealt in the Grand Court include obtaining property by deception (purchasing of several iPhones and iPads totalling almost $78,000), making documents without authority and multiple charges of obtaining property by deception. He is also accused of writing cheques without permission and incorrectly claiming travel expenses.

Ebanks was an unsuccessful candidate for North Side in the general election last month and has denied all the charges claiming he was a victim of a wider corruption conspiracy.

Teen pleads guilty to theft and robbery

Garfield Silburn Jr admitted to robbery on 23rd March this year, when he stole a woman’s handbag whilst riding a bike in a daylight mugging on Dr. Roy’s Drive. Silburn also confessed to stealing the bicycle he was riding that was said to be stolen from the vicinity of the Brasserie Restaurant with an estimated value of CI$250.

In addition, he pleaded guilty to attempted theft in connection with an incident in Newport Avenue on 4th April, when he tried to steal another handbag from a woman he had pulled to the ground.

In the police report of the incident it said the woman had clung on to her bag as the robber attempted to pull it from her grasp, as he rode his bicycle along the road dragging her with him. However, when a car came by Silburn fled leaving the bike behind.

The woman was treated at the George Town hospital for cuts and bruising to her legs and body.

South Sounders concerned at proposed blasting

Residents in Old Crewe Road area have been informed in a letter from local engineering company, Apec Consultants, that the developers of a new residential project by RC Estates, had instructed them to do a structural survey of homes in the area in preparation of blasting operations.

The potential blasting relates to the controversial Emerald Sound project that is under appeal. The developer has moved on to alternative plans for the land and now wishes to develop a subdivision with two very deep lakes.

The original plans called to dredge canals from the site to the ocean and move the road. Reclamation of land on the ocean front also formed part of the development in a mainly expensive residential seaside community.

Government departments, including the planning department, the Water Authority and the Department of Environment, have all objected to the depths of the proposed lakes, which are set to be 35 feet. They recommended limiting the lake depths to the standard 14 to 20 feet.

However, despite this the Central Planning Authority approved the 30 feet lake application imposed the condition that fill could not be moved offsite. This was to prevent the sub-division plan becoming a quarry. An application has been made by the developers to have that condition removed.

Arch & Godfrey are new sponsors of Cayman Islands Triathlon

The 2013 Arch & Godfrey Cayman Islands Triathlon is the new name to be given to the country’s popular triathlon following local building contractor, Arch & Godfrey (Cayman) Ltd becoming the major sponsor.

The event is set for Sunday 3rd November and will continue to be organised by the Cayman Islands Triathlon Association.

Red Sail Sports and Governor’s Square will continue their sponsorship of the event.

The charity of choice for this year’s triathlon is the Children and Youth Services Foundation.

This year’s event will take place on the newly-renovated Seven Mile Public Beach and will offer two race options:

1. The sprint version comprises a 750 metre sea swim, 20km bike ride and 5km run.
2. The Olympic distance race is 1,500m for the swim, 40km bike and 10km run.

Individuals can enter either race distance and teams of two or three people can enter in the Olympic race distance.

There will also be a different bike and run course than prior years with details to be given later. This is because the ongoing construction in the Public Beach area and on the extension of the Esterly Tibbetts highway has not been completed.