iNews Briefs
Former Tempura boss files criminal complaint
Martin Bridger, the former senior investigator in Operation Tempura has filed a criminal complaint with Cayman Islands Police Commissioner David Baines against Attorney General Samuel Bulgin, former Governor Stuart Jack and the U.K.’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office adviser Larry Covington in relation to the infamous and costly investigation into police corruption.
The United Kingdom’s Metropolitan Police said last year in their opinion, Bridger’s same complaint he filed with them against Bulgin, Jack and Covington should be investigated.
All three persons in the complaint previously denied any wrong doing in connection with Operation Tempura.
Publishers of Cayman Net News no longer operational says attorney
Attorney Clyde Allen told Cayman Islands Summary Court last Monday (20) Cayman Net Ltd., who were publishers of Cayman Net News is no longer operational.
Cayman Net Ltd was before the court relating to pension-related charges.
Businessman Deon Ebanks announced recently he was the publisher of Cayman’s newest media house “The Cayman Reporter” that has taken the place of Cayman Net News.
Local woman employed as trustee pleads guilty to S437K theft
Patricia Glasgow (46) pleaded guilty to stealing US$437,300 from a client of Bodden Corporate Services Ltd where she was employed as a trustee of an offshore company.
At a sentencing hearing on Tuesday (21) it was revealed Glasgow stole monies from a trust by forging another trustee’s signature in74 transactions between September 2008 and August 2011.
The theft was only discovered after the client who had established the trust died and Bodden Corporate had made Glasgow redundant. In June 2012 investigations led to Glasgow and she was arrested.
After hearing mitigating submissions from her attorney, citing Glasgow was being blackmailed and the theft was not because of greed plus Glasgow was of good character, the judge, Justice Charles Quin, announced he would deliver his sentence on February 3rd.
Glasgow was bailed until then.
Jury panel dismissed for Borden trial and several pool jurors fined
Chief Justice Hon. Anthony Smellie dismissed the jury panel last Monday (20) who were there for selection for the trial of Brian Borden who is charged for the murder of Robert Mackford Bush in September 2011.
Twice before, since Borden’s arrest for the murder 18 months ago, the trial dates have had to be adjourned because of legal issues.
The latest legal issue is thought to be quickly resolved as the jury panel was ordered to return Tuesday (28) when the trial is now set to commence.
Some jury members of the pool failed to appear and the chief justice fined them each $500.
Two men have been accused of being involved in the murder of Bush. Borden is facing trial of being one of the men who opened fire on Bush as he sat in a car at the junction of Capt Joe and Osbert Road and Birch Tree Hill in West Bay.
The murder is thought to be gang related.
David Tomassa is the other man charged with aiding and abetting the killing of Bush. His separate trial is expected to be heard later this year. No plea has been submitted on his behalf to date.
Search for missing diver called off
The search for missing diver, David Byles, has been called off.
Mr. Byles was last seen on Sunday morning when he surfaced from a dive in the Barracuda Wall area, off Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman.
Despite three days of intense searching involving specialist divers, RCIPS Marine and Air Operations Units, Department of Environment, Port Security and civilian volunteers, no trace of Mr. Byles has been found. His BCD, dive tank and an item of clothing were recovered by divers on Monday in depths of 110 – 135 feet off the Barracuda Wall.
Inspector Ian Yearwood, the officer in charge of the search, has remained in close contact with Mrs. Byles, updating her throughout the search process. The decision to stand down the search has been discussed with her.
Inspector Yearwood said, “It’s always a difficult decision to call off any search, but having reviewed the search patterns followed to date, tides etc. it’s clear that we have done as much as we can do at the moment in our attempts to recover David’s body and bring some closure to his family. Our thoughts are with his wife and family at this time.
“Finally, I would like to thank all of the civilian volunteers who have worked with us over the past three days. Their assistance has been invaluable.”
Chikungunya case numbers explode in eastern Caribbean
From Examiner
The CDC warns about another serious mosquito-carried virus coming into the U.S. after confirming 10 people infected on the Caribbean island of St. Martin, and advises taking precautions.
The number of confirmed or probable chikungunya illnesses in the eastern Caribbean exploded in the week between Jan. 13 and Jan. 20, according to a report released by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control on Jan. 20. The number of cases rose 69 percent to 485, with the island of Dominica reporting one additional case on Jan. 16. The tropical illness was unknown in the Western Hemisphere until its discovery on the French island of St. Martin in early Dec. 2013.
The French islands of the eastern Caribbean are at the epicenter of the chikungunya outbreak with 479 cases.
St. Martin – 294
Martinique – 127
Saint Barthélemy – 31
Guadeloupe – 27
The Dutch side of the island of St. Martin is reporting two chikungunya cases. French Guyana, on the South American mainland, is reporting one case imported from Martinique and 11 suspect cases. Dominica, a former British colony between the islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe, has one case at this time. The small island of Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands is reporting three cases to date.
The arrival of the chikungunya virus in the New World is not unexpected. The Centers for Disease Control and other public health agencies have been preparing for the tropical disease to make the leap to the Americas for several years. The two primary mosquito species that carry the virus also carry the deadlier dengue viruses and both species are widespread in the region.
Dengue has become endemic in many areas, such as Puerto Rico. In 2013, outbreaks of locally acquired dengue were reported along the Rio Grande River in south Texas, on the eastern coast of Florida and in suburban New York City. The symptoms of chikungunya and dengue are similar but dengue has a hemorrhagic form which can be deadly that chikungunya does not.
For more go to: http://www.examiner.com/article/chikungunya-case-numbers-explode-eastern-caribbean
Join in Heroes Day celebrations
Members of the public are invited to attend National Heroes Day celebrations at Heroes Square in downtown George Town on Monday, 27 January 2014.
Receiving honours will be cultural heritage pioneers as well as persons who demonstrated distinctive bravery. Also, Cayman Islands’ National Heroes will be recognised.
Formal celebrations commence at 9 am. However, persons attending should be seated by 8.30 am. Dress code is business attire.
As part of the celebrations which includes a parade and musical presentations, cultural heritage displays will be on show at the George Town Hall. Additionally, following the formal celebrations, there will be live entertainment and free refreshments in the library parking lot.
Stingrays at Cayman Sandbar “doing well” says Guy Harvey
Renowned marine biologist Dr. Guy Harvey says the stingrays at the Grand Cayman Sandbar “are doing well”.
This is after executing his first study of the rays this year.
He said, ““In the last census, we are up from 75 at the sandbar to 88 counted. Given only we are doing a three-day window, which is a small time, we are learning more and more that stingrays come and go. There are new rays that are recruited, and rays that leave. So there’s a lot more dynamism to who comes and goes than we first anticipated.”
Cayman Cookout quotes: Anthony Bourdain on his least favourite thing to eat
By Annabelle Waugh From Canadian Living
Anthony Bourdain is one of the most captivating speakers you could ever want to hear from regarding the topics of food and travel. He said many very poignant things over the course of the Cayman Cookout, but one of my favourites was this:
“In a lot of ways, a perfectly good dish, prepared by someone who just doesn’t care about it, is worse than [one made by] somebody who doesn’t have much to work with, but who’s trying to do the best they can.”
I couldn’t agree more. How much I enjoy a meal is directly proportional to the passion and love put into the preparation… not to mention eating with the people I love.
Cheers!
For more go to: http://www.canadianliving.com/blogs/food/2014/01/21/cayman-cookout-quotes-anthony-bourdain-on-his-least-favourite-thing-to-eat/
Kimpton named #21 in FORTUNE’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list
From Kimpton
Kimpton has been named to the 2014 FORTUNE 100 Best Companies To Work For list for the fifth year in a row, an accomplishment we’re incredibly proud of. It means our employees like working in our hotels and restaurants. A lot. They love what they do and what we do for them. We are proud to have been on the list a total of five times and to be rated as a Best Place To Work across the country by the Business Times.
Kimpton is also the first Hospitality company to receive a perfect 100% score on the Corporate Equality Index (CEI) by the Human Rights Campaign – an honor we have held for 10 years in a row.
EDITOR: Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, the hotel chain is slated to come to Grand Cayman on the site of the former Courtyard Marriott.
Warning: Caribbean phone call scam affects North Dakota residents
By KVRR Newsroom
A heads-up warning from the Fargo Police Department.
They are hearing about numerous people getting scam calls from several Caribbean Islands.
The calls are coming from a number of area codes as well including: 473, Grenada; 767, Dominica; 876, Jamaica; 664 Montserrat; 649, Turks and Caicos; and 268, Antigua and Barbuda.
Police say you should not answer the calls because you will be hit with huge charges.
For more: http://www.kvrr.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=24661&Itemid=57
Guernsey leads the way in LSE listings [Cayman is 5th]
From business life
Guernsey has more entities listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) than any other jurisdiction globally (excluding the UK), according to new figures from the market authority.
LSE data shows that at the end of December 2013 there were 115 Guernsey-incorporated entities listed on the Main Market, the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) and the Specialist Fund Market (SFM). This is significantly more than the major economic powers of the US (37), Australia and Russia (both 30), India (29), South Africa (8), Germany (6), China (4) and France (3).
It was also well ahead of competitor centres – Jersey (88), Ireland and the Isle of Man (both 51), Cayman (50), Bermuda (45) and BVI (42). These are trailed by Luxembourg (11), Singapore (6), Gibraltar (5), Hong Kong (3) and Malta (1).
Guernsey added 17 new entities to the LSE markets during last year, which is more than any other jurisdiction except the UK. Jersey added 12, Cayman 9, BVI 7, and Bermuda and Ireland each listed 3 entities.
Fiona Le Poidevin, Chief Executive of Guernsey Finance – the promotional agency for the Island’s finance industry – said: “Guernsey became home to some particularly notable LSE listings during 2013, including three major energy funds. This, together with the fact that we added more entities to the market last year than any other centre outside of the UK, shows the high regard in which our infrastructure and expertise is held by professional advisers in the City of London and beyond.”
For more go to: http://www.businesslife.co/BusinessNews.aspx?id=guernsey-leads-the-way-in-lse-listings
