Archive for July 26th, 2010
Illegal over-stayer leaves after twelve years
(CNS): With only one week left of the immigration department’s amnesty officials are encouraging people to leave the island before the enforcement arm begins its clamp down. So far 41 people have taken advantage of the prosecution waiver to leave the island. According to government officials the longest over-stayer had been in Cayman illegally for twelve years. Only one employer so far has cancelled a permit but the Deputy Chief Immigration Officer, Enforcement Gary Wong encouraged companies employing illegal residents to take advantage of this otherwise their business could be in jeopardy once the enforcement part of the exercise steps up.
Three students receive UWC scholarships
(CNS): Three recent graduates of Cayman Prep and High School have been selected as the 2010 United World Colleges Scholars. Kelsey Dixon, Hailee Robinson and Jennifer Moseley have been given full scholarships thanks to Deutsche Bank in the Cayman Islands which made its second donation of US$20,000 to the United World College (Cayman Islands) National Foundation, part of a 5-year commitment to provide funding for the programme. The bank’s sponsorship will be used entirely to help provide full scholarships to the newly selected students, as well as continue to support current students and future students in the years to come.
Founded on the ideals of international peace and understanding, the United World Colleges (UWC) offer a two-year university preparation programme for students aged 16 to 18 years who are awarded an International Baccalaureate Diploma on successful completion. A UWC education provides a multidisciplinary, rigorous academic programme, with strong emphasis on community service and a wide range of cultural and outdoor activities. According to the United World College (Cayman Islands) National Foundation, thirteen UWC campuses are located across the globe and each presents a unique and exemplary learning environment for those in attendance.
Orchid Morrison, UWC alumni and chairperson for the foundation, thanked Deutsche Bank for providing the Caymanian UWC scholars with an outstanding opportunity to represent Cayman abroad whilst benefitting from an internationally acclaimed educational institution. “These young Caymanians represent the best of the best and the future leaders of Cayman. We are so very proud that Deutsche Bank’s contribution will give them the opportunity for an excellent education.”
Kelsey Dixon will be attending the United World College in Costa Rica, Hailee Robinson will soon study at the United World College USA in New Mexico, and Jennifer Moseley will cross the Atlantic to attend the Waterford KaMhlaba United World College of Southern Africa. “An average of 70 different nationalities are represented at most colleges at any one time, and embracing the many nationalities present is an important feature of UWC life, helping students to explore and develop an international appreciation. The students will be expected to uphold and share their national values so that they might learn from each other and benefit from finding commonalities across borders in an increasingly complex and diverse, yet interconnected, world,” the foundation said in a release.
Janet Hislop, Chief Country Officer for Deutsche Bank in the Cayman Islands, said, "Discovering and actively enabling talent is essential for society and for the companies that operate within it, andat Deutsche Bank we aim to be a catalyst in this effort. As a global company, we fully understandhow intercultural learning can broaden horizons. We also support high level achievement. In this age of globalization, acquiring intercultural skills is of growing importance and for this reason we are delighted to support these students on the next stage of their academic journey.”
The United World College (Cayman Islands) National Foundation, which celebrated its 25th anniversary last year, relies on corporate and private funding for its scholarship program. “Deutsche Bank has kept their promise to support the UWC organisation in Cayman and we are so very thankful,” said Orchid Morrison.
Companies and individuals interested in making a donation to CIUWC are invited to contact Morrison at CIUWCFoundation@yahoo.com or 345–814–2734.
Photo: (left to right) Hailee Robinson (Recipient); Kelsey Dixon (Recipient); Orchid Morrison (CIUWC Chairperson); Janet Hislop (Deutsche Bank Chief Country Officer); Jennifer Moseley (Recipient); Yainelys Ebanks (UWC Alumni)
Tagging system investigated
(CNS): The community’s trust in local electronic tagging of suspected and convicted offenders has been severely undermined and government officials are seeking to reassure the public that the system has now been reviewed. Following the revelations that the man shot and killed by a homeowner during an attempted robbery last week had been electronically tagged while on bail for other crimes, an expert spent the weekend in the Cayman Islands investigating the electronic monitoring system. George Drake, an independent expert with 25 years experience in the field, arrived on Friday and has been investigating installation and inspection procedures relating to the local tagging programme.
Unemployed youth find work after government course
(CNS): Following the completion of the government’s first “Passport2Success” programme ten of the twenty two students have now found work with a number of local employers. The initiative is a partnership between the Ministry of Education and the Wellness Centre and is designed to help young Caymanians become more attractive to local employers and equip them with workplace skills. After the success of the first eleven week course government says it will now be running the programme four times a year. Students will be selected from across the community who show a commitment to improving their professional skills.
Cops warn of victims of local card fraudsters
(CNS): Police officers from the Financial Crime Unit (FCU) are warning local residents to be on the lookout for fraudulent transactions on their bank account statements. The warning comes as part of an ongoing investigation by the financial cops involving bank cards which have been compromised. Police say fraudsters have obtained the personal card details of the legitimate cardholders and even while they remain in the owner’s possession the criminals are able to use the cards. The suspects have purchased goods with the cards worth well over seven thousand dollars police say.
Rotarians get behind local movie makers
(CNS): Adonza Harrison the Executive Producer of local movie which seeks to raise awareness about HIV in the Cayman Islands told Rotary members recently the disease was present and the film was a way to send the message home. Harrison along with Luigi Moxam and Olivia Scott Ramirez who are both acting in the film “When No One is looking” as well as Margaret Michaud, the Programme Coordinator for the Cayman AIDS Foundation sought the backing of the community group to help them get the film made."HIV is in Cayman. Our response determines our future," Harrison said.
Moxam stressed the importance of not thinking of AIDS as just an African disease and said AIDS is very much an issue for the Caribbean and the Cayman Islands.
Karate team wins gold, silver, bronze in Trinidad
(CNS): The 23-member Cayman Islands Purple Dragon karate squad collected 25 medals at the recent Purple Dragon World Karate Championships, including a third place in the very competitive team demonstration. Additionally, in a ceremony following the two-day competition in Port of Spain, Trinidad, six members of the team were inducted into the Second Caribbean Martial Arts Hall of Fame. These were Senseis Floyd and Karen Baptiste; Sensei Geddes Hislop, Instructors Euclides Pitta and Cindy Moore; and Junior Instructor Benji Rivers.
The total medal haul included nine gold, seven silver and nine bronze.
The Cayman Islands team, sponsored by Mongoose Global Intelligence, Cayman National, Dart Cayman Islands, Appleby, Tower Marketing and Conyers Dill and Pearman, faced competitors from around the world in divisions that included creative and traditional forms; creative andtraditional weapons; point fighting and continuous fighting; and self-defense, all in a range of categories for beginners, intermediate, advanced and black belt levels.
“It was a very strong performance and we are tremendously proud of this team,” said Sensei Floyd Baptiste.“Every member worked hard and delivered their very best.” The Cayman team, both male and female, ranged in age from 5 years old to 50 years old. The competition took place on the 40th anniversary of the Purple Dragon School of Martial Arts, the longest-lived martial arts school in the Caribbean.
Gold-medal winners comprised Sensei Karen Baptiste and Instructor Pitta for traditional weapons. Instructor Pitta also won for traditional forms. Jared Stewart, Susan Eden and Instructor Cindy Moore won for continuous sparring; Zoe Conolly Basdeo for creative forms; and both Sensei Floyd Baptiste and Felicia Dunbar for creative forms.
Silver was won by Luke Byles and Susan Eden for point sparring; Bobby Schoenberg and Mario Dadal for continuous sparring; Alex McDoom for traditional weapons; and both Marilyn Conolly and Bobby Schoenberg for creative forms.
Bronze medals were taken by both Sensei Floyd and Sensei Karen Baptiste and Felicia Dunbar for point sparring; Susan Eden, Mario Dadal and Jamal Paddyfoote for creative forms; Joseph Williams for continuous sparring; and Bobby Schoenberg for creative weapons.
Sensei Geddes Hislop was also slated to compete but was unable to do so as he was in high demand as an experienced judge for the large competitor divisions during the tournament. Sensei Geddes was also honoured by being asked to judge at the highest level in the Night of Champions along with a distinguished panel of international judges.
“We would like to thank our sponsors, our members and the people of the Cayman Islands for their unflagging enthusiasm and support,” said Sensei Geddes Hislop. “It was a tremendous effort by everyone, and we gained tremendous experience, new training techniques and many new friends. We are looking forward to our next opportunity to represent Cayman on an international stage.”
US small businesses petition against tax havens
(CNS): Cayman is at the centre of another surge of criticism of so called tax havens this time from the small business community in the US which has launched an on-line petition. Organisers have called on the US president and congress to end what they call tax dodging by enacting legislation stopping tax haven abuses. The website for the campaign features a picture of Maples and Calder’s head office, Ugland House in George Town (left) and accuses US companies of using the Cayman Islands and other offshore centres to avoid paying tax. “Offshore tax havens reward tax evaders, rob public coffers of needed revenue and offload taxes to responsible businesses and households,” the Business and Investors Against Tax Haven Abuse state.
Police appeal to public over hit and run
(CNS): Despite following several lines of enquiry, police say they have still not located the driver orthe vehicle involved in the hit and run accident on Mount Pleasant Road, West Bay in the vicinity of Hetties Lane earlier this month. Two female pedestrians were struck by a vehicle, which police now say was a large white car and not as previously reported as a compact type, but the car could be silver or beige in colour with a rear spoiler. Police say that several pieces of information from the public have been followed up and eliminated and they now need more assistance from garages and mechanics or anyone that may have seen the car.
Contract awarded for Doppler weather radar
(CNS): Work will soon be underway on a digital Doppler weather radar station in East End following the award of the contract to a specialist German firm. The project, which is being paid for by a European Union (EU) grant of 4.16 million Euros (about CI$4.1 m), will improve the accuracy of early-warnings for hurricanes and other severe weather in the Cayman Islands area. The contract to provide technical assistance for designing, tendering, constructing and commissioning the station was recently signed between the Cayman Islands Airports Authority and Icon Institute following a tendering and selection process based on EU regulations and standards.
Although the money is coming from Europe, the Cayman Islands government will make an in-kind contribution worth approximately 500,000 Euros, which is the crown land for the site. The station will be situation on land which formed part of the Wilderness Farm, the prison’s agricultural facility in East End which was closed in 2008 following a murder committed by a serving inmate at the farm.
The project includes a purpose-built radar housing, as wellas the radar itself and all communication equipment, technical expertise and specialized training to Cayman Islands National Weather Service (CINWS) staff and is scheduled to be constructed by late 2011.
The Cayman Islands Airports Authority (CIAA) Chief Executive Officer Jeremy Jackson said, “The appointment of a technical expert for this project means we can now start to make real progress towards completion of the next phase, namely the technical design for the radar and its housing.” Jackson signed the contract on behalf of the CIAA, and Head of Unit Holger Hinterthur signed representing Icon Institute. He was accompanied by Engineer Gunter Schieske, who remains in Cayman to work with local authorities on the project.
The CIAA will implement this new service. However, once operational, the radar station will be managed by the CINWS on behalf of the Cayman Islands Government.
Deputy Premier Juliana O’Connor-Connolly said the service would enhance the level of hurricane preparation. “I applaud all involved, especially the EU, for working to help provide this invaluable facility,” she added.
The weather information gathered will also be shared with other countries in the region. The need for such a service was recognised during recent efforts to encompass the Caribbean region with modern radar, which is critical to tracking weather systems – and because local knowledge is critical to decision-making during storm threats. The EU donated grants for four other regional projects, leading to Doppler radar services being introduced in Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and Belize last year. However, the northeastern Caribbean region, into which Cayman falls, was not covered by these services, which led the Cabinet Office to ask the EU for technical assistance. CINWS’s Director General Fred Sambula said the project was a long time coming.
“As we are in the hurricane belt, this critical early-warning tool, will improve the quality of weather information offered to emergency managers, other decision makers in government and private sector as well as all residents, for the protection of life and property in these Islands,” the local weather expert explained.
The Doppler Effect is named after Austrian physicist Christian Doppler, who introduced the concept in 1842. It takes measurements of changes in the frequency of waves of motion (including clouds and other measurable objects), thereby indicating direction and speed.