Archive for October 24th, 2008
Suspect injured in robbery
(CNS): An attempted robbery in George Town on Thursday night ended with one of the offenders seeking medical attention for a stab wound at the George Town Hospital, where he remained under police guard until he was discharged sometime today. He joined two other men held in custody at George Town Police Station (left) following the attempted armed robbery at Wright’s Barber Shop, Sound Way, in George Town Thursday night, 23 October.
According to the RCIPS, the 911 Emergency Communications Centre received a call from a man at the barber shop just before 7:00 pm reporting that three men, each wearing masks and carrying what appeared to be firearms, entered the shop and demanded money. A struggle ensued which resulted in one of the offenders being injured. The men fled from the shop and made off in a vehicle towards the direction of Welly’s restaurant. No shots were fired.
The suspects were subsequently arrested after seeking medical attention at the hospital. The condition of the injured man is described as critical, but stable. The RCIPS has seized a vehicle for examination and investigations continue.
Police say there does not appear to be anything linking this incident with an armed robbery on Wednesday afternoon.
Anyone who was in the area at the time of the incident is asked to contact Detective Constable Ronald Francis on 526-2578 or Detective Sergeant Colin Oremule on 516-8746. The RCIPS would like to remind the public that the safest action to take in the event of a robbery is to hand over the goods demanded, as attempts to defend oneself could put individuals in danger.
Anyone with information on this incident should contact George Town CID on 949-
4222 or Crime Stoppers on 800-8477 (TIPS). All persons calling crime stoppers remain
anonymous, and are eligible for a reward of up to $1000, should their information lead to an arrest or recovery of property/drugs.
Auction at Grand Old House
(CNS): The Cayman Islands National Trust is celebrating 100 years of the Grand Old House on Saturday, 25 October with a champagne reception, dinner with wine and a unique auction of antiquities and artifacts relating to 1908. There will also be live music and story telling of old-time Cayman.
The event $150 per person and starts at 6:30pm at The Grand Old House, South Church Street. Proceeds to benefit the Mission House, a National Trust historic site in Bodden Town. RSVP: 949-0121 or info@nationaltrust.org.ky
Live Auction items include a Pocket watch- sterling silver, Swiss cylinder, c1905, provided by Artifacts; a 1908 Cayman Islands Stamp- the controversial 1 penny stamp with a ½ penny overprint, donated by Artifacts; and the Complete Works of Robert Burns – Scottish Poet (6 volumes); 1908 Armagnac (Castarede), provided by Grand Old House.
Contact the National Trust for full list.
Charities benefit at Open House
(CNS): The Humane Society, the Cancer Society and the Red Cross will all benefit from a raffle at the annual Christmas Open House and Customer Appreciation Evening at Celebrations Enchanted Store in the Mirco Centre next Tuesday.
The Holiday Season event on Tuesday, 28 October from 4:30 pm until 8:30 pm. Tickets on sale in-store now to win one of three beautiful wreaths in our raffle in aid of the three chosen charities. Entertainment will be provided by Janine Stabler, Devon Edie & Cayman National Choir, and food by Fusion & Refreshments will be served.
Weekend sporting events
(CNS): The Brenda Lund 5K Run/Walk, the CUC 800m Sea Swim, and the Triathlon Build-up Race are all happening this weekend. The Brenda Tibbetts Lund Memorial 5K Run/Walk on 25 October. Registration begins at 5:30 am at Public Beach, race starts at 6:00am. Registration for the CUC 800m Sea Swim begins Saturday 3:00 pm at Governor’s Beach for a 4:00 pm start.
The Cayman Islands Triathlon Build-up Race on Sunday 26 October has a 6:30am registration on Governor’s Way (street across from south end of Public Beach).
For details on the United Nations 2 Mile Run on Sunday Oct. 26 – contact Coach Jerry Harper 945-3970.
Future events: Cycling Stage Race – open to all locals, with professional and elite riders competing by invitation, 8 to 10 November. Register here.
Taste of Cayman moves to Camana Bay
(CNS): Cayman’s annual Food and Wine Festival will take place in the Camana Bay Town Centre for the first time this year on Saturday, 1 November, from 5:00 pm to midnight. According to the Cayman Islands Tourism Association (CITA), the Taste of Cayman has evolved over the years from its original food festival in the field of Safe Haven years ago.
CITA says its new direction has enabled the event to increase the international culinary exposure for the Cayman Islands: “This annual event is a tourism showcase of many Cayman epicurean delights and with the expansion of the Taste of Cayman to a food and wine festival we anticipate having this become a stay over visitor sales tool which will compete with other Caribbean Island food and wine festivals.”
CITA said having Camana Bay as a major partner is a natural fit, and that as the Town Centre at Camana Bay develops, Taste of Cayman will draw more vendors and a larger crowd of attendees. “We hope to expand on our Entertainment program and our number of vendors at the main event next year and include more events allowing the festival to spread our 3-4 days,” said Trina Christian, CITA Executive Director.
Susanna deSaram, Communications Manager for Dart Realty, said, “For Camana Bay the Taste of Cayman was an event that we had hoped to one day host as part of our vision for connecting the community. It allows us the opportunity to bring the Town Centre to life and allow residents and visitors the chance to enjoy the Camana Bay’s landscape and surroundings whilst being involved in a fabulous event that has played a key role in the culture of Cayman.”
The design of Camana Bay has allowed the event to take on an array of different atmospheres to which attendees can explore, from the Butterfield Kid’s Corner, the Restaurants on Market Street, the Market on Cayman Court and the Luna del Mar Lounge by Cayman Distributer’s and Blackbeard’s.
To purchase your raffle/admission ticket ($40 presold/$50 at the gate) contact info@cita.ky or call 949-8522 or log on to www.tasteofcayman.com.ky.
Caribbean women vulnerable
The murder of Estella Scott-Roberts tragically highlights once again the extreme vulnerability to gender-based violence that defines the lives of women in the Caribbean.
The 2007 World Bank/ UNODC report on Crime and Violence reveals the Caribbean to be amongst the most violent of places for women, with high levels of reports of sexual violence as well as domestic violence.
Estella, during her impressively courageous and public-spirited life, supported many women victims of violence, providing protection, support and advocacy to ensure a better net of prevention and protection against violence. She supported the establishment of the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre and was Officer responsible for Women’s Affairs during which time she worked on the National Gender Policy.
Although all Caribbean countries have signed and ratified the Convention on the Eradication, Prevention and Punishment of Violence against Women, there is so much more that has to be done to signal unequivocally, state and community accountability for ending violence against women. While policing must be strengthened, legal remedies made more accessible and affordable, shelters and social services provided for women and their children seeking safe haven, the real change has to be the transformation of the culture of gender inequality.
Ending violence against women requires that each one of us speak out against relations of power, domination and control that characterise so much of the dynamics of interpersonal relations between women and men in the Caribbean. We must embrace our collective role of advocates for respect, justice and women’s autonomy. In this, men have a special responsibility to carry this message. Violence against women is not only a woman’s issue; it is a men’s issue, and tackling this requires redefining masculinity away from the traditional and harmful practices of aggression and control.
As we go into the period of the 16 days of activism to end violence against women (November 25-10 December), let us resolve that the life’s work of Estella will continue, with resolve and with results.
A Life Free of Violence- It’s a Woman’s Rights
Roberta Clarke is the Regional Programme Director of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) Caribbean Office
Reggae Boyz for camp in Cayman Islands
(Jamaica Observer): Jamaica resume their preparation for the final match in the semi-final round of CONCACAF qualification for the 2010 World Cup against Canada with a trip to Cayman Islands. The Reggae Boyz will arrive in the Caymans on November 3 under new head coach John Barnes, the former England international, and assistant coach Theodore Whitmore, the former national captain and midfield star, for an extensive training camp. Go to article
Receivers hold assets connected to Grand Island Fund
(CNS): With hedge fund collapses common in the wake of the worldwide global crisis Cayman’s own most high profile fund collapse was back in the news this week following the arrival of seized funds into this jurisdiction. According to a statement from the Joint Voluntary Liquidators, PwC Corporate Finance and Recovery (Cayman) Limited had recovered an undisclosed sum from Canadian accounts.
Raising considerable controversy when it collapsed, the fund, which was reportedly established by Naul Bodden and involved numerous local people and companies in its management and investments, is now the subject of a police investigation. One man was arrested in connection to the funds’ collapse and the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS) Financial Crimes Unit says it is working on the case.
Pwc Corporate Finance and Recovery (Cayman) Limited, acting in their capacity as Court Appointed Receiver over monies held at ScotiaMcLeod, Canada, said yesterday, 23 October, on behalf of the Grand Island Funds and other investors, that they had obtained recognition in the Ontario Supreme Court of the Grand Court Order on 16 September 2008.
This enabled the Receivers on 25 September 2008 to repatriate monies previously held by Scotia McLeod to bank accounts controlled by the Receivers in the Cayman Islands.
“The monies will remain in Cayman Island bank accounts until such time the Grand Court orders the Receivers to distribute the monies to the beneficial owners,” the JVL said in a statement. “In addition to repatriating the monies to Cayman Islands, the Receiver also obtained books and records from Scotia Mcleod. These books and records, along with other books and records obtained by the JVLs to date, will assist the JVLs to further progress their investigations into the affairs of the Grand Island Funds.”
The statement also noted that the JVLs recently held meetings with the Grand Island Funds shareholders to keep them updated on progress of the liquidation to date. “The JVLs are also updating various stakeholders with the progress of their investigation, which is ongoing and still at an early stage."
However, so far, few if any actions or details have been disclosed to the wider public about how the fund collapsed, who is responsible and accountability regarding directors. There are numerous questions of good governance circulating in Cayman’s finance community about the fund in relation to its management, regulation and direction. There are also allegations of a number of conflicts of interest surrounding recent appointments connected to the management of the collapse.
Police took “nuclear optionâ€
(CNS): During an intense day of proceedings in the Judicial Review regarding the arrest of Justice Alex Henderson, and what Sir Peter Cresswell described as a highly charged case, the UK expert presiding judge said the action taken by the special investigating team led by Martin Bridger was the “nuclear option”.He said it was very worrying that an unrestricted search of a serving High Court judge’s computer, likely to contain very sensitive material, had been ordered.
With the Public Interest Immunity issues set aside and Bridger’s full affidavit sealed (see Justice case reveals 3rd party) the day focused on the arguments of the case. This raised numerous concerns for the judge, including the seizure of Henderson’s computer which he said would have contained a wide range of highly sensitive material, none of which would have had any relationship to the special investigation.
“If that gets into a third party’s hands then justice could be compromised,” he said, illustrating some of his concerns about the approach the investigating team took by getting an order for an unrestricted search.
The day’s proceedings began, however, with Ramon Alberga, QC, representing Henderson, placing his essential arguments for the Judicial Review. These focused on a deliberate lack of disclosure of essential information to the Justice of the Peace (JP) Carson Ebanks on the part of the Special Police Investigation Team.
Alberga argued that the JP should have been given the information relating to Chief Justice Anthony Smellie’s rulings previously denying search warrants in the wider investigation known as ‘Operation Tempura’. He also said that neither the material facts of the case nor the legal principals were disclosed to Ebanks. Alberga suggested that there was a deliberate attempt to avoid giving him details, in particular those relating to the rulings of the Chief Justice, who is the highest legal authority in the Cayman Islands.
“It was highly unethical that this authority exists and they did not bring it to the attention of the JP,” said Alberga. “The JP should have been given this information. They can’t sweep it under the carpet just because they don’t like it. Had the JP seen it – it would have caused him to stop dead in his tracks and seek legal assistance.”
He asserted that not only has this alleged offence never been used before in Cayman, as far as anyone could establish, Ebanks admitted that he had never seen any literature about the responsibilities of a JP and although some guidelines do exist, which turned out to be incorrect, he had never seen them anyway.
Alberga argued that the special investigation team presented Ebanks with the idea that Henderson had failed to cooperate with them, which he noted was wholly incorrect, but painted Henderson in Ebanks’ eyes as a bad person. As the JP thought he was doing the right thing by assisting the police, as would be his natural reaction, he granted the warrants.
Throughout the day Alberga gave sound examples of important details that were not revealed to the JP. These included the existence of letters to Cayman Net News denying authorship of the possibly fabricated letters published in the same paper which criticized the judiciary and which had led Henderson to ask John Evans, a former Net News sports reporter, if he knew who really wrote them. Alberga also demonstrated that Henderson’s concerns that the letters could be in contempt of court, which Bridger et al suggested was dishonest, were in fact valid.
When Nicholas Purnell QC rose to begin his argument in the late afternoon, he based it around one clear and precise principle that the Justice of the Peace did not need to know anything other than the fact that a police officer had sworn an oath that he, the officer, had reasonable suspicion that a crime could have been committed by Henderson.
Purnell cited various case law and set out his team’s position that the JPdid not need any other knowledge other than that given to him by an officer. He said that officer had sworn an oath giving details of why the police believed that a crime could have been committed and that there might be evidence of that crime in either his home, office or computer.
Purnell stated that he believed Alberga’s argument was flawed because the JP simply did not need to know anything other than the fact the officer in question was concerned a crime could have been committed. He said the reasonable grounds of suspicion lay with the officer, who states this in his oath, and it was up to the JP to question that if he was not satisfied by the police officer’s submission.
“The JP does not look at the material,” Purnell argued, citing the general idea that any justice signing a warrant regarding reasonable suspicion of any crime submitted by a police officer would not demand to see all of the police evidence or all the material relating to the crime.
However, as forceful and clear as Purnell’s argument was, Cresswell was not convinced and argued extensively with the police team’s counsel. Referring to Purnell’s suggestion that the JP only need be satisfied that the police officers was satisfied a crime had occurred the judge said, “There has got to be more than that surely,” to which Purnell replied, “no there doesn’t.”
Cresswell continued to debate numerous points with Purnell, saying he believed the police had taken the “nuclear option” with the warrants, allowing them unrestricted access to a judge’s computer, which was damaging to the wider public interest to issue such on order.
Purnell countered that no one was above the law whether it was a judge or a porter, and while Cresswell agreed with that point he emphasized that the contents of a judge’s computer were likely to be far more sensitive than that of a porter. The judge himself was not above the law, Cresswell noted, but to have an unrestricted search of his computer was very irregular.
Although Purnell argued that protocols were in place to protect the integrity of the information on the computer not pertinent to the investigation of Operation Tempura, Cresswell appeared to remain unconvinced.
“I am extremely troubled by the unrestricted order to seize and search a judge’s computer,” he said, adding that he had general concerns over some of the special investigation team’s arguments placed before the JP to make him sign the warrantand there were things that should have been disclosed. The proceedings were adjourned until 10:00 am tomorrow.