Archive for February, 2009
Brown backs international action on tax avoiders
(The Guardian): Gordon Brown pledged yesterday to work for an international clampdown on tax avoidance, as the Guardian’s continuing Tax Gap investigation revealed big business tactics estimated to cost the UK billions each year. Speaking at prime minister’s questions, he said he expected countries to begin releasing information on tax dodgers once a US case relating to Swiss tax avoidance was resolved. "I believe it is possible to get an international agreement for the exchange of information in relation to tax cases," Brown said. Go to article
Prince on brief royal visit
(CNS): The queen’s youngest son and the member of the British Royal Family with the closest relationship to the Cayman Islands will be taking a whistle stop tour of the country (today) Thursday 5 February when he flies in to take a look at the post Paloma situation on the Brac and gives out Duke of Edinburgh awards on Grand Cayman. HRH Prince Edward is scheduled to spend the morning meeting Cayman Brac residents displaced by Hurricane Paloma and assessing the damage.
He will be visiting Spot Bay to view homes damaged and meet with residents at Community Cove. He will also visit the damaged Creek police station and the temporary trailer park at Watering Place. He will also stop at the Veterans & Seaman’s Society Building and the Brac Reef Beach Resort before flying on to Grand Cayman.
The Prince will present the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme medals at a Government House ceremony at 2:15 pm and will leave for Barbados in the late afternoon.
“The main aim of Prince Edward’s Cayman Brac visit is to see the hurricane damage, talk to some residents whose homes were severely damaged, and to inspect work on the recovery process,” said Governor’s Office Acting Head Alan Drury.
This is HRH the Earl of Wessex’s fourth visit to the Cayman Islands. In May 2003, he participated in Cayman’s Quincentennial celebrations. In November 2004, the Earl visited in order to inspect the recovery process in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan. Again in February 2007, he toured the islands on a three day-visit.
His itinerary on Thursday will be:
10:00 am: HRH Prince Edward arrives at the Gerrard Smith International Airport, met by Acting Governor George McCarthy, MLAs Julianna O’Connor-Connolly and Moses Kirkconnell, District Commissioner Ernie Scott, and Acting Head of the Governor’s Office Alan Drury.
10:05 am Depart for Spot Bay to view homes damaged by Hurricane Paloma and meet with residents at Community Cove.
10:55 am Depart for Creek to inspect the damaged Police Station (vacated since Hurricane Paloma).
11:10 am Depart for Watering Place to visit temporary trailer site which houses residents who lost their homes during Paloma.
11:30 am Depart for the airport with short stops at the Veterans & Seaman’s Society Building and Brac Reef Beach Resort.
12:00 noon Arrive at the airport where Cayman Brac students will see off HRH Prince Edward.
12:05 pm Depart for Grand Cayman.
12:30 pm HRH Prince Edward arrives in Grand Cayman where he will be met by the Acting LOGB Anthony Eden, LA Opposition Member Capt Eugene Ebanks, and Acting Police Commissioner James Smith.
2:15 pm Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards Ceremony and Reception
16:15 pm Depart for Barbados.
Number of alien worlds quantified
(BBC): Intelligent civilisations are out there and there could be thousands of them, according to an Edinburgh scientist. The discovery of more than 330 planets outside our solar system in recent years has helped refine the number of life forms that are likely to exist. The current research estimates that there are at least 361 intelligent civilisations in our Galaxy and possibly as many as 38,000. The work is reported in the International Journal of Astrobiology. Even with the higher of the two estimates, however, it is not very likely that contact could be established with alien worlds. Go To article
One day left on UK talks
(CNS): The Cayman Islands team has until 3.30pm London time today to conclude the UK round of the constitutional talks. Discussions will, according to GIS, focus on outstanding human rights issues and the proposed bill of rights. UK Minister of State Gillian Merron said it was important that Overseas Territories (OTs) and the UK strike a balance between mutual obligations and expectations. (Left: Minister Alden mcLaughlin, Nicholas Sykes, MLA Osbourne Bodden outside Lancaster House)
Merron, who is chairing Thursday’s final day of talks, said the UK’s need to retain sufficient reserve powers, including for governors, is aimed at protecting itself against contingent liabilities, implementing its international obligations and ensuring good governance. The necessary safeguards to protect UK interests still provide OTs sufficient room for agreement, she added.
GIS has reported that Minister Alden McLaughlin said the talks were are going well, with all sides bearing in mind the ultimate goal — which is the well-being of the Cayman Islands. “This process has been underway for more than eight years and now the end of this crucial stage is in sight. With every passing day I grow increasingly confident that, together, we will deliver to the Cayman Islands a modern constitution that will provide the framework for our continued progress and prosperity well into the 21st Century.” He said.
“Tomorrow is a critically important day for Cayman as we seek to resolve the few remaining issues and have the terms of this final draft of the Constitution agreed to by the Cayman delegation and the United Kingdom.”
Leader of the Opposition McKeeva Bush said he was pleased that issues are being ventilated.
“I look forward to discussions tomorrow on the remaining outstanding issues. The bill of rights is the most important matter to be discussed because if we don’t get it right, it will change the way Cayman is forever. I will not support any issue that changes our moral values,” he added.
Heavy marijuana use may damage developing brains
(ScienceDaily): Adolescents and young adults who are heavy users of marijuana are more likely than non-users to have disrupted brain development, according to a new study. Pediatric researchers found abnormalities in areas of the brain that interconnect brain regions involved in memory, attention, decision-making, language and executive functioning skills. The findings are of particular concern because adolescence is a crucial period for brain development and maturation. Go to article
Turks and Caicos probe wrapping up
(AP): With two private jets on call and a Hollywood wife, the Turks and Caicos prime minister lived like the rich and famous who have made the Caribbean island chain one of the hottest stops for celebrities. Michael Misick says his lifestyle allowed him to court high-end developers and helped put the British territory southeast of the Bahamas on the map. But his financial dealings are now the focus of a British investigative commission that is wrapping up hearings this week on the main island of Providenciales. The Turks and Caicos still answers to a London-appointed governor, who formed the commission last summer. (Left: Misick with estranged wife LisaRaye McCoy) Go to article
Voters need to check election list
(CNS): Following the record breaking number of voters now registered to place their ballot in the forthcoming General Election in May, registered voters are being invited to check through the new voters lists that now contains 15,117 names. (See CNS article). The new electoral roll will be posted at various locations throughout the three Cayman Islands from Sunday 8 and Monday 9 February.
The elections office said these are the lists that have been revised to include everyone who has registered since the cut-off date for the last list, which was published in January.
Supervisor of Ele
Forms for both claims and obje
After a magistrate has settled the claims and obje
The voters lists may be viewed at the following locations:
West Bay: * West Bay Post Office, * Hell Service Station, Four Winds Esso, Clinic, * Republix, CNB, * Cost-U-Less
George Town: *Seven Mile Beach Post Office, *Downtown Post Office, *CICSA Co-Op Credit Union, Airport Post Office, *The Strand (Foster’s Food Fair) *Kirk Supermarket, *George Town Hospital, *Govt. Admin. Building, *Hurley’s Supermarket,*Foster’s Food Fair, *Jose’s Esso, *Walkers Road Texaco, McRuss Groceries, *A L Thompson Home Depot, *Smith Road Professional Centre
Bodden Town: Bodden Town Clinic, *Foster’s Food Fair (Country Side), *Lorna’s Texaco, *Post Office Savannah, *Post Office Bodden Town
East End: Clinic, *Foster’s Food Fair, *Post Office
North Side: Jack’s Esso, *Post Office, Chisholm’s Grocery
Cayman Brac and LC: *West End Post Office, Creek Sub post Office, Spot Bay Sub Post Office, Watering Place Sub Post Office, Stake Bay Sub Post Office, *Kirconnell’s Supermarket, *Market Place, Billy’s Supermarket, *Village Square, District Officer’s Office.
Locations marked with an asterisk (*) have lists for all six electoral districts. Other locations have lists for that district only.
Cayman coral seized in NC
(CNS): Agriculture specialists found 40 pieces of coral species in the luggage of a passenger landing in North Carolina from Grand Cayman on January 17, US Customs and Border Protection announced Wednesday. This was one of three seizures of prohibited coral species at Charlotte Douglas International Airport during the month of January. Two days previously, two passengers arriving from Saint Maarten were found to have a total of 6 pieces of coral species in their baggage, the CBP said.
In all three cases, the coral, which is protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), were seized and turned over to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, which is the primary agency responsible for enforcing CITES in the United States.
CBP says that, as the nation’s border agency, it works closely with the US Fish and Wildlife to ensure CITES is enforced at every port of entry in the United States. The goal of the convention is to ensure that international trade in animals does not threaten their survival. Under CITES, both the exporter and importer need to comply with the convention’s requirements and be certified in the trade of any part of an animal covered by it.
“CBP at the ports of entry in the state of North Carolina have always maintained a very strong working relationship with the US Fish and Wildlife Service,” said Patty Fitzpatrick, area port director in Charlotte. “Through a cooperative effort, the US Fish and Wildlife Service has done an outstanding job of cross training CBP officers in order to enforce CITES trade permits properly. Together, we will continue to work diligently in an effort to ensure that international trade laws are protected.”
Caribbean beaches get lonely
(Economist): IT is the time of year when the Caribbean normally expects its hotels and beaches to be packed with sun-seekers. But this year, cash-strapped North Americans and Europeans are staying at home. Visitor numbers will fall by up to a third, reckons Harold Lovell, who chairs the Caribbean Tourism Organisation. The hotel association in Tobago says that only one bed in three is occupied. Atlantis, a mega-resort in the Bahamas, laid off 800 staff in November, while flights to Nassau,have been cut by a quarter. Go to article
FCU cops seeking internet phone scam victims
(CNS): Officers for the Financial Crimes Unit (FCU) say they are looking for people who may have been duped into buying cell phones online by a company called Compucay. Detectives in the unit are investigating allegations of deception in relation to the firm which during 2008 advertised 3G iphones for sale online, and a number of Cayman residents responded by sending money to the company for the phones. The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service said that to date no phones have been received and it is now conducting an enquiry.
“So far, I have identified two people who have made payments through this company a long time ago, neither of which ever received their goods or a refund,” said Detective Constable Richard Clarke of the FCU. “I now need to hear from anyone else who has sent money and not received goods.”
Anyone who can assist Detective Clarke should contact him on 949-8797.
Anyone with information about crime taking place in the Cayman Islands should contact their local police station 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.