Archive for May 8th, 2009
Thief snatches handbag on Crewe Road
(CNS): Police believe there may have been witnesses to a robbery Thursday night, 7 May, on Crewe Road. The 911 Emergency Communications Centre received a call at 10:55pm from a member of the public reporting that a woman had been robbed as she left her workplace, Maedac Café. Police responded to the scene and the victim told officers that she had been getting into her car when she was approached by two men, one of whom may have been carrying a firearm.
She handed over her handbag and the men ran off on foot towards the Lion Centre. An area search was conducted and while the offenders were not located, some of the stolen property was recovered. The victim was unhurt in the incident but was very shaken by what happened.
The first man is described as around 5ft tall and was wearing a black shirt; the second man was slim and taller than the first. Police believe there may have been a group of people on the opposite side of the road who may have seen what took place and are appealing for these people to come forward. Anyone else who was in the area at the time is asked to contact DC Ronald Francis at George Town Police Station 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.
False flu rumours via email
(CNS): An email that is being circulated stating that there are three confirmed cases of swine (H1N1) flu in International School is not true. Medical Officer of Health Dr Kiran Kumar said this does not refer to the Cayman International School (CIS) and emphasised that H1N1 is a national health issue and spreading rumours is irresponsible. He confirmed that to date, there are no suspected cases of the new strain of influenza A (H1N1) reported in the Cayman Islands.
The Public Health Department and the Health Services Authority (HSA) are actively monitoring the situation and stringent surveillance measures remain in place, Dr Kumar explained in a release. “We will notify the public immediately should we have a confirmed case of H1N1 flu,” said Dr Kumar. Such a confirmation will also trigger further rigorous preventative measures, he added.
Cayman International School has contacted the Public Health Department and HSA and has sent an email to parents today stating: “We have just been made aware of an e-mail that is being circulated stating that there are 3 confirmed cases of swine (H1N1) flu in an International School. It does not state CIS, however, we have contacted Public Health and Dr Greg Hoeksema of the Health Services Authority, both of whom have confirmed that no cases of the H1N1 flu have been found on the island at this time.Unfortunately, we do not know the source of the rumour, but please be assured that we have investigated and there is no reason to be alarmed. If there were a confirmed case of H1N1 in the Cayman Islands, this information would be made public at the first possible opportunity. Please contact us if you have any questions. We want to reassure you that we take the welfare of our students very seriously.”
Telephone scam promises big win
(CNS): Anyone who receives a phone call telling them that they have won half a million dollars in the ‘Nokia Lottery’ should be aware that it is yet another scam originating from Nigeria. It is thought that a large number of people would have already received the call, which appears to have started last Thursday night, 7 May. The caller states that the target has won the money in the ‘Nokia Lottery’ and then requests personal details from the victim. The caller says that this is to facilitate the preparation of the payment cheque.
He then says that an Agent from FedEx will deliver the cheque and upon receiving it, the target is to pay the FedEx agent. The number from which the call originates is a Nigerian number and will appear on people’s display screens as +234; however the victim is given a UK number for follow up calls.
The Financial Crime Unit of the RCIPS has received a number of reports from residents who have received a call from someone informing them they have won $½ million, and are strongly urging anyone who receives such a call to hang up immediately or not answer the callin the first place. Residents are reminded never to give out personal details to an unknown source and if told you have won money in a competition you have never entered it is likely to be a scam.
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.
Pay up for garbage collection
(CNS): Property and business owners with outstanding garbage fees should do so by Friday, 29 May, the Department of Environmental Health had said. Payments may be made either by cash or cheque on all three islands, but credit and debit card payments are also acceptable on Grand Cayman. “We want to make it as convenient as possible for customers to pay,” said DEH Director Roydell Carter. “Payment plans are therefore possible for customers who may not be able to pay all their fees at once.”
“Additionally, garbage fees for the second half of the year will be due by Friday, 31 July, and we don’t want our customers to have payments in arrears,” he continued.
Since garbage fee invoices were initially mailed out in January, customers who have not received any bills may need to update their mailing address. However, Carter explained that customers are still obligated to pay their fees even if they do not receive an invoice. “It is a statutory obligation for the payment of garbage fees. In all cases customers continue to receive or have access to the service whether or not their fees have been paid.”
Garbage fees are used to cover the cost of providing refuse removal services for all residents and businesses. It is prescribed in accordance with the Public Health (Garbage and Refuse Disposal) (Amendment) Regulations, 2002. Anyone wishing to query garbage fees, change their billing address, or request an invoice, should call the DEH on 949-6696.
Reef Watch for Earth Day
(CNS): The Cayman Islands Tourism Association (CITA) Watersports Committee once again coordinated the annual Earth Day Reef Watch Survey in cooperation with the Department of Environment. This is a fun and scientifically useful event in which residents and visitors alike get involved, a CITA release says. Divers and snorkelers were asked to fill out surveys about marine life they saw during their dives in which DOE compiles and enters in its database of Reef Watch Results stretching back to 1997. The surveys provide invaluable information that assists the Department of Environment gain information about the health of and threats to Cayman’s coral reefs.
From the surveys, DOE is able to track the reef condition, including the number of sightings of branching corals, massive corals, sponges and gorgonians, the percentage of “touches” recorded, and the average observed of certain fishes including grouper, snapper, barracuda, lobster, parrotfish, triggerfish, conch, and turtles.
It is significant to note that this year’s survey has was adapted to include sightings of Lionfish, an Indo-Pacific species which have invaded Cayman waters. They eat large quantities of juvenile fish and invertebrates but have no predators themselves because of their venomous spines. Lionfish can inflict a painful wound if handled, so the Department of Environment cautioned survey participants not to approach a Lionfish if one is sighted and instead to alert a divemaster who would report it to the DOE for removal.
Participating dive operators – Deep Blue Divers, Divers Down, DIVETECH, Eden Rock Diving Centre, Lobster Pot Dive Center, Ocean Frontiers, Off the Wall Divers, Red Sail Sports, Sunset Divers, Tortuga Divers, Wall to Wall Divers – offered those returning a completed survey a free Earth Day Cloth Bag or T-shirt. Many of the operators offered a free tank for shore diving or a free one tank boat dive for divers participating in the Reef Watch Survey and/or free snorkeling gear for participants.
CAL Express back to full schedule
(CNS): Cayman Airways Express, which experienced interrupted service after both its Twin Otter aircraft were grounded, is now operating its full schedule to the Sister Islands. One of the Express aircraft returned to service on Wednesday, 6 May, and is operating the regular schedule in conjunction with the temporarily-leased Twin Otter. The remaining CAL Express Twin Otter, which remains out of service for mechanical repairs, is expected to resume operations by the end of next week.
Accident at CUC compound
(CNS): CUC have confirmed that there was an accident on the power firm’s compound in which an employee of BWSC, the contractor installing the new 16 MW engine sustained minor injuries. The employee is fine and returned to work the same day. The accident occurred when the contractor was positioning the engine on its foundation in the engine room. CUC said it is unknown at this point whether there is any damage to the engine and this will not be known until the positioning is completed and a thorough examination is conducted.
Owners sought for stolen bikes
(CNS): Four pedal bikes, which are suspected to be stolen, have been recovered by police in West Bay over the last few weeks and they are appealing for their rightful owners to come forward. Residents who may have had a bike stolen from them are asked to look at the picture left or on www.rcips.ky or attend West Bay police station to view the bikes to see if any of those recovered are theirs.
Anyone with information about crime taking place in West Bay should contact the police station on 949-3999 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.
Church donates to Brac Lions
(CNS): Ebenezer Baptist Church made a donation of CI$1,200 to the Lions Club of Cayman Brac at the club’s annual “Fish Your Style” fundraiser on Saturday, 28 March. Lion President Kevin Roberts said the donation and all other funds raised by the club are used to support the many and varied projects that the club undertakes yearly. When the community supports the club through fundraising activities or through individual donations, it comes right back them, he said.
Roberts said that the volunteers of the Lions Club of Cayman Brac work together every year in helping to make a difference in Cayman Brac. He urged others to join them in making that difference, and also encouraged other individuals and organizations who want to help make a difference in their community to make donations to their service clubs.
Accepting the cheque from church member Royce Dilbert, Roberts expressed gratitude to the members of the Ebenezer Baptist family.
Week of mobile voting begins today
(CNS): Mobile voting begins on Friday, 8 May, in Little Cayman and continues through the week covering each district and ending with West Bay on Friday, 15 May. People who have applied for mobile voting and who can travel to their stations are asked to do so between 9:00am and 1:00pm. The exception is in North Side, where mobile polling will start at 10:00am. Election workers will spend the rest of the day, until 6pm, travelling to the homes of voters who because of illness or infirmity cannot easily go to the polls. All applications for mobile voting had to be in by 7 May.
Employers are reminded that they must give employees reasonable time off to cast their ballots. Supervisor of Elections Kearney Gomez said the majority of people voting by mobile ballot are police officers and those who will be staffing the polling stations for the General Elections and Referendum on 20 May.
This Friday, election officers are carrying ballot boxes to Little Cayman. With no polling station on the smallest of the three Cayman Islands, voters there had the choice of travelling to West End Cayman Brac on Election Day or applying to take advantage of the new mobile voting facility approved by the legislature last year. Advisories have already been posted around the island telling mobile voters to cast their ballots at the Public Works Compound.
On Monday, 11 May, mobile voting takes place in three districts: Cayman Brac at the Aston Rutty Civic Centre, East End at the William Allen McLaughlin Civic Centre, and North Side at the Craddock Ebanks Civic Centre.
Tuesday, 12 May, is the day for Bodden Town. Mobile voting trailers will be sta-tioned in the parking lot near the James Manoah Bodden Civic Centre. If necessary, mobile voting in Bodden Town will continue into Wednesday.
Wednesday, 13 May, is the day for George Town. Mobile trailers will be parked outside the Smith Road Professional Centre, 150 Smith Road, where the Elections Office is housed. Polling will continue on Thursday if needed.
Thursday, 14 May, is for mobile polling in West Bay. The polling trailers will be stationed outside the old town hall, now the district library and learning centre. Polling will continue on Friday if necessary.
As Gomez has pointed out previously, portable voting booths will be used to give voters privacy when marking their ballots in their own home. Election Office workers are contacting these voters to confirm time frames for the home visits. Election officials who conduct the polling may be accompanied by candidates’ agents and observers who are allowed to watch the procedure but cannot take part.