Archive for June, 2009
Edna Moyle given royal gong
(CNS): Former speaker of the House, Edna Moyle, has received an OBE in the Queen’s 2009 Birthday Honours list. Moyle was made an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (Civil Division) (OBE) for her “substantial contributions to politics in the Cayman Islands”, GIS said. In addition, Michael Needham the former head of the FCU has received the Colonial Police Medal (CPM) for meritorious service.
Moyle has championed a number of causes, including an end to discrimination against women in the civil service. “I will never forget the day when Governor Gore called, advising me of my success,” she said.
She was also largely responsible for government establishing a women’s affairs office and she was a guiding force in the launching of Cayman’s Legal Befrienders Clinic, through which needy women can obtain free legal advice. Moyle also moved a Private Member’s Motion that resulted in the Family Support Unit and Cayman’s Crisis Centre.
Commenting on her OBE, Moyle said she was humbled to be recognised. “I am also grateful to my nominators for thinking my accomplishments were sufficiently worthy. I accepted on behalf of all the people and I want everyone to know that I will always be involved in the welfare of women, youth and children and will be happy to get involved in any way that government wants me to,” she said.
Needham began serving in the police force in the UK when he was only 17 and joined the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS) in 1999 with a wealth of experience. Needham served as a detective inspector with the RCIPS and focused on reducing financial crime. He spearheaded the Financial Crimes Unit (FCU), dedicated to investigating fraud, money laundering, corruption and similar offences, and says it is one of his more treasured accomplishments.
“In 2000 Cayman was blacklisted by the Caribbean Financial Action Taskforce. Through our professional investigating officers, we were able to restore credibility to Cayman as a place to invest money and do business,” he said.
Needham also worked as head of the Marine Unit and was instrumental in acquiring additional boats and in establishing the marine base. He said he does not know why he was singled out to receive the Colonial Police Medal but ten previous commendations saw colleagues and others laud his professionalism, perseverance, devotion to duty, speed of investigations and conduct.
He said, “I always wanted to be a policeman. I had an uncle in the force and I was fascinated by the fact that officers were able to assist people and help communities feel safe. Although policing is risky and difficult, solving crime is exciting and rewarding. I would certainly do it all over again.” Needham is now Chief Compliance Officer at Butterfield Bank.
Dr Elsa Maria Cummings has been a driving force behind Cayman’s tertiary education for more than three decades and is being recognized with the Cayman Islands Certificate and Badge of Honour for her services to local education. International College of the Cayman Islands (ICCI) opened its doors in 1970 to fill the local void in tertiary education by providing affordable, quality college-level study, Dr Cummins explained.
Teaching Spanish and serving as chief examiner for the GED programme, Dr Cummins played a central role in the college’s administration, first as director of admissions, then dean, followed by the executive vice president’s post. And in 1990, after Dr Hugh’s retirement, she was appointed president of the college.
“The ICCI project became and remained a major focus in my life and I dedicated most of my energies to it,” she said. “We live in an era that requires you to hold vast amounts of knowledge – so get out there, become literate and progress beyond that. If you are educated, you can help yourself, and more importantly, you will be an asset to your community.”
Sharon Marie Martin’s recognition via the Queen’s Certificate and Badge of Honour comes at the end of a school term that crowns her 31 years of teaching. Martin’s career in education began in 1978 as a Spot Bay Primary School teacher, and she is now Principal of George Town Primary School (GTPS). In the face of her school’s challenges, including structural damage caused by Hurricane Ivan and an at-capacity compound, Martin has continued to lead, cheer and push her students from one success to another.
Speaking about the award, he acclaimed his staff and said, “I am merely the figurehead. I am just grateful that The Pines is sufficiently important to the Cayman community that the chairman is considered worthy of this honour.”
He is also quick to acknowledge the generosity of local individuals, of government, and of business and corporate entities, which has combined to keep The Pines functioning over the years.
Manderson promoted to Deputy Chief Secretary
(CNS): Franz Manderson, the current chief immigration officer, has been promoted to Deputy Chief Secretary. He will take up his new position on 1 July, the same day that the current holder of the post, Donovan Ebanks, steps into his new role as Chief Secretary and Head of the Civil Service. When the new Constitution is fully implemented these two posts will not exist. However, it does provide for the position of deputy governor, who will also be head of the civil service and must be Caymanian.
A release from the Chief Secretary’s Office said that Manderson was one of two people who applied for the post of Deputy CS as part of an open recruitment process with a recruitment panel consisting of Pastor Winston Rose, Donovan Ebanks and Peter Gough and chaired by the current Chief Secretary George McCarthy.
Manderson has a long and distinguished public service career spanning 28 years, having joined the Immigration Department as a clerical officer in 1981, the release states. He moved through the Immigration Department rapidly, and within 10 years was promoted to the post of assistant chief immigration officer. Four years later, in 1996, he was promoted to deputy chief immigration officer.
During his immigration career, Manderson pursued legal studies through the Cayman Islands Law School, obtaining his law degree with honours.
He was then granted a one-year leave of absence by the government in order to undergo training at the law firm of Walkers to qualify as an attorney-at-law, and was called to the Cayman Bar in 2004. That same year, he assumed the position of chief immigration officer. In the ensuing five years Manderson transformed the Immigration Department by introducing policies, systems and procedures that significantly increased its efficiency.
His focus on customer service and staff training also has contributed greatly to changing the department’s atmosphere and culture.
McCarthy said he was pleased to have such a competent and experienced person appointed as the next Deputy Chief Secretary, “especially in these economic times, and with the introduction of the new Constitution that will have a significant impact on the public service.”
Manderson said in the release, “I am delighted to have been chosen for the position, and I thank all the people who mentored me, had faith in me, and supported me during my civil service career. I also thank the dedicated staff at Immigration for their tremendous support throughout my career in the department, and especially during my tenure as chief immigration officer. I will bring the same dedication and enthusiasm to my new post. I am looking forward to working under the new Chief Secretary, Mr Ebanks; the managers and staff of the Portfolio of Internal and External Affairs; and my fellow chief officers.”
Ebanks acknowledged the significant contributions that Manderson made at the helm of Immigration, both for the staff and the community. “However, in his new position, Mr Manderson will have even greater opportunities to influence the provision of public services to the community,” he said. “Based on his track record, I also expect that he will have a positive impact on the wider civil service.” He emphasised that the Immigration Department will still fall under the wider remit of the post of deputy chief secretary.
An open recruitment process for the post of chief immigration officer will commence shortly.
Legal aid issue delays murder trial
(CNS): The questions surrounding the legal aid applications of the two men accused of the murder of Estella Scott Roberts are likely to delay the trial which was set for August. Justice Leighton Pusey told Larry Ricketts and Kirkland Henry, who appeared before him today (10 June), to identify the QCs from Jamaica who they wished to engage and that the matter would be now be given the highest priority. Currently neither of the defendants have QCs, and while defence lawyer Ben Tonner has agreed to appear for Henry on the last few occasions, he has said he would not continue to act for him without lead counsel.
Last week the court heard that Henry’s application for Legal Aid to cover the cost of a QC from Jamaica had been refused and that Ricketts’ application was pending and he did not have any counsel to represent him as the local defence lawyer allocated to him, John Furniss, had come off record.
On Friday, 12 June, Justice Pusey said that the chief justice had seized the matter and the court would not be inflexible regarding the defence needs of the two men. Given that the men are now being reconsidered for legal aid, Tonner agreed to continue on for the time being for Henry but suggested the trial date would have to be rescheduled.
Justice Pusey acknowledged the difficulty with the current trial date, especially as Ricketts was still without representation, a matter which he said needed to be addressed as quickly as possible, but steps to find both men suitable counsel were now in train. It was agreed that the Crown and Tonner would confer with the listings office to set another date, but the original date would remain on record until a new time was set for the trial.
Both Ricketts and Henry have pleaded not guilty to the charges of murder and kidnapping and, in the case of Henry, rape of Estella Scott Roberts, a local activist and tireless advocate against gender violence, whose body was found in her burnt out car in the dykes area of Barkers in October of 2008.
Gun man gets 20 years for drive-by shooting
(CNS): Following the guilty verdict handed down on 31 May, 2008, 21 year old Lance Justin Myles was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment on Friday 12 June by Justice Leighton Pusey for attempted murder and 15 years (to run concurrently) for possession of an unlicensed firearm. The incident relates to a drive-by shooting which occurred in the School Road area of George Town in May 2008, in which the victim, Adolphus Myrie, was wounded.
In offering sentencing guidelines to the judge, crown counsel highlighted the seriousness of the offence of attempted murder, which was intent to kill, and presented other local cases where sentences in excess of twenty years have been handed down for the same offence.
During the sentencing hearing Myles’ defence, attorney Howard Hamilton, pointed out that Myles was still very young, and despite having been neglected by his father and having had no positive role model in his life, he had made attempts to better himself and had been holding down gainful employment beforehis arrest.
“This young man is at a crossroad. He is not yet lost and he can be saved. I ask the court to take a chance and not banish this young man forever,” Hamilton said, adding that while it was a serious offence the court had a wide discretion and could choose to balance justice with mercy to give the young offender some hope.
Handing down the sentence, Justice Pusey said, “It is not an easy thing to sentence a young man when so many of our young men are in places of restraint instead of contributing to society.” He said it was a shame in this instance where the offender had managed to get qualifications and find employment despite a troubled life, but he had to balance that against the seriousness of the offence. He said the punishment had to reflect that for society to understand that such offences are very serious.
He said Myles would serve 15 years for the firearms offence and 20 years for attempted murder torun concurrently and time served would be counted.
Visitor who died after swimming named
(CNS): Police have now named the woman who died after swimming off Seven Mile Beach on Wednesday, 3 June. She was Goretti Tak Wai Wong, a Canadian National of Chinese descent. Wong, 62, of Ontario had been a cruise ship passenger aboard Liberty of the Seas and had been visiting Cayman with her husband. The victim had been swimming off Royal Palms when she became overly tired. Her husband assisted her back to shore with the help of a passing wave runner but unfortunately she passed out.
CPR was administered on shore and medics and police attended the scene. She was taken to hospital but unfortunately was pronounced dead. The RCIPS sends its condolences to the family and friends of Mrs Wong. The RCIPS will now prepare a file for the coroner.
Tougher standards in schools
(BBC): Education inspectors are bringing in tougher standards for England’s schools which will require higher results for them to be rated good or outstanding. From September, schools that succeed will probably face an Ofsted inspection every five years instead of three – unless parents demand an earlier one. There will be a greater focus on those judged satisfactory or inadequate. Teachers’ leaders said a new emphasis on raw exam results would make things harder for schools in deprived areas. Ofsted chief inspector Christine Gilbert said: "We are introducing a tougher test on attainment."
Kids get hooked on fishing
(CNS): A record total of 54 anglers in the children’s category took part in the Rotary Club of Cayman Brac’s annual fishing tournament on 6 June, in which children on the island are encouraged to ‘Get hooked on fishing and not on drugs’ – the theme of the event each year. Eulalee Bodden won US$1,000 and the trophy for catching the heaviest fish for the second year in a row. Sanya Scott, Curtis Connor and Noel Evan were awarded for bringing out the most children.
Rachel Dilbert, who won in the female youth category with a catch of 18.8lbs, and Nathan Walton, who won the boys’ section with a catch of 14.9lbs, both received two tickets from Cayman Airways. The youngest angler of the tournament went to 3-year-old Janae Scott, who won a bicycle.
According to President Alphanso Gayle, the main purpose of the event is for parents, guardians and organizations with boats to partner with Rotary members in taking as many children as possible fishing for the day. “Although it is not a competitive event, the girls undoubtedly out-classed the boys in the number of catches made on the day, in spite of the fact that the boy/girl ratio for those in attendance leaned more favorably towards the boys,” he said.
“The highlight of the event was witnessing the first timers catching their first fish; the expression on their faces was unforgettable for the adult anglers who were coaching them. This new adventurous idea was initiated by Past President Richard (Moss) and is our way of passing on the embedded tradition of fishing. We appreciate the kind gesture of Reef Divers in taking fourteen anglers and five adults to Little Cayman,” Gayle added.
In the adult category, there were fourteen anglers, who each paid US$100 to enter the tournament. The weighing of the fish took place at Panama Canal from 2:00 to 4:00pm.
“Everyone turned up on time and shared in the excitement and curiosity of who caught what,” the president said, adding that Rotary member Audley Scott was on hand checking the scale, recording information of each participant, while Gayle, himself, kept was busy placing the fishes on the scale. “While this was taking place most of the kids, being exhausted from the tournament, chose to take a dip to cool off and relax nearby. Also, while passing the time some kids were seen racing with their boats having fun. To top it off, someone turned up with a Jet Ski bike, which added more fun to the already exciting day.”
Gayle commended the committee chair, Past President Sandra Solomon, and her team for a job well done. He went on to say that this event has helped to bring back some level of normalcy to the way of life of these children and commended all the children for their determination, which made the day undoubtedly a success. He also thanked all the sponsors, noting that without their input Barracuda Bonanza would not have become a reality.
Britain snubbed as Bermuda takes in Uighurs
(Tines Online): Britain was left scrambling to assert the vestiges of its colonial authority yesterday after Bermuda welcomed in four former Guantánamo detainees under a secret deal with the United States. British officials knew nothing of the arrangement until the men, all ethnic Uighurs from western China, were already airborne en route from Guantánamo to the British island territory, better known as a haven for tourists and tax exiles than former terrorist suspects. Alarm bells sounded in London when Ewart Brown, the Bermudian Premier, welcomed the men as “landed in Bermuda in the short term, provided with the opportunity to become naturalised citizens and thereafter afforded the right to travel and leave Bermuda, potentially settling elsewhere”.
SPIT report heading for LA
(CNS): The details of exactly how much public money was spent by the Special Police Investigation Team (SPIT) under the leadership of SIO Martine Bridger is expected to be revealed at the end of next month when the auditor general passes his completed report to the LA. At that point, the report which Dan Duguay initiated in January of this year will become a public document and the Cayman people will be able to see how much was spent and where the cash went.
Duguay said yesterday (11 June) that he has finished his research and written the report but is now awaiting the final response comments from the various parties involved. He said that when the report is published, before the end of July, it will give the public a comprehensive picture of the financial implications of Operation Tempura.
“The report has to be seen by several different entities for comment on its findings and when that is completed I will be able to table the report in the Legislative Assembly,” Duguay said, adding that he was not at liberty to discuss those findings until it had been seen by the members of the LA. “I can say the report looks only at expenditures, but it will give the public a good understanding of the financial implicationsof SPIT.”
Duguay announced his intention at the beginning of the year to conduct a value for money study of Operation Tempura and SPIT because he said the persistent questions surrounding the investigation relating to how much had been spent and on what deserved some answers. “While we may not be able to comment on what Operation Tempura is doing, we can comment on how much is being spent,” said Duguay.
Duguay’s primary goal is purely to asses if the Cayman people have received value for money with this investigation and not to assess whether or not SPIT should have been here or how they conducted their work other than on a financial basis.
Although exact figures are not known, estimates have been as high as $10 million, but so far the public purse has actually paid out more then CI$6 million, which includes $1.27 million in costs and damages resulting from the unlawful arrest of Grand Court Judge Justice Alex Henderson. CNS learned through a Freedom of Information request that on top of that Bridger and the CI government’s costs in the case to defend Henderson’s judicial review amounted to around $500,000.
Cayman also faces further expenditure that Duguay’s report will not assess, including the forthcoming court cases against Lyndon Martin and the suspended Deputy Police Commissioner Rudolph Dixon. Furthermore, there are at least two outstanding suits that have been filed by the former Commissioner Stuart Kernonhan and former Police Inspector Burmon Scott.
Scott was arrested by SPIT and held overnight in lock down in May of last year before being released without charge for exactly the same offence as Henderson, which was found to be unlawful by Sir Peter Cresswell (the presiding independent Justice for the Henderson case) because the offence of misconduct in a public office is not one for which aperson can be arrested in the Cayman Islands. If the AG contests Scott’s claim, which was filed last month, it is likely that Cayman will witness another expensive court room drama as a result of SPIT.
Kernohan, who was suspended from his post and then subsequently sacked, has also filed a claim for damages for his treatment against Governor Stuart Jack on behalf of the Government of the Cayman Islands, Martin Bridger, the Acting Commissioner of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, and the Attorney-General of the Cayman Islands.
Following the recent declaration by former Acting Commissioner James Smith that there was to be no action taken against Kernohan, Kernohan filed a claim last month and stated that extraordinary revelations – heretofore unknown to the Cayman Islands public – involving the governor and high-ranking elected officials, would be revealed in the courtroom. Kernohan is claiming wrongful dismissal, that placing him on required leave was unlawful and that not permitting him to leave the island without permission “amounted to false imprisonment”.
Chief Superintendent John Jones who was also placed on required leave for over a year has now been cleared and has had his contracted renewed. He is expected to return to work shortly following his recovery in the wake of surgery and it is as yet unclear if Jones will also be making any financial claims.
Oil price leaps to year’s high
(The Guardian): The price of oil burst through the $71 a barrel mark today amid revelations that proven reserves had fallen for the first time in 10 years and predictions that the price could eventually hit $250. The latest high – from lows of $30 only four months ago – came on the New York Mercantile Exchange, where the cost of July deliveries rose by $1.35 to $71.36. This comes on top of a $2 rise the day before as investors rushed into the market on the back of lower stockpile figures, higher demand estimates and speculation against further falls in the dollar. "I wouldn’t be surprised if we’re testing $80 in a week or two," said one analyst, while BP’s chief executive questioned whether $90 could be the "right" value.