Archive for December, 2009
Bermudan reinsurance firm sets up shop in Cayman
(CNS): A company offering insurance and reinsurance management services is expanding its presence to the Cayman Islands to take advantage of Cayman’s position in the catastrophe bond SPV market the company said in a release. Horseshoe Services (Cayman) Limited will focus on non-insurance SPV administration while it is waiting to obtain an Insurance Manager license from the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority in order to administer insurance SPVs as well.
The firm said it will build on the global expertise of the Horseshoe Group, which is based in Bermuda, in managing Insurance-Linked Investment structures such as sidecars and transformers, to deliver superior SPV administration services.
Andre Perez, CEO of Horseshoe Group said the firm was pleased to have established a presence in the Cayman Islands with Cayman Trust Limited. “As an active enabler in the ILS space, it was a natural progression for the Horseshoe Group to have resources available in Cayman where the great majority of the Catastrophe Bond activity takes place. Being able to offer services both in Bermuda and Cayman allows us to better meet our client’s needs,” he added.
Cops stay quiet on gun discovery
(CNS): Police have confirmed that officers attended an alleged disturbance outside LI night club, on Laurence Boulevard off the West Bay Road in the early hours of Friday morning and that four men have been arrested. They have not commented however on reports that a firearm was discovered and taken from a dumpster in the parking area close to the club despite footage shown on News 27 on Friday evening which showed police officers recovering an item and placing it in an evidence bag.
Police had taped off the area around the LI nightclub and were seen searching throughout the day on Friday. News 27 filmed officers recovering what looked like a firearm from the dumpster which was placed into an evidence bag.
A police spokesperson did confirm that four local men had been arrested and are now in police custody in relation to the incident, but enquiries were ongoing. They did not state what the men had been arrested for or what the nature of those enquiries would be.
Martin: I didn’t know Schirn
(CNS): The officer who took a statement from Randy Martin at the beginning of the police enquiry into the murder of Sabrina Schirn told the court on Friday that the defendant had said he did not know the murdered girl. DI Lauriston Burton told how Martin had volunteered a police statement before he was a suspect in which he stated he had not left the prison farm on 11 March, the day that Schirn is believed to have been murdered, and that he had not met Schirn. However, Burton also revealed that, following his statement, Martin had told the detective that he thought the police would be coming back for him.
Burton told the court how he had asked him to clarify the comment, but he said Martin simply said, “When you do your investigations, you’ll come back to talk to me.”
Giving evidence during Martin’s trial on Friday, Burton, who was the second highest officer on the murder investigation, explained how he and other RCIPS officers had visited Northward Prison a few days after Schirn’s body was found to speak with all of the prisoners working on the farm the day they believed she was killed. He said they had asked the prisoners to cooperate and told them they would be searching their cells.
Burton said Martin was also searched and interviewed by the police but he was not a specific suspect at that time. Following the first cell search, Martin had volunteered a statement regarding his movements on the day in question, Burton confirmed.
Reading Martin’s statement to the court, Burton said he had spoken about working on the farm because he had shown good behaviour at the prison, and how on that day he had worked the tomato and pepper patches, which were near the front of the farm. He said he was under supervision most of the day and that he was not allowed to receive visitors. In his statement, however, Martin confessed that he had been caught by two prison officer smoking weed at the bottom of the cow patch, where he said he had some of the drug hidden since the month before. He recounted how the officers had then sent him back to the prison farm house while they searched the area for more drugs, but they didn’t find any.
He said how, in the few days since the body was found, the prisoners had been talking about the murdered girl and he heard that she was once the girlfriend of one of the inmates in Eagle House, where he was being housed, and he said he heard she was dealing with Patrick McField and his nephew Lance Myles. But he said in his statement, “… I have never met her…”
Burton revealed as the investigation progressed and items found, forensic matches led them back to Martin. He said the inmate became an official suspect on 2 April and it was then that a full search of Martin’s cell was conducted. He said among the items that the officers found in Martin’s cell were numerous newspaper clippings, including four or five regarding Schirn’s murder, a lock of hair which was wrapped in paper with the name ‘Sabrina Shurn’ (spelt incorrectly) written on it, a pair of women’s gold earrings and various notebooks and journals. Burton confirmed that the items were seized and taken into evidence.
When Martin was arrested on suspicion of murder, Burton confirmed that he had legal representation and exercised his right to silence.
Following the evidence from Burton, Martin’s defence team, David Evans QC and junior counsel Adam King, explained that they would not cross examine him until after they had the opportunity to read more of the material, which they said had only been recently disclosed to them, and until they had cross examined two key witnesses that have been summoned by the judge, Justice Charles Quin, who are expected to come before the court on Monday morning.
Former Detective Kim Evans, who was the senior investigating officer on the case but who has since retired from the RCIPS, has not yet been called to the court to give evidence.
The case continues on Monday morning, when Lance Myles, who is currently serving a 20 year sentence in Northward for attempted murder and who has been summoned by the judge, will take the witness stand.
BOT contestant takes Miss World title
(Times Online): Britain was today able to claim a victory of sorts in the Miss World competition despite none of the UK girls lifting the crown. Relative unknown Kaiane Aldorino, representing Miss Gibraltar and therefore a British national, cast aside early favourite Miss Puerto Rico to win the prize in Johannesburg, South Africa. England’s entrant, Lance Corporal Katrina Hodge – dubbed “Combat Barbie” – was also vying for the prize yesterday along with Miss Scotland Katharine Brown, Miss Wales Lucy Whitehouse, and Miss Ireland Laura Patterson. Miss Aldorino said she “had no words” to describe her feelings following her win but insisted she was “really happy”.
Prison boss found dead
(CNS): Updated Tuesday 15 December – Following a post-mortem that was carried out yesterday afternoon (Monday 13 December), the RCIPS has confirmed that Dr William Rattray’s death was as a result of natural causes. Police said Saturday that the 57-year-old man found dead in a swimming pool in North Side was Dr Rattray, the Commissioner of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The Portfolio of Internal and External Affairs said on Sunday it was shocked and saddened by his sudden death.
"On behalf of the whole Civil Service, and especially Her Majesty’s Cayman Islands Prison Service, we wish to extend our deepest condolences to Dr. Rattray’s wife Margaret, who has become a much loved and respected school Principal in North Side and Savannah, to his two children and his brother, and to Dr. Rattray’s many friends here and in Scotland", said Acting Deputy Governor Franz Manderson.
Police said Sunday that at about 2.30 pm on Saturday afternoon they received a report that a man had been found apparently unconscious in a communal swimming pool.
Police and paramedics attended the scene and CPR was delivered while Rattray was rushed to the hospital in George Town, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Rattray, who is a native of Scotland, came to the Cayman Islands in 2006 to take up the post of commissioner of corrections and rehabilitation following a 30 year career in the Scottish Prison Service. The post was created to oversee the strategic direction of the islands’ Prison Service.
The National Team
A letter to the editor in a recent edition of the Caymanian Compass, signed by Truman Bodden and John McLean, criticised the PPM’s education policy and specifically the management of that policy by ex-Education Minister Alden McLaughlin.
Generally, I support the criticism of the PPM and Mr. McLaughlin in regards to some facets of their education policy but I question where Mr. Bodden and Mr. McLean have ANY room to criticize ANY Government since 1984 ( that being the year when their National Team Government was voted from office), on ANY matter!
The National Team Government of 1976-1984, under Jim Bodden’s leadership, was the Government which did the majority of damage which is now manifested in many of the woes we are experiencing in this country today – more than any single Government before or since! To wit, the National Team Government:
1. discarded the 1972 Development Plan which, among many visionary items and processes, included a multi-lane carriageway from George Town to West Bay, before the east side of West Bay Road was developed, thereby making the construction of such a carriageway vastly easier then than what was undertaken by the last Government in extending the bypass to its current location.
2. in discarding said 1972 Plan, did not replace it with any real Plan but instead fostered the total wanton and unplanned development of Grand Cayman, especially the Seven Mile Beach.
3. Mr. Truman was Education Minister when the National Team discontinued vocational training (woodwork, mechanics/tech drawing, home economics) in the high school, which had been a part of the high school curriculum up until that point. Their intent was to create a vocational college on the site of the old compound behind the Public Library. They started with a marine training institute which soon disintegrated and therefore no other vocational training ever materialized. Not saying that their concept wasn’t reasonable but they established the marine college (vocational college phase 1) using retired Caymanian seamen as the instructors. Again, sounds reasonable on paper; problem was, many of those seamen had worked their way up on ships (I believe some were licensed engineers) – they were not trained how to impart their knowledge to others in an academic setting. Just because I know a subject does not necesarily mean I can teach it. Essentially, the marine college concept failed because those retired seamen couldn’t teach. From that point on, no emphasis was placed on other vocational subjects.
4. OK, so here we are in the late ’70’s & early ’80’s with unparalleled, mushrooming development, our schools system not developing children with vocational skills, what do we do? Obviously, import labour.
5. that was the primary foundation of our immigration issue which itself has developed without any real management into the mess we have now.
6. National Team is also responsible for the ‘misplaced Nationialism and entitlement culture’ evident in many of our younger generation. I know, I was at their meetings (not as a supporter but as a concerned citizen) – the same meetings where they disrespectfully told voters that if they (politicians) dressed up broomsticks they (the electorate) would vote for them – and witnessed the rhetoric that ‘foreigners are taking away your jobs’ and ‘you are Caymanian, you deserve these jobs’. Perhaps their intent was noble but I can assure you their delivery was clearly devisive!! The parents would leave these meetings and regurgitate that rhetoric in their homes, hence the ‘entitled and under-equipped generation’ we now experience, with the associated baggage of anti-foreigner sentiments.
7. Political interference. No Government prior to 1976 had the hallmark of interfering with civil service and private sector alike. Everyone knows Big Jim could reach out and ‘touch’ whomever he wanted. He could either force someone to employ someone (qualified or not) or to dismiss someone (justified or not).
8. Ineptness in the public service. Because of #7 above a lot of unqualified and inept people ended up in public service jobs. Just look at our civil service today, need I say more?
9. Political cronyism, mismanagement of public funds and questionable ethics. How many people got jobs for which they were not qualified just because of #7 above??? Remember Big Jim’s brother-in-law being appointed as CAL’s Head of Security at CI$60,000 per year (late 1970’s/early 1980’s – about twice that in today’s dollars)? He would fly up to Miami on CAL 102 every morning, conduct his own business in Miami all day and fly back on CAL 107 each night. As to questionable ethics, which politician before or since has been called to testify as a defence witness in a major cocaine trial. Not to speak of the notorious Italian and other associates!!
So Mr. Truman and Mr. John, you guys were the EXCO when ALL of this was being put into motion. Not only don’t you have room to be critical, you should hang your heads in shame on what your mismanagement has wrought on these islands.
Of course, I will get criticism about my views on the National Team and Big Jim. I would wager though, that such criticism will come mostly from those who reaped the quick rewards of the unmanaged development boom and see Big Jim as a saviour or the ones who sat in the political meetings and swallowed all the swill and cheered when they were insulted and took it home and fed it to their children – the same disenfranchised and lost generation of today.
Missing teens found safe
(CNS): Update Sunday 4:08pm — Two missing 15-year-old girls, Prisca Smith (left) and Kareena Powell, have been found safe and well. The girls were reported missing yesterday, having not been seen since 12.30 am Saturday morning. However, police have now confirmed that earlier this afternoon, Sunday 13 December, RCIPS officers traced the girls to an address in the Frank Sound area of the island. Both girls are in the process of being reunited with their families. The public and the media are thanked for their assistance in relation to this matter.
Police said yesterday that at about 7.30 pm on Friday night, 11 December, the girls went to a school friend’s birthday party in Eclipse Drive, George Town. When the girls failed to return home they were reported as missing.
Duguay told to fight for job
(CNS): The auditor general, Dan Duguay has confirmed that he has been asked to compete for his position when his contract is up for renewal in February 2010. Although he did not comment about his plans, Duguay said yesterday, when asked, that he had met with the Chief Secretary this week who told him there would be a competition for his post. Duguay confirmed that he was not asked to compete when his contract was renewed for the first time in 2007. He also said he had told the governor before he departed last month that he was happy to continue on in the role as AG.
Duguay has been in post for six years, since February 2004, when he replaced his predecessor who had served in the position for 11 years. Duguay said he had not decided what he would now do following the recent information from Acting Governor Donovan Ebanks.
According to the Public Service Management Law, there are provisions for senior civil servants to compete for their positions to maintain accountability. However, since the law’s inception there has been considerable debate about whether certain posts, such as the freedom of information commissioner, the complaints commissioner and the auditor general, should be subject to competition because of the potential political interference.
Although other public sector managers and senior staff are expected to implement government policy, the offices of the FoIC, the CC and the AG are different as they are expected to scrutinize government policy. As a result, the independence of the offices has to be maintained in order for the officers to fulfil that remit. As watchdogs of government, if those serving in these posts believe their jobs could be taken from them if they upset the political masters of the day, the fear is the offices’ independence would be compromised and undermine the country’s own internal check and balance system on government.
Duguay has faced criticisms from both sides of the political arena as well as the governor and has strove to maintain the independence of his office. Duguay has stated publically on a number of occasions that he has no other agenda except to ensure clarity and transparency over public funds. Duguay clashed with the premier recently when he announced that he intended to examine the process by which the port contract will be awarded. McKeeva Bush called him a cowboy and stated that he would sue the AG if he delayed the port development.
The governor also publically disagreed with Duguay recently over his scrutiny of the money spent on the discredited special police investigation, Operation Tempura. The previous administration clashed with Duguay on his reports concerning government’s failed deal with Matrix over scrap metal removal, the purchase of the police helicopter and his report on the failure of government department’s to submit their accounts as specified under the Public Management and Finance Law.
A proponent of openness and transparency in all government dealings, Duguay has often been criticised for speaking openly to the press about his reports, his findings and his concerns about the possible misuse of government funds.
Cayman Prep wins schools sailing championship
(CNS): The primary division in the 2009 RBC School Sailing Championship was won by a team of sailors from Cayman Prep. The school was very excited to win this title as the last time they won this regatta was in 2002. Cayman Prep now holds the title in the primary division of the “Best school sailing team in Cayman”, a title that had been previously held by St. Ignatius. The regatta was sailed on 27 November at the Cayman Islands Sailing Club (CISC) and was sailed in Picos.
A total of sixteen races were held in windy conditions which made for challenging sailing. On average just over ten young sailors per school competed in each team and a points system determined which team won overall.
St. Ignatius came second and Savannah Primary School came third. A total of six schools competed this year, the largest number of primary teams in the championship’s eleven year history with eighty children competing in the regatta.
Unfortunately the strong wind postponed the senior division to a later date.
Michael Weber, sailing director for the Cayman Islands Sailing Club, praised the children and gave thanks to RBC. “Each year we see more sailors and better sailing. I am delighted that RBC increased its sponsorship for this year’s event.”
Weber also noted the other sponsors. “Special thanks to the Brick House for providing the food for the regatta, the Ministry of Health, Environment, Youth, Sports & Culture for continuing to support our school sailing programme and Dairy Queen for some frozen treats for the kids.”
The next major regatta is the Captain Leroy Watson Regatta in East End on the long weekend on 23rd-24th January 2010. Anyone interested in sailing should check out the CISC’s website at www.sailing.ky or the club’s Facebook page.
Final results
1st Cayman Prep
2nd St. Ignatius
3rd Savannah Primary School
4th Red Bay Primary School
5th Prospect Primary School
6th George Town Primary School
For more information on the Cayman Islands Sailing Team, please contact Mike Weber at sailing@sailing.ky
Pizza man escapes robbers
(CNS): Two would-be robbers, who threatened a driver from a local pizza company with a knife, were left empty-handed after their intended victim drove away. Police say that about 10.45pm last night, Thursday 10 December, the driver was attempting to make a delivery to a home in Shirley Towbis Lane, Bodden Town. When he was unable to find the address he was looking for, he asked two men who were standing nearby for directions. The men directed the delivery man to a house in the lane. But when he got there he was informed by the resident that no-one in the house had placed an order.
As he was driving back out of the lane the same two men stepped out in front of the car. One of them produced a knife and demanded cash.
The delivery driver immediately drove off and reported the matter to police. The RCIPS said he was not injured and no money was taken. The men responsible are described as having dark skin and were wearing black sweatshirts and blue jeans. One of them had his face covered with a black bandana, which had a floral design.
CID Detective Chief Inspector Peter Kennett said, “Fortunately the delivery driver was able to evade the would-be robbers and drive off without handing over any cash. However we need the help of the public to find out who these men are. If you have any information which could help us track them down I would ask you to contact Bodden Town CID on 947 -2220, or call Crime Stoppers on 800 – 8477 (TIPS).
“I would also take this opportunity to remind companies offering delivery services to continue to make sure they try to verify that orders being placed are genuine,” Kennet added.