Archive for December, 2009
Kids give to kids in need
(CNS): The young members of the Church of God Chapel Children’s Choir demonstrated they were thinking about others this weekend when they presented some toys to the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) for its young clients in need, on Sunday (6 December)> The toys were handed over by the choir’s director, Carol Mascarenhas to the DCFS’ Community Development Coordinator Zemrie Thompson following the children’s performance of this year’s musical The Best Christmas Present Ever; Happy Birthday Jesus at the Family Life Centre.
Mascarenhas explained that in the spirit of the season, each child on the 64-member choir was asked to contribute a gift for a child. “We want to teach them early on that it is better to give than to receive and always to reach out to those less fortunate than they are,” she said.
Thompson thanked the children, applauding them for both the night’s performance and their generous gifts. “Your toys will help to bring Christmas cheer when they are distributed to our young clients in the districts,” she added.
Ebanks reflects on the highs and lows of 2009
(CNS): The acting governor, Donovan Ebanks has said that 2009 has been a year of unusual challenges in a special Christmas Message. Reflecting on the ups and downs Ebanks said that whatever people’s politics 2009 was a year which reminded us that we live in a democracy where the transition from one government to another took place in a peaceful, orderly and democratic fashion. He said the country’s first referendum on the constitution offered an opportunity to shape the future of Cayman by harnessing the resources of the new Constitution.
Full statement reads: At this special time of year we look forward to enjoying the company of friends and loved ones, and to sharing with them in the traditional joys of the Christmas season. It is natural, too, for our thoughts to travel back over the year that is about to end and to ponder the New Year that is about to begin.
Each of us will look back on 2009 in different ways and with different feelings. Yet behind those differences, we see common themes and shared experiences. All of us have known both hardship and joy in some measure this year. All of us have been impacted by the worldwide economic recession – the worst for 80 years – longer than most of us have been alive. Many of us are still suffering the effects of this global recession, whether through the general business slowdown, or more personally, through the loss of a job or a business – be it our own or that of someone close to us. Yes,- it has been a year of unusual challenges.
Yet amidst these challenges we should also remember the blessings and successes of 2009. When the hurricane season began, for example, we were still smarting from the trauma of Hurricane Paloma in November 2008. The weather experts called for the Caribbean to experience an above average hurricane season with several major storms. It seemed a lot to hope that the Cayman Islands would feel none of their force. Yet we were spared, and now that the hurricane season is over we can count this as a major blessing.
Amidst the many other blessings and successes of 2009 are some that belong to the realm of government. Whatever our politics – and any year with a general election will see plenty of politics – we should never lose sight of the tremendous fact that we live in a democracy where the transition from one government to another takes place – as it did in May this year – in a peaceful, orderly and democratic fashion.
Alongside the election, of course, there was a Referendum that was a first for all Caymanians – and a further expression of our democratic way of life. And this was no ordinary referendum. Its subject was one of the most important any nation can decide upon, namely the political constitution that undergirds and shapes the actions of leaders and people alike. As we look ahead to 2010, therefore, we do so in the confidence that the same ability to shape our future that we expressed this year in our democratic institutions can be demonstrated again in the way we use the new Constitution to advance our best interests as a people. A Constitution is really a living covenant of who we are. Let us therefore harness the resources of our new Constitution to become the best that we can be.
In closing, let me encourage all of us to enjoy the simple gifts that are always close at hand during the Christmas season, whatever our circumstances. Let me encourage each of us:-
To be energized by the exhilarating Christmas breezes;
To open our doors and windows to see and hear our neighbours, so that we give the words “open-house” its true seasonal meaning;
To reconnect in new and lasting ways with our friends and family;
To ignore the size of the gifts and the tree. Instead, to focus on and be uplifted by those who join us around the family table; and finally
“To choose someone to be our “mirror” this Christmas – and to see our own true beauty reflected as we bring a smile to that person’s face! May God richly bless you and yours this Christmas, as you treasure the peace and joy of this special season, and may He continue to prosper and guide the Cayman Islands in 2010.”
Gunmen rob East End Fosters
(CNS): Updated. The RCIPS has confirmed that two men armed with guns took an undisclosed sum of cash from the East End Foster’s Express supermarket during a holdup yesterday evening (Tuesday 22 December) at around 7pm. Police say that the robbers threatened two female members of staff and demanded cash. The suspects ran off with a small amount of money into a waiting car. Police have said they are currently investigating if there are links to the recent robbery of Jack’s Esso in North Side.
One of the suspects was described as 5’9” in height, medium build and light brown complexion. He was wearing a black mask exposing his eyes and mouth, a black long sleeved jacket , long blue jeans and spoke with a Caymanian accent. The other wore a white t-shirt over his head and was wearing a long sleeved dark coloured shirt and pants. No description is available of the driver of the getaway car – a black four door vehicle.
Detectives are investigating whether this robbery is linked to the North Side gas station robbery last week (18 December 2009). Detective Inspector Peter Kennett is appealing to all employees at cash businesses to be on the alert. “Please ensure that your CCTV is working properly and is recording correctly,” he said. “If you are unlucky enough to be robbed – do as the robber demands but make a metal note of everything that happens. If a vehicle is involved try and get a license plate. Write it down. Don’t do anything that could put you in more danger. Dial 911 as soon as you can.”
Other reports to CNS say that the robbery took place while several visiting tourists and local customers were shopping. The supermarket is located at the Morritt’s Shopping centre opposite two major tourism resorts on the Queen’s High Way.
Anyone with information about the robbery should contact Bodden Town CID on 947-2220 or call Crime Stoppers on 800-8477 (TIPS).
Sea vets to get $100
(CNS): Government has come-up with an extra payment of only $100 for the Cayman Islands ex servicemen and sea veterans. In a statement released yesterday, 22 December, Mike Adam blamed the lack of cash on the reckless spending by the previous administration, but said his government had “dug deep” to find the extra payment which vets will not receive until January. The former PPM government administration had granted extra-ordinary Christmas payments in both 2007 and 2008, through a supplementary request on the budget which was equal to the vets monthly stipend of around $550.
He said that the “wasteful and reckless expenditures” of the PPM government and the downturn in the economy mean that the UDP government couldn’t give any more money at this time.
Adman said that he would like to assure all the recipients that the government has their best interests at heart, and is committed to those in need wished them all a Merry Christmas and a joyful and prosperous New Year.
The minister confirmed to CNS that reports of regular payments not being paid to indigents by social services was not true. He said all veterans, seaman and those receivng assistance from family services were paid the usual monthly sum. Adam said the moeny for the clean-up programme had been budgeted seperately and had not affected the grant normally given to those in need.
He explained that with around 2010 people receiving benefits from government to have given all of those people the $550 which they had received in the last two years at Christmas time would’ve cost the ministry over $1.1 million.
Despite the dire financial problems faced by government, according to the government website, the UDP administration has created a new position of Housekeeper/Cook for the Premier. Although the candidate will work in the premier’s residence it is listed as a public sector position and pays a salary of up to $35,000.CNS has confirmed with PPM officials that Kurt Tibbetts did not have a government chef or housekeeper when he was leader of government business.
McKeeva Bush, who is also now the Minister of Finance, has stated that the performance of the budget is being closely monitored and a report will be forthcoming in January, of the first six months of the financial year 2009/10 and this report will form part of the briefing package for the new governor.
Passengers survive Jamaican plane crash landing
(CNS): An American Airlines Boeing 737 has crash landed in Kingston, Jamaica, when it overshot the runaway in heavy rain. Flight 331 took off from Miami International Airport Tuesday at 8:52 p.m. and was scheduled to arrive in Kingston at 10:27 p.m. According to a statement from American Airlines 154 persons were on board, 148 passengers and six crew members. Forty people are reportedly injured, no one seriously. The flight originated in Ronald Reagan Airport, before stopping at the Miami International Airport, on route to Kingston Jamaica.
According to reports from Jamaica however, the plane ended up in a mangled mess on a beach. “The aircraft totally overshot the runway and ended up over the road in the sand," said Paul Hall, senior vice president of operations at Norman Manley International Airport. Daryl Vaz, Jamaica’s information minister, told local media that 91 injured passengers had been taken to the Kingston Public Hospital.
One of the jet’s engines broke off, part of the landing gear smashed and the aircraft body was cracked, officials reported. Passengers had initially applauded what appeared to be a safe landing at the popular winter sun destination, but then the aircraft ploughed through the perimeter fence, skidded across a road and ended up on the beachfront. The airport was immediately closed and all flights diverted.
The airline provided the following information numbers (family members only):
(800) 245-0999 for calls originating in the United States;
(800) 872-2881 for calls originating in Jamaica
Family members from other locations outside the U.S. may contact American Airlines through the AT&T Direct Access system. Callers should dial the local AT&T Access telephone number, which can be found at www.usa.att.com/traveler, for the country from which they are calling. Once in the AT&T system, callers can then dial American toll-free at (800) 245-0999. Non-Family members are asked not to call these information numbers above.
48 passengers and six crew members. Forty people are reportedly injured, no one seriously. The flight originated in Ronald ReaganAirport, before stopping at the Miami International Airport, on route to Kingston Jamaica.
Cayman Airways has confirmed that its flights to Jamaica have not been affected.
No sign of public accounts
(CNS): Although the chair of the Public Accounts Committee had said he had wanted to see the government financial statements up to date by April 2010 that target date could be literally years off. Ezzard Miller, the independent MLA for North Side, says it is totally unacceptable that with more than six new auditors helping the CFOs even the 2005/06 set of accounts is not ready for his committee. He said government’s annual accounts, the report on how public money has been earned and spent, needed to be completed in order to better inform future budgets and above all the people.
Other sources have told CNS that it could be as much as three years before all of the government accounts are caught up. Miller said he had been pressing the point with the financial secretary and others but he said it seems that no one else wants to make the commitment to getting what are essentially important accounts up to date and allow the people to see in black and white where the money has gone.
“It’s not even been suggested to me that the 2005/06 are ready for the PAC,” Miller said. “Given that, the idea of having the other three (06/07, 07/08 and 08/09) ready by April is very unlikely. There is nothing I can do to force the issue except point out that this is an unacceptable situation. People have a right to know that those who are responsible for this and who are not doing it are breaking the law.”
Miller noted that given how much CFOs are being paid and the extra help they now have, if there was a commitment to getting it done he believed in could be done. He also expressed his disappointment that the governor, Stuart Jack had not made a single comment about the situation before he left. “You would have thought given his so called commitment to good governance that he might have asked for an update on this situation before he left,” he added.
The reason for the continued delay Miller suggested was that the amendments needed to the Public Management and Finance Law (PMFL) to allow the CFOs to set the quarterly reports and the draft output reports aside until the main accounts were up to date have not come before the Legislative Assembly. As a result he said that the CFOS were still trying to catch up on those detracting the focus from the bigger financial picture.
Although the government says it still knows how much money is being spent on what and how much revenue has been earned the people of the Cayman Islands have not seen an accurate account of how public money has been generated and expended for five years — since the PMFL was introduced.
The issue was first brought to light by the auditor general, Dan Duguay in his report The State of Financial Accountability Reporting, published in April 2008. Duguay pointed out the massive delays by some government departments and agencies. He wrote in the report that government had "lost control of the public purse" and the situation had to be dealt with immediately.
However, more than 18 months after the AG’s report was released government appears to be no closer to completeing the 2005/06 set of accounts than it was when Duguay first revealed the issue to the wider public.
Traffic cops issue hundreds of tickets in clamp down
(CNS): Despite warning the driving public that the traffic police would be out in force in the weeks leading up to the Christmas period, Inspector Adrian Barnett, head of the RCIPS Traffic Department, said his officers have still issued literally hundreds of tickets in the last six weeks. Sixty-six people are to appear in court for a total of 79 offences, ranging from driving under the influence to driving without insurance, as a result of the clamp down. However, Barnett said he was disappointed that hundreds of other drivers are committing offences.
Since the start of the campaign, 16 drivers have been charged with DUI, 551 have been detected speeding, 139 have been found not to be wearing seat belts, and 253 tickets have been issued, he said.
“It is almost inconceivable that so many people have chosen to ignore the warnings about the dangers of driving at speed, without seat belts and while under the influence,” Inspector Barnett said. “We said at the start of this campaign that we would be redoubling our efforts and that we would be coming after those who not only flout the law but put themselves and other road users at risk by their irresponsible actions. If you get behind the wheel of car after you’ve been drinking you are putting your own life at risk as well as the lives of innocent road users and pedestrians.”
Police will continue to be out in force during the holidays carrying out road blocks and stop checks on vehicles, as well as actively gathering intelligence about people who are drinking and then driving.
“Don’t forget, alcohol stays in your system for some considerable time – and it’s possible that you may still be over the limit the next day. That’s why we will also be targeting early morning drivers who might still be over the limit,” Inspector Barnett warned.
Anyone who has information about people committing road traffic offences or drinking and driving should contact their local police office.
Tax haven reviewer to reveal all at watchdog event
(CNS): Well known to many in the Cayman Islands, Michael Foot, the author of the UK’s report on the state of its OT’s finances will be lifting the lid on his findings when he attends the OffshoreAlert conference in Miami next year. Only one of the interesting line-up of ‘headline acts’ Foot, will join among others, best selling crime author Jeffrey Robinson and Allen Stanford’s former financial adviser Charles Rawl. Organisers of the conference said that 2010 promised as ever to look at the good and the bad in the financial industry.
Former financial adviser for Allen Stanford’s $8 billion offshore banking group, Charles Rawl blew the whistle to US authorities, leading to the collapse of one of the biggest-ever offshore frauds. Jeffrey Robinson the best-selling author of books like ‘The Laundrymen’ and an expert on organized crime, fraud and money laundering will reveal his insight into the offshore world and Foot the man who conducted the UK’s review for Britain’s potential liabilities where its overseas territories were concerned promises to give a close up on his findings.
Returning speakers also include Martin Kenney and Ed Davis, who are two of the world’s foremost authorities on asset recovery – one of the few sectors of the global economy that is currently booming, and Bob Roach, who is Counsel & Chief Investigator to US Senator Carl Levin’s investigations committee.
The conference takes place 2-4 May at the Ritz-Carlton, South Beach and David Marchant the publisher of offshore alert described it as the most credible event about Offshore Financial Centres because of the diversity and the quality of speakers and topics as well as its independence.
“Every other offshore-specific conference I know of comprises people in the industry getting up and telling each other how wonderful they are. What use is that to anyone? The OffshoreAlert Conference deals in reality, not fantasy. We look at the good and the bad,” Marchant stated.
“Where else can you attend an event where, as in 2009, you could have mingled with the person in charge of the IRS’ offshore programs and the UBS investigation, the head of tax at the OECD, US Senator Carl Levin’s chief investigator, attorneys who represent the best-known tax dodgers and professionals who set up and administer complex offshore financial structures? We had 275 registrants from 29 countries and the conference was covered by 19 reporters from seven countries, including reporters from The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Bloomberg, and Reuters, to name but a few.”
He said it was exactly the sort of independent event that offshore leaders needto participate in as part of their general effort to improve the image of OFCs to the wider world and meet those who oppose them. Marchant said there fore he was disappointed that for the second consecutive year, the chair of Cayman Finance, Anthony Travers turned down a speaking invitation to the event.
Marchant said that Travers had been given 11 months notice of the 2010 conference. “Why someone whose mandate to spread Cayman’s message across to the international community would turn down a speaking engagement at the leading offshore conference is a mystery to me. He really ought to get out of his comfort zone,” he said.
“When OffshoreAlert first burst onto the scene in 1997, Cayman’s establishment regarded the newsletter as ‘Public Enemy Number One’, apparently for no other reason than it was exposing financial crime. That was a truly pitiful situation that reflected very poorly on Cayman. However, the jurisdiction has matured significantly since then and OffshoreAlert is now widely respected on the island.”
Real estate broker offers promise of brighter times
(CNS) Despite what he described as a tumultuous period, Kim Lund, one of Cayman’s most experience real estate brokers, says that things in his industry are looking a little more promising for the property market in 2010. “While we have endured a roller coaster ride of one shock after another, this decade, as we enter 2010, we are seeing signs of strong real estate activity and there is a renewed hope of better times ahead,” Lund said in his recent market report.
Never keen to admit the true extent of problems in their industry, Lund admitted in his latest review that the last 18 months of this decade will go into the record books as one of the most tumultuous times, ever. “It is a fitting end to a difficult decade, which has challenged most of us in the Cayman Islands, starting from the year 2000,” he said. However, not surprisingly he was quick to predict a sunnier 2010 with a number of major development projects purportedly set to start next year this offered the promise of better things to come.
Lund said that WaterColours on the site of the old Beach Club on Seven Mile Beach is now under construction and that the long awaited Island Resort and Residences in Colliers (east side of Grand Cayman) will name their 5-star international hotel brand in the New Year and begin construction. Lund also welcomed the news regarding the US$150 million George Town cruise ship port and the promise of medical tourism with Dr Shetty’s 2,000 bed hospital and ancillary buildings by late 2010.
Camana Bay, he said, was considering expanding its town centre of 650,000 square feet of leased space by building across from it, while also moving forward with development of the residential component of residences, estate lots, and parks. The Ritz-Carlton is also constructing approximately 120 condominiums in Secret Harbour, working on their golf course and starting development of their 100 plus acre Dragon Bay site.
“From a real estate standpoint, there is now proof that real estate activity is beginning to rise up from the doldrums,” Lund said. “This is especially true for our resort markets of Seven Mile Beach, Cayman Kai, and the East End to Colliers areas. These markets have finally bottomed out and arenow generating increased sales and showing improved demand.”
The real estate broker noted that during the first 6 months of 2009, there were a total of only 21 condominiums sold on Seven Mile Beach but in the second half of 2009, there were 33 Seven Mile Beach condominium sales – the equivalent of 83% more sales — compared to just 18 in 2008 and 25 in 2007. “Our overseas purchasers have started coming back and the results indicate strong resort market sales from the summer of 2009 up to now and said December was shaping up to be one of our best months for real estate sales, in years.
Young philanthropist gives birthday money to charity
(CNS): Jayda Simmonds told family and friends she didn’t want birthday presents this year. Instead, for her 8th birthday party in early December, she asked for donations for the Cayman Islands Humane Society. She collected $272 and presented it to the organization’s vice president, Pamela Hart (left with Jayda). “I asked my mom about the different charities on the island and we went on the internet and found the Cayman Islands Humane Society. This is the perfect charity because I do not like animal cruelty and I thought it would be really nice to be able to help the animals at Christmas,” said Jayda in her letter that accompanied her contribution.
“I had a really fun birthday and collected lots of money. I hope that you will be able to spend the money to take care of all of the animals who need homes this year and I pray that they all find good homes in the near future.”
Jayda, a second grader at Grace Christian Academy in West Bay, learned when she presented her donation that it qualified for the society’s ‘Sponsor a Cage’ program. Now one of the pet cages will be named for her.
“I hope other children will follow Jayda’s example,” says Hart. “In addition to monetary contributions wegratefully accept cat and dog food, toys, leashes and other needed items.”
The mission of the Cayman Islands Humane Society is to provide shelter, care and attention to all unwanted companion animals and seek out responsible and loving homes for them. It relies entirely on memberships, donations and fundraisers organized by volunteers. It is located at 153 North Sound Road, phone 949-1461 or visit online at www.caymanhumanesociety.com