Archive for January, 2010
Government quiet on finances
(CNS): Despite attempts to find out exactly how government revenue and expenditure is going after the first six months of the 09/10 fiscal year, CNS has learned that the only documentation regarding the overall financial situation is Cabinet notes — not covered under Freedom of Information. During the last session of the Legislative Assembly the government said it would not be revealing the financial progress until later this year, allowing the new fee increases time to take effect. However, there has been mounting speculation in recent weeks that revenue is considerably less than anticipated and that government spending is on the increase.
Although duties have been increased, according to the collector of customs revenue from imports is already down some 15% during the first half of the financial year, and revenue from work permits is also said to be down considerably. Expectations raised by the 2009/10 budget predictions on other coercive revenue sources, especially in the financial sector, may not be met either.
With government annual accounts still some five years behind, in order for the CFOs to catch up the auditor general has confirmed that government departments have suspended their quarterly reports.
That information would have given a relatively accurate indication of the money coming into government coffers and the money going out, which would also have been accessible to the people under the FOI.
However, although government itself is informed on a monthly basis through the cabinet notes compiled by staff in the treasury, this information is not available in the wider public domain as all cabinet papers are exempt and there is no way to confirm how close government is to achieving its very finely balanced budget.
Opposition members pressed government to reveal the current situation with regard to its financial circumstances before the Legislative Assembly adjourned for the Christmas break to no avail. Speaking to CNS on Wednesday, opposition member Alden McLaughlin said he was concerned that the government seemed less than willing to reveal the financial details of the first six months, particularly given the limited room for error in its first budget.
“The refusal of government to reveal the current financial position is an ominous sign,” said McLaughlin. “Either they don’t know what the position is or it is so bad that they are not willing to reveal in the hope that New Year fee increases will turn it around.”
While government collects a significant part of its annual earnings in January form the offshore sector, duty collection and work permit fees also make a significant contribution to the treasury and those are collected year round. Government has announced plans for significant hikes in the work permit fees, though the date of the implementation of the new fees and the schedule of increases has not yet been revealed.
Faced with significant financial difficulties when the UDP administration took office, the government chose to increase fees and government earnings in an effort to reduce the $80 million plus deficit to zero and avoid the problem of seeking approval from the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office for anything more than essential borrowing. As a result, if the government fails to balance the budget at the end of June 2010 it will have to go back to London for permission to increase that borrowing.
It is very likely that if government is placed in that position the UK will only permit the borrowing on the condition that the Cayman Islands introduces some form of direct taxation, a proposition that Premier McKeeva Bush has vowed to avoid.
Art for the Heart to feature at Valentine’s Gala
(CNS): Set your calendars for Saturday 13 February for the Cayman Heart Fund’s annual Red Dress Valentine’s Gala, which will be held at the Westin Casuarina. As well as enjoying a glittering night of wonderful food and wine, music and camaraderie, with ladies dressed for the red dress theme, guests will for the first time this year get to own a piece of art created by one of Cayman’s talented local artists. Suzy Soto, Chairman of the Cayman Heart Fund says that the Cayman Heart Fund board is delighted that so many local artists have chosen to donate their work to an auction.
“We are extremely grateful to the wonderful artists who have graciously offered their incredibly creative work so that it can be auctioned for our vital charity. Our thanks go to Bendel Hydes, David Bridgeman, John Broad, John Doak, Chris Mann, CE Whitney, Charles Long, Chris Christian, Gordon Solomon, Maureen Lazarus, Nickola McCoy, Teresa Grimes, Avril Ward (pictured above), Guy Harvey and Al Ebanks,” Soto said.
As an exciting artistic enhancement to the proceedings, John Broad, well-known in the community for his ability to ‘speed paint’, will be painting live at the Gala and this painting will also be auctioned to the highest bidder.
Paintings will be on show just before the Gala dinner so everyone will have the chance to pick their favourite piece then as the dinner commences they will be brought into the Westin’s ballroom to provide a fantastic backdrop to the event.
The Westin’s Executive Chef Jason Koppinger has created a fabulous meal especially for the Valentine’s Day Gala, which includes a first course of Cayman field greens, cucumber papaya and crispy wontons with a oriental lime vinaigrette, followed by a main course sautéed grouper fillet, Jamaican peppered baby shrimps and Angus beef filet, served with lemon grass flavored jasmine rice and fresh vegetables and a dessert course consisting of a Pavlova filled with fabulous fresh fruit.
Musical entertainment will be provided by Chuck and Barrie Quappe’s Sea N B and Vivendi will make a special appearance to wow guests with their unique talents. It is anticipated that everyone will have a wonderful evening, all in aid of a very worthy cause.
Tickets for the Cayman Heart Fund’s Red Dress Valentine’s Gala can be purchased from Suzy Soto email suzysoto@candw.ky. The cost is CI$150 per person or CI$1400 per table.
KFC in ‘awkward situation’ over racismclaims
(Bloomberg) – The maker of KFC has made an apology over allegations of racism regarding an advert featuring supporters of the touring West Indian cricket team. The advertisement was intended for Australian audiences and depicts a white Australian fan amidst rowdy supporters of the West Indian team who offer chicken to his rival spectators to get out of an “awkward situation.” After being posted online, the advertisement attracted the attention of the US media. “To avoid the possibility of any further offense being caused by the advertisement either here or online overseas, KFC will cease running the commercial immediately,” KFC said.
Haines and the RCIPS
Derek Haines is the only Englishman in my many years of policing who I actually witnessed to have given 110% of truly dedicated police service to the people of the Cayman Islands. He was known throughout the Caribbean and around the world as a "Champion Crime Fighter" and one who could not be corrupted in any shape or form.
The DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) in the United States regarded him as the "Caribbean’s Top Drug Enforcement Giant".
Mr Haines’ "fall from the top", if we want to call it that, had nothing to do with his performance or integrity. He had become too "Caymanianized or Caribbeanized", they said. He had become too much of a success story amongst Caymanian and Caribbean people in general. However, in upholding his oath of office locally and executing his duties with impartiality, honesty and integrity, he did upset certain person(s) of influence while arresting and convicting their family and friends, which later became political and then spewed over into the RCIPS. This is the truth and every police officer in the RCIPS back then knows this to be the true position why his contract was not renewed. He challenged the "status quo" and went to extraordinary lengths to acquire specialist equipment and training for his staff, who were shining in the Caribbean’s law enforcement community, but this did not go down well with certain individuals who believed this could only be achieved directly from the UK.
Had Derek Haines become the Commissioner of Police in 2005 and had got the extra $30 million in the RCIPS budget that others got, I can assure you we would not have the mayhem including the unsolved murder in a nightclub in the presence of 150 patrons, with CCTV cameras rolling and security guards present, and then NO LEADS to make a detection! This is ludicrous and is an outright failure of investigative ability in this 21st century of policing. Additionally, the complete "bottom-turn-up" that the RCIPS underwent with the "Tempura’s old boy’s club" I’msure would not have played out as it did if Derek Haines was our Commander in Chief at the time.
The RCIPS does needs a complete revamp today. Firstly, the grossly overpaid and over benefited senior officers that call themselves so-called experienced investigators and leaders need to be returned to the UK to continue on with their "failed policies" up there or continue on with their retirement. However, I’m not just focussing solely on these individuals as local housekeeping is appropriately needed as well.
As for SOME of our locals senior officers, a number of them do need to be retired, transferred or be sent on their way forbeing led down a path like blind men, being so naive/gullible and embracing failed policies, having been adequately warned what the end results would be. I submit that the RCIPS’ reasonably good standing before has now been rolled back as much as 25 years because of such actions. This has now resulted in the RCIPS finding itself travelling on a journey where all reference points have ceased to exist and with an uncertain destination ahead.
No doubt the policies of the RCIPS have failed and failed terribly. The continued "pussy footing and lip service" that is being sent to the media on a daily basis, trying to justify their miserably failed policies/actions, never ceases to amaze me. The blaming now of the public for not co-operating after such utter failure and embarrassment and yet continuing down the same old road is only to be expected as a result of no confidence from the public you serve.
Perhaps if the police "Gold Command" would instruct their subordinates to stop alienating mainly law abiding citizens in prosecuting them for minor traffic violations left right and centre (which are non-criminal), this would be a positive way to restart the New Year. There is no reason why a properly equipped and staffed Traffic Management Unit cannot sufficiently police Cayman’s streets in traffic related matters with minimal support from other departments. This being done, the remainder of the front line officers should then be directed into the communities and the "hot spots" to restore public confidence with a firm stance against criminal activity.
Commissioner Baines, you should take your resources, tools and machinery against those who are illegally trafficking in drugs and firearms, like Derek Haines and the DTF staff use to do, as those two elements are responsible for 75-80% of your overall crime. For some unknown reason your concentration is only on traffic related violations, the same as your past UK predecessors did, with no real impact on the gangsters and the mayhem they have created here in the Cayman Islands.
Why is this?
416ft ‘Octopus’ spotted off Seven Mile Beach
(CNS): One of the world’s largest super-yachts called on Grand Cayman on Wednesday when Paul Allen’s boat Octopus was anchored off Seven Mile Beach. Said to be the eighth largest yacht in the world, the boat belonging to the co-founder of Microsoft measures 416 feet. It has two helicopters (well, one could break down), two submarines and several other boats on board. Allen is one of the world’s wealthiest individuals and is reportedly worth around $10.5 billion.
The Octopus, which is not Allen’s only super yacht (he also owns the slightly smaller Tatoosh), costs over $380,000 per week to maintain and has a crew of more than 60 people. The yacht has a pool on board, a music studio, a basketball court, and side hatches at the water line form a dock for jet skis.
Given such wealth and opulence, one would imagine Allen has no problem understanding the concept of happiness but the billionaire has, according to the Seattle Times, been working on a documentary that explores issues such as that. The three-part documentary series, "This Emotional Life," is being aired on PBSand explores the cutting-edge science that unravels some of the mysteries of emotional health.
"I hope everyone benefits from this series and it provokes new thoughts on how we can improve our lives," he wrote in an e-mail. "Some of the stories the participants tell us are moving examples of how we can all work at finding abetter emotional balance in our lives — just like we work to get physically fit."
When it comes to being a billionaire, according to research on the web site accompanying the series, money can buy happiness — as long as you give some of it away. Researchers found that happiness did correlate to higher incomes, spending money on others and giving to charity.
Helicopter ‘soon come’
(CNS): January 2010 could be the month that the police finally get their long awaited helicopter. Despite endless delays regarding the arrival of the crime fighting machine, a police spokesperson has confirmed that it is scheduled to arrive this month. Well over three years after the decision was made to purchase a helicopter for the RCIPS was first made and a considerable amount of controversy later, the police could be fighting crime from the skies on a regular basis if the machine does in fact leave Louisiana, where it is currently being stored, as expected.
Last month the Central Tenders Committee ran a series of advertisements both locally and overseas for piloting services, with a submission deadline of noon on Friday, 22 January. During the last meeting of Finance Committee in October 2009, Deputy Chief Secretary Franz Manderson explained that, while the helicopter had at that time been expected to arrive in September 2009, it was delayed because of difficulties regarding the maintenance contract. It is not clear if a contract for servicing in the helicopter has yet been awarded or if the CTC has received any suitable bids regarding piloting services. Nor is it clear if the helicopter has been retrofitted, since it was purchased from a British police service in 2007 for CI$1.8 million to meet Civil Aviation Authority regulations.
The ongoing saga of the police helicopter began at the start of the PPM’s administration when they increased the police budget by $50 million which included covering the cost of a dedicated police helicopter. However, as the process moved forward the needs of the police and the desires of the Cabinet about what the helicopter should do came into conflict. In September 2008 the government accused the former police commissioner, Stuart Kernohan, of misleading them about the machine he had bought and what it could and could not do.
Kernohan, who was at the time suspended from office as a result of Operation Tempura and off-island, countered the accusations in a public statement saying government was fully aware about the capabilities and details of the helicopter that had been bought, and every day that the helicopter was delayed was a good day for the bad guys.
Following the dispute Auditor General Dan Duguay then conducted a special report on the machine’s purchase, which concluded that there had been mis-communication between police and Cabinet over the helicopter’s role, and he noted that the money budgeted for it was nowhere near enough to cover a machine that could do police work as well as search, rescue and emergency airlift. Duguay recommended that government asses the cost to modify the helicopter or cut its losses, sell it and start over, but this time with a clearer understanding of what was needed.
Nine months later, however, Duguay stated at the August PAC meeting that he was dismayed that nothing had been done and the helicopter was still sitting in a hanger in Louisiana with a question mark over its future. The new commissioner, David Baines, told PAC that the chopper could work and that it was time to bring the machine over and start using it.
Despite that promising development, the helicopter is still in the US and the RCIPS continue to depend on Cayman Helicopters when they are in need of air support.
Website axes holiday weight gain members
(BBC): Dating and social network siteBeautifulPeople.com has axed some 5,000 members following complaints that they had gained weight. The members were singled out after posting pictures of themselves that reportedly showed they had put on pounds over the holiday period. The site allows entry to new members only if existing members vote them as sufficiently attractive to warrant it. The US, the UK, and Canada topped the list of excluded members. The site has always been unrepentant about its selection process, calling itself "the largest network of attractive people in the world".
Police speed trailer comes under attack
(CNS): The RCIPS has said that over $1000 of damage has been done to a police speed trailer over the holiday weekend. Sometime between Thursday 31 December 2009 and Monday 4 January 2010 rocks were thrown through the screen of the speed trailer which was parked in South Sound Road close to South Sounddock, causing substantial damage, police said today (Wednesday 6 January). The trailer has a large screen which flashes the speed of each vehicle travelling on a specific stretch of road as well as the speed limit and is used mainly as a tool to remind drivers to watch their speed and stay within the limit.
Inspector Adrian Barnett of the RCIPS traffic department said the trailer had obviously gotten under someone’s skin. “It looks like the fact that the trailer highlights when people are breaking the law has really upset someone,” he observed.
“It could be it’s a disgruntled motorist who has taken it badly that the machine has broadcast his or her reckless behaviour – or it could merely be someone who has smashed the trailer up just for the sake of it. The fact is that the damage will cost around CI$1000 dollars to repair.”
However, the traffic officer warned that this would not prevent the police from keeping up the campaign to have drivers obey the traffic laws.
“But don’t worry my message to the law abiding public of Cayman is clear. The loss of this machine will not deter us from making sure that we continue to make Cayman’s roads safer and educate drivers on the need to drive at appropriate and safe speeds,” Barnett added.
The traffic department has confirmed that it has a number of other trailers which will continue to be placed at strategic locations across the islands.
Anyone with any information about this crime should contact the RCIPS traffic department on 946-6254 or Crime Stoppers 800-8477 (TIPS).
Acting governor tells new cops not to give free passes
(CNS): With the rise in violent crime at the forefront of the community’s collective mind at present, the recent graduation of thirteen police officers from the classroom to the streets last month was a welcome boost to the ranks of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service. During their graduation ceremony, Acting Governor Donovan Ebanks reminded the recruits about the need for humility towards the community but also not to give a free pass to anyone who was breaking the law, whether it was friends, family or people in high office, including himself.
Ebanks told the new recruits that they had a license to intercede no matter who it was that was breaking the law. “I am sure you have all heard how people think Cayman is too small for us to police ourselves, but you have an opportunity to help dispel that myth,” the acting governor said. “Show that you can be objective, fair and fearless regardless of who it is you need to deal with.”
He told them if they saw him breaking the traffic law then they should pull him over, but he also warned them that if he in turn saw them exploiting their position he would point it out. Ebanks warned the new police officers, who took to the beat just before Christmas, that they also needed to exercise humility not flaunt their authority.
Ebanks said the RCIPS had to work hard to address the image that many people had of officers breaking the traffic laws while at the same time ticketing civilians at will. He noted that it was essential that the officers act in a professional way all the time and show respect to the wider community. “The fact that you are a police officer doesn’t mean you can do things you wouldn’t otherwise do,” Ebanks added.
However, he commended the new recruits for joining the ranks of the contributor instead of the complainers, which were on the increase recently. “You won’t find great wealth in the RCIPS but if your calling is to be of service; you’ve made the right decision,” he said.
During his short address Ebanks also offered his support to Police Commissioner David Baines. who has now been in post for six months, and said he thought he was doing a good job so far.
The graduation took place at Harquail Theatre on 18 December, when the class of eight men and five women were presented with their graduation certificates by Baines, having successfully completed 14 weeks of intensive class work, physical training, law studies and exams to graduate as operational officers. The officers then took to the streets to begin the on-the-job element of their training on 21 December.
British MPs call for Brown leadership ballot
(BBC): Two ex-cabinet ministers are calling for a secret ballot on Gordon Brown’s leadership, only months before a general election must be called. Patricia Hewitt and Geoff Hoon have written to Labour MPs saying the issue must be sorted out "once and for all". They said the party was "deeply divided" and without a ballot there was a risk "grumbling" would continue. Downing St said Mr Brown was "getting on with the job" and minister Chris Bryant called it "self-indulgent". Senior Labour sources told the BBC the move was "completely unconstitutional" although another Brown critic, Barry Sheerman, said a vote could be held at next Monday’s weekly meeting of Labour MPs in Parliament.