Archive for September, 2010

LIME to lay cable to open up new Caribbean market

Cayman News | 24/09/2010 | 0 Comments

(CNS): Local telecommunications firm LIME has announced its planned installation of a new undersea cable system linking the western Caribbean, Jamaica & Cayman Islands, to the Dominican Republic — what it described as a key market in the region – before landing in the east in the British Virgin Islands.The new “East-West” cable, as it has been named, will deliver increased regional and international capacity, in addition to furnishing an additional route to serve LIME’s carrier customers in North and Latin America, the firm stated in a release.

Commercial operations are expected to start by early 2011 and LIM said the landing of the cable in the Dominican Republic will position LIME as an alternative solution provider in a market that is largely underserved.

It said the direct benefits to LIME’s operations in Jamaica, the Cayman Islands and the British Virgins Islands will be derived from growth in the wholesale markets. “The Caribbean is a major traffic corridor between South America and the major Internet, content and carrier hubs in the Unites States – acknowledged as one of the fastest growing inter-continental routes in the world today,” LIME stated.

The company also explained that the East-West cable will enable its Jamaica operations to meet the rising demand for high-speed bandwidth. The added diversity and resilience provided by the new undersea cable brings a strong second connection to the Internet by way of the CBUS cable in New York – a vital connection in the event of an issue on the current Maya connection to Miami.

As increased broadband speeds (8Mb or more) become more popular across the world, the East-West Cable is designed to provide greater international cable resiliency, meet the expected Internet demand required to support growing customer needs and facilitate the expansion in Internet penetration in the Caribbean Region, particularly in the Dominican Republic, the firm revealed.

It will also reduce the dependency, of LIME, on the Miami/USA cable system for high speed Internet bandwidth, and provides direct connectivity to Central & South America via the Jamaican connection.

Catron succeeds in another courtroom battle

Cayman News | 24/09/2010 | 43 Comments

(CNS): Local community activist and former political candidate, Sandra Catron, has once again come out on top after another appearance in Summary Court on Thursday. Representing herself for the third time recently, Catron has been awarded $400 compensation in connection with money she spent on a dog police had accused her of stealing. The charges of theft against Catronover the animal she believed she had rescued in her local neighbourhood were dismissed by Acting Magistrate John Furness in June of this year. Catron then took up a civil action to recover some of the money she spent on medical expense for the dog (Precious/ Delilah) before the police took the pet away. (Photo Dennie Warren Jr)

In the wake of the award Catron said she was pleased that she could put the matter behind her as justice had finally been served. “This was never solely about monetary compensation but also serves as an important reminder that people must be responsible for their pets — they have a legal obligation to register their pets with DoA and not to let them roam. I made several attempts to settle this matter outside of court with the defendant but sadly she was not willing to compromise at all,” Catron said.

The compensation claim was made in the wake of a controversial trial in which the crown brought charges against Catron for theft after she found the dog and believed it to be a stray. Although Catron made attempts to find the real owner, during the time that Catron had the dog, which she named Precious, she took it to a vet for treatment. When the owner, who, it turned out, lives only a few houses away from Catron, came to claim the dog, Catron had asked to be reimbursed for the medical bills but the owner refused.

As a result Catron said she was not prepared to release the dog (named Delilah by its owner) until some agreement was made about payment, which is when the police became involved. Law enforcement officials seized the dog, which was taken to the pound, and arrested Catron for theft. The charges were, however, dismissed in court after Catron, who represented herself for the first time, made a successful no case submission.

Again in this civil action the court found favour with Catron’s arguments. “Ultimately the court found that since the defendant’s dog was in such poor health, the money I spent on its medical care was justifiable,” she said. “The magistrate said I took exemplary care of this dog but in the opinion of some people I may have gone above what would normally be expected. It appeared to me that this poor dog has suffered enough and if I was a bit lavish in my affections towards what appeared to be a neglected dog then that was my only mistake.”

Both Catron and the original owner of the dog Leianne Daykin-Bush had made submissions before Magistrate Grace Donalds. Catron presented over 20 sworn statements from neighbours and animal specialists to corroborate her arguments. She relied on the Animal Law, including the fact that the defendant had not registered her dog as legally required by s.24(1)(b) and argued that the spirit of the law supported her compensation claim.

The law states that if a stray dog is found by a constable for example, they will return it only after the owner pays all expenses incurred during the pet’s detention. Catron also told the court that as it was the second time that the dog in question had been allowed to stray it was negligence on the part of its owners and they would have to reasonably expect that someone might be unduly burdened by this. Catron also accused the dog’s owner of having blatant disregard for the dog’s safety.

During the proceedings Daykin-Bush didn’t challenge the vet’s report that revealed several medical problems with the dog, which is why Catron said she had spent money on the pet while ‘Precious’ was in her care. Catron saidthat she only did what any reasonable person would have done in the circumstances. Following the submissions, the magistrate said the only equitable thing to do was to award Catron compensation.

“I felt a sense of moral obligation to provide for this dog,” Catron said after the decision. “I can only now pray that she is receiving the ongoing medical care that she needs. If there was one thing that I would like people to remember about this matter, it is that if you chose to be a pet owner you have to be responsible. These are animals that rely on us for their care and the love that they give in return is immeasurable."

Catron also stated that she believed her experiences in the courtroom delivered another more general message for the community at large. “I believe the most important message this civil case sends is that you will be vindicated when you do the right thing and the courts have now confirmed that,” she said.

Census aims for 100% cover of households

Cayman News | 24/09/2010 | 43 Comments

(CNS): Organisers of the country’s census have said the goal is to have every single person in the Cayman Islands not only counted for an accurate population figure but for each household to answer a questionnaire as well. The national count begins on 10/10/10 Census Day when more than three hundred census workers will hit the streets and begin counting and interviewing in every home. People will be asked 67 questions, ranging from basic details about residents to chronic illnesses suffered by any members of the family. Costing around $1.1 million, officials say this count will provide Cayman with a comprehensive set of data that will be of enormous importance to both the private and public sector.

The census has the law on its side as the enumerators have the right of entry and the Statistics Law makes it clear that “every person shall to the best of his knowledge and belief answer all questions asked by him by the statistician”, but the people are also protected as the law and the method of the survey ensure the security of the information, organisers have promised. In the most recent amendment to the law government increased the penalty to $5,000 for a breach of confidentiality by any census worker.

Maria Zingapan, Director of the Economics and Statistics Offices, said that census would be safe and secure and people could be assured the information they give would be used solely for the purpose of collating data. However, she pointed out that the survey would be far more informative and useful if people gave the information freely and do not feel coerced.

With just over two weeks to go before the launch of the island wide count, officials told the press on Thursday morning that the enumerators are all in training, the census maps are complete and the questionnaires are ready and dispatched to the field offices. The ESO will also be circulating some of the questions from the census via the media over the next two weeks so that people will know what to expect when the enumerators come to their home.

The information collected will be used to get an accurate assessment of the number of people currently residing in the Cayman Islands and the current circumstances under which they live, from the type of work they do to the number of mobile phones they own. The data will be used to inform public policy, plan development and infrastructure, assist hazard management and emergency services and even help the private sector better understand the local market.

The Department of Child and Family Services is just one of the government entities that will use the census results to help target its services more accurately and understand the changing needs of the community when it comes to support. Director of the department, Deanna Lookloy, said the information wouldl be very important to the future provision of services to those in need and made a plea to everyone in Cayman to take part.

“We Caymanians are known as a friendly group of people so I am asking people to be friendly to the enumerators,” she said. Lookloy explained that there have been many changes in the community since the last census and the information collected during the 2010 will paint a far more accurate picture of the community and its needs today.

She also noted that Cayman had a paucity of statistics in a number of fields and that this census would be asking more questions about disabilities, chronic illness and access to health services.

While the statistical information that comes from the census will be an invaluable tool for local policy makers, the information will also be given to regional bodies, as Cayman is often not measured in Caribbean assessments of population data because the statistics are not available.

Officials said that a population count would be available before the end of 2010 but the actual full census is expected to be published at the end of 2011. With more than 24,000 questionnaires expected to be completed during the eight week count, it will then take the statisticians a considerable time to extract and analyse the specific data for presentation.

In order to help in the goal of achieving 100% coverage, officials are also asking householders to contact the census organisers if they will be off island during the count so enumerators can schedule visits when they are at home. Officials said they will also be giving weekly updates about areas that have been counted and people are asked to contact the office if their neighbourhood has been canvassed but they did not see an enumerator.

More information about the census is available at the website www.eso.ky or people can visit the field offices in the districts or call 949 0940 or email infostats@gov.ky

Man faces 3 murder charges

Cayman News | 24/09/2010 | 0 Comments

(CNS): A West Bay man was charged with murder today (Thursday 23 September) in connection with the killing of Marcos Mauricio Gauman Duran in March of this year. Twenty-seven year old Raziel Omar Jeffers (left) now faces his third murder charge in four months, following charges made against him for the shooting of Damian Ming earlier this year and Marcus Ebanks in July 2009. Jeffers is also charged with the attempted murder of Adryan Powell, who was 14 at the time, also in July 2009. All three homicides were shootings which took place in the West Bay district and which police have said were gang related. (Photo courtesy of News27)

Jeffers’ attorney confirmed on Thursday evening that his client had been charged in Summary Court with the murder that took place in Maliwinas Way, West Bay, on Thursday 11 March.

Police have already charged a 16-year-old boy with the murder. The teenager sustained a serious gunshot injury to his leg on the same night as the killing. Craig Johnson (29) has also been charged with accessory after the fact in connection with the murder.

Cayman athletes ready for Delhi 2010

Cayman News | 24/09/2010 | 16 Comments

(CNS): The Cayman Islands is sending seventeen of its top athletes to India in a few days to compete in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India. The games will open on 3 October and will see the Commonwealth nations pitch their athletic prowess in more than 18 different sporting fields over two weeks. The Cayman Islands Olympic Committee said that the country’s athletes will be competing in track & field, swimming, shooting and squash. Some of the country’s biggest sporting names including several elite athletes will be out flying the flag in India with eye on the medal podium.

Cydonie Mothersill, will be competing in the 200m, Ronald Forbes in the 110m hurdles, and the 4x100m relay with David Hamil, who will also compete in the 200m, along with Robert Ibeh who will run the 100m, 200m, as well as the 4x100m relay. Carl Morgan completes in the 4x100m relay team and he will also compete in the long jump. Michael Letterlough will be throwing the hammer while middle distance runner Jon Rankin will take on the 800m and 1500m.

Track & Field athletes will be supported by Team Manager Elizabeth Ibeh, and Coaches Kenrick Williams and Kareem Streete-Thompson.

Cayman’s elite swimming brothers will also hit the pool hoping to make the finals in their respective disciplines and fingers crossed the podium. Shaune Fraser will swim the 50m free, 100m free, 200m free, 100m fly while brother Brett will also swim the 50m free, 100m free, 200m free, 100m back. Tori Flowers will be swimming the 200m free, 400m free, 800m free. The swimmers will be supported by Team Manager Sook Lee Eccles and Coach Anthony Nesty.

Team Manager Kevin Schirn will be crossing his fingers for Eddison McLean and Christopher Jackson who will be shooting in Skeet and Trap.

Marlene West Myron Blair Cameron Stafford and Alexander Frazer will be taking part in the squash doubles supported by Team Manager Janet Sairsingh and Coach Daniel Kneipp.

The Cayman Islands team gear has been donated by Puma, with Polo shirts embroidered by Cayman Embroidery on Island. Games pins for the Commonwealth Games have been designed by Simon Barwick, which are as likely as ever to quickly become one of the most sort after pins from the array of nations competing in India this year.

The Commonwealth Games began in 1930 with 11 countries today there are 71 eligible countries that are sending some 7000 athletes to the games.

The Chef de Mission for Cayman is Jerris Miller, who will be assisted by a General Team Manager, Jeffrey Wight. Team Physiotherapist Al Bartice and Team Physical Trainer Brendan Touhey will work closely with all the athletes on the team and their coaches. CIOC President Donald McLean and Secretary General Carson Ebanks will attend the Games to support the team.

More information on the games can be found on the official website www.cwgdelhi2010.org.

Tropical Storm Matthew forms in Caribbean

Cayman News | 23/09/2010 | 0 Comments

(CNS): When the season’s 13th storm formed on Thursday afternoon it was located 435 miles east of Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua. With maximum sustained winds of 45 mph Matthew is moving west at 16 mph. The NHC said this general motion was expected to continue for the next 48 hours with the storm expected to be near the Nicaragua/Honduras border late Friday or early Saturday morning. Additional strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hour and Tropical Storm Matthew could become a hurricane by Saturday. Tropical-storm-force winds currently extend outward up to 35 miles from the centre.

The storm is not likely to pose a local threat as it is forecast to pass far south of the Cayman Islands. A hurricane watch and tropical storm warning are currently in effect for Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua to Limon Honduras including the offshore islands.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Lisa had almost ground to a halt this afternoon in the centre of the Atlantic though forecasters said the storm was expected to start moving on a north to northeast track on Friday. Winds are currently near 40 mph with higher gusts and some slight increase in strength is possible during the next day or so the NHC said.

Go to NHC

Machete attack on the Brac

Cayman News | 23/09/2010 | 34 Comments

(CNS): Updated – Police said on Friday afternoon that officers have now charged a 46 year old man with wounding causing GBH and assault causing ABH following a machete attack on Wednesday 22 September on Cayman Brac. A 32-year-old man was admitted to Faith Hospital after the incident that occurred at about 8.20 int the evening. The two men who were reportedly attending a family event in the Watering Place area became involved in an altercation. During the fight one of the men attacked the other with a machete, police said. The injured man suffered lacerations to his body and he is understood to still be in hospital at this time, where his condition is described as stable.

Police have not yet named the individual who has been charged and is still in custody. CNS has been unable to confirm if the man appeared before the courts on Friday.

Fosters announce recall of infant formulas

Cayman News | 23/09/2010 | 1 Comment

(CNS): Responding to a voluntary recall of some Similac Brand infant formular that may be contaminated with beetles and beetle lava, Foster’s Food Fair IGA has proactively pulled all the affected from their shelves to ensure the safety and well being of customers. The affected products sold by Foster’s Food Fair IGA are Similac Advance Powder with iron 12.9oz, Similac Isomil Advance with Iron 12.9oz, and Similac Organic Powder 12.9oz. (Please refer to the chart below for more details of affected products sold at Fosters.) Abbott, the company that produces the products, has announced that it is initiating a proactive, voluntary recall of certain Similac-brand, powder infant formulas in the US, Puerto Rico, Guam and some countries in the Caribbean.

Abbott says it is recalling these products following an internal quality review, which detected the remote possibility of the presence of a small common beetle in the product produced in one production area in a single manufacturing facility. The US Food and Drug Adminstration (FDA) has determined that while the formula containing these beetles poses no immediate health risk, there is a possibility that infants who consume formula containing the beetles or their larvae, could experience symptoms of gastrointestinal discomfort and refusal to eat as a result of small insect parts irritating the GI tract. If these symptoms persist for more than a few days, a physician should be consulted.

No Abbott liquid infant formulas are impacted. Products not involved in the recall include all Abbott Nutrition liquid ready-to-feed and concentrated infant formulas and all powder and liquid specialty formulas, such as Similac Expert Care™ Alimentum®, Elecare®, Similac Expert Care™ Neosure®, Similac® Human Milk Fortifier, and metabolic formulas for inherited disorders.
Consumers who have purchased this product should stop using it immediately. Any adverse reactions we advise you consult your healthcare Physician.

Until Foster’s Food Fair IGA has a further correspondence from the manufacturer on this affected product, moving forward, it will not be available. The company apologised for any inconvenience this may cause, but says the safety of customers is their top priority.

Fosters encourage all customers who have purchased this product to return the affected product to their Foster’s Food Fair IGA of purchase for a full refund.

Please find below a link to the manufactures press release:

www.similac.com/recall

Viewpoint removed

Cayman News | 23/09/2010 | 0 Comments

In response to the numerous queries concerning our decision to remove the viewpoint about Desmond Seales: The VP by Sandra Seales was factual. However, we had a personal plea from a member of Desmond’s family — no threats or legal issues, just a request — to take it down now for the sake of his children here, which we agreed to. Sandra wanted acknowledgement of her existence, which she has had now. It’s a very sad story and all his family, in the Cayman Islands, Trinidad and the US, have our sympathies.

Waste-to-energy ‘won’t work’

Cayman News | 23/09/2010 | 66 Comments

(CNS): Despite the fact that government appears committed to dealing with the country’s landfill problem by burning it, experts have revealed that not much more than a quarter of the million tonnes of rubbish at the dump can be burned. A group of local activist has said that while waste-to-energy can form part of a solution, it falls far short of addressing the country’s growing garbage problem. Aside from being environmentally unsound, expensive and long term, WTE will also encourage us to produce more waste rather than reduce it. Walling Whittaker said Cayman doesn’t produce enough rubbish to make a WTE project cost effective andthat an integrated management programme is the country’s best hope. (Photo a view from the dump Walling Whittaker)

At its first in a series of public meetings to drum up support for a more holistic approach to dealing with the George Town dump (aka Mount Trashmore) and the country’s future waste problems, WISE (Waste Initiatives and Sustainable Environments) told a small audience last night (Wednesday 22 September) that the government’s approach is unlikely to be a real solution for the country, but that officials have not yet completely closed the door on other ideas.

The group’s committee members include Pilar Bush, Berna Cummings, Rayal Bodden, Jude Scott and Theresa Broderick. They have received input from both Whittaker, who is a former director of the Environmental Health Department, and Denise Murphy, another expert in rubbish, who both pointed out some of the pitfalls that government’s current proposal for burning trash will present.

The duo explained that in order to incinerate the garbage the dump would have to be mined, which would cause considerable further environmental pollution, with leaching, pollutants thrown into the air and increased bad smells. This, they said, would continue for as long as the dump was minded for stuff that can be burned, which could be more than a decade. The experts pointed out that government’s hope of burning around 45% of existing garbage and future rubbish is also an over-estimation and a more realistic figure is less than 28%.

WTE is also an expensive option, the activists maintained, and estimated that the set up cost of the WTE facility and mining of the dump would be around $120 milllion with annual running costs of over $18 million. Whittaker said Grand Cayman residents produce less than 100,000 tonnes of rubbish per year, which is not going to be enough to make the WTE worthwhile, and that the idea of encouraging us to produce more rubbish to burn is exactly the opposite of what the country should be doing.

Whittaker said Cayman could benefit from an eco-waste-management park, where 60% of our rubbish could easily be recycled and reused through various methods, including composting and glass crushing for fill. He said some could still be incinerated and a smaller, lined and properly engineered landfill could be used to dispose of rubbish that cannot yet be reused or recycled. He said that around the world properly managed eco-parks are achieving close to 100% re-use and recycling and almost zero disposal — a goal that Cayman could strive towards.

The activists thought the best solution for the current dump would be to remediate and professionally cap the giant garbage pile. While controlling and treating the garbage mound, which is now over 80 feet high, an altogether new facility could be created elsewhere on the island that would focus on more on recycling and reusing rather than disposal and burning.

Pilar Bush told the audience that WISE was not advocating moving the dump as it would simply be impossible to do that. Facing the recent speculation that WISE is merely a “Trojan Horse” for the Dart Group, which has long made it clear it wanted to buy the current dump site, she said that Dart was one of a number of sponsors of the project that had an interested in resolving the country’s garbage problem.

The group acknowledged that a new waste management eco-park or properly engineered facility would need around 100 acres to house the different elements, such as the recycling centre for plastic, paper and cardboard, the composting heap for waste vegetation and glass crushing for fill, as well as a smaller lined landfill and an incinerator. Whittaker explained that most of the facility would be under cover and surrounded by vegetation as a buffer from the neighbouring area. He said there should be no leaching and no pollution from an eco-park.

Whittaker also pointed out the comparative costs for this more integrated solution. The creation of the eco waste facility would run eventually to around $60 million for a fully engineered and integrated site with remediation at the current dump costing around $23 million. Annual running costs were estimated at around $4 milllion, all of which adds up to considerably less that the proposed WTE.

Noting the controversy over where this proposed site should go, however, the activists pointed out that the new and altogether different waste management facility would not be a recreation of Mount Trashmore.

WISE were also at pains to stress that their goal is not to offer a definitive solution as it will not be submitting a bid when the tender to deal with the dump is eventually opened (though Whittaker is likely to tender his alternative to WTE) but to encourage people to consider and support alternatives to the current assumptions made by government.

Bush pointed out that whatever happens Cayman has to find a sustainable solution to its waste management problems and that the WTE route could be a costly mistake which will not really address the problem of the growing landfill and cause further waste problems in the long term.

WISE will be hosting a second meeting next Wednesday and encourages everyone to come and express their views about the future of rubbish in Cayman. For more information long on to www.wise.ky.