Archive for November 17th, 2010
Three men shot in East End
(CNS): Tuesday night’s Pirate’s Week Festival celebrations were marred by a violent multiple shooting in East End during the early hours of this morning. Police have confirmed that three people have been injured in the shooting, which took place around 1:40am Wednesday near the district MLA’s office on Sea View Road, not far from the site where the street party had taken place the previous evening. Three men and one woman who were inside a vehicle parked across the road from the Texaco station were fired on as they were about to drive off from the area by a man running towards the car. The three men sustained various injuries but the woman escaped without being struck by the bullets, a police spokesperson said. (Photos by Dennie Warren Jr)
The lone gunman reportedly then ran from the scene and was last seen heading into a large crowd which had gathered at the location. Uniformed and armed officers who were patrolling in the area arrived on the scene immediately. A cordon was put in place and first aid was administered to the injured men. The three men were taken to the Cayman Islands Hospital, where they are currently being treated. Their injuries are not thought to be lifethreatening.
No arrests have been made as yet and police are appealing for anyone who was in the area at
the relevant time, and has not yet been interviewed by police, to come forward. Information can be passed to Bodden Town CID on 947-2220 or Crime Stoppers 800-8477 (TIPS).
Man electrocuted in West Bay
(CNS): Police have now confirmed reports received by CNS this morning that an electrician was killed last night in West Bay as he attempted to hook up to the electricity supply. The man is believed to have been contracted to a local electrical company and was working on connecting the power on a property in the West Bay Heritage complex near the Ed Bush playing field on Tuesday around 9:30 pm when he was electrocuted. The police said the emergency services found the 33 year old man lying within a building at the site where he was pronounced dead at the scene. Police enquiries into the incident are ongoing, however at this stage an RCIPS spokesperson said that there would appear to be no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death.(Photos by Dennie Warren Jr)
The location where the man was killed is where the Pirates Week West Bay Heritage Day celebrations are planned for today and it is believed the electrician was attempting to hook up power for the event.
Caribbean Utilities Company, Ltd. (CUC) said this morning that it was aware of the tragic loss of life that resulted from the electrocution at the Ed Bush Playing Field in West Bay last night but preliminary information available indicated that neither CUC’s equipment nor its electrical system was involved. "CUC wishes to offer condolences to the family of the victim at this difficult time," the local power firm said.
Review queries cover for poor
(CNS): The health cover given to the country’s poorest people as well as veterans and pensioners needs to be urgently addressed, the civil service review team has said. In its first report on government agencies the team, which is examining ways to cut the current public expenditure levels, said that as indigent health care represents the highest cost per insured in the CINICO client groups, the national insurance company has to change the system. The team also revealed that there was no accountability in the decisions over who is designated as indigent. The review identified more than $7 million in savings at CINICO, which alone consumes ten percent of the country’s operating budget.
CINICO has already suggested that indigents, SHIC plan holders and veterans should be placed in a “Medicare” type plan with restricted overseas care arrangements to reduce the $51m government spends on providing health care each year to more than 13,000 people. The team said they supported the recommendations made by the general manager for restricted care arrangements, particularly with respect to overseas care to UWI Mona (Tony Thwaites) private wing and two other US facilities only.
“While it sits outside the remit of this review, policies impacting the cost of health care for indigents need to be urgently addressed,” the review team said in its report. “The current arrangement whereby the DCFS determines eligibility for ‘indigent status’ and costs for care are borne by the Ministry of Health provides no accountability for decisions.”
Although the review tram said analyses reveals that CINICO operates efficiently from an expense to premium ratio as well as from a benefits paid to premium ratio, the team said the
“status quo” in terms of health care coverage for civil servants and other customers is not sustainable.
“The team understands that legal considerations may prevent changes to benefits with respect to existing civil servants but recommends that policy-level decisions be taken and implemented as soon as possible with respect to the specifics of health care coverage for future civil servants and pensioners,” the report states.
The review also notes that careful consideration will need to be given to co-insurance, co-payment, deductibles dependants’ benefits and coverage of over-the-counter medications to influence user behaviour and better manage costs. “The team recommends that choice in health care provider is considered if client groups are assessed some form of payment,” the report revealed.
During its examination of potential cuts in CINICO costs the review team said that one of the critical issues facing CINICO was the lack of a clear strategic plan. The team noted the conflict of interest with respect to private sector members of the board, as well as the degree of political influence over operational management decisions which have been raised as potential concerns, and said alternative governance models for health insurance provision for CINICO clients should be investigated. It suggested the creation of a National Health Care Council comprising representatives from the Ministry of Health, HSA, DCFS, PSPB, PoCS, Seafarers and Veterans Associations and relevant legal and financial representation, which could replace the board and bring a more strategic focus.
The review team also said CINICO could take on the role currently fulfilled by third party administrators if it was properly resourced with skilled, trained personnel and the right IT systems.