Archive for December 6th, 2010
Premier seeks nominations for people’s awards
(CNS): Describing the new national honours as “the people’s awards”, the country’s premier is inviting nominations for the new National Honours, which he passed into law earlier this year. All residents of the Cayman Islands are invited to submit nominations for outstanding citizens. There are three categories of awards: national service to our Islands; service in the arts, science, literature or other fields; and long standing civil servants, all of which will be awarded on Heroes Day, 24 January 2011. McKeeva Bush said the awards were about re-uniting the community and recognising those who have contributed to the development and progress of the Cayman Islands.
“A people, a nation, can have too much pride – what we call false pride – but it can have too little, as well, and in so doing, become a discredit and even a danger to itself,” Bush said. “It may become slovenly and slothful, even destructive, without self-worth or ambition. The aim of these awards is to stimulate and promote just the opposite; and by so doing promote the building and strengthening of the nation. These are truly meant to be the people’s awards, so the public is strongly encouraged to put forward suitable nominations. We are proud to introduce this initiative, and receipt of strong nominations would truly enable us all to celebrate the proud culture and heritage of community service in the Cayman Islands.”
Among the highest awards, the Medal of Honour is separated into three categories – Commander, Officer and Member. The eligibility requirements for this award include “persons who have rendered eminent services of national importance to the Islands or … have performed an outstanding, brave or humane act to a national of the Islands or other country".
Secondly, those considered eligible for the Medal of Merit would include “persons who have meritoriously served Cayman for many years in the arts, science, literature or other fields”. This award contains both gold and silver classifications.
Thirdly, the last classification proposes the recognition of Long Standing Civil Servants. The Law specifies that all civil servants are eligible, with the exception of essential services in which only persons with 20 or more years of exemplary experience from the police, special constabulary, prison and fire services can be nominated.
Nominations should be submitted in writing, providing a summary of the nominee’s service to the community, and sent to Patricia Ulett, Secretary, National Honours and Awards Committee, email: Patricia.Ulett@gov.ky or by post to Office of the Premier, 4th Floor, Government Administration Building, Elgin Avenue, George Town by Friday, 31st December 2010. For more information call 244-2458.
Three kids tie for spelling titile
(CNS): After three boys tied for the top spot in the primary spelling bee, the secondary school student competition was almost a repeat when three spellers were still standing after a ten word tie breaker. This time however Cayman Brac High School’s Katherine Tatum stopped the boys from dominating when she joined Clifton Hunter’s David Forbes and her school mate Joel Gayle to take the title. Clifton Hunter High student Shanique Randall had also been in on the battle. But she was knocked out of the tie-breaker round after missing a few letters in the word dysphemism. She was awarded second place. Third place went to John Gray High student Aliyah Linwood.
Wednesday evening’s primary school spelling bee, the three youngsters battled to the very end of the 2010 Lions Club of Grand Cayman Secondary School Spelling Bee Finals with words like Acciaccatura, Kibbutzim, quinquagenarian, and electroencephalograph. At the end of their spellbinding battle, all three were declared winners as it fast became clear that no word was too difficult for them.
Competition winners took home trophies and laptops for their efforts. And once again, it was the generosity of donors that allowed all three winners to have a laptop of their own.
Education Minister, Rolston Anglin and former minister Alden McLaughlin joined event co-sponsor LIME in providing the laptops.
The top school trophy went to Clifton Hunter High School which had 79 points overall. Other youngsters competing in the final round were Clifton Hunter High student Gabriella David; John Gray High student Finley McDougall; and Wesleyan Christian Academy students Stephanie Christian and Karisha Mallari. The competition was judged by Hebert Crawford, Brendalee Scott-Novak and Thiry Gordon. Jermaine Sharpe served as time keeper and Marcia Muttoo as spell master.
Fuel duty was specific part of deal for loan approval
(CNS): The 25 cent increase in fuel duty which was introduced by the government earlier this year was a specific part of the commitment the Cayman Islands made to the UK in order to get approval for the CI$155million in borrowing for this financial year. According to a written answer from the FCO to Emma Reynolds, a UKLabour MP, asking what conditions were attached to the CIG loan, the fuel duty, the restructuring of debt consolidation of borrowing, divestment of government assets and a full set of audited up-to-date accounts by the year end are the specific conditions attached to the approval.
Reynolds has been questioning the coalition government’s decision to approve further borrowing to the Cayman Island when the previous minister, Chris Bryant, had stated that there would be no more borrowing approved until a new source of revenue generation, such as direct taxes or VAT, was introduced.
According to the written answer from Jeremy Browne, the Liberal Democrat FCO Minister, and not Henry Bellingham, the borrowing approval was subject to CIG making significant savings and efficiencies, to “raise revenue by increasing fuel duty over the three years”, and that CIG use the “proceeds of divestment activity to establish a dedicated "sinking fund" within the next year to rebuild reserves and offset debt attached to the recent bond issue.”
He said CIG was also restructuring existing loans to put in place arrangements to pay down debt over the longer term and that the “Cayman Islands have a full, up-to-date set of audited accounts by the end of the next financial year,” and that there would be no further requests for borrowing.
Reynolds had recently queried the OT minister Henry Bellingham on the floor of the UK parliament as to why the UK government had abandoned “the pledge to tackle the tax haven of the Cayman Islands,” when the coalition chief secretary to the treasury had stated the government was going to crack down on tax evasion and those hiding money offshore.