Archive for December 28th, 2010
Threat to the press, democracy in Cayman
(The Jamaica Gleaner): The decision by the attorney general of the Cayman Islands, Sam Bulgin, against prosecuting the Cayman Compass newspaper and its journalist, Brent Fuller, is welcome and sensible. Mr Bulgin’s decision, however, does not resolve the more fundamental question that has arisen in recent weeks about the commitment of the Cayman Islands legislative assembly, and by extension the territory’s government, to freedom of the press, transparency in governance and, ultimately, democracy.
US air delays expected to last days
(New York Times): Buried beneath white powder for more than 24 hours, New York area airports turned on Tuesday to the growing backlog of cancelled flights, an accumulation that could take far longer to address than the snow itself. Even as flights resumed, ripple effects from over 4,000 cancelled flights threatened to leave travellers stranded through the New Year. The departure boards were full of woe for holiday travellers as airlines struggled with de-icing planes, clearing gate areas of snow and staffing ticket counters. Many domestic flights were cancelled or delayed on Tuesday and international service was limited.
College opens door for old post grads
(CNS): The International College of the Cayman Islands is making an effort to attract former post graduate students who have for one reason or another failed to complete their master’s degrees back to school. The college said there are number of students who have completed a significant amount of their courses but for one reason or another from Hurricane Ivan to job pressures have been sidetracked and never finished their degrees. Anthony Husemann, PhD, Director of Graduate Studies said the college is giving those students a chance to come back. The policy that states students must finish their post graduate degree within six years or they will need to start over is being suspended to allow former students to renew their graduate courses regardless of when they started.
“With the economy in an ongoing slump around the world, finishing up a masters degree could make a huge difference in people’s lives, by keeping them competitive in the job market and well as put them in line for promotions or new opportunities as they come up,” said Dr. Husemann. “So many things have happened in this country in the last six years I just felt the time was right to make an exception to our six-year policy for 2011.”
For the next three terms former students who re-enroll in graduate programmes at the International College, will have all their previous courses credited toward their masters degrees, added Dr. Husemann. “Even if they took a graduate course 25 years ago, we will count it toward their masters degree,” he said.
One graduate student, Kerry Salazar, said after a few years lapse in graduate school, she re-entered the masters programme for management education. Like many students pursuing masters degrees, Salazar never actually decided to quit the programme. There were just a number of things that came up including the chaos after Hurricane Ivan and family issues that demanded more attention.
“Juggling work responsibilities and graduate school has not been easy,” said Salazar. “But I only have four more courses to take and getting my masters degree is worth it.”
Students thinking about re-starting can drop in to see Dr Husemann at the Newlands campus., he said. “If you are a former graduate student and you have been thinking about whether this is the right time to get back into the programme and finish your masters degree, then this three-term reprieve may be the extra incentive you need,” Dr. Husemann added.
Classes for the winter term start back on 10 January with registration going on through 7 January and former ormer students can also register for courses online at www.myicci.com
Cayman track star to sit on anti-doping committee
(CNS): Our Commonwealth gold medallist has made Cayman history again, this time off the track. Cydonie Mothersill is the first Caymanian athlete selected to serve on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Athlete Committee. Established in 2005, the committee gives athletes worldwide a voice and protects their rights, while providing agency officialswith insight and oversight into athletes’ roles and responsibilities as they relate to anti-doping. Her tenure as international athlete representative starts in January. She will serve a three-year term. “I am honoured to serve as a representative to all sportsmen and women,” Mothersill said.
“I believe it is important that WADA officials understand the unique challenges athletes face as we push ourselves dailyto reach the top," she continued. "In speaking up for this branch of the sporting fraternity, I hope to support WADA in developing sensible and effective drug detection and prevention strategies.”
As a member of this committee, Cydonie will also assist in raising awareness about anti-doping and will act as liaison between WADA and international and regional sport organisations as well as governments on the subject of anti-doping initiatives.
Sports Minister Mark Scotland extended his congratulations, describing it as another milestone for both Mothersill and the Cayman Islands. “Once more we have proof that our athletes are world-class, both on and off the track,” he said. “We believe Cydonie will serve the world’s athletes well but she will especially provide a reasoned voice as she represents our region. We wish her all the best with her appointment and with the work that lies ahead.”
Firms sweat new bribery law
(WSJ): Multinational companies have spent millions of dollars beefing up their compliance programs amid a U.S. crackdown on foreign bribery. Now, they are facing a new British law they fear will force them to rethink their compliance strategies and upend their business practices. The new law, called the Bribery Act, takes effect in April. It resembles the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which bars companies that trade on U.S. exchanges from bribing foreign government officials to gain a business advantage. The British law, however, is more sweeping than its American counterpart, and corporate legal advisers are uncertain how extensive the fallout might be.