Archive for August, 2011
New fossil could be mother of all mamals
(National Geographic): A tiny, shrew-like creature of the dinosaur era might have been, in a sense, the mother of us all. Named the "Jurassic mother from China" (Juramaia sinensis), the newfound fossil species is the earliest known ancestor of placental mammals—animals, such as humans, that give birth to relatively mature, live young—according to a new study. The 160-million-year-old specimen pushes back fossil evidence for the evolutionary split between the placental and marsupial lineages by 35 million years. Although it's unclear if the creature is a direct ancestor of modern placentals, it's "either a great grand-aunt or a great grandmother," the study authors say.
Placentals—including creatures from mice to whales—are all that remain of the so-called eutherian mammals, of which J. sinensis is the oldest known specimen. The first eutherians evolved from the ancestors of marsupials, which have pouches and give birth to comparatively immature offspring. (A third type of mammal, the monotremes, includes platypuses and lays eggs.)
With forepaws adapted to climbing trees, the newfound eutherian scurried about temperate Jurassic forests feasting on insects under the cover of darkness. This diet allowed J. sinensis to tip the scales at around half an ounce (15 grams), making the creature lighter than a chipmunk.
Man twice acquitted of murder faces burglary charges
(CNS): Jose Carillo-Perez has chosen a judge alone trial to answer charges against him for burglar. Having been acquitted twice by two difference judges in for the murder of Martin Gareau in May 2008, Perez is forced to return to the Grand Court again having pleaded not guilty to one count of burglary in an entirely unrelated matter. The trial is set for 16 January next year and is expected to last for just three days. Perez remains on bail having been released from custody when he was found not guilty by Justice Smith last month in a retrial which was secured by the crown after winning an appeal last summer.
Perez sent most of the last four years in jail on remand after he was arrested in the wake of the murder of the Canadian national in Beach bay during a holiday weekend in May 2008. The crown’s case was based entirely on two partial and smudged prints found near the bloody murder scene but as an acquaintance of the victim Perez had visited Gareau’s home only a few weeks before for a barbeque when he said he would have left his prints on the garage door frame after assisting Gareau with the barbeque grill.
Sheer ‘Choi’ for maples’ 5-try Jyoti
(CRFU): Round 10 of the Cayman Summer Touch rugby season, and chances are beginning to run out for those teams trying to get into the top four division places to make the play-offs. In Division 1, league leaders Maples1 and Appleby played out a fast-paced game that eventually saw Maples1’s experience and fitness hold off a spirited Apples’ team. Both teams were in with a shout at half-time as Maples1 went into the break with a slender 4-3 lead. A change of tactics was required as they eventually spotted that the Appleby defence were struggling to get back the requisite 5 metres after each “touch” and Jyoti Choi, with his fine bursts through the defensive line, chalked up a season’s best performance of five tries. (Photos Caroline Deggan)
Richard Gordon added two more to make him Maples1’s most consistent scorer of late with tries in the last seven consecutive games.
Etienne Duvenage (PWC) and Ben Hart (Ogier) traded scores with each scoring four a-piece as the two teams met for the second time this season. However, it was PWC that took the spoils 7-4 to record their sixth win of the season. In the end a double by Marco du Plessis and one from Richard Pooley made the difference.
There are some iconic dates in world history. August 16th 1977 Elvis Presley died; November 22nd 1963 JFK was shot; November 9th 1989 the Berlin Wall came down, and on January 18th 2010 Justin Bieber released his hit debut single “Baby”, thereby ensuring that millions of prepubescent young girls had a new object of desire to salivate over.
These dates are burned into thepsyche of society because they affect us all on a deep and visceral level (more like gut-wrenching in the case of that last one admittedly!) But now, there’s a new date to add to that list – August 15th 2011. For those that were there at the South Sound Rugby Club to witness this event, they alone will be able to say, “I was there!” Because some 23 years 355 days after Elvis popped his clogs on the toilet, Mark Woollard, the captain of Team LIME, scored his first ever try in rugby. And what a try!
Following a real team effort, Woollard, ever alert on the wing, collected a wonderful pass and ran unopposed to the try line. After dabbing the ball down, a number of possible celebrations went through his mind. A lap of honour around the pitch? Nah. A back-flip somersault? Nope. What about an Agassi-style fist pump or a simple wave to a loved one in the crowd? … No, Sir! They are all good in their own way but somehow the “shirt-pulled-up-over-the-head-with-arms-aloft-and-jumping-up-and-down-like-a-schoolboy” choice seemed the most appropriate.
To put this in context to all those who have scored many tries over many years of rugby – just try and remember the first one, the very first try you ever scored. If it doesn’t bring a smile to your face then you need to find that inner child, embrace them, buy them an ice-cream (with sprinkles) and when you score another one celebrate as if it was your first.
It was the winning score too in a game that saw Team LIME defeat Walkers Blue Iguanas 4-1. The Iguanas started best but they dropped a couple of gilt-edged chances right on the try-line. Team LIME, with Lisa Bird and Katy Bayles playing as if women possessed, increased the gain-line pressure until Walkers could take no more. Two tries for Eamon Wilson and one for Lisa Bird sealed the win… and I was there! Sadly for the crowd, come the final whistle the team decided not to mimic their captain’s shirt-over-the-head celebrations – now that would have been something to remember!
The game between DMS and Genesis Five Nations was postponed to a later date.
In Division 2, Maples2 continued to get over their mid-season slump with a solid 4-1 performance against DART. DART took an early lead through Neil Ainscow, the league’s top scorer, but after that they could only find limited space as they moved the ball along the attacking line. Maples2 found some fluidity to their passing, and their ability to continually create three-on-two overlap situations stretched the DART defence beyond breaking point.
The experienced Andrew Dean, Justin Colgan and Marc Randall were on fine form, ably supported by Chris Palmer, took them to a 3-1 half-time lead. In the second period as DART became increasingly anxious to score it was Maples2’s defence that showed its qualities, quick to stop the attacker making any ground, Rebecca Palmer, Desiree Sampang and Loletta Hanna standing out. When in an attacking position Maples2 always posed a threat and ultimately closed the game out with another Justin Colgan try.
In an exciting matchup between Happyfish Ticklers and Campbells both teams traded scores right into the dying seconds of play. Chandra Friesen (3) had starred for the Ticklers and Dicky Thomas (4) for Campbells. With the scores locked at 7-7 Campbells were pressing the Ticklers line when the final whistle blew indicating there was only one phase of play left to be completed before the referee could end the match. With ball-in-hand Campbells were assured of at least a share of the points unless… well unless someone did something completely daft and throw a speculative pass that could be intercepted by a Tickler to run in a match-winning try at the very death. Step up Mr. Peter A. de Vere. “What the flippin’ heck was he thinking?” enquired his beleaguered team-mates as they trudged off the pitch, all their endeavours and efforts in vain.
The happy recipient of said pass was Simon Crompton, who is proving to be a giant of the touch rugby field since his recent return to the Ticklers, scoring important tries in his last two games. “I can only apologise to my team,” said de Vere at the end, “somehow I managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of … a draw! I’d better buy everyone a drink to make up for it!” The only suitable and acceptable recompense I think, don’t you?
Harmonic ended its long run of disappointing results with a fine 7-5 win over UBS. Harmonic has an easy going style and they like to throw the ball around. With Tony Attenbrough and Danny Santiago as the main providers, and Gavin McMaster (4) and Tim Rossiter (3) as the finishers, running great support lines through the heart of the UBS defence, Harmonic went into a 3-0 lead. However, one thing you can guarantee is that UBS don’t give up without a fight. The teams swapped tries and UBS came back into it with scores by Shane Gallery, James Yonge, Janice Agnew and speed-man Rich Marian (2). Special mention must go to Harmonics’ new recruits this season Alice Aherne, Rochelle Padiernos, Clare Lazenby & Jax McCarty along with Louisa Moynihan and Sophie Broad.
Without their heroic efforts in defence UBS may well have stolen the points.
When two heavyweights clash you expect there will be fireworks. So when league leaders KPMG1 played second place Trident Titans, two teams only separated by points difference, there was an air of anticipation at the kick-off. Both teams have scored freely in the past but on this occasion it was the Titans that took the spoils. The scoreline of 8-3 indicated that when it comes to finishing off moves, the Titans are bang in form. Riley Mullen, the Billy Whizz of Division 2, racked up another hat-trick but he would be first to commend his team for the way they play.
Tries were shared evenly between their guys and girls, illustrating that you can only be successful over the long term if all the team are used to create and execute chances. Sarah Smith, Lisa Bird, Ashley Puschman, Brad Stephenson and Nick Swartz all crossed the white line for the Titans. KPMG1 will be disappointed that they didn’t get their game together, Gerhard Albertyn scored all three tries but it will be of little consolation as their pride will surely be dented by this defeat.
In Division 3, Deloitte continue their assault on this division with a convincing 8-2 win over Island Heritage. Riley Mullen continued his try scoring form with a hat-trick with a brace for Dean Curtis and tries for John Marrs, Kate Cilliers and Neil Ainscow sealed all three points.
KPMG2 maintained the pressure on Deloitte at the top of the table with a low-scoring but intriguing 3-1 game against Credit Suisse. Speedster Johann Prinsloo scored for the Suisse but typically danger men Lopez and Ian Roberton scored a try each and Neil Montgomery added the extra to ensure that KPMG2 will fight to the end of the season to secure that all important top spot.
Aisling Clarke took the MVP award in the game between Rawlinson & Hunter versus Ernst & Young as the Hunters won 7-2 to continue their challenge up the table. Phil Reed scored three tries to take his season’s tally to four. The win pushes them up to third.
GCM played Queensgate Grizz’s Old Fellas in a near bottom-of-the-table clash and due to the use of unlisted players GCM had to default in order for the game to go ahead. The Old fellas get the points but GCM can claim a moral victory as they ran in seven tries in the game.
Player of the Week
This week’s Heineken Touch Player of the Week goes to Mark Woollard. If all players experienced the joy of scoring the way he did then there would be some mighty celebrations indeed. Six cold ones at the bar await you, Sir!
ROUND 10
Division 1 Results
Ogier 4 v. 7 PWC
Walkers Blue Iguanas 1 v. 4 Team LIME
Maples 1 9 v. 5 Appleby
Division 2 Results
Maples2 4 v. 1 DART
UBS 5 v. 7 Harmonic
KPMG1 3 v. 8 Trident Titans
Happyfish Ticklers 8 v. 7 Campbells
Division 3 Results
GCM x v. x Queensgate Grizz’s Old Fellas (GCM default-win goes to GOF)
Island heritage 2 v. 8 Deloitte
KPMG2 3 v. 1 Credit Suisse
Rawlinson & Hunter 7 v. 2 Ernst & Young
CS to get back 3.2% COLA
(CNS): Public sector workers will get back the cost of living allowance (COLA) taken from them as a result of the country’s previous deficit now that the premier says the last financial year ended in an unexpected surplus. As government earned more and spent less than expected, McKeeva Bush says he will be using some of that money to give the civil servants the 3.2% that was taken out of their salaries in July 2010. Bush said that he had committed to returning the allowance when the public finances were stabilized and as a result he would be recommending to Cabinet that it be reinstated for September.
However, Bush said that he would probably have to discuss the move with the FCO because, he said, the UK controls the Cayman Islands budget. The premier said he would likely have to make up the money in savings elsewhere but “the good Lord will help” as he tries to help the Cayman people.
Offering his thanks to civil servants, who, he said, helped to achieve the surplus. Bush said it was the right thing to do to give back the 3.2%, but did not say if the 3.2% cut taken by MLAs and the 10% cut taken by himself and the opposition leader at the same time the civil service cut was made would also be reinstated.
Despite originally predicting a more than $30 million deficit for the financial year end, which is why the civil servants were forced to take the cut at the start of the 2010/11 financial year, government has instead finished the year in the black.
What Bush called a “tremendous turnaround” has solved one of government’s problems under the Public Management and Finance Law but it is still left with a debt burden which exceeds the parameters of the legislation which governs public finances – the law which “the PPM allowed”, he said in his Friday evening announcement.
After government added a further $155 milllion to the borrowing last year, the total public debt now stands at more than $600 million, which means the cost of servicing the debt each year as well as the total amount exceeds the 10% and 80% respective ratios of government earnings set out in the PMFL.
Auzzie officials follow $1.5B tax trial to Cayman
(Herlad Sun): The Australian taxman is following a $1.5 billion money trail that started with the float of the Australian retail empire Myer and ended in a Caribbean tax haven. A fortune was allegedly drained from Australian bank accounts and bounced through another three countries before coming to rest in the Cayman Islands. By the time Australian Taxation Office investigators pounced and froze the Australian accounts, there was only $45 left. The saga involves a beauty queen, the son of a former state premier and tens of thousands of mum-and-dad investors who have lost half of their investments in Myer.
The case centres on a complex network of companies and leads to tax havens in the Caribbean islands and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, where billions, not millions, of dollars are allegedly hidden. It has tied tax investigators in knots for two years until a breakthrough this week when a Federal Court judge ruled in favour of the tax office.
Federal Court Justice John Middleton this week decided the tax office could also serve Mr Gray with documents seeking to wind up NB Queen SARL in Luxembourg and its parent company, TPG Newbridge Myer, in the Cayman Islands. The two companies were part of a complicatedstructure involved in the sale of TPG's 81 per cent holding in Myer, which allegedly saw the money moved across four countries.
The money reportedly moved from Australia to a company called NB Swanston BV in the Netherlands, then to another company, NB Queen SARL, in Luxembourg and finally to TPG Newbridge Myer in the Cayman Islands.
US officials to fight drug trafficking in Caribbean
(Miami Herald): The US government’s anti-drug smuggling fight on the Mexican border has caused a “balloon effect” that is expected to spur more drug trafficking through the Caribbean, South Florida’s top federal official warned Thursday. Cocaine and other illegal drugs flooding the United States are still flowing mostly through a pipeline from Colombia to Mexico across the Southwest border. But the trend is expected to shift, US Attorney Wifredo Ferrer said. “We’re hitting them hard there,’’ Ferrer told reporters. “It’s only a matter of time before we see an increase here.’’ Ferrer highlighted the menacing trend to announce the “Caribbean Basin Initiative,’’ a plan to add two more federal prosecutors to his narcotics section.
They will work with federal agents to target the anticipated uptick.
The U.S attorney spoke about the development while unveiling an indictment charging 13 men with conspiring to transport hundreds of kilos of Colombian cocaine on U.S.-registered planes. The aircraft allegedly departed from Apure, a state in Venezuela, and dropped the loads into the ocean off the coast of the British Virgin Islands.
The smugglers used “go-fast’’ boats to retrieve the cocaine, which was allegedly destined for the United States, authorities said. But Drug Enforcement Administration agents seized most of it after the pick-ups.
Ferrer spotlighted the Caribbean Basin Initiative six months after announcing what he called a new front in the fight against Colombian traffickers.
Bush hits back at governor
(CNS): Full story — The premier wasted no time inhis response to the governor’s criticisms on Friday in another statement, in which he defended his actions and again criticised the auditor general. Thanking Duncan Taylor for what he called his “sage advice”, McKeeva Bush said that there were, however, two sides to the matter. Bush said that he would speak out when he sees deliberate attempts to lay him to “waste in the public arena — particularly when those persons don’t have the commitment to this country” that he said he had or accomplished the good “I’ve done for" Cayman. Despite the comments made by the governor about showing restraint, he continued to call out the audit office saying the auditor general was “vindictive”. (Photo Dennie WarrenJr)
Bush claimed that the auditor general’s report did not revealed the full picture and Bush insisted he was being harassed by bureaucrats who were deliberately trying to say he had done something wrong when he said the procurement process had “deteriorated over the previous four years”, so he had called for a review of the finance law and procurement.
“I begged for a review of the procurement service long before the governor or anyone else at the time because of what I saw happening to Government expenditure,” Bush said. He said that when coming to office, his government found that bids for procuring services for government that should have been $3 million were going for $6 million. Although he did not explain that claim, he said government had to step in and cut them back to $3 million.
He also said that government had to step in with the CCTV “because it was going to a chosen friend for $3 million,” he said. “It took six weeks, but we got it cut back by $1 million. I and the Government have been chastised by the audit office for interfering.”
However, in his report the auditor general points out that the senior civil servant connected to one of the bidders (Eric Bush) had recused himself from the process at the get go and the actual tender was “generally in accordance” with the proper process.
Bush came in for considerable criticism in the auditor’s report for his role in the Cohan and Co loan, but Bush insisted that because everyone was criticising the quality of financial service advice in the ministry he had sought outside assistance.
“The Auditor General says that in regard to financial matters that the Civil Service did not know what they were doing in procuring government financing. The Opposition, who were the last Government, complained bitterly and made accusations about the Financial Secretary of the country for giving them bad advice. If the Opposition and the Auditor General found these faults, why should I not go outside of the civil service to find advice? Why should I be criticized for trying to get advice?” he asked rhetorically.
The premier said his complaints about bureaucratic harassment were genuine as it is his responsibility to get government’s finances stabilized. “Everything that I am doing for my people, they try to make it look nefarious,” Bush said of the bureaucrats.
He also took aim at the auditor over the Jazz Fest case study as he said the auditor general had “slammed “ him in his report but had not told the whole story.
“When I got elected in May 2009 the Jazz Fest project and Alicia Keys were already decided and I was told by the Acting Director, Mr. Shomari Scott that it was already decided and I could not do anything about it. I have never seen the contract, as I was told that it was already agreed and the Chief Officer was also told that,” Bush said in his statement. “The Audit Office went to the Department of Tourism and asked if I had done the contract, they were told by Mr. Scott that the Minister had nothing to do with it as it had already been decided. Theywent to two other officers in the Department of Tourism and were told the same thing.”
Bush said that the auditor general had said when he made his report he would acknowledge this but the report did not clear up the matter at all and made it look like the premier was responsible.
“None of the explanations given by Mr. Scott as to why the commitments were made and as to how this type of business is done were included in the report,” the premier complained. “I take this as a direct slap in the face of the Premier and Minister of Finance and I will speak out when I see deliberate attempts to lay me waste in the public arena – particularly when those persons don’t have the commitment to this country that I have or have accomplished the good I’ve done for this country.”
Bush said that he believed in good governance and claimed that he has pushed for more good governance vehicles than any other legislator, fighting for the auditor general position, the Register of Interest, the complaints commissioner and has supported “many of the present vehicles” for good governance, he insisted.
“I believe in good governance but it must be peace, order and good governance, which under British common Law means fairness and unbiased administration, not vindictiveness and undue harassment,” he said, adding that the auditor general’s duty is to report his findings to the Public Accounts Committee and the Legislative Assembly.
“He should not be in these highfalutin every day interviews with the media. He should not be courting the press,” Bush said.
See details of Bush's promise to give back the civil servant's cost of living allowance in separate story here
See full statement below.
New York flights cancelled in face of Irene
(CNS): Due to airport closures at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York City this weekend as a result of Hurricane Irene’s projected path, Cayman Airways has cancelled flight KX792 from Grand Cayman to JFK on Saturday, 27 August and flights KX793 and KX792 from JFK to Grand Cayman and from Grand Cayman to JFK on Sunday 28. On Monday 29 August the airline said that flight KX793 from JFK to GrandCayman will also be affected. According to the NHC Irene is expected to reach North Carolina tomorrow and New York sometime on Sunday.
Cayman Airways will advise all affected passengers of any updates as they are received. Yesterday CAL confirmed that customers can change dates for flights free of charge or can take a voucher for a replacement flight valid for one year.
With Irene expected to pass right over New York, officials have ordered nearly 300,000 residents to leave waterfront neighborhoods and announced the impending shutdown of the city's vast transit system, two unprecedented precautionary steps according to the US media. Irene will likely be a Category 1 hurricane when it reaches the city but it will bring high winds and 8 to 12 inches of rain
Mayor Michael Bloomberg said at a news briefing Friday, "We've never done a mandatory evacuation before now and we wouldn't be doing it if we didn't think this storm is going to be serious."
For more information please contact Cayman Airways Reservations by calling toll free on 1-800-4-cayman (within the United States) or 345-949-2311 (within the Caribbean).
North Side MLA to unveil district jetty plans
(CNS): The independent member for North Side will be revealing the proposals for what he has said is a much needed new jetty for his district on Saturday. Ezzard Miller will be unveiling the plans at a family fun day in partnership with the district’s pirates committee. North -Siders will also be taking on Brackers in a special volleyball tournament and the district’s two Miss Cayman Islands 2011 contestants will also be there hoping to drum up support for next month’s pageant. Miller has been working for some time to enhance the facilities at Old Man Bay and the details will be presented on Saturday.
The gates for the fun-day open at 2pm and the old Man Bay jetty plans are scheduled to be unveiled at 2:30pm. Juliana O’Connor-Connolly will also be in attendance as will the Designer & Architect of the dock, Marco Whittaker who will offer a detailed explanation of the project.
North-Siders will take on the visiting volleyball players from the Brac at 4pm to add to the family fun afternoon with a variety of free entertainment, live music, face painting, wow balls and refreshments.
Gov pulls up Mac over AG
(CNS): For the first time since taking up office, the UK’s representative has directly criticised the Cayman Islands premier for what he says is “unacceptable behaviour”, in connection with comments about the Auditor General. In a short statement released on Friday defending the work of the audit office, Duncan Taylor said McKeeva Bush’s remarks were “unhelpful”. He said he had spoken with Bush and asked him to “show restraint” and work with the governor to address the auditor general’s recommendations. In an extraordinary move by a representative of the Foreign Office, Taylor raised his concerns publicly about the premier’s attack on the Auditor General and his staff following the release of the office’s latest detailed report on the problems surrounding government procurement. (Photo Dennie Warren JR)
“It is perfectly legitimate for the premier to respond robustly to any points made in reports issued by the Auditor General and I would always defend his right to do so. But, in my view, it is unacceptable to respond by making personal attacks on the Auditor General and his staff,” Taylor said in his statement. “I do not think it is helpful to accuse the Auditor General of bias, of 'seeking out banner headlines', of being used 'as a hit man', or to accuse his staff of being 'spiteful' or of 'indulging in bureaucratic harassment',” he added.
Taylor said that Bush had made serious accusations against Alastair Swarbrick and his team.
“I have seen no evidence to justify them,” the governor stated. “I believe that the Auditor General and his staff have acted in a responsible, objective and professional manner, as I would expect of all Civil Servants. I have spoken with the Honourable Premier and made my concerns known to him. I have urged him to show restraint. I hope that we can rather focus, together, on how to respond to the Auditor General’s recommendations. The Auditor General’s reports have highlighted an urgent need to tighten up Government Procurement practices. It is one of my main priorities over the coming months to ensure that all of us in Government work together to achieve this,” Taylor stated.
In the last two public broadcasts on TV and radio made by the premier he has taken direct aim at the auditor general and his office, publicly criticising him in a similar way to the attackshe made on Dan Duguay, the previous auditor, who had also produced reports critical of Bush’s handling of various projects and procurement’s of services.
While this is the first time that the governor has publicly criticised the premier, Bush has taken aim at the governor in the past. Even before Taylor arrived, during his address when he was sworn in as the country’s first premier in November 2009, Bush warned the new governor when he arrived that he was now “the chief defender of the Cayman Islands”, and he had fought the UK’s representatives in the past and won and he would do so again. He warned Taylor not to try and micromanage.
More recently, at an Overseas Territories Council meeting in the BVI last month, Bush said the UK should leave the overseas territories alone and said he would be telling that to both “my governor” and the UK.
“Don’t ask if we can do it. Just see where we came from. We came from nothing to what we have. All we need is not for you to handcuff us, all we need is for the United Kingdom to help us and show us the way and in showing us the way, do not handcuff us because the same good governance (and I don’t care how people feel when it comes to that because it’s an issue that is strong to my mind) for 60 million people will not always determine the facts of good governance on my Island. The culture is different,” he said.
See the full statement from the governor’s office below.