Archive for December, 2011
Cops mow down DUI suspect
(CNS): A West Bay man has been arrested and suffered serious injuries after he was run over by a police SUV Friday night following a high speed car chase. Police said Saturday morning that they had begun an enquiry into the circumstances surrounding the incident which landed the man in hospital. The RCIPS said the suspect was chased at speed from the Ritz Carlton to Rossett Close, off Mount Pleasant Road in West Bay, where, police said, he got out of his car and ran into the path of their Ford Explorer. The chase started around 10:20pm after uniformed patrol officers spotted a black Honda Torneo close to the West Bay Road hotel.
A spokesperson for the RCIPS said the attention of the patrol officers in the marked Ford Explorer was drawn to the Honda but did not indicate why the car or the driver was of interest to police. Once spotted, the police claim that the driver of the car made off at a high speed.
The police driver followed the car, attempting to stop it using blue lights and horns, but the Honda failed to stop as the high speed chase continued along the West Bay Road and into the heart of West Bay. The driver eventually stopped the car on Rossett Close and got out of the vehicle and then, the RCIPS stated, ran into the path of the oncoming police vehicle.
The cop car hit the man, who other sources say has sustained multiple injuries, including pelvic and internal injuries. He was taken to hospital for treatment, where his condition is currently described as stable.
Police say the man has been arrested on suspicion of DUI and dangerous driving and that an enquiry is now underway into the chase and all of the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Fugitive back in custody
(CNS): A suspect who escaped from police custody during a hospital visit in November has been re-arrested and is now back in the police cells. Twenty-one-year-old Charlton Ebanks, who has been on the run evading law enforcement officials for more than six weeks, was arrested yesterday evening, Thursday 29 December, following a police operation at the Treasure Island Resort on Seven Mile Beach. A police spokesperson said the fugitive was arrested on suspicion of burglary, escaping from police custody and in relation to outstanding warrants. Ebanks had managed to escape from his police guard at the Cayman Islands Hospital shortly after 7.00am on Thursday, 17 November.
A police spokesperson thanked the public and the media for the assistance provided to the police during the search for Ebanks.
JLP concedes defeat as PNP wins Jam election
(BBC): Jamaica's opposition People's National Party has won national elections, preliminary results show, after a campaign dominated by the economy. The results mean a return by PNP leader Portia Simpson Miller to the post of PM. The ruling JLP has conceded defeat. Meanwhile, PM Andrew Holness will become one of the country's shortest-serving PMs in history. The snap election was called earlier this month by Holness who succeeded Bruce Golding as leader in October. With almost all the results declared, Simpson Miller's party had gained well over the required 32 seats for a majority in parliament.
The 66-year-old veteran politician was first elected to parliament in 1976 and became Jamaica's first woman prime minister in 2006-07. She will face deep problems, with debt running at approximately 130% of GDP and unemployment at more than 12%.
There was no immediate of claim of victory from Simpson Miller, but PNP campaign spokesman Franklyn Delano said the results left no room for doubt.
Driver dies after road smash
(CNS): Police have now confirmed that 26-year-old Dwayne Cayasso of George Town has died as a result of the serious injuries he sustained in high speed smash on Linford Pierson Highway yesterday morning. Cayasso was driving a Honda Civic which left the highway and crashed into a tree near the riding stables in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Police stated that the 24-year-old man who was a passenger in the car remains in hospital in a stable condition as enquiries continue into the cause of the single vehicle crash. The man who died at around 11:30 Thursday morning, more that 32 hours after the smsh is the eighth person to be killed on Cayman’s roads this year.
Cayasso had been seriously injured in a previous road smash for which he served a prison sentence after pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving in 2008. Gregory Rankine was killed in 2005 when Cayasso lost control of the truck he was driving at speed along Shamrock Road and smashed into a house. Cayasso was banned from driving for five years and sentenced to two years in prison in January 2008 which was suspended. The court of appeal overturned the suspension later that year and ordered that he go to jail for a year.
Chamber announces leadership class of 2012
(CNS): Now in its third year, twenty five people have signed up for the Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce seminar based course — Leadership Cayman. Launched in 2009 the six month programme is open to professional residents aged over 25 and is designed to give an insight into various aspects of Cayman society and develop the next generation of leaders in all areas of business and government. Following an orientation dinner on 7 December this year's group will begin with an opening retreat next month at The Reef Resort in East End to introduce participants to the philosophy behind the programme.
During the course class members interact with diverse, high-level community leaders and decision makers at a series of seminars and retreats in areas ranging from business, government, education, media, social services, criminal justice, diversity, the arts and more. A trip to the Sister Islands also introduces the group to some of the unique issues facing Cayman Brac and Little Cayman as our smaller and less developed communities.
The chamber said that the 2012 Candidates were selected based on their existing roles in the community, business and professional involvement, skills and assets, along with their passion for knowledge.
The successful candidates for 2012 are: Susie Bodden Cayman Islands Government, Reisan Moiten Harney, Westwood & Reigels, Nadia Hardie Sunshine Suites Resort, Lauren Langlois Ernst & Young, Andrea Bothwell CIBC First Caribbean Bank, Kimberly Arch Cayman Airways Ltd., Annette Stephenson Cayman Hearing Center, Katie O'Neill Bodden Holdings, Lynne Byles Tower Marketing, Teritia Peart Cayman Free Press, Pam Abbott SteppingStones Recruitment Ltd., Jenni Huys Dart Management Services Ltd., Stacey Ottenbreit Dart Enterprises Ltd., Cindy Downing Active Capital Ltd., Nancy Kirkaldy-Barnard Mourrant Ozannes, Gwen Pineau Rawlinson & Hunter Ltd., Odette Samson Deloitte., Malcolm Ellis Delphi Ltd., Garnet Harrison Office of the Auditor General, Richard Scrivens Fidelity Insurance, David Bailey Royal Bank of Canada, Malcolm Tibbetts Cayman National Bank, Faramarz Romer Greenlight Re, Jeffrey Wight Dart Realty, Johann Moxam Merrill Lynch Bank & Trust Co. (Cayman) Ltd.
More information about the LC Programme can also be found at www.leadershipcayman.ky
NHDT claims $131k expenses
(CNS): In the 18 months before the RCIPS arrested a board member, directors of the National Housing Development Trust had met around 92 times racking up an expenses bill of $131,200. Despite a number of resignations in 2010 and more in 2011 the board’s expenses continued to grow throughout 2011 as the fees for the chairman and deputy chairman increased a freedom of information request has revealed. In total the chairs earned almost $60,000 between them for the frequent meetings in which decisions on the contracts, tenders and other issues relating to three of the government’s affordable housing scheme sites were made.
The vast majority of contracts relating to the construction of the low cost homes in West Bay, East End and George Town were under $250,000 so all decisions regarding who did the work was made by the trust which appears to be the reason for the regular meetings of the members. However, it is not clear when the various members of the boards resigned but CNS understands that three were gone in the early part of 2010 followed by further resignations throughout 2011. The board is believed to have been meeting with as few as three members before the revelations in October that a police investigation into fraud was underway.
The FOI request reveals that only two contracts regarding the West Bay site which included road and site works were considered to beover the $200,000 mark and as a result were tendered via the CTC. According to the ESTAR reports a contract worth around $1.4milllion was awarded to Works Services Ltd for the earthworks at the West Bay site and ARCP was awarded the civil works contract at just under $780k.
All other contracts were awarded throughout the eighteen month period by the dwindling board members during their frequent meetings.
Despite requesting information on the details of the other contracts for the West Bay site the NHDT trust has stated that as they were not tendered through CTC there are no formal reports. CNS has submitted a further request asking for any other documentation relating to how the decisions were made on the numerous contracts relating to the project.
In August eighteen different local contractors signed agreements for work at the Windsor Park site and each contract fell below the $250,000 threshold requiring a central tendering process. Although this development is worth close to $3million the NHDT made the decision on each contract. In his report on the management of government’s procurement process the auditor general raised concerns about the obvious risk of corruption in such circumstances.
In October the RCIPS arrested a board member under the anti-corruption law on suspicion of breach of trust and abuse of public office, as well as obtaining property by deception in connection with a fraud relating to the East End site. The 59 year old George Town man was accused of manipulating his position of trust to sell insurance to applicants who applied to buy homes. An RCIPS spokesperson confirmed Thursday that, "One man remains on police bail and the investigation is continuing."
See ESTAR reports on West Bay site works contracts and details of board payments below
Human blood poses mystery
(CNS): A mysterious but large pool of human blood found outside a shopping plaza in George Town on Wednesdaymorning has triggered a police investigation. An RCIPS spokesperson said that police are appealing to the public to help police find out what happened. Shortly after 9.00 am yesterday officers were called to the location after a report was made about the blood on the sidewalk near Ed’s Plaza, North Sound Way. Forensic tests were carried out which confirmed that the blood is human. Detective Superintendent Marlon Bodden said the large pool suggested that somehow somebody had been injured at the location. (Photo Dennie Warren Jr)
“It is possible that someone has been injured. If that is the case we need to find that individual to make sure that he or she has received medical treatment. Searches of the area and checks with medical practitioners have, to date, proved negative. Investigations are continuing,” he added.
Anyone who was in the area of Ed’s Plaza on Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning, and has any information which could assist officers as they try to establish what happened, is asked to contact George Town CID on 949-4222.
If you know of anyone who has sustained a recent unexplained injury then please contact the police. Information can also be passed on the RCIPS tip-line 949-7777 or via Crime Stoppers 800-8477(TIPS).
Full census report still not public
(CNS): Although officials working on the National Census which was conducted in October 2010 had aimed to have the full details of their work circulated before the end of 2011, the document is now not expected to be in the public domain until next year. The work is finished and the Economic and Statistics Office Director Maria Zingapan said the detailed census report will be published on the office website it has not yet been released by the Legislative Assembly. Although it was scheduled to be produced during the last sitting of the parliament on 14 December the premier did not table the report.
So far only a limited amount of information from the national count, which cost the taxpayer over $1.1million, has been released and there has been no official explanation why the report has not yet been released to the public.
The national project was undertaken by the ESO staring on the 10 October 2010 lasted around two months and enumerators visited approximately 30,000 homes. They counted a total population of 54,878 residents with 481 living in institutions such as prisons, dorms or retirement homes. George Town was revealed to still be the country’s most populated district, accounting for the majority of the entire population with 27,704 people. 11,269 people now live in West Bay, followed by 10,341 people living in Bodden Town, the fast growing district. The count also found 1,437 people in North Side, 1,369 in East End and the Sister Islands are home to 2,277 residents.
Earlier this month at a reception for those who were involved in the national count, the governor revealed that there were 135 different nationalities living in Cayman at the time of the census, and the full report would be critical to developing good policy. “The data collected by the exemplary census, which was carried out very professionally, will be viewed in detail soon,” Duncan Taylor stated.
Zingapan added that she hoped the details, once released, would be used to inform decision-making in the public and private sectors, making the data relevant to everyday life in the Cayman Islands.
Civil servants encouraged to recycle at work
(CNS): Over 600 government workers located at the Government Administration Building (GAB) are being encouraged to help the environment by recycling cans in 30 containers now placed in government offices. Officials said the small green recycling containers will be cleared daily and emptied in DoEH’s large blue container now located outside the building. Facility Manager Richard Sanfilippo said that around 700 cans are expected to be collected each day some 200,000 cans per year. He added that it was a positive move that would reduce the impact on the George Town landfill.
“The benefits of recycling include conserving energy, since it requires less to produce new products from recycled materials. It saves natural resources are in limited supply, and some of our resources are becoming irreplaceable,” Sanfilippo said. He also noted the GAB is a purpose-built green building and as such, government should take the lead in operating this type of recycling programme.
Sanfilippo said he hoped that government employees will even bring cans from home to recycle and spoke about his hopes for more recycling programmes to include white paper and plastics as well as an expanded programme of recycling containers in other government buildings.
Although Cayman has lagged behind when it comes to recycling and still has an exceptionally small programme the DoEH Director Roydell Carter said his department collected around 3.11 tons (6,220 lbs.) of aluminum cans this year. The cans which would otherwise have ended up in the landfill were shipped off island after being collected at the eight sites on Grand Cayman.
Deputy Premier and Minister of District Administration, Works, Land and Agriculture Juliana O’Conner- Connolly praised the efforts of those involved in the recycling initiative. “From an economic and environmental standpoint, recycling makes absolute sense. We are keen to encourage people to live in tighter communities and for everyone to do their part, so we can leave some natural beauty for many generations to come.”
As well as aluminum cans, the DoEH’s limited recycle programme includes used motor oil and lead acid batteries, as well as natural Christmas trees each January. Residents can join the limited recycling effort by placing used motor oil in clean plastic containers and taking them to the designated landfill drop-off area; by purchasing drinks packaged in aluminum cans instead of plastic, and by dropping off used cans at the big blue bins marked ‘ALUMINIUM CANS ONLY’ located at the supermarkets.
Currently, aluminum collection bins are located at the following sites:
West Bay–Foster’s Republix
Seven Mile Beach WB–Foster’s at the Strand (behind the beauty salon)
George Town–St Ignatius School
George Town–Foster’s at the Airport Centre
George Town–Kirk Supermarket
Prospect Area GT–Hurley’s Grand Harbour
Savannah/Bodden Town–Foster’s Countryside (behind the beauty salon)
North Side–North Side Civic Centre
West Bay restaurant robbed
(CNS): Updated — Police are appealing to the driver of a black SUV that may have witnessed two gunmen as they made their escape from a robbery at Alfresco Restaurant in West Bay last night to come forward. The driver was forced to stop as the robbers ran in front of traffic as they fled from the scene and turned left into Townhall Road. The two gunmen held up staff at the West Bay restaurant Wednesday night and made off with an undisclosed sumof cash. Police said the men who were both carrying what appeared to be handguns entered Alfresco at around 9:46 when they pointed the gun at a female member of staff and demanded cash.
The first suspect was described as tall with a muscular build, dressed in grey baggy camouflaged pants and black shoes. The second suspect was described as being shorter and wearing a black T-shirt.
Police said that they were given no further description of the robbers but Detective Constable Nathan Turner says it is important that the driver of the car which could be a Ford Explorer, contacts West Bay CID as the driver may have seen the men.
No shots were fired and no one was hurt according to the report in what is the second robbery at the restaurant in just over a year. The popular beach front West Bay restaurant p was also held up by two masked gunmen last year but no one has been charged for the crime.
Anyone with information should contact the West Bay CID on 949-3990, the RCIPS tip- line 949-7777 or the Confidential Crime Stoppers number 800-8477 (TIPS )