Archive for March, 2012
Gay cruise visitors arrested in Caribbean
(Yahoo News): Two California men on a gay cruise of the Caribbean were arrested Wednesday in Dominica, where sex between two men is illegal. Police Constable John George said police boarded the cruise ship and arrested the two men on suspicion of indecent exposure and "buggery," a term equivalent to sodomy on the island. He identified the men as John Robert Hart, 41, and Dennis Jay Mayer, 43, but did not provide their hometowns. George said the men were seen having sex on the Celebrity Summit cruise ship by someone on the dock. The two were later charged with indecent exposure and are scheduled to appear before a magistrate Thursday morning.
If found guilty, they could be fined $370 each and face up to six months in jail.
The ship carrying about 2,000 passengers departed Puerto Rico on Saturday and arrived in Dominica on Wednesday. It departed for St. Barts without the men, who are being held in a cell at police headquarters in the capital of Roseau.
Travers rushes to Cayman’s defence after BBC slight
(CNS Business): The chair of the Cayman Islands Stock Exchange, Anthony Travers, has once again rushed to the defence of the Cayman Islands financial services industry in the wake of comments by a leading BBC journalist describing the jurisdiction as a “secretive tax haven”. Travers accused the BBC’s Business Editor, Robert Peston, of making a common elementary mistake about the Cayman Islands as he reiterated his oft repeated position that there is nothing secret about Cayman's offshore services. Although no longer the spokesperson for Cayman Finance, the industry body tasked with protecting the sector's image, Travers has continued to respond to criticisms made by anyone publicly about the jurisdiction. Read more on CNS Business
Civil servants to take part in anonymous survey
(CNS): Public servants are going to be asked to complete a survey about their attitudes towards their employment to help civil service management identify the issues that affect government workers. According to the minutes released by the deputy governor from his Chief Officers’ Meeting last week Mark Harrison form the portfolio of the civil service has presented a proposal to his senior colleagues for the anonymous “employee attitude survey”. The goal is to solicit ways to improve the management of the service and chief officers were asked to review the proposal and make comments for the next meeting.
Among other issues discussed at the weekly public sector bosses meeting was the fourth phase of the public service review which will be divided into three sections to “ensure that a comprehensive assessment can be completed,” the minutes state.
This includes a three a holistic perspective focusing on the public service as a whole, an analysis of existing reports, such as the Keith Luck Report and PSML/PMFL amendments, to determine the current relevance of the findings and identifying which recommendations have already been implemented as a result of the first three reviews and assessing the feasibility of the other recommendations not yet put into effect.
See latest minutes below
WB primary school makes history with IBB approval
(CNS): Sir John A. Cumber Primary School in West Bay has become the first government school, not only in the Cayman Islands, but in the entire Caribbean region, to receive their International Baccalaureate (IB) authorisation for the primary years programme. Government officials said Tuesday that this stamp of approval by one of the most respected education organisations in the world is truly a historical achievement. The education said he was committed to achieving a world-class education system in Cayman and this was “a true testament to the significant progress we are already making towards that goal.”
The school has achieved the criteria to be called an IB World School within the IB’s Primary Year’s Programme (PYP). The PYP draws on research and best practice from a range of systems, knowledge and experience from international schools “to create a relevant, engaging, challenging and significant educational framework for all children,” the organisation states on its website.
The ministry’s chief officer described the authorization by the International Baccalaureate as a mark of quality assurance. “Achieving this IB World School status enables us to say that SJACPS has been measured up against schools across the world, and has met comparable standards. We look forward to more of our primary schools achieving this international recognition in the near future,” Mary Rodrigues said.
She explained that to become an IB World School, there is much more to the process than simply filling out forms and ticking boxes. The first stage involves the school applying for candidate status where they submit evidence of curriculum planning, staff development plans and commitment to international mindedness. Once candidate status is awarded the school is given targets and a Link Consultant who helps them to meet the requirements to apply for authorisation.
Once the school feels that they have reached the targets and are ready to apply for authorization, IB visits to ascertain the schools preparedness to implement the IB programme. This involves watching lessons, attending several meetings and interviewing the whole school community.
Through the visit to SJACPS, IB found matters arising which the school then had to address before authorisation could be achieved.
“The school did just that,” Rodrigues noted, “and through the hard work and dedication by the staff and students of SJACPS they achieved this most prestigious certification”.
Going forward, SJACPS will have an evaluation visit in three years, where the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) will ensure the quality of their programme. This again is a most rigorous process where the schools will have to achieve further requirements.
Principal of the school Joseph Wallace said the school was very proud of the achievement.
“We’ve worked very hard over the last three years to meet the standards set by the IBO,” he said as he thanked those involved and added that there would be challenges to maintain the status but to improve the learning experiences of students.
ShirleyWahler said the focused and dedicated leadership of the school under Wallace was key to the success. “I encourage the entire community to celebrate this success as a sign of what we can achieve if we have the vision and the commitment to work for positive change,” she added.
Rolston Anglin said as both a member of the West Bay community and a past student of the school he was proud to recognise what had been achieved by the district primary school.
“I congratulate Mr. Joseph Wallace, his team and all the students and parents of Sir John A. Cumber Primary School on this outstanding accomplishment,” he added.
The International Baccalaureate is a non-profit educational foundation which is focused on the student. They offer three programmes for students aged 3 to 19 years which aim at developing intellectual, personal, emotional and social skills to live, learn, and work in a rapidly globalising world. IB was founded in 1986 and currently works with 3,356 schools in 141 countries where their programmes reach over 1 million students. For more information on IB please visit their official website: www.ibo.org.
UK peer to visit Cayman
(CNS): The British Conservative peer who was appointed director of the Cayman Islands London office will be visiting the jurisdiction with three MPs from the all parliamentary party group for Cayman next month. Officials from the finance ministry said Lord Blencathra will be arriving next week and will have some 35 meetings while visiting the islands; the three MPs will be arriving the following week. The meetings cover both the private and public sectors, and span subjects such as business and commerce, biodiversity, tourism and culture, and Cayman’s political and legislative system. According to the tory peer, the visit will enable him to deliver a positive message about Cayman in the UK.
“By the end of our visit we should all be in a much better position to reinforce a very positive message about the successes of the Cayman Islands in the UK Parliament and media,” Lord Blencathra said.
Before being appointed to the UK’s House of Lords, David McLean represented Penrith and The Border for the Tory party from 1983. He was handed the peerage after he stepped down from his political seat due to ill health.
His appointment caused controversy both here and in the UK when opposition Labour MP Maria Eagle queried how a serving Conservative peer could have been appointed as the representative for Cayman, which is opposed to further regulation of what she called offshore tax havens, when there was a push in the UK for more regulation of such jurisdictions. She also noted that in opposition the UK prime minister had raised concerns about the “potential scandal” relating to lobbyists.
Here in Cayman many questioned how a former UK politician could deliver Cayman’s message successfully.
The peer also criticised Caymanians, who he said were writing negative things online as he said they were undermining efforts to promote the jurisdiction’s financial services sector overseas. In December Lord Blencathra told CNS Business in an email interview that his aim was to keep selling the positive messages about Cayman, again and again and again.
“But it cannot be done if it is undermined by things said and written by Caymanians,” he said, adding that he was saddened by negative comments on the web as the internet is read not just by local people but by politicians and global financial players as well.
“What appears on the web and the reality are poles apart but observers sitting thousands of miles away might be fooled into think that life is awful in Cayman,” said the new director of the London office.
The three members of the Cayman Islands all party parliamentary group who will be joining McLean on his visit are thegroup chair, Conservative member Graham Brady, who is also chairman of the 1922 Committee, along with opposition Labour MP Brian Donohoe, Deputy Chairman of the APPG, and Andrew Rosindell, Conservative MP for Romford.
APPG are informal, cross-party, interest groups that have no official status within the UK parliament and have no powers or funding from it. They act as a forum for contact and discussion with members of parliament and for action on behalf of the Cayman Islands.
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Inaugural athletic meet to boost local sports tourism
(CNS): A new international athletics event will be debuting in the Cayman Islands this May which will feature world class professional track and field athletes. The Cayman Invitational was launched this weekend by the premier, who said the event will mark a new sporting era in the Islands. Given the visibility international athletes can bring sports tourism offers a big boost to the islands Bush said. Based on an idea from local commonwealth gold medallist Cydonie Mothersill, the event is being organised by the tourism ministry and will take place at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex on 9 May, featuring over 80 professional athletes.
Sprinter Carmalita Jeter, shot-putter Dylan Armstrong, women’s 400 metre runner Novlene Williams Michael Frater from Jamaica’s 100 meter relay team and Bahamian Olympic medallist Chris Brown are among those who will join local stars such as Mothersill, Jon Rankin Ronald Forbes and the Morgan brothers among others.
The Cayman Invitational is being billed as an annual event which will form a trio of regional pro track and field meets with the Jamaican Invitational, which takes place in early May, followed by a meet in Puerto Rico. The Cayman meet will include eleven track and two field events.
Mixed fortunes for Cayman Men.
(CRFU): Dartmouth University kicked off their spring tour to the Cayman Islands with the Dartmouth 2nd XV taking on a Cayman Club side select made up of good mix of Iguana RFC, Buccaneer RFC, Pigs Trotter RFC and Cayman Storm RFC players. The Club Select Side, captained by Chris Kennedy started well and with good ball retention found themselves 10-0 up before the tide turned firmly in favor of the young Americans as speed and agility overtook the more experienced Cayman side. Three unanswered Dartmouth tries shocked Cayman into gear who changed tactics and played a much more forward dominated game. Photo Caroline Deegan
The Cayman “pick n go” from the base of the rucks kept Dartmouth on the back foot and the college students could not compete at the breakdown due to the size and weight of the Cayman forwards.
Whilst the Dartmouth 2’s never gave up the Cayman select maintained the lead and built towards a 41-27 victory. The top billing of the day was the Cayman National Men’s XV vs. Dartmouth 1st XV match. The National Side suffered an embarrassing setback to their 2015 World Cup qualifying preparations with a 29-25 loss. The cavernous difference in quality of play between the Dartmouth 1st and 2nd team was evident as Dartmouth started strongly and kept the Caymanians camped in their own half for the first 40 minutes and built up a 15 point lead before Cayman finally responded.
The Cayman National Side featured a mixture of experience and size up front and youth out wide with 4 of Cayman’s U19 Caribbean Champion players in the back line. Whilst Cayman found themselves camped in their own half for the first 40 minutes attempts to relieve pressure by kicking the ball deep only resulted in feeding the ball directly to the Dartmouth fullback who had little difficulty in running the ball directly back into Cayman territory.
Eventually the Cayman side found some reprieve when their first venture into Dartmouth territory resulted in a Tom Mann try in the corner which Morgan Hayward duly converted.
The Cayman score started a comeback which featured two Ben Blair tries but the Dartmouth composure under a new found Cayman resilience belied their young years.
Whilst Cayman did come close to getting a comeback win it was the Dartmouth side who lead from beginning to end and gave the Cayman National side much to ponder on before they have a second chance to take on one of the best College Rugby teams the US has to offer!
Next games:
Tuesday, March 20:
5:00pm KO – Dartmouth 1st XV vs. Cayman Club Select XV
Thursday, March 22:
5:00pm KO – Dartmouth 2nd XV vs. Cayman U21s XV
Saturday, March 24:
3:00pm KO – Dartmouth 2nd XV vs. Cayman Club Select XV
5:00pm KO – Dartmouth 1st XV vs. Cayman National XV
Local football clubs have eye on ball for CFU game
(CNS): Local football players are gearing up for Group 1 of the CFU Club Championships which start next weekend. Last season's Cayman Premier League champions, Elite Sports Club, and runners-up, George Town Sports Club, and Bermuda Premier League champions, North Village Rams, will contest in three matches at the T. E. McField Playing Field between 25 and 29 March. The group winners and the best runners-up of the three groups will advance to the next round, which is to be played in Puerto Rico, against the Puerto Rico Islanders and Caledonia AIA of Trinidad in May. George Town SC Head Coach, Lee Ramoon,said it was a great opportunity for local players to compete in the region.
“‘Some guys had the privilege to represent the national team and play at that level; however, most of our players don't get such opportunity, so it is wonderful for our players to participate in this prestige event," he said.
Elite SC Head Coach, Gregory Ebanks said not only was it a lifetime opportunity but both the local teams playing in the regional tournament were looking to advance further and compete in Puerto Rico."
Mark Scotland, the Minister of Sports asked for people to encourage and support Elite and George Town at a recent press briefing about the football competition. “These are big games we will play here, and we need the support of our fans to use the home advantage," he said.
Players Jairo Sanchez, from Elite SC and Miguel Pitta from elite thanked everyone for their support and noted that although some of the players competing have played on the international stage before the competition would help develop the teams “This competition will help us to get better, so we need everyone's support to use this opportunity to qualify to the next round," they said.
All matches will take place at the Annex Field and tickets are on sale by $10.00 for a single match and $15.00 for all three matches.
Sunday, 25 March 2012 – 7:00 p.m. – George Town vs. North Village Rams
Tuesday, 27 March 2012 – 7:30 p.m. – Elite SC vs. North Village Rams
Thursday, 29 March 2012 – 7:30 p.m. – Elite SC vs. George Town SC
Brac airport expansion first step to boost tourism
(CNS Business): The Cayman Islands Airports Authority (CIAA) has announced plans to expand of the terminal facilities at the Gerrard-Smith International Airport on Cayman Brac to accommodate direct international flights, a move that has been sought by stakeholders on the island for a number of years and was described as very good news. However, MLA Moses Kirkconnell, who is on the Sister Islands Tourism Association board, said that it is just one part of the solution to an overall boost to the Brac’s tourism. The upgrade to the terminal so that flights can go directly into the US will not do the island any good unless there is also a whole new marketing strategy in order to fill those flights. Read more on CNS Business
Dictionary spearheads study of Caymanology
(CNS): A dictionary designed to preserve Cayman’s own unique linguistic heritage alive was selling like hotcakes at the recent agricultural show but it is now available in shops across all three islands, its publisher has said. Although in the first place an entertaining read which examines the local dialect the author Kevin Goring (left) says its publication is part of a wider goal to promote Caymanian culture and heritage. Goring began collecting Caymanian words out of passion and curiosity some 12 years ago the dictionary is the first in a line of products that he hopes will fuel a cultural movement.
“I was in college at the time and simply became interested in learning more about my culture,’ he said. “I started researching words by interviewing my friends and family members, reading local books, and I even made several visits to the National Archive. After reviewing the massive collection of information that accumulated over several years, I decided that I should publish a dictionary. It’s just something that needed to be done, because the Cayman Islands are over 500 years old and we have never had our linguistic heritage documented for all to see.”
Featuring more than 1,000 words used in the Caymanian dialect, the dictionary is the first in a line of products under ‘The ‘Caymanology Collection’ brand. According to goring it is based on a philosophy that “all things Caymanian should be studied, preserved and promoted,” Caymanology is a movement towards heightened cultural awareness and native pride, he said that he hopes to expand throughout 2012.
At the request of several educators, Goring also hopes to meet with various schools and training centers in the coming months to promote the Dictionary and the Caymanology movement to students of all ages.
The Cayman Islands Dictionary is now available from supermarkets and other authorized retailers.