Archive for June 27th, 2012
US teen inventor inspired UCCI audience
(CNS): A seventeen year old high school student from Denver, Colorado who has been inventing stuff since he was a kid, was promoting the mysteries of the ocean this week at a special presentation at UCCI. Officials from the university said marine biology advocate Nate Newman gave an inspiring presentation to an audience whose ages ranged from six to 60+ on Monday. Involved with Wild Goose Imaging, a designer and manufacturer of the first-ever self-cleaning submersible web camera housing used for underwater data collection, surveillance and seabed imagery, he also spoke about non-profit organisation Teens4Oceans, which seeks to encourage young people to take an interest in marine biology.
“Nate spoke passionately regarding his interest in technology, and enumerated a number of his past inventions which included a popsicle holder and innovative tent designs,” a UCCI spokesperson said.
He said his role model was inventor Elon Musk, co-founder of SpaceX, Tesla Motors and Paypal and looked back on his childhood experiences, sharing how his parents, who are both teachers, encouraged his enthusiasm and creativity.
UCCI President Roy Bodden, said “I know that this young man will go on to pursue great things. I see in Nate the next Steve Jobs.”
Nate’s organisation Teens4Oceans is embarking on a project to deploy a communications buoy system and accompanying suite of data and video equipment to perform research on coral reefs off East End. He encouraged students to establish a local chapter of Teen4Oceans and join the growing network of young men and women who are share marine adventures all over the world.
Androgroup remains undefeated
(GCFFA): The Dart Women’s League under the Grand Cayman Flag Football Association took a surprising turn during the fourth week of action. The team most anticipated to take the championships, Burger King Wolverines, suffered their first loss, and the Hot 104.1 Cheetahs, comprised mostly of rookies, celebrated their first win. Kicking off on Friday night was last year’s championship team, Hammerheads Lady Sharks defeating Subway Stingers 26-0. Quarterback for Lady Sharks, Hong Nguyen, continues to fill her role in fine form as she completed 15 of 20 passes with one interception thrown.
Sophia Foster led the Sharks’ offense with five receptions, including one for extra points. She was followed by rookie Trina Gordon with four receptions, including one for a touchdown. Serena Yates added to the score with a second touchdown catch.
It was the interceptions that Lady Sharks made on defense that sealed the game for them. Sue Nixon led her team’s defense with five tackles and one interception which led to a defensive touchdown. Scimone Campbell also intercepted and ran in the ball a good 40 yards for a defensive touchdown. Judy Rivers had a huge game with five tackles and two interceptions. Meghan Boccaccio also contributed to her team’s defense with five tackles.
Although enduring their third shut-out in a row, Subway Stingers played an improved game, spending much more time on offense rather than defense. Missed flags, interceptions and fatigue played a major role in their loss. Quarterback, Christina Pineda, completed 15 of 25 pass attempts, with four interceptions thrown.
Latoya Cover and Keisha Anglin each had five receptions, followed by Joanne Remillard and Dionne Anglin with two receptions each.
On defense, Joanne Remillard came hard with eight tackles. She was followed by Timisha Edwards with four tackles, and Latoya Cover with three tackles and one interception. Nikki Ebanks showed no fear as she rushed past the blockers for the Lady Sharks, sacking their quarterback an impressive four times.
The Dart Women’s League continued Saturday morning with the Hot 104.1 Cheetah’s taking their first win against Maples Bliss, 7-0. Kimberley Rivers, quarterback for the Cheetahs, continues to improve her game, completing 20 of 30 passes.
Jamesette Anglin led the Cheetahs defense with four receptions, including one for extra points. Jennifer Cotarelo had three receptions, including the catch in the end-zone for the team’s lone touchdown. Jessica Richards and Sophia Dilbert added to the offense with three receptions each.
Dilbert also shone on defense with four tackles. Tonia Ebanks-McLaughlin, Shalisa Barnett and Amanda Nelson each had two tackles, and Nelson also sped through with two sacks to Maples’ quarterback. Tracey Seymour, Barnett and Cotarelo each had an interception, disrupting Maples’ attempt to move the ball down the field.
Ellenor Berry returned as the Maples Bliss quarterback, completing 11 of 25 passes, including three interceptions thrown. Jessica Maxwell led her team on offense with four receptions. She was followed by Maliqui Awe, Marleena Smith and Somali Small with two catches each.
Berry showed her versatility, leading her team’s defense with four tackles. Maples nearly made the score board as Berry prevented the extra-point conversion by intercepting the ball and running it past the entire Cheetah’s offensive line to the opposite end of the field and into the end-zone. Unfortunately, due to an infraction by her defensive line, the play was called back and the extra-points never counted.
Dianerra Whittaker and Catherine Hines each had three tackles, and Maxwell and Smith came up with two tackles each. Smith also was a force when rushing the Cheetahs quarterback, coming through with three sacks. Maples pressed the Cheetah’s to equalize until the final whistle, never giving the defensive line a moment to breathe.
Androgroup Killa-Panthers remain undefeated with their 19-7 win against Lone Star JagerMonsters. Christina Hefner, quarterback for Androgroup, was at 50% throwing with 15 of 30 passes completed and one interception thrown. Her favorite receiver continues to be Cassandra Bodden, currently the top ranked offensive player in the league, who made four receptions including two touchdown catches, one of which she ran in from the 40yard line in her usual flair, her flags elusive as she darted past no less than three defenders in her efforts to secure a touchdown.
Lisa Malice was Hefner’s next favorite look, completing four receptions with one being a touchdown. Ann Marie Douglas added to the Killa-Panther’s score with her reception in the end-zone for extra points.
On defense, Suyen Coe made a stealthy five tackles and interception. Bodden, Delicia Ebanks and Heather Roffey each had two tackles. Ebanks also added a sack to her defensive play, and Bodden got the second interception of the game. Denise Delpesh also sacked the JagerMonsters’ quarterback twice.
For Lone Star JagerMonsters, quarterback Tricia Miller had another rough game, completing just 14 of 32 passes, with two interceptions thrown.
One of the most spectacular plays of the day was by JagerMonster receiver Monique Roberts, as she dodged the Killa-Panthers defense, rushing the ball 45 yards for a touchdown. Melanie Lewis had four receptions, and Renee Thompson and Erica Bosch each had two receptions to add to the defense. One of Thompson’s balls was a catch in the end-zone for extra points.
Christina Ravdas is quickly standing out on defense for the JagerMonsters, leading her team with five tackles and one interception. Thompson had three tackles, followed by Lewis and Roberts with two tackles each. Marline Williams also came through with a sack to the Killa-Panthers’ quarterback.
Call it voodoo or call it strategy, the Zulu Warriors gave the biggest surprise of the week as they defeated Burger King Wolverines 6-0. Quarterback for Warriors, Jessica Pawlik may not have had the best throwing game, completing just 13 of 30 passes including one interception thrown. But the one pass two minutes into the game to Maggie Ebanks in the end-zone that resulted in a touchdown was the most important throw of the day for the team.
Ebanks proved to be Pawlik’s favorite look, receiving six balls. The speedy Shamar Ennis was another favorite, catching four of Pawlik’s passes. Hortencia Jackson, Dionne Whittaker and Francesca Hamann added to the offense with one reception each.
Ennis also led the defense with three tackles. Ebanks had one tackle and two interceptions, and Whittaker came through with a next interception. Tanjana Campbell used her long frame to sack the Wolverines’ quarterback twice.
Every quarterback has an off day, and that’s certainly what Antoinette Lewis, quarterback for the Burger King Wolverines and leading quarterback in the league, experienced.
Lewis completed just eight of 24 passes, with three interceptions thrown. Joni Wood led the offense with three receptions, and Jahzenia Thomas had two. Benecia Thompson, Carrie Barnett and Jessica Ebanks each caught a ball, but the Wolverines were unable to make much headway.
Shinette Rhoden led the Wolverines defense with six tackles, followed by Saneata Smith and Ebanks, each with four tackles. Thomas had two sacks and Alex Terry had one sack on the Warriors’ quarterback. Barnett’s height advantage continues to be an asset for Wolverines as she gained another interception on defense this week.
Week five of the Dart Women’s League continues this Friday night at the Camana Bay Field at 8pm with Maples Bliss versus Zulu Warriors. Games on Saturday morning begin at 10am with Subway Stingers against the Lone Star JagerMonsters. 11am sees Hot 104.1 Cheetahs pitted against the Burger King Wolverines on field one, and Androgroup Killa-Panthers against Hammerheads Lady Sharks on field 2.
Premier admits budget failure
(CNS): The country's minister of finance was forced to face the consequences of not being able to present a balanced budget to the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday as he presented a motion to appropriate interim financing for government to function until the end of August. Premier McKeeva Bush admitted his failure to the parliament and said he had wrestled with the problems of increasing expenditures and the need for borrowing, which the UK had refused. Bush said it was easy for people outside to talk about making cuts but he had "been struggling" with the budget since January and "it is not easy when your hands are tied."
Despite being the finance minister and the person responsible for the budget, the premier pointed to a growing civil service, extra spending on crime, legal aid, the bill of rights, the FCO, civil servants and, above all, the previous administration as the cause of his budget difficulties as he acknowledged that he was going to face criticism from the opposition benches.
He said he was, however, "on good form" and would in the course of the debate be able to defend his position. Bush said he expected people would criticize him but the bottom line was spending had to be cut.
"So cuss if you may, scream if you want, but the fact is there has been too much expenditure and we've got to pay for it," he said, adding that people would say he was incompetent and all manner of evil about him. He railed against the control that the FCO now had of the Cayman government's budget and pointed the finger at the previous government for losing control of the country's finances. He said the only way to get it back was to make the cuts.
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The premier stated that the government was now engaged in further spending reductions so that he would be able to bring a full year's annual plan and estimates in the next few weeks.
Presenting an appropriation of some $127 million in expenditure as a stop-gap measure, Bush gave no indication of expected government earnings but said it would require an overdraft of $25 million to see it through what he described as the lean months for government, which had been approved by the FCO.
He also announced that the position for the fiscal year end for 2011/12 had improved and government was now expecting a very small deficit of $1 million when core government and statutory authorities spending and revenues were all added together.
After the premier's presentation the leader of the opposition pointed out that never in the history of the Cayman Islands had a government failed to bring a budget. Alden McLaughlin said that while the premier continued to blame the former administration, of which he had been a part, for everything, after three years in government and as minister of finance he could not get away from the fact that the current crisis was his responsibility.
McLaughlin said that if the premier was not prepared to accept responsibility for this failure now, he never would. He also pointed out that, had the FCO not been in control of approving the government's budget, Bush would have brought a spending plan to the House of some $630 million and $80 million of more borrowing.
The opposition leader pointed to the complete failure of the UDP government to implement one policy that either increased revenue or cut spending, and despite claims of a miraculous turnaround in public finances, the premier had compeltely failed to deliver anything.
Speaking during the lunchtime break, Ezzard Miller said he was embarrassed to be a member of the Legislative Assembly at a time when the country's finance minister could not do the one and only job required of him, which is to deliver a budget. The independent North Side member said that when it was his turn to speak he would be calling on the premier to resign the finance minister's portfolio and give it to someone else in his Cabinet that was capable of getting the job done.
See premier's speech and short message delivered by the governor in lieu of the Throne Speech.
Premier targets liquor trade with licence fee hike
(CNS Business): As the country waits for what is expected to be an emergency budget, Premier McKeeva Bush called a short-notice meeting of liquor licence holders Monday to size up the reaction to a fee hike in the coming year’s spending plans. There was no mention of how much the increase would be, as Bush said that he wanted to work with businesses, but he made it clear that a hike was coming. The fee increase, he said, was to fund the proposed hospitality training school and he warned licence holders that if he didn’t make the hike, the UK government would push for greater increases than those proposed by the Cayman government. Read more on CNS Business
Mac to bring stop-gap plan
(CNS): The Legislative Assembly will be opening for the next parliamentary year this morning without the usual pomp and circumstance as there is still no budget. As a result of the minister of finance’s failure to balance the books in time and gain approval from the UK for both the short and long term borrowing government departments are still cutting away at spending plans. In his third budget as finance minister, the premier was unable to deliver a plan which met with the FCO’s requirements in time to meet the fiscal year-end deadline and is now faced with the need to pass legislation for a two-month stop-gap appropriation.
The premier will be presenting a new short term budget for the start of the 2012/13 year asking to incur expenses of $127million between 1 July and 31 August which has been approved by the UK.
The premier will be facing severe criticism from the opposition benches when he brings the stop gap appropriations to the floor of the Legislative Assembly this morning. No matter the difficulties that government’s face over budget preparation it is its most fundamental role. Even if a political administration fails to pass any legislation or make any policy changes throughout the year if it passes a budget government can still function. Without a budget it has no legal authority to spend or collect any revenue making it impossible to pay bills, wages or loan repayments.
Since changing the public management and finance law early in the UDP’s administration McKeeva Bush has delivered his government spending plans later and later each year but this is the first time he has failed to make the deadline at all. Still blaming the PPM for the failure however, the premier claimed last week that the decision to bring an emergency spending plan to the country’s parliament Wednesday was a “mature approach”.
The LA is scheduled to open at 10am with a presentation from governor explaining the circumstances.
See draft appropriations below.
Mac to bring stop-gap plan
(CNS): The Legislative Assembly will be opening for the next parliamentary year this morning (Wednesday) but there is still no budget. As a result of the minister of finance’s failure to balance the books in time and gain approval from the UK for both the short and long term borrowing, government departments are still cutting away at spending plans. In his third budget as finance minister, Premier McKeeva Bush was unable to deliver a plan that met with the FCO’s requirements in time to meet the fiscal year-end deadline and is now faced with the need to pass legislation for a two-month stop-gap appropriation.
The premier will be presenting a new short term budget for the start of the 2012/13 year asking to incur expenses of $127 million between 1 July and 31 August, which has been approved by the UK.
The premier will be facing severe criticism from the opposition benches when he brings the stop-gap appropriations to the floor of the Legislative Assembly this morning. Whatever difficulties governments face over budget preparation, it is its most fundamental role. Even if a political administration fails to pass any legislation or make any policy changes throughout the year, if it passes a budget government can still function. Without a budget it has no legal authority to spend or collect any revenue, making it impossible to pay bills, wages or loan repayments.
Since changing the Public Management and Finance Law early in the UDP’s administration, McKeeva Bush has delivered his government spending plans laterand later each year but this is the first time he has failed to make the deadline at all. Still blaming the PPM for the failure, however, the premier claimed last week that the decision to bring an emergency spending plan to the country’s parliament Wednesday was a “mature approach”.
The LA is scheduled to open at 10am with the presentation of the Throne Speech by the governor.
See draft appropriations below.
Miller appalled at grants
(CNS): The independent member for North Side described the news of the premier’s latest community initiative as “preposterous, outrageous and unprecedented”, and said that even if government was in a position to use the Dart funds which were put into central revenue for such a programme, it should be handled by an appropriate agency and not a political board. Miller demanded transparency over the revelations Monday that McKeeva Bush was planning to hand out grants that could exceed $10,000 to applicants who need health and safety repairs to their homes but who cannot afford to undertake the work.
Miller said that the community affairs ministry should handle this type of work as the Department of Child and Family Services was the agency normally dealing with the needs of people who needed repairs to make their homes safe or who needed septic tanks and other essential work done but couldn’t afford it. That department had the expertise, he said, and if there was extra government revenue for this then it should be appropriated through that ministry.
“We have established agencies that are supposed to deal with this,” he said. “If the $5 million from Dart has been contracted lawfully as the Anti-corruption Commission claims and the funds have gone into general revenue, on what authority is the premier’s office doing this?” Miller asked as he queried why a politically appointed committee was now going to decide which of the country’s vulnerable people would be given a grant.
He also pointed to the failure of the government to reveal who was on the committee and described it as another “state secret” which the premier needed to reveal to the public.
“This is typical of the UDP style of doing business,” Miller said, pointing out that there were proper and existing channels to give money to those in need and to politicise it in this way was totally unacceptable.
The independent member for North Side noted that in the ad that appeared in a local newspaper on Monday, although the grant was described as up to $10,000, it suggested that in certain circumstances it could be more and there was no indication of how many homes the government was going to be able to help and exactly how much it would cost, and that this was still public money.
He called on the Office of the Auditor General to closely scrutinize this latest government project as he said it was quite clearly inappropriate and open to immense speculation about what was going on.
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