Archive for July 23rd, 2012
Plan will merge 3 districts
(CNS): In order to have even numbers in the new nine district proposal put forward by the premier the districts of East End, North Side and most of the eastern part of Bodden Town will need to be combined into one district. Following last week’s referendum result the premier announced his intention to set up a bi-partisan committee to examine the possibility of double member constituencies of around 1900 voters, where each voter gets two votes. However, the current member for North Side has pointed out that in order to do that his district would be submerged in a greater geographical district covering well over half of Grand Cayman.
Ezzard Miller said that he and Arden McLean, the member for East End, would now begin campaigning to have their districts constitutionally protected as single member constituencies in an effort to preserve them and the distinctive district representation.
If North Side and East End are combined with the greater part of Bodden Town, using the electoral boundary commission’s recommendations for the boundaries of single member constituencies, they will become part of a mammoth eastern district. Based on the goal suggested by the premier of around 1900 voters for each district, this new constituency would stretch from the junction of Shamrock Road and Carlton Road all the way to East End and North Side.
Miller said that he could not support the latest idea by the premier and pointed out that McKeeva Bush and the UDP government had spent $100,000 of the people’s money campaigning to keep the system that Bush had said was not broken.
“He said it wasn’t broken, that it worked well,” Miller said. The independent member and leading advocate for one man, one vote in SMCs said that even after the premier had fixed the ballot result to say the ‘no’ vote had won and the people didn’t want change, he now says he will make a change that can’t work.
“He cannot insult the people of the country in this way,” Miller stated. “We will be agitating to protect our district representation,” he added referring to his parliamentary colleague Arden McLean, who is the opposition member for East End.
Despite aiming for equal size constituencies when it comes to voters, the premier’s latest suggestion would still see some imbalance as Cayman Brac and Little Cayman would remain one constituency returning two members while having less than a thousand registered voters. The Sister Islands have been given special protection under the 2009 Constitution that ensure the constituency will always return two members, despite its small population. In contract to the 980 or so voters currently registered on the Brac, the new district of Bodden Town, East End & North Side would have over two thousand voters.
Based on the existing boundaries drawn up by the commission in 2010, the new proposal by the premier would see what would have been the single member districts doubled up, starting in West Bay and moving out to the eastern districts, where the merge of the three districts into one constituency would occur in order to accommodate the other seven districts, in particular in the growing areas east of George Town, such as Savannah and Newlands.
The proposal would see West Bay divided into two double-member constituencies, George Town into three, a new district in Red Bay & Prospect and another new district covering the areas of Savannah and Pedro.
Speaking to Cayman 27 on Friday evening following his announcement on Radio Cayman on Thursday evening, the premier acknowledged that it may be problematic merging the existing single member constituencies of East End and North Side.
"We have to figure out what to do with East End and North Side, who have single members, and we have to work with them so they are not disadvantaged in any way,” Bush told the TV news channel.
Elections office releases final result in OMOV poll
(CNS): The elections office has released the official results for last Wednesday’s referendum which ended with a majority of people voting ‘Yes’ in five out of six districts, but which failed to provide a binding result under the criteria set by government. The office has confirmed that on polling day the register of electors stood at 15,161 people and 8676 of them came out to vote 57.23% of the entire electorate. Of those people who came to vote 5631 or 64.9% voted ‘Yes’ while 3001 of 34.5% people voted ‘No’ and 44 votes were rejected as spoilt ballots. The ‘yes’ vote converted to 37.14 per cent of the entire electorate and the ‘no; 19.79 per cent.
This mean nether the yes or the no votes carried the day., However the premier has clearly stated that he perceives the result to be a binding ‘no’.
Across Grand Cayman the “Yes” vote came in at more than two to one in favour in George Town, Bodden Town and East End, at five to one in North Side an even split slightly favouring ‘Yes;’ in the sister Islands but a marginal ‘No’ in West Bay.
In Bodden Town of the 3,467 total registered voters 2,021 were polled while 8 spoiled papers there were 1,396 yes votes against 617 no. In West Bay of the 3,685 registered voters, 2,093 voted 1,027 voted yes 1,053 no and 14 voters spoiled their ballot paper.
George Town 3,367 voters from an electorate of 5, were polled, 13 papers were spoiled while 2,360 people voted yes and 993 no. In Cayman Brac and Little Cayman there are 956 registered voters but only 461 were polled in the lowest turnout of all districts. Two papers were spoiled but 256 voted yes against 203 who voted No
Meanwhile, in North Side 397 people from the 551 registered voters went to the polls representing the largest turnout. 335 people said yes while only 56 said No with six votes rejected. In East End of the 588 registered voters 337 were polled with 257 voting yes and 79 voting no and just one rejected ballot.
The results are now available here or on line at the elections Office Website
Teenager charged with grocery shop robbery
(CNS): Continuing their run of success in rounding up and charging suspects in a number of recent robberies a spokesperson for the police said Monday that a 19-year-old man is expected to appear in court tomorrow (Tuesday 24 July) charged with the robbery of a local grocery store last month. The teenager is accused of holding up the Hills Grocery and More store in West Bay on 12 June. The suspect, who was arrested in the afternoon following the crime, is said to have entered the convenience store on Stadium Drive, at lunchtime with what appeared to be a handgun. He threatened staff before making off from the premises with a small sum of cash.
The man from West Bay has been charged with robbery and possession of an imitation firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence.
Anyone who has information on any crime in the Cayman Islands is asked to call the police on the RCIPS tip-line 949-7777 or Crime Stoppers on 800-8477 (TIPS).
Thieves nab luxury boat
(CNS): A boat worth more than $500K was stolen last week from Governor’s harbour. Police have now opened an investigation intothe theft of the 55-ft Sea Ray named Hana, which was reported stolen on Thursday, 19 July. Early enquires suggest that the thieves nabbed the luxury raft around 10:30 on Wednesday night from its mooring in Jellicoe Quay.
Officers from the RCIPS are now liaising with partners both at home and abroad in an attempt to trace the boat.
The police are urging boat owners to be extra vigilant and reminded to fuel their boats immediately before they use them as fuelling them to remain in situ for prolonged periods increases their vulnerability.
They also advise securing boats to the dock using chains, cables and padlocks and for owners to keep keys and the kill switches in their possession when the vessels are not in use, even if on a trailer. Trailers should also be padlocked, whether or not the vessel is on the trailer as they have also been stolen before, especially empty ones.
Police said owners should make sure there is sufficient lighting where boats are stored or moored because criminals do not like bright lights.
Boat owners should also make sure you they have all hull, engine and electronics serial numbers stored for reference in case of theft, as well as photos of the vessel, engines and trailers. Police also advise owners to inscribe, rather than write, personal ID numbers on the engine block and inside the hull in a place only known to them.
“There are several items on the marine market for tracking vessels. Most of the marine and security services dealers on Island should be able to assist with obtaining these systems, some of which are relatively inexpensive,” the RCIPS stated.
Anyone who has information which could assist the police in this enquiry should contact West Bay CID on 949-3999. Information can also be passed via the RCIPS tip-line 949-7777 or Crime Stoppers 800-8477 (TIPS).
Corruption enquiry widens to more UK newspapers
(The Guardian): The Scotland Yard investigation into alleged illegal payments by journalists to police and other public officials has been extended to Trinity Mirror and Richard Desmond's Express Newspapers, the Leveson inquiry has heard. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Sue Akers, who is leading the Metropolitan police investigations into alleged illegal activity by journalists, said Operation Elveden, the probe into corruption, had gone beyond Rupert Murdoch's News International to include payments from other newspapers. In one case a prison officer at a high security prison, who has now retired, had allegedly received payments from News International, Trinity Mirror and Express Newspapers totalling nearly £35,000, Akers told the Leveson inquiry on Monday.
She said the public official's former partner appeared to have facilitated the payments into their bank accounts, receiving "numerous payments" from NI, Trinity Mirror and Express Newspapers between April 2010 and June 2011.
She said further payments had been made after the official had retired, the last of which was by Express Newspapers in February 2012.
CO2 emissions at all time high
(UPI): Global emissions of carbon dioxide, the main cause of global warming, increased to an all-time high of 34 billion tons in 2011, European researchers said. As part of a global increase of 3 percent last year, emissions in China reached 7.2 tons per capita, putting that country in the company of the major industrialized countries, whose emissions vary from 6 to 9 tons per capita, the European Commission Joint Research Center said in a release Thursday. Of the industrialized countries, the United States remains one of the largest emitters of CO2, with 17.3 tons per capita despite a decline due to the recession in 2008-2009, high oil prices and an increased share of natural gas, the researchers said.
In the European Union CO2 emissions dropped by 3 percent to 7.5 tons per capita, they said. The 3 percent increase in global CO2 emissions in 2011 is above the past decade's average annual increase of 2.7 percent, the researchers said.
Laziness is a killer say scientists
(BBC): A lack of exercise is now causing as many deaths as smoking across the world, a study suggests. The report, published in the Lancet to coincide with the build-up to the Olympics, estimates that about a third of adults are not doing enough physical activity, causing 5.3m deaths a year. That equates to about one in 10 deaths from diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and breast and colon cancer. Researchers said the problem was now so bad it should be treated as a pandemic. And they said tackling it required a new way of thinking, suggesting the public needed to be warned about the dangers of inactivity rather than just reminded of the benefits of being active.
The team of 33 researchers drawn from centres across the world also said governments needed to look at ways to make physical activity more convenient, affordable and safer. It is recommended that adults do 150 minutes of moderate exercise, such as brisk walking, cycling or gardening, each week.
The Lancet study found people in higher income countries were the least active with those in the UK among the worst, as nearly two-thirds of adults were judged not to be doing enough.
Cops hope to net intern for scenes of crime
CNS): The RCIPS said it hopes that a local student will be considering a career with the police after she was placed with the Criminal Investigation Department working alongside Scenes of Crime staff as part of the police intern programme. Krsytin Carby is studying forensic photography in Miami, and was the, police said, an ideal candidate to be placed with the RCIPs. “I’m very interested in the forensic approach to solving crime,” she said. “I find it fascinating to see how the behind the scenes examination of DNA and fingerprints contribute to the overall criminal investigation strategies.
“It’s a vital part of police work and an area where I hope to specialise. That’s why I was delighted when I was offered a place with the RCIPS,”
Krystin added.
The RCIPS has 13 (thirteen) interns working in a variety of departments including Process, Human Resources and Fleet Management. All of the interns have been placed within departments that fit with their skills, studies and their aspirations for the future.
“All of our interns are doing a first class job, they are keen and they are committed to learning as much about the organisation as they can in the four weeks they will be working with us,” said Acting Chief Superintendent Marlon Bodden. “It was clear from the outset that there was only one place that Krystin should be with her skills in forensics and photography – that was Scenes of Crime. This is only her second week with us but already she has greatly impressed the staff she is working with.”
Bodden said the RCIPS sees the intern programme as an opportunity to showcase what the service does and as a way to encourage local people to join and see how applying their skills and studies in their chosen field, make a significant difference to community.
Young people pass through local refs course
(CNS): Twelve people have completed last month’s CIFA Referee Beginners Course including Three of Cayman U20 Women National players. Officials from CIFA said the certification could be the first step for the new referees to represent Cayman on the international stage. CIFA's Senior Referee Instructor Livingston Bailey said he was delighted to see young people participating in the course. He said they brought vibrancy and enthusiasm to the sessions. An advocate of succession planning, Bailey said the new refs would enhance Cayman's representation at the FIFA international level within the next three to five years.
Shanelle Frederick, Chelsea Brown and Kaela Ebanks were the three women to get their certificates which Bailey said would also enhance their interpretation of the laws of the game fostering a more positive environment with on field match officials when they are playing.
With the implementation of new FIFA regulations on the Organization of Refereeing in all FIFA Member Associations as at the 1st April 2011, Bailey added that the CIFA Refereeing Department is channelling its focus on the development of all sectors of refereeing.
He said special emphasis will be geared to the development of young referees by giving them the opportunities to officiate in grassroots and youth competitions, to enhance their skills and prepare them for the advanced levels of competitions.
“This process will indeed bring steady maturity to their development and create the gateway for their advancement to the FIFA International Panels where they can represent their country as great ambassadors,” Bailey said in a release from CIFA.
The presentation ceremony was held at CIFA Office on Wednesday 11 July where certificates were presented to the successful participants by one of Cayman's football pioneer and member of CIFA Referee Committee, Lenny Hew. Also receiving his certificate was Kenroy Willis, who successfully completed his referee basic training in December 2011.
Convicted murderer given further long sentences
(CNS): A West Bay man who was convicted of the murder of Carlos Webster in a West Bay Road nightclub in 2009 has been given a 20-year prison sentence for an attempted murder and a further sixteen years for possession of an unlicensed firearm relating to the same crime. The chief justice handed down the sentences to Devon Anglin (26) on Friday morning in Grand Court. The two prison terms concern the attempted murder of Christopher Solomon, who was hit in the stomach during the nightclub slaying, and the use of the handgun during the crime. Anglin is already serving a life sentence but after the introduction of the Bill of Rights in November, he will be entitled to apply for a tariff.
Meanwhile, Anglin has appealed the murder conviction, which is now set to go before the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal in November. However, he is expected to appear before the current appeal court session on 30 July because the crown is appealing Anglin’s acquittal in the case against him forthe murder of 4-year-old Jeremiah Barnes. The prosecution is hoping to secure a re-trial in that case after Anglin was found not guilty following a judge alone trial presided over by Justice Howard Cooke, a visiting retired judge from Jamaica.
The little boy was shot in the head and killed while sitting in the back of a car at the Hell Road Gas Station in West Bay in February 2010. Anglin was accused by Jeremiah’s parents of being the gunman who fired several shots while aiming for Andy Barnes, the child’s father.
In a separate case, Raziel Jeffers, who was convicted earlier this year of the murder of Marcus Ebanks and the attempted murder of four other men, will appear before the Court of Appeal on Wednesday to appeal his conviction and life sentence in that case. The 28-year-old man was found guilty after a judge alone trial before Justice Charles Quin based on the evidence of teen witness Adryan Powell, who was paralyzed as a result of the multiple gunshots he received on the evening of the shooting, and testimony from Jeffers’ former girlfriend.