Archive for September 5th, 2012
Novice refs offered free training for youth football
(CIFA): The Cayman Islands Referees Department (CIRD) is offering a Beginners Referee Course to certify referees to officiate CIFA youth football matches for the upcoming season. Certified referees will only officiate Under 13 Boys, Under 15 Boys, Under 13 Girls, and Under 17 Girls CIFA competitions. The course is free of charge and designed for individuals over 17 years of age. The course will take place at the George Town Primary School from 18 to 20 September 2012 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00p.m. All referees will be compensated for their services and anyone wishing to join in should contact the CIFA office by 12 September and send full name, date of birth, e-mail address and cell phone to marcos.tinoco@cifa.ky 949-5775 or Alfredo Whittaker alfredo.whittaker@cifa.ky
More graduates equipped to handle victims of abuse
(CNS): Another thirteen graduates from various government departments have received certificates after completing the Domestic Violence Intervention Training Programme (DVITP). Participants from the Department of Community Rehabilitation, Postal Services, Public Libraries, Crisis Centre, and retired police officers from the United Kingdom, were among the latest group of people who completed the programme. They were all recognised recently for demonstrating high levels of commitment, increased knowledge and success in their work. The three full-day sessions were offered by the Department of Counselling Services’ Family Resource Centre (FRC).
DVITP provides sensitivity training for professionals who interact with victims of domestic violence. The programme educates persons about domestic violence and the surrounding issues, while providing them with appropriate responses to end the cycle of violence.
Androgroup Killa Panthers lead the pack
(GCFFA): Androgroup Killa Panthers pounced on the Burger King Wolverines last Friday night at the Camana Bay Field, taking the top seeded spot as the season draws to an end for the Dart Women’s League under the Grand Cayman Flag Football Association. The Killa Panthers began the season with a winning streak and are looking to end the same way, as they fought hard against the Wolverines, walking away with a 7-6 win. Christina Hefner had one of her best throwing games yet, completing 17 of 23 pass attempts, with one interception thrown.
Alicia Dixon continues to shine for Androgroup, leading the offense with six receptions including one in the end-zone for the team’s only touchdown. Heather Roffey caught the conversion points to add to the score. Cassandra Bodden was right behind Dixon with four catches, and Lisa Malice had three.
Becky Coe led a fierce defense with six tackles, followed by Roffey with four and Janique Samson with three tackles. Bodden also played an important role in defense, sacking the Wolverines’ quarterback three times, and Gillian Roffey added an interception to the team’s defense.
The Wolverines played a shaky game until later in the last quarter when they scored their first touchdown in hopes of catching up to the Killa Panthers. Withtheir main quarterback, Antoinette Lewis, still on the injured list, Wolverines relied on Alex Terry who completed an impressive 19 of 27 pass attempts and one interception thrown.
Benecia Thompson was back in action on offense, leading with nine receptions, and was also the lone scorer for the Wolverines with her touchdown rush. Jah Thomas had four catches, while Patrice Myles and Alexandria Saintville followed with three.
Saintville also tore up the defense with six tackles and one interception. Thomas pulled three flags on defense and sacked the quarterback once, and Carrie Barnett came through with three tackles. Natalyee Dyke also added a sack to the defense.
On field 2, the Zulu Warriors paraded down the field in an 18-0 victory over the Hammerheads Lady Sharks. Jessica Pawlik handled all the quarterback duties for the Warriors, completing 17 of 32 pass attempts.
Dionne Whittaker was the star for Zulu, having made four catches and running in two touchdowns- including one 60 yard run in the last thirty seconds of the first half. Treveen Stewart had an NFL worthy touchdown as she dodged several Shark defenders to run her ball in 38 yards. Emily Vakauta had five receptions, followed by Shamar Ennis with four.
Zulu’s defense was led by Tanjana Campbell as she put the pressure on the Lady Sharks’ quarterback with four sacks. Agueda Blake had three tackles, followed by Hortencia Jackson and Whittaker with two. Jackson also had an interception, as did Maggie Ebanks in the end-zone, preventing the Sharks from scoring.
Hammerheads Lady Sharks’ game relied heavily on the movements of quarterback Hong Nguyen, who completed eight of twenty pass attempts and two interceptions thrown.
Rebecca Lucas had the most looks on offense, with four catches. Nguyen made several attempts to move up the field with some long passes, but was unable to connect with her receivers. It was her quick read of the defense that led Nguyen to running the ball up the field to move the Sharks within scoring range.
Leading the defense for Lady Sharks was Jennifer Leggett with five tackles, followed by Lilia Conolly and Lucas with four tackles. Sophia Foster and Serena Yates each had a sack on the Warriors’ quarterback.
The Lone Star JagerMonsters began their Saturday in winning form after defeating the Hot 104.1FM Cheetahs 6-0. Erica Bosch was the quarterback for Lone Star, and despite a less than average passing game with just 10 of 34 pass attempts completed, she rushed in the team’s only touchdown in the second half of the game.
Renee Thompson was Bosch’s favorite receiver, catching five balls. Tricia Miller, who is used to the quarterback position, was this time on the receiving end, catching two balls. Bosch managed to hit the rest of her receivers one-time each.
It was a quiet defensive game with not many tackles needing to be made. Devon Smith led with three, followed by Christina Ravdas with two. Nickey Martinich and Bosch each had one interception, and Thompson added two picks.
For the Cheetahs, a shaky offense is hindering the team from making any progress. Quarterback Jamesette Anglin had an uneventful game, completing just six of twenty-three pass attempts and two interceptions thrown. The team also tried out Tracey Seymour as QB, and Seymour was unsuccessful in hitting her offense on either of her pass attemps, but did connect with the defense as one pass attempt was intercepted.
Kara Rankine and Sarafina McField led the offense with two receptions each. Tonia Ebanks-McLaughlin and Seymour each had one catch. The Cheetahs need a major overhaul on offense if they expect to make any impression in the playoffs, as they still hold a strong chance of securing the last playoff spot.
Maples Bliss managed to keep their playoff spot in grasp as they edged out a win onSubway Stingers 8-6. Quarterback for Maples, Ellenor Berry continues to improve her game, completing ten of 15 pass attempts. Loletta Hanna also stepped in as QB, completing six of 11 pass attempts.
Maliqui Awe saw the most action on offense with nine receptions, followed by Marleena Smith with three. Krishan Welcome caught the lone touchdown in the end-zone for Maples.
Diannera Whittaker held down the defense with four tackles. The rushers put pressure on the quarterback for Subway, as Kamala Murugesu and Sheyla Torres came up with two sacks each. Isatou Sey also had an interception on defense.
Subway Stingers held on until the end, as they scored their first touchdown in the latter part of the second half. Quarterback Christina Pineda completed twelve of 25 pass attempts and one interception thrown.
Anna Nyaudi kept Subway on track, leading the offense with four receptions including one in the end-zone to bring Subway on the scoreboard. Joanne Remillard had three catches followed by Cassandra Parchment with two. Slippery hands on the receivers was a problem for Subway, as Pineda was able to connect with her offense but they couldn’t hold onto the ball enough times to make leeway. A bad snap which led Pineda into the end-zone resulted in a safety for Maples.
Nyaudi also led the defense with eight tackles, followed by Keisha Anglin with four tackles and one sack. Sasha Tatum covered the middle with three tackles and Nikki Ebanks put the speed on to sack Maples’ quarterback one time.
The final regular season games take place at the Camana Bay Field starting Friday night at 8pm on field one with the Hammerheads Lady Sharks versus Hot 104.1FM Cheetahs, and Maples Bliss against Androgroup Killa Panthers on field two. Saturday morning sees the Burger King Wolverines take on the Lone Star JagerMonsters at 10am, followed by the Subway Stingers versus Zulu Warriors at 11am. The final playoff spot is up for grabs between the three lowest seeded teams- Subway Stingers, Lone Star JagerMonsters and the Hot 104.1FM Cheetahs.
7.6 Earthquake shakes Costa Rica
(CNS): The US Geological Survey has confirmed that a powerful 7.6 magnitude earthquake rocked the north-western part of Costa Rica at around 8:40 this morning and a tsunami alert has been issued on the Pacific coast of most of Central and South America. The centre of the quake was about 50 miles south of Liberia and was at a depth of 12.4 miles. According to Reuters it rattled buildings and cut power in some parts of San Jose, the country’s capital. So far there have been no reports of any deaths or serious injuries as a result of the quake.
Power and communications were lost briefly throughout most of the country and there were reports that it could be felt as far away as Nicaragua and El Salvador.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday evening a 5.2-magnitude quake shook the waters north of the British Virgin Islands. The USG said the quake occurred around 65 miles north-northeast of Road Town, and 78 miles north-northeast of Charlotte Amalie in the United States Virgin Islands.
The region north of the British Virgin Islands seems to have been experiencing increased seismic activity in the last few weeks. Tuesday’s quake came a few hours after another 4.2-magnitude tremor in the same vicinity as well as a 4.0 magnitude on Tuesday morning.
Young boat mechanic awarded maritime scholarship
(CNS): Christopher Delaney is the recipient of this year’s specialist maritime Gwen Bush Memorial Scholarship. The college fund is awarded annually to young Caymanians pursuing studies in the boat building trade and other maritime careers. Delaney has been accepted at the International Yacht Restoration School and will be focusing on a Marine Systems Certificate 1 Year Programme. The course will teach him to install, troubleshoot, maintain and repair the major systems found in power and sail boats and is partnered with the American Boat and Yacht Council.
Delany has been working at Compass Marine Ltd from the time he was in high school repairing boats of all sizes. “I am very thankful for this opportunity and would also like to thank Compass Marine for pushing me in the right direction,” he said when he received his award named in honour of Gwen Bush who dedicated years of service to Caymanian seamen during the “Southwell” years of shipping in the Cayman Islands. The award is a collaboration between the Seafairers Association and the education ministry.
“The Maritime industry is a huge part of our country’s history and it is important that we celebrate and honour it, and help in any way possible, our young people who wish to continue on the tradition and have a career in this field,” said Minister for Education Rolston Anglin. “I wish Christopher all the best in his certification.”
For more information on the scholarship please visit www.education.gov.ky or email the Scholarships Secretariat at scholarships@gov.ky
Bellingham survives UK cabinet shake-up
(CNS): Despite some speculation that the minister with responsibility for the overseas territories may have lost his ministerial post as Under Secretary of State, in the British prime minister’s cabinet reshuffle this week Henry Bellingham has kept his post. The Tory minister, with whom Cayman’s premier claims he has a good relationship, will stay on in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office with William Hague, one of the Conservative heavyweights who also retained his top job as Foreign Secretary. The UK government's mid-term shake up is seen by many as David Cameron’s attempt to revive the Tory-led coalition’s fortunes in the face of continued austerity.
George Osborne, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who was booed earlier this week as he handed out medals at the Para-Olympic games, remains at Number 11 Downing Street in David Cameron's first cabinet re-jig that is not expected to herald any major changes of policy. UK polls had shown that the British public believes Osborne, who is a close ally of Cameron, should be sacked.
Despite some speculation in the UK Press that Hague had lost his mojo, he has retained his post after telling the Evening Standard last week that he had wanted to remain in the position.
During the interview Hague told the London-based evening paper that the UK must shed lingering feelings of "post-colonial guilt" and be confident about its status on the world stage.
He said the UK had a "new and equal partnership" with countries unburdened by past history but Britain should be "more ambitious" about its role in the world and should not be held back by worries over any residual resentment overseas about its colonial past.
The foreign secretary’s comments come in the wake of the publication of a white paper regarding the future relationship the UK wants with its existing overseas territories and remaining colonial legacy, which indicates a desire for a much more hands-on approach.
Mystery bridge on ETHE
(CNS): The emergence of a bridge along the Esterley Tibbetts Highway extension being undertaken by Dart has begun to raise public concerns that it will be spanning future channels which may cut through the island from the North Sound to Seven Mile Beach. A selection of pictures taken over the last four weeks by concerned citizens also shows the clearing of mangroves and dykes along the extension route, which is fuelling local fears about the scope and scale of the development around the new road. The extension forms part of the NRA agreement within the ForCayman Investment Alliance deal between the islands’ largest developer and government.
With few details about the Dart Cayman’s long term plans regarding the complete project, which is tied to the development of a five-star resort at the former site of the Courtyard Marriott, speculation over the bridge is mounting about the possible dredging of a channel, which would effectively slice through Grand Cayman at its narrowest point.
CNS has contacted Dart, the NRA and the planning department in an effort to find out more about the bridge. Dart and the NRA have so far failed to respond to questions about what it will span and any plans for future canals or channels that could cut through to the Seven Mile Beach area or into the planned resort. The Department of Planning confirmed that no permission has been given by them for any canal or channel development.
“Our department has not been provided with any details about the extension of the Esterley Tibbetts Highway other than what we've read in the media or on the ForCayman Alliance web site,” a spokesperson for planning stated. “To date, an application for planning permission has not been submitted for any canals associated with the works shown in the photograph or anywhere in the area of the road works undertaken over the past few months.”
The planning department did state that the NRA would not be required to apply for planning permission when building roads, with or without bridges. However, if there is associated development that includes canals, that development would require planning permission. The spokesperson also noted that the current situation with a private sector developer constructing the road, as opposed to a government-owned company, is something of a grey area.
The photographs, which show the clearing of dykes and removal of mangrove at the edges of channels in the area as well as raised areas between the water channels, coupled with the clear and evident construction of a bridge are leading some residents, particularly in the West Bay area to speculation that the developer could be planning to link the sea on either side, which raises a number of environmental concerns.
“There is a very real potential for loss of life and massive destruction upon virtually all of West Bay in the event of another Ivan-like hurricane if this bridge is an indication of a plan for channels linking the North Sound to Seven Mile Beach,” a local activist stated after pictures of the bridge were circulated last month.
“The sea surging inland from the North Sound will be even worse and more extensive, since its path would be made easier and more dangerous due to the deep and wide yacht channels.”
There is no confirmation however, that Dart plans to construct any new waterways in the area or why it has constructed the bridge.
Photos above were taken 2 September.
See series of pictures of the extension taken in August below.
See plans associated with NRA/Dart agreement here