Archive for September, 2012
Cayman adds HPV to child vaccine list
(CNS): Following a pilot programme carried out in 2009 and 2010, government says that a cancer prevention vaccination will be integrated into Cayman’s childhood immunization programme starting in November of this year. Health Minister Mark Scotland announced Thursday a phased introduction of the Human Papillomavirus vaccine (HPV). The programme will be limited to girls only in the initial phase and it will be given as a course of three injections administered at set intervals over a 6-month period. The vaccine will be offered on a first come, first serve basis, while supplies last, government officials revealed.
The move was welcomed by Dr Sook Yin, Medical Director of the Cayman Islands Cancer Society, which has campaigned for a long time to get the vaccine onto the immunization schedule. The doctor said she was elated that the school-based element of the vaccine programme was moving forward, making the programme convenient for both students and parents. Parents or guardians must attend the appointment with their children at the clinics and give written consent for the vaccine to be administered.
A public awareness campaign about cervical cancer and the HPV vaccine will be undertaken by the Cayman Islands Cancer Society and the Public Health Department using a variety of outlets including media interviews, advertisements, public education presentations in schools, including Home School Associations and specially organized district awareness sessions.
Leaflets will also be available at these sessions as well as the Cayman Islands Cancer Society on Maple Road, all Health Services Authority facilities, doctor’s offices and libraries.
“It will be a phased programme initially held at the Public Health Clinic at the Cayman Islands Hospital, West Bay and Bodden Town health centres, Faith Hospital in Cayman Brac and all government high schools throughout the Cayman Islands,“ the minister of health said, as he commended the ongoing collaboration between the health authority and the Cayman Islands Cancer Society. “Our immunization programme continues to be very successful. I encourage young women and their parents or guardians to take advantage of this cervical cancer prevention vaccination,” Scotland added.
HPV causes cancer of the cervix, genital warts and some precancerous lesions of the cervix, vagina and vulva. The vaccine is of greatest benefit if it is administered before the onset of sexual activity; hence the target age group is 11 to 12 year old students. At this age, the antibody responseto vaccine is optimal. However, the vaccine will also be available to young women between the ages of 11 and 17 years at the various Health Services Authority facilities.
The education minister Rolston Anglin welcomed the programme but said the vaccine is not mandatory.
“The vaccination is being offered at school for your convenience. No child will be vaccinated without parental consent and you will have the opportunity to be present at the time of vaccination if you choose,” the minister added.
See fact sheet on HPV below.
Bush must pass all FFR, says Miller
(CNS): North Side MLA Ezzard Miller has said he believes the premier must pass the entire Framework for Fiscal Responsibility into law as he is not in a position to pick and choose what he likes from the document, which was signed by McKeeva Bush last November. Speaking to CNS in the wake of Wednesday's controversial announcement by the premier that not only had he not committed to a specific date for passing the FFR into law but he was also not necessarily agreeing to the ratification of the complete agreement, Miller said the premier would not have a choice in the issue.
The outspoken MLA accused the premier of contradicting himself as it was Bush who announced to the Legislative Assembly that the FFR must become law by the 30 September as a condition of the budget approval last month.
“Someone needs to remind Mr Bush that his signature is not on page three of the fiscal agreement but at the end of it and he needs to understand what that means,” Miller stated.
He pointed out that Bush's reluctance to sign the document was late in the day, given that the former FCO minister Henry Bellingham, the FCO director Colin Roberts and Cayman Governor Duncan Taylor had all stated that the agreement was binding from the point Bush signed the document last year.
“Once again, the premier has placed the entire Cayman Islands in an embarrassing situation with the UK. It has to be remembered too that this document, which the premier signed under duress, was as a result of his government's failure to meet any of the UK's previous requests to get the country's finances in order and the continued mismanagement of public funds by this government,” Miller added.
The premier’s claim that more time was needed for discussion with the private sector over the details of the FFR was, Miller said, ”ludicrous” and “disingenuous", considering the legislation that is consistently pushed through the parliament with little or no consultation.
"Everyone has known about the FFR for almost a year and very few people disagree with document, given that it is designed to improve the management of government funds,” he said. “Everyone in the LA supports it and few, if anyone, in the private sector have complained as it should lead to more prudent public spending, something the private sector has been clamouring for.”
The North Side MLA said that Bush's continued reluctance was related to his fears that the major private-public development projects with Dart and CHEC could be undermined by the FFR.
“Clearly Bush sees this agreement as a threat to the ForCayman Investment Alliance with the Dart Group and his plans to develop the cruise berthing in George Town with CHEC. Having read the agreement I cannot see how either proposal would comply with it,” Miller added.
The premier's revelations that he had told the new FCO minister that he would not be bringing the bill for the FFR to the LA until 5 November and may not pass the entire document has elicited no response from the governor. A spokesperson from his office indicated Thursday that Taylor would not be making any comment on the issue. CNS has also contacted the FCO about the premier's announcement and the UK's position regarding the conditions attached to the budget approval and is awaiting a response.
Related articles:
CIG has 4 years sort debt (November 2011) – documents attached
Mac may reject some of FFR (September 2012)
Senior cop stripped to PC
(CNS): A former in inspector with the RCIPS has been stripped of his rank and reverted to a police constable following an internal police investigation, sources tell CNS. The police have confirmed that the officer was the subject of two disciplinary hearings but have refused to reveal the details of the offences that brought the former senior officer before the RCIPS' own tribunal. The commissioner's office told CNS that the officer in question was found not guilty of the offences in one of the matters before the tribunal but guilty in the other.
“We are unable to discuss the findings and/or sanctions rendered as it is likely the referenced officer will be exercising his right of appeal,” an RCIPS spokesperson stated.
Although no details of the allegations have been revealed by the commissioner, CNS has learned that the officer has been demoted back to the basic rank, indicating the severity of the offence or breach of rules. The RCIPS also denied that the internal disciplinary hearing was related in any way to a case handled by the inspector regarding a former police officer charged with unlawfully possessing police property, which is now a matter before the courts.
The confirmation regarding this recent disciplinary action comes in the wake of news concerning an ongoing internal investigation into an alleged assault by a chief inspector on a junior ranking officer which the DPP had declined to prosecute, having declared it was not in the public interests to do so.
Constable Cardiff Robinson has since filed legal action in Grand Court seeking judicial review for disclosure of the file and the ruling of the director of public prosecutions (DPP) in which she chose not to pursue criminal charges and her reasons for that decision ahead of possible civil action against the police. Robinson filed an incident report in February regarding an alleged assault against him by a senior police officer, Chief inspector Frank Owens, who is in charge of George Town police station.
The complaint was passed by the RCIPS to the DPP, who advised several months later that a criminal charge was made out against Owens but a decision had been madenot to prosecute on the grounds of public interest immunity and recommended that the matter be handled internally
The issue of the RCIPS policing themselves has been a cause for concern in the wider public for some time but it is also something that the Police Association has alsoqueried.
In the Robinson case a spokesperson for the association told CNS that they were concerned about the internal enquiry as they questioned who in police management was not already conflicted or compromised in some way in connection with the case.
The concern of the Police Association is that there can be no one who is in a position to fairly oversee the investigation. More than a dozen complaints have been made to the association against the same senior officer, who has not been suspended from duty and currently remains in charge of one of the largest group of officers in the RCIPS.
The police representative body also has concerns which have reportedly been raised with the commissioner that its membership already has issues about the levels of inequality within the service.
“Our wider membership has been concerned for some time about the inequality that exits in the RCIPS when it comes to the treatment of some officers over others,” the association told CNS.
Related article:
Public encouraged to ask for info on RTK Day
(CNS): The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is celebrating Right to Know Day Friday and is encouraging everyone to file information requests with government about the things they want to know. With the theme of “It's yours just ask”, the office is encouraging people to use the law. According to the latest statistics from the office, since the introduction of the law, which has seen a sea change in the relationship between the government and the public, well over 2,300 requests to government have been made. The ICO heralds the success of the law as it has begun to influence public authorities to proactively publish information.
While there are still problems with some government agencies and although information managers seem to be taking longer to respond to request, on the whole the government is releasing more information than ever before.
As part of raising awareness about the law, the ICO is asking everyone to wear blue on Friday and then join them at Market at the Grounds on Saturday morning for the coconut festival.
See the full statistics report and more details about the RTK campaign and events below.
George W Bush to deliver key note speech in Cayman
(CNS Business): President George W Bush will be heading to Cayman for a brief visit in November as the star speaker at an inaugural specialist investment conference. Bush and Sir Richard Branson will be key note speakers at the Cayman Alternative Investment Summit, with the former Republican president topping the bill for his speaking debut in the Cayman Islands onthe eve of the US presidential election. Sponsors of the event, which will run at the same time as the Legends Tennis Tournament at the Ritz Carlton, said the conference is about the “crucial ingredients for sustaining a vibrant global alternative investment industry”. George Bush is scheduled to speak at 7pm on Thursday 1 November between cocktails and dinner. Read more on CNS Business
Drug court helps 70 addicts into recovery
(CNS): Three men and one woman brought the total of people helped on the road to recovery by the Drug Court over the last five years to 70 when they graduated from the rehabilitation programme on Tuesday. The four non-violent offenders had all faced various criminal charges that brought the four individuals to the court in the first place but they were all dismissed by the chief magistrate as she congratulated them on their achievement at the 8th graduation the court has held. Alongside the awards, the four graduates were given gifts from the local Rotary clubs who sponsored the programme as well as the latest Blackberry phones from Digicel.
The three men and one woman who wished to retain their anonymity had faced charges relating to possession of cocaine, ganja consumption and possession and even theft and burglary. However, by passing through the rehabilitation programme the graduates' slates were wiped clean and they escaped convictions for those crimes by tackling their drug and alcohol problems, which were seen as the cause of their crimes.
The Drug Rehabilitation Court started in October 2007 and signalled a new approach to dealing with offenders with substance abuse problems in the criminal justice system. The aim of the DRC is to stop drug abuse and the associated crime with court-directed treatment and rehabilitation.
All of the graduates spoke about their gratitude for the programme and the help they had received to get clean and begin the road to recovery. One noted that the treatment-based programmes not only helped with the direct problem of drug misuse but the underlying cause of why she had turned to drugs.
Speaking about the programme’s success so far, the DRC co-ordinator Catherine Guilbard said the alternative court worked and to see 70 people helped by the programme since it started five years ago was a “remarkable achievement” for a small jurisdiction. She pointed to the combination of agencies involved in the rehab programme and described it as a team approached to a challenging situation.
Chief Magistrate Nova Hall commended the graduates for their achievement. “We provided the tools, but you did the work. You could not have reached this stage without your own efforts.”
A former graduate of the programme and a guest speaker for the graduation, Sidney Parchment, told the latest individuals that there would be challenges ahead but having been clean for almost three years, he said, “A life of sobriety is a lot easier than one of addiction.”
Mac may reject some of FFR
(CNS): The Cayman Islands premier has said that he has not committed to making the entire Framework for Fiscal Responsibility he signed with the UK last year into law. In a statement released by his office Wednesday, McKeeva Bush, who is currently in Greenland, contradicted comments from the governor’s office about when the document will be made law and how much of it will make the statue books. Evidence of further difficulties in the relationship between the premier and the governor, Bush said the office had created a “misleading picture” of what he had discussed in London last week with the new OT minister Mark Simmonds.
“The statement from the Office of the Governor regarding assurances given by Premier McKeeva Bush to Minister Mark Simmonds during a 20 September courtesy call that the Framework for Fiscal Responsibility will be transposed into law 'no later than 9 November 2012' has omitted important information that creates a misleading picture of what was discussed,” the statement from the Premier’s Office said.
Bush was in London on Thursday and made a courtesy call on the new UK minister, which his office said was initiated by the Cayman leader, who was on his way to Denmark and then Greenland.
The meeting reportedly included the premier’s Chief of Staff Leonard Dilbert, his Senior Political Assistant Richard Parchment and Cayman’s UK representative Lord Blencathra. Bush was said to have reassured Simmonds that Cayman would cooperate in putting the FFR into law.
“However, Premier Bush also stressed that it was necessary, and important, for the government to consult with the private sector on the FFR prior to the bill going to the House. At no point did the premier indicate that the entire FFR as was signed in 2011 would be enacted in law," the Premier’s office stated, adding that this was not made clear by the Governor’s Office this week.
During the meeting the premier was said to have confirmed that the FFR bill was going to the House on 5 November but no further timing on the legislation was given except to say that it “should take no more than a few days to have it passed and to have the UKG, give assent to it, to bring it into effect."
According to Bush's office, he “could not and did not give the specific date of the 9 November, contrary to what is now being reported in the governor's statement. The date from the premier was the 5 November. That is the date the House will resume.”
The UK said recently however, that he agreement which was signed between Bush and the former UK FCO minister for the territories in November last year had to become law in the Cayman Islands by the end of September as a condition for the UK’s approval of the 2012/13 budget.
However, this is the first official and wider public comment the premier made about his decision not to honour that commitment and the revelation that he does not necessarily intend to implement the FFR as it is.
The opposition leader and both the independent members of the House have expressed their concerns about the premier’s reluctance to pass the FFR into law and the continued deterioration of the relationship between Cayman and the UK.
CNS has contacted the Governor’s Office and is now awaiting official comment regarding the latest development in Cayman-UK relations.
Meanwhile, in the same statement from the Premier’s Office, the issue of Bush’s attendance at the EU-OCT meeting in Ilulissat was addressed. The office said the premier was going to the EU territories meeting in Greenland to deal with possible measures that if not addressed, could negatively impact Cayman's financial services industry.
See the full statement below.
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Beach sellers face clamp down
(CNS): Despite the tough economic times, the government has issued a warning to vendors who set up shop in public spaces, in particular beaches, without a valid Trade and Business License that they will be prosecuted. There is a growing number of people selling a variety of craft, cultural items and local produce around the island recently, including on Seven Mile Beach and the West Bay public beach. Officials said Wednesday that the goal of the clamp down was to prevent vendors from harassing visitors and to maintain Cayman’s place as a premium destination. The Trade and Business Licensing Unit said that at the start of next year all illegal public vendors could face prosecution but public beaches are the primary concern.
The unit is now working with the Parks Unit, tourism and the RCIPS to ensure that vendors are not violating the law. Anyone found guilty of contravening section 163 of the Penal Code is liable to a $1,000 fine for the first offence, and a $5,000 fine and imprisonment of up to six months for the second offence.
“If vendors are found without a valid trade and business license after 1 January, they will be immediately prosecuted by the RCIPS,” said TBL’s head of business licensing and enforcement, Ryan Rajkumarsingh. “And as far as using the public cabanas on Seven Mile Beach for vending purposes, this is strictly prohibited. These are intended for leisurely use by beachgoers only.”
TBL will consider granting licenses to individuals who have received Cabinet approval to use public property to carry on their trades, Rajkumarsingh said. However, this was dependent on the type of business and said that individual must also meet requirements from various government departments such as planning; environment, for food handling; and DoT, for PRIDE customer service training.
Rajkumarsingh acknowledged that an immediate prosecution of vendors who are breaking the law may pose a threat to their livelihood. “We therefore are offering a grace period of three months to give persons time to get in compliance with the law,” he said.
“But this grace period will definitely end on 31 December 2012,” he emphasised. “It is important for vendors to know that there are serious repercussions for not having a valid trade and business license.”
Department of Tourism Director Shomari Scott said the goal was to prevent visitors from being harassed, not to hinder vendors.
"DoT welcomes vendors offering visitors and residents a taste of our culture and heritage in public spaces. However, it should never occur to the extent where our visitors and residents begin to feel harassed,” said Scott.
“We support the Department of Commerce and Investment and its Trade and Business Licensing Unit in their enforcement campaign to manage and regulate public vending on our beaches. We hope all business persons see this campaign not as a hindrance, but as an initiative to ensure the Cayman Islands maintains its place as a premier tourism destination,” he added.
Scott said anyone dealing with visitors had to meet certain standards and pointed to the DoT’s PRIDE programme created in 2008 as a baseline for customer service across the local tourism product.
"It is important that persons who are interfacing with our visitors are equipped with the necessary tools to provide the best experience possible,” said Scott. “Our guests continue to choose our destination because of the ‘no-hassle’ factor and the wonderful spirit of relaxation and safety which we provide. We should endeavour to maintain this element in all manners possible,” he added.
Officials said that to get a trade and business licence they can visit the Trade and Business Licensing Unit’s website at www.dci.gov.ky, or call 945-0943 to find out the requirements for setting up a business. Potential vendors must obtain permissions from the relevant Government departments/agencies and Cabinet and complete the PRIDE training certification programme.
Once all of the approved documents re submitted to the Trade and Business Licensing Unit the application will be considered for license.
Ritz brand to remain despite hotel auction
(CNS Business): It is business as usual at Cayman’s only five-star resort, the Joint Receivers at the Ritz-Carlton said Tuesday, despite the fact that the hotel is on the auction block. KMPG, appointed by the new owners of Cesar Hotelco (Cayman) Ltd, CondoCo Grand Cayman Resort Ltd, Cesar Properties Ltd and CondoCo Properties Ltd, the companies seized from the developer by RC Cayman Ltd, said the sale would include the long-term management agreement with The Ritz brand. Next month’s auction was described by the firm as “part of the process” for the lender to recover its debt and will have no impact on the hotel and the guest experience. Read more on CNS Business
Football training session heralds relaunch of PFL
CNS): The first-ever training course for Primary Football League for coaches, parents and volunteers took place recently as a first step on the road to re-launching the local grassroots football programme. Jeffrey Webb, President of CIFA and the regional boss for the international footballing body FIFA said improving grass roots football was one of the main goals of the association. The course was sponsored CUC who also sponsor the Primary Football League. With the success of the course and the assistance of various associations, the PFL Committee now has plans for a referee and a first-aid course as they strive to improve youth football on and off the field.
“The partnership between CIFA, CUC and the PFL Committee to offer the training course for PFL coaches, parents and volunteers is the first step towards re-launching CIFA’s Grassroots Programme later this year,” said Webb in a release from CUC. “One of our main focusses going forward will be on grassroots football, and I am thankful that we are able to work with CUC and the PFL Committee in this regard.”
The 10-hour PFL Coaches Training Course was based on FIFA’s Grassroots Programme and was facilitated by Marcos Tinoco, CIFA’s General Manager and a FIFA Grassroots Instructor.
The training course, which took place at the George Town Primary School, focused primarily on core areas of the Grassroots Programme including the philosophy of Grassroots Football, FIFA Fair Play Code, the coach-educator, the basic techniques, the characteristics of children, the educational approach, the Grassroots football session, example exercises, small-sided games and field and material preparation. A review of the
PFL Laws of the Games was also included in one of the sessions.
The course concluded on Saturday, September 22 at the Annex Field with a practical session for participants when participants incorporated some of the skills, techniques and drills they learned during the course as they worked with Under 11 and Under 12 players from the PFL Youth Programme and the Cayman Prep School.