Archive for December 31st, 2012
Cabinet members leave UDP
(CNS): Following moves by the UDP to oust the members who formed a minority government following a successful no confidence motion in McKeeva Bush’s Cabinet, the former 'UDP 5' are all believed to have resigned from the party. Last week an e-mail sent by the UDP’s Bodden Town committee chair to district MLAs Mark Scotland and Dwayne Seymour gave the men seven days to depart of their own accord or face a hearing. Requests for the resignation of the two West Bay members, Rolston Anglin and Cline Glidden, were also issued and it is understood that all four men as well as the new premier, Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, have all left the UDP voluntarily.
Check back to CNS for more on the status of the new government later this week.
Jamaican cops arrest Cayman fugitive
(CNS): Police in Jamaica have captured a man wanted in the Cayman Islands for several crimes. The Jamaican media is reporting that 31-year-old Dainian Henry, also known as ‘Yellow’, was arrested in St Ann on Sunday. The man is wanted by the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service for possession of an unlicensed firearm, possession of cocaine with intent to supply, escaping custody, attempted robbery, resisting arrest, threatening violence and giving a false name and date of birth to the police. According to media reports, Henry was captured by members of the St Ann operational support team shortly after mid-day during an operation in the Lillyfield District, in Bamboo, St Ann.
The Constabulary Communication Network said Henry has been on the run since October last year. There was no indication from the RCIPS if they have asked for the fugitive to be extradited.
The RCIPS is reportedly still waiting for Ryan Edwards to be returned to Cayman after he was arrested in Jamaica in August in connection with the Cayman National Bank robbery in Buckingham Square, which took place last June. Edwards, a 36-year-old Jamaican national, was discovered in possession of cash stolen in the Cayman bank heist when he was arrested in the neighbouring island. Police reportedly found US$5,000 and CI$35,000 in the car he was driving, which the investigating officers connected to the daylight bank robbery. Edwards is believed to have fled by boat to Jamaica after the heist, in which the robbers stole around $500,000.
Shortly after the hold up, one man from West Bay, who has now pleaded guilty to his involvement in the robbery, was arrested and as a result police arrested further suspects, who are all due to stand trial next April.
Related article:
St Ann police nab Jamaican wanted in Cayman (Jamaica Observer 28 december 2012)
Over 100 crashes reported in one month
(CNS): In the last 30 days of the police safety campaign officers have dealt with 118 collisions on Cayman’s roads. In addition to the concerns over which the lack of attention people are paying when driving the cops also revealed that 28 people have also been arrested for DUI since 30 November when the Stay Alive campaign started. Ahead of the New Year’s Eve celebrations the police made a final appeal for drivers to be more responsible.”We want everyone to have a great time tonight and to bring in 2013 safely,” Superintendent Adrian Seales said.
“If you are going out tonight and you plan to drink, then please make the right decision; either designate a driver or use a taxi or bus. Let’s work together to make this New Year one to remember – for all the right reasons," he added.
In addition to the DUI charges and road crashes police said 100 people have been ticketed for speeding, 41 for use of cellphones while driving, 87 for not wearing seatbelts and 256 for a wide variety of other road traffic offences since police began the seasonal road education campaign.