Archive for January, 2013
New government takes Cabinet to the Brac
(CNS): With their local MLA now at the helm of the Cayman Islands government, the Cabinet will be meeting on Cayman Brac this week. The new premier, Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, who is the second elected member for the Sister Islands of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, will be taking her new minority government and the governor to her constituency for a special meeting on Tuesday. Brackers will be able to meet the new government members atthe Aston Rutty Centre today between 7.00-8.30pm, prior to the meeting tomorrow. Officials said Cabinet traditionally assembles in Cayman Brac and Little Cayman at least once every administration to familiarise itself with the concerns unique to those islands.
The delegation will include Governor Duncan Taylor, the premier, Deputy Governor Franz Manderson, Deputy Premier Rolston Anglin, Tourism Minister,Cline Glidden, Health Minister Mark Scotland, and Community Affairs Minister Dwayne Seymour, as well as Attorney General Sam Bulgin.
Officials urge residents of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman to take advantage of the opportunity to meet the senior government leaders who make the major policy decisions for the Cayman Islands.
Credit risk
The Report: Loans to households increased by 13.1% (or $216 million) as at June 2012, according to the Semi-Annual Economic report 2012 issued by the Economic and Statistics office. In light of current economic conditions and the absence of realistic economic stimulus, the demand for domestic credit will continue to increase for2013. Industry players may argue that this is normal, but my concern is the pace of growth (domestic credit) in light of flat or declining wages.
The report also noted the significant increase in miscellaneous credit which includes short term lending products such as credit cards and overdrafts.
The Risk: Existing borrowers will seek additional credit particularly during tough economic periods as their savings become depleted and the strength of their pay check is weakened. The increases in credit requests will be used particularly for meeting recurring monthly expenditure. This is a dangerous practice as these monthly expenses should be settled with funds from monthly earnings. If this trend continues Lenders, Credit Providers and Borrowers may find themselves in less desirable situations resulting in financial ruin.
The Solution: The levels of Credit Risk of existing and future borrowers must be analyzed carefully. In addition borrowers should be educated on those respective levels and related remedies if necessary. Accurate credit checks must be completed, which also should include reports from Financial Institutions and local credit reporting agencies.
The monitoring and management of personal credit levels is everyone’s duty. However, lenders should pay close attention to the quality of their loan portfolio with special attention given to short term lending such as credit cards, overdrafts and cash advances as these products can be easily abused and will result in significant losses if not addressed.
Ralph Lewis is a Financial Counselor with LCMoneyPlan.
Miller vows to keep road open
(CNS): Ezzard Miller, the Independent member for North Side, has promised that if he forms part of the next government he will ensure that the West Bay Road remains open, and if it has already been closed by May, he will re-open it. Miller said that he has three issues which he will not compromise on, and one of them is the road that is under imminent threat of closure. The Dart Group has almost completed the parallel strip of the Esterley Tibbetts Highway, which will enable the developer to close some 4000 feet of the West Bay Road and divert traffic, possibly as soon as February, according to public comments made by the company’s officials.
Speaking to CNS on Saturday via telephone, as he was unable to attend the protest rally that took place on the road facing closure, Miller told CNS that he remained a staunch supporter of the campaign. Keeping the road open would be one of three conditions Miller said has to give his support to any government, along with the introduction of one man, one vote, and the move from April elections back to November. The closure of the West Bay Road, Miller said, was a deal breaker, and if it was already closed by the time of the elections, then, if he is in government, he would ensure it was reopened.
Miller said it had been wrong to attempt to close the road when noone knew the details of the ForCayman Investment Alliance and when government was using a part of the law never intended for this purpose to give up the people’s land. The North Side MLA also questioned what authority a representative from Dart – a private company — had to make announcements in the press that a public road was set for closure next month when there had not been a word from the government about this controversial deal.
The outspoken independent member, who has been a staunch supporter of the activists campaigning to keep the road open and prevent the relocation of the dump, said that the activists needed to step up their protests as the talking wasn’t working, adding that neither the developer nor government were listening.
“There has been enough talking,” Miller said. “The protesters need to step up the campaign, and if the road is closed then the people should literally block the road to Camana Bay and make the developer listen,” he said.
Efforts by Paul Rivers, one of the leading campaigners against the road closure, said efforts to block the West Bay Road were thwarted by local police on Saturday, after he called on the people who were in attendance at the rally to step up their campaign. He did, however, warn that the campaigners were committed to more serious disruption in order to make both government and Dart listen.
There were no elected politicians on the stage at Saturday’s protest, which attracted around 200 people during the course of the afternoon, but several of the People’s Progressive Movement’s proposed candidates, as well as members of the Coalition for Cayman, were in attendance.
While the PPM was accused of sitting on the fence regarding the situation, Ray Farrington, who will be running for office on the PPM ticket in West Bay, made it clear that he would not support the road closure.
“I do not see any need for the road to close,” Farrington told CNS, adding that the most important issue was that the people needed to see the full details of the proposed deal and the review, which was undertaken by PWC but remains under wraps. Farrington said one of the biggest problems surrounding the whole deal was the lack of transparency. “No one knows what is really going on and the people need to know,” he added.
During the protest some of Cayman’s community elders spoke about the historical significance of the West Bay Road and protesters bemoaned the secrecy and the many questions regarding value for money. They also demanded that the report be released. The campaigners said that Caymanian traditions were being disrespected as developers were continually allowed to boost their own coffers at the expense of the local people’s resources.
Although the current premier has stated that she has no plans to bring any controversial legislation to the House between now and March, when parliament will be prorogued in preparation for the elections, it is understood that the Dart Deal will be handled entirely through Cabinet and will not require the support of legislators.
Cop accused of corruption to be tried in September
(CNS): The police officer accused of asking for a bribe from a Filipino national in exchange for not pursuing an investigation into a possible theft will face trial later this year. Elvis Ebanks, who pleaded not guilty to four charges in relation to the alleged bribe, will be tried by jury on 30 September. The 28-year-old police officer from George Town, who is currently suspended from duty, denies taking more than CI$500 from a man in connection with a lost or possibly stolen phone. Ebanks is the first serving police officer charged under the relatively new anti-corruption law after he was arrested in Savannah as a result of information given to the police by his alleged victim.
Related article on CNS:
21 year old local man denies killing Jamaican
(CNS): Tareek Ricketts has denied murdering Jackson Rainford (23) in the only fatal shooting of 2012. The killing, which was believed to be over a woman, took place in George Town on 16 December. The 21 year old man is accused of shooting Rainford multiple times as he sat in a car parked on Printer’s Way off Sheddon Road. Ricketts was arrested in the early hours of the next day. He pleaded not guilty to murder and not guilty to possession of an unlicensed firearm when he made his first grand court appearance on Friday. Ricketts was remanded in custody after being denied bail and a trial is expected to be set at his next court appearance in February (Photo Dennie Warren Jr).
Meanwhile, both Chadwick Dale and Chaz Powery from West Bay denied charges regarding two separate street muggings. Dale, who is currently in custody, pleaded not guilty to a robbery and wounding, which occurred in the Seven Mile Beach area on the 9 December. He is accused of stealing $40 from a woman and assaulting her during the course of the offence. Powery, who is also in custody, pleaded not guilty to a mugging in West Bay in November. Accused of stealing a back pack and $350, he is expected to stand trial on 19 June.
Man stabbed in neck at bar
(CNS): Updated — A man is currently in a serious condition following a stabbing at a bar in the early hours of Saturday morning, and a 34-year-old woman from West Bay has been arrested on suspicion of wounding. An RCIPS spokesperson said the police received a report at around 3am that a 49-year-old man had been slashed and seriously injured at the Nectar Bar, Seven Mile Shops. The emergency services responded and the victim was taken to the Cayman Islands Hospital, where he is being treated for serious injuries, which are not believed to be life threatening. Meanwhile, another man was reportedly robbed on Shedden Road around the same time. However, the police said the complainant was too intoxicated to provide details to officers.
Police said that more details in connection with both crimes would be released once they were available but officers are asking anyone who was in the vicinity of the Seven Mile Shops at the relevant time to contact 949 4222 or call Crime Stoppers anonymously on 800 TIPS.
Police make 3rd arrest in missing person case
(CNS): A man was arrested Thursday morning at Owen Roberts International Airport in connection with the case of the missing Guyanese national, Hemerson Raymond Gonzalez. Police confirmed Friday that two women recently arrested on various offences also in connection with his disappearance have been released on police bail. Detective Inspector Oremule, the Senior Investigating Officer in the matter, said Gonzalez was still missing and the police inquiry continues. The man who was arrested on his return to Cayman is currently in police custody.
Police noted that a family liaison officer continues to update the mother of the missing 31 year old who was reportedly last seen on the evening of Tuesday 11 December. Anyone with information about this or any other crime is asked to telephone 949 4222 or Crimestoppers on 800 TIPS.
See related story:
Cops arrest two women over missing person
Teen arrested for WB attack
(CNS): A 19 year old man from West Bay has been arrested on suspicion ofattempted murder and robbery in connection with a violent attack on a 60 year old man on Monday night. A police spokesperson confirmed that the teenager was picked up by police in the district on Friday afternoon and is currently in custody. The 60 year old victim, also from West Bay, was stabbed in the neck during the attack in Boggy Sands Road near the four way stop and robbed of the $9 he had in his possession at the time.
Blog Blog
There are some skilful and academically gifted young Caymanians that could bring immense credit and clarity to our democratic process if they would only stop hiding behind their blogs and engage us politicians directly. Rather than using technology to enhance the negative qualities of our Marl Road culture they could use it to make freedom of thought and expression a reality, at least for their generation.
Often when reading, not just remarks made about me on CNS, I realize that however these persons may judge my personal and political conduct, I can be judged because I am not the spook who sat by the door.
By the time I was first elected in 1996, I was already very aware that there would be days when some would dislike me and days when others just wanted revenge for what I might have done or not done. Therefore if we are to really attend to our country’s business we need to make that first step towards the liberation of our country from the “old dirty stinking politicians” by putting a face to our opinions. And we should never be fearful of retribution nor waste time mocking those willing to stand up for what they believe, regardless of how ridiculous their platform may seem.
I have sometimes wondered what kind of schools these ill hearted souls attended and if their tuition was paid for by the Cayman Islands Government – and if so whether they would now consider paying the people back the monies which were spent on their educations. Because by some accounts it is fair to take money from seamen and the old, and radically downsize the civil service while maintaining our very costly higher education payments for students overseas so they can return home to line their own pockets, saying that the national good was their individual triumph over the odds that kept them down.
Anyway, I pray that despising me is not a sign of some kind of unfinished identity crisis some may be struggling with. I say this not to be cruel but whether or not we are comfortable accepting the issue of identity as relevant in your political discourse, it forms an essential component of any national debate and remedy. In order for democracy to be real and vibrant it must have a face and that face must be formed by the diversity of the citizens represented within that geographical area known as their nation state.
And maybe someone will tell me why politicians and the political environment are the only elements of our society to be faulted for the present ills and challenges. Why is it never the teacher, the parent, the community worker, the attorney, the police, the judge or the investor? Why is it that we blame our politicians for corrupting our system when civil society begun the corruption process in order to maintain indirect control over political decisions. Day after day there are articles dealing with the conduct of politicians but not one thing said about the conduct of those pastoring our churches or leading community efforts to get food to the needy.
The May elections may be very difficult to predict but whatever change any of us may truly desire will have to be laboured for by all of us. Change, even that which is desired by the most deserving among us, will not happen until we all learn that democratic political systems were invented as a very clever way of granting the people the appearance of change while preserving the status quo for the continual benefit of the privileged leaders of civil society.
My platform is a continuation of my fight for social and economic justice for the real people, and this includes the decimalization of the private consumption of marijuana.Not because I am a closet smoker who wants to come out, but because I have seen lives ruined by the laws prohibiting its use rather than by its usage.
DMS invites applications for education award
(CNS): DMS, local financial services firm, is calling for applicants for the 2013 Joanna Clarke Excellence in Education Award (JCA), and the Joanna Clarke Scholarship Fund. Now in it’s 7th year, the JCA rewards winning education initiatives annually with up to CI$12,000, and the Scholarship fund with CI$1,000 or more. Applications are being accepted from January 14th through February 15th. Recognizing the importance of private sector support for education, DMS introduced the award to honour Joanna Clarke, a revered local educator, in 2007, and publicly acknowledge the efforts of the people and organisations that contribute to education in the Cayman Islands.
The Joanna Clarke Scholarship Fund aims to support the education of a current or aspiring teacher in the Cayman Islands.
DMS is raising funds for its scholarship recipients with a Dress Up Dress Down Day on Friday, January 25. All proceeds will go towards the Joanna Clarke Scholarship Fund. The top collecting school will be awarded a free table for 10 at the upcoming JCA Gala Dinner at Grand Old House on 9th March.
Ms. Joanna Clarke said, “It is of paramount importance to us to visit the recipients and follow up with the progress of the initiatives. My favourite part of this whole process is interacting with the children and learning how they are benefitting. After all, it is about the children. We are always greeted with such a warm reception, and to date it has been indescribably rewarding to see how well maintained the initiatives we have selected are.”
Parties eligible for entry include teachers, students, Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs), not- for-profit organizations, government departments and schools. Application forms are being circulated throughout Cayman’s schools and not-for-profit organizations, and are also available on the award website: www.joannaclarkeaward.ky. For further information call 749-2540 or email jca@dms.com.ky.