Archive for March, 2013
Former French leader in election funding scandal
(BBC): French ex-President Nicolas Sarkozy has been placed under formal investigation over claims his 2007 election campaign received illegal donations from France's richest woman. Sarkozy is accused of accepting thousands of euros from L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt, now aged 90. The former leader denies taking financial advantage of Bettencourt. His lawyer said he would file an appeal against the "incoherent and unfair decision", AFP news agency reports. Magistrate Jean-Michel Gentil, who leads the inquiry, unexpectedly summoned Sarkozy for a face-to-face encounter with Bettencourt's butler, Pascal Bonnefoy, in the city of Bordeaux.
The judge wanted to determine how often the politician had met Mrs Bettencourt in 2007. While Mr Sarkozy has maintained he only saw her once during that year, the butler gave a different account on Thursday, the BBC's Christian Fraser, in Paris, reports.
Following the hearing, prosecutors said the ex-president had been placed under formal investigation "for taking advantage of a vulnerable person during 2007 to the detriment of Liliane Bettencourt".
Under French law the court's decision falls short of a formal charge, our correspondent says.
5 elusive on election plans
(CNS): With less than one week to go before Nomination Day, the current Cabinet members are still giving very little away about their plans for the election. They confirmed yesterday that Richard Christian was joining their group to fight another one of the four seats in Bodden Town with Mark Scotland and Dwayne Seymour but they still did not reveal the name of their team or who else would be running on their ticket. Rolston Anglin and Cline Glidden were vague about whether they would be joined by anyone else in their efforts to retain seats in West Bay but said they would not be running with others just for the sake of numbers.
Speaking at the press briefing on Thursday, which took place in the afternoon in the absence of the premier, who was in Cayman Brac with the CPA delegates, the four ministers failed to specify how they would be fighting to retain their seats or how they would hope to form a government with only six members.
They implied that they could join forces with others who have already declared or are likely to by Nomination Day if they can find common ground, or even work with other candidates after the election to form the next government.
Anglin, who is currently education minister and deputy premier and will be fighting to retain the seat he has held in West Bay since 2000, stated that the government team was still going to campaign together.
“We have every intention of running together and we will be running as a team,” Anglin said, adding that over the next week they would be making public announcements about what they will be calling the group. “Given everything that has happened and everything that continues to happen, if between now and the next couple of weeks we can have a working relationship with others we will. But what I can say is that we have a lot to offer the country and we will be an important part of this election.”
Anglin emphasized the point that the government ministers had made a decision that they would not run with people for the sake of running with them. However, if they could find people to work with from a policy position and have what he described as a “sustainable relationship and mature discussions”, where they may disagree some of the time on some things but be able to create a foundation to build on, they would join up with other candidates.
“We are in store for a very interesting election campaign,” Anglin added.
With five C4C candidates running in the capital and five independents, including three former UDP members, the ministers may be seek to persuade a number of those to join in their team or party in order to have some representation in George Town.
With six seats, the district is going to prove a critical factor in the election and likely to reflect the make-up of the final government. Any party or group that is able to secure the majority of those seats is likely to end up controlling government, a point unlikely to have been lost on the incumbent ministers.
The PPM slate is already fixed with six candidates for George Town; the UDP has said it will be revealing its full team for the capital on Saturday at its general assembly; and although it is not clear if C4C has one more hopeful up its sleeve for George Town, it already has five names on its platform for the capital. Together with five other independents who have declared so far, this means there will be at the very least 22 people vying for one of the six seats in the country’s largest constituency, where some 7,500 people are eligible to vote.
Speculation over who will be running will be over by 3pm on Wednesday 27 March, when nominations close. But with the exception of the two formal political parties (the PPM and UDP), questions regarding which candidates will join forces, who will be distancing themselves from whom and who will work together will be likely to dominate the campaign trail until polling day. And as noted by Glidden, even after Election Day, which newly elected MLAs will join up together to form a government may still be very much in question.
Dart agrees to widen road
(CNS): Cabinet members confirmed Thursday that Dart Realty has agreed to widen the Esterley Tibbetts Highway through to the Butterfield roundabout in George Town as part of the existing NRA agreement. However, the government members were still tight lipped about when Cayman will see the full details of the deal it has struck with the islands’ largest developer and the independent value for money assessment conducted by local consultants PricewaterhouseCoopers. Following the road closure and the work that has started on the West Bay road itself, the ministers said the short term delays to traffic would soon be outweighed by the long term gain.
Heath Minister Mark Scotland revealed that negotiations have continued with Dart and the final details of the third amendment to the NRA deal were being fine tuned this week after Dart agreed to make the entire ETH a dual carriageway. It has been confirmed that Dart will widen the stretch between the Camana Bay roundabout and the Butterfield roundabout in George Town first and will then also widen the road through Camana Bay to a dual carriageway to prevent any bottlenecks.
Tourism Minister Cline Glidden apologised for both the inconvenience of the road-works and the late notice about exactly where and how traffic was diverted but he said that there was still full access on the parts of the West Bay Road that have not yet been formally closed and people would still be able to camp in the area over Easter.
Glidden said there was nothing strange about the information and notices regarding the road works and diversions coming from Dart rather than the NRA because Dart was doing the work. He said government had contacted the developer this week to see that the tie-ins and access points to the ETH would all be completed quickly to cut down on traffic delays.
Despite the legal challenges and the continued opposition in the wider community, the government ministers made it clear that they are all still fully committed to the project. They said all of the delays and diversions relating to the road works were merely a short term issue and once the work was completed the closure of the West Bay Road and opening of the new bypass would be a positive benefit for everyone and the local economy.
There are currently two legal actions that have been filed with the Grand Court by residents of West Bay against the deal and the closure of the road, which has already been gazetted. The first was by four women from West Bay who have filed a lawsuit to which government is expected to defend shortly, and the second was an application for judicial review. Both claims make similar arguments that the closure is unlawful, not least because theroad has been a byway for more than 100 years and because the government has approached the closure incorrectly.
Ex-YUDP leader joins Scotland and Seymour for BT
(CNS): The former president of the Young United Democratic Party, Richard Christian, has announced his intention to contest a seat in Bodden Town at the 22 May General Election but not with the UDP. The former youth leader, who resigned from the party in January following the arrest of former premier McKeeva Bush and the downfall of the UDP administration, has now joined forces with the two Bodden Town incumbent ministers. Christian said he would be running alongside Mark Scotland and Dwayne Seymour, who were both ousted from the UDP after they supported a no confidence motion in the government in order to force Bush from office after he refused to resign.
“I’ve been mulling over this decision for more than a year after becoming dissatisfied with many of our political leaders; their lack of accountability, disregard for moral and ethical principles and the declining fortunes of our people,” Christian stated. “I believe I possess the character and leadership skills to make a difference. And because I want to see change, I have to help make it.”
Fighting for a seat in the island’s fastest-growing district, Christian said he supports the relocation of the landfill to the district as proposed under the Dart deal, which is still being negotiated.
However, the former UDP member said he would support opening a new improved, properly managed waste facility in any district as he believes the current site has reached its limit. Christian said, “If the EIA study shows that there is no major impact to the environment and government can show a proper business plan on how the new location will be managed and not get out of hand like the current site, I support the new proposed facility in Bodden Town.”
He pointed to the limitations on government finances, saying it was unlikely that the current site could be resolved and the longer it takes to tackle the problem the more detrimental it will be to the environment.
Christian also said he was especially concerned about Cayman’s high-cost of living, rising unemployment, lack of job advancement and opportunities for Caymanians, substance abuse and the need for vocational scholarships and training.
“I know what many families are going through first hand, whether it’s living under rigid financial constraints, challenges of raising a young family or the heartache of having a family member who has a substance abuse problem,” he said. “In order to be a good leader, I believe that you must first be a great servant. My community contributions and achievements have proven that I am a positive role model for our children and an effective leader for our country. People are eager for results, I am eager to work.”
Christian, who is a born again Christian, serves as president of the Newland Heights Resident’s Association, Vice President of the Savannah Primary School PTA and deputy chairman of the Bodden Town District Council, where he coordinates community meetings, community projects, assist citizens with various matters and organizes the annual children’s and senior Christmas parties on behalf of MLAs Mark Scotland and Dwayne Seymour. He also sits on the government appointed National Youth Commission and was on the steering committee for the YMCA Cayman.
With nearly twenty years of experience in the financial industry,Christian said he is well acquainted with accountability, teamwork and professionalism.
“To preserve the rich community and meet needs of a growing population, we need representatives that are accessible, transparent and caring,” he added.
Minister supports optimist oratorical contest
(CNS): For the fifth consecutive year, deputy premier and education minister, Rolston Anglin, has thrown his support behind the efforts of the Optimist Club of George Town Grand Cayman to help young people develop and practice public speaking skills. On Friday February 22nd, club president, Mark Ray, presented the deputy premier with a plaque of appreciation on behalf of the Optimist Club. Mr. Ray commented after the presentation, “The work of the Optimist Club complements the work of the Ministry of Education and other Ministries, organisations and groups that work with young people. Minister Anglin has been in attendance at all of the previous Oratorical Contests, and his on-going support therefore serves as a reminder that we all have a part to play in providing the best possible opportunities for the youth in the Cayman Islands. ”
Mr. Anglin thanked the Optimist Club for their “unexpected, but very much appreciated gesture” and commended the Club for the consistent quality of the Oratorical Contest. He said, “This contest is one that we should encourage our young people at secondary school to be a part of. Speech is an integral part of our English curriculum and activities such as these that supplement the good work being done by our teachers should be encouraged to grow and blossom.”
Mr. Ray said that the contest will have the same level of high quality speeches as seen in previous years. He further explained that participants will speak for 4 to 5 minutes on the topic “Why My Voice Is Important.” The contest will be held this Saturday, March 23rd at 10 am in the Harquail Theatre.
Prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place of $500 USD, $350 USD and $150 USD respectively. In addition, the winner goes on to represent the Cayman Islands at the District Oratorical Contest in Jamaica later in March.
Further information on the club and the contest can be found at www.optimistcayman.com or by calling 927-9070 or 916-2844.
CNCF invites submissions for photo competition
(CNS): The Cayman National Cultural Foundation (CNCF) is organizing its next online photo competition, in which the public will vote for the best photographs in 12 categories. CNCF's says its goal is to, “foster a growing, community of photographers creating images that stand apart through their creativity, their ability to move people and their capacity for communication.” Kaitlyn Elphinstone, CNCF Programmes Officer, said, "We believe in the power of the image to tell stories that can't be told any other way. The CNCF Online Photo Competition is a celebration of that belief and an invitation to you to share your story. We would be honored to have you take part in this year's re-organized, re-energised competition."
The event is sponsored by Cayman Islands Yellow Pages, Butterfield Bank and Cathy Church's Photo Centre.
Submissions will be accepted online from 18th until the 31st March, and public voting will run from 8th until the 22nd of April. Winners will be announced on Thursday 2nd May at the CNCF’s 'Photo Talks' event at the Harquail Studio Theatre.
Photographers are permitted to enter one photo per category in up to three of the 2013 categories, as well as one ‘bonus’ photo in the “Colour Me Yellow” category sponsored by the Cayman Islands Yellow Pages. All photographs submitted must be taken in the Cayman Islands and photographers must be residents of the Cayman Islands.
This year CNCF has opened the competition to youth – 17 and under – and have invited expert photographers selected for their diverse range of backgrounds and experiences to judge the competition. The 2013 categories are arts and culture, commercial or campaign (including fashion), conceptual (including photo illustration), landscapes, lifestyles, macro (close-ups), nature & wildlife, photojournalism (contemporary issues & current affairs), portraiture, sports and underwater. The bonus category is called "Colour Me Yellow,” and is sponsored by the Cayman Islands Yellow Pages.
The 2013 rules and regulations can be obtained by emailing projcncf@candw.ky or calling (345) 949-5477.
Touch rugby championships gain momentum
(CRFU): On Match Day 2 of the KRyS Global National Mixed Touch Championships 2013 teams had a chance to either build on the successes of Match Day 1 or try to put right some wrongs and get their first points on the board. Two teams who suffered defeats last week met head-to-head as Walkers took on KPMG. Walkers have an experienced touch team whilst KPMG have an enthusiastic but inexperienced bunch of rookies this year. However, there was only one star of this particular show, Vikki Piaso, who left the KPMG defenders reeling in her wake as she scored two solo tries in the first half. Her combination play with Brad Stephenson tore KPMG apart and had the crowd on its feet.
Walkers had control of the game and never looked like losing, eventually running out 7-3 winners. Interviewed after the game Piaso played down her own role in the team.
In response, Paul Smith scored a hat-trick, Nick Dunne added an extra one and finally Stephenson put the icing on the cake with a breakaway try.
The closest game of the day saw Side Bar NWNT take on Genesis Trust. It was a mouth-watering clash with some of the most elusive and slippery characters to play touch rugby in Cayman on display. Genesis as a team is filled with talent and they ran the title favourites very close. The eventual score of 9-7 to Side Bar NWNT showed that Side Bar could never relax and they relied on Jyoti Choi and Riley Mullen with three tries a-piece to do the damage. Chris Palmer again was highly influential, but any plan to stifle his ball-in-hand skills left the door open for others to exploit.
DART faced their second tough game in as many weeks as they took on the 2012 Champions Heineken Brew Crew. Depleted in numbers the Brew Crew were possibly as vulnerable as they have ever been. However, whilst they may have been short on players they were not short of talent as Venasio Toketokevanua and Keswick Wright scored almost at will through a combination of sheer pace and fiendish trickery. It all started so well for DART with a try inside 20 seconds as Andy Childe took an early pass from Mat Bishop to sprint to the line. Heineken Brew Crew only had three girls in their match day squad and with no female subs it required them to play for the entire game. In the afternoon heat and with the searing pace of touch rugby that is a tall order for anyone and Jayme Farrell, Jodie McTaggart and Caroline Deegan gave a great performance. They jointly take the MVP award. DART had their moments playing good structured rugby but they couldn’t exploit thegaps and overlaps that presented themselves. Liz Austin had a fine game, particularly in defense.
Both Side Bar NWNT and Heineken Brew Crew remain undefeated in this year’s KRyS Global National Mixed Touch Championships but the Brew Crew sit on top of the table on points difference.
See attachment for current league standings.
Lions to help children with vision disorders
(LCGC): The Lions Club of Grand Cayman is organizing a fundraising bike-a-thon to buy hand held vision screening devices for children with vision disorders. The event, “Lions Cycling for Sight” will take place on Sunday 28th April. President of the Lions Club of Grand Cayman, Ian Callow, said “These devices cost CI$8,855 each. SPOT is modern eye screening equipment which is designed for children and specifically screens for several common vision issues.” He continued, “We are appealing to everyone in the community to come out and support us, whether you participate as a rider or come out and to cheer the riders’ home. “ adding, “Please remember no donation is too small.”
The event starts from Lovers Rock in East End and finishes at the Lions Community Centre. The entry fee is $50 per cyclist and Lions will be provide water stops along the way. Participants will have an opportunity to win prizes like smartphones and gift vouchers.
Lions have are recognised globally for their work to improve sight and prevent blindness, and sight programmes remain one of the Lions’ defining causes.
The Lions Club of Grand Cayman has a history of providing sight screening within schools across the Cayman Islands. The screening is designed to detect early vision disorders in children between the ages of five and thirteen. If a young child’s eyes cannot send clear images to the brain, his or her vision may become limited in ways that cannot be corrected later in life.
According to the Lions Club, 85% of a child’s learning is related to sight yet many vision issues go undetected, which can have an adverse effect on a child’s educational development. Issues with sight should be identified asearly as possible to ensure successful treatment. For example, Amblyopia, also known as lazy eye, can lead to permanent vision loss if left untreated.
Funds can be donated by cheque made payable to The Lions Club of Grand Cayman and mailed to PO Box 1400, Grand Cayman KY1 1110.
More information about the Lions can be found at www.lionsclub.ky/cycling-for-sight-2 or on the club’s Facebook page.
Deputy premier recognises World Down Syndrome Day
(CNS): Deputy premier and education Minister, Rolston Anglin, recognised World Down Syndrome Day this week in a statement issued by government information services. March 21st was the eighth anniversary of World Down Syndrome Day, which was formally established by Down Syndrome International. The United Nations has officially observed World Down Syndrome Day since 2012. Anglin said, “People with Down syndrome, just like all persons with disabilities, deserve the same respect, rights and opportunities as everyone else. They are people that we can learn from and be inspired by."
The deputy premier added, "For example people with Down syndrome have some amazing talents as we have seen with stars such as Kanza Bodden who is a Special Olympian and has represented our country proudly on the world stage of sports, in particular swimming.“
The goal of World Down Syndrome Day is to increase awareness of the condition as well as the achievements and challenges of its sufferers, also focussing on how others can help.
In his statement the deputy premier applauded Miss Annie Marie Gray, artist, support aid at the Lighthouse School and sister of a brother with Down syndrome. He said, “I am delighted to see that one of our own has taken it upon herself to organize the first ever Cayman Islands Down Syndrome Day fundraiser and celebrations.”
Down syndrome is a chromosomal condition caused by the presence of all or part of a third copy of chromosome 21 and is the most common chromosome abnormality in humans. According to the United Nations, “Down syndrome is a naturally occurring chromosomal arrangement that has always been a part of the human condition, exists in all regions across the globe and commonly results in variable effects on learning styles, physical characteristics or health.”
Anglin said that this was “also true for us here in Cayman”, adding “this condition exists here and we have several individuals with Down Syndrome that live in our community.”
The Ministry of Education, Financial Services and Employment provides services through the Sunrise Adult Training Centre for adults with disabilities including those with Down syndrome. The Lighthouse School provides educational services for children with Down syndrome.
Aquatic club swim series reaches finale
(CBAC): Swimmers and water walkers are now gearing up for the final event in the Camana Bay Aquatic Club (CBAC) beginner-friendly Open Water Swim Series. On Saturday 23rd March, the concluding event will start with a 200m Lollipop Dash, followed by a rewarding 800m Sea Swim and 800m Water Walk. The second event in the series took place on Saturday 16th March and was a success with more than 80 participants turning out on the day. “The series has been great for everyone,” says CBAC Assistant Coach Jessica Siegele. “It’s been nice to see returning faces in open water swimming – but it’s fantastic to see a lot of new faces, too,” she added.
Novice open water swimmers Emma Thomas and Nicola Williams took part in the Water Walk for the first time. “Both Emma and Nicola felt comfortable swimming in the pool but uncomfortable in the ocean, so they decided to try the Water Walk to build confidence for the Flowers One Mile Sea Swim in June,” explains CBAC Assistant Coach, Dave Bott, who paddled in a kayak next to the swimmers. He continued, “The 600m distance was further than they had expected, however, the ladies had a great time and enjoyed chatting about other swimming opportunities on-island, like our new adult swim programme and the Camana Bay Aquatic Club Swim School. This is what the Open Water Series is all about – encouraging less confident swimmers to come out and have fun, try a new sport and gain experience in the water.”
The CBAC team was joined by Special Olympics Cayman Islands athlete. Kanza Bodden, 15, who took part in the 600m Sea Swim. Despite being a confident swimmer herself, CBAC member Lois Moody, 16, swam side by side with Bodden throughout the course. “Lois is one of our Age Group Development swimmers – one the Club’s top swim groups – and could have easily completed the distance in a much faster time” explains Siegele. “However, the Open Water Series is a non-competitive event. Lois volunteers at the Special Olympics Cayman Islands swim sessions, held every Saturday at the Camana Bay Pool, so instead opted to swim with Kanza to encourage and help her through the long-distance course,” she said.
The series has allowed many swimmers – like Kanza, Emma and Nicola – to build open water confidence in a friendly environment, while giving others in the community an opportunity to test the waters of competitive swimming. “All our events are open to all swimmers of all ages and abilities,” says Siegele. “They’re a great way for the community to come together and enjoy one of our most beautiful resources here in Cayman. We are looking forward to Saturday’s event – and hope to see even more swimmers and walkers take to the water.”
The Club is also looking forward to hosting a very special guest at the Camana Bay Pool this week; 21-year old Great Britain Paralympic swimmer Emma Hollis. Hollis made her Paralympic debut at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, where she competed in three events despite an ankle injury. Both Hollis and her younger brother, James, have osteogenesis imperfecta, a genetic condition more commonly known as ‘brittle bone disease’. Both swimmers represented Great Britain in the Paralympics – Emmacompeted in the S8 class and James in S9. Hollis is also the current World Record Holder for S8 800m Freestyle and S8 400m Individual Medley.
“We are honoured to host such an inspiring, top athlete at the Camana Bay Pool,” says CBAC President, Jeffrey Wight. “Emma’s pure passion and drive has enabled her to succeed in both her swimming and her studies at Loughborough University in the UK and she is a role model to all young athletes in the Cayman Islands. Her visit will be a great final morale boost for the seven CBAC swimmers attending this month’s CARIFTA Swimming Championships as part of the Cayman Islands CARIFTA Swim Team – and CBAC member Danielle Boothe, who will compete for Jamaica.” Hollis will also join the Club for the Open Water 800m Sea Swim on Saturday at Governor’s Beach.
As the excitement builds ahead of the upcoming CARIFTA Swimming Championships, Wight is confident the Cayman Islands swimmers will do well. “I’m sure they will do brilliantly. They have worked so hard and I wish them all the best of luck,” he says. “I’d also like to thank CBAC’s platinum sponsor, MaplesFS. Without their continued support our swimmers would not have been able to attend this exciting international meet.”
Registration for the Open Water Swim Series is CI$15 per individual race and all swimmers will receive a CBAC Swim Cap. Registration can be made at the event from 2pm or online at caymanactive.com.
More information on the Open Water Series and upcoming CBAC events, can be found by visiting camanabayaquaticclub.com, emailing cbac@camanabay.com or calling 345.640.2878.