Archive for July, 2013
Cops nab suspect booze burglar but two more flee
(CNS): The RCIPS is currently investigating a burglary at the Cabana restaurant and bar on the waterfront in George Town following a break-in at 2:53 this morning, when thieves attempted to steal a significant haul of booze. A police spokesperson said a report was made to the 911 emergency centre when the burglary was in progress at the location, which was formerly Hammer Heads. Police units responded within minutes, the spokesperson stated, and on the officers' arrival, three suspects fled. The police gave chase, however, and one suspect was arrested in connection with the burglary.
Despite the arrest, the two other men believed to be involved were able to escape from the officers. Most of the property, including a large quantity of alcohol, as well as gloves and a mask, were recovered near the scene and the matter is now under investigation by George Town CID.
Anyone with information about this or any other crime is asked to call 949-7777 or the confidential Crimestoppers line 800 TIPS.
PMFL too tough, says OAG
(CNS): While the auditor general has pointed to a number of reasons preventing government from meeting its requirement to report properly on public finances, Alastair Swarbrick said the main problem is the Public Management and Finance Law. Adding his voice to long-time calls for a complete review of what he believes is a very complex piece of legislation, the country’s public auditor said government was never going to meet the law’s demands and, as a result, both legislators and the public would remain in the dark about what government has done with tax payers' money. In a report entitled "Restoring Financial Accountability: A time for change?", he answered his own question with an emphatic 'yes'.
“Whilst poor implementation, leadership and management have been contributors to the absence of accountability over the last nine years, it is my view that the PMFL is too complex for the Cayman Islands government to deliver effective accountability and transparency for the use of resources,” Swarbrick wrote in the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) report, adding his opinion that, nine years after its implementation, the government would never meet the requirements of the PMFL .
Swarbrick pointed to the many damning failures in the administrative arm of government and the end result — a resounding failure of officials to explain how they have spent the people’s money and whether the spending has helped to meet the policy objectives of the successive governments since the law was passed in 2004.
With little or no attempt to report on outcomes (the information which would demonstrate whether or not government initiatives have been a success) and a sizeable increase in staff costs with no tangible benefits, the public purse is at serious risk, Swarbrick said.
Aside from the risk of fraud, abuse and mismanagement of resources, and no way to see if money has been spent wisely, Swarbrick pointed out that for almost a decade, the public has not been given any credible, understandable and timely reports that explain where their money has gone.
Regarding the main function of a financial reporting framework where the people are concerned, he noted, “The framework should enable the Legislature and other stakeholders to effectively scrutinize the plans of government and subsequently hold them accountable for the resources authorised and used to deliver those plans.”
Among the many problems caused by the failure of government to report on spending and the complexity of the current law, the separation between executive and entity has not only led to the need for two sets of accounts but it has blurred the boundaries between what the Cabinet spends and what the administrative arm spends.
“Whilst chief officers are clearly accountable for ensuring adequate controls are in place over entity expenses, in practice executive expenses are not always subject to the same controls,” he said. However, the most pressing problem is that executive transactions are only reported via the Entire Public sector (ESP) financial statements and, as no ESP report has been published since the financial year 2003-04, government has not provided any audited information to the LA or the public on spending by Cabinet for more than eight years.
As the goal is for the legislature and the people to hold government accountable for the money it spends, Swarbrick has recommended a major overhaul to simplify the way government reports, including consolidating the ministries and portfolios into one set of accounts.
Although some of his recommendations have been well received by the deputy governor, who has now taken leadership on government financially accountability, he has rejected some of Swarbrick’s proposals on the grounds that they would be a step away from the goal of complete transparency.
However, Swarbrick argued that this was not the case and, given that government officials have completely failed to meet the requirements of the current system, right now there is no accountability at all. Swarbrick is hoping to persuade the head of the civil service that his ideas will help him and the public sector achieve significant transparency for the first time in years, even if it is in a more consolidated format.
Swarbrick said that producing one good set of consolidated core government accounts that are “credible, timely and understandable” would be a massive improvement on the current situation. “Right now there is no transparency at all,” he said last week at a press briefing about the report.
Win car, cash or gas from Rotary Sunrise
(CNS): Rotary Sunrise is in their final countdown of ticket sales for the 2013 Car Raffle Fundraiser. This is Rotary Sunrise’s biggest fundraiser of the year with proceeds funding local projects including literacy and youth programs. Top prize is a 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee with a retail value of CI $41,500. The lucky winner of this top prize may also choose to trade back the vehicle for a cash option. Second prize CI $10,000 and third prize is CI $500 in free gas.
Tickets are being sold at AL Thompson through the remainder of this week and at the Arts and Recreation Center (ARC) at Camana Bay on Friday, July 5 and Saturday, July 6. The final draw will take place at Cayman 27’s Island Living Show on July 6. Tickets are $25 each or a set of 5 for $100.
Last year’s grand prize winner was Myles Perryman of a 2012 Ford Explorer, second prize was Adishree Mani of a 2011 Sea Doo Jet Ski and third prize winner was Scott Lennon of $500 gas.
Rotary Sunrise would like to congratulate all past winners and thank everyone who has supported their fundraising efforts.
About Rotary Club of Grand Cayman Sunrise
Rotary Sunrise is a diverse group of like-minded professional, ages 30 years and older who are committed to serving the community. The group is scheduled to meet at the Grand Old House for breakfast on Wednesday mornings for 7am. To learn more about Rotary Sunrise visit www.rotarysunrise.ky or Facebook page at www.facebook.com/rotarysunriseky
Man arrested over West Bay shooting
(CNS): A 21-year-old man in police custody in connection with a shooting in the district of West Bay on Sunday night, the RCIPS said Thursday morning. The West Bay resident was arrested last night on suspicion of attempted murder by officers from the Uniform Support Group. The young man is accused of shooting a 56-year-old man in the arm as the victim rode his bicycle in the vicinity of Super C’s restaurant at the top of Watercourse Road, West Bay. The news of the arrest comes in the wake of reports that more gunshots were heard in the district on Wednesday night in the area of Cinder Lane.
Police responded to the reports last night but officers said they were unable to confirm if firearms had been used and were waiting until daylight to investigate the area and look for evidence. Early investigations revealed no one was hurt and it appeared no property had been damaged but police continue to be on alert as tensions in the district escalate.
It is not yet clear if the shootings have been gang related but Commissioner of Police David Baines recently warned that the gang conflicts remain a significant problem for his officers.
Cayman Kind – a fitting slogan.
Yesterday morning my car broke down. Sadly for me and all those affected by the slow traffic I caused for a short while, it didn’t break down at home or at the office or at any other more convenient spot; it broke down about four cars back in the middle lane by the cricket pitch traffic lights heading into town (or trying to!).
It was subsequently discovered that one of the battery connections had come loose and all is now well, but at the time all I knew was I had a dead car in the middle of the road, one that was stuck in park with hazard lights that wouldn’t work (because there was no battery) and so I was unable to enlist any help in pushing it off to the side or warn any oncoming traffic that the car was temporarily broken down. So I stood there like a lemon, unsure of what to do.
Which brings me to ‘Cayman Kind’…
Damian, who sells The Compass at those lights, didn’t hesitate and came right over to see if he could assist. A number of other gentlemen stopped or pulled over to see if they could help also, and I’m only sorry I didn’t get the names of all those who did stop or pull up next to me but I was so very grateful.
There were three guys in particular, though, that stopped whose names I know. One, a good friend of mine, who kept me company until help arrived (it’s not much fun standing in the middle of the road waiving traffic around you first thing in the morning – I’m just so very grateful school is out and so I didn’t have irate parents to deal with!). The other two gentleman I hope to seek out so that I might have the opportunity to thank them personally.
These three, along with Damian and the others who stopped to offer help, really were the epitome of ‘Cayman Kind’ – a Cayman I know well but glimpse less frequently these days, perhaps because we’re all so busy getting on with the business of living – times are tougher, life is moving at a faster pace and sometimes we’re so busy being busy we forget that each moment cannot be re-lived. We get one shot and we are always presented with opportunities to improve the quality of someone else’s life or situation, and yesterday morning all those who stopped to offer help really were the silver lining in my otherwise dark start to the day.
I appreciate that if all I have to worry about is a broken down car, my life is pretty good, but it is all relative and at that moment in time a broken down car, in the middle lane of the road without working blinkers was all consuming! The people that took time out of their no doubt busy days did more than they’ll ever realize to improve the quality of my day.
So all this to say thank you – yesterday was a wonderful reminder of who we are (even if not always apparent) and who we should all strive to be. Thanks to all for that reminder!
Female fraud suspect faces charges
(CNS): The 52-year-old woman charged with the theft of approximately US$2 million from an elderly resident in the Cayman Islands made her first court appearance Tuesday before Magistrate Valdis Foldats in Summary Court. Michelle Bouchard, a Canadian national, is in Cayman on a student visa and is understood to be studying at the local law school. She was represented by Ben Tonner of Samson & McGrath, who asked the magistrate for an adjournment as he said he had just received the documents which he must revise and needed time to take instructions from the defendant. Bouchard, who is facing several other counts in addition to the theft, was bailed until her next appearance on 30 July.
The RCIPS Financial Crimes Unit went through an eight month long detailed investigation after the suspect was first arrested at her home in George Town. Bouchard was charged last week with eight counts of theft, obtaining property by deception, forgery and money laundering in what is believed to be a major fraud against an older, wealthy resident. A senior investigating officer on the case had confirmed that the defendant is known to the victim.
This case is believed to be one of the largest thefts against an individual in the Cayman Islands and is likely to be transmitted to the Grand Court, given the size of the alleged theft.
Bouchard was a former member of Rotary Sunrise and is the second person in the last few months from that branch of the service club to be charged with a major theft.
Michael Levitt, who is accused of stealing around $500,000 from his employers Solomon Harris, a former president of the club, is due to appear in court to answer the charges against him on Friday.
MoT seals consultant contract
(CNS): PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC) has won the bid to provide government with financial consultant services for procurement of a cruise berthing facility, specifically through a private public partnership arrangement, including the business case and financial tender documents. The tendering process began on 3 May under the former tourism minister, Cline Glidden, after three and a half years of bungling by his predecessor, McKeeva Bush, had left the country no nearer to acquiring a cruise port. The construction contract is expected to be awarded for the proposed cruise berthing project in 2014. Deadlines for each of these steps will be firmed up in the coming weeks, according to Chief Officer Stran Bodden (pictured signing the document).
The previous PPM government had begun negotiations with Atlantic Star to build a cruise ship dock and establish new cargo facilities close to the existing cargo centre. However. these negotiations stopped when the UDP won the May 2009 general elections and the new government’s plans for a cruise dock was put to tender.
DECCO, the Dart Group’s construction company, came out top in the first bid. However, the islands’ largest investor pulled out of negotiations with government when the parties reached stalemate over the period of time Dart wanted to lease the upland development area in order to recoup its investment.
GLF Construction was the next bidder on the shortlist, so when the DECCO talks collapsed, Cline Glidden, who was the government’s lead negotiator at the time, moved into talks with the Italian-based firm and their local partners, Royal Construction. Just weeks before the company was ready to mobilize, then premier Bush, going over the heads of the port board and his own back-bencher, announced his decision to terminate those talks as he did not believe GLF had the cash, and moved into negotiations with China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC).
The Beijing-based firm, however, was not next on the list as it had never taken part in the original bid and the plans included considerable upland development that did not form part of the original tender.
Under significant pressure from the UK, amid concerns that the procurement process had fallen far short of international best practices, in November 2012 Bush finally dropped his insistence that the port should be built by CHEC. After he was ousted from power in December 2012, Glidden took over his tourism portfolio and in May, just weeks before the election, issued a request for proposal (RFP) for financial consultancy services for the project.
With a new Progressive Tourism Minister, Moses Kirkconnell, following a change of government, the ministry then evaluated the bids that were submitted on 24 May. The minister announced that he was picking up the formal process that began under the minority short term PNA administration and that the business model, when complete, would form the basis for the project.
Deputy Premier Kirkconnell has said that the cruise facility in George Town would be piers only with no upland development, as the government wanted to rebuild George Town. He has also said that government must set out its needs for this project and not have the developer tell government what it would do.
Following the signing of the contract on Tuesday morning, 1 July, Kirkconnell said it showed government was taking another step in international best procurement practices. “It reflects government’s commitment to be open and transparent in all processes in developing the cruise berthing facility,” he said.
PWC, named the successful bidder last month, will commence work early in July. On Tuesday, Ministry Chief Officer Stran Bodden, on behalf of CIG, and PWC representative David Walker signed the contract at Government Administration Building to formalise the consultancy.
“PWC is tasked with producing an outline business case, the full businesscase and tender documents for the proposed cruise berthing project,” Bodden said.
Following the issuance of tender documents, and a suitable tender period that will include a timeframe for negotiation, the construction contract is expected to be awarded for the proposed cruise berthing project in 2014, he noted. Deadlines for each of these steps will be firmed up in the coming weeks, he said.
CG reveals port fiasco (CNS, 24 April 2013)
Bush rejects port developers (CNS, 20 April 2011
Mastic Reserve expanded
(CNS): The National Trust of the Cayman Islands has acquired 8 more acres to add to the Mastic Reserve, bringing the total amount of land protected by the Trust in the reserve to 843 acres. The reserve is home to all of Cayman’s endemic orchids and forest birds and is the main habitat for a critically endangered variety of Black Mastic tree (Termenalia eriostachya var. margaretiae), which is unique to Grand Cayman. Aiming to protect and rejuvenate a very rare habitat of great importance to Grand Cayman and its biodiversity, the Trust hopes to acquire a total of 1,397 acres, which will cost several million dollars, through additional fundraising for its Land Reserve Fund. (Left: Black Mastic by Stuart Mailer)
Established in 1992, the Mastic Reserve protects the largest contiguous area of old growth forest remaining on Grand Cayman. Representing some of the last remaining examples of the Caribbean’s lowland semi-deciduous dry forest and home to a unique variety of animals and plants, including all of Cayman’s endemic orchids, trees and birds, the Reserve has high ecological, scenic and ecotourism value.
The area of the Mastic Forest has been above water for more than two million years — as opposed to most of the island, which only emerged 125,000 years ago — so that is where the native flaura and fauna evolved, noted National Trust Field Officer, Stuart Mailer. "It's an island within an island," he said.
According to "Threatened Plants of the Cayman Islands – The Red List" by Fred Burton, the variety of Black Mastic, Termenalia eriostachya var. margaretiae (named after Margaret Barwick), was once quite widespread on the island, but by 1800 it was thought to have been harvested to extinction for its ebony-like heartwood. However, it was rediscovered in the Mastic Forest in 1991.
The National Trust maintains the Mastic Trail, a traditional path that passes through the heart of the reserve. Guided nature tours of the Trail allow visitors to experience and appreciate this national treasure. The Mastic Trail was recently awarded a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence for 2013, based on reviews by their members.
“The Mastic Reserve is key to the conservation of Cayman Islands biodiversity. Preserving this land is vital in protecting our native plants and animals. The forest performs many other functions; it enhances rainfall and reduces run-off, helping to maintain our groundwater and protect our reefs and it keeps theisland cooler; it removes carbon and pollutants from the atmosphere, and it provides locals and visitors alike with a unique opportunity to connect with nature,” said Mailer, who is a renowned Mastic tour guide.
Guided tours of the Mastic Trail are available Tuesday through Friday, and occasional weekends. For details on the National Trust’s Land Reserve Fund or guided Mastic tours contact info@nationaltrust.org.ky or call 749-1121.
Alden to address CARICOM
(CNS): Cayman Islands Premier Alden McLaughlin is travelling today to Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, to attend the 34th Conference of Heads of Government (CHOGM) of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), which will take place Thursday through Saturday, 4-6 July. This will be McLaughlin’s first CARICOM Heads of Government meeting as premier. At the invitation of Trinidad Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bisessar, who presently holds the chairmanship of CHOGM, he has been invited to address the conference as CARICOM’s most recently elected head of government, a release from GIS says. While in Trinidad, McLaughlin will also take part in the 40th anniversary celebrations of CARICOM. (Photo Dennie Warren Jr)
Issues on the conference agenda include the regional economy, transportation, an upcoming meeting on persons with disabilities and special needs, proposals for closer union of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, the United Nation’s post-2015 development agenda and ongoing reform of CARICOM including expansion of its full and associate membership.
CARICOM, a regional grouping of 15 countries, counts among its associate members five British Overseas Territories, including the Cayman Islands, which joined in 2002.
The Premierwill be accompanied by the Cabinet Secretary, Mr. Samuel Rose and will return to Cayman on Saturday July 6, 2013.
Panton: Attitudes are changing towards Cayman
(CNS Business): After years of negative press as a ‘tax haven’, the new minister for financial services indicated in his first address to the Legislative Assembly last week that attitudes towards the Cayman Islands may be changing. As a result of a commitment over the years to engage in the process of international discussion with various national and supra-national authorities, Wayne Panton said there was “anecdotal evidence” of this change on the part of the “experts and the technocrats, those who understand the issues, who understand the significance of the Cayman Islands, understand the importance of our role in the global financial architecture”. Though there is still a “disconnect with political agenda”, he said, “I think that is changing – and it will change.” Read more on CNS Business