Archive for September, 2013
Rivers’ Africa trip official
(CNS): The minister for education was the official government representative on her recent trip to theCommonwealth Parliamentary Association Annual Conference in South Africa, the premier’s office has confirmed. This means that the cost of the trip will be partially paid for from the public purse. Although the office stated that Tara Rivers was taking leave when her counsellor Winston Connolly was sworn in as the temporary minister last month, officials admitted on Friday that Rivers was in fact government’s official delegate at the conference in Johannesburg. Although Connolly had originally been earmarked to go, Rivers took the spot instead because she missed an earlier CPA meeting in July as a result of the election petition challenge.
“CPA government Minister Rivers is attending the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Annual Conference, including the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarian meeting as the official delegate representing the government,” a statement from the premier’s office released Friday stated. “This is an annual conference that the Cayman Islands branch of the CPA sends delegates to every year – one from the Government, one from the opposition. She was invited to attend the CPA regional conference earlier (in July) but was not able to attend that one, so the opportunity arose to attend this one, as the official delegate.
“The cost of the trip, as all such CPA conferences, is taken care of by the CPA. She intends to issue a press release covering the trip upon her return,” the press secretary to the premier added.
It is understood that the international CPA covers most of the cost for Cayman’s official CPA representative, Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, the speaker of the House, who was also in Johannesburg for the conference and who returned to the island by Friday in time for the swearing in ceremony for the new governor, Helen Kilpatrick.
Rivers was absent from the welcome events for Kilpatrick but is expected to be back in the ministry Monday. Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush, who was also on the trip, told CNS last week that the funds given to the local CPA come from the public purse.
With a new government travel policy, the premier has recently revealed that delegations on all official travel are being reduced to the bare minimum of delegates and officials are required to travel premium economy and not business class unless they pay for their own upgrades.
CNS has contacted the relevant government authorities to make a Freedom of Information request for the cost to local coffers for the Cayman delegation’s Africa trip.
Kilpatrick plans ‘light touch’
(CNS): The new Cayman Islands governor intends to operate with a light touch, she said as she was sworn into office Friday, using the same expression as her predecessor, Duncan Taylor. However, Taylor stated just beforehe left the islands that although that had been his intention, it did not turn out to be the case. In her speech to Legislative Assembly members and guests, Helen Kilpatrick also said that while it was her goal, it could change if necessary, as she emphasised the mantra of good governance. Admitting she had a lot to learn and speaking directly to the people, the twelfth governor of the islands and the first woman in that role said she would “work tirelessly to earn your trust”.
Having sworn to well and truly serve the people of the Cayman Islands, Kilpatrick said she was committed to a partnership between the islands and the UK to create a safe, successful and sustainable future for the country.
She said her priority was to get to know the people and the pressing issues that concern them, including the problem of crime, as she pointed to the recent reports of robberies and the increase in burglaries. Kilpatrick said she welcomed government's move to introduce standards in public life legislation before the year was out and said government needed to operate with “honest and integrity”. She singled out the environment and the rights of woman as areas of interest to her outside her direct areas of responsibility .
Although Kilpatrick is Cayman’s first female governor and only the second in Britain’s territories, it is her career history in the Home Office and local government in the UK, rather than the Foreign Office, which sets her apart from previous governors. However, while she noted her experience in public finances, she said that the stewardship of public money was a shared responsibility that stretched across the entire civil service.
Her first address in Cayman came following her arrival to pomp and ceremony at Owen Roberts International Airport on Cayman Airways. She was sworn in by Chief Justice Anthony Smellie and welcomed in the Legislative Assembly by Premier Alden McLaughlin and Deputy Governor Franz Manderson, who handed back the country's top post, having acted as governor since Taylor departed for Mexico.
Manderson picked up on some of the issues relating to the work ahead in the civil service and in particular the need for accountability.
“Your predecessor mentioned the need to improve accountability across the service. Although we have made significant progress in this area, we agree that more must be done and I look forward to discussing this matter with you and to seek your advice,” he said.
Following the formalities inside the LA, Kilpatrick inspected the police guard of honour before heading back to Government House. She then attended a special local reception at Pedro St James, with a taste of local hospitality and a chance to meet Caymanians outside of officialdom.
School year starts with news of improved exam results
(CNS): Chief Education Officer Shirley Wahler revealed significant improvements in overall student results for the end of the last school year. Speaking at the Annual Education Professionals’ Welcome, the head of education announced the best external exam results since the National Curriculum was introduced five years ago. The pass rate has doubled since 2008, when just 29.6% of students gained five or more ‘Level 2’ passes (CXC CSEC Grades I – III or GCSE Grades A* – C or equivalent). this year that figure has risen to 62.7%. Acting Chief Officer Christen Suckoo delivered the official welcome at the Mary Miller hall, where over 500 education professionals met.
“Educators play a significant role in the minds and memories of students they’re in contact with,” said Suckoo. “They are mentors and relationship builders, instrumental to student engagement and human development.”
The welcome brought together principals, teachers, counsellors, ministry officials and department staff for an opportunity to converse, welcome new members and set the stage for the new school year’s objectives and expectations.
Education Minister Tara Rivers highlighted the past year's progress and addressed existing challenges. She pointed to the need for persistent focus on numeracy and literacy, as well as life skills to develop healthy choices, conflict resolution and crime prevention and intervention.
“We will continue to build on the solid foundation and existing framework of the Strategic Plan for Education 2012-2017 and we will further develop a child-centred approach with a curriculum which addresses gifted and challenged students,” said Rivers. “Change is constant in a learning environment, and therefore we too need to evolve to ensure a robust future for our childrenand our country.”
This student centred approach was reinforced when 6-year-old George Town Primary School student Trevor Carmola Jr offered the opening prayer and Lighthouse School student Jared Myles sang the National Song.
The newly appointed deputy chief officer, Dr Tasha Ebanks Garcia, spoke about improving opportunities for students to acquire more qualifications and develop skills for independent learning so that they could be positioned for academic, professional and personal success. She highlighted importance of the recently introduced Cayman Islands Further Education Centre (CIFEC) in providing opportunities to students who need to close the gap between high school and college, as well as opportunities for those who are preparing for advancement to higher level studies.
“CIFEC provides opportunities through various means for a student to build the bridge to future learning, “said Dr Garcia. “It opens a door for those that may have been struggling academically and for those who have a strong academic background it provides opportunities to gain internationally recognized qualifications that support the progression to the next levels of education. At CIFEC students learn life skills as well as gain skills in academic and technical/vocational areas, empowering them to take control of their future.”
The educators were also told about the Golden Apple Awards in November, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Ministry of Education to celebrate outstanding educators.
Meanwhile, 15 newly qualified Caymanian teachers who have joined the government education system took part in an induction session at the Government Administration Building. Since the education minister was in South Africa for the CPA meeting, it fell to her counsellor in the ministry, Winston Connolly, whose mother was a teacher, to welcome them on board.
“The quality of teaching is the most powerful predictor of student success and the Ministry of Education is committed to ensuring that newly qualified Caymanian teachers are equipped with tools that will help them to be effective and successful,” Connolly told them.
The NQT Induction Programme is an initiative of the ministry designed to support new Caymanian teachers by providing a year-long bridge between initial teacher education, and a career in teaching. Over the course of the year the teachers will attend monthly workshops targeting specific issues such as classroom management, literacy strategies, numeracy strategies and assessment techniques.
“We recognise that there are unique challenges that teachers face during their first year of teaching, and we want to ensure that our newly qualified Caymanian teachers are provided with early and on-going support that is well planned to meet their needs,” Suckoo said. “By providing such support, we are setting them on the right path to meet the competencies set out in the Cayman Islands National Professional Standards for Teachers, and thereby ensuring that our students receive a quality education.”
Man shot during robbery
(CNS) Updated: A resident of North Side has been shot in the arm by a would-be robber during another doorstep heist. The police said the victim was shot outside his home on Perditha Lane off Frank Sound Road at around 1:45 on Saturday morning. The 51-year-old businessman was returning to his house when he was approached by a masked armed robber, who fired at him before he and a possible second suspect fled the scene. The man was taken to the Cayman Islands Hospital, where he was successfully treated for his injury. Police said the victim was surprised by one robber after he exited his vehicle and approached his front porch, when the suspect shouted, "Hold Up!"
However, the victim reacted by pelting a bottle at the suspect, who discharged a firearm. The suspect then ran off towards the direction of Frank Sound Road and made his escape with a second person, who was also running away.
The first suspect is described as slim built, about 130-140 pounds, low cut hair, dark brown complexion, wearing a 3/4 pants, believed to be wearing a t-shirt, and a red bandanna around his face. No description of the second suspect was given.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact DC 351 Khalesiah Barboram at 326-1899.
Car smash triggers major power cut
(CNS) Updated: A single vehicle smash in the early hours of Saturday morning on the Linford Pierson Highway cut power across Grand Cayman, from George Town to North Side, when two light poles caught fire. The high speed collision happened at around 1:45am, the police confirmed. The car hit and broke one CUC utility pole in two, which then appears to have hit the second pole, causing transformer explosions. Residents across Grand Cayman were without electricity for around six hours in some parts of the island and the road was closed to traffic as crews replaced the poles. According to the RCIPS report, the unaccompanied 31-year-old male driver was travelling very fast east on the Linford Pierson Highway in a Ford Edge car when he lost control.
The driver ran off the highway near Rankin Drive on the left side and collided with the light pole, breaking it off in two pieces. The pole caught fire and the two explosions followed. RCIPS, Fire Service and CUC personnel attended the scene, where the fire was extinguished.
The driver of the Ford Edge was arrested at the scene on suspicion of DUI and dangerous driving. He was taken to the George Town hospital, where he was examined by a doctor but he was discharged without any serious injuries and placed on police bail. The Ford Edge was said to be extensively damaged as a result of the crash.
Residents across the islands were without power for several hours Saturdaymorning following the crash.
As a result of major electrical storms on Sunday across Grand Cayman, several areas were without power again as a result of strikes on power lines. CUCsaid it would detail the power outages Monday.
The investigating officer, PC 357 Watts, is appealing to anyone who witnessed the crash to contact him at 949-4222.
FATCA could affect 6,000 people living in Cayman
(CNS Business): A seminar focusing on how the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) will impact individuals has been set for early next month, and everyone who was born in the US, holds a US passport or a green card, or who has a US address is encouraged to attend and find out more about what they need to do to prepare themselves for compliance. The event will be co-hosted by Cayman Finance and the Financial Services Ministry, which both stress the serious impact the new legislation is anticipated to have on individuals, as well as businesses, in the Cayman Islands. Financial Services Minister Wayne Panton said that while Cayman’s financial services industry has been working diligently to prepare for FATCA, local residents also need to take careful note. Read more on CNS Business
White collar thief gets 7.5 yrs
(CNS): A 57-year-old South African national who stole over US$846,000 from a local legal firm was handed a seven and a half year sentence on Friday by visiting judge, Justice Malcolm Swift. Michael Levitt, who was described as a "sophisticated and calculating criminal", admitted seven counts of theft and related crimes in connection with more than 80 fraudulent transactions from the accounts of Solomon Harris, where he was employed as the financial controller. Michael Snape, who prosecuted the case for the crown, said the crime was a serious "campaign of offending" by someone in a position of trust, aggravating thecircumstances.
Young Sailors narrowly miss Olympic qualification
(CISC): It was a steep learning curve for the Youth Sailing Team at the Byte C11 World Championship and 2014 Youth Olympic Qualifier held in Newport, Rhode Island, 24-28 August. The regatta attracted the very best sailors from around the world aged from 14 to 16, as a position in the top five qualified their country for the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing China in August 2014. With 38 sailors representing 21 countries, our sailors knew it would be tough but would afford them invaluable experience in competing against top sailors in big fleets.
With over five days of competitive sailing it was also a test of their stamina and skill, and a chance to see how the many hours of training on North Sound waters would equip them against sailors such as Jonatan Vadnai of Hungary, the 2013 World and European Laser 4.7 Champion, and Optimist North American Champion Odile Van Aanholt of Curacao.
Pablo Bertran had some great results finishing in the top ten a number of times and at one point looked like he might be challenging in the top 6 but a couple of bad starts and rule 42 infringements in the light airs of the last two days cost him. He did storm back to take 5th place in the final race and finished a very respectable 9th boy and 11th overall.
Shane McDermot and Jesse Jackson represent themselves very well, considering it was only their second regatta overseas. In the medium to heavy winds (typical Cayman wind conditions) they excelled, racking up a number of top 10 finishes, which catapulted them into 11th & 15th respectively. However with just five races to go the wind dropped to around 4.5 – 5 knots and the boys struggled, finishing up the regatta in 15th and 20th. Hungary, USA, Croatia, Singapore and Canada took the qualifying positions.
Florence Allan was within a whisker of qualifying, narrowly missing out on the final fifth spot in the girl’s division on the very last day to Celeste Lutmeijer, of the Dominica Republic. Hungary, Netherlands, Bermuda and Singapore were the other qualifiers.
Coach Raph Harvey was quick to put their achievement in perspective. “They all did a fantastic job. They might have suffered the agony of just missing out on qualifying for the biggest prize of all, but they still have that chance, and will benefit immensely from what they learned here. The variable winds (5 – 18 knots) on the world-renowned waters of Narragansett Bay combined with its daily five feet tidal range, and some of the world’s best youth sailors, pushed the Byte team to their utmost physical and mental limits. They represented themselves and the Cayman Islands very well. They now know what it takes to compete at such a high level and are very keen to get back to training".
Indeed, just two days after returning they were back out on home waters racing against the adults in the Sailing Club monthly dinghy racing. The team have now got their eyes firmly set on the North American and Caribbean qualifier, which will be held in Jenson Beach, Florida at the end of February next year.
Almost 1,000 homes depend on welfare
(CNS): The head of the Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) has revealed that 971 households are receiving some kind of permanent financial support. Although there had been suggestions, because people misunderstood the department’s report, that over 8,000 people were receiving welfare, DCFS Director Jennifer Dixon told Finance Committee members Wednesday that this was incorrect and, going forward, annual reports would break down the assistance the department provides to show what it does more accurately. However, the agency helped another 1,795 households with some form of service, from help with elderly relatives to paying one-off bills for families.
Dixon explained to the Legislative Assembly's Finance Committee that the agency provides many services and the figure of 8,000-9,000 was a reflection of the number of people that could have benefited directly or indirectly from some kind of intervention from the department. By multiplying the average number of people in households (based on the census) by every home they help in some way, people arrived at the inflated figure.
Dixon said that the vast majority of those helped were not necessarily receiving financial assistance, since the figure includes intervention in family problems, adoption services and support for the elderly.
With this system of multiplication of what services are provided, the misleading figures were circulated in the community. Nevertheless, while there may not be 8,000 people on welfare, almost 1,000 homes are receiving direct financial help from government on a long term basis and almost 1,800 more households are receiving some other form of assistance, which may also include financial help with CUC bills, school lunches, medicines or providing food.
The department is propping up a significant number of local families in some way, with more than 1,300 assisted with food and 437 with rent on at least one occasion over this financial year.
Causes of unemployment among Caymanians
Being an unemployed Caymanian is what I have experienced most of my adult life in the Cayman Islands. However, because of the good people of George Town I had steady employment between November 1996 and May 2005. The reasons for my unemployment are many, some of which are certainly attributable to me. But the fact that so many Caymanians are now without employment might at least suggest that my chronic unemployment was not totally of my own doing.
I am now beyond the time when I should fight to be employed since I do and have always employed my intellect in the area of culture and the social sciences, which one day will be of use to my people if they choose to learn about themselves and their challenges; but what now of all the others unemployed?
I understand, and I pray there are others that do as well, that many times Caymanians wish for the worst for their brothers and sisters. We did not really need the expat to discriminate against us since we have always discriminated against each other, even when it is to our benefit to cooperate. This is a deeply rooted subconscious trait.
This lack of collective behavior and making rational decisions in relationship to the employment of people is rooted in the irrational nature of the economic activities we founded during early settlement. Employment was a way to reward or punish individual behavior rather than to create profits.
The expat owners of business have had a different approach to employment, always employing to increase profits rather to socially control. Therefore, many Caymanians over the last four decades sought refuge in the civil service where they were hired and promoted according to their adherence to the ruling political class. The merchant class system of patronage and loyalty had moved from the private to the public sector by the politicians who sought to replace the declining merchant class as Cayman’s elite.
This system of political paternalism has now been uprooted by the global rescission and the UK’s control of our countries finances. Many Caymanians who would have in the past been hired by the public sector are being thrown to the capitalist owners of local businesses that are operating their business not to please Caymanians but to exploit employees for the sake of profits, not votes or a superior position in the social hierarchy of this country.
Cayman may have a few thousand Caymanian unemployed because of their being rejected by the private sector but we need to count those in government hiding from the private sector to realize just how the capitalist institutions in his country are in conflict with our traditional values and culture. Too many of us have been made dysfunctional within rational profit oriented environments, not because of any fault of our own but because of the difference in our cultural conditioning.
The defensive myth of Caymanian thrift is known to employers who are interested not in who your mammy or daddy is, or whether you from West Bay or East End, but in profits. It is only an examination of the history and sociology of Caymanian entrepreneurial and labor exploitation from slavery to present that will reveals the truth. In the past Caymanians did work hard but they worked for themselves and their families, neither for local nor especially for foreign bosses.
This point is so significant and we should not feel ashamed that in the past we were self-sufficient family units and not instruments of capitalist exploitation. Today the price is unemployment when there are so many jobs in our country. However, had the politicians been allowed to recruit more and more Caymanian labor without concern to the financial consequences, we would be experiencing very little unemployment among qualified and willing to work Caymanians.
Therefore, unemployment among Caymanians is mostly a consequence of the austerity measure of our government and our education system’s ability to produce many more qualified people than can be employed by government, rather than an increase in discrimination against Caymanians in the work place.
A solution to this problem must therefore be gradual and cannot be managed without the acceptance of certain sociological facts. Blame is, of course, never helpful because it will disrupt the possibility of any meaningful solution. Understanding the causes and meaning of Caymanian unemployment must begin with a truthful examination of Caymanian economic and social institutions pastto present.
My question is whether the present Minister of Labor is willing to make this necessary analysis or is she also going to deny the relevancy of our past economic and social experiences on our present condition.