Archive for September, 2013
Car stolen at gunpoint in GT
(CNS): A 23-year-old man has been arrested after a car was stolen at gunpoint in George Town yesterday evening. According to the RCIPS, just before 6pm on Tuesday 17 September, they received a report of the car jack near to the Red Cross building in Huldah Avenue. The suspect, who was known to the victim, sped off in the stolen Honda Civic, which was spotted a short time later by police patrols. A car chase began and the Air Operations Unit and USG officers were deployed. The stolen Civic travelled at speeds of around 60-80mph along Shamrock Road, weaving in and out of traffic, and so, in line with the RCIPS pursuit policy and concerns about public safety, the critical incident manager took the decision to stand down the pursuit .
However, the police helicopter crew maintained observations on the car as it continued into the Midland Acres area. The car swerved off the road and the suspect ran into a nearby yard and bushes. The helicopter crew then guided Uniformed Support Group (USG) officers to the suspect’s hiding place and he was immediately arrested on suspicion of possession of an unlicensed firearm. He remains in police custody while enquiries continue.
Anyone who was in the area of Huldah Avenue and witnessed the incident, or the car travelling from Huldah Avenue to Midland Acres, is asked to contact George Town police station on 949-4222, the RCIPS tip-line on 949-7777 or Crime Stoppers 800-8477 (TIPS).
Below: Two stills of the stolen vehicle overtaking other traffic in Bodden Town (supplied by the RCIPS).
Arrest made for WB murder
(CNS): Police say a 22-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the death of Irvin Garlon Bush (52), who died of gunshot wounds on Sunday night. An RCIPS spokesperson said the arrest took place following a police operation in the Breakers area at around 5.30pm yesterday, Tuesday 17 September. He was arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in police custody while enquiries continue. Bush was shot in Daisy Lane in West Bay as he was entering his home at around 10pm on 15 September. The victim's son, Robert Mackford Bush, was killed in the district's gang related shootings in September 2011.
A murder investigation has been launched with an incident room at George Town police station. The murder incident room hotline is 925-7240.
Anyone who was in the area at the time of the shooting, or has any information can also contact George Town police station on 949-4222, the RCIPS tip-line 949-7777 or Crime Stoppers 800-8477 (TIPS).
The murder of Irvin Bush is the first this year and nine months since the last fatal shooing in the islands, when Jackson Rainford was shot and killed in George Town. Tareeq Ricketts (22) was convicted of his murder last month following a trial by jury and sentenced to life in prison.
Robert Mackford Bush, the son of the latest victim, as well as Andrew Baptiste and Preston Rivers were the three young men killed in the gang related violence two years ago in September 2011 in West Bay. Since then Brian Borden has been charged with Bush's murder and has been on remand at Northward since August last year.
PAC set to review reports
(CNS): Sparks could be flying in the Legislative Assembly today when the new Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meets for the first time in public to call witnesses and discuss two controversial reports by the Office of the Auditor General (OAG). With former premier McKeeva Bush sitting on the committee that scrutinizes the reports, one of which criticises his administration, especially his alleged direct interference in issues outside of the political realm, there could be some uncomfortable moments for the auditor and others on the committee. Roy McTaggart will chair the meeting, but after he recently sat at the government top table as a temporary cabinet minister, Bush was among those who claimed this is now a conflict, since ministers should not sit on PAC.
The committee is expected to review two reports by Auditor General Alastair Swarbrick and his team that raised a number of controversies, one that examined how government manages major capital projects, and the second was a specific report on some of the potential anomalies surrounding the air ambulance service.
Proceedings are open to the public and scheduled to begin at 10am.
Ex -pastor claims sexual advance was encouraged
(CNS): Former youth pastor and TV personality, Felix Manzanares, denied sexually assaulting a 41-year-old woman from West Bay in December 2011, when he took the stand on Tuesday in his own defence. Manzanares told the court that he was receiving a “sexual tone” from the victim as a result of various comments she made. The jury stifled laughter as the defendant stood in the witness box to illustrate what had given the former church youth leader, who is a married man, the impression that the complainant was being flirtatious. He also told the court that the two of them had come to an agreement just days prior to the alleged offense to meet and "catch up” but had not managed to do so due to other responsibilities.
During his testimony, the 27-year-old defendant said he celebrated his birthday with his wife days before the incident and had arranged with the complainant to meet the following day for lunch.
However, these plans were delayed until 19 December, when he claimed they decided to meet at her parent's house when he would be visiting them as normal as a pastor with the Church of God. The plan was that he would then follow the woman home to have a friendly meeting. The accused said he was aware that the complainant had dinner plans that night but was told he could remain at the residence until her friend had arrived.
Manzanares testified that when they arrived at the home, he made them both a cocktail while the complainant went to change into comfortable clothing. He then followed her to her bedroom, where she showed him a pair of shoes that Manzanares had jokingly tagged as 'stripper shoes' via a BlackBerry Messenger conversation the night before after she had posted a picture of the new shoes as her BBM profile.
After that the two returned to the living room and began having a normal conversation before, he said, he leaned over and began French kissing the West Bay woman.
Manzanares admitted that he had rubbed her feet asking to see her 'stripper toes' and said the complainant responded by saying that it was her 'sweet spot' and he should stop before “clothes started to come off”.
The ex-pastor said his accuser had made no indication that he had crossed any boundaries or wished for him to stop and had also made a comment about having a "thing for younger guys". He told the court that he then followed her into her kitchen, where she was washing up, and stroked her from the shoulder to her waist but that his gestures were not rejected.
During cross examination, the crown counsel put it to him that although the victim had said she had a "thing" for younger men, she did not say that she was attracted to men who are married. He was asked to explain what he meant when he said that the complainant was being flirtatious, to which he stood up and shimmied about, causing the judge and jury to laugh.
Prior to his giving evidence, a recording of a reconciliation meeting held between the accused, the complainant and a fellow member of the church was played for the jury. It was brought to their attention that the victim was unaware that Manzanares had been recording at the time of the meeting.
When asked by the prosecution why he had done so, the defendant responded, "I found it strange that she wanted to initiate a private meeting with me," he said, after she'dmade such malicious claims about him.
"I was safe-guarding myself,” he said about the recording, on which he was heard expressing deep remorse for his actions repeatedly and accepting the repercussions of his actions.
Manzanares is expected to continue under cross examination in the Grand Court tomorrow at 10:30am.
Related article on CNS:
Booze laws under review after conflicts exposed
(CNS Business): Government is reviewing in the process by which liquor licenses are awarded and managed, as well as the current moratorium on new licenses, officials have revealed. Following a chaotic meeting of the Liquor Licensing Board last week, when conflicts of interest caused the chairman and two board members to recuse themselves, which stalled proceedings because there was then no quorum, officials have acknowledged the problems relating to liquor licenses but said they are entrenched and complex and cannot be fixed overnight. With an uneven playing field, licensees fighting among themselves and board members and their families seen to have advantages over other holders, the licensing process seems to have broken down. Read more on CNS Business
Concerns abate over cholera outbreak in Cuba
(CNS): Acting Medical Officer of Health Dr Samuel Williams is continuing to remind visitors to Cuba to follow basic cholera prevention guidelines and to advise anyone returning from the neighbouring country to contact a doctor immediately if they develop diarrhoea within five days of their return. But with no further official reports concerning the Cholera outbreak in Havana, concerns are abating. According to the Pan American Health Organization and the World Health Organisation (WHO), there are no new cases and no travel restrictions are in place.
Chances of a cholera outbreak in the Cayman Islands remain very low as the islands have modern water and sewage treatment systems.
Cholera is an acute intestinal infection that is the result of ingesting contaminated food or water. It causes rapid watery diarrhoea that leads to severe dehydration. But according to WHO figures, up to 80 percent of cases can be treated successfully with oral rehydration salts. The disease is spread through water which may be tainted by the faeces of infected persons or by untreated sewage. Food can be contaminated by using this tainted water or by being handled by someone who has cholera.
Tips for Prevention
Travellers to Cuba can greatly reduce the risk of contracting the disease by following these practices:
- Drink only bottled, boiled or chemically-treated water and/or bottled or canned beverages.
- Ensure that seals are unbroken when using bottled drinks.
- Disinfect your own water: boil for one minute or filter the water and add two drops of household bleach or half an iodine tablet per litre of water.
- Use bottled, boiled or chemically-treated water to wash dishes and brush teeth.
- Use ice in your drink only if you know it was made from boiled or treated water.
- Wash your hands often with soap and clean water.
- Clean your hands before you eat or prepare foods, and after using the bathroom.
- Eat foods that have been thoroughly cooked and are still hot, or fruit that you have peeled yourself.
- Cook all vegetables. Do not eat salads or other raw vegetables.
- Do not buy food or beverages from street vendors.
No link in murder, say cops
(CNS): As the murder investigation into thefatal shooting of Irvin Bush (52) on Sunday continues, the police say they are ruling nothing out. However, a police spokesperson said Tuesday that while it might have been a gang-related killing, no direct link has so far been established to the murder of Bush’s son, Robert Mackford Bush (28), who was shot dead while sitting in a car in the Birch Tree Hill area of West Bay on Tuesday, 13 September 2011. Irvin Bush was gunned down outside his home in Daisy Lane at around 10:00 Sunday night. Police have not yet indicated how many gunmen are thought to have been involved or how they arrived at the victim’s residence.
“We are carrying out extensive enquiries to establish a motive. We haven’t ruled out the possibility that this was gang-related, but at the present time we cannot confirm that,” said Detective Chief Inspector Malcolm Kay.
The most obvious question being asked, however, is if Bush’s killing is connected to the murder of his son. Following the fatal shooting of the 28-year-old in 2011, two other young men were killed in tit-for-tat violence in the district in a matter of days. A fourth West Bay man was also killed and a fifth injured in a related shooting in George Town off Crewe Road.
Only one person has ever been charged in connection with the series of shootings that marked the last spate of gangland killings in Grand Cayman. Brian Borden was charged with Robert MacKford’s murder last year and has been on remand ever since.
However, with constant delays in his trial, Borden’s attorney has filed a human rights petition tothe courts challenging the mandatory imposition of remand on all defendants charged with murder, regardless of the circumstance or quality of evidence against them. That petition is scheduled to be heard on Friday.
In the meantime, police have not yet made any arrests in the recent Bush case, nor have they released any more details, but they are asking the public to contact George Town Police Station if they have any information about the murder or were in the area at the time of the shooting.
A murder incident room has been set up and people can also call a specific enquiry line on 925-7240 with any tips that can assist police. They can also call the RCIPS dedicated tip-line 949-7777 or Crime Stoppers 800-8477 (TIPS).
600 dictionaries donated to local schools
(CNS): For the third year in a row service club Rotary Sunrise has delivered over 600 dictionaries to year seven students at all government and private schools in the Cayman Islands, officials said Tuesday. Rotary Sunrise President JD Mosley-Matchett and Literacy Committee Member Woody Foster presented the books to year seven students at John Gray High School (JGHS) on 11 September and to Clifton Hunter High School on 13 September. It will continue distributing the dictionaries to private schools over the coming week.
Since 2011 Rotary Sunrise has delivered the UK version of the Usborne Illustrated Dictionary students as part of the Dictionary 4 Life Project, an international initiative in support of universal literacy
“My three year old son’s favourite book is a picture dictionary which we read on a nightly basis,” said education minister Tara Rivers. “I hope the students receiving their own personal copy of the Usborne Illustrated Dictionary will enjoy the book for years to come.”
Triathlon to boost sports tourism
(CNS): With sports tourism one of the big hopes to develop the overnight guest market on Grand Cayman the forth coming 2013 Arch & Godfrey Cayman Islands Triathlon is much more than just a hard race. Set for 3 November the gruelling sports challenge is one of the Islands' premier sporting events which attracts a strong field of international competitors as well as locals, keen amateurs and spectators. More than 200 athletes are expected to sign up this year from home and abroad and registration is now open. There are several categories including the Olympic distance — 1500m Swim, 40k Bike, 10k Run as well as the shorter Sprint distance 750m Swim, 20k Bike, 5k Run.
The first 200 athletes registered will receive athlete bags and goodies including race shirt, bag, race belt, water bottle. Ahead of the main event, an optional training series is being held this month and next to help racers get in shape.
The triathlon starts at the public beach on Seven Mile with the swim, followed by the bike ride to West Bay and the foot race will be held along the West Bay Road
The 2012 Cayman Islands Triathlon saw Marius Acker finish the Olympic distance in 2:09:32, successfully defending and shaving 5 seconds off his 2011 Olympic distance title. Arwen Lawson meanwhile was first female finisher in 2:35:18. In the Sprint distance, Darren Mew took the title with a time of 1:12:59 and first female finisher was Gill Comins with 1:17:28. First team to finish was tRICS in a time 2:05:51.
The official race guide is expected to be on the website shortly at www.triathlon.ky
Has there been a change?
The current government must not forget why the Caymanian people overwhelmingly voted the past UDP government out of power in the last elections. While Caymanians chose more PPM candidates than any other group, it was not a resounding win for the PPM but rather a resounding vote against UDP. Caymanians chose overwhelmingly 'anything that was not UDP'. The PPM needs to give serious consideration to what it was the Caymanian people were unhappy about and make every attempt to follow policies that are in keeping with what the people want for their country.
One of the main issues was how our representatives worked with the Dart Group. Caymanians were very concerned with what seemed to be the great 'Dart giveaway'. It seemed as though every deal made was beneficial to Dart but with little concern as to what was best for Cayman. While we, the general public, have very little knowledge of what is contained in the deals made during the last administration, the little we do know is very one-sided in favour of Dart. Instead of the 'ForCayman Alliance', it should be more correctly called the 'ForDart Alliance'.
Government closed the West bay Road, gave them unbelievable breaks in import duty concessions and hotel tax concessions and probably much more that we are not aware of. In return, they built a new road (opening up their valuable land). They have developed Camana Bay, but that is a business venture to commercially develop their land holdings and not a response to what is good for the Caymanian people.
If more evidence was needed that Dart shows no concern for what is in the best interest of Caymanians or even Cayman, we need look no further than their choice of hotel franchise. If they were truly interested in the feelings and opinions of Caymanians, they would surely know our history and would not bring a franchise such as the Kimpton Hotel Group to Cayman. With all the brands of hotel franchises they could have chosen, what a slap in our faces to choose one that is openly gay-friendly based in San Francisco. While no one questions the right of Kimpton to market to whatever demographic segment of the market they choose, why would Dart choose that franchise for Cayman? Most likely, either they are unaware of our culture or do not care. Caymanians are not trying to restrict anyone from visiting but simply asking those that visit to respect our culture and way of life. This choice is just one more demonstration of how much Dart really cares about Cayman and our culture.
The new PPM government not only should but they have an obligation to redress any of the wrongs done by the past administration. Where a bad deal was made we should now be making every effort to cancel it for the good of the country. The excuse of 'it is already signed' is not being accepted by Caymanians. If these deals were made in bad faith they must be cancelled.
During the last UDP administration there were many issues that were highly contentious and the people felt were wrong. The issues that caused the most contention seemed to be the way developers were able to get planning permission for whatever they wanted, even if it was something the Caymanian people were against.
Caymanians actually came out in large numbers and marched against such projects as the East End Port, the South Sound road and canal plans and the closing of the West Bay Road. The PPM government must make it clearthey will listen to the people when it comes to these types of major decisions. If not, the people will feel as though everything is the same as before, only the faces have changed and the PPM government will be a one term government, just as before.
The minister for planning has not helped the cause by appointing a number of key members from the previous planning board to the new board. This will almost ensure more of the same and the Caymanian people will not accept it. In all the government boards there should have been a complete change but most especially the planning board as that is where the most serious concerns and lack of trust were demonstrated.
This government is still new, but they are being watched carefully.