Archive for December, 2013
Horses dress up for festive dressage
(CIEF): ‘Jingle Bells’, one of the world’s most well known festive songs tells of the delight of hooking your horse up to an open sleigh, cracking the whip and dashing together through the snow, bells all ‘a-jingle’. You won’t see any snow at the Equestrian Centre on Linford Pierson Highway this weekend but on Saturday 14 December at 8am until noon, you will see horse enthusiasts from all over the island gather together there for their annual Christmas Fun Show.First up is the most popular and hotly contended ‘fancy dress’ competition. But this is no ordinary fancy dress competition since the horses are the ones to be dressed up.
Sneak along at 8am to see the start of the competition and cast your own votes a to who you think should win! Katie Slagel from Z99’s Breakfast Show is judge and will have the unenviable task of picking a winner on the day.
Entry is free to anyone who wants to come along and watch and join in the fun. While visitors are watching the riders negotiate the western trail pattern competition, the traditional gymkhana games and the nail biting jumping competition, they can play the fun Christmas games set up at the side stalls, make a Christmas craft, ride a pony at the pony park or munch on something sweet from the bake stall.
Once the bells start to jingle you can be sure that the big man in red is not far away. The Cayman Islands Equestrian Federation, the host of this event, does not disappoint and kids will be delighted to be able to climb up into Santa’s wagon, snap a photo with St.Nick and hand him those last minute list updates for the 25th December.
Milly Serpell, President of the Cayman Islands Equestrian Federation said “ This is one of my favorite shows of the year, everyone loves the fancy dress parade and we have lots of extra fun planned this year in the pony park. We are also excited to watch a special dressage display by Jessica Mctaggart one of our elite international riders’.
If you check out the full version of ‘Jingle Bells’, you’ll see that the driver of the sleigh is full of jollity, merriment and high spirits. If you go down to the Equestrian Centre this Saturday you can guarantee a laugh and you’ll probably have just as much fun as he did, if not more.
CIG marks international disabilities day
(GIS): Celebrations at the Lighthouse School (LHS) and Sunrise Centre marked International Day of Persons with Disabilities on Tuesday, 3 December. In Red Bay the Lighthouse School hosted an open house from 9.00 a.m. – 3.00pm, that showcased the potential of its 105 primary and secondary students. Young people began the day by leading a brief ceremony that included a number of musical and dance performances. They also guided visitors on tours of the school, including displays of handmade crafts and calendars which they had created for sale. Guests were also able to interact with students in classrooms.
Speaking at the opening ceremony Education Minister Tara Rivers, told the audience: “Today’s event reminds us to see possibilities, and to celebrate the contributions that persons with disabilities make in our community.” She also reiterated the ministry’s commitment, “to work towards breaking barriers and opening doors to facilitate inclusion, equal access, and the protection of rights for all persons with disabilities.”
Nearly 100 students aged five to 18 years are enrolled in the school’s primary and secondary programme. Its Early Intervention Programme supports more than 100 pre-schoolers aged birth to five years.
As part of celebrations Radio Cayman’s daily chat show “Talk Today” broadcast live from the Lighthouse School. Special guests were Principal Carla MacVicar, Sunrise Centre Director Shari Smith, and Lighthouse student – Jordan McLean.
Discussions focused on barriers faced by Lighthouse School students and Sunrise Centre clients. Guests also updated listeners on the National Disability Policy. In addition Jordan shared his thoughts on the day’s events, and explained how attending LHS fitted in with his dreams of someday moving on to tertiary education.
Meanwhile, in West Bay, the Sunrise Centre for adults with disabilities hosted a barbecue lunch from 11.00 a.m.-2.00 pm for staff and clients. Forty-nine persons with a wide range of needs are presently enrolled at the centre, which has 18 staff. Sunrise celebrated its 27th anniversary last November.
At the Government Administration Building in central George Town, Deputy Governor Franz Manderson, Chief Officer Mary Rodrigues and Cabinet Secretary Samuel Rose also took part in a photo-opportunity to mark the international observance. They were joined by a number of civil servants wearing yellow to show support for persons with disabilities.
Minister seeks approval for gender convention
(CNS): The minister with responsibility for gender affairs has made an official request to have the UK extend its part in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) to the Cayman Islands. Tara Rivers submitted the request to Governor Helen Kilpatrick Monday, ahead of today’s international human rights celebrations. The UK will then assess the current equality regime in Cayman and, if it feels the government can meet the obligations, the treaty will be extended. The convention will offer support to efforts being made and provide a catalyst to examine any lingering areas of discrimination.
Officials said it would help them develop strategies for solutions to address inequality between women and men and boys and girls.
The intentions of the Cayman Islands Government to sign onto CEDAW date as far back as 2004, and commitments have also been made at various Overseas Territories Consultative Council meetings.
The last legislative step in the process of meeting the UK’s requirements for CEDAW extension was the passage of the Gender Equality Law, 2011, which came into effect almost two years ago. This law prohibits discrimination in employment and related matters and also serves as local “enabling legislation” that upholds the principles of CEDAW.
“As the minister responsible for gender affairs, and as a woman, I have a keen interest to represent and advocate for the advancement of women and gender equality in the Cayman Islands,” said Rivers.
“CEDAW is the only core international human rights treaty that the Cayman Islands has yet to sign onto. This most recent request to have CEDAW extended is a reflection of the Government’s commitment to ensuring equality between women and men and promoting a culture of human rights in the Cayman Islands. Efforts such as these which strive toward gender equality help us create a more positive and equitable future for our sons and daughters and a healthier and more productive society.”
The cornerstone of CEDAW is the principle of equality between men and women and the prohibition of discrimination, which affects women’s enjoyment of political, economic, social, cultural, civil and other rights on an equal basis with men. By accepting CEDAW, countries commit themselves to ending discrimination against women in all forms so that they – along with men – can enjoy all of their human rights and fundamental freedoms.
“As the first female governor of the Cayman Islands, I am pleased to witness this significant milestone in our human rights history,” said Governor Kilpatrick, noting the progress over the years towards gender equality in Cayman and the now strong legal framework for non-discrimination. “I hope to do what I can to champion the rights of women and to support the efforts to have the CEDAW extended so that all Caymanians and residents have the opportunity to shape our future.”
Countries that have ratified CEDAW are legally obligated to work towards implementing its provisions and are also committed to monitoring and reporting on the measures they have taken to comply with their treaty obligations.
Senior Policy Officer (Gender Affairs) Tammy Ebanks stated that despite the current high levels of compliance with many of these obligations, the benefits of having CEDAW extended to the Cayman Islands include providing the Gender Affairs Unit with easier access to technical and other resources and expertise in the area of gender affairs and also opportunities to build relationships and share best practices and policy recommendations with other countries.
Often described as an international Bill of Rights for women, CEDAW was adopted in 1979 by the UN General Assembly and has been ratified by almost every single member of the United Nations. The only British Overseas Territories in the Caribbean to have CEDAW extended so far are the British Virgin Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Extension occurred in 1986 in both Territories, when the UK ratified CEDAW.
PA ordered to find records
(CNS): The acting information commissioner has ordered the Ministry of Education, Employment & Gender Affairs to go back and look again for records requested under a freedom of information application regarding documents used in a Human Rights Committee report published in 2007. Jan Liebaers found that the ministry did not make reasonable efforts to locate the records, as required in the law, when they told the applicant that the records he wanted did not exist. In this latest ruling, among the many procedural problems highlighted, the acting commissioner found, once again, that there was poor record keeping and ordered the ministry to get its house in order.
Liebaers pointed to the numerous past occasions commented on by the Office of the Information Commissioner (ICO) in respect of the poor record keeping standards applied by some public authorities. In this case, the records were generated by a government committee and the ICO raised concerns about the confusion surrounding who is responsible for keeping the records of committees, especially when, as was the case in this hearing, the committee no longer exists.
“This is a highly unsatisfactory state of affairs since committees perform important work, and their actions and decisions should be properly recorded and maintained over time,” he said. “Some committees in particular, such as the HRC in the present case, make decisions that may have a significant impact on individuals and organizations, and its records – like all government records — should be maintained in accordance with the provisions of the National Archive and Public Records Law.”
This particular hearing was triggered when an applicant seeking documents that were used to write a human rights report, which included details about him which he felt needed to be amended, was told the relevant records did not exist. However, he believed they did and in order to prove that the report needed to be changed he requested all of the documents that had been used in the making of it.
During the course of the appeal the acting commissioner found that there obviously were relevant documents in existence somewhere because there was a reference to them in correspondence with the applicant as well as in the report.
Therefore, Liebaers found that the authority did not look hard enough and did not make the necessary effort to find the records, and he told them to try again. He pointed out that although the records related to the Human Rights Committee, no one contacted the Procedural Sub-Committee involved in making the report or the former chair of that committee.
“This seems to me to be a serious flaw as he would be a person who might reasonably be expected to hold records of the Committee’s activities,” Liebaers noted.
The acting commissioner also raised the point that while the public authority in question says the records do not exist, it has not explained why they no longer exist or what has happened to them.
“The Ministry has not provided any explanation of why these records — which they were responsible for at the time of their creation — apparently no longer exist,” he notedin the decision. “In the course of the appeal the Applicant made an email available to the ICO which dates from just before the HRC Report was issued and in which a member of the HRC stated that the HRC at that time was making inquiries and expected to receive further documentation from various parties on the Applicant’s case. Similar statements are also included in the HRC Report itself, for instance at paragraphs 56, 59 and 60.”
Given that many important pieces of information were not provided by the ministry in the explanation of its search efforts, Liebaers concluded that the rigour and efficiency of the search conducted by the ministry was inadequate. He said the education ministry did not meet the requirement of the law to make reasonable efforts to find the records.
The acting commissioner gave the authority 30 days to either find the missing documentation or supply an affidavit listing the efforts made to locate the records.
See the decision in full here.
Cops record 32 crashes in 10 days
(CNS): The RCIPS’ Stay Alive road safety campaign does not appear to have made any impact on improving driving on the local roads yet or encouraged people to obey the traffic law. In just ten days the police have attended 32 road crashes and have arrested twenty people for drinking and driving and other road offences, from dangerous driving to driving without being qualified. In addition, 23 people have been given a ticketed for using a cell phone behind the wheel, 11 for speeding, 7 for failing to wear a seatbelt and 44 for a variety of other road traffic infringements.
With drivers still not paying due attention, there have also been a number of accidents that have resulted in serious injury, including a young male motor cyclist who was airlifted off island for treatment for injuries he sustained in a crash with a Toyota in Red Bay, and the victim who was hit by a car as worked in a manhole, who is being treated for multiple injuries at the local hospital.
In the face of the continued poor standards of driving and traffic law offences, Inspector Adrian Barnett said the police would continue with the zero tolerance approach to traffic enforcement.
“This campaign is all about raising awareness of the issue of road safety through education and enforcement,” he said. “It’s clear that many people are still not heeding our warnings – they seem to believe that the law does not apply to them.
“Well, 20 people who thought they were above the law have been arrested so far and now face the consequence of court, fines and disqualification. More than 80 other offences were detected and those who were ticketed face the prospect of having a cash shortage this Christmas because of the associated fines. But let’s face it – the people who are hit hardest are those in hospital and their families,” the senior officer added.
“My message to those who continue to drink and drive, speed, drive while being distracted by cell phones, etc, is that they should think about those people before getting behind the wheel. Do not be the person responsible for another family having to go through this heartache and trauma.”
The Stay Alive traditional holiday campaign and clamp down on the road laws continues until after the New Year.
CIG opens condolence book for Mandela
(CNS): As tributes pour in following the death of international icon and former South African president, Nelson Mandela, the Cayman Islands government has opened condolence books to allow members of the public to sign and make comments which will be sent to Mandela’s family. Books are open at the Government Administration Building on Grand Cayman, and the District Administration Building on Cayman Brac. Cabinet secretary Samuel Rose said that Mandela’s stature on the world stage was such that his popularity transcended national boundaries and the integrity of his character and courage of his actions spoke to something deep inside everyone.
“Here in the Cayman Islands, many of us came to know and admire Mr Mandela secondhand, whether through media reports, study at school, personal interest or the galvanizing effect that he had on communities across the Caribbean," Rose stated. “To reflect the esteem in which this remarkable and ground breaking leader was held by the people of the Cayman Islands, and to give our community an opportunity to pay their respects and express their sympathies, we invite the public to visit the Government Administration Building on Grand Cayman and the District Administration Building on Cayman Brac to sign condolence books.”
Premier Alden McLaughlin, who expressed his grief at the death of Mandela last Thursday in an official statement, noted how important he was not just to south Africa but the world: “His compassion, humility and humanity were an inspiration not only to his country, but to many of us in the Cayman Islands who want only to make lives better for our people,” he said.
Mandela, who had been illfor some time, died at his home surrounded by friends and family aged 95 years old. He will be given a state funeral, which is expected to be one of the largest in modern time. Some 91 heads of state are expected to descend on South Africa this week. The week-long funeral rites will culminate on Sunday with Mandela's burial at a family plot in his rural boyhood home of Qunu. His body will lie in state for three days from Wednesday in the amphitheatre of the Union Buildings in Pretoria, where he was sworn in as president in 1994.
Each morning, his coffin will be carried through the streets of the capital in a funeral cortege to give as many people as possible the chance to pay their final respects.
Anyone who wishes to sign the Cayman condolence books see here.
Invoices needed for Christmas packages
(CNS): In the face of the anticipated Christmas parcel snarl up, the Cayman Islands Postal Service (CIPS) is urging customers to submit invoices for their own holiday parcels as well as ‘Watch for Requests’ for traceable items or parcels not addressed properly. CIPS said that without an invoice, customs cannot assess the duty people are required to pay before they can have their packages and they will have to queue to collect them during the now restricted hours at the customs counter at the Airport post office, where packages can be opened. Officials said customers can submit invoices via email to: parcelpost@gov.ky or by fax to 345-945-6876.
They should also include the following information: The item’s tracking number (13 character number in the format of XX000 000 000 XX). The tracking number is essential to match the invoice to the package. The addressee’s name and postal address, the addressee’s email address (if available) and the invoice
“Without an invoice, the duty cannot be assessed,” Deputy Postmaster General of Operations, Melissa Martinez-Ebanks, explained. “This means the customer will have to go to the Customs counter at the Airport Post Office, which is only open between 11:00am and 2:00pm Monday through Friday, and 9:00am to 12:00 noon on Saturdays, to clear the package.”
The Watch For Request was intended for customers who realize their package did not have all the addressing elements required for delivery; namely, a post office box number and postcode. However, the process can be used by any customer with a tracking number and, if the customer wishes, it offers the added benefit of receiving the notice via email within seconds of the item being processed.
“Our normal process is to send the notice to the customer’s mail box. In cases where the delivery address does not include a valid post office box number, this is not possible—often what we see is street addresses. However, we recognise that our normal process includes the time necessary to sort and deliver the hard copy of the notice. If customers wish, they may submit a Watch For Request for any item with a tracking number. If the request includes a valid email address, the notice will be emailed to the customer as soon as the item is ready for collection, thus allowing the customer to receive the notice quicker,” Martinez-Ebanks added.
She said the “Watch For Request” is also useful for customers who share a post office box and may not have access at their own discretion. It is the only alternative for receiving the notice for items that do not include a post office box.
The Watch for Request forms are available at any post office and can also be downloaded from www.caymanpost.gov.ky/forms. Alternatively, customers can telephone 945-6875 and provide the necessary information.
Dart battles against proposed plastic-foam ban in NY
(CNS): Dart Container Corporation, a company owned by Ken and Robert Dart, is currently involved in a major battle to try and preserve the use of plastic-foam cups and containers in the face of a proposed ban by the mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg. While the Dart Group is now a major developer and investor in the Cayman Islands, Dart Container, the company that is the backbone of the Dart family’s success, is the world’s largest producer of foam cups and containers. Reports in the international media say that Dart has offered to buy the used containers at $160 per ton to recycle the material, despite the well documented problems surrounding reusing foam products.
Bloomberg introduced a bill earlier this year to ban foam food containers across New York City because of its impact on landfills and the difficulties associated with recycling expanded polystyrene containers that are soiled with grease or food.
Dart, however, has said it can recycle it. In an effort to head off the ban, which could be devastating to the company given the size of the New York market, Dart has offered top dollar for the used goods and hopes the money will be enough to persuade Bloomberg to re-think the ban.
Residents will need to separate the dirty foam containers from foam used for packaging and the city will still have to collect it, but Dart has offered to clean and truck it to a recycling plant in Indiana.
US press reports say that the discussion about recycling formed part of a committee on sanitation and solid waste management last month in the city. Under the original proposal the ban would take effect next July but it could be stopped if the city’s deputy sanitation commissioner finds the recycling is a real possibility.
However, several US cities have already opted for a ban, including Portland, San Francisco and Seattle, and gradually restaurants are moving away from the use of plasitc-foam containers, including McDonalds and Dunkin Donuts, both of which plan to stop using it.
Female driver arrested after hitting manhole worker
(CNS): The woman who was driving a Suzuki Vitara which hit a man who was working in a manhole in George Town on Friday has been arrested for a catalogue of driving offences. Police confirmed Monday that the woman was arrested on suspicion of careless driving and operating an unlicensed vehicle, driving without insurance and without a certificate of road worthiness. The female driver is believed to have struck the 22-year-old man as he was working in the manhole situated in South Church Street at the junction with Parsons Lane, George Town as she was attempting to make a turn at the same junction.
The man sustained multiple injuries and is currently in the Cayman Islands Hospital, where his condition is described as serious. Police are asking anyone who witnessed the incident to contact George Town police station on 949-4222.
Britain marks International Anti-Corruption Day
(CNS): The UK government stated its commitment to tackling corruption both in Britain and abroad, by continuing its push for tax transparency and through the implementation of the Bribery Act. In a joint statement Foreign Secretary William Hague, UK International Anti-Corruption Champion Ken Clarke and International Development Secretary Justine Greening said that reducing corruption and increasing transparency were vital for improving global stability and prosperity. 2013 also marks the 10 year anniversary of the passage of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, a standard which they encouraged the international community to champion.
The Foreign Secretary said, “Reducing corruption and increasing transparency is at the heart of this Government’s agenda. Through our Presidency of the G8 this year, the UK has secured a landmark agreement to promote tax transparency, tackle the misuse of ownership and legal arrangements by large companies, and announced plans for a UK register of beneficial ownership.
“Last week’s announcement by Transparency International that the UK had improved in the Corruption Perceptions Index was welcome news and reflects the work this Government has been doing to tackle corruption both in this country and abroad.”
Ken Clarke added, “I am proud that the Government have brought in the Bribery Act, a world-leading piece of legislation setting out a modernscheme of bribery offences in the UK and overseas and already giving rise to convictions.
“In my capacity as the UK Government’s Anti-Corruption Champion I am looking forward to working across Government to tackle efforts by those who launder the proceeds of corruption through the UK financial system. We are already pursuing money stolen in the Arab Spring countries.
“There is more to do, however, if we are to raise our standing at home and reduce corruption overseas. The establishment of the National Crime Agency will help continue this important work, as set out in the Serious and Organised Crime Strategy we have recently published. We must also continue to raise international awareness about our strong and comprehensive Bribery Act.”
International Development Secretary Justine Greening added, “When corruption happens in developing countries, it is the very poorest people who foot the bill. It deters investment, cheats citizens out of the services and support theyneed to develop their economies and end aid dependency.
“Stamping out corruption, fraud, money laundering and tax evasion is a vital part of our work. We are tackling the root causes and will support Britain’s world class police units to bring the culprits to justice.”
The UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) has programmes in place to help tackle endemic corruption, fraud and misuse of public funds in 29 priority countries, the release stated.
In addition, DFID funds specialist units in the Metropolitan Police, City of London Police, the Crown Prosecution Service and the Serious Organised Crime Agency to stop foreign or UK criminals from benefitting from corrupt practices in developing countries. Since 2006 over £100 million of assets have been restrained, confiscated or forfeited, and just under £14 million has been returned to developing countries.