Archive for January, 2014
CoP probed over NYD arrest
(CNS): A spokesperson for the RCIPS has confirmed that the involvement of the Commissioner of Police in the arrest of a robbery suspect is under investigation. David Baines reportedly rammed the getaway vehicle in which three men accused of holding up a George Town jewellery store were trying to make their escape on the morning of New Year’s Day. In an interview Baines gave to the UK press, Cayman’s top cop said that when the suspects got out of their car he continued the pursuit in his Chevy Trailblazer, while they were on foot, pinning two of them against a fence while the third man ”slipped ” under his truck. That suspect remains in hospital but the authorities have not yet confirmed what are understood to be severe injuries.
Baines told the UK’s Daily Mail, “I went after them and hit two of the guys up against a fence. One slipped beneath the car.”
Although Baines, who was listed as an OBE recipient in the UK New Year’s Honours list just the day before, was lauded as a hero locally and in the British media when he helped to foil the suspected robbers' escape, there were concerns raised that going after the men who were on foot in his vehicle may have been excessive.
Following the submission of questions from CNS and other media houses, the police released a short statement on Wednesday evening about the incident, in which Christopher Myles and James Mclean as well as an unnamed third man were arrested following the daring daylight hold-up at Diamonds International on 1 January.
Speaking about the involvement of the police commissioner, an RCIPS spokesperson said, “This is being investigated separately, from both the accident and use of force perspective. Once [the investigation is] completed the file will be sent to the legal department for their feedback.”
The statement came on the same day that Ezzard Miller, the independent member of the Legislative Assembly for North Side, had called for the same vigorous inquiry into the circumstances of the arrest and the use of force in this situation, as was the case against a local officer who was charged with assault following an off-duty arrest..
Caymanian officer, Rabe Welcome, was suspended and charged after he broke the arm of a suspect armed with a machete during an arrest at a gas station while he was off duty. Welcome was eventually convicted but then acquitted by the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal, but by that time he had already lost his job.
“The police need to exert a certain amount of force to combat crime. But I was concerned when a Caymanian officer was convicted and dismissed before eventually being acquitted over the use of force in an arrest, so I hope we don’t have a double standard here,” Miller said. “The governor needs to state whether or not there will be an investigation and if there is, it needs to be as robust as that carried out in the case of the Caymanian officer and it needs to be made public.”
The police confirmed that the third man, who remains in hospital, has now been interviewed but he has not yet been charged. The RCIPS spokesperson also confirmed that access to him by his family had been limited because police had been unable to interview him. It is understood that the man’s condition prevented police from talking with him.
“At the initial stages of enquiry there was limited access to the suspect due to the fact that he had not been interviewed by the police, and there were concerns relative to evidence collection and contamination," the spokesperson stated. “His lawyer and family were aware of this. The subject has since been interviewed (Tuesday) and the family has visited him at the hospital,” he added.
Miller to press on OMOV
(CNS): The independent member for North Side has singled out two issues that he will be pushing hard for during 2014. First ishis intention to immediately press government to meet its commitment to deliver on one man-one vote in single member constituencies before this financial year is out. Ezzard Miller told CNS that, along with the introduction of a minimum wage, the changes to the elections law need to be implemented sooner rather than later. Therefore, he said, he and his legislative colleague from East End, Arden McLean, will be presenting two private member’s motions when the Legislative Assembly meets later this month to push government’s hand on both issues.
Talking about the need to make the changes to the election law as soon as possible, Miller said he expected the government to welcome the motion but he had been disappointed with the “shocking absence” of this and the minimum wage issue in the government’s legislative agenda presented during the budget debate for this year.
“The election campaign took place less than one year ago and every person elected in the current government, including the C4C members, campaigned in favour of one man, one vote, in single member constituencies almost as a matter of urgency,” he said. “On that basis, coupled with the fact that there are members of Cabinet who launched their political career with the OMOV campaign and who got elected … as a result of that involvement ahead of the referendum in 2012,I expect this motion to be welcomed with open arms at the next meeting,” he added.
So, keen to ensure that the necessary amendments are made to the election law as quickly as possible, Miller said that if the necessary legislation is not on the floor of the LA before 30 June, he was prepared to take on the necessary time and expense of tabling his own private member’s bill. This would see Miller finance the cost of drawing up the necessary amendments to the legislation and present government with a ready to use white paper.
while the next election may be well over three years away, an unexpected by-election could happen at any time if a serving MLA were forced to step down, chose to resign or pass away.
The Elections Office has said it is ready to implement single member constituencies but there are some boundary issues to be addressed over constituencies bordering George Town and Bodden Town. Kearney Gomez, the former supervisor of elections, had stressed a preference for the maximum time line possible for an education and awareness campaign about that, as well as the general changes that OMOV in single member constituencies would bring for voters.
Miller said the time was now and he would do everything in his power to drive the necessary legislative changes within the next few months.
All of the PPM and Coalition for Cayman members, as well as both Miller and McLean, have expressed their full support for the change, even if at this stage no time line has been spelled out by the government. Even Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush has accepted the fact that the new voting system is coming, which leaves the government with no reason to postpone the legislation.
However, when it comes to minimum wage Miller has a greater struggle on his hands. Despite support from key PPM members of government during the election campaign, Coalition for Cayman member Tara Rivers, who is now the labour minister, has expressed her opposition to it. Nevertheless, given the support of Premier Alden McLaughlin, Miller said his motion on this issue should also be welcomed by the government.
“The premier is on record as saying that not introducing the minimum wage is one of his major regrets,” Miller told CNS this week, noting that McLaughlin was now in a position to put that right.
The independent member said he expected there would need to be some research into the lowest possible wage rate. Acknowledging that this would not be high, he pointed to government’s lowest hourly rate of around $7 as a probable starting point.But whatever was considered reasonable, he said, it was important to implement the rate as a social policy and deliver a message.
The North Side member was convinced, he said, that the way the labour law was written, as a result of pressure from the business community and its lobby groups, had created difficulties for successive governments, who have all supported minimum wage in principle, enacting the necessary changes to the law.
He said Cayman needed to put a stop to unscrupulous employers who know full well that paying someone $4 an hour makes it impossible for them to live in Cayman. Miller said that the lack of a minimum wage had driven down wages over the years to such an extent that more and more people were forced into poverty and had fuelled the increase in foreign cheap labour, which is at the heart of local unemployment.
“Businesses should not be allowed to rely so heavily on constantly reducing their labour costs to provide a source of profit,” he told CNS.
Illustrating his point, Miller explained that in 1969 a bartender at the Holiday Inn was paid around $8 per hour and allowed to keep the tips he earned. At that time the cost of a beer was a $1. Today, he said, at the Ritz Carlton, which sits on the site of the former Holiday Inn, beer now costs $8 while jobs for bartenders are advertised at $4 per hour with just a share of gratuities.
“There is something very wrong with that equation,” Miller said, as he called on government to seize the opportunity to do what government after government since the 1980's has been unable to do.
Jamaicans form association for future ganja industry
CNS): Those advocating for the decriminalisation of ganja in Jamaica are preparing to launch a cannabis growers' association, as momentum builds towards the establishment of a formal ganja industry in Cayman’s neighbouring island. As politicians in Cayman remain tight lipped in the face of a campaign here to open the discussion on purely the medical use of cannabis, Jamaica is preparing itself for the financial windfall many believe will come once legislation changes. Encouraged by the legalisation of the drug in Colorado and Washington and in Uruguay, the development of a local, regional and international cannabis industry could generate billions of dollars for the Jamaican economy.
The Cannabis Future Growers and Producers Association will be launched later this month, according to reports in the Jamaican media, at a major stakeholders’ forum for the various entities planning a future in ganja at the University of the West Indies in Mona, St Andrew.
"We have invited representatives of the various organisations to come together at the forum to take their ideas forward," Paul Burke, a spokesman for the forum organisers, confirmed Wednesday. "The launch of the Cannabis Future Growers and Producers Association is expected to be one of the outcomes of the forum."
UK armed police to wear video cameras
(CNS): British police who carry firearms are to wear video cameras in an attempt to be "more open" following the death of Mark Duggan, the Met Police Commissioner has said. Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe admitted this week that the force must "do more to build trust" after an inquest jury found the 29-year-old was lawfully killed. Duggan was shot dead by police in August 2011 in Tottenham, North London. Duggan, whose death sparked protests that descended into rioting and looting across London and spread to other parts of England, was shot when police stopped a taxi he was travelling in. The BBC reported that following the conclusion of the four-month inquest at the Royal Courts of Justice on Wednesday, his aunt, Carole Duggan, said he had been "executed".
Sir Bernard said he wanted officers to be able to be more open when it comes to the investigations that follow these events.
"In pursuance of that we're going to ask them to wear video cameras, so that we can record this type of incident, and I'm going to meet many people from across London, leaders from the Haringey community, to see what we need to do to work together to improve the confidence in the Met for those members of society who may feel that this has damaged their confidence in any way."
Rabbit hunter misses target
(CNS): A gunshot which appears to have been accidently fired into a Bodden Town residence saw police quickly on scene Wednesday afternoon. However, it appears that the intended target was a rabbit and the licensed firearms holder shot at the home by mistake. Police officers went to the house following the report by the home owner, who said a shot was fired through his window. But an RCIPS spokesperson confirmed that preliminary enquiries quickly revealed the shot was fired by his neighbour who was hunting for rabbits. Police said no one was injured and the hunter had a licence for his weapon. However, the circumstances surrounding the incident are still under investigation.
3000 requests made as FOI reaches 5th anniversary
CNS): It is five years ago this month since the Freedom of Information Law came into force in the Cayman Islands and as a result of the work of a small team at the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), government is slowly becoming more accountable. More than 3,000 FOI requests have been made since the law was enacted and the ICO has dealt with more than 140 appeals, 36 of which have gone to full hearings where decisions were handed down. Despite well documented and ongoing procedural problems, which in most cases are down to poor record keeping in government, the law has assisted significantly in improving public sector transparency.
However, five years after the law was implemented by the former PPM administration politicians have failed to complete the review of the legislation, which was mandated by the law itself after twelve months. Although the former information commissioner, Jennifer Dilbert, undertook her review and passed her recommendations to the Legislative Assembly more than 18 months ago, no review of the legislation took place under the previous UDP administration. The acting commissioner has confirmed that the office has received no news on the current administration’s plans regarding the review, which is expected to be examined not just by government but the entire Legislative Assembly.
With several more years having passed since that review, Dilbert said before her retirement that there would now need to be a review of the review because of the greater experience the office has now gained after working with the law for so much longer.
While the office has seen many problems over the five years, it has also witnessed considerable improvements in the work of information managers across the 92 different public authorities that make up the Cayman Islands Government.
“The FOI Law’s requirements for transparency and proactive publication have gradually become accepted by public officials and public authorities. Five years after the Law came into effect, FOI has become a way of life in the public sector and in the Cayman Islands at large, not least thanks to careful vigilance on the part of the Information Commissioner’s Office and a continuing programme of training and public education,” the office stated this week as it marked the five year anniversary.
“As various hearing decisions have brought to light, some infringements continue to occur, but for the most part public authorities – and particularly the information managers in each entity – are trying their best to comply with the Law, to respond to requests on time, and to be more transparent and accountable.”
Upon her retirement, Dilbert thanked all those who helped in the establishment of an effective Freedom of Information Regime in the Cayman Islands.
“I can assure them, and the public in general, that both our Legislation and our operational systems meet or exceed international standards, and in my experience are among the best worldwide,” she said. “The majority of chief officers, heads of departments and statutory boards have embraced FOI, and are ensuring that their entities are well placed to respond to requests and meet the requirements of the Law, including the proactive publishing of as much information as possible.”
Dilbert retired in December 2013 at the end of a five year appointment as commissioner and after more than 30 years of public service. Jan Liebaers was appointed as acting commissioner in January 2014, having served as the deputy information commissioner from June 2010 to December 2013. Prior to that, Liebaers was a key member of the FOI Working Group which drafted the Cayman Islands FOI Bill from 2005 to 2007, as well as the FOI steering and implementation planning committees which assisted in the development and planning of the law.
On the occasion of the laws anniversary the ICO thanked the civil service and successive governments for their support, in particular the information managers, some of whom have been in this important role for the last five years. Through their attendance at the ICO’s training seminars, the commissioner has had the opportunity of being involved with discussions with many of them, and witnessed first-hand their dedication to their sometimes difficult job.
All ICO decisions released to date are posted on the ICO website. Dilbert’s farewell message can also be found on the website in Issue 18 of ICON, the ICO Newsletter.
Fleet problems still plague rubbish collection
(CNS): Although the government has purchased several new garbage trucks and the minister recently promised an improvement in collection services, growing piles of rubbish and unpleasant associated smells blighted the holidays across Grand Cayman. Officials from the Department of Environmental Health said the delays to rubbish collection were down to a combination of continuing technical problems with the aging fleet and delays in the arrival of the new trucks. Issuing an apology on Thursday, the department said it was working with the Department of Vehicles and Equipment Services to get the old trucks back in service as soon as possible.
The DEH said the two new residential garbage trucks purchased during the 2012-2013 fiscal year are expected at the end of this month as a result of the severe weather conditions in the United States and other unspecififeddelays. Nevertheless, it said things would improve before then.
“As an interim measure while our vehicles undergo repairs, the DEH is working with a private sector company to collect all of the uncollected garbage by Wednesday of this week,” officials stated. ”All residential customers will continue to receive garbage collection service once per week.”
DEH Director Roydell Carter, who is ultimately responsible for ensuring that rubbish is collected, said, “All commercial customers will continue to see improvements with waste collections from their premises this week, especially after the uncollected waste has been removed. As of Thursday this week, it is anticipated that commercial services will be more in line with the ‘normal’ customer requirements as the DEH continues to work with the private sector, while striving to have our own vehicles back into operation.”
In this fiscal year’s budget (2013-2014) the department received funding for two new front loader garbage trucks, two additional residential rear loading trucks and two new Roll-On / Roll Off trucks. In addition, the DEH and DVES are now “actively working on the procurement process” to purchase and deliver these extra vehicles, which will significantly improve the overall garbage collection services,” Carter said.
However, customers will still have to hold on to their rubbish and residents are being asked not to put waste by the roadside until the relevant day in accordance with the DEH collection schedule.
Botanic Park tempts members to renew
(CNS): As a result of the recent and unexpected heavy rainfall for the time of year, the Queen Elizabeth Botanic Park is looking particularly lush, park officials said this week, as they reached out to the community to come and visit the facility. The park’s general manager, John Lawrus, said that the latest garden, the Xerophytic Garden, is really coming into its own now. “As we move forward into the dry season, it will continue to demonstrate a wide range of plants that can be enjoyed without supplemental irrigation,” he said as he urged ‘Friends of Botanic Park’ to renew their membership for continuous unlimited visits into the facility throughout 2014.
“The Orchid Boardwalk is continually being planted with regional orchids as well as orchids that have been rescued from various sites on the island by staff members and members of the Cayman Islands Orchid Society,” he added as he reminded the public about the much loved Annual Orchid Show and sale, which is going to be held on 1 and 2 March, as well as a Friends of the Park members preview party on the evening of 28 February.
One of Cayman’s most underestimated tourist attractions, the Botanic Park is home to a wide variety of endemic, indigenous and unique Cayman flora and fauna. It is home to the world renowned Blue Iguana Programme as well as a local tree nursery, where garden enthusiasts can buy endemic and native plants for their own yards instead of reverting to imported species.
For more about the park visit its website or www.facebook.com/QEIIBotanicPark.
Youth football tournament set for February
(CNS): A number of local sponsors, CIFA and the sports ministry have partnered up to present a local football tournament next month for some of Cayman’s younger players. The inaugural C3 Cayman International Youth Football Tournament kicks off on Tuesday, 18 February with the Cayman Islands Select Team that performed admirably in the recent CONCACAF Under 15 Championships in August playing visiting teams from Swindon in the UK and Houston, Texas. The competition’s major sponsors are C3 Cayman’s latest local player in the communication industry with the provision of high speed internet, TV and phone.
The Under 15 team from English League 1 outfit Swindon Town Football Club that previously toured the Cayman Islands in 2012 and 2013, and the Under 15 team from Major League Soccer’s Houston Dynamo from Houston, Texas will be the local boys’ opponents in the round robin competition. The youngsters from Swindon Town FC play the Cayman Islands Select Team on Tuesday, 18 February and the Houston Dynamo on Thursday, 20 February. The final game of the competition will be the Cayman Islands Select Team versus the Houston Dynamo on 22 February. All games are scheduled for 7:00pm at the Annex Field in George Town and will be preceded by games featuring the best Under 14 and Under 13 Caymanian footballers.
C3’s Managing Director, Randy Merren said the firm was proud to be the premier sponsors of tournament, which will not only promote local talent but give local players the opportunity to develop their skills against overseas competition. “We encourage everyone to come out and support the teams. Patrons will be given the opportunity to ‘kick to win’ during halftime of each game and have a chance to take home a flat screen television or tablet to enjoy C3’s digital TV service,” Merren said.
In addition to the three games, coaches from the visiting teams will be conducting free camps for players and local coaches on the Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Annex Field and Ed Bush Fields.
“It’s gearing up to be a very exciting and entertaining week for youth football,” said hosts and organisers Grasspiece Promotions spokesperson Neil Murray. “Thanks to major sponsors C3 and other corporate sponsors, we are able to once again showcase Cayman’s talented youngsters in action against top opposition from the United Kingdom and for the first time, opposition from the United States.”
The Under 15 team from Swindon Town FC features three prominent Caymanian youngsters – Sebastian Martinez, Kray Foster and Nathan Borde. Unfortunately for young Foster, an injury sustained in December will keep him out of the action but Sebastian Martinez who has been with Swindon Town’s Youth Academy since October 2011 will be in the line-up.
Martinez’s contract which includes his education was made possible by Swindon Town FC’s talent scout and former Swindon Town player and Reggae Boy Fitzroy Simpson. Simpson’s recommendation to take Sebastian to Swindon Town FC was supported by the Cayman Islands Government and a collaborative effort between the then ministries of youth and sports, education and development, and his parents.
Nathan Borde, who recently joined Swindon Town’s Youth Academy in August after spending time with Sheffield Wednesday’s Youth Academy, is there through the efforts of Simpson as well.
The tournament will mark the first time that the Under 15 team from the Houston Dynamo has ventured south to the Cayman Islands. In October 2013, Sunset Football Club travelled to Houston with Under 13 and Under 15 teams and played practice matches against teams from the Dynamo’s Youth Academy.
On this trip, Sunset FC will play host to the visitors from Texas.
Tickets for the tournament are $25.00 for the three games or $10.00 per game and are available at the gate. In addition, children under 13 will be charged $1.00 at the gate with all proceeds from the event covering expenses for the visiting teams.
For further information on the tournament and camps, please contact 925-3323 or e-mail grasspiecepromotions@gmail.com.
Along with C3 the platinum sponsors other sponsors include Pepsi, Aquafina and the Ministry of Health, Sports, Youth and Culture, in association with the Cayman Islands Football Association, Sunset Football Club, and a number of other corporate sponsors.
Registry appeals for data to see true cancer picture
(CNS): The Cayman Islands Cancer Registry, which collects information on a voluntary basis, is appealing to doctors and patients to tell them about their diagnosis to help experts understand the prevalence and impact of the disease in Cayman. With mounting anecdotal evidence that the islands may have higher levels of cancer among the population than comparative jurisdictions, the registry needs to collect accurate data to find out if this is the case and begin to look at possible causes. With only 177 documented cases on the registry it is impossible to draw any conclusions about the nature of the disease here, said Cancer Registrar Amanda Franck, who hopes that mandatory reporting will be introduced before the year is out.
Franck confirmed that as far as she is aware there has never been any research conducted about the levels, types and ages of those diagnosed or any other information about how cancer is impacting the local population.
The introduction of the register in 2010 was the very first step towards rectifying that but the expert stated that until there is mandatory reporting, as in most other countries, it can only offer a glimpse of the true picture. Hoping that legislation and a system to protect confidentiality can be introduced before the end of 2014, she said that this should be the year when an accurate picture finally emerges.
Franck pointed out that the patient data that is being collected through the registry is still being used to try and identify cancer trends here, with hopes thatrisks can be mitigated and an understanding how to decrease the incidences in the country can emerge. However, the experts need more information.
“Once we know that we are capturing the data of all diagnosed cases we can begin to examine what could be the environmental factors,” she said.
At present there are no answers as to why the reporting of diagnosis is limited and the registry is working hard to encourage doctors and patients to register and trying to establish a working protocol to facilitate the reporting process. But until the law forces mandatory reporting Franck said, the register will continue to rely on voluntary submissions, which, she emphasised, are held in the strictest of confidence.
“Patient confidentiality is of upmost importance and all information is held securely in a database and will never be available for public viewing,” Franck said. The registry database system is like the one used by the World Health Organization (WHO) which uses codes verses patient’s names, so all information remains confidential.
The month of January is being dedicated to raising awareness about the pressing need for this accurate and reliable information so health care professionals can improve Cayman’s prevention efforts, early detection, treatment and support. Franck appealed to patients and clinicians to get in touch and pointed out that the register needs to collect data from people who have suffered from cancer as well as current patients.
“Currently, there is very little information on the number of people living with cancer in the Cayman Islands, nor it is known which types of cancer are the most prevalent, or which types are on the rise,” Franck explained. “We need this information so the Cancer Registry can do everything possible to decrease cancer risks and keep the population healthy. We rely on cancer survivors, and families of those who have passed from cancer, to provide us with this valuable information.”
Registering is easy, completely confidential, and only takes minutes. By taking part in the registration process the public can help the Cayman Islands and the world understand more about cancer and ultimately finding better treatment.
Contact Amanda Franck, Cancer Registrar, at 345-244-2560 or Amanda.franck@hsa.ky to register today. To find out more people can also visit www.cics.ky and www.hsa.ky.
The national Cancer Registry is a collaborative effort between the Cayman Islands Health Services Authority and the Cayman Islands Cancer Society. The Registry was established in 2010 for the purpose of housing all cancer data collected in the Cayman Islands.