Archive for January, 2014
Local arts fest promises kaleidoscope of talent
(CNS): The Cayman National Cultural foundation is now gearing up for this year’s Cayman Islands National Festival of the Arts which is scheduled for next month. Emphasizing local arts and culture, showcasing Cayman’s finest talent, with a mix of visual arts, music, theatre, film, fashion design, photography and cultural discussions, Cayfest 2014 is a three-day programme from February 27 to March 1 which includesthe National Arts & Culture Awards, a Dress for Culture Day and the Red Sky at Night festival, where the full spectrum of the arts in Cayman will be on display.
“Think of a colour wheel with all its nuance, brilliance, contrast and harmony. These are the qualities our national festival, Cayfest uncovers and celebrates. It is truly a marvelous festival that brings together people of all ages and backgrounds to take advantage of the abundance of amazing talent that we have right here in Cayman when it comes to our creative industries,” said Marcia Muttoo, CNCF Managing Director. Of the much loved local festival.
On February 27th CNCF will reveal the winners of the 20th Annual National Arts & Culture Awards. The National Arts and Culture Awards recognise those who attain a level of merit in their artistic discipline or contribute to the arts, culture and heritage of the Cayman Islands.
The 2013 Heritage Cross Awards and Star for Creativity Awards will be presented, along with recognitions for Volunteer of the Year, Sponsor of the Year and for outstanding long-term support of CNCF’s work (the Chairman’s Award). The awards ceremony is a CNCF initiative that began in 1990. Each year there is a call for nominations from cultural and heritage organisations, in collaboration with the general public.
Past winners include artist Bendel Hydes, Dave Martins, the creator of Rundown; visual artists Ed Oliver and Joanne Sibley; architect John Doak, dancer/choreographer Jackie Balls and musical legend Aunt Julia Hydes.
Dress for Culture Day on will celebrate Cayman’s cultural tapestry by inviting the public to wear something that represents their roots or heritage to work or school on Friday February 28. Donations raised from this dress down day will go directly to CNCF youth and cultural programming.
"We must realise that we are more alike than different in our various cultural expressions and by working together we can have a more significant impact on our development as human beings. Setting aside one day specifically to showcase our national dress, food or other memorabilia, is a good start to the weaving of our cultural tapestry," said Lorna Bush, CNCF Programmes and Public Education Officer.
For more information on how to get your organisation involved, email marketcncf@candw.ky or call CNCF on (345) 949 5477.
The Red Sky at Night’ festival on Saturday, 1 March 4pm to 12 midnight at the F.J. Harquail Cultural Centre, will feature the work of over 50 artists, performers and craftspeople. Patrons will be treated to live performances from singers, dancers, actors and storytellers, as well as creative work by local visual artists and crafts people, including exquisite handmade items, art installations and sculptures.
Celebrated films from around the Caribbean and inspiring live performances will be featured within the festival theatres. Besides all of this, there will be plenty of food on sale, from popular hot local dishes, to snacks and desserts, to fresh juices and organically grown produce. CNCF has invited over ten other non-profit organisations to participate, including the National Museum, National Gallery, Catboat Club, National Archive, Visual Arts Society, Cayman Drama Society and the Astronomical Society, to name a few.
Programmes Manager Rita Estevanovich explained, “We are always happy to connect creatively with our sister organisations on events such as Cayfest. Cayfest is Cayman’s national festival of the arts, so it is fitting to have as many of our sister organisations involved as much as possible; the more each of us contributes to the overall festival, the more enjoyable the festival experience is for our residents and visitors alike. It will give the community a chance to learn about the many important cultural, environmental, historical and artistic programmes we each administer, with the convenience of having representatives from each organisation in one location. It’s a win- win for everyone.”
Tickets for the Red Sky at Night Festival cost from $5 – $15 and are available from the Harquail Theatre, Fosters Food Fair (Airport) and Funky Tangs. Call 949-5477 for more information and to find out about discounts. Join CNCF in remembering and discovering all the reasons we love arts and culture in the Cayman Islands! www.artscayman.org/cayfest
Middlebury College heading to Cayman
(CRFU): Whilst local rugby players will get some respite from playing against other local residents the Rugby action will not stop in South Sound with Middlebury College Rugby Club visiting for a 3 game series in early February. The Cayman Rugby Union has played host to some quality US college sides in recent years such as Dartmouth, Princeton, Loyola to name and a few and Middlebury promises to yet against provide stiff competition as Cayman prepares for its international Rugby match-ups in 2014.
Middlebury’s recent achievements include:
D-IAA East Coast Rugby Conference Champions: 2012
DII Men’s Collegiate NERFU Champions: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010
DII Men’s Collegiate NRU Champions: 2001, 2002, 2008, 2010
DII Men’s Collegiate National Sweet 16: 2010
DII Men’s Collegiate National Semi-finalists: 2008
DII Men’s Collegiate National Runner-up: 2011
DII Men’s Collegiate National Champions: 2007, 2009
Schedule of Games:
2 February: 3pm KO – Cayman Select XV (Iguanas RFC & Cayman Storm RFC) v Middlebury College XV
4 February: 4pm KO – Cayman Select XV (Pigs Trotters RFC & Buccaneers RFC) v Middlebury College XV
7 February: 4pm KO – Cayman National XV v Middlebury College XV
All games are free to watch at the South Sound Rugby Ground or viewable online at www.caymanrugbytv.com
Changes pave way for court-prison video link
(CNS): Although government announced over two years ago that it had plans to use video links for remand prisons at Northward for short court appearances, so far not one prisoner has made a court appearance via the equipment. This seems to be as a result of the relevant law, which appeared to hinder the ability of the courts to hear cases via teleconferencing. However, an amendment to section 60 of the criminal procedure code, which passed in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, will finally enable judges at their discretion to hear remand cases and mentions via a link between the court and the prisons.
The hope is that this will cut costs for the prison and courts, lower security risks and keep more prison officers at Northward rather than policing the court jails.
Although many remand prisoners are brought to the courts every day for a variety of reasons, a significant proportion of the appearances are very brief, sometimes a matter of a few minutes. Requests for adjournments for numerous reasons, attorneys seeking documents and disclosures setting and altering trial dates, and making elections for trial can be a matter of seconds, yet every prisoner is brought to the courts and has to be kept in the overcrowded and poor quality facilities there often for the whole day, despite making a less than five minute appearance.
The use of a video link will enable "virtual" remand hearings and cut costs for government.
Two years ago, when the equipment was expected to be in use within a view weeks of the announcement, Dwight Scott, the then prison director, revealed that around 100 Category-A and -B prisoners and persons on remand are transported to and from the courts every week, including those charged with murder, rape and serious violence.
At least three prison staff and two vehicles are dedicated to processing and transporting remand prisoners each day.
Although it is not clear if the intention is to follow the original plan, but in January 2012 officials had said the CCTV system will use two separate sound-proof rooms at Northward. One will be with a 'dock' that will enable the judiciary to confirm that the inmate is secured in custody and allow hearings and questioning from the courtroom. A separate room, also equipped with CCTV, will allow confidential conversations between persons on remand and their attorneys.
"Deploying this technology removes the need to transport dangerous persons outside the prison gates, thereby removing many risk factors,” Portfolio of Internal and External Affairs Deputy Chief Officer Eric Bush said at the time. He also said that many issues had been taken into consideration, including the human rights of those detained, but apparently not the law.
Government laid out some $85,000 on the technology, which it had hoped to recoup within eight months. However, because it has not been used yet, government is still out of pocket.
LA adjourned early, ethics debate set for Thursday
(CNS): Government managed to get through only a limited amount of business Wednesday since the speaker was unable to attend the Legislative Assembly as a result of illness. Although Anthony Eden, the deputy speaker, was able to step in for the morning, a funeral appointment in his constituency prevented him from presiding over the afternoon session, leading to an adjournment before members began the much anticipated debate on the new Standards in Public Life Bill. That is now expected to be dealt with on Thursday. Three private members motions dealing with a minimum wage, the introduction of 'one man, one vote' and changes to the customs law will also now be pushed to another sitting.
Despite a packed order paper, government only managed to lay a few reports on the table, deal with just one parliamentary question and pass amendments to the police law and the criminal procedure code as a result of the early adjournment. Two government motions regarding a rezoning application and Cayman’s latest tax information exchange deals were also left unaddressed.
During the briefing debate on the police bill, following the explanation from Attorney General Samuel Bulgin that the law had to be amended to make it compatible with the Bill of Rights, the member for North Side raised concerns over the constant legislative changes to help the police without any results.
Ezzard Miller said he would support the change but he questioned what was happening, as every time he saw the news judges were throwing out cases because of incompetence somewhere along the line from the police or prosecutors. He said just about every law that could be amended had been to help combat crime but it was still increasing. Miller said legislators had to believe that what they were doing was helping. While he said he was prepared to vote for the change, government must look at what is happening in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and with the police to give people some assurance that it is not a case of incompetence driving all the legislative changes.
“Every time we are here we seem to be amending the law to help the police but my community has no police and the criminals are running wild,” he added.
Meanwhile, his colleague Arden McLean, the independent member for East End, also voiced concerns and queried how government could implement the Constitution and a year later pass a police law that was incompatible with it, as he pointed the finger at the Attorney General. He said many times he and other members of the LA have brought potential anomalies to the attention of the official member but as they were not lawyers their concerns were not listened to. But here they were again, having to amend laws because the ones that were supposed to know weren’t getting it right. McLean said it was the AG's responsibility to ensure the laws conform to the constitution.
Premier Alden McLaughlin spoke briefly on the issue and said the Constitution was working as expected and that there was no way that any government could expect not to find some circumstances where incompatibility would occur. He pointed out how old the US constitution is and yet the laws still face constant challenges in the courts there.
The AG also dismissed the comments from the independent members and said that jurisprudence was evolving and as such there would always be a need to amend laws to ensure constitutional compatibility.
Alden to face HARDtalk
(CNS): Although the Cayman Islands premier recently accused the local media of wanting to take "pot shots" at government when he made it clear that regular press briefings are now a thing of the past, Alden McLaughlin is, however, set to make an appearance on one of the BBC’s flagship interview programmes, where he is likely to face more than pot shots. Leaving for London on Friday evening for a conference on combating global corruption, where he is delivering a keynote address next week, the premier will also be taping an interview for HARDtalk with host Stephen Sackur (left), following an invitation to talk about Cayman’s tax haven label, among other issues.
In a release from his office McLaughlin said he was “humbled to have been asked to appear on HARDtalk to tell not only Cayman’s story, but that of the other overseas territories,” as it is understood he will be the first OT leader to appear on the show and face Sackur’s pointed questions.
“It’s a pretty big stage,” said thepremier. “It’s my honour to represent the Cayman Islands and the overseas territories. We all have a good story to tell,” he added.
Topics to be discussed include Cayman’s status as an international finance centre, the use of the term “tax haven”, international efforts to curb tax avoidance, banking regulation in the Cayman Islands and reported recent tensions between Caymanians and the expat community.
While in London, the premier, who will be travelling with the Cabinet Secretary Samuel Rose and Senior Political Advisor Roy Tatum, also plans to meet with officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
The main purpose of the visit, however, is for McLaughlin to deliver an address at the corruption conference hosted by Chatham House, "Combating Global Corruption: Shared Standards and Common Practice", which is being held on Monday and Tuesday, 3-4 February. McLaughlin will address Session Five of the conference, "Recovering the Proceeds of Corruption".
The premier said he was delighted to accept the Chatham House invitation and for the opportunity to tell the world of the successes of the Cayman Islands on the global financial stage.
“It’s rare that a leader of a UK territory has the opportunity to address anti-corruption initiatives from a global perspective,” McLaughlin added.
This conference will examine action to tackle global corruption and consider the role of governments and businesses. Participants and speakers will critically assess current and emerging international efforts and consider their consequences for future business practice and governance.
Chatham House is home to the Royal Institute for International affairs, an independent think tank and organisation that analyzes, informs and influences debate on the hope for a prosperous and secure world for all. Engaging governments, the private sector, civil society and members about developments in international affairs, it produces analysis of critical global, regional and country-specific challenges and opportunities and puts forward possible solutions on the world stage.
Other keynote speakers at the conference include Angel Gurria, Secretary General for the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development; Dr Mo Ibrahim, Founder and Chair of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation; and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Minister of Finance, Nigeria.
During the absence of McLaughlin and Rose, Deputy Premier Moses Kirkconnell will be the acting premier and Robert Lewis will act as the cabinet secretary.
Officials said McLaughlin will depart on Friday, 31 January, but did not state when he is expected to return. The interview with the BBC will take place on Tuesday but no date has been confirmed for when the show will air.
3rd fuel supplier considered
(CNS): Government appears to be in preliminary discussions regarding the possibility of a third fuel supplier for the island to enable CUC to source cheaper diesel. Kurt Tibbetts told his legislative colleagues that government believes competition would provide the best avenue for addressing the problem of high fuel costs, and although there was nothing yet to report, the possibility of allowing CUC to find a cheaper supplier and to facilitate a new terminal and moorings was under discussion. The revelations came during question time in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday when the planning minister confirmed that ESSO's Caribbean assets, including those in Cayman, have been sold to Simpson Oil Ltd (SOL).
Following the question about the change of ownership of Exxon Mobil-ESSO posed by Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush, Tibbetts explained that the government had learned only as a matter of rumour that the company was being sold. When the chief petroleum inspector checked the website, he discovered that SOL had acquired Exxon-Esso's Cayman assets. He then called the firm, which confirmed the deal had been finalized earlier this month and it was now in the legal process of making the necessary changes and applications to the Trade and Business Licensing Board.
Tibbetts confirmed that government had not been informed about the sale and no one here was advised of the transaction until the CPI asked.
This sale comes in the wake of the sale of Chevron-Texaco to Rubis and will see the branding at ESSO stations changed to SOL in the coming weeks in the same way that Texaco was transferred to Rubis.
Answering further questions from both Bush and the member for East End, Arden McLean, about price and competition, Tibbetts revealed that government had met with both Rubis and Esso, now SOL, and had engaged in myriad discussion on a number of different issues.
When it came to price, he said government understood there were no simple solutions but a policy decision had been taken that competition would be the best way to address prices for the benefit of the public. He said government was now looking "earnestly" at how that can happen beyond the existing competition between the two firms and pointed to CUC.
"I can't disclose any specific details as those details don't exist yet," he said, noting that a huge part of the fuel consumed on Grand Cayman was used by CUC. He implied that was where government was considering expanding competition. He confirmed that within reasonable terms, government was prepared to allow CUC to purchase diesel elsewhere if interested parties were identified.
The minister also stated that as the current mooring, distribution equipment and terminal is owned by one of the two existing oil companies, government would not stand in the way of a new facility if it was required.
Following the legislative session, CNS contacted CUC for comment about the revelations from Tibbetts but the president, Richard Hew, gave nothing away. Pointing to the trend globally of big oil companies concentrating on exploration, extraction and refining of oil and moving out of terminal operations, retailing and marketing the terminals, he said that the retail operations locally have now also been sold to regional operators.
“CUC anticipates continued reliable service and competitive pricing from both companies,” he said referring to SOL and Rubis. “As to whether it would make sense to have more fuel providers on island, this would be a commercial decision taken by any potential provider looking at cost to setup infrastructure and to operate against the potential price and volume of fuel sales on the island,” he said, indicating that any new oil terminal or supply line would be paid for by the supplier rather than CUC.
With few details coming from either government or CUC on the possibility of expanding competition in the oil industry for such a small jurisdiction, there may be no cause for concern. But the idea of encouraging more fossil fuel consumption may prove to be at odds with other government efforts to move to greener alternative fuels.
Answering further questions about the oil companies’ responsibilities for environmental issues relating to spills and potential contamination, Tibbetts said that the change in name of the local companies control license held by ESSO, which would be transferred to SOL, was not necessarily a time when government could renegotiate the terms of the licence. He explained that the licence held by ESSO, which will pass to SOL, is almost identical to that held by Rubis and it would not be possible to re-negotiate one without putting the other at an unfair advantage.
He did state, however, that the CPI was keeping a close eye on the possibility for spills and environmental damage.
Burglars steal West Bay Fire Station puppy
(CNS): A five month old Rottweiler puppy was stolen from the West Bay Fire Station during a break-in this weekend when staff were on call and local police are asking for help from the community to locate the young dog, known as Rambo. He was stolen from his cage within station on Saturday, 25 January, sometime between 10am and 1:15pm, when Rambo's owner was away from the station. The puppy is black and brown with a short tail and black markings running through the brown down to his paws. He has some very curly hair on his back close to his tail and was wearing a black nylon collar at the time of the theft.
His owners say that he is very friendly and they are extremely distressed by the theft. They are keen to get Rambo back as quickly as possible, an RCIPS spokesperson stated in a release about the missing fire station pet.
Detective Constable Emma Twydell is appealing for anyone who was in the area of the fire station last Saturday, and saw anything suspicious, to come forward. She is also keen to hear about anyone who has recently acquired a Rottweiler puppy or from anyone who has been offered a puppy for sale.
Information can be passed to DC Twydell at West Bay CID on 3241970 or by email emma.twydell@rcips.ky.
The picture above is of Rambo at just four weeks old the picture posted right is an image of another Rottweiler of the right age and a similar appearance to Rambo as the owners have not yet been able to supply an up to date image.
Developers seek free tyres for golf course
(CNS Business): While the Cayman Islands government is looking for proposals from qualified parties to purchase and remove the growing mountain of used tyres which have accumulated at the landfills on Grand Cayman and the Sister Islands, developers behind a proposed massive mixed-use project in the eastern districts are hoping to get them for free. Government recently began the hunt for a firm that will be able to remove and recycle the tyres at its three landfills and earn some much needed cash for the public purse at the same time. However, the investors behind the Ironwood project in Frank Sound want the tyres for their proposed golf course. Read more on CNS Business
Ethics bill placed on LA agenda
(CNS):Following the revelations in the auditor general’s most recent reports that there is a failure among government departments, and in particular its statutory authorities and government companies, regarding ethics and values, the passage of the Standards in Public Life bill will come as a rude awakening for some board members and government employees. The bill is set down on today’s agenda, when members of the Legislative Assembly meet at the country’s parliament to debate this as well as two police bills. The long awaited ethics law will raise the bar for everyone who has a part to play in government. Replacing the Register of Interest Law, it will widen the net of public officers who will need to disclose their interests.
All public officers holding the post of heads of departments, sections and units or more senior positions plus those acting in those positions, as well as board members of statutory authorities, government companies and constitutionally created commissions, candidates nominated for election, and both elected and official members will all need to declare their interests.
“This bill ensures that conflicts of interests are properly addressed,” said Alden McLaughlin, the premier of the Cayman Islands. “I think this is a very important piece of legislation and part of the infrastructure of good governance.”
Divided into eight parts dealing with standards in public life, conflicts of interest, register of interest, powers of investigations, and the appointment, responsibilities and compensation of boards, the bill formerly adopts the seven principles of public life, known as the Nolan Principles.
This required public servants to follow principles of selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.
“The bill is needed to ensure businesses and investors who want to do business in the Cayman Islands that persons in public life are held to the highest standards; therefore, reducing the opportunity for corruption,” McLaughlin said in a release from his office on the eve of the legislation coming before the Assembly.
Certain of passage, the law has been in the works for some four years after the 2009 Constitution established a Commission for Standards in Public Lifeto supervise the operation of registers and to investigate breaches of established standards in public life. The law, once passed, will enable that commission to meet its constitutional mandate.
“It’s taken a long time to come, but this administration is determined that we pass this legislation to ensure good governance in the Cayman Islands,” McLaughlin added.
The bill will require that within 90 days of assuming office and annually thereafter anyone with any responsibility in public life to declare their income, assets and liabilities, not just for themselves now but for connected people and family members.
In the case of candidates for elections, the declaration must be made before filing nomination papers. Annual declarations will be made within 30 days of the last day of June, beginning on 30 June, 2014, and will be available for public inspection at the Commission Secretariat. It is anticipated that the Commission will also make them available via its website.
This will be a huge improvement on the current situation regarding political representatives. While they do fill in forms that are filed at the Legislative Assembly, anyone wishing to see must make an appointment and no one is allowed to make any copies of the documents contained in the file.
The bill also covers the appointment of board members to ensure that they have the skills, knowledge and integrity to carry out the duties required of the position in a highly competent and politically neutral manner and that they also avoid any direct conflicts. Members of boards will be required to include in a declaration any interest where there is a possible or perceived conflict with their function on the relevant board.
Outlining how to handle conflicts that arise during the course of a meeting or a person in public life’s day-to-day work, the bill also allows for the removal of board members in instances where it is unsuitable for that person to continue to serve or a conflict of interest has arisen that would bring disrepute to the board.
Once passed, the law will give the commission powers of investigation over people suspected of breaching the law, based on the commission’s own initiative or from allegations made to the commission. The commission will be able to summon witnesses, require the production of reports, documents, etc, and take any other such necessary actions needed. Another important factor is the lawful protection of whistle-blowers, as detailed in the Freedom of Information Law.
It will be an offence to refuse to make a declaration, file a false declaration or fail to provide or provide false information to the commission during an enquiry. The bill allows for fines ranging from $100 a day to $50,000 and/or terms of imprisonment of two years depending on the breach. A member of the Legislative Assembly may be suspended from sitting and voting if ordered by the Assembly for a breach of the bill.
See bill attached
UK charity warns of more risks over GM mosquitos
(CNS): Plans to release millions of GM mosquitoes in Panama, produced by the UK-based Oxitec, which released the lab created insects in Grand Cayman several years ago, have been criticised by the UK-based NGO GeneWatch as they say the public has not been informed about the risks. Not unlike the projectin the Cayman Islands, where the modified male mosquitoes were released in East End with little explanation to residents, GeneWatch said no information about the possible downsides of the experiments has been provided to the people living where the insects are due to be released next month. While Oxitec has denied any risk, the NGO said it now has documents that show this is untrue.
GeneWatch has also released a draft risk assessment, which was provided by Oxitec to the US Department of Agriculture in 2011, which has not previously been published, showing that the company itself admits there are risks.
These include the risks that more invasive Asian Tiger (Aedes albopictus) mosquitoes move into the area, and that the number of cases of potentially fatal Dengue Haemorraghic Fever (DHF) could possibly increase.
“Local people in Panama must be asked for their fully informed consent before these experiments begin,” said Dr Helen Wallace, Director of GeneWatch UK. “This means the risks must not be hidden by the company. People must be able to discuss the pros and cons of these experiments and have a right to have their say.”
None of the residents in East End were consulted when the local Mosquito Research and Control Unit in Grand Cayman teamed up with the Oxford-based firm to release the test tube mosquitoes here, and though the experiment was not secret, none of the possible risks associated with introducing a modified insect into the local environment were revealed.
Oxitec’s GM Aedes aegypti mosquitoes have been genetically programmed to die at the larval stage. They are bred in the lab in the presence of an antidote to the genetic killing mechanism, then vast numbers of males are released into the environment so they outnumber the wild males and mate with wild females. Because most of the offspring die before adulthood, this is intended to reduce the wild population of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which carry the tropical disease dengue fever.
Cayman was Oxitec's first open release experiment of GM mosquitoes in 2009-10, followed by a smaller experiment in Malaysia in 2010-11. Larger-scale experiments began in Brazil in February 2011 and are ongoing.
“Despite repeated claims of success made by Oxitec in the press, no results from the Brazil experiments have yet been published in scientific journals,” GeneWatch said in a release. “Impacts on dengue fever have not been measured or reported.”
Wallace said that mosquitoes are part of a complex system, which includes other mosquito species, the viruses they carry and the humans they bite.
“Local people should be aware that releasing large numbers of GM mosquitoes can pose risks to their health and the environment. They also need to know who will be liable if anything goes wrong – will Oxitec take responsibility for any problems, or just walk away?” she asked.
GeneWatch said local people should be told about the risks acknowledged in a draft risk assessment submitted by Oxitec to the USDA, which includes the impact on mosquito populations in general and the possibility that mosquito numbers in areas neighbouring the trials could increase, the impact on dengue fever as no evidence supports a reduction in the fever, and the accidental release of biting females.
The survival and spread of the GM mosquitoes' offspring and their interaction with existing and different mosquitoes is also a risk.