Archive for February 4th, 2014
Local U14 footballers heading to Vegas tournament
(CIYFP): The Under 14 team from the Cayman Islands Youth Football Programme will be returning to Las Vegas this month to participate in the 2014 Mayor’s Cup International Showcase. The team will be competing in the Under 14 division with first round games scheduled for Saturday, February 15 and Sunday, February 16. The quarter finals are also scheduled for Sunday, February 16 and the semi finals are set for Monday, February 17. The final is scheduled for Tuesday, February 18.
The 20 boys, five staff members – including three coaches, a manager and team doctor – and a number of parents, will depart Grand Cayman on Wednesday, February 12 and return the following week.
This will be the second time that the local boys will be competing in the tournament in Nevada. In February 2013, the team travelled to Las Vegas under the tutelage of Head Coach Ernie “Gillie’ Seymour and Assistant Coaches Antwan Seymour and Gonzalo McLaughlin. This year, the team returns with Head Coach Ernie Seymour and Assistant Coaches Antwan Seymour and Ken Downey.
The Mayor’s Cup International Showcase is one of two annual football (soccer) tournaments co-hosted by the Downtown Las Vegas Soccer Club and the City of Las Vegas, the other being the InternationalTournament, which is played in October. Each year, the tournament welcomes amateur and professional clubs from Canada, Russia, the United Kingdom, Germany, China, Poland, France, Australia, Dominican Republic, Denmark and Africa.
The Under 14s from the Cayman Islands Youth Football Programme (formerly known as the PFL Youth Football Programme) have been together since March 2011, training once per week and playing in as many friendly games and competitions with local and foreign teams in preparation for tournaments such as the Mayor’s Cup.
The Cayman Islands Youth Programme consists of 40 of the best players in the Under 14 age group from all clubs in the Cayman Islands and although recently ignored by the Cayman Islands Football Association as the next Cayman Islands National Under 15 Team, this has not affected the goals and ambitions of the Programme.
The ultimate goal of the Programme over the next few years is to prepare players to represent the Cayman Islands at the Under 15, Under 17, Under 20 and Under 23 levels as members of the Cayman Islands National Teams.
In addition, and more importantly, teams from the Programme will continue to participate in overseas tournaments in the United States and other countries to gain exposure for players in the hope that they will be seen by high school and college coaches and potentially earn scholarships to further their education and play at a higher level.
Also, we will expose our players to professional youth academies in the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe. We anticipate that other young Caymanians may follow in the footsteps of Sebastian Martinez, Kray Foster and Nathan Borde, who now attend the Youth Academy at Swindon Football Club (FC) in the United Kingdom, and Cameron Gray at the Youth Academy at Reading Football Club.
One of the Programme’s most recognized player is 14-year old Kray Foster, who now plays with the Youth Academy at Swindon Town FC. Kray was recruited by the professional academy following a training session while he was with the Cayman Islands Youth Programme in February 2012 during the first visit of Swindon Town FCs youth team. Kray also competed with the Cayman Islands National Under 15 team during last summer’s CONCACAF Under 15 Championships in Grand Cayman. At his young age, Kray remains an ambassador for the Cayman Islands Youth Football Programme.
The trip to Las Vegas has been financed through corporate sponsorship and fundraising efforts by theProgramme’s players, parents and coaches.
“Our players and coaches are looking forward to returning to Las Vegas to gauge how we have improved in a year, “said Coordinator of the Cayman Islands Youth Programme Neil Murray. “During last year’s tournament, our boys were true ambassadors for the Cayman Islands as they represented their country superbly on and off the field. Although the team was disappointed with the results from the games, they played admirably throughout the tournament gaining the respect of many of their opponents, coaches, spectators and tournament officials. Our group is a year older, a year more experienced and ready for the challenge,” he added.
On their return from Las Vegas, the Programme’s squad will be playing two exhibition games prior to the featured games of the 2014 C3 Cayman International Youth Football Tournament involving the Cayman Select team and the Youth Academy teams from Swindon Town FC and the Houston Dynamo from Major League Soccer (MLS) on Thursday, February 20 and Saturday, February 22.
Special thanks to all the corporate sponsors including Cayman National, Entech Ltd., Business Solutions Technologies Group, Grasspiece Promotions, Water Authority Cayman, Flowers Bottled Water, Cayman Airways, The Sports Injury Centre, Webster’s Tours, Rawlinson & Hunter Limited, Cayman Immigration Consultant Services, Financial Integrated Services Ltd., Kensington Management Group Ltd., Foster’s Food Fair, A.L. Thompson’s Home Depot, Hurley’s Supermarket, Cost-U-Less, Economy Printers, CUC and Squadra Uniforms, and to the public who supported the Programme’s fundraising efforts.
Home dialysis improves care for kidney patients
(CNS): With a more than 400% increase in the number of people in the Cayman Islands requiring dialysis over the last fifteen years because of kidney disease the George Town hospital is offering some of those patients an in home service. The opening of the new dialysis unit at the hospital recently has already provided significant improvements for some patients. But the opening of the unit also signalled the start of a new home-based dialysis programme which has led to more flexibility dialysis treatments and an overall better quality of life for patientsable to use this service. HSA Internist and Nephrologist, Dr Nelson Iheonunekwu (left) explained that the portable units offer patients the chance to take control of their treatment, giving them far greater flexibility and independence.
“The home-based dialysis programme takes the form of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis and automated peritoneal dialysis,” he said. “When they participate in the home-based programme they do not need to then visit the Dialysis Unit at Cayman Islands Hospital three times a week for their treatment.”
He added that patients who are able to take control of their dialysis do well on the home-based programme.
“Patients are trained in how to administer their own dialysis treatments and many undertake their exchanges in the comfort of their own bedroom. Additionally, the home-based unit is portable, making it convenient for the patient. Prior to doing their dialysis treatment, patients are instructed to follow the necessary hygiene procedures; the actual exchange takes about 20 minutes. Some patients have to undertake their dialysis every four hours, some every six. The flexibility with the home-based programme means that patients are often able to go to work and live a more normal life,” the Doctor explained, adding that studies have shown that there is very little difference in life expectancy of patients who undertake the home-based dialysis and those at hospital.
Lizzette Yearwood, CEO of the Cayman Islands Health Services Authority explained the need for the expansion to the dialysis service offered at the Cayman Islands Hospital.
“Cayman is unfortunately, like the rest of the Western world, currently seeing an increase in the number of patients suffering from chronic kidney disease,” she said. Our chronic kidney disease and dialysis population has grown exponentially over the years; in 1998 there were 10 dialysis patients compared to 52 patients requiring dialysis in 2012. This represents a 420% increase over a period of just 15 years.
“I am pleased to see that a number of our patients are benefitting from this additional service. The Health Services Authority is committed to providing the best possible care to all our patients and stresses the importance of maintaining healthy lifestyles, which is one of the most important tools in the prevention of many chronic diseases. We therefore encourage our patients and the public to adopt healthy habits and lifestyles, thereby reducing their chances of developing chronic illnesses such as chronic kidney disease. In that way the need for dialysis will hopefully be reduced in time.” she added.
Teachers discuss policy and concerns with government
(CNS):With the issue of teacher morale still an issue throughout the education system government is attempting to improve channels of communication between the front line educators and policy makers with the launch of a national teachers’ forum. The education ministry has held two meetings with teachers but officials have not yet outlined what concerns have been raised by front line school staff. In a release last month officials said the forums were designed for teachers to share their thoughts, concerns and suggestions on the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Education and education in general and for officials to share policy developments.
At the first meeting in October teachers were invited to share the successes and concerns of their respective schools, the release stated. Education minister Tara Rivers reminded participants that the forum provided an opportunity for people to speak freely and have issues addressed in a solution focused manner.
In December teacher representatives from all public primary and secondary schools in Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac (via Skype), met for a second time at the Government Administration Building under Rivers chairmanship.
“We have to ensure that our educators are not only given the opportunity to find out about the various education initiatives, but they must be part of and actively engaged in the system that we use to refine our plans as we work towards improved student achievement,” the minister said about the meetings.
Winston Connolly, the councillor in the ministry said the forum was established to improve communication within the Education System, for teachers to be actively involved in the implementation of the education plan and to ensure the department and the ministry are available and held accountable for delivering the relevant guidance and support to schools.
As part of the agenda for the December meeting, Rivers and Mary Rodrigues the chief officer in the ministry shared a number of proposed initiatives that are intended to focus on teacher development and their mental and emotional well-being. These initiatives include training for middle management leadership; on-going training in literacy, numeracy and ICT strategies; a programme of succession planning; and a few extra days off in March 2014, giving teachers a full week for half-term break,” officials said.
Rivers also facilitated a session in which the teachers were invited to share the outcomes of school-based meetings held with their respective peers in preparation for the Teachers Forum meeting. She said the ministry would collate the teachers’ feedback given, and where necessary, provide the appropriate responses and support.
A similar initiative was launched for parents on December 5, 2013 whereby the Ministry hosted the first ever National Parents Forum for executive members of all public school PTAs. The inaugural Parents Forum meeting was well attended and greatly appreciated by all participants. A follow up Parents Forum meeting is planned for the near future as well.
The next teacher’s forum is planned for the end of this month.
Corruption not just offshore issue, says premier
(CNS Business): Addressing an international conference on global corruption, Cayman Islands Premier Alden McLaughlin indicated that offshore centres are unfairly targeted. While Cayman has benefited in many ways from the spotlight, the country “is review fatigued”, he said, emphasising that in order to effectively tackle the issue, every country – onshore and offshore – must be subject to the same scrutiny because if the focus remains on select jurisdictions, the financial criminals will simply move elsewhere. This truth, he suggested, was inconvenient for “political candidates who are looking for a scapegoat for mismanaged public finances" and for some news media "that operate more as entertainers than purveyors of the truth”. Read more on CNS Business
Public input sought for stalking law
(CNS): Five years after the Young Business and Professional Women’s Club (YBPW) recommended the need to address the problem of stalking and sexual harrassment government officials are examining the possibility of amending the Penal Code and introducing a bill to prevent this anti-social, sometimes frightening, unwanted attention. The Law Reform Commission (LRC) said it is examining ways to address the problems by defining stalking and identifying appropriate legal remedies to prevent or reduce harm brought about by such conduct and criminalize the behaviour. From unwanted gifts or repeatedly following someone, to watching a victim’s home or even violence, stalking can be hard to define but those who fall victim can attest to its sometimes terrifying impact.
“Ultimately, the objective of the legislation is to reinforce that actions which constitute stalking may cause psychiatric and psychological harm and may result in serious danger to the person affected,” the commission stated in a release announcing a consultation period. “It is therefore in the best interests of our society to take immediate and effective action when cases of stalking arise."
The LRC said it proposes to respond to the main issues by way of a consultation Penal Code (Amendment) Bill, 2014 and a Stalking (Civil Jurisdiction) Bill, 2014, which will seek to criminalise and provide remedies for conduct that would be defined as stalking.
Covering a wide range of anti-social behaviour, the legal drafters said making unwelcome visits, making unwanted communications or silent telephone calls, repeatedly following a person on the streets, watching the victim’s home or place of work, persistently sending unwanted gifts or articles to the victim, disclosing intimate facts about the victim to third parties, making false accusations about the victim, damaging property belonging to the victim or physical and verbal abuse, could all constitute stalking.
The legislation would proposed a number of categories of stalkers, such as the rejected stalker, predatory stalkers, debt collectors, erotomanics, love obsessed stalkers, sociopathic stalkers, stalkers with false victimisation syndromes, disgruntled clients or employees of private or public organisations and cyberstalkers.
Stakeholders and the general public are now invited to provide comments on the draft legislation before 21 March.
Meanwhile, a draft sexual harassment bill which was drawn up last year and also came out of the YBPW’s 2005 work is still going through the process of being examined by officials at the Gender Affairs Ministry. It has yet to go to Cabinet for approval.
The LRC reminded those who wish to offer submission on a potential stalking bill that unless marked to the contrary, the LRC will assume that comments received are not confidential, and that respondents consent to them quoting from, or referring to, their comments and attributing their comments to them, and to the release or publication of their submissions. Requests for confidentiality or anonymity will be respected to the extent permitted by the Freedom of Information Law, 2007, the commissions added.
Submissions should be forwarded in writing by post or hand no later than 21st March, 2014 to the Director, Law Reform Commission, Ground Floor – dms House, 20 Genesis Close, George Town, Grand Cayman, P.O. Box 907, Grand Cayman KY1-1103 or emailed to cheryl.neblett@gov.ky.
See relevant documents below.
Haines takes up six marathon challenge
(CNS): Local veteran marathon runner Derek Haines is setting himself an incredible goal this year of running six marathons before the year is out. While six marathons would be a challenge for any runner, the fact that Haines is 65 years old makes the feat all the more impressive. But Haines has never let age stand in his way and has significant motivation to achieve the goal. As always, he will not be wearing his feet down to the bone for free but is aiming to raise CI$1 million for a new purpose-built additional facility for Cayman HospiceCare. Over the years, Haines has run many marathons, raising $250,000 for good causes in the last four years alone, but this will be a record even by his standards.
“My wife Helen is fully supportive but is increasing my life insurance,” Haines joked, as he told CNS of his goal in an email from Guatemala, where he is currently delivering books to kids in need across the central American country.
His first run will be at the Paris marathon on 6 April and then just one week later on 13 April Haines will be pounding the pavements in London.
“It will be my second Paris and eleventh London, so it will be good to be back pounding a well-known beat," he said. He has also applied to enter the New York Marathon and then one in Chicago. Haines said he is also hoping that his daughter, Lizzy, can join him on another one in the Pacific basin in late June. The final challenge will be in front of a home crowd for the Cayman marathon in December
“This is an exciting challenge but I am sure I am up to it. Although this is twice the number I have ever run in a year before. It is also the largest appeal I have been directly involved in. But, if previous fund raisers are a guide, I am confident we can raise the required amount for this very necessary facility.”
All travel costs and registration fees will be self-funded by Haines, and the Rotary Club of Grand Cayman is donating £2,000 to the British Hospice Society to guarantee his entry into the London race.
“Folks have been very generous with their support and most people understand the need for a care facility of this kind. I have already received promises of substantial funding and of other means of completing this project. A million dollars is a large amount but we can raise it.”
The appeal will be formerly launched by Governor Helen Kilpatrick at a reception at Government House in March. The Hospice Facility, which ideally will be set in pleasant surroundings in a calm environment, will serve as an operations and administration building, to include offices for the clinical team, that will continue to provide at home care as well as inpatient care, together with both the administration and fundraising staff.
Attached, with a separate entrance, will be en suite rooms for an in-patient hospice facility, with the attendant supporting elements, such as a kitchen and a lounge for families. The need for storage of both medical and fundraising event elements and a kitchen for Lunch Club activities will also be included.
Rotary Club Treasurer Chris Johnson is opening a dedicated bank account to accommodate donations towards the appeal.
“Every dollar that is donated to this appeal will be used for completing this new Hospice facility. There will be no administrative costs or other expenses paid from it and I think this is very important for donors to understand,” he added.
Related article on CNS:
Judge probes missing cash
(CNS): A 46-year-old woman convicted of stealing almost a half million dollars from a client at the offshore law firm where she once worked was remanded in custody on Monday pending her eventual sentence. After more than twelve months of denying the allegations Patricia Glasgow finally admitted the massive theft, in which she stole US$437,300 in November last year. But an application by the crown for a compensation order has led to further enquiries. Justice Charles Quin is now trying to establish if some of the money can be recovered as Glasgow sold her house to her brother after criminal proceedings had already begun and one week before a civil action was also filed against her by Rochester Ltd, the victims of the theft.
During a second sentencing hearing on Monday, Justice Quin explained that he would not be delivering his ruling until further enquiries were made into the missing cash and the possibility that Glasgow did have remaining assets, which could be seized.
The crown has claimed that Glasgow, who has not made any offers or attempts to pay back any of the stolen money, has admitted that some $75,000 which remained after she had paid off her mortgage and other debts, including a grant to government under the Save the Mortgage Fund, was given to her brother. This, she claimed, was for future rent and to cover what were described as investments, as well as maintenance for her adult son. After selling her home to her sibling, Glasgow continued to live in the property, paying rent of $1,500 a month to be taken from the $75,000.
Glasgow has not been specific about where the entire $437,000, which she pilfered from Rochester in some 74 fraudulent transactions while she was a trustee, has gone but she claimed to have been blackmailed. During the first sentencing hearing in January her defence counsel told the court that a man who has since returned to Jamaica had threatened to expose explicit pictures of his client unless she paid him regular sums of cash. The alleged crime was not reported to the police and the police were never able to trace him, and when she was charged with the crime Glasgow appeared to have no assets except for her home or evidence of an extravagant lifestyle.
However, given the sale of the house during the criminal proceedings to a family member, as well as the transfer of this lump sum to her brother, the crown is seeking to recover some of that cash.
Glasgow’s brother, who appeared at the hearing Monday without legal counsel, handed over to the court an updated sworn affidavit about the chronology of events relating to the sale and the money he had received from Glasgow. As a result of concerns raised by both the prosecutor and the defence attorney about that document, he was advised to seek legal representation and then return to court on 20 February, when the judge will make further enquiries about the possible recovery.
Once the court has been able to establish whether money can be recovered, which can go to the mitigation or aggravation of the sentence imposed depending on whether or not there was any deliberate attempt to hide assets, the judge will be in a position to pass sentence.
Justice Quin told Glasgow that a custodial sentence was inevitable and as such she was to be remanded in custody and begin serving that yet to be pronounced sentence.
Glasgow stole the money while she was working at Bodden Corporate Services Ltd. That firm is also now part of a civil action being pursued by Rochester Ltd, the trust established in Cayman by a wealthy individual to fund various animal and environmental related charity projects, the crown revealed in its summary of the case.
Planning department splashes out on new fleet
(CNS): The Ministry of Planning, Agriculture, Housing and Infrastructure is on the look-out for a fleet of new vehicles. Despite the promised fiscal prudent management of public funds promised by the finance minister, government has begun a competitive tender for twelve new vehicles, including nine various types of vans and trucks and three small cars. According to the request for proposals which was circulated last week, the ministry needs three new cargo vans with shelving, two cargo vans for mail, a transit type vehicle fitted with cage to transport dogs, one 4×4 one ton diesel truck and another one ton 4×4 gas truck and three small sedans.
The documents stated that the vendor must be able to provide a bumper to bumper warranty for the vehicles, which should be at least four years. The successful tenderer or tenderers should include a maintenance proposal option priced with labour and commitment on parts for four years
Suitably qualified vendors who are authorized suppliers of vehicles and equipment from an established manufacture or distributor can deliver tenders to:
The Secretary, Central Tenders Committee, no later than 12:00pm by February 14 in a sealed envelope marked Tender CTC/ 13-14/PLAHI/014 – Tender Document for Agriculture, Post Office, PWD, Labour and Planning.
Documents are also available on the CTC website: www.centraltenders.gov.ky
Cops prioritize safe return of ‘banned’ puppy
(CNS): The police say they are well aware that keeping Rottweilers is subject to strict conditions under the Animals Law but that the safe return of a missing Rottweiler puppy remains their priority in the case. Rambo, a five month old pet, was stolen from the West Bay Fire Station during a break-in on Saturday 25 January while the crew was on an emergency call out. Although concerns had been raised about the fire station having a banned breed, police said that tracing the dog, which has been missing for more than a week, is the most important issue and officers will deal with any possible legislative breach as part of the investigation.
“We can confirm that when we issued the release we were aware that Rottweilers are currently a prohibited breed and can only be kept under certain circumstances with conditions,” an RCIPS spokesperson stated. “Our concern at the moment is finding the dog and tracing the people responsible for the burglary. However, as part of the wider enquiry we are liaising with the owner and the Department of Agiriculture to address any other issues, and establish if any offences have been committed in relation to the possession of the dog.”
Rambo was stolen from his cage sometime between 10am and 1:15pm, when his owner and other staff were on a call.
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.
American arrested and released over spent shell
(CNS): A United States national was arrested at Owen Roberts International Airport on Monday afternoon before he could board his flight after a spent firearm shell was found in his baggage. The police said that the American man was arrested and taken to George Town Police Station following the discovery of the used bullet casing. However, he was released soon after without charge, an RCIPS spokesperson said and confirmed that the man is a registered firearms holder in the US. Police did not reveal whether or not the arrested man was a visitor to Cayman or a resident.