Archive for April, 2014
US boarding school recruiting local students
(CNS): A Florida-based boarding school for boys and girls from 6th through to 12th grade will be visiting Cayman this week to looking for new students from the Cayman Islands with which the owners say the school has a long history. Florida Air Academy boasts of success in academics and athletics and Cayman native Alex Pascal the Junior Pan American Javelin Champion and the number one junior javelin thrower in the Caribbean, as well as North and South America is a 2013 graduate. As well as access to flight training the school said it has a rich history of academic excellence spanning more than 50 years and has achieved a 100% college acceptance rate since 1978.
Of the 67 seniors currently in the class of 2014, this year’s senior class has been awarded scholarships in excess of $2million and received acceptances to Top 100 schools throughout the US. Students can also apply to become certified to fly an aircraft. FAA offers a comprehensive flight-training programme for students at nearby Melbourne International Airport. It is not uncommon for students to ‘solo’ during their first year of instruction and eventually become certified to fly a light aircraft anywhere in the world. Some FAA graduates continue on to become professional pilots in their careers.
Representatives from Florida Air Academy will be available to meet with prospective students on April 22 at the Comfort Suites at Seven Mile Beach, 4:00-7:00m and on April 23 at the Grand Old House Restaurant in South Sound, 11:00am-5:00pm.
Appointments are not necessary. For further information call Lina Ruhlman at (321) 723-3211 x 30014 or by cell (650) 703-3109 — or visit the FAA website at www.flair.com
Talented and shy urged to join youth exchange
(CNS): Young people from the Cayman Islands with a talent for writing, dancing, singing and art that or still a little reticent to show-off their talents are being urged to sign up for the upcoming Africa Caribbean Development Foundation’s (ACDF) youth exchange which is being organised by the local Barbados consulate. Joining up with the ACDF and New Urban Collective (NUC) Holland the triangular exchange starts in October this year and a group of ten young adults aged 16-25 from each country will spend ten days together in the UK and Holland.
During the trips they will embark on a series of performing arts workshops aided by various professional artistes. At the end of their programme in both the UK and Holland the group will perform to a live audience in each country. The final leg of the exchange will take place in the Cayman Islands with a series of workshops and a final live showcase in and around March 2015.
To be considered for selection, applicants must be between the ages of 16-25 and have not performed professionally. They must write a letter to the Consulate of Barbados stating their talent and the reason they believe they should be selected. All applications will be reviewed by a panel and the shortlisted persons will be asked to a short audition.
The project aims to bring a group of young people from the UK, Holland and the Cayman Islands with the sole objective to use arts and performing arts as a tool for building individual participants confidence whilst at the same establishing friendships and building bridges for young people across three countries within the context of our global village.
It is based largely on the success of the working methods of ACDF “Getfamilyar project” and the formula used in changing the lives of young people for better alternatives, to allow their talent to be the route to actively participate productively in their communities and in the contexts of the global village.
Getfamilyar is an artistic youth training and confidence building developmental program. It is an integral strategic approach by ACDF in engaging young people and facilitating their community involvement through the provision of training and performing arts opportunities for them to occupy their spare time productively and creatively. It brings together up and coming young artistes from several artistic disciplines and provides the platform for them to develop and gain confidence in performing to live audiences whilst perfecting their skills and establishing a local permanent avenue to showcase their talent.
Organisers said that Getfamilyar has an invaluable proven track record, which has won several awards and propelled many past participants to stardom in the UK.Aml Ameen who starred in the movie The Butler as Forest Whittaker’s character as a young Cecil Gaines, is an active member of the organising team for ACDF.
Reward for top-up thieves
(CNS): A series of thefts from and damage to a number of mobile phone top-up machines across Grand Cayman has triggered a boosted reward of $3,000 for information that leads to the arrest of the perpetrators of the criminal campaign. The cash is being put up by the local branch of Crime Stoppers, tripling the usual $1,000 pay-out to people who give information to the anonymous crime fighting NGO that leads to the successful apprehension of the culprits.Top-up machines in North Side, East End, Bodden Town and George Town were targeted by the thieves between 17 January and 19 March.
Malcolm Ellis, the chair of Cayman Crime Stoppers, is appealing to members of the public to call the tip line now if they have any information regarding these crimes. Launching the official appeal Easter weekend, he said that the thefts and attempted thefts had happened at the top-up machine at 1203 North Side Road, North Side; Pirates Cove Bar at 2460 Seaview Road in East End; Lorna’s Texaco at 140 Bodden Town Road, Bodden Town; and at Welly’s Cool Spot, 110 Sound Way, in George Town, as well as at the machine at the George Town Hospital at 95 Hospital Road.
Anyone with information about any of these crimes is asked to come forward and call the Crime Stoppers tip line, 800-TIPS. Callers will not be asked to identify themselves – just to provide information.
Cayman Crime Stoppers is facilitating a reward of up to $3,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for these crimes. Callers will be given a unique code which they can use to make a claim. They never have to disclose their identity.
The Cayman Crime Stoppers tips line is 800-TIPS (that is, 800 8477) and is a free, local call. Tips may also be submitted anonymously through the Crime Stoppers website at www.crimestoppers.ky
Volunteers needed for student drug survey
(CNS): The National Drug Council is appealing for members of the public who can spare one and a half hours between 28 April and 9 May to help with the seventh Cayman Islands Student Drug Use Survey (CISDUS). The survey is an ongoing study of the behaviour, attitudes and values of high school students. It is designed to record and describe the extent and patterns of alcohol, tobacco and other drug use among students in Years 7 to 12/13 across the country and contribute to a better understanding of current and changing rates of use. Despite the belief that young people are engaged in extensive drug use, the last survey in 2012 found more than half had never consumed alcohol and less than 15% had ever smoked ganja.
The information about alcohol, tobacco and other drug use and prevalence rates is gathered through an epidemiological survey.
“Community involvement is essential in the administration of this survey and we are in need of fieldwork assistants,” said a spokesperson for the NDC, which is looking for as many as 80 volunteer fieldwork assistants to collect data efficiently and in accordance with best practice.
Training will be provided for all volunteers.
Individuals interested will be required to be available for around 1½ hours during the weeks of 28 April through 9 May. Please contact info@ndc.ky or call 949-9000 for further information on the dates and times of training sessions.
More Cubans rescued at sea
(CNS: Numbers at the Immigration detention centre in Fairbanks are increasing as officials picked up more Cuban refugees this weekend. Less than twenty-four hours after the authorities officially called off the search for two central American fishermen believed lost at sea, the joint marine unit responded to another vessel in distress on Good Friday. At about 4pm 18 April 911 received a call from a passing ship that reported coming across a Cuban vessel with six men aboard that was in distress. A police spokesperson said the boat was around 30 miles east of Grand Cayman and the migrants had requested assistance to get to shore.
The police patrol vessel the Defender was dispatched the location and the men were successfully rescued and brought back to Cayman. They are now in the hands of immigration.
There are currently several groups of Cubans located at the detention centre though at least two recently arrived refugees are believed to still be on the run following a number of rent escapes.
Canadian measles cases highlights potential return
(CNS): Although Cayman has been measles free for over 23 years a recent outbreak in Canada has led the public health department to urge people to be vigilant against its possible return. Local immunization coverage against measles and mumps is around 90% among 15 month old babies and about 97 percent by the time kids reach school entry age around four and five years old. But in light of the 375 cases now reported in an on-going outbreak in Fraser Valley in British Columbia, Dr Kiran Kumar, Medical Officer of Health warned people not to be complacent.
“While measles has been eliminated in the region, once again I emphasise that it can be reintroduced as we have many residents and visitors travelling to and from the affected areas and we should therefore remain vigilant to ensure everyone is protected against measles” he said.
People are asked to contact the Public Health Department or District Health Centre regarding their immunizations needs for themselves or their children. It is essential to have two doses of MMR vaccine to get protection against measles.
Dr Kumar said the Canadian outbreak is suspected to have come from Europe.
“A measles outbreak has been reported in the Fraser East Health Service Delivery area in British Colombia near Vancouver. Most cases are linked to one school in the area” said the local public health boss, adding the suspected primary case had a history of recent travel to the Netherlands. “The outbreak has occurred among an unvaccinated group” he explained. “Unprotected children are at the greatest risk of contracting this disease, should a case be imported. It is the duty of parents and guardians to ensure that their children are protected. This occurrence highlights the importance of ensuring vaccinations required are up to date,” he added.
Measles is a serious viral infection and highly contagious disease, with the best protection against infection being immunization. While Canada has achieved elimination status, measles continues to circulate widely in other countries and importations are expected. Importantly, immunization coverage in the outbreak area is reportedly low with the index school affected reportedly having no vaccination among students.
Endemic measles has been eliminated in the Americas, with the last case reported in 2002. The Caribbean itself, this year celebrated its twenty third year without an indigenous case of the measles. However, measles is still common in many developing countries, particularly in Africa and Asia and people visiting these regions should pay attention to possible symptoms. There has been no measles in the Cayman Islands since 1990.
The first sign of measles is usually a high fever whichbegins about 10 to 12 days after exposure to the virus from a measles case. A runny nose, cough along with red and watery eyes and small white spots inside the cheeks are the initial symptoms followed by a rash on the face and upper neck eventually reaching the hands and feet. Close contact with other people for seven days following onset of rash must be avoided.
2 men lost at sea, 2 rescued
(CNS): Two of four men aboard a boat that got into difficulty some 30 miles off the coast of Grand Cayman on Wednesday night are believed lost at sea after the RCIPS called off the 24 hour sea search on Thursday night. The men had left the safety of their vessel a short time before the Marine Unit and the police helicopter arrived in order to look for an emergency pack dropped by a US Coast Guard plane. The two men who stayed aboard were rescued by the local police and taken to the George Town hospital, where they were treated and released to the authorities. Police said the men are from two different Central American countries and the RCIPS is now conducting enquiries into the matter.
The boat came to the attention of the local authorities on Wednesday night when local air traffic control staff received a message from a US Coast Guard plane that had spotted flares sent up by the men. They dropped the lifesaving pack and alerted the Cayman tower, which then contacted the police.
The Marine Unit and police helicopter were immediately dispatched to the area some 30 miles of the southeast coast, where they found two men aboard the boat but were informed two other men were in the ocean and a search began. After a full day of searching the area the RCIPS officially called off the search, which had involved not just Marine Unit vessels and the police helicopter but the USCG aircraft as well.
"We got on scene within a few hours of being notified of the boat being found,” Marine Commander, Inspector Yearwood said. “Once it was learned that two of the crew had gotten into the water, we immediately commenced searching for them. We used all equipment at our disposal to locate the two men. The vessel was said to have been at sea for several days and with the large amount of marine life seen around the vessel it is unlikely we would still find them.”
It was apparent that the two entered the water to recover a package with life-saving equipment dropped by the USCG. They never returned to the boat.
Officials have still not stated what the four men were doing at sea and whether or not the two now in Grand Cayman are under suspicion of drug trafficking.
Cayman story time flows over airwaves
(CNS): Sponsored by the Cayman National Cultural Foundation Caymanian Stories is a Saturday morning radio show on Saturday mornings featuring the work of local writers, read by local people who bring Caymanian tales to life. Radio Cayman is now recording a host of new stories, poems and historical accounts from contributors such as Roy Bodden, Chris Gourzong, Joy Merren and many more. Reverend Alson Ebanks, Marcia Muttoo and Virginia Foster will be reading a special Easter meditation on 19 April and later this month new material from Nasaria Suckoo Chollette and Twyla Vargas will be broadcast.
Anyone who would like to record a story can contact cayfest@candw.ky
To listen tune into Radio Cayman Saturdays at 9am on 89.9FM and to hear a clip of what is coming up, click here.
Trust encourages earth month challegnes
(CNS): The National Trust is hosting a number of events this month including Dress Down days, Easter at Mission House and a Dark Sky Initiative with the Cayman Islands Astronomical Society and the University College of the Cayman Islands. Selling. “Protect our Paradise” t-shirts for schools and cooperation dress down days are available from the National Trust for CI$15 for adults and CI$10 for kids. The trust is encouraging people to get involved in an Earth Month Challenge while enjoying Cayamn's natural beauty and post it to Facebook Participants are challenged to take part in a range of outdoor activities such as tours, eating traditional food, recycling, reducing carbon footprints or planting a tree.
The public is asked to change social media profile photos to the National Trust’s “Protect our Paradise” icon and take pictures of Earth Month Challenges labeled with the hashtag #ProtectourParadise.
On Saturday, 19 April the Trust celebrates Easter at Mission House. Parents are invited to drop off their “little bunnies” to the National Trust office where they will be bused to Mission House for a Peter Rabbit themed morning or afternoon of fun activities including crafts, Easter obstacle course, grow your own carrots and stories from the Beatrix Potter collection. Costs is CI $25 per bunny.
Reach for the stars with the Cayman Islands Astronomical Society and UCCI. Help protect our natural light by joining the National Trust at the Dr.Wm Hrudey Observatory on Friday, April 25th at 7pm for live viewing of Saturn and Mars which will be streamed to an Internet meeting of several Astronomy Societies in the North and South Americas along with a lecture on Dark Skies in Cayman at 8pm. Adults are CI$15 and Kids are CI$10. Proceeds raised will go to the National Trust, the Cayman Islands Astronomical Society (CIAS) and the observatory.
Lastly, learn to cook like a local at a Traditional Cooking Class being held in conjunction with the Catboat Club on 30 April.
For further information on Earth Day activities please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky or contact marketing@nationaltrust.org.ky or call 749-1121.
Batabano opens with masked ball
(CNS): Organisers of the Batabano carnival will be opening the coulourful event next month at the Le Masque & World Fete on Thursday 1 May at Royal Palms. Guests will be hiding behind masks however, to get them into the carnival spirit during the Caribbean themed evening with a buffet and live music from Trinidad Oscar B and soca artist of Destra Garcia. The street party and parade will take place on saturday starting at 3pm. The 31st anniversary of the carnival celebration, stilt walkers, acrobats, and limbo dancers will lead a colorful parade of masqueraders as they ravel along West Bay Road to Harbour Drive for the street party with live music by local and visiting entertainers.
Over 20 local vendors, alongside some of Cayman’s premiere restaurants will also be dishing up traditional island fare. The Cayman Carnival Junior Batabano and Family Fun Day takes place on 10 May.
For more details log onto www.caymancarnival.com