Archive for August 6th, 2014
Officer faces contempt charge after taking ‘sickie’
(CNS): A detective constable in the RCIPS who failed to appear in court last month, despite being a crucial witness, because he was on sick leave, is now facing contempt charges. DC Winston Harrison failed to show up for a Summary Court hearing on 30 July because his senior officer said he was unwell. However, the cop was spotted by the defense attorney in the case just two days later hobbling on a crutch into another courtroom to attend a civil private family matter. Concerned about the officer's failure to show in his client's case, Peter Polack requested that the magistrate bind the cop over. As a result, the officer has been summoned to answer a contempt of court charge.
DC Harrison was the lead officer in the summary case in question and the arrest of Andre Woodman on drug charges in 2013 but failed to appear for what described as "a crucial hearing”. But once Polack saw the cop limping to civil court just two days after he had failed to attend the criminal hearing, the lawyer raised his concerns. The magistrate made an order for the cop to be bound over to appear in Summary Court on 4 September to deal with the contempt allegation.
Harrison is already the subject of questionable behaviour in this particular case as Polack has complained that the warrant in the case had been "obtained in an unusual and unlawful manner", which had fallen short of the new standards surrounding warrants and JPs.
Football tournaments benefit the community
(CNS): The director of Cayman Islands National Football teams has said that the opportunities being provided by the regional football body go way beyond the goal count and competition on the pitch. Renard Moxam said tournaments held here provide great opportunities for young sports men and woman, improve standards for players, the pride for Caymanians in hosting international events as well as the benefits to the economy. As he oversees the preparations for the CONCACAF Girls U-15 tournament, which kicks off on 6 August and will take place on Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac, the local football director said winning would be great but it's not all that matters.
While he acknowledged that watching a local team become victorious is the ultimate goal, Moxam said success is not only be measured by winning.
“The wins and loss column is an important barometer that is looked at by most, but equally looking at the bigger picture,” he stated. “The larger goal is to make a major contribution towards the molding of young people in a positive manner and towards them becoming better athletes and better people, who will hopefully take future roles in the positive development of society.”
Moxam explained that these type of competitions provide an opportunity for Cayman players to learn how to perform under pressure as part of a team. "A vital skill that should benefit future generations of Caymanians whether at work, school or play," he added.
As well as the economic benefits the director said another key benefit to the local community is the pride felt by hosting international events of this magnitude. In the last year the Cayman Islands has successfully hosted the inaugural Boys’ U-15 Championship in August 2013, the first ever CONCACAF Sports Summit and the Women’s’ U-20 Championship in January 2014.
Having been involved in local football for more than three decades in several capacities, Moxam expressed great pride in Cayman’s track record as a host of regional football competitions and faith that the local organisers will deliver another world-class competition. “The Cayman Islands will be seen as a fantastic host country, wherein the true Caymanian spirit will come to the forefront and from a sporting stand point, that our country is seen as a viable challenger in future tournaments," he said.
The CONCACAF Girls’ Under 15 Championship will be held at four venues. The Truman Bodden Sports Complex, T.E. McField Sports Centre, Ed Bush Sports Centre
and Cayman Brac Sports Field.
Group A: Cayman Islands, Curacao, Bahamas, British Virgin Islands
Group B: Honduras, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Bermuda
Group C: Jamaica, Costa Rica, Anguilla, Belize
Group D: Canada, Haiti, Cuba, Puerto Rico
Ten-point reparations plan is seriously flawed
I don’t think that I have seen a comprehensive challenge to the ten-point reparations plan that our Caribbean governments are using as the blue print to press Europe for reparations. However, I think this plan can (and will) be successfully challenged. To start, we want Europe to apologize. The Europeans can successfully refuse this demand on several good grounds.
Firstly, both the supposed perpetrators and the supposed victims are long dead. Secondly, those alive in Europe didn’t commit the “crime”. Thirdly, andthis is the most powerful reason, slavery was both morally and legally acceptable at the time – both to the Europeans and the Africans. Far from apologizing, I think the Europeans should be proud of their great imperial past.
We also want repatriation. This most impractical aspect of this plan is quite laughable. What guarantees do we have that those in Africa will be glad to see us returning? If those thought that life was hard in the West, they should wait until they reach Africa! Also, it is interesting to note that many of those calling for this pipe dream actually have the means to go back, but refuse to do so.
We also want an “Indigenous People’s Development Programme”. As the ten-point plan itself says, the scholarship programme that the University offers to members of the indigenous community is woefullyinadequate. This is an admission that our own governments care very little about these peoples. The Europeans have been doing much more. For example, directly, they funded the upgrade of the water supply system in Dominica’s indigenous Carib territory. Indirectly, they have pumped tens of millions of Euros into Dominica – for both the native and non-native populations.
We also want “Cultural Institutions”. The first point I would like to make is that if we cannot come up with the intellectual means to create our own cultural institutions, then no amount of reparations can help us. However, the Europeans have been helping us in this regard. The Institute of Jamaica was started in 1879 by the then British governor. That organization is mainly responsible for the preservation of Jamaica’s culture. It has oversight responsibility for the African Caribbean Institute of Jamaica, the National Gallery and other cultural organizations. What more do we want from the Europeans?
Then the European must help us solve our “public health crisis”. Again, this can be successfully challenged from many angles. Among others, firstly, no one two hundred years ago would have been able to foreseen the effect of the slave diet today, if there is any. Secondly, we today still continue to feed ourselves with this “poison” diet. Thirdly, the evidence for this claim is very unsound. Fourthly, our “modern” diet of fast food has done much to contribute to the health problems we have today and fifthly, this fast food diet would have done much to “dilute” the link to two hundred years ago.
As for our Illiteracy problem, the advances that we have had since independence have been due in large part to the assistance given to us by Europe. The ministry of education itself was created during British rule, in 1953. The University of the West Indies was started by the British in 1948 as a college of the University of London and given to us as a gift. Many of Jamaica’s popular schools were built during British rule. It may be true that at the time of independence we had a high illiteracy rate, however, it is through the same education system that the British bequeathed to us that we have been able to reduce this problem.
We also want an “African Knowledge Programme”. We want the Europeans to help us Africans in the West to know our history in Africa. In fact, it is largely because of the Europeans why we know what we do about Africa’s past. Napoleon’s discovery of the famous Rosetta stone and its translation in Europe enabled us to better understand the greatness of ancient Egypt. Many European universities and other organizations have done much to open up Africa’s hidden past. Of course, I wouldn’t want to discount what African universities are doing. But to claim that Europe isn’t helping us to know our past is very disingenuous. Also, with modern means of communication, we don’t need to be physically present in Africa to know its history.
This “Psychological Rehabilitation” demand is a strange one. I havea feeling that the “reparatory justice approach to truth and educational exposure” that is being demanded may cause more harm than good, especially if the truth about our own involvement in the export of slaves and the millions that died in Africa at our own hands are told to us.
I am still not sure how much more technology transfers we can get. From modern communication systems, to the internet, to modern transportation systems and the like, all of these have been transferred to us. Technology transfers also involve know-how, though education. As mentioned before, we have the University of the West Indies and the University of Technology, both started by the British. If we can’t use institutions like those to create a culture of science and technology, after over half a century of independence, then I can’t see how the Europeans will be able to do it for us.
Finally, we want debt cancellation. For some strange reason, our high debts are high because we were slaves! Why should the Europeans reward us after we voluntarily entered into these loan agreements with these creditors and then refuse to be prudent with these loans? However, we have received some debt write-offs. Guyana received some from Bulgaria in 2012. Haiti got some from the Paris Club in 2009. Jamaica has received four billion dollars worth of debt forgiveness from Britain between 1997 and 2004. It is utter nonsense if we think that all of our debts will be forgotten!
When one looks at this ten-point plan, the only impression that anybody can get of us is that we are a people determined to get more handouts. This ten-point plan is not an accomplishment – it’s an embarrassment. We need to ditch it and grow up.
Michael A. Dingwall writes from Kingston, Jamaica.
Teens arrested for Brac booze break-in
(CNS): Police officers on Cayman Brac arrested two 17 year old males on Tuesday on suspicion of burglary/handling stolen goods. After the arrests, several properties were searched on the Brac by police with the assistance of customs and officers from the Special Constabulary, which resulted in the recovery of a large quantity of liquor suspected to be stolen from Coral Isle Bar last Tuesday 29 July, when the rear glass door of the premises was damaged and a number of rum and whiskey bottles were taken. Chief Inspector Owens said, “Again I would like to thank the public for the information supplied to the police and our government partner agencies for their excellent support.” **Update inside**
Update: The two 17 year old males arrested have been charged with Burglary and Handling Stolen Goods in relation to the break in at Coral Isle Bar. They will be appearing in Court Today.
CAL celebrates 46 years with discount airfares
(CNS): Cayman Airways Limited (CAL) is offering heavy discounts on airfares as the company celebrates 46 years of service as the National Flag Carrier. Airfares are now on sale for travel from 10 September through 5 November this year but the flights must be booked by this Saturday, 9 August. On domestic and regional routes, sale fares start from just CI$38 each way for travel between Grand Cayman and the Sister Islands. Kingston and Montego Bay airfares are discounted down to just CI$68 each way, and Havana and La Ceiba airfares start from only CI$70 each way. Airfares are also on sale for travel this autumn between Grand Cayman and Miami, Tampa and New York (JFK).
Government and airport taxes and fees are additional for all quoted sale fares, and some conditions apply. Quoted fares are based on roundtrip purchase.
For details and to book any of the domestic, regional, or USA sale fares, customers can call Cayman Airways reservations on 949-2311, book online at caymanairways.com, or contact a local travel agent.
As part of the 46th anniversary celebrations, Cayman Airways will also host its annual Customer Appreciation Day at its ticket offices on all three islands on Thursday 7 August, which is the airline’s official anniversary date. Walk-in customers who purchase any of the sale fares on that day will receive giveaways and be entered to win the grand prize of a roundtrip ticket to any Cayman Airways destination. Second prize is 4,600 Sir Turtle Rewards miles, and third prize is 460 Sir Turtle Rewards miles.
Passengers travelling on 7 August will also be treated to raffles aboard all flights operating that day, with some lucky passengers winning a variety of prizes compliments of Cayman Turtle Farm and various industry partners.
Cayman Airways President and CEO, Fabian Whorms, said the board, management, and staff at the airline are extremely grateful to have such a loyal customer base. “These sale fares and activities are our way of showing our appreciation for customers’ commitment to Cayman Airways,” he said. “As we mark our 46th year in service, we look forward to serving our community for many more years to come.”