Archive for November, 2014
Tourists appeal for help over lost jewellery
(CNS): A couple who are visiting the Cayman Islands this week are appealing to the broader community to help them find some missing jewellery and other personal items. The police have issued a public service announcement on their behalf saying the visitors from the USA lost these their wedding rings and sentimental items while at Smith Cove, in George Town on Sunday 16 November. Although it is not clear how the couple lost the jewellery and other pieces of property there was no indication that they were robbed or that the items were stolen. Anyone who found jewellery on the beach at Smith Cove, however, is asked to contact the George Town Police Station on 949 4222.
Chemo unit receives $100k from moustache mayhem
(CNS): The Movember Committee has donated US$100,000 towards the new Chemotherapy Unit at the George Town Hospital. The biggest single gift so far towards the new ‘state-of-the-art’ unit, which officially opened last week, the funds come from the money raised over the last few years when volunteers began growing moustaches for charity and created the Movember Committee. The new unit has more than doubled the capacity for patients to receive healing treatment locally, allowing them to recuperate close to their family and homes.
“We wanted to show our commitment to the Cancer Society and also have something tangible to show for the fundraising efforts made by our 'Mo Bros' over the last few years,” said Tim Rossiter, Chairman of the Movember Committee about the decision to make such a major donation. “The arrival of a Chemo Unit in the Cayman Islands is a significant addition to the care and treatment of cancer patients. At Movember, our focus has always been to support those with cancer here in Cayman and this seemed like an ideal opportunity to help this incredible achievement.
"It is somewhat ironic that the purpose of Movember is to get men talking about their health, but the use of the funds is generally confidential," Rossiter added.
"One side effect is that Movember participants don’t get to see the tangible use of their efforts, but this donation to the Chemo Unit changes that. Not only is it a visible landmark of their efforts, it is a vastly improved life style for those suffering and their families. The beneficiaries can literally experience their efforts and the efforts of others over the last ten years, and that makes it all worthwhile,” he said.
Jennifer Weber, Operations Manager at the Cayman Islands Cancer Society, said that ten years ago, she doubtedanyone would have been able to foresee men growing facial hair could end up making such a big impact on cancer care.
“The ‘Mo Bros’ and ‘Sistahs’ are remarkable people, who are literally changing the face of cancer in Cayman. Everything they do helps us to help others.”
The donation by the Movember Committee comes in the midst of the 2014 Movember activities in Cayman and as in prior years there has been a whole host of events scheduled to encourage and support the men growing moustaches to raise money to beat male cancers. This year’s line-up started with a Sunset Walk along Seven Mile Beach. There is the MO’pen Golf Championship with lots of special prizes and the Gala Awards Night at the Waterfront Café, where the now legendary Movember Awards Ceremony will be held.
“We started Movember with the simple idea of raising awareness of male cancer here in the Cayman Islands, given many men ignore their own health, don’t like to discuss it with family and friends and often avoid regular checks,” Rossiter stated. “We are grateful to the Cayman community for embracing Movember, in particular partners like the Lions club and the Cayman Islands Cancer Society. The knowledgeable staff of CICS help those who fall between the administrative cracks where Government and insurance companies cannot provide the support they need.
“The good news is we are winning the awareness fight. We have had a five-fold increase in the number of cancer patients CICS are supporting over the last five years. These are people who have no-one else and every dollar counts towards their care and treatment, helping both them and their families at such a difficult time. So please continue to support Movember Cayman, and continue to support the Cayman Islands Cancer Society. Every dollar raised in Cayman is a dollar needed in Cayman – and stays in Cayman,” he noted.
For more information on this year’s Movember activities, check out www.movember.ky or the Movember Cayman Islands Facebook page.
Jolly Roger sinks teens in unplanned pirate attack
(CNS): The sinking of a homemade boat in the annual Caybrew Cardboard Boat Race was not part of the show, officials have confirmed. Police are now said to be investigating what happened when the pirate pleasure boat ran into a group of teens who were part of the race and literally sank the competitors. According to sources, the sinking caused a mild concussion in one teen who was hit on the head by the Jolly Roger as she battled to swim out of the current created bythe more than 45 ton vessel. The incident was caught on video and Caybrew, along with the operators of the pirate boat, say they are trying to get to the bottom of what happened.
“The Cardboard Boat Race has been taking place for the last eight years without incident. The highest measure of safety has always been key to its success with the help of volunteers and the RCIPS Marine Unit.,” said a spokesperson from Caybrew. “It is very unfortunate that this accident occurred but the main focus is to ensure it never happens again. As the police investigate the current circumstances, we are in contact with the Jolly Roger as well as the Pirates Week Committee in making sure protocol is set for future events so that we can continue making the event a fun, successful and safe event for everyone to enjoy.”
However, the race, which had become one of the most popular Pirate’s week event, was light on support this year, with crowds down from thousands to just hundreds – reflective of what many people have described as a very poorly organised and underfunded 2014 festival.
Despite the smaller crowds, the teams involved in the race made a fabulous effort, as ever, with their vessels.
Results were as follows:
1st – MEPCO Ltd.
2nd – JML International Ltd.
3rd – Sunrise Adult Training Center
Best Design/The Digicel “Be Extraordinary Cup” – Ernst & Young for the Flintstone’s Boat
Team Spirit – UCCI and Cayman Enterprise City
Best Sinking – Green Tech Solar
Local coach tackles UEFA C licence
(CNS): In October, founding member of Grasspiece Promotions Bruce Sigsworth, travelledto the United Kingdom to embark on the equivalent of the UEFA C Licence/English Football Association (FA) Level 2 Certificate in coaching football and the FA Safeguarding Children Certificate, which is a prerequisite for the UEFA B Licence. Having already obtained his CONCACAF D Licence, Coerver Youth Diploma and other English FA Certificates in coaching, Sigsworth spent two weeks in the UK where he was attached to the Swindon Town FC Youth Academy outside of the 75-hour course. “It was a very challenging, detailed and methodical course, Sigsworth said on his return.
“It is designed to challenge all participants and is not simply a ‘show-up and pass’ course. Your ability as a coach is tested and if competent, you gain certification. I thoroughly enjoyed my time on the course, at the Swindon Town, West Ham and Reading FC Academies and meeting with QPR’s coaches and other individuals,” he added in a press release from Grasspiece.
His time in the UK was only possible, he said, with the support of Grasspiece Promotions, JNB Distributors, Fitzroy Simpson, Jeremy Newton and Jamie Pitman of Swindon Town FC, his family and friends and the Borde family. “I am hoping to secure additional financial support to complete the next leg of this journey in the New Year. …I look forward to sharing what I have gained with local coaches and hope for additional support towards improving coaching from all associated with football in Cayman,” Sigsworth stated.
With good weather while in the UK, Sigsworth completed the Initial Course and the FA Safeguarding Children Certificate at a high level but he needs to return to Britain to complete the two Mandatory Support Training days and the Final Assessment Day early in the New Year.
Grasspiece addede that for further experience during his trip Sigsworth also visited the Reading FC Youth Academy and the prestigious West Ham FC Youth Academy, with the added bonus of observing one of the best youth development coaches, Tony Carr, train the West Ham Under 18 Academy team. Sigsworth also met with the Queens Park Rangers (QPR) Under 18 Academy coach and former Reggae Boy Paul Hall and witnessed the Arsenal ladies player Rachael Yankey and ex-Chelsea player Paulo Ferreira undertake a few practical sessions in their UEFA B Licence Course.
The UEFA C/Level 2 Certificate in Coaching Football course provides a more in-depth understanding of coaching. The course introduces new themes and key aspects related to the role of a football coach in working with youth players. It looks at different coaching styles, all the technical aspects of coaching including the principles of attacking and defending, developing progressive coaching sessions, fitness and nutritional needs of footballers, coaching session evaluations and preparing for potential accidents and emergencies.
The UEFA Coaching Licence ‘Pyramid’ consists of Level 1 Certificate in Coaching Football, Level 2 Certificate in Coaching Football, Level 3 UEFA B Licence, Level 4 UEFA A Licence and the Level 5 UEFA Pro Licence.
Grasspiece Promotions was formed in 2013 primarily to promote and improve youth football and relationships between the Cayman Islands’ football fraternity and its partners through tournaments, coaching clinics, player clinics, and other events. Over the past year, Grasspiece Promotions has solidified its relationship with Swindon Town FC’s Youth Academy through the hosting of the inaugural C3 Cayman International Youth Football Tournament in February 2014, which included the Cayman Islands National Under 15 Team, the Under 15 team from Swindon’s Youth Academy and Major League Soccer’s (MLS) Houston Dynamo.
While in Swindon, Sigsworth spent time with several of the teams at the Swindon Town Youth Academy and coaching staff under the tutelage of Academy Director and frequent visitor to Grand Cayman Jeremy Newton.
Grasspiece Promotions is currently organising the 2015 Cayman International Youth Football Tournament and a Swindon Town Youth Academy Camp, which is scheduled for February. Teams confirmed to compete in next year’s tournament are the Cayman Islands Under 15 National Team and the Under 15 team from the Swindon Town FC Youth Academy. Grasspiece is currently in negotiations with three other youth academies from English professional teams as well as the Houston Dynamo from the MLS.
For further information or support of the 2015 Cayman International Youth Football Tournament and the Swindon Town FC Youth Camp, please e-mail grasspiecepromotions@gmail.com.
Auditor:Progress too slow
(CNS):The day before government patted itself on the back over what it claimed were advances in the production of public accounts last week, the auditor general pointed out that the Cayman government still had a long way to go to address its “dismal” past failures and that progress was too slow as government should have been much further ahead by now in addressing the fundamental problem. In a press briefing hosted by Premier Alden McLaughlin on 12 Nov he lauded the fact that things were improving. However, on 11 Nov Alastair Swarbrick, the government auditor, had said that while things were beginning to move in the right direction from a situation he had described as “scandalous”, there is still an awful lot to be done.
Since the press briefing on 12 November, when government said the deputy governor had received an email from the Office of the Auditor General congratulating him on the public finance submissions for this year, CNS has been asking for comment on the government’s position from the auditor. But the office confirmed Monday that until the audits are finished, Swarbrick will not be making further comment over and above those made on 11 November at government’s professional development week — the day before the press briefing.
In his speech to civil servants that day, Alastair Swarbrick spelled out the appalling state of government’s accounts. And while government was singing its own praises, Swarbrick warned about the dangers of losing momentum.
“I have found the pace of change frustratingly slow," he said. "If you had asked me four years ago what I would have hoped for by this time, it would be that we were quite a bit further on. In the four years I have seen some spurts of activity and progress, only to be followed by a loss of momentum.”
In an address that highlighted the still very poor state of affairs, Swarbrick said that much more still needed to be done.
“The momentum needs to build on the achievements so far. No doubt some changes to the PMFL (Public Management and Finance Law) will help but it should not be an excuse for not achieving accountability,” he said.
Reflecting on how bad things were, he said that when he arrived here in July 2010, if he had known the true extent of the problem, he wondered if he would have taken the job at all.
“Six years after the introduction of the PMFL the position was pretty bleak, and to all intents and purposes there was absolutely no accountability for the generation and use of public resources. Just as concerning, there didn’t seem to be a plan in place to rectify the situation,” he stated. “We can examine the reasons why this position was reached but at the end of the day, no matter how you look at it, I have to say that from my perspective it was pretty scandalous and it is clear that it is a causal factor in undermining public trust in government.”
Swarbrick said that what he found when he arrived in the Cayman Islands was diametrically opposed to anything he had seen in his 19 years of public sector auditing experience at that time.
“In those 19 years I could probably count on my fingers and toes the number of public sector entities that I had audited which had any form of qualification,” he said. “I had personally never been involved in any audit that had issued an adverse opinion or a disclaimer of opinion. Also it was very rare that audited financials were not completed and tabled in line with statutory requirements,” Swarbrick explained.
He said he had come across problems with financial managementand reporting, issues of waste or misuse of public funds. However, he emphasised that the fundamental principle of accountability through the presentation of an annual report, including the financial statements, was a serious requirement.
“Where there were failures in financial management and reporting, there were consequences,” he added. But this is the issue that has raised so much concern in Cayman. Despite ten years of failure by government to report back to the public how it spent the tax payers’ money, no one has been held responsible or accountable and no heads have rolled.
Swarbrick said that things were improving, given how bad they were, but the idea that he had been praising government, as implied by the premier, in an email to the deputy governor, appeared to be at odds with what Swarbrick said.
“I am hopeful that year ending 30 June 2014 may be the first year that we don’t have any adverse opinions or disclaimers on entity financials, although I must attach a significant health warning to that statement as some significant work is still required to get the full picture,” he said. “We continue to find governance and internal control issues that impact significantly on the effective stewardship of public resources.”
He said that government was still a long way off from delivering a picture to the people who pay for the public services how revenues government has generated from them has been used.
“They have no choice in paying the fees, charges, duties, taxes which fund government and the public services, unlike investors in the private sector, so as public servants our professional, ethical and fiduciary duties to safeguard public resources and assets, and report how those resources have been generated and used is significant, and in my opinion greater than that for private sector entities,” Swarbrick stated.
“Public trust in government finances is still a way off, impacting on the credibility of government overall,” he warned.
Local team battles for draw in first NZ game
(CIFA) Despite dominating much of the play and creating a plethora of chances, Bodden Town Football Club of the Cayman Islands had to settle for a goalless draw against Singapore Under 23 National Team at the Trusts Arena. Swirling winds and a stubborn opponent frustrated the reigning Cayman Islands Football Association Premier League champions. In his post game assessment Head Coach Elbert Mclean said, “We played well but I think we should have won.” Bodden Town created the more significant chances from the opening whistle with Ricoh Brown having the first clear shot on goal in the third minute.
Bodden Town’s best chance of the opening half came in the 15th minute when Theron Wood hit the upright with a curling free kick. Singapore also had their chances, but goalkeeper and captain Ramon Sealy was equal to the task at every stage.
Coach Mclean heaped praise on his players however:
“Sealy was excellent he always gives us 150 percent,” said Mclean. Sealy was called to make crucial saves in the second half, denying the Singaporeans on several clear cut goal scoring chances. In the 67th Singapore’s Shamil Sharif collected a pass from Stanely NG in space and blasted a venomous shot at the Bodden Town goal, but Sealy’s made a magical reflex save to keep the clean sheet.
Bodden Town collect one point from the draw and move on to face local champions Auckland City FC on Friday. Looking ahead to that encounter , Coach Mclean said the team’s objective is clear. “We are going for the three points.”
Auckland City FC tops Group A with 3 points, ahead of Bodden Town and Singapore.
See the full match on video here
Prosecution sets background to banker’s murder
(CNS): Following a week of closed door hearings and legal arguments the crown began calling witnesses this week in its case against Leonard Antonio Ebanks for the murder of Frédéric Bise in February 2008. Ebanks is the second person to be charged with the brutal killing of the Swiss banker after Chad Anglin from West Bay was convicted in April of this year. The director of public prosecutions says that Ebanks was part of a joint enterprise with Anglin in the murder. During the first two days jurors heard evidence from Bise’s friend and landlady as well as a causal lover who had planned to meet him on the night he was killed but their liaison never happened.
Both witnesses testified during the Anglin trial and had described their friend and his lifestyle to the jury. Once again they had both said that Bise was a fun loving and kind person who would not harm anyone. However, both witnesses raised their concerns about the high risk behavior that Bise, who was gay, was engaging in during the weeks leading up to his death.
Bise’s former casual lover described how he had waited for Bise to come and collect him but when he did not turn up he fell asleep. Despite receiving a call and several texts from Biseduring the night he did not look at the texts or listen to the messages until the next morning. Bise’s last call to his friend was at around 2-30am and the witness said the voice mail had recorded just the sound of the wind. Bise’s landlady also told the jury that certain personnel items of his including jewellery, his lap top and phone were missing from the house after he had been killed. According to the crown these items were later seen by other witnesses in the possession of Ebanks.
The jury also heard a number of statements on Tuesday that painted a backdrop of what Bise did on the night before he was killed. A number of different witnesses described how they had met and drank with Bise during the course of the evening at different bars. The bankerwas said to have met other French speaking friends at Guy Harveys, before going on to Deckers and then Calico Jacks, before he was last seen on CCTV at Kellys Bar in West Bay.
Bise’s body was found in the back of his own burned out vehicle outside the house where he was living at the time in West Bay in February 2008. He had been beaten to death with what the crown prosecutors believe may have been a concrete cider block. The prosecution’s case is that Bise met Chad Anglin at Kelly’s bar and was seen leaving with him on the night before his body was found.
Anglin’s DNA was found on cigarette butts at Bise’s House and in his car. The crown claims that at some point in the early hours of the morning of his murder, Anglin called Ebanks and asked him to meet at the dykes in Barkers where it is believed that the two men then killed the banker by dropping a block repeatedly on Bise’s head and upper body, as well as strangling him.
The case finally came to court this year after both Anglin and Ebanks were charged by the RCIPS’ cold case unit following a review of the case which was resubmitted to the DPP to confirm the charges.
There will be no evidence before the jury Wednesday but the case is expected to continue on Thursday morning in court two.
FIFA calls for Swiss police probe into corruption
(CNS): As corruption troubles continue for FIFA the global football body has asked the Swiss authorities to launch a criminal inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the bidding processes, which led to the award of the 2018 and 2022 world cups go to Russia and Qatar. The move,Tuesday, follows days of criticism of FIFA for allegedly covering up its own evidence of corruption in the bidding and raises the prospect that some of the current and former administrators could face criminal charges. Announcing the request, Sepp Blatter, said internal inquiries had discovered “grounds for suspicion that, in isolated cases, international transfers of assets with connections to Switzerland took place”.
A FIFA statement said: "The subject of the criminal complaint is the possible misconduct of individual persons in connection with the awarding of the hosting rights of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups investigated by Michael Garcia, chairman of the investigatory chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee. In particular there seem to be grounds for suspicion that, in isolated cases, international transfers of assets with connections to Switzerland took place, which merit examination by the criminal prosecution authorities.”
The Garcia report will be handed over to the attorney general's office by Eckert but he and Blatter remain adamant the full report cannot be published.
Blatter said: "There is no change to judge Eckert's statement that the investigation into the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups is concluded. The matter will now also be looked at by an independent, state body, which shows that FIFA is not opposed to transparency."
Asked about the publication of the report, he added: "If FIFA were to publish the report, we would be violating our own association law as well as state law. The people who are demanding in the media and elsewhere that FIFA publish the report are obviously of the opinion that FIFA should or must ignore the law in this regard."
While in the UK in September, Cayman’s’ Jeff Webb, the president of CONCACAF and Vice President of FIFA told the British media that it had “a lot of work to do” to rebuild its tarnished reputation in the wake of series of corruption scandals and said the organisation “could have gone further” with its reforms and said he believed Garcia’s report into allegations of corruption during the bidding process should be published in full.
The identities of the individuals who have been reported to the attorney general have not been disclosed. Eckert's findings released last week did name two people, both former FIFA ethics committee members, as having contravened rules – Jack Warner from Trinidad and Tobago, who resigned in disgrace in 2011, and Mohamed Bin Hammam, the former Asian confederation president from Qatar who was banned for life by FIFA.
Suspect booze burglar netted
(CNS): A 55-year-old man from George Town has been arrested on suspicion of burglary after break-ins at four alcohol outlets in the capital since Sunday night. Police believe the suspect may be responsible for stealing beer, spirits, liquor and a dozen bottles of champagne after they recovered a large quantity of alcohol at his house Tuesday. The RCIPS is also warning people not to buy cheap booze in unusual circumstances as they may be purchasing stolen goods and could face prosecution. The police are also urging business owners to improve security as Christmas approaches, sucn as installing audible alarms to deter burglars and CCTV to identify them if they are not.
The latest booze crime wave began late Sunday night, 16 November, with a burglary at a mini-warehouse in Central George Town, where a quantity of beer and spirits was stolen. The suspect had broken into the warehouse by cutting the bars to the building.
Then, in the early hours of Tuesday morning an alarm was activated at C.L Flowers and Son on Seymour Drive. The police attended the location and met with the owner. Although the premises was entered, nothing was reported stolen. The third incident occurred at Jacques Scott's North Sound Road warehouse, where various types of beer, liquors and spirits were stolen. The fourth break-in happened at Blackbeard’s Liquor Store in Buckingham Place, where a rear window was smashed and around twelve bottles of champagne and a quantity of spirits were stolen.
As a result of these incidents police went to an address on Maple Road, George Town, where a 55-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of burglary and where a large quantity of alcohol was recovered. The suspect remains in police custody pending further investigations.
In the wake of the crime spree Detective Chief Inspector Malcolm Kay warned people who are offered and accept any wholesale alcohol at a reduced price from anyone under unusual circumstances that they may be committing the offence of receiving and handling stolen goods and be liable to arrest and prosecution.
“Anyone who is approached to purchase any such items of alcohol is encouraged to contact the RCIPS immediately,” the senior officer stated.
Given the time of year, he also encouraged business owners to review their security measures.
“Leading up to the festive season criminals may continue to target businesses where such consumables are stored or sold,” he warned. “Ensure CCTV is functional and providing clear images of key points of entry can greatly assist in identifying intruders.
"Audible alarms will discourage most burglars as they will not want any attention to be drawn to themselves. Additionally checking doors, windows and locking mechanism may deter opportunist criminals. It is also recommended that large sums of money are not stored on premises overnight,” Kay added.
Private sector volunteers help kids in transition
(CNS): A group of students who are in their final year at George Town primary school have begun attending the Positive Intervention Now (PIN) programme run by the Education and Youth Committee of St George’s Anglican Church after local accountancy and consulting firm confirmed its commitment to supporting the programme with cash and fifteen voluteers. The kids attend the programme which has been running for seven years on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons during the school term at what is sometimes a difficult transition for young people from childhood into their teens and from primary to secondary school.
Marlene Ricketts, the PIN programme facilitator, said the success of the programme is largely down to the sponsors who do such a tremendous amount of good for the young people.
“I really cannot thank the PwC volunteers enough for their continuous support of PIN over the years,” she said. “The fact that the firm has been happy to donate monetarily every year is a big enough contribution in itself; the fact that the staff members themselves are so giving of their time is invaluable. Not only are our young people able to gain from the academic and artistic input PwC staff bring to the programme, they are also able to develop their social skills as they interact with staff members on a one-to-one basis. I know our students always look forward to Wednesdays when the PwC staff come along.”
Ricketts also said she was grateful to the firm for their recent donation of four extra laptops.
“Having the technology to teach the young people in a way to which they can particularly relate is priceless in our teaching at PIN,” she said “On behalf of the Board, staff, volunteers and students at PIN we offer our sincere thanks to PwC staff for their generosity. They should know they make a huge difference.”
The fifteen PwC staff, who volunteered for the 2014/2015 term recent met the group of younsters and spent time getting to know them explain about the projects they would be working on, alongside the students throughout the school year.
Angilynn Chan-Baraud, PwC’s Business Development Manager, coordinates the firm’s efforts to assist the PIN programme. She explained that they had a full agenda in store.
“PwC has been a big supporter of the PIN programme for 7 years and as the years have gone by we have become increasingly involved with the development of the programme itself,” she said. “This year we will be working on a fun photography project with the youngsters, whereby they will be given their own disposable camera and asked to take photos for a competition that we will be running throughout the weeks.
“We will also be assisting the children in helping them develop their maths skills and be on hand for any homework questions. Three or four of our volunteer PIN team attend PIN every Wednesday to work alongside the youngsters and the PIN staff so students get a great one-to-one experience.”
She said he firm was happy to help the children who have been selected for PIN because it’s a critical time in their lives. “The programme helps develop the youngsters’ skills in so many ways, not just intellectually, but socially as well…And I know that our staff also get a great amount of satisfaction from their interaction with the young people,” Baraud added.