Guest Writer
Guest Writer's Latest Posts
Bad public policy
Public policy issues may not have the headline grabbing appeal of some other topics, but creating and following good public policy minimizes waste, corruption and a host of other problems. Public policy should be designed to maximise the public good rather than the private profit of a few. Unfortunately, that principle often seems to be forgotten, ignored or not understood by some.
Bad public policy tends to be prevalent in countries with endemic corruption. This is no coincidence as bad public policy tends to facilitate corruption. Many bad policies require great effort and expense to fix. Fortunately, the recent suspect policy decisions which are discussed in this Viewpoint can be put right quickly and with little cost.
The recent governmental decision to offer immigration and tax incentives to stimulate economic diversification was a good one, as was the decision taken by both political parties to get the ball rolling. However, the policy decision to limit access to these incentives, at least for the foreseeable future, to those who do business within a single privately owned special economic zone (SEZ) was badly flawed. Similarly, the policy decision to administer the incentives through a new bureaucratic authority is also flawed.
There is no legitimate public policy requirement for forcing prospective new investors to rent or purchase from any “favoured” developer in order to receive government incentives. All this restriction is likely to do is to create an artificial shortage of favoured office space, entice existing tenants out of locally owned property, drive up costs for potential investors, deter both desirable investment and economic diversification, and make someone an unearned profit.
It would be far better from a public policy perspective if our legislation opened up the commercially zoned areas in the entire country to economic diversification based on uniform incentives. Let suitable investors rent from a “favoured” developer if they want, but do not try to force them to do so, and do not give any “favoured” developer or its tenants any competitive advantage at public expense. Who profits from forcing investors to rent from a “favoured” developer in order to get incentives? Certainly it is not the Caymanian public.
The existing pillars of the Cayman economy, finance and tourism, allow investors to choose where to locate within multiple appropriately zoned areas. The success of these existing economic pillars came about in part because there were uniform rules and no politically “favoured” developers.
The notion that a “favoured” developer had to be chosen as part of the diversification initiative because entities which locate in an SEZ will be given special customs and immigration incentives is entirely specious. We have existing incentive models that work quite well. The existing models provide incentives but do not hand a monopoly to anybody, and do not require the large and expensive bureaucracy that the new SEZ authority will produce. Hotels developments are provided with concessions based on what they do rather than which developer they acquire land from, or which real estate company they agree to sell through – or at least that is the way it should work now that the anti-corruption legislation is in effect.
Agricultural enterprises now receive duty and immigration incentives of various types based on what they do, without any need to rent property from a politically “favoured” developer. That existing uncomplicated system works well for a large number of farmers at minimal cost and with very little bureaucracy.
A further aspect of flawed policy is apparent in the process established for limiting competition with the initial SEZ.What purpose does the SEZ approval process serve other than creating the potential for a toll booth operated by those who seek private profit? If all bona fide investors were provided with incentives on the basis of what they do to stimulate Caymanian employment and economic diversification, rather than who they pay, public policy will be better served.
Fortunately, there are simple, effective, immediate and long term fixes to the policy failings recently translated into law. Even better, the fixes do not rely on those who designed the problems.
The immediate fix requires those honest politicians likely to be part of the government in 20 months time to demonstrate their commitment to good public policy by publicly stating that they will further encourage economic diversification by amending the SEZ legislation to allow all high tech and other targeted investors to receive the same incentives now restricted to those who rent or buy from “favoured” developers. Providing this assurance to existing property owners, potential developers, and potential investors will increase our chances of successful diversification by providing an incentive for many people to seek inward investment. That would be good for Caymanians in general and not just those politically connected. Who knows it might even limit the sending of questionable invoices.
British told US before T&C constitutional suspension
(Turks & Caicos Sun): For at least three months before the Constitution of the Turks and Caicos Islands was suspended, former Governor Gordon Wetherell told officials at the US Embassy in The Bahamas that was “certain” about direct rule being imposed on this country. That’s according to a US Embassy cable that was created on June 13th, 2009 and released by WikiLeaks on August 30, 2011. The cable said Wetherell acknowledged to the US Ambassador that the relationship between former Governor Richard Tauwhare and former Premier Michael Misick was “uncomfortably close”.
Commenting on the suspension of the Constitution which actually took place on August 14, 2009, the US Embassy cable stated: “Gordon Wetherell, Britain's new governor of the tiny Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) British Overseas Territory just to the south of The Bahamas, told Embassy Nassau Charge that he is certain that the final report from a Commission of Inquiry into gross mismanagement by ex-Premier Michael Misick – due to be made public in the next few weeks – will cause London to suspend TCI's constitution and its elected House of Assembly,” the cable said.
Politics & violent crime
Politicians like to claim credit for positive things that have nothing to do with them, and to deny responsibility for negative things that are entirely within their control. The politics of deterring and punishing violent crime is no exception.
Contrary to self-serving public statements by politicians that seek to point to others as being responsible for all aspects of controlling the activities of violent criminals in our community, it is our elected government that sets the penalties for crime and it is entirely the fault of the elected government when the sentencing parameters specified in criminal law do not adequately provide for the deterrence and punishment of violent crime.
Politicians may try to avoid their own responsibility by suggesting that judges are to blame for sentences that do not appear adequate. No one should be fooled. Judges impose sentences within the parameters provided for in legislation enacted by politicians. When politicians enact criminal laws or leave criminal laws on the books that in effect say, “Punishment for violent crime may be limited to a metaphorical slap on the wrist”, that is what will happen from time to time.
When politicians permit rules that specify that a violent criminal who is caught in the act and therefore has no option but to plead guilty, receives an automatic one third reduction in his sentence for pleading guilty, that is both ludicrous and the fault of the politicians. When politicians permit rules that require that in almost all cases the sentences for multiple violent crimes are served concurrently rather than consecutively, therefore providing absolutely no deterrence for a string of violent crimes, that is ludicrous and the fault of the politicians. When politicians permit rules that provide for automatic parole when only a fraction of a sentence for a violent crime has been served, that is ludicrous and the fault of the politicians.
If politicians were willing to take just a small amount of time to amend the criminal legislation which sets out sentencing parameters, all of these defects could be eliminated and fewer violent criminals would be on the street committing violent crimes. Politicians have failed to do this.
We have witnessed many examples in recent months in which the elected government has passed legislation in a matter of hours using the justification that the legislation was necessary to provide an economic advantage to some group or other. These same politicians have failed to find the few minutes required to legislate corrections for our existing laws relating to the sentencing of violent criminals.
Violent crime is destroying our country. Solving all of the problems related to violent crime is complex and requires each of us to do what is within our control. That includes elected politicians. The first responsibility of the elected government is to protect its citizens. Our government has so far failed to do what only they can do to deter and punish violent crime.
Fixing defects in our legislation which permit or require inadequate sentences for violent crimes will not by itself solve the entire problem of crime in our community, but it is one part. It is the one element that our politicians have direct control over, and it can be done quickly and at very low cost. Each of us should consider why our elected politicians are failing to do what only they can do to ensure that sentences for violent crime both deter and punish violent criminals?
Violent video games ‘reduce crime’
(The Telegraph): Violent video games may actually reduce crime as aggressive players are "too busy" shooting virtual enemies to cause trouble in the real world, experts claim. Games such as Manhunt and Grand Theft Auto – where gamers rack up points or cash for killing or savagely attacking victims – are routinely blamed for a rise in violent crime. A spate of high profile murder cases have heard evidence that various games were 'to blame' for a string of killings. But a report, called 'Understanding the Effects of Violent Video Games on Violent Crime' by three respected academics has said it doesn't believe there is a link. The report argues that gamers are 'too busy' playing to cause much trouble in the real world.
Bodden Town tops the Cayman Premier League
(CIFA): Bodden Town took top spot in the Cayman Premier League after they demolished George Town to claim their second successive Cayman Premier League win of the season. The youthful Bodden Town team are yet to lose a game, after starting off the season with a draw against Tigers. Bodden Town got off to a flying start by scoring in the opening 14 seconds of the game. Casey McLaughlin slotting the ball in the top left corner of the goal, after some creative build up play. The opening goal in the first minute set the tone for the rest of the game. George Town struggled to get a handle on the game, as a young Bodden Town team moved the ball around quickly and proved clinical in the final third.
Arvid Harris of Bodden Town was the key component in everything that Bodden Town offered going forward. Harris exposed the slack defensive display from George Town, which left Lee Ramoon unhappy on the sidelines. Kareem James netted Bodden Town's second in the 36th minute. This was followed by Yefry Calderon, in the 55th minute, who cleaned up a re-bound and slotted home from 8 yards out, after George Town failed to clear their lines from a corner kick. Substitute Danu Smith chipped in with a goal and completed the rout in the 90th minute. The 4:0 win takes Bodden Town to the top of the Cayman Premier League on goal difference. George Town drops down to seventh, after their second consecutive loss.
Cayman Athletic picked up their first win of the season with 3:1 win over Roma United. Matthew Suberan opened the scoring for Cayman Athletic in the 7th minute. Unfortunately, Cayman Athletic was only able to hold onto their lead for eight minutes, as Kiegel Atkinson leveled for Roma United in the 15th minute. Kyle Santamaria restored Cayman Athletics lead in the 51st minute.
Fabio Smith made sure Cayman Athletic would take all three points by scoring in the 84th minute. Head Coach of Cayman Athletic, Ernie Seymour, was glad to see his team gain their first points of the season. “The win against Roma was a good one for our young team. After losing the firstgame to Scholars 5:2, which we did pretty good in, because at one stage we were just losing 3:2 until we lost our legs due to a lack of match fitness and after losing a close game to Bodden Town 2:1 last week, I told my players that we had to work on our defense if we wanted to do well against Roma”.
Coach Seymour encouraged his team to believe in themselves and that is certainly what they did Sunday. His pep talk did wonders as the Cayman Athletic defense, which was better organized and their attackers scored three goals on a Roma team who had yet to concede a goal going into week 3.
Coach Seymour was quick to praise his young players after the game: “I could not ask for more from them. As a young team, they deserve any praise that they get right now. Roma is a good team, and I hope this win over them could be a motivational factor for our players going forward into the remaining fixtures. We will continue to work on our strength and weakness to improve our level of football. We have a lot of talented young players that could achieve a lot through football if they just stay focus and believe in themselves and the people who are helping them to do the right thing. There will be more wins, more defeats and draws, but we just have to keep trying to improve our level”. Cayman Athletic will face Future after the international break.
Elsewhere in the Cayman Premier League, Tigers FC beat Future 3:1. Thsi is Future’s third consecutive loss, which leaves them rooted to the bottom of the table. Miguel Simms led the way for Tigers who posted their first win of the 2011/2012 season. Simms scored in the 40th and 57th minute, Zico Lewis added a third for Tigers in the 60th minute. Future’s Denver Barnes consolation goal in the 80th minute did little to effect the outcome of the game.
Six yellow cards and one red card were handed out in a physical contest at the Ed Bush Sports Complex in West Bay which saw reigning Premier League Champions Elite match up with an impressive Scholars International team who had gotten off to a great start to the season with two consecutive wins. Scholars took a 2:0 lead into the locker room at half time, thanks to strikes from Dave McLaughlin and Aldene Forbes.
The second half started much as the first half had ended, Scholars looked to be cruising to their third straight win of the season. This was until Carson Fagan was issued a red card in the 52nd minute. Fagan’s sending off seem to inspire Elite who wasted little time exposing Scholars who had to battle on a man down for the second week running.
Clement Patterson got one back for Elite in the 62nd minute breaking Scholars resistance. Elite were making the most of their man advantage as they controlled the majority of the possession in the last twenty minutes of the game, and they made their possession count as Dwayne Wright equalized in the 72nd minute completing the comeback.
The Cayman Premier League will take a break from action this weekend and return on Sunday, 16 October 2011, as the Cayman Islands Senior Men’s National Team face Suriname on Friday night at 7.30 p.m. at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier before departing Sunday to face their toughest test to date in San Salvador on Tuesday, 11 October 2011 as they take on El Salvador.
FIFA Referee Course starts Wednesday
(CIFA): The Cayman Islands Football Association will be hosting its FIFA Referee Assistance Programme (RAP) course between the 5 and 9 October. RAP was founded in December 2007 and is designed to help professionalize the environment in which referees work and develop. The main goal of the RAP is to unify the way the laws of the game are applied throughout the world, that is, uniformity of interpretation and application of the laws. Football is a global sport and its rules must be interpreted and applied with absolute consistency wherever the game is played.
As the global governing body for the sport of football, the FIFA has a policy of ongoing training for its referees in order to ensure that refereeing standards continue to improve and the laws of the game are applied the same way everywhere.
FIFA Referee Development Officer, Ramesh Ramdhan, and FIFA Referee Instructor, Peter Prendergast, will work with CIFA's local instructors to deliver this program to the Cayman Islands referees. At the course, referees are guided by the FIFA and local instructors through classroom sessions, as well as practical exercises on the playing field and a fitness test. The practical sessions are crucial, because they allow the referees to put what they have learnt into action.
One of FIFA’s goals is to devise and implement training programmes that prepare both male and female referees for the most important FIFA tournaments. TheFIFA officials who will be in charge for the Cayman Islands 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying game against Suriname this Friday at Truman Bodden Sports Complex all hail from the United States. Currently there are 50 registered referees within the Cayman Islands, 4 of which are appointed FIFA officials. The course will begin with an opening ceremony tomorrow evening at 5:45pm at the Marriott Hotel.
To get your 2014 FIFA World Cup tickets for the Cayman Islands upcoming game against Suriname this Friday, please visit the following ticket outlets: Fosters Food Fair, Western Union Money Centre, Funky Tangs, Reflections, Sports Port LTD, Captains Bakery, and Latin Taste. Tickets are priced at $15 for adults and $5 for children under 12. On the day of the game, tickets will be available at the Field of Dreams from 4pm. Tickets will not be sold at the gate.
Bermuda to introduce 10-year work permits
(The Royal Gazette): Ten-year work permits will start to be issued by the Department of Immigration this month, according to Business Bermuda chief executive officer Cheryl Packwood. She said Economy Minister Kim Wilson told an Economic Roundtable Meeting on Wednesday that the permits would initially be granted to the international business sector. In an e-mail to Business Bermuda members on Friday, Ms Packwood wrote: “It was made known that ten-year work permits would be implemented in the next four weeks with an initial roll-out to the international business community. Minister Wilson stated clearly that the ten-year work permit would be applicable to only those individuals who are deemed ‘key’ to the operation of the business.”
South Sound cruise berthing
Firstly, let me declare that I am directly affected by the cruise industry in Cayman. I work for a water sports operator so I know first hand how the island is affected by us not having a proper berthing facility. I used to work five days a week until the last year or so when the calls on Grand Cayman dropped significantly, clearly because of a lack of proper dockage.
I now work 3 to 4 days per week depending on the volumes of people arriving to the island. My employer made a decision not to lay off anyone but rather to give us reduced work per week so that we still had some income to meet our obligations.
With that in mind, I've had a lot of time to consider the re-emergence of the proposal to put the port in South Sound. I've listened to the talk shows, read the blogs and had a lot of time to contemplate. I've summarized all of my pros and cons below:
The tourist experience in Cayman is very much congested. As part of a training exercise we were taken to four ports, including Cayman. On arrival, the wait to get on the tenders took at least an hour or two off our time in Grand Cayman and many of the crew opted not to disembark because it wasn't worth the hassle. Having said that, once we did get ashore it was very much congested and chaotic. In comparison, when we disembarked in Roatan it was not congested at all, all of the buses were organized and there was no sense of confusion and I got a MUCH better impression in Roatan than Cayman.
This leads me to my second point. We seem to be pushing for the port to be in town, where we as a populace are used to it being located — not because it is the most logical place, but simply because it is where it has always been. If we were to relocate the cruise port to South Sound, we would remove it from the heavy shipping traffic and industrial town, riddled with banks, lawyers and accounting firms, to a more laid back location, which is in the center of the island with quick links to George Town, SMB, North Sound and East End. We all know the Go East initiative could be revived by this, especially with a new beach club in Bodden Town on the old Englestad estate across from the Bodden Town Police Station.
If the captains are correct and this can be used year round and we don't lose any days due to inclement weather, the island will benefit greatly each year. Surely the added revenue will again help to bridge any shortfalls in our budget. Additionally, we will be able to accommodate the new large vessels like the Oasis and Epic, which currently pass us by.
If the government was to acquire all of the swamp land by Old Crewe Road, this would be the perfect area for it to connect to all of our bypass roads. This would also give government the space it needs to accommodate large numbers of cruise visitors at one time and all of the accompanying taxis and buses. If the locals in South Sound are worried about traffic, it could completely bypass this roadway and be directed to the Linford Pierson and the South Sound Bypass that had been discussed years ago.
I understand from the talk shows that there will be a large quantity of fill extracted from the cruise basin. Could this not be used to complete the Eastern Arterial bypass and any other bypass roads that the islands need? Even if the roads are not built at this time we could "rough" them in and at least pave the way for future generations and needs, but we may never have an opportunity like this again.
With a much nicer cruise experience, we will begin to get cruise passengers who return as stay over guests like we used to receive in the past when the town was not such a busy location. Additionally, if we move the port to South Sound we will take some of the traffic away from our main bread winner — Seven Mile Beach — and improve the experiences for the stayover guests as well.
Public Support: very few projects in Cayman get the public's support that this seems to be receiving. The Cayman sea captains are all on board and many otherwise "environmentalists" are also on board as they see the need the islands have for a proverbial "shot in the arm" for the cruise industry.
I implore Cayman to continue the national debate on this important matter. I've been having a hard time making ends meet but I'm glad to have the ability to have a job. However, it will be nice in the future when our arrivals do pick back up and I can again start saving to realize my dream of one day owning a home.
Proposed cruise berthing layout attached.
Recovery Benefits Everyone
Alcohol and drug addiction carry tremendous costs to the individual, his or her family, employers and the community. As the Cayman Islands ends its observance of Recovery Month, it’s important to remember the benefits of intervention and prevention.
According to a Norwegian police chief, “every new drug abuser lures or persuades about 3-4 of his acquaintances to try the drug. Each of these make 3-4 others join and so on, thus creating an increase like a geometric pattern: 3-9-27-72 and so on.”
As drug abusers form communities of users, so society initiates and supports programmes — such as law enforcement, prison treatment, adolescent prevention/treatment, community outreach , half-way and aftercare services, and inpatient and outpatient programmes – to form communities for those in recovery.
The economic, health, and social benefits of the treatment and recovery of addicts are well documented. The statistics below from the USA provide support for the necessity of treatment of alcohol and drug addiction:
a) Since 1980, the number of deaths related to drug overdoses has risen over 540 per cent.
b) Alcoholism causes 500 million lost workdays each year. In adults 50 years and older, alcohol was the most frequently reported primary substance of abuse for all substance abuse treatment admissions. Of those admissions, 76 per cent were 65 and older.
c) Each year, drug abuse and drug addiction cost employers over $122 billion in lost productivity and another $15 billion in health insurance costs.
d) Monitoring the future, 66.5 per cent of high school seniors reported drinking alcohol and 31.5 per cent reported using marijuana in the last 12 months.
(These statistics come from health-based agencies such as SAMHSA, NIDA and the Caron report.)
In a February 2005 review paper, the authors (Belenko, Patapis and French) noted that “nearly two decades of treatment research, represented by hundreds of studies, finds that substance abuse treatment,…, results in clinically significant reductions in alcohol and drug use, crime and improvement in health and social function for many clients.”
Spending on addiction intervention programmes is an investment in the entire community. Not only is the recovering addict’s quality of life improved but so also are the lives of those with whom the recovering person interacts. Restoring an individual to normalcy has a positive impact on the prevention of crime, disease, and the harmful influence of addiction.
Visit the Join the Voices for Recovery website and read the testimonials of personsin recovery. They report benefits such as the healing of relationships, a renewal of spirituality, the ability to continue education, maintain employment, and abstinence from criminal activity.
As more national and international exposure is given to the treatment of substance abuse and recovery, more of society is convinced that substance abuse is a disease that requires treatment.
However it should be noted that treatment and recovery are successful only if an individual receives support. The person in recovery requires the assistance of family, community, churches, self-help groups, governmental and non-governmental partners, to ensure access to the services necessary to rebuild his or her life and learn to “give back” to society.
In summary, prevention is one of the most powerful tools against any anti-social element, which in itself argues for its support. Treatment enables people to counter addiction's powerful effects on the human brain and behavior. Treatment provides addicts with the life skills that allow them to refocus their talents and efforts, regain control of their lives. Recovery is the continuity of the growth process which allows not only addicts to then benefit but also the society in which they live.
Recovery benefits everyone.
This commentary was written by Cindy Dilbert. a Social Worker, Department of Children and Family Services, in collaboration with the Department of Counseling Services
Crime is our responsibility
The recent gang violence has taught us one thing: that our youth have been severely neglected over the past two decades and, some would argue, over possibly an entire generation. This is one of those rare examples where just about everyone in society has the same opinion on what has occurred and the source of the problem.
While most of us accept that some amount of additional policing, law changes and resources would help in dealing with the short term problem, we all point to a some form of "social cancer" or another as the true root of the problem.
The trouble with all this is that none of us seem to accept any form of direct responsibility; the issue is deflected as one that may be to blame on the schools, lack of education, the government and poor parenting.
The most interesting of these is the last one because ironically we tend to either point to the "other" poor parents out there, rather than looking within, or we fail to assist or mentor a child when we see a situation going from bad to worse in our own circles.
Kids need positive mentoring, role models and guidance from an early age. Parents who let their 11 year olds "hang out" until 10pm at night or, worse, have no idea where they may be should be held accountable in some way. The trouble with that suggestion is that this type interference in a family' s private life does not go down too well with most people. No one likes the so-called nanny state, and everyone wants their rights and freedoms. And that means we are all left to deal with the problems that are created later as these otherwise innocent kids go off track as part of the way they deal with neglect and a host of other issues.
It would be difficult to find anyone that disagrees with this broad assessment of the true source of our problem, but it is equally hard to see any evidence that parents are owning up to their responsibilities. The government provides policy support and funding for some programs. The schools are there to provide an opportunity for our children to learn and develop. And churches partially offer moral guidance and programs. And a host of other community and sports organisations are there to provide support.
But none of these organisations are responsible for these children. Parents are responsible for their children, and no amount of police tactics, additional resources to fight crime, or government assistance can change that.
It is time for each parent or adult guardian to own the responsibility to guide the children in their circle, one day at a time, or face the consequences.