Guest Writer
Guest Writer's Latest Posts
Local kitesurfing competition to launch next year
(TRIO): Following on from the recent tremendous successes of Cayman-based kite surfing professional, Jhon Mora, head instructor at Kitesurf Cayman, the Cayman Islands intends to put itself firmly on the international kitesurfing map with the launch of Cayman’s own four day kitesurfing championship: The Rock International Open, to be held from 12 – 16 February, 2014. Local kite surfing hero Mora recently competed in the 2013 Kiteboard Racing North American Championship, which took place at the St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco, gaining 14th place out of 78th. (Photo by Tara Stanhope)
He then travelled to the Southern Caribbean island of Bonaire just a few days later, competing in the South and Middle American Course Racing Championships, an event sanctioned by the International Kiteboarding Association (IKA) and the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) and hosted by the Bonaire Kitesurf Foundation. Mora had healthy finishes in all races over the four days and was delighted with his positioning.
“Grand Cayman has now started to be recognised on the IKA circuit. It feels very cool,” he confirmed.
As a result of the buzz this new extreme sport has created among local sports enthusiasts, Cayman’s first ever kitesurfing competition will launch next year. Some of the world’s top kitesurfers are gearing themselves up for Cayman’s first kitesurfing championship, known as The Rock International Open 2014, while the excitement locally is mounting.
T.R.I.O. 2014 organiser and avid kitesurfer Derek Serpell said:
“As the sport grows in popularity here in Cayman in parallel with the growing appetite for kitesurfing internationally, we thought the Cayman Islands should host its very own championship. We have already seen considerable excitement generated by this event locally and it’s gaining traction abroad as well. This is great news for the sport here in Cayman and the Island as a whole, as we seek to expand and promote sports tourism in the Cayman Islands.”
If you would like to participate in or sponsor this event please visit: www.trio.ky for more information.
Rugby Sevens begin preparations
(CRC): From 28 June to 1 July, the Cayman Islands National Rugby Sevens team will begin their preparations in earnest at the South Sound Ground for the North American and Caribbean Rugby Championships, which will be held in Grand Cayman at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex from 9-10 November 2013. The November championship offers a qualification process for the CACSO Commonwealth and World Sevens Series tournaments in 2014 and is, therefore, high on the list of "must wins" for Director of Rugby, Richard Adams.
"A win at the championships in November is a must, to set us up for major tournament play in 2014, which we desperately need to continue the improvement we have made in recent years," said Adams. "I am delighted that nine new graduates from the Maples Rugby Sevens Academy will join former graduates in the National side this year, for a total of 26 here on island, with a further 12 overseas taking us to a squad of 38. From this squad we have to get down to 12, so competition is going to be very high indeed this year."
The camp this weekend is sponsored in part by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), the Cayman Islands Olympic Committee (CIOC), Maples and Calder, and Queensgate Bank and Trust.
Morgan Williams, a former professional player, National Sevens coach and captain of the Canada team, has been working with the Cayman team for the past two seasons and will lead the camp. He brings a professional approach and world class coaching skills to the camp. Williams is joined by Wales' Assistant Fitness and Conditioning coach, Dan Baugh, who will be working closely with the CRFU’s new Strength & Conditioning coach, David Clancy, who hails from Ireland and has extensive knowledge of Rugby Sevens in Samoa and rugby in Ireland.
Clancy, in Cayman on a CGF grant, and Baugh will be setting up a five month periodisation schedule for the players to ensure that they are in peak condition for the November championships. The CIOC accepted a request from the CRFU this month for Rugby Sevens to receive the Olympic Solidarity Team Support Grant for the quadrennial leading up to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and this weekend will be the first step in that direction.
Adams added, "This is a very important and exciting time in Rugby Sevens for the Cayman Islands. We are rolling out a professional high performance environment for the players and management. We have a Chief Medical Officer, Dr Sean Teeling, a Head Physiotherapist, Al Bartice, a Head S&C coach Dave Clancy and two of the world's leading consultants in their field on board. I am so grateful to Maples and Calder, CIOC, CGF and Queensgate for their continued support.
"To get to the next level requires a significant investment and I am now looking for new Sevens partners to get on board with this program. The World Sevens Series, Commonwealth Games, Youth Commonwealth Games, Youth Olympic Games, CACSO Games & Pan Am Games are within reach at the moment. I am confident that with the management team that we have assembled and our player group, we are on the right track to take Rugby Sevens to a new level in the Cayman Islands and the region. One never knows, with Canada and the USA making such big strides towards Olympic pre-qualification, there just may be room for us to squeeze through the door in 2016."
Olympic Day celebrated in Cayman Islands
(CIOC): The Cayman Islands Olympic Committee (CIOC) celebrated their 40 Year Anniversary this past Sunday, 23 June, in conjunction with Olympic Day. The CIOC was established in 1973 and was recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1976. From the beginning as a small developing association, undertaking but a few tasks, it has now developed to a body representative of 29 member-sports (21 of which are Olympic), with significant undertakings both at home and abroad. The CIOC selects, organises and sends national teams to represent the Cayman Islands to all multi-sport Games; assists the member associations, athletes and coaches in sport development through international funding and fundraising efforts; and promotes Olympism across the Cayman Islands.
Olympic Day was introduced in 1948 to commemorate the birth of the modern Olympic Games on 23 June 1894 at the Sorbonne in Paris. The goal was to promote participation in sport across the globe regardless of age, gender or athletic ability. On 23 June, Olympic Day is celebrated all around the world: hundreds of thousands of people – young and old – get moving and participate in sporting activities. Over the last two decades, the event has helped to spread the Olympic ideals to every corner of the world.
This year, Olympic Day in the Cayman Islands was celebrated with a full day of events held at Public Beach. Eleven National Sporting Organisations came out to host amazing showcases and we thank their hardworking volunteers and athletes for making the day as successful as it was.
The day began with a 7-loop ride, organized by the Cayman Islands Cycling Association (CICA) at 9am; the cyclists began near the new Public Beach parking lot, headed on West Bay Road, looped through Lime Tree Bay Ave. and completed the loop back around on the bypass.
The Cayman Islands Football Association (CIFA) came out with over 50 kids who participate in the Maples Grassroot Programme to practice on the new addition of the Public Beach.
The Cayman Islands Golf Association (CIGA) and the Cayman Islands Rugby Football Union (CRFU) both held open participation which allowed the public to learn more about their sport.
The Cayman Islands Amateur Boxing Association (CIABA) held an impressive demonstration by the National Team, followed by drills where the public was able to take part.
The Cayman Islands Amateur Swimming Association (CIASA) organised a short loop in which members of the Executive, the Technical Director for Swimming and young swimmers took part.
The Cayman Islands Sailing Club had an entertaining out-and-back loop in which past Olympians competed against young Olympic hopefuls.
The Cayman Islands Beach Volleyball National Teams played entertaining matches with a mix of men and women and The Cayman Islands Gymnastics Association (CIGA) finished off the day with a display of exercises from children of all ages, including their parkour training group.
170 participants came out to complete the 3.1 mile loop course, representing 18 countries. There were many who were decked out in colourful attire, carrying their country flags and celebrating in the spirit of Olympism.
Dominic Corbin held a big lead as he finished first with an impressive 17:01 for the victory. Evans Simiyu took 2nd place in 18:59 minutes and Samuel young claiming the final men's podium spot in 19:07.
Laura Knox finished 13th overall and was the fastest lady of the day, crossing the line in 21:51, while Kerryann Simpson clocked a time of 26:05 minutes for 2nd and Jenni Bradwell was the 3rd female with a 26:32 posting.
All finishers received goodie bags upon completion of the loop, including event shirts and certificates of participation. Each participant was given complimentary refreshments, fruits, ice cream and an opportunity for random prizes.
The organizers wish to thank the many volunteers, participants and local donors of the many random offerings.
Individual results of the 5K Run/Walk may be viewed here:
In addition to the National Sporting Organisation who made this day possible, the CIOC wishes to thank the Department of Sports, DMS Broadcasting, and Calico Jack's for all of their assistance. A special thanks to The Red Cross for having a big presence on the day; Derek Larner, who went above and beyond to make the 5K possible; Andy Bonner of CaymanActive for the online registration and continuous management of the CIOC Website; and Craig Merren who continued to assist the CIOC throughout the day.
Another thank you to all of the gracious local businesses who made donations for the 5K raffle prizes and gift bag coupons: The Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort, The Westin Hotel Grand Cayman, The Brasserie, Priced Right, Casanova's, Dolce Vita, Red Sail Sports, Duke's Seafood & Ribs Shack, Agua, Grand Old House, Al La Kebab, Pirate's Den (PD's), Papa John's, GuyHarvey Gallery and Shoppe Store, Calypso Grill, Smoothie King and the Tortuga Rum Company.
See photos on the CIOC website and Facebook page.
Tax havens here to stay
(The Guardian): The British media is now in moving-on mode on the issue of tax havens. It would do well to pause, be less excitable about the pantomime of brand shaming and actually examine the depth to which tax havenry is hardwired into our economic model and columns of state. Among the millions of column inches generated in the past two years on this issue, three words you will not find in sequential order are "City of London".
Extraordinary, when one considers the critical advantage our tax haven network offers the preponderance of offshore lawyers and accountants that cluster the Square Mile, siphoning off the rewards of capital flight. And that network that is growing, not receding.
Kilpatrick interviewed for job
(CNS): The apparent departure from the long tradition of selecting governors for the overseas territories from the diplomatic core, as is the case with Cayman’s new governor, may be a sign of what is to come. Although Helen Kilpatrick, following an interview for the post here, is coming to this jurisdiction from the Home Office rather than the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, officials said the new governor for Anguilla has been posted to that territory from the UK Cabinet Office. The top jobs in the overseas territories are open to all senior public servants and future governors will be much more likely to come from diverse backgrounds as attitudes in the UK towards the territories’ needs change.
The postings are no longer just handed to those approaching retirement as a reward for their years of service to the FCO but have become a genuine career choice for senior UK bureaucrats.
Kilpatrick applied and interviewed for her new job, which she will take up in September following the current governor’s departure to Mexico this summer. Although she is the first governor to be posted to Cayman without diplomatic experience, her qualifications as a financial expert and working in local government are probably going to be far more valuable in her new job than an understanding of diverse cultures, language skills or even diplomatic tact.
Officials from the governor’s office denied that Kilpatrick was selected purely on the grounds of her accountancy qualifications and finance experience or as a result of Cayman’s financial management problems, but said her skills contributed to her winning the job.
“It is not unusual for governors to be drawn from departments other than the Foreign and Commonwealth Office,” officials told CNS, adding that aside from the new governor in Anguilla, the current governor ofn Montserrat came from the Department for international Development (DFID).
“The Governor-designate, Helen Kilpatrick, was selected because of her all-round capabilities. She was considered to be the strongest of the candidates that applied for the position,” a spokesperson stated, adding that her experience and background in finance and accounts was not the main reason she was selected but it was taken into account.
“She was selected as she was considered to be the strongest of the candidates that applied for the position,” the official added.
Related article on CNS:
Dolphins are not healers
(aeon): Dolphins are smart, sociable predators. They don't belong in captivity and they shouldn't be used to 'cure' the ill. Imagine this. Jay, an eight-year-old autistic boy, whose behaviour has always been agitated and uncooperative, is smiling and splashing in the pool. A pair of bottlenose dolphins float next to him, supporting him in the water. Jay’s parents stand poolside as a staff member in the water engages him in visual games with colourful shapes.
She asks him some questions, and Jay, captivated by his surroundings, begins to respond. He names the shapes, correctly, speaking his first words in months. With all this attention Jay is in high spirits; he appears more aware and alert than ever before. A quick, non-invasive EEG scan of his brain activity shows that it is indeed different from before the session.
Jay's parents, who had given up hope, are elated to have finally found a treatment that works for their son. They sign up for more sessions and cannot wait to get home and tell their friends about the experience. They are not surprised to find that dolphins have succeeded where mainstream physicians have not. Everyone believes that dolphins are special — altruistic, extra gentle with children, good-natured. And any concerns the parents might have had about the welfare of the dolphins have been allayed by assurances from the trainers that they are happy and accustomed to the role they are playing. After all, as the parents can see for themselves, the dolphins are smiling.
‘Jay’ is a composite character drawn from the dozens of testimonials that appear on dolphin-assisted therapy (DAT) websites, but stories like his, stories about the extraordinary powers of dolphins, have been told since ancient times. Much of our attraction to these creatures derives from their appealing combination of intelligence and communicativeness, and the mystery associated with the fact that they inhabit a hidden underwater environment. Dolphins are the Other we’ve always wanted to commune with. And their ‘smile’, which is not a smile at all, but an anatomical illusion arising from the physical configuration of their jaws, has led to the illusion that dolphins are always jovial and contented, compounding mythological beliefs that they hold the key to the secret of happiness.
Operation Tempura
I was an investigation officer involved in the Tempura fiasco, having been a Central London Police officer for 30 years. I also lived and worked for two years in Kosovo as part of the UN International Peacekeeping Police Force, so consequently have some experience of policing and legal processes, albeit at the coal-face end. However, in a career of 40 years of policing, this is the only occasion I have ever publicly vented my frustrations through a national newspaper.
Regarding the recent CNS article, No decisions re Tempura, about the knowledge that former governor Stuart Jack, the FCO’s overseas territories security advisor, Larry Covington, and Attorney General Bulgin are alleged to have had on the entry to Cayman Net News, I make the following observations.
In the case of the Cayman investigation, for me, it involved the retrieval and examination of records of thousands of emails, texts and phone calls and also the examination of numerous hard drives. This historical work is massively time consuming but nonetheless has on many occasions proved fruitful in securing convictions. To find out now that all of this work may have been pointless is just staggering and such a waste of resources and public funds. This new information would also mean that I was also involved in the unnecessary arrest of a high court judge, a former politician and the suspension of senior police officers, which could have all been avoided. Isn’t there enough serious crime to be investigated without being sent on a fool’s errand?
Your recent article refers to a complicated issue. With respect, it is not. Let’s have the truth and keep it simple. Why all the court battles in an effort to suppress information coming out? Why hide the truth? The issue has only been made complicated for the general public because of the lack of information. Why is the governor using the lawyers to make decisions on what should and should not be investigated? Where could that particular dangerous road lead to?
Bermuda press makes hay quoting error-riddled Bloomberg article
Cayman’s mid-Atlantic competitor has been making hay from a Bloomberg article about the as-yet-unknown fate of 2,000 Cayman residents working under term limit exemption permits (known as T-LEP's). Unfortunately, both Bloomberg and the Gazette seem to have grasped the wrong end of the stick on several points. Let’s look at them before the nonsense traverses the echo chamber again.
Here’s a point by point (Gazette quotes in bold italics):
“Cayman’s new Premier Alden McLaughlin has made it 'quite clear' to his immigration department that he wants to find a way to keep the expatriates while reducing a growing unemployment situation for Caymanians, according to Eric Bush, the nation’s chief immigration officer, who Bloomberg interviewed for the story.”
This would have been the most accurate statement in the entire article, had it not wrongly identified Eric Bush at the “chief immigration officer”. Mr Bush is the Chief Officer of the Ministry of Home Affairs (previously the Portfolio of Internal and External Affairs). Linda Evans is the Chief Immigration Officer.
“Mr McLaughlin’s ruling party has also said they will now require foreigners to work on the island for 10 years before they can apply for citizenship.”
They have? When?
“Currently there is a seven-year requirement.”
No there isn’t.
“Bloomberg also reported that the government plans to scrap a provision that enables companies to pick 'key' workers who could indefinitely extend their stay for two-year increments.”
This makes it sound like an adverse development for foreign workers. Yes, they will likely scrap the “key employee” provision allowing workers so designated to remain a further two years, but that wouldn’t mean everyone gets sent home early, it would mean EVERYONE would get to stay an extra two years.
And key workers could not “indefinitely extend their stay in two year increments” or any other increment; they could indefinitely extend their stay by applying for permanent residence.
“… a two-year permit for a foreign auditor can cost $16,500 …”
Wrong, it’s worse than that. A ONE year permit costs US$16,646.
“… while large firms may pay more than $21,000 for a visa for financial controllers.”
Also worse than that, small firms pay this too!
“In Cayman with unemployment among local citizens exceeding ten percent, the offshore financial centre is reining in the number of staff that funds, accounting firms, construction companies and hotels hire from abroad.”
No they aren’t. There has been no official announcement to that effect and no implication to that effect in the statements of officials quoted in the article.
" 'Limits on expatriates, who make up half the island’s 39,000 workforce, will ensure more jobs for Caymanians,’ reported Bloomberg, quoting Mr Bush.”
Actually, if you read the original Bloomberg piece, this was not a direct quote from Mr Bush. It was clearly a paraphrasing, indicated by the last of quotation marks. Are there limits on the hiring of expats? Yes, naturally, in instances where suitably qualified Caymanians apply. But the article, with some creative attribution on the part of the Gazette, makes it sound like some hard limit has been put on the number of expats.
“While the Cayman Islands tightens conditions for expatriates, Bermuda has loosened them, ending a limit on how long foreigners can work there as it seeks to lure funds and reinsurance companies.”
This is absolute bunk. There is no evidence cited (and none that I’m aware of, and I watch these things closely!) of tightening in Cayman Islands immigration. In fact, the T-LEP amounted to clemency for those threatened with rollover, so the policy has for all intents and purposes been shelved. The only loosening in Bermuda has been the abolition of the same rollover policy (some 18 months after Cayman). The only reason the new Bermuda government was able to act swiftly is that Bermuda’s policy is just that – a policy, whereas in Cayman the policy is enshrined in law.
And in any case, Cayman’s starting point was considerably more generous to expatriates, allowing them to apply for permanent residence after nine years, citizenship after ten and full Caymanian status after fifteen. Counterparts in Bermuda enjoyed no such progressive residency rights.
Most egregious of all, both the Royal Gazette and Bloomberg failed to point out that nobody in the financial industry expects for one minute that the government will fail to act to remedy the situation before the first cohort would be affected in October.
Bloomberg +Gazette = Fail.
Report: Cayman Islands could eject 2,000 work permit holders (Royal Gazette, 18 June 2013)
Paradise Lost Facing Expats in Cayman Work Visa Crackdown (Bloomberg 13 June 2013)
This commentary was first published on the CML Blog.
In support of Sweet Pea
The private sector pays enormous sums of money to cover their healthcare. I pay 50% of my healthcare, my portion of which amounts to approximately $260 (this is my rate as a fairly healthy non-smoker) and my employer pays the other 50%. Therefore, on an annual basis, the healthcare provider receives over $6,000 from me. This does not include my husband or dependants.
In the past 12 months, I have been to the dentist twice for a regular checkup and cleaning and I have been to my GP once. This has been my routine for the past 15 years with the exception of perhaps the odd additional appointment to a chiropractor or physiotherapist.
All the while I have been paying enormous sums of money that I’ve certainly not spent. However, I am grateful to know that should anything go horribly wrong I will be covered and I’ve paid healthily towards that coverage. Given the above, I’ve already paid almost $100,000 to the healthcare provider, of which I’ve spent probably under $6,000.
In the meantime, I exercise 3-5 times a week, I eat a fairly healthy diet and am fortunate enough to be able to say that I almost never get a cold. Some may say I’m lucky. I would disagree and say that my ‘luck’ is a direct result of the choices I make – I am not one of those people who enjoy exercise; I can ALWAYS find something better to do. I also thoroughly enjoy the odd fast food meal but am very aware that fast food along with my favourite local beef or oxtail (with rice and peas, macaroni cheese and plantain of course) needs to be limited to once or twice a month if I do not want to clog up my arteries and cause myself weight issues ultimately leading to health issues.
There are those people with health issues who may never have been overweight and I am not addressing my comments to those people. However, there are NO overweight people without health issues, although some may simply not be aware of them yet. You cannot abuse the body God blessed you with and expect there to be no consequences. Eating too much, drinking too much and smoking are all equal abuses, and just because you don’t smoke or drink does not mean you’re not abusing your body when you eat fried chicken with fries every day.
So I agree wholeheartedly with Sweet Pea’s Viewpoint. I take no pleasure in the fact that it is so absolutely and tragically true; I only wish it hadn’t hit the nail on the head so succinctly but sadly, it did. I don’t think we the people should indirectly be funding healthcare for those persons who clearly don’t do anything to be healthy and there are too many of them.
Those civil servants in a medically acceptable weight range for their age and height, etc, should be offered coverage (perhaps co-pay as the private sector do) whereas those who make poor choices and continue to do so for themselves and their families should be made to contribute more fully and certainly encouraged to make better choices. I would love to see a healthy civil service and agree that trimming the fat in this way has far more positive long term benefits than removing people from their posts.
It seems the government health care is set up because there are those who are uninsurable by any normal health plan, and so instead of saying ‘ok, we’ll cover you when no-one else will’, why not get to the root of the problem and offer to cover these people on the proviso that they make some healthier choices and perhaps set them some goals. Would that not be a better long term solution than simply pouring money into a hole in the ground encouraging further obesity, further health issues, further heart issues and joint issues down the line?
It’s as if we’re burying our heads in the sand simply because we don’t wish to cause offense. Well I find it VERY offensive that we’re all indirectly paying for other people’s poor life choices when I try to make decent ones for myself. The decent life choices aren’t always the most fun but it’s as good as stealing from the next generation when you’re prepared to simply keep taking government money to pay for healthcare that might not be needed if a little more discipline was the order of the day.
Let’s all try and become part of the solution rather than constantly being part of the problem and then wondering why we’ve got no money left to educate our children.
Stormchaser Regatta as exciting as ever
(CISC): Four classes of dinghy competed in this year's Stormchaser regatta, which marks the beginning of the hurricane season. Breezy conditions and a high standard of racing resulted in a thrilling two days of action. In the youth Optimist class Derek Peene (left), sailing in his first regatta handled the conditions very well and showed he is one to watch for the future. Monique Hernandez gave reigning youth champ Allena Rankine a run for her money but Rankine proved too strong and ran out the winner taking the Stormchaser trophy for the first time. In the senior division Bytes, Radials and Laser Standards fought it out with more than one "coming together". Shane McDermott was the top Byte sailor taking third place overall.
Coach Raph was full of praise. "He sailed a very steady regatta showing a steady calm and maturity when others were taking too many risks. He just gets better and better."
In the Lasers Chris Delaney and Kelvin Browne were neck and neck sharing the lead throughout the seven races. As Race Officer Peta Adams explained "It was so close that they actually tied one of the races on time. With Chris sailing Radial and Kelvin a full rig they couldn't be sure who was in the lead until the results were calculated at the end." It was Delaney who eventually took the title, also a first time winner in the Stormchaser event.
Club Manager Rick Caley lamented that the Cat Boats didn't come out this year. "We always look forward to having these wonderful boats out on the water with us and although Jerris Miller can hang on to the trophy for another twelve months, we hope they will be out again next year".