Business
Dart plans to make booze in Eastern Avenue
(CNS Business): Cayman Distributors Ltd part of the Dart Group has filed a planning application for a change of use at its George Town location on Eastern Avenue from storage to distillery. The wholesale and retail liquor company is now looking not only to sell and distribute booze in Cayman but to make it too. The plans are now available at the Planning Department for members of the public to examine and stakeholders in the area have until 28 May to object or offer support to the planning director. The application will also require re-zoning if the latest move by Dart in the local liquor business gets the OK. Read more and comment on CNS Business
Chamber pushes privatization, warns about job cuts
(CNS Business): Following news that the deputy governor is moving forward with the next phase in the rationalization of the public sector, the Chamber of Commerce is pressing hard for privatization as a way of reducing the size of government. However, the Chamber’s president has also expressed concerns that the private sector must make room for local workers who lose their jobs in the shake-up. Johan Moxam told CNS Business that the private sector, which has been pushing for downsizing in government for decades, must play its part in providing work for those civil servants whose departments are sold, reduced, merged or cut to prevent further socio-economic problems in the local workforce. Read more on CNS Business
Chamber urges CIG to address wedding dress deposit
(CNS Business): The recent revelations from customs officials that brides visiting Cayman need to leave a 30% deposit on gowns and other wedding outfits has stirred up considerable controversy and left many people in Cayman deeply concerned about the impact on the destination wedding business. Chamber of Commerce President Johann Moxam is calling on government to meet with the local tourism association and the Chamber as soon as possible to address the issue and make changes to the customs tariff to remove the requirement that appears to be an example of unnecessary bureaucratic harassment for visitors. Read more on CNS Business
Employers urged to report workplace crime
(CNS Business): As the number of workplace crime cases reported to the police unit in recent years has increased, concerns are being raised by politicians, the Chamber of Commerce and some employers that not all businesses are reporting their suspicions about staff. In the last two months CNS has learned of a dozen different cases where private sector employees in positions of trust have been dismissed as a result of suspicions over potential work place theft, mismanagement of finances and even sexual harassment of colleagues but only one or two cases have been reported to the police, leaving them free to move on and repeat their offences. Read more on CNS Business
CIMA turns to past boss to tackle insurance gap
(CNS Business): Following the recent revelation that the head of insurance at the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority (CIMA) had been on sick leave formore than six months the regulator is replacing him with the department’s former boss. Gordon Rowell has been let go as officials said in a release that his employment with the authority has formally ended. Although CIMA has not confirmed the details it is understood he was dismissed. Morag Nicol will return to the post which she held during 2006/07 tomorrow (Thursday 24 April) for three months until a replacement for Rowell can be found. Read more on CNS Business
Locals hold 28% of current Health City jobs
(CNS Business) As the new Shetty hospital in East End gets down to the business of healthcare, officials have said that the facility opened its doors with a workforce that exceeded the local employment target of 25%. Shomari Scott told CNS Business that 28% of the jobs at Health City Cayman Islands (HCCI) have gone to Caymanians and that rate is expected to increase. Slightly at odds with figures revealed in an FOI request response, which was forwarded to CNS Business, Scott said 40 of the 138 employees are Caymanian, which is better than expected. According to the documents from immigration, the hospital has been granted 165 permits, 151 of which were for Indian nationals, but Scott confirmed some were short term posts related to equipment installation and those workers have since lieft. Read more on CNS Business
UK plans new rules to jail tax avoiders
(CNSBusiness): The UK is planning tough new measure to crack down on tax evasion by removing the need for authorities to show intent to avoid tax before they can be prosecuted. Offshore account holders who avoid paying tax would face bigger fines and could be jailed more easily if new criminal standards, where officials will only have to show money was taxable and undeclared, are adopted. Chancellor George Osborne said Friday that he will change the law to make it easier for the tax man to mount criminal prosecutions. He said the changes would mean there was "no safe haven" for those evading tax. Osborne said government will consult on a new criminal standard, harsher fines and increased jail time. Read more on CNS Business
Appeal court clears chopper for take-off
(CNS Business): The Court of Appeal has ruled in favour of a Civil Aviation Authority decision to grant Cayman Helicopters a licence to use a George Town helipad, resolving a two and a half year dispute. The higher court found the authority did not act unreasonably when it granted the licence and there was nothing before the CAA to suggest the helicopter operator had not complied with requirements. In November 2011 the CAA licensed the operator's new pad as an alternative to the airport to attract and facilitate more excursions for cruise passengers. Soon after the decision however, Axis International, the owner of a nearby building, filed for a judicial review and in June 2013 the chief justice stayed the licence as a result of safety issues.. Read more on CNS Business
Tower shines light on local media market
(CNS Business):A local publisher claims there has been a lot of mis-information in Cayman about print-run and readership numbers of locally distributed publications in the past. Having commissioned a media audit of its own products, Acorn Publishing is encouraging other publishers in the Cayman Islands to do the same. “Cayman is playing catch-up to other developed economies that have been providing independently audited media services for years,” said Acorn’s Director Charles Grover. Lynne Byles (left), Director of Tower, which conducted the audit, said it would ensure the published print-run numbers match the actual printed copies, providing confidence and assurance to business owners that their advertising dollars are being spent as a publisher advocates.
Digicel calls for ICTA probe into LIME charges
(CNS Business): Rivalry between the region’s two major communications firms reached new heights on Friday when Digicel announced it had made a complaint to the Information and Communications Technology Authority (ICTA) about its competitor, LIME, and its calling charges. The telecoms firm said it had asked the authority to launch an investigation as the firm claimed its rival was unfairly charging some customers. Digicel claimed that it had “detected unusual calling patterns to LIME numbers” across twelve of its Caribbean markets and following an investigation found consumers may be improperly charged for calls to certain LIME numbers. LIME has denied the allegations. Read more on CNS Business