iNews Briefs, More & Community Events
Cayman Islands Community Events
The Grand Court jury report date has been changed
Grand Court Jurors who are in the 1 April – 30 June 2015 session are now to report on Wednesday, 17 June 2015 at 9:45 a.m.
Please call the Jury Information line at 945-5072 for the most up to date information.
TUE JUNE 16
Cayman Islands Seafarers Association social
Cayman Islands Seafarers Association will be having their social on June 16 2015 at 7:00PM the Seafarer’s Hall. 11 Victory Ave. Prospect, entertainment will be provided
Pirate’s Week Food Stall Application
The Pirates Week Food Court is inviting those interested in participating to apply for a food stall starting Tuesday (16 June) at 9:00 am. For more details please contact the Pirates Week Office at 949-5078 or [email protected].
Moonlight and Movies Summer Series
The Moonlight and Movies Summer Series is Tuesday (16 Jun) at 7pm in Gardenia Court. The feature film will be The Croods.
WED JUNE 17
Grand Court Jurors
Grand Court Jurors who are in the 1 April – 30 June 2015 session are now to report on Wednesday, 17 June 2015 at 9:45 a.m.
Please call the Jury Information line at 945-5072 for the most up to date information.
Department of Children and Family Services Closure
The Department of Children and Family Services — Grand Cayman offices will close on Wednesday (17 Jun) from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM.
Floetry
Floetry is Wednesday (17 Jun) at 7pm at Books & Books.
National Gallery’s Lunchtime Lecture
The National Gallery’s Lunchtime Lecture with the Director is Wednesday (17 Jun) from 12:30 — 130pm.
THU JUNE 18
Cayman International Film Festival
Cayman International Film Festival kicks off with an opening night film premiere and gala party on Thursday (18 Jun) at 630pm at Regal Cinemas and Gardenia Court
Acting head of Cayman Islands fire service suspended
From RJR News
John Bodden, acting Chief Fire Officer of the Cayman Islands, has been suspended, with pay, pending the outcome of a police investigation against him.
Cayman Islands Police have confirmed that Mr. Bodden remains on bail on suspicion of dangerous driving and leaving the scene of an accident in January, but he has not been charged with a crime, so far.
Mr. Bodden was arrested last Thursday and his vehicle seized as part of the police investigation.
For more: http://rjrnewsonline.com/regional/acting-head-of-cayman-fire-service-suspended
See also iNews Cayman story “Cayman Islands: Bodden Town man arrested” at: http://www.ieyenews.com/wordpress/cayman-islands-bodden-town-man-arrestedwater-related-death/
Locals visit Cuba on MAC-sponsored trip
From Daily Journal online
The Caribbean island of Cuba has been buzzing with an influx of American travelers taking advantage of the loosened travel ban that had been in place since the Cold War.
Sarah Stahl, a foreign language instructor at Mineral Area College, recently joined with five other local travelers on a nine-day tour of Cuba.
The “Havana Highlights” of the May 22-30 itinerary included exploring Little Havana in Miami, then flying to Old Havana. Other sites visited included parks, agricultural areas, an elementary school, arts and literature organizations, a bio reserve, a tobacco plantation, a dance school and a circus school.
Stahl, who teaches Spanish at MAC, said the trip was enhanced because they were able to join two other community-college sponsored groups from North Carolina’s Pitt Community College and Rockingham Community College.
She added that their tour director indicated they were being given much more freedom than her previous groups because of the changing relationship between the U.S. and Cuba
“We had to go on all of our scheduled cultural activities, however, we were allowed to shop, walk around the city and go to the beach,” she said. “We were also allowed to buy souvenirs, tobacco and rum.
“We could spend $400 altogether, $100 of which could go toward rum and tobacco. Plus, we could use the Internet and send postcards.”
Stahl said the group was wowed by the number of antique cars on the streets.
“It was like a car show every day,” Stahl said. “Castro’s regime blocked American imports in 1959, and these beautiful (American classic) cars are lovingly maintained, with recycled and hand-manufactured parts, from generation to generation, often within one family.”
As on any trip, the food was part of the adventure.
“The food was excellent,” Stahl said. “Typical food is ropa vieja or ‘old clothes,’ which is like pulled beef, rice and black beans, acorn-fed pork, ajiaco, which is a stew made out of root vegetables and corn, chicken, fried plantains and yucca.”
Stahl said Cuban food is very different from Mexican food. “Mexican food is spicy and they eat corn or flour tortillas for starch,” she said. “Cuban food is a fusion of Spanish, African, Taino — the indigenous people of Cuba — and Caribbean cuisine. Cubans eat rice and beans with almost every meal. They flavor their food with garlic, onions, salt and bay leaves.”
Stahl said she was impressed by Cuban music and dance.
“I learned that Cubans are excellent artists and musicians,” she said. “We saw salsa and Afro-Cuban dancing at Compas Dance and we listened to music by the Buena Vista Social Club, which is a famous Cuban musical group.”
The group visited a variety of churches as well. “According to our group leader and other guides, Cubans are allowed to practice any religion they want. They can be Catholic, Protestant, or practice Santeria, which is a mix of Roman Catholicism and an African religion,” Stahl said. “However, the majority of the people are Roman Catholic … approximately 60 percent.”
As for the Cuban people in general, Stahl said her group was well-received and she felt very welcome in the country.
“We got to interact with a variety of people, both as a group and individually,” she said. “Even though by American standards it’s not a wealthy country, the people are well-educated, well-spoken and expressive. They’re healthy. There’s a sense of community and family among them.
“We weren’t encouraged to get into deep political discussions or anything, but we were able to connect on a friendly level with many citizens. It’s what makes travel so worthwhile.”
Believing the trip was so worthwhile, Stahl said she is thinking of organizing more in the future, possibly one to Montreal and Quebec, and another to Austria. For more information contact Stahl at 573-518-2128 or [email protected].
IMAGE: Cuba’s Basilica and Convent of Saint Francis of Assisi, at Plaza San Francisco de Asis. Provided by Mineral Area College
Cayman Islands East-West arterial extension not as solid as it was
The proposed Public-Private Partnership comprising the Cayman Islands Government (CIG) and Ironwood to construct the east-west arterial extension is going through its third round of legal scrutiny.
Planning Minister Kurt Tibbetts told the Financial Committee in the Legislative Assembly there was no guarantee the Ironwood Resort and Golf Course would become a reality and without certain guarantees and every ‘i’ dotted an ‘t’ crossed the road could not be built. It was only in a partnership with a developer could the road become a possibility and government would be happy to partner with anyone as long as they took the liability.
Jack Warner: Fifa’s pirate of the Caribbean
From Channel 4 News
Jack Warner is a member of parliament and a former world soccer vice president – here is what else we know about Fifa’s pirate of the Caribbean.
Warner, 72, was indicted by the US Justice Department in May and is now the subject of an Interpol international wanted person alert.
He has pledged to release an “avalanche” of evidence relating to Fifa’s financial transactions, including those of President Sepp Blatter, with him and the United National Congress, one of the parties in the current ruling coalition in Trinidad and Tobago.
Mr Warner suggested his life was in danger in a public message after paying for a political broadcast slot on TV in his native Trinidad.
However, when he was later confronted by Channel 4 News about the revelations, he refused to answer any questions about corruption.
On Thursday, Warner was ordered to report to police twice a week and surrender his passport after officials deemed him a flight risk.
Who is Jack Warner?
Warner is a Trinidad and Tobago politician, businessman, and former football executive. Warner held the offices of vice president of Fifa and president of Concacaf until his suspension and eventual resignation from these roles in 2011.
Why did Warner resign in 2011?
On 29 May 2011 Warner was charged and provisionally suspended by Fifa’s Ethics Committee from all involvement in soccer, pending the outcome of the investigation of corruption allegations against him.
He and fellow Fifa member Mohamed Bin Hammam were alleged to have paid bribes of £600,000 to Caribbean associations.
Was he ever prosecuted?
No, on 20 June 2011, Fifa announced Warner’s resignation from all his positions in international football. As Warner was no longer part of Fifa, they ended the investigation into any and all ethics violations.
What is his involvement in politics?
In 2007 Warner was elected member of parliament for Chaguanas West. Warner was re-elected again with the highest national vote total in 2010.
For more and video: http://www.channel4.com/news/jack-warner-fifa-corruption-scandal-pirate-of-the-caribbean
Cayman Islands Director of Pensions resigns
Mario Ebanks Cayman Islands Director of the Department of Labour and Pensions, and Acting Superintendent of Pensions has resigned. He will be leaving his position on 30th June.
No details have been provided who will be taking over the two positions he held.
Ebanks served for three years.
Guernsey Business Trends Survey results published
SOURCE: http://www.blglobal.co.uk/BusinessNews.aspx?id=guernsey-business-trends-survey-results
The annual Guernsey Business Trends Survey is now complete and results have been released by the Guernsey Chamber of Commerce. The survey is organised by Young Business Group (YBG) in conjunction with the Chamber and BWCI, and presents the views of Guernsey’s business community on performance and confidence levels within their respective sector and more generally in the island.
Respondents represent a wide spectrum of sectors that make up Guernsey’s business community including hospitality and tourism, construction, retail, finance and transport.
On the whole the results were positive with 55 per cent of businesses (as compared to 48 per cent last year) reporting their profitability in 2014 to be either substantially or slightly up on 2013, and over 60 per cent of businesses reporting their turnover in 2014 to be either substantially or slightly up on 2013. These figures are the best for a number of years.
When questioned on the levels of confidence in the island’s economy over the next 12 months, however, 14 per cent (as compared to 15 per cent last year) reported feeling much more or more confident than this time last year and 42 per cent feeling less confident (compared to 28 per cent last year).
Results indicated that the three issues that the business sector sees as the highest priorities for the island to address are:
(i) reviewing the current system of government to improve efficiency/effectiveness;
(ii) improving travel links with the UK;
(iii) addressing the level of skills in the island particularly amongst younger members of the community.
Respondents were also asked how they think the States of Guernsey should deal with the budget deficit from a variety of options; the most popular being further controls on States departmental spending, which was selected by 84 per cent of respondents
The full survey results can be found on the PDF below:
http://cdn.mattchedit.com/cms/LIVE/businesslife.co/resources/Guernsey%20Business%20Trends.PDF
Cayman Airways ceases Panama route
Cayman Islands Tourism Minister announced this week Cayman Airways will not be continuing with the Panama route although it had made a small profit of $60,000.
Instead the airline will concentrate its core markets as well as attempting to open up access, through Dallas, to other destinations on the west coast of the USA.
Cayman Airways plans to commence direct flights between Miami, Cayman Brac and Holguin in eastern Cuba, in the next financial year.
World Bank: Caribbean faces tough transition
From TT Guardian
IMAGE: World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim.
WASHINGTON, United States—The World Bank says the Caribbean and other developing countries face a series of tough challenges in 2015, including the looming prospect of higher borrowing costs, as they adapt to a new era of low prices for oil and other key commodities.
On Wednesday, the Washington-based financial institution in the latest Global Economic Prospects (GEP) report said this results in a “fourth consecutive year of disappointing economic growth.”
The report said growth in Latin America and the Caribbean “will ease to 0.4 per cent in 2015, as South America struggles with domestic economic challenges, including widespread droughts, weak investor confidence and low commodity prices.”
It adds that developing countries on a whole are now projected to grow by 4.4 per cent this year, with a likely rise to 5.2 per cent in 2016, and 5.4 per cent in 2017.
“Developing countries were an engine of global growth following the financial crisis, but now they face a more difficult economic environment,” said World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim.
“We’ll do all we can to help low- and middle-income countries become more resilient so that they can manage this transition as securely as possible,” he added. “We believe that countries that invest in people’s education and health, improve the business environment, and create jobs through upgrades in infrastructure will emerge much stronger in the years ahead.
With an expected liftoff in US interest rates, the report says borrowing will become more expensive for emerging and developing economies over the coming months.
It says this process is expected to unfold relatively smoothly since the US economic recovery is continuing and interest rates remain low in other major global economies. (CMC)
For more: http://www.guardian.co.tt/business/2015-06-12/world-bank-caribbean-faces-tough-transition
Round Two of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers updates
From Caribbean Football Union
Caribbean Football Union (CFU) aspirants St Kitts and Nevis fought desperately to share the points with UNCAF team El Salvador, as action continued yesterday, Thursday, June 11, in Round Two of the ‘Road to Russia’ 2018 World Cup Qualifiers which started on June 7.
In other results Belize defeated Dominican Republic 2-1 and Dominica lost to Canada 2-0.
Orlando Mitchum and Romaine Sawyers scored in the 68th and 71st minute respectively for St Kitts and Nevis while Irvin Herrera netted for El Salvador in the 41st minute followed by a goal from Nelson Bonilla in the 87th.
Games will continue today Friday, June 12, when Puerto Rico play hosts to Grenada and Guatemala encounters Bermuda.
Twenty teams are tussling for the ten places available to qualify for the next round. Fifteen CFU teams, four UNCAF teams and Canada from the North region are in contention for the ten places.
All twenty teams will play each other twice in a home and away format.
Cruise Lines cancel South Korea calls due to outbreak
By Gina Kramer From Cruise Critic
A growing number of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome cases in South Korea has forced Royal Caribbean to cancel cruise ship port calls at affected cities.
Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas and Quantum of the Seas will skip visits to Seoul until at least August 2015. Mariner of the Seas also will skip Jeju Island. SkySea Golden Era, which is jointly operated by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., has followed suit.
The ships will replace canceled ports with either sea days or calls at Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Okinawa or Nagasaki, Japan.
Royal Caribbean is also screening passengers and crew before they board, providing cruise passengers with letters breaking down MERS symptoms and offering hand sanitizers throughout the ships, said Cynthia Martinez, director of global corporate communications for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
If passengers or crewmembers show symptoms, such as a fever, cough and shortness of breath, the ships’ medical staff will isolate and treat patients using anti-viral medications onboard.
“We’ve been closely monitoring all developments regarding the increase in the number of cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, also referred to as MERS in South Korea,” she said. “Health authorities from a variety of nations are investigating the situation, and we remain keenly attuned to their progress.”
Princess Cruises’ Diamond Princess also has scheduled stops in South Korea. The line has not yet made any changes.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines MERS as a viral respiratory illness. It currently lists the Republic of Korea as a Level 1 watch. The baseline-risk watch reminds travelers to use usual precautions, such as washing hands with soap and water often, avoiding contact with sick people and not touching their eyes, noses and mouths.
For more: http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=6404
Caribbean Amateur Golf Championships
EVENT DATE Friday, July 17, 2015 6:00 AM – Friday, July 31, 2015 1:00 PM
CONTACT DETAILS
Tel: 755-3593Website: http://thejga.com/html/
DESCRIPTION
The Annual Caribbean Amateur Golf Championship will be held in Montego Bay this summer. The four-day championship will see golfers from across the region battling on the greens to walk away with a rich purse of titles, trophies and other awards
Caribbean makes progress but more to be done to end AIDS Epidemic
From Caricom Today
Significant progress has been made in the Caribbean towards achieving the goals of the 2011 Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS, according to Mr. Shiraz Mohamed, First Secretary of the Guyana Permanent Mission and current Chair of the Caucus of Ambassadors to the United Nations (UN). Mr. Mohammed was speaking on behalf of the Member States of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to the UN General Assembly on 8 June, 2015, in New York.
Illustrating the Caribbean’s progress, he outlined its scorecard which included 52 per cent decline in HIV infections among children between 2001 and 2012. The decline was due to the availability of services to prevent mother-to-child-transmission to 90 per cent of pregnant women living with HIV. Mr Mohammed also highlighted the 49 per cent decline in HIV incidence over the past decade; reduced HIV prevalence from 1.5 per cent in 2002 to 1.0 per cent in 2012; and availability of antiretroviral treatment to 70 per cent of those eligible, resulting in a major reduction in deaths due to AIDS and improved quality of life for people living with HIV.
The CARICOM representative attributed these achievements to the fact that the Region had pursued functional cooperation, including in health and education, as an essential ingredient of its integration process.
He pointed to the role of the Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP), in the response to the epidemic as outlined in the Caribbean Regional Strategic framework, and further highlighted in the creative Justice for All programme. The latter was designed to respond to the elements of the UN political declaration with particular emphasis on reducing HIV-related stigma and discrimination.
Within this framework, Mr. Mohammed noted, the Caribbean First Ladies were championing every Caribbean women and child as a direct response to the priorities of the UN Secretary-General. So too were the CARICOM’s Health Ministers who have urged their Heads of Government to urgently consider strategies for joint action to ensure that the region continues to maximise the use of TRIPS-related flexibilities, including the Doha Declaration. This declaration, he explained, provided opportunities for Caribbean countries to expand access to low-cost, quality-assured pharmaceutical products and to pass laws to prevent patent ‘ever-greening’ practices.
He acknowledged that despite the progress, challenges remained and there was need to change the way business was done. He noted that this required leaders to demonstrate political will; civil society to maintain its activism; development partners to provide adequate and sustained financing of efforts to end AIDS; and strengthening national health systems.
Mr. Mohammed said also that greater efforts were needed to end the AIDS epidemic, including the promotion of linkages in the post-2015 development agenda between the AIDS response and other areas, particularly poverty eradication, employment creation and the empowerment of women and girls.
Hertz among companies with best brand value, report says
By Casey Logan from news-press
Estero-based Hertz Global Holdings is among top companies in the United States in brand value.
That’s according to Brand Finance, a London-based brand consultancy, which released a report this week on the top 500 U.S. brands.
Florida ranked No. 18 by total brand value across all states at $32 billion, and 16 Florida brands made the list.
Tops in Florida? Publix, ranking No. 92 nationally. Apple was No. 1 in the nation.
Hertz Global Holdings — No. 280 overall — is building its global headquarters in Estero. Hertz had third highest brand value growth in the state compared with last year, behind only Royal Caribbean International and Raymond James. The three were called the “biggest winners” in state rankings, according to the analysis.
Florida’s brand rank, in order: Publix, Royal Caribbean International, CSX, Carnival Cruise Lines, Hertz Global Holdings, Bacardi, Fidelity National, Tracfone, Raymond James, Norwegian Cruise, Jabil, CITRIX, FPL, Grey Goose, Lennar and Burger King.
Tourism, retail and logistics accounted for more than half the state’s total brand value.
For more: http://www.news-press.com/story/news/2015/06/12/hertz-among-best-brand-value-report-says/71141640/
Saint Lucia tops Antigua in Caribbean Cup Soccer
By Terry Finisterre, From St Lucia News
Saint Lucia beat Antigua-Barbuda 3-1 on Wednesday in the first leg of their FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 Qualifier. But it was actually the second win for Saint Lucia over the Benna Boys for the week.
Last Sunday, the two representative teams met in Week 3 of the Caribbean Cup New York.
Before the largest crowd of the young season, Team Saint Lucia thrashed Antigua-Barbuda 5-0. The 2012 champions were up a man from the outset, and Antigua-Barbuda were playing without a regular goalkeeper.
In the ninth minute, Tana Weekes hit from close in to start Saint Lucia off. Four minutes later, Carlton Daniel doubled the score, beating substitute goalkeeper Jamero Quan Aaron on a drive from just outside the area. In the 27th minute, Kersan Marcellin widened the margin after a goalmouth melee.
Marcus Adams took over as the Benna Boys goalkeeper in the second half, and in the 49th minute he was caught out of position and looked on helplessly as Daran Fedee, who himself came on as a second half substitute, drove the ball into an empty net.
Taj Marcellin closed the scoring with the best goal of the game, when he brought down a cross from Daran Fedee and promptly curled a right footed shot just inside the left top square of the goal.
With the win, Saint Lucia moved to third, behind Jamaica and leaders Haiti, in the overall standings.
This Sunday, from 5:30pm, just before the men’s national team takes on Antigua-Barbuda in the second leg of their World Cup qualifier, Team Saint Lucia will meet Team Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean Cup. TTO is coming off a tough loss to Jamaica.
All games played at Jefferson High School Sports Complex, 125-08 Flatlands Ave (at Shepherd Ave) in Brooklyn, New York.
IMAGE: Team Saint Lucia.
Central Bank of Barbados offers more savings bonds after two sets sell out in days
From Caribbean360
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Friday June 12, 2015 – The Central Bank of Barbados is offering another tranche of savings bonds – more than twice the value offered before – after the first two bond issues were sold out within days.
The $25 million in savings bonds, the third since the Central Bank re-launched its savings bonds two weeks ago – went on sale from Wednesday.
The nominal value of the first two series of bonds, which were made available on June 1 and June 8, was $10 million each.
“We’ve increased the size of the tranche to ensure that everyone who is interested in investing in savings bonds is able to get them,” explained Linel Franklin, Senior Operations Officer at the Central Bank. “We have gotten many calls from people who want bonds but haven’t been able to get them. We don’t want them to be turned away again.”
Franklin confirmed that the pricing and rate would remain the same for the new series.
They will still cost BDS$76.24 (US$38.12) per BDS$100 (US$50), with a yield to maturity of 5.5 per cent. Purchases can range from BDS$50 (US$25) to BDS$100,000 (US$50,000).
Franklin said Barbadians who bought bonds from previous series are still eligible to invest in this new tranche. “Even if you purchased the maximum, you can still buy from this one,” she said.
Governor of the Central Bank Dr. DeLisle Worrell said the response from the public has been overwhelming.
“All Barbadians should have the opportunity to take advantage of these safe, lucrative investments. We’re ecstatic that savings bonds are a secret no more,” he said.
The Central Bank of Barbados has been issuing savings bonds for 35 years. They are available for purchase by all Barbadian citizens and permanent residents as well as credit unions, registered charities and other benevolent associations.
