iNews Briefs & Community Events
Cayman Islands Airport Expansion Project Update
As work continues on Phase 2 of the Owen Roberts International Airport’s expansion project, the public is being advised that construction fencing will be installed to facilitate the demolition of the large canopy in front of the entrance to the check in hall. A temporary walkway will be installed and signage will be in place to help direct passengers around the construction zone. The drop off curbside will be temporarily reduced and motorists dropping off passengers are encouraged to use the short term parking lot. The CIAA apologizes for any inconvenience caused and would like to thank the public for their patience during this time.
Cayman Islands Town Hall Meetings about Zika Virus
Public Health is holding a series of town hall meetings to inform residents about the Zika virus and to address concerns, especially for pregnant women.
The meetings will be attended by a panel including Acting Medical officer of Health Dr. Samuel Williams-Rodriguez, Ministry of Health Chief Officer Jennifer Ahearn, obstetricians Dr. Gillian Belfonte and Dr. Gilberta Alexander, internal medicine specialist Dr. Iheonunekwu Nelson, and nurse midwife Beverley Samuels, as well as Director of the Mosquito Control and Research Unit, Dr. Bill Petrie.
The meetings take place at George Town, Town Hall on Tuesday, 27 September; Bodden Town Civic Centre on Tuesday, 4 October; Sir John A. Cumber Primary School Hall, West Bay on Thursday, 6 October; East End Civic Centre on Tuesday, 18 October and North Side Civic Centre on Tuesday, 25 October. All meetings will be from 5.30 p.m. to 7 p.m. with the exception of the George Town meeting which will be from 6 p.m. to 7.30 pm.
All, especially pregnant women and concerned members of the public, are invited to attend.
Drone surfing is here and it looks awesome
BY BRIAN KOERBER From Mashable
While some people use their drones for racing, fishing and even to deliver burritos, Freefly Systems found a new use for its drone: surfing.
With the help of the Freefly ALTA 8, the team was able to pull a man on a wakeboard and skimboard, making it possible to hit the water without the need of a boat.
Hugh Bell from Freefly Systems says that the team practiced the drone’s ability before jumping in the water using a skateboard. Although the surfer does need a running start to gain momentum, the clip is still pretty incredible.
We were initially extremely skeptical that a drone, even of this size, could pull a full-grown man, but Bell insists that the video is genuine.
“The video and clips are indeed 100% real,” Bell told Mashable in an email. “We are also putting out a behind-the-scenes video this week as well.”
When asked if the drone was the only thing pulling the boarder, Bell said, “The ALTA is the only thing pulling the boarder, yes!”
The drone costs a cool $17,495.
MIT’s soft robotic tentacle can squeeze into tight spots
By Mariella Moon From engadget
MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Lab (CSAIL) has been developing different types of soft robots for a while: you might remember the mechanical fish from earlier this year that can swim like a real one. Now, that same laboratory has come up with another soft robot, and this time it’s inspired by a wriggly, slithery octopus tentacle. CSAIL’s robotic “arm” is made entirely out of silicone using 3D-printed molds — even the “motors” that propel it forward are merely hollow expandable silicone divided into sections. Air is then pumped into the appropriate sections in order for the tentacle to bend, slither and squeeze through.
The researchers believe their soft robots have the potential to move through human environments a lot better than metal ones can. In the future, for instance, the arm could help handle delicate specimens in labs and even assist doctors on minimally invasive surgeries… but not until the team’s done making a second version with fingers to pick up objects. Aside from CSAIL, there are many other educational institutions developing soft robots of their own, from a slug that oozes along and a three-legged one that can jump like a grasshopper to a rugged starfish-like machine that can take a beating.
For more: https://www.engadget.com/2014/09/15/mit-soft-robotic-tentacle-csail/
NASA gets to the bottom of Ceres’ glowing spots
By Mariella Moon From engadget
For months, the bright spots on the surface of Ceres captured by the Dawn spacecraft’s cameras have stumped NASA’s scientists. Now, thanks to a study led by Andreas Nathues from Germany’s Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, they can finally say that those spots are most likely not volcanic formations. The team has identified the shiny material inside the dwarf planet’s craters as hexahydrite: one form of magnesium sulfate. Since that compound is an inorganic salt, you can say that those craters glow due to their salt deposits. You know what else is magnesium sulfate, by the way? Epsom salts — though it’s a different type altogether.
The team believes the salty materials came from the sublimation of ice in the past, unearthed by asteroid impact. Nathues said that their presence “suggests that [the dwarf planet] has a subsurface layer that contains briny water-ice.” A second study conducted by the Dawn science team, on the other hand, found ammonia-rich clays on the planet’s surface. While it doesn’t sound as interesting, the discovery could tell us more about Ceres’ history. One possibility is that Ceres formed in the outer solar system, where it’s extremely cold and ammonia is abundant, before traveling to the Mars-Jupiter asteroid belt.
For more and video go to: https://www.engadget.com/2015/12/11/nasa-ceres-bright-spots/
Regional tech-voc education authority frowns on importation of workers
Posted by: Denis Chabrol in Education, News September 22, 2016 1 Comment
By Abigail Semple From Demera Waves
Wesley spoke at the launching of Accreditation to Award Caribbean Vocational Qualifications (CVQ). The CVQ is a CARICOM approved award that comes under Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET) and which represents the achievement of a set of competencies. This award can be received by persons who have graduated high school, employees, new skills seekers, self-employed workers, and displaced workers.
Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) Registrar Glenroy Cumberbatch also noted that some Caribbean countries have issued a requirement that no child must leave school without having CVQ accreditation. The CVQ award is designed to assist individuals educated in technical and vocational areas in acquiring employment in Guyana and the Caribbean
Concerns have been raised in the past about the large numbers of foreigners that have been employed on major infrastructural projects such as the Guyana Providence Stadium and Marriott Hotel. The then People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC)-led administration had said that Guyanese did not have the required specialized technical skills to work on the construction of that hotel.
Prior to the stalemate over the construction of the Specialty Hospital, the APNU+AFC coalition administration had resorted to being non-committal on whether a large number of Guyanese would have been employed in the construction of that India-funded health care facility.
During his remarks to an audience that included Education Minister Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine, Wesley stressed that education is too important for it not to have the party’s support. The Chairman called on Roopnaraine to assist the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET) in acquiring funds. CTVET requires commitment on the part of the Ministry to ensure it functions properly, Wesley said.
In turn, the Education Minister stated that attention should be focused on the impact of CVQ on the Caribbean, and he challenged CTVET to push back the stigma that has previously hindered individuals from entering into the technical field.
Also in his remarks, the Education Minister again mentioned the issue of students writing and passing 24 subjects at the CSEC examinations. He said he wonders “what kind of examination is this that allows a child to write and to pass 24 subjects”, more so what kind of childhood is it that the child would have had. Roopnaraine then reiterated the need for a more rounded education system, with the involvement of culture, music, theater and sports.
The CXC Registrar highlighted the graduate unemployment issue and the need for more communication, creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration within the education system. On creativity Wesley said,” learning something and regurgitating it is not a trait of an intelligent person.” Dr. Roopnaraine, who agreed with this, was of the opinion that there should be less regurgitation and more fun in learning.
Cornell researchers create 3D printer that builds as you work
By Billy Steele from engadget
There’s no denying the benefits of 3D printing for hobbyists and folks looking to prototype potential products. However, making changes typically means waiting for the current version to finish printing and starting a new build from scratch. Researchers at Cornell University are looking for a better solution that makes for easy tweaks and they’ve built “an interactive prototyping system” to do so. The “on-the-fly” 3D printing setup outputs the design that’s being worked on as its created in a CAD file, allowing the user to pause for testing, measurements or to change the model that’s still in progress.
Using a wire frame construction that looks similar to what the 3Doodler pens create, the system builds a model of the object’s shape rather than a complete solid. With a “low-fidelity sketch,” a designer is free to make any changes before moving on to making the filled in shape. In other words, if you were working on a toy plane that would carry a Lego figure (one of the group’s projects), you could print the underlying structure of the object to see if it would work rather than wasting your time and materials on an in-progress version.
What if you need to remove something that’s already been printed? Well, the device has a cutter that removes those pieces and the printer’s base is aligned by magnets. The magnets make it removable for those tests and measurements, but ensures you put it back in the right place to resume construction. A CAD plug-in designs the wire frame version of the object and while printing can continue while changes are being made to the digital file, the system will pause when it gets to that area until any tweaks are finished. The project received support from Autodesk and the National Science Foundation, so hopefully a consumer-friendly version will become available in the future.
For more and video go to: https://www.engadget.com/2016/06/03/cornell-on-the-fly-3d-printer/
Microsoft will deliver low-cost broadband to 500,000 rural Indian villages
By Andrew Tarantola From engadget
A major partnership with Google putting free Wi-Fi in 400 train stations wasn’t the only major network news coming from India today. The Indian government also announced on Monday that it will pair with Microsoft to bring low-cost broadband connectivity to half a million villages throughout the subcontinent. That should help at least some of the estimated 4 million people that go without internet connectivity every year
“We believe that lost-cost [sic] broad band connectivity coupled with the scale of cloud computing intelligence that can be harnessed from data can help drive creativity, efficiency and productivity across governments and businesses of all sizes,” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said during a news conference. The plan will work the same way as Microsoft’s previous efforts in Africa, leveraging unutilized white-space spectrum to deliver a broadband connection. Further details on the plan’s implementation and rollout are expected to be announced in the coming days.
[Image Credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images]
For more: https://www.engadget.com/2015/09/28/microsoft-low-cost-broadband-india/
Cayman Islands Official Public Holidays for 2017 Confirmed
The Deputy Governor, Hon. Franz Manderson, Cert. Hon, JP, has approved the Cayman Islands official public holidays for 2017.
The approved list covers all the public holidays, including Her Majesty the Queen’s Birthday in June 2017.
Since New Year’s Day (1 January) falls on a Sunday, Monday, 2 January 2017 will be observed as the official public holiday.
The official public holidays for 2017 are:
Monday, 2 January – New Year’s Day (observed)
Monday, 23 January – National Heroes Day
Wednesday, 1 March – Ash Wednesday
Friday, 14 April – Good Friday
Monday, 17 April – Easter Monday
Monday, 15 May – Discovery Day
Monday, 19 June – Queen’s Birthday
Monday, 3 July – Constitution Day
Monday, 13 November – Remembrance Day
Monday, 25 December – Christmas Day
Tuesday, 26 December – Boxing Day.
Cayman Drama Society
2016 is proving to be amazing around the Prospect Playhouse! We have been busy renovating the auditorium this summer and getting ready for a smashing end to 2016!
And Yes! Its election season and what greater way to lighten the mood than coming to see the very funny, Yes Minister!
September 15,16,17,22,23,24,29,30, October 1
Yes Minister is a satirical look at the early career of Jim Hacker MP; a newly appointed cabinet minister in the fictional Department of Administrative Affairs at Whitehall. Hacker goes through various struggles to formulate and enact legislation or effect departmental changes that are continually opposed by the British Civil Service in particular his Permanent Secretary, Sir Humphrey Appleby. His Principal Private Secretary Bernard Woolley, is usually caught between the two. The British comedy, written by Sir Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn, was fist broadcast by BBC Television in the 1980s has now been adapted to the Cayman stage by Chuck and Barrie Quappe. As the Cayman Parliamentary system is based on Whitehall, any of the situations will be undeniably familiar to all that live in Cayman!
Cayman Islands Pirates Week calls for food vendors
The Pirates Week Festival Office is inviting participants for the annual Food Festival to submit their vendor applications for the below dates/times:
| Friday 11th November | George Town | 6:00pm to 2:00am |
| Saturday 12th November | George Town | 1:00pm to midnight |
| Saturday 19th November | George Town | 2:00pm to midnight |
Vendor applications must be submitted beginning on Monday 1st August, 2016 to the Pirates Week Office on Shedden Road, George Town (upstairs next to KFC). Vendor space is limited therefore applications must be submitted as soon as possible after the opening date above. Deadline for submission is Monday 31st October.
All vendors must comply with the rules and regulations set by the Pirates Week Festival Office and must present a valid Food Handling Certificate for all persons handing food by the 31st October. Food handling certificates can be obtained from the Department of Environmental Health by contacting Mr. Gideon Simms on 949-6696 or email [email protected] .
For application forms and more details please contact the Pirates Week Festival Office at 949-5078 or [email protected].
COMMUNITY EVENTS (Date Order)
MON SEP 26
Roald Dahl-themed Story times: The BFG
As part of a five week series of Roald Dahl-themed Story times and Saturday morning matinee’s, children are invited to hear The BFG this week on Tuesdays at a11am at Regal Cinema for 4 and under; Thursdays at 3pm at Books and Books for 3 and under and Saturdays at 1030am at Books and Books for ages 2 — 7. The matinee is at 10am at Regal Cinemas on Saturday for $5
Grand Court Jurors Notice
All Grand Court jurors in the current session must now report on Monday (26 Sept) at 945am.
TUE SEP 27
How to Run a Successful Business
The Chamber of Commerce presents How to Run a Successful Business on Tuesday (27 Sept) from 230 — 430pm at Governor’s Square. Log on to caymanchamber.ky for more.
John Gray High School Mentor
Be a John Gray High School Mentor for one year and help a year 11 student achieve their potential. Call 328.0300 to sign up.
Cayman Islands Agricultural Society Meeting
The Cayman Islands Agricultural Society, invites members of the East End and North Side Communities to a Meeting at the William A. Allen Civic Center in East End at 7:00pm on Tuesday (27 Sept) to discuss matters relating to Agriculture in the Cayman Islands will be discussed.
WED SEP 28
Building Trust
The Chamber of Commerce presents Building Trust on Wednesday (28 Sept) from 9 — 430pm at Governor’s Square. Log on to caymanchamber.ky for more.
THU SEP 29
Service Matters
The Chamber of Commerce presents Service Matters on Thursday (29 Sept) from 9 — 430pm at Governor’s Square. Log on to caymanchamber.ky for more.
FRI SEP 30
International College of the Cayman Enrollment
The fall quarter at the International College of the Cayman begins October 3rd. The deadline to register is Sept 30th. Call 947-1100 or email [email protected] for details.
Lord Transform Me: The Woman in the Mirror Women’s Retreat
The Cayman Islands Conference Women’s Ministries Department is inviting you to attend our “Lord Transform Me: The Woman in the Mirror” Women’s Retreat at the UCCI Hall Friday — Sunday (30 Sept — 1 Oct). Registration is $30 per person. Each registrant will receive breakfast on Sunday morning and a tote bag with memorabilia. Hotel & Sabbath lunch is available at an additional cost. Space is limited, so register early. For more information, contact the Women’s Ministries Leader in any of our churches or call 916 1576.
Basic Grammar and Writing Skills Part 2
The Chamber of Commerce presents Basic Grammar and Writing Skills Part 2 on Friday (30 Sept) from 9 — 430pm at Governor’s Square. Log on to caymanchamber.ky for more.
Ex-Gratia Deadline
The Ministry of Community Affairs reminds all seamen and veterans receiving the ex-gratia benefit to submit this year’s Seamen’s and Veterans Continuation Confirmation Certificates no later than Friday (30 Sept.) For more information call 244-2424.
Humane Society Book Loft’s September Specials
The Humane Society Book Loft’s September Specials include 50 % of non-fiction books and DVD’s plus by one CD, get one free. The book loft is located on North Sound Road next to ALT’s.
SAT OCT 1
UCCI Omega Leo Club Garage Sale
The UCCI Omega Leo Club presents a Multi-Sellers Garage Sale on Saturday (1 Oct) from 5 — 10am in the UCCI Court Yard.
Brenda Tibbetts Lund Memorial 5K Walk/Run
The Lions Club of Tropical Gardens Brenda Tibbetts Lund Memorial 5K Walk/Run will take place on Saturday (1 Oct) in North Side, from the Kaibo Restaurant and back, starting at 6am. On Sunday (9 Oct), the 5K walk/run and the 10K run will take off Safehaven Drive at 6am. Pre Registration will take place on Saturday (24 Sept) at the Lions Club of Tropical Gardens Pink Shop in the Elizabethan Square, at Foster’s Food Fair in the Strand and at Cost U Less from 9am to 2pm. Pre-registration will continue at the Pink Shop in Elizabethan Square from 10am to 5pm
Teacher Talk Training A
Educators are invited to Teacher Talk Training A: Encouraging Language Development in Early Childhood settings at KidsAbility Clinic on Saturday (1 Oct) from 9am to 3pm. For more information, email [email protected].
SUN OCT 2
Boatswain Bay Presbyterian Goodbye Service
Join Boatswain Bay Presbyterian Church at 11am as they say goodbye to Pastor Ron and Mrs. Ped Smith on Sunday (2 Oct).
MON OCT 3
Red Coat Volunteers
The Pirates Week Festival is looking for volunteers to act as members of the famous “Red Coats” defending the Cayman Islands from invading Pirates.
The mock invasion is not complete without a group of actors willing to be “captured” in the annual Pirates Landing Pageant. The highly anticipated Landing Pageant and Float parade will begin at 3:00pm on Saturday 12th November in the George Town Harbour. Pre-landing entertainment is set for 2:00pm.
Training and rehearsals will be offered by Landing Committee members beginning on Monday 3rd October. All volunteers will receive a uniform, replica sword and replica rifle.
For more information contact the Pirates Week Office via email at [email protected] or 949-5078.
THU OCT 6
School of Nursing Capping Ceremony
Thursday, 6 October | 6: 00 pm
UCCI Sir Vassel Johnson Hall
Celebrate an important milestone in the journey of our nursing students.
TUE – FRI OCT 11 – 14
STEM Carib Conference 2016
Tuesday-Friday, 11-14 October
UCCI Sir Vassel Johnson Hall
Meet scientists, engineers and other STEM
SAT OCT 29
Teacher Talk Training B
Educators are invited to Teacher Talk Training B: Let Language Lead the Way to Literacy at KidsAbility Clinic on Saturday (29 Oct) from 9am to 3pm. For more information, email [email protected].
SAT NOV 26
Meals on Wheels 5K Run/ Walk
Meals on Wheels is holding its first 5K Run/ Walk on November 26th and we are calling it a Turkey Trot.
SUN FEB 26 (2017)
Cayman Islands Lion’s – Cycle For Sight
Cayman Islands Cycling Association
Sunday 26th Feb 2017 6:00AM – 9:00AM
Event Description:
Lion’s Cycle For Sight – Change the way we see the world Start: East End Public Beach | Finish: Lions Community Center – 24 Miles
October Events at Camana Bay
Fall is here and with the harvest season comes a bounty of shopping with Shoppers’ Night Out – a one-night affair where the shops of Camana Bay mark down prices and visitors can enjoy live music, refreshments and giveaways.
You may notice the buildings in the Town Centre will light up pink from 1-27 October to honour Breast Cancer Awareness Month. There are a number ways to give back, from an Opening Ceremony celebration to the 10th Annual Pilates for Pink to special salon and spa treatments at Eclipze Hair Design & Day Spa’s 16th Annual Cut-A-Thon.
Things turn eerie when the Town Centre lights up orange to celebrate all things Halloween from 28-31 October. Families can enjoy a pumpkin carving workshop, budding chefs can make frightfully fun treats, partygoers can dance away at Oktoberfest while kids can do the same at a Halloween Glow Party and moviegoers can enjoy a Frankenstein ballet on the big screen and family-friendly movies on a giant outdoor big screen. Everyone is invited to dress in their costumes for a 5K fun run while trick-or-treaters can also mark their calendars for the always anticipated Spooktacular.
Here is a quick look at our special events:
Cayman Islands 2016 Oktoberfest
Saturday 1 October
3-11pm
Mizu Asian Bistro + Bar Patio
Breast Cancer Awareness Month Opening Ceremony
Monday 3 October
5:30-7pm
The Crescent
Shoppers’ Night Out
Thursday 6 October
5-8pm
Town Centre
Pilates for Pink
Saturday 8 October
9-11am
The Arts & Recreation Centre
Celebrations’ Christmas Store Grand Opening
Saturday 8 October
10am-7pm
Market Street beside Bon Vivant
Budding Chef Cooking Class: Pasta Mania
Saturday 8 October
12-1pm
Bon Vivant
6th Annual Feed Our Future Island Roast
Saturday 8 October
6:30pm-midnight
Camana Bay Beach
The Bookends Club
Wednesday 12 October
6:30-7:30pm
Books & Books
Halloween Glow Party
Friday 14 October
6-8pm
Starfish Village
Somm Series
Friday 14 October
6pm
West Indies Wine Company
Budding Chef Cooking Class: Breakfast Champions
Saturday 15 October
12-1pm
Bon Vivant
Culture at the Cinema: Frankenstein
Saturday 15 October
7pm
Regal Cinemas
Floetry
Wednesday 19 October
6:30-7:30pm
Books & Books
Save Our Youth Monster Dash 5K
Saturday 22 October
7am
Town Centre
Budding Chef Cooking Class: Mexican Fiesta
Saturday 22 October
12-1pm
Bon Vivant
16th Annual Cut-A-Thon
Sunday 23 October
2-6pm
Eclipze Hair Design & Day Spa
Starfish Village Harvest Camp
Monday 24 though Friday 28 October
8am-3pm
Starfish Village
Cayman Market Place
Wednesday 26 October
5:30-8pm
Thursday 27 October
12-6pm
The Arts & Recreations Centre
Moonlight & Movies: Halloween Series
Wednesday 26 through Saturday 29 October
7pm
Gardenia Court
Diablo Halloween Ball
Friday 28 October
6pm-3am
Abacus
Budding Chef Cooking Class: Ghoulish Delights
Saturday 29 October
12-1pm
Bon Vivant
Family Pumpkin Carving
Saturday 29 October
3-5pm
Starfish Village
Halloween Spooktacular
Saturday 29 October
4-7pm
Town Centre
