Eden fires back- I will not be vilified, maligned or crucified

Bodden Town MLA Anthony Eden has called for the removal of Human Rights Commission (HRC) chairman James Austin-Smith as he reiterated his position on Wednesday that gay marriages have no place in Cayman.

Mr Eden, addressing the opening session of the fourth meeting of the 2015/16 Legislative Assembly, said that Mr Austin-Smith should not remain as HRC chairman and called for Premier Hon Alden McLaughlin to take action.

“I strongly suggest that the Government appoint a person who is the chairman of the HRC who is not an atheist [Mr Austin-Smith has reportedly declared that he is an atheist], but an individual who can consider objectively the lifestyle and benefits of the vast majority of Caymanians who have lived by it for over 500 years,” Mr Eden said.

Mr Austin-Smith and law professor Dr Leonardo Raznovich raised strong objection to the MLA’s statements in the LA on August 13 when he laid a motion on the preservation of traditional marriages. In that motion, which was passed unanimously, Mr Eden admonished homosexual behaviour in general and warned people against “satanic confusion.”

The HRC chairman had called on Premier Hon Alden McLaughlin to condemn Mr Eden’s comments.

Other political representatives, including Bodden Town MLA Alva Suckoo who seconded Mr Eden’s motion, George Town MLA Winston Connolly, and Finance Minister Hon Marco Archer made public statements on the issue, all disagreeing with gay marriage but condemning discrimination against LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) individuals. Mr Archer said some form of legal recognition of same sex partnerships could potentially be ordered.  Minister and Bodden Town MLA Hon Wayne Panton expressed dismay over Mr Eden’s comments and publicly offered support to the local LGBT community.

On Wednesday Mr Eden, in his personal statement, said that it is his human right to quote to express his opinion and use the Bible in the expression of his opinion in his private members motion in August to maintain the definition of marriage, as currently worded in the law- as a union between a man and a woman.

“Is Mr Austin-Smith, chairman of the HRC, telling me as a duly elected member of this house for over 23 years that I do not have my human rights, and as an elected member by the people, cannot quote from my Bible and religious articles on this subject?” Mr Eden declared.

Mr Eden came under fire for his position and his comments on gay marriage from Mr Austin-Smith and Dr Raznovich. Both men took objection to the stance taken by the MLA and his hard line approach to homosexuality.

The MLA used Wednesday’s sitting to respond to the stinging criticisms leveled against him.

He told MLAs that he would have responded sooner but could not due to health reasons, however he maintained his stance that marriage should remain as decreed in the Bible.

“Both Mr Austin-Smith and Dr Raznovich tried to vilify, malign and partially crucify me on my stance on the preservation of traditional marriages,” he said.

Mr Eden also declared that Cayman should not bend to the will of the European nations and instead stick to the Christian beliefs, which are held by the majority of Caymanians.

He argued that the HRC took his comments on the motion out of context. He invited the HRC chairman to review the Hansard from the motion.

He also took aim at Dr Raznovich declaring that he was “sick and tired” of the Caymanian people being disrespected.

Mr Eden, relying heavily on Bible quotes from Corinthians Chapter 6; 9-10 and Proverbs 24 verses 19-20, lamented that he will pray for both men.

He denied that his speech was a hate speech as Mr Austin-Smith had referred to it.

Mr Eden tabled a Good News October 2015 article entitled “The Gay Agenda Blueprint: A Plan to Transform America” in the LA and urged members to read it.

He pointed to a shift in attitude towards the gay community and he said it is not “a random event.”

The post Gay marriage furore appeared first on The Cayman Reporter.

Premier Hon Alden McLaughlin is holding firm to his position to reject the UK’s centralised public registry of beneficial ownership of legal entities.

Premier Hon Alden McLaughlin is standing firm against UK pressure seeking to get him to agree to implementation of a centralised public registry of beneficial ownership of legal entities.

Mr McLaughlin confirmed, in a brief interview with The Cayman Reporter, that his position remains unchanged on the issue.

“Our position is the same. We will not agree to a centralised public registry of beneficial ownership of legal entities,” Premier McLaughlin said.

Mr McLaughlin’s comments come in the wake of a declaration by UK Foreign Office Minister James Duddridge that he will press Overseas Territories on their commitment to efficiently provide information on beneficial owners of companies and other entities .

The Premier is set to go to London next week where he will meet with the FCO and Mr Duddridge.

According to UK media reports on Wednesday Mr Duddridge, in response to a parliamentary question by Labour MP and former chair of the Public Accounts Committee Margaret Hodge about what the U.K. government’s objectives are for the council meeting with respect of central registries of beneficial ownership in the Overseas Territories said he wrote to the Premiers of the Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands and Bermuda.

Cayman, through a public consultation in 2014, rejected the implementation of a centralised registry.

Premier McLaughlin has been adamant that he will not move forward with the registry, instead offering the creation of a platform where relevant authorities can access and view documents.

The Premier is on record saying that Cayman remains committed to working with the UK to construct an alternative, but equally effective approach to this concern, providing appropriate access for UK law enforcement as well as tax and regulatory authorities.

Cayman’s already adheres to the G-20’s High-Level Principles on Beneficial Ownership Transparency and the FATF recommendations.

Earlier this year the UK implemented its own centralised register.

Cayman remains in the top 10 jurisdictions for financial secrecy, but according to the 2015 Financial Security Index, the island community is topped by Switzerland, Hong Kong, the US and Singapore as countries that promote global finance secrecy.

The report is launched by the Tax Justice Network (TJI) and boasts the largest survey of financial secrecy.

According to the report, Cayman has “improved markedly since our 2013 index.” However, the fifth-place ranking indicates placement due largely to “its huge offshore financial services sector and a fairly high secrecy score.”

“Still, Cayman retains many secrecy features: not least a law which can put people in jail not just for revealing confidential information, but merely for asking for it,” the report stated.

Black’s Law Dictionary defines a beneficial owner as a “legal term where specific property rights (“use and title”) in equity belong to a person even though legal title of the property belongs to another person.” This also specifically relates to the creation of shell companies.

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The annual CDS Christmas pantomime features talented local performers.

They’re back! Grizz and Frizz and a host of Christmas characters will be bringing joy and the Christmas spirit to The Prospect Playhouse Stage for six shows only.

The Cayman Drama Society (CDS) cast and crew have been busy getting ready to bring the public a family show they say is not to be missed.

“Following the success of last year’s Playhouse Family Christmas, we are pleased to bring you a whole new Christmas show to delight you and get you in the mood for the Christmas Season,” said a press release from the CDS.

Director and writer Sue Howe who plays Frizz, Assistant Director and cast member Hannah Howe, Producer Sheree Ebanks along with Grizz and a host of wonderful characters seek to put a smile on your face and a song in your heart.

Song and dance feature strongly in the Cayman Drama Society holiday pantomime, Playhouse Family Christmas.

Show times are 27 and 28 November and 4 and 5 December at 7:30pm.

Doors open at 6:30pm for a Christmas happy hour. CDS members urge the public to join them for mulled wine, mince pies  and other Christmas goodies.

There will also be matinee showings on 29 November 29 and 6 December at 6:00pm. On these special dates, doors will open at 5:15pm for happy hour.

All tickets are available for purchase online at www.cds.ky, or on the Cayman Drama Society Facebook page. For more information call 938-1998.

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Family and friends gathered on Saturday, 14 November to honor seven young men who recently completed the of the Men of Standard (MoS) programme. Endorsed by the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx), the unique, six-credit elective has been designed specifically for young men.

L-R: MoS Mentor Orlando Maxwell, UCCI President Roy Bodden, Dwayne Dixon, Minister of Education Hon Tara Rivers, Karifia Ross, Hugh Small, Charles Lewinson, Shardon Nelson and Councillor Winston Connolly.

Offered at UCCI since 2010 and coordinated by President Roy Bodden, the programme relies on a cadre of community leaders to deliver a special series of seminars that tackle important issues such as decorum, self-esteem, choosing role models, conflict resolution, interpersonal relations, sexual health, career choice, civics & citizenship and manhood.
“The objective of the Men of Standard programme is to produce young men who distinguish themselves by right conduct, deportment, dress, and civic responsibility, to name a few qualities,” said President Bodden.
The students are taught an uplifting message of character development over the two-semester programme. “We can acquire a good character,” President Bodden said. “All that is necessary is for us to work hard and demonstrate commitment. It is as a result of my belief that the University College must be the vitality of Caymanian society, that I designed such a programme. That confession notwithstanding however, the credit must go to the cohorts of young men who desire to be Men of Standard.”
During the celebration, the young men took to the podium confidently to share their experiences. Karifia Ross said he cherished the session led by Edward Solomon, Cayman fashion icon and owner of Arabus. Dwayne Dixon said the programme has inspired him to be a better father. He added that he would proudly display the MoS certificate in his office.
2015 Board of Governors award recipient Hugh Small stated that he entered the programme a cub and emerged a lion. Student Representative Council President Charles Lewinson paid tribute to his most influential mentors (his father and President Bodden) who taught him humility and hard work. The final speaker,Shardon Nelson, challenged his fellow graduates to use what they have learned and keep on the right path.
Two of the graduates, Taj-Djuet Berry and Kamaal Conolly, were unable to attend the ceremony but were also recognised.
Minister of Education HonTara Rivers commended the young men and expressed appreciation to President Bodden and UCCI for offering a programme designed to shape young Caymanian men into responsible fathers and productive citizens. This sentiment was mirrored by Councillor Winston Connolly, who touched upon the importance of programmes that orient young men away from the path of violence.

President Bodden said recognition and appreciation must go to those persons who volunteer as presenters for the modules. “The ultimate success of this programme centres around their service and I sincerely publicly acknowledge their participation,” he said.
The MoS programme will begin its new session January 2016. Online registration for the spring semester begins on 20 November.

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RCIPS officers manned tables and distributed information and crime prevention tips at the Cayman Islands Hospital, in addition to many other locations around the islands.

The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, in a bid to strengthen its district policing, launched its second session of community clinics for the year earlier this month.

The weeklong series of clinics began last June and offered the public the opportunity to meet and converse face-to-face with police officers in their district.

Officers manned tables and distributed information and crime prevention tips in many locations around Grand Cayman, from West Bay to East End and throughout the Sister Islands as well.

These locations included supermarkets, the Cayman Islands Hospital and gas stations among other island wide sites.

Officers also discussed with the public the results of the survey conducted during the clinics in June and the challenges that were identified by residents in each district.

Public Relations Officer of the RCIPS Jacqueline Carpenter explained the reason the RCIPS decided to host a second session of the clinics this year.

“We had made a commitment to the public that we would host two sessions each year to give them updates on what we have done since the last session and also to get a feeling from them on how they see policing now a few months later after their concerns and measures were put in place,” she said.

“We also wanted to hear from the public what continues to be their concern as well and if there are any new issues affecting them,” she added.

Community members could approach officers and share their concerns and perspectives about how both parties can work together to make Cayman safer.

Ms Carpenter mentioned that the public was very receptive. Several members stopped by the booths and spoke with the stationed officers. They not only voiced problems – some made suggestions on how to address community issues as well.

Residents of West Bay took the opportunity to highlight their major concerns of speeding and burglaries in the district.

Ms Carpenter said the RCIPS are currently analyzing the issues that arise from the clinics. Once these issues are within the RCIPS’ remit to address, the officers will do so positively.

If a concern affecting the community is not police related the RCIPS will work with other agencies to address it, stated Ms Carpenter.

She further noted, “Although some community members still expressed a lack of trust in the police, more are saying that they feel that they have more access to the police than before, in part because of the clinics.”

The next community clinics session is scheduled for April 2016.

“We would like to thank the public for their continued engagement with us and providing us with the issues that are affecting them. It is only through such collaboration will we be able to police by consent. These meetings will continue and we encouraged partnership,” Ms Carpenter said.

She advised that members of the public do not have to wait until community meetings to express their concerns but rather contact their district police stations and make these concerns known. They also can contact beat officers within their district.

Police Community Clinic is an element of community policing where open forum meetings are convened in highly traversed areas by residents.

These clinics are informal meetings that aim to provide an avenue for informal talks between the residents and the police in addressing community concerns.

These concerns are addressed through a problem oriented policing and partnership (POPP) approach, where the community, the police and other agencies work together to solve community problems.

Community clinics are established to provide an avenue through which the police and local residents can have informal dialogues about community concerns and develop a systematic problem solving approach using the POPP principles, thus building safer communities.

The clinics also aim to identify community leaders that can partner with the police, the community and other agencies in providing oversight to ensure early identification and treatment of emerging community ailments to reduce community impact.

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We note with alarm that in the past 18 months, there have been three cases of teachers in the public school system being charged or convicted of child sexual assault on students in their charge.

Just this week, we were told by police that a 41-year-old male teacher at John Gray High School was charged with three counts of sexual assault on students at the school. The man has been under investigation since February of this year. He is still on bail. Yet his identify is being kept under wraps by the courts.

We saw just this past June that a 19-year-old teacher’s aide was charged with several counts of indecent assault on girls as young as six years old. Is anyone else’s blood boiling?

We have to ask, “Who is vetting these people?” We have been told by the Department of Education Services in response to our enquiries that there are systems in place to prevent our children from being abused. But they are obviously not working.

Having spoken with former high-ranking members of the work permit structure at the Immigration Department, we were told that the current system of police clearances is basically worthless.

Bear in mind that to get a work permit, you need only provide a clean police clearance certificate for wherever you have been living for the prior six months. We have all heard the anecdotes of criminals deported from the USA to Jamaica, Honduras, and other places and then ending up working in Cayman with a supposedly “clean” record.

We have also been told of the corruption in some of the countries where many of our resident workers originate from, allowing some people to “buy” clean police certificates. And in cases where there is not bribery or corruption involved, it is still easy to get around the system in countries that do not have country wide police records, but only by parish or district.

The unfairness of this to local workers, who have no option but to show their full and true police record in answer to job advertisements, is the topic of a future editorial, but should be noted. For now, let us focus on how this laxity is a disservice to our children.

Child abusers and molesters usually have a pattern of behaviour. It is apparently a compulsion, and is not usually limited to just one victim or instance. So it stands to reason that some of these offenders, when caught here in Cayman, are engaging in a chain of behaviour that may have started elsewhere.

Please do not misunderstand, we are not saying that there are no homegrown abusers. There are pedophiles everywhere, including Cayman. Some are in Northward, and many may never have been reported or caught. We also acknowledge, with sadness, that most abusers are trusted family members, friends or persons in authority – such as teachers, coaches, etc.

But we have to put a robust system in place to block these predators from interaction with our children, whether they are from these shores or from beyond.

Community activist Sandra Hill has long advocated for a local sex offenders registry. We do not understand why this has not been in place. If there are concerns for people’s privacy – what is more important? The privacy of a convicted abuser of, or the future safety of our children? As noted above, sexual predators are notoriously hard to rehabilitate.

We also note with dismay the reduced sentence gifted to the convicted molester of teen boys at John Gray High School in the current sitting of the Court of Appeal. Delroy James, who admitted several acts of indecent assault and gross indecency on three 15-year-old students, received a three-year jail term this past April. However, his sentence has been reduced to two years by the Court of Appeal. We understand that he will soon be deported back to his native Jamaica.

Thankfully, Mr James’ victims came forward and reported the wrongdoing, but what message does this reduced sentence send to those who are molested and abused? That it is ok? Not a big deal?

Because it IS a big deal. And it is NOT ok. It has been proven that childhood sexual abuse has long lasting negative effects on children. Many grow up to become abusers themselves, creating a terrible cycle of pain. Others suffer from low self-esteem, and may turn to self-destructive behaviours including crime and substance abuse.

We say that we need to do better as a country in protecting our children. Better in our immigration policies, better in our education system and better in our criminal justice system. By not preventing abuse, and by not appropriately punishing the abusers when it does happen, we are failing our most vulnerable citizens – our children.

Right now, we are basically letting the foxes into the henhouse and then wondering what happened to the chicks.

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Cayman Islands Leader of the Opposition Hon McKeeva Bush and Turks and Caicos Islands Premier Hon Rufus Ewing.

Leader of the Opposition Hon McKeeva Bush greets Turks and Caicos Islands Premier Hon Rufus Ewing at the Legislative Assembly in George Town on Wednesday 18 November. Mr Ewing was in the Cayman Islands and made a courtesy visit to the local parliament. The leader of the fellow British Overseas Territory has voiced his support for Cayman’s stance on a beneficial ownership public registry. Mr Bush said that he and Mr Ewing have been good friends for many years and was pleased to welcome him to Cayman.

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Built on government-owned land, the new parking lot will eventually include 97 parking spaces.

Minister Panton said they are looking into turning the “filled in” walkway into something that resembles a little bridge across a pond.

Parking for the annual Bodden Town Heritage Day just got easier as a temporary parking lot opened on Thursday, 19 November, in time for the cultural affair on Friday.

The event will showcase various booths and feature activities educating the public on the culture and history of the Cayman Islands’ former capital.

Located on government owned land off Ena Close on Anton Bodden Drive, the new provisional lot is connected to a 12 foot wide, 430 foot long footpath to the Harry McCoy Sr Community Park off Gun Square.

Bodden Town elected representatives Deputy Speaker Hon Anthony Eden, Minister Hon Osbourne Bodden, Minister Hon Wayne Panton and Councillor Alva SuckooJr have been instrumental in the construction of the parking lot, meant to alleviate the issue of limited parking in the area.

“Coming down through Gun Square there’s limited parking and it’s difficult on the rest of the community as well when you have heavy traffic,” said Mr Panton, who was at the site on Thursday along with the other Bodden Town government officials.

“We wanted to get this done, at least, to be able to support the Pirates Week facility here,” he said.

Once the Heritage Day festivities wrap up, work will begin on a permanent parking lot on the site. The lot will include 97 parking spaces for future visitors attending functions at the Harry McCoy Sr Community Park off Gun Square and for people to visit the Mission House and other historical sites in the area.

Speaking about the current lot Mr Panton said, “This is obviously roughed in to begin with but we will now be working on finalising the beautification aspects of it and really improving the aesthetics of it.”

He added that they are looking into turning the “filled in” walkway into something that resembles a little bridge across a pond.

The parking lot is expected to improve access to the area for the local community but also help to create greater opportunities for tourists and tours to experience what these sites have to offer.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for us to really enhance the facility and usefulness of this property,” said Mr Panton.

However, he noted that he does not expect the facility to be used on a consistent high volume basis.

“I sort of foresee that this parking lot will be utilised heavily during specific events like Pirates Week and maybe a few others, but not on a consistent basis,” he stated.

Bodden Town Heritage Day will be held at the Harry McCoy Sr Community Park/ Nurse Josie Senior Centre on Gun Square Avenue from 11:00am -7:30pm today (Friday 20 November.) Fireworks will begin at 8:00pm.

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The Complaints Commissioner’s Office (CCO) will be tasked with the oversight responsibility of Cayman’s landmark “whistleblower law” which provides protection to employees who wish to report wrongdoing at their workplaces.
On Wednesday Deputy Governor Hon Franz Manderson, in laying the proposed Whistleblower Protection Bill at the opening session of the current meeting of the Legislative Assembly, said the CCO was chosen to “assume responsibility of receiving, investigating and dealing generally with disclosures in accordance with the procedures under the Bill.”

Deputy Governor Hon Franz Manderson laid the landmark Whistleblower Law in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday.

He explained that the legislation was seen as a “natural fit” for the CCO as the office is already “respected and already deals with complaints of maladministration.”

The new law flowed from recommendations by former CCO Nicola Williams in her last report.
This is the first time in Cayman that there is a stand-alone law that allows for all employees who choose to come forward with information about wrongdoing in their workplaces, whether public sector or private, to have the protection against dismissal or adverse action.
The proposed law makes it a criminal offence for any employer to take detrimental action against an employee in reprisal for making a protected disclosure of information of wrongdoing.
The bill is expected to go to committee stage during Friday’s sitting of the LA.
Under the provisions of the proposed law a person who takes such action “is liable on summary conviction, to a fine of $20,000, to imprisonment for a term of two years or to both; or on conviction on indictment, to a fine or to imprisonment for a term of five years or to both such fine and imprisonment.”
The law also provides protection for employers too, as it also makes it an offence to make a false protected disclosure.
Mr Manderson said whistleblowers “must act responsibly” and under the proposed legislation a person commits an offence if he; “makes a disclosure under the law knowing that it contains a statement that is false or misleading or reckless as to whether the statement is false or misleading; or b) aids, abets, procures or conspires with any person to contravene this law.”
In such circumstances, Mr Manderson said, the offender/s are liable “upon summary conviction, to a fine of $10,000, to a term of imprisonment for a term of two years or to both or conviction on indictment o a fine or imprisonment for a term of three years or to both such fine and imprisonment.”
He added that an extensive public education campaign will be embarked upon following the passage of the law to educate the public on the provisions and how to make protected disclosures.
Mr Manderson assured that every step will be taken to ensure that the whistleblowers’ identities are protected and the individuals are protected from any adverse action for their disclosure.
However East End MLA Arden McLean, in his contribution to debate on the law, said while he welcomed the legislation there were certain areas he believed needed review.
He objected to the legislation being placed under the responsibility of the CCO.
He also raised the question of the oath of confidentiality that employees take when in the public service. He questioned if consideration was given to such employees who may find themselves committing an offence if they were to make disclosures on ministers or public officials they may have information about.
“He or she is immediately breaking the Secrecy Act that he or she has sworn to and at that very moment it creates an offence to that wrongdoer and that is my concern,” Mr McLean argued.
He asked what protection is going to be given to that employee.
Fifth Elected Member for George Town Winston Connolly, Councillor in the Ministry of Education & Employment, in his contribution to the debate, questioned how the law is going to be enforced.
“The only way these laws are going to be taken seriously is through enforcement and I have to ask if these sanctions are robust enough and if we are willing to enforce them?” the MLA asked.
In fact he questioned if as legislators they are willing to put aside familiarity aside and put the rule of law in front and make the hard decisions if people they know are reported on.
“It comes down to political will, the will of the courts and also the will of the people whistleblowing and then the police,” he argued.
He said each one of those listed have an integral part in the process because the success of the legislation depends on how they treat with the information, how they pursue and gather information following a protected disclosure.
Mr Manderson, in response, assured that necessary amendments will be made at committee stage and reiterated that the CCO is the best authority to have the authority over the legislation.

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Turks and Caicos Islands Premier Hon Rufus Ewing says all British Overseas Territories must join together to reject any undue pressure from the UK to implement a public registry of beneficial ownership.

“We have to rally together to try and resist doing things that will damage or harm our economies,” Mr Ewing declared on Wednesday during a one-on-one interview with The Cayman Reporter at the Legislative Assembly.

Turks and Caicos Premier Hon Rufus Ewing says Overseas Territories must come together to reject pressure from the UK on public registry of beneficial ownership. Photo: Reshma Ragoonath

Mr Ewing, who is visiting Cayman together with a team from his Health Ministry, said he stands together with Cayman Islands and all OTs in their position to reject the implementation the public registry.

“We stand in solidarity with most of the overseas territories and we do not think that it [the public registry] should be rammed down our throats, we think that we comply with all the FAFT [Financial Action Task Force] standards and that is important to comply with first and foremost,” he said.

His comments come on the heels of a statement by UK Foreign Office Minister James Duddridge that he will press Overseas Territories on their commitment to efficiently provide information on beneficial owners of companies and other entities at the Joint Ministerial Council Meeting at the end of this month.

The Turks and Caicos Premier, who paid a brief courtesy call on the LA, said that unity amongst the OTs can help to strengthen the effort to have the UK reverse its position on the matter and review alternative options.

“I am sure that if we do work together and we put our positions together we can then do what is best for our individual territories, in particular for Cayman and BVI with financial services being a significant part of the economy,” he said.

While Mr Ewing said he believed Mr Duddridge’s statements flow from the mandate articulated by UK Prime Minister David Cameron he does not believe that OTs are being treated fairly.

“His position has come off the mandate of Prime Minister David Cameron, who has made a statement that he wanted to champion transparency and beneficial ownership. I do think it is unfair to the overseas territories that have well regulated and well run financial services industries to force us to do something that will undermine the fabric of our economies,” he contended.

The visiting Premier said he is in Cayman to learn more about the healthcare system and in particular the Health Services Authority with a view to implementing a similar agency in his country in the near future.

“We just want to get lessons learned, what worked, what did not work and what we could do to make the introduction of such as system, if we do decide to go that way,” he said.

Mr Ewing, who arrived on Tuesday night, said as Minister of Health Services he is looking to building on Cayman’s experience with its health services structure.

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A 21-year-old George Town man has died in a one-car collision on West Bay Road in the vicinity of Galleria Plaza.

At approximately 2:14am on Saturday 21 November, Emergency Services was dispatched to the scene.

A press release from the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service reported that there was a single male occupant trapped inside the vehicle who appeared unconscious and was not breathing.

Medical assistance was rendered to the individual and he was later transported to George Town Hospital where he was pronounced deceased by the doctor on duty.

 The victim is identified as 21-year-old Lanado Martin Waugh of a George Town Address. At the time he was travelling in a silver-coloured Honda Accord on the West Bay Road towards George Town.

 Police are appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the collision or observed the vehicle prior to the collision to contact the investigating officer, PC Orville Harris at the George Town Police Station at 949-4222.

 Alternately, witnesses can contact the RCIPS tip line at 949-7777 or Crime Stoppers at 800-8477 (TIPS)

 On Saturday morning after 8am, the roadway in the area of the accident was partially blocked and police were asking motorists to take an alternate route until it was re-opened.

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A man attacked by three assailants attempting to rob him of his cell phone fought back and ended up punched and kicked in the face.

On Friday 20 November at 10:09pm, police were dispatched to the scene of the attempted robbery off Martin Drive in George Town.

The victim was transported to the George Town Hospital where he received treatment for his injuries.

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An 18-year-old man was stabbed in the chest with an ice pick in the parking lot of Nectar Bar on West Bay Road in the early morning hours.

On Saturday 21 November at 4:24am police were alerted by the George Town Hospital of a male victim receiving treatment for stab wounds.

It was later discovered that the individual was assaulted in the parking lot of the Nectar Bar by another male with an ice pick. He received stab wounds to his chest area and was treated for his injuries.

Police are appealing for any witnesses to these incidents to contact the George Town Police Station at 949-4222 or Crime Stoppers at 800-TIPS (8477.)

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Minister of Planning, Communications and Works Hon Kurt Tibbetts says Government is moving forward with further legislative plans aimed at regulating fuel companies and the number of service stations that can be constructed in Cayman.

After the successful passage of legislation forcing fuel importers to disclose their pricing regime Minister of Planning, Communications and Works Hon Kurt Tibbetts is moving to the next stage of regulating ownership and the number of gas stations on island.

This as he revealed on Thursday, during the current sitting of the Legislative Assembly, that he has met with management of Rubis advising them against pursuing the construction of their latest proposed gas station along the Easterly Tibbetts Highway, which was advertised in the newspaper.

“I advised them that if I were them I would not proceed with it as government will object,” the minister said as he responded to questions from North Side MLA Ezzard Miller in the Legislative Assembly.

Mr Miller had asked the Minister to tell the House under what license does the two fuel companies (Rubis and Sol) own operating service stations to retail fuel, and how many such licenses does each fuel company own.

In his response Mr Tibbetts stated that there are no such licenses for the fuel distributors to operate service stations, however he hastened to add that nothing in their Local Companies (Control) Licenses (LCCL) restricts them from owning property outside of their distribution compounds.

Concerns have been raised in the past about distributors having control of the service stations which creates a monopoly situation where fuel prices remain locked in with little chance of being reduced because all the cards are held by the main players with no room for competition.

At present some service stations in Cayman operate through a lease agreement where the distributors own the property, but lease it to Caymanian business people.

Miller questioned this practice and if those agreements legal.

“I would hope they would not want to run afoul of the law if those agreements are not,” Minister Tibbetts contended.

The Minister said Rubis owns two of the service stations and Sol owns five of the service stations in Cayman.

The minister said government is aware of the situation and once a policy decision is taken on the matter he will communicate with the distributors.

Mr Tibbetts revealed that ­­­­his ministry was reviewing the situation with the fuel companies and ownership of gas stations and looking at the number of stations that would be able to service Cayman.

He said that he was looking at the legal and legislative mechanisms that could be put in place to regulate the number of gas stations and the ownership of these stations by fuel distributors.

Mr Tibbetts said the government is looking at Rubis and Sol’s ability to own stations and ability to operate stations.

“We were also looking at getting an informed position as to when we will allow more service stations to be constructed. When we have all the info we will certainly make policy decisions and legislative adjustments,” he said.

He added, “That is the next chapter in the book.”

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The Department of Immigration will only be accepting visitors with scheduled appointments at its Cayman Centre office on Owen Roberts Drive in George Town.

A press release from the department said this is “due to an inflow of members of the public” at the office.

“…the Department wishes to advise the general public that visitors will only be accommodated at this venue by way of a duly scheduled appointment,” the press release noted.

“Our Cayman Center office must be regarded as a back end processing facility only,” the press release said.

All customer queries and other transactions, inclusive of customers without appointments, will be received and handled at the front counter at Immigration Headquarters on Elgin Avenue.

Customers may also contact the Call Centre on 345-949-8344 and speak with a Communications Officer.

“We thank the public for their usual cooperation. Adhering to this protocol will save time and ease the response process,” the Immigration Department press release said.

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2015 Governor’s Award judges: Gary Benham, JC Calhoun, Max Jones, Andrew Gibb (Moderator), Gordon Solomon, HE Governor Helen Kilpatrick. Absent: Gene Thompson, Christina McTaggart-Pineda. Photo submitted.

The Cayman Society of Architects, Surveyors & Engineers (CASE) and the Cayman Contractors Association (CCA) in conjunction with Her Excellency Governor Helen Kilpatrick, have announced the Shortlisted Nominations for the 2015 Governor’s Award.

They are Beach House, Little Cayman owned by Raoul Pal and designed by Edgewater Developments Ltd; Casa Bella, Crystal Harbour owned by Mike Stroh and designed by Designer Trio Cayman Ltd; and Rum Point House, Rum Point owned by Vidal and Lisa Brewer and designed by Nicolas Tye Architects.

HE Governor Helen Kilpatrick approved the shortlist after a presentation from the judging panel.

Beach House, Little Cayman owned by Raoul Pal and designed by Edgewater Developments Ltd. Photo submitted.

The Governor said, “I am honoured to have the opportunity to endorse the 2015 Governor’s Award programme for design and construction excellence in the Cayman Islands.  The panel of judges this year has evaluated the merits of all the nominated projects, and it is with great pleasure that I now announce the Shortlisted Nominations for the Award.”

Judges for the 2015 Governor’s Award nominations are environmentalist Christina McTaggart-Pineda, artist Gordon Solomon, businessman Gene Thompson, realtor JC Calhoun, construction professional Max Jones, and Governor’s Office representative Gary Benham.

The Governors Award aims to encourage, foster and maintain innovation, sustainability and excellence in the Cayman Islands construction industry. The application process is open to all projects small or large.

Casa Bella, Crystal Harbour owned by Mike Stroh and designed by Designer Trio Cayman Ltd. Photo submitted.

“Projects only need to demonstrate why it is special in any one or more areas of environmental friendliness, Caymanian style, uniqueness, or any other aspect that the team feels is important. For example, a small renovation that embraces Caymanian design, is LEED certified and has a unique automation system, could win the award over a multi-storey building that lacks real Cayman design elements and environmental friendliness,” said a press release from the Governor’s Office.

Submissions for the Governor’s Award are judged on the nominated project’s inclusion of the attributes of design excellence; creativity and innovation; sustainability and the environment; value; buildability; and cultural response.

“The judges look for clearly presented nominations that concisely informs them of the project scope and its response to these criteria. Entering a project allows nominators to be associated with the award programme’s ideals, growth and success and also demonstrates a commitment to excellence in design and construction in the Cayman Islands,” the Governor’s Office press release said.

The 2015 Governor’s Award recipient will be announced on Tuesday 8 December at an award ceremony at the Governor’s House.

The 2015 Governor’s Award programme can be viewed at www.GovernorsAward.ky

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Councillor Roy McTaggart welcomes attendees to the workshop. Photo: Mona Lisa Meade

The Ministry of Health welcomed University of the West Indies (UWI) Professor, Dr Wendel Abel to the Cayman Islands recently as the facilitator in the development of the territory’s first National Mental Health Policy.

Dr Abel, a psychiatrist and Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) consultant, was in Grand Cayman from 16-17 November hosting small meetings and a workshop with mental health practitioners and other relevant stakeholders.

“The consultation is supported by the Pan American Health Association in collaboration with the University of the West Indies, in terms of the university’s mandate to provide support to member states within the English speaking Caribbean,” said Dr Abel.

He said last week’s workshop was another step in the culmination of the development of a mental health policy framework which he believes will guide further development and improvement of mental health services in the future.

“The Cayman Islands have certainly made significant strides in the development of mental health services; the enactment of modern mental health legislation, which is rights-based, is a model for the Caribbean.

“There are other significant service models that have been developed here, mainly the community mental health services, services to children and adolescents,” he added.

UWI Professor of Psychiatry, Dr Wendel Abel, leads the mental health policy development workshop. Photo: Mona Lisa Meade

Ministerial Councillor for Health, Roy McTaggart welcomed the group to the workshop encouraging them to identify the areas of priority that need strengthening in the mental health service provision.

“I know that we will come up with a policy that the Cayman Islands can be proud of and one that we can move forward with, in addressing this issue,” said Mr McTaggart.

Chief Officer in the Ministry of Health, JenniferAhearn said,“While there is still a lot of work to do, we have made significant strides including establishing the Mental Health Commission, updating our laws and providing training on the legislation to the members of the police force and other stakeholders.”

In October, the Ministry of Health ealthHealth entered into a contract with KPMG to complete an outline business case on the proposed development of a long-term residential mental health facility.

“Thus, government is working at all sides to address the issues around mental health in our country,” said Ms Ahearn.

A wide cross-section of mental health professionals and stakeholders from within the industry attended the workshop including representatives of the Mental Health Commission, Department of Education Services, Sunrise Adult Training Centre, Department of Children and Family Services, Health Services Authority, Human Rights Commission, RCIPS and Prison Services along with private sector practitioners.

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Ania Milanowska-Sedgley and Nancy Davey of the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre receive the 2015 ESRF Grant Award from Foundation Chairman and board members.

Children and young people are often the silent victims of abuse.

The Cayman Islands Crisis Centre (CICC) is trying to reach this most vulnerable group with its new Primary Prevention/Education Programme (PPEP) launched this year.

The programme is dedicated to educating Cayman’s youth on domestic violence and abuse.

The CICC saw a need to address a gap in educational services for children, youth, their families and community organisations such as schools, churches and daycares. To fill the gap, it started the PPEP in August with an end date of 31 December.

“At particularly high risk, are the children and youth whom live in toxic and abusive environments in our communities, whom may never seek service, or come to the attention of any available social service providers,” said Nancy Davey, Children and Youth Programme Case Manager and Outreach Co-ordinator at CICC.

The programme is primarily held in the community, within schools, churches and at times community learning centers.

Its principal target group is both children and youth ages 4-16, but occasionally it will engage college student ages 16-21.

The secondary target group includes the adults who have the greatest impact on children’s lives, such as teachers, daycare personnel, churches and parents.

Topics are broad in scope and tailored to meet the needs of each age group.

Special focus will be given to high school youth as this group is at highest risk of experiencing dating violence. Educational sessions would address the signs and symptoms of dating violence, the highest risk population (e.g. those who have witnessed family violence), how rigid gender roles can contribute to dating violence, what healthy relationships look like and how to avoid and get help at the first signs of violence.

The daycare to year three population will undergo a specific programme called “Talking About Touching: A Personal Safety Curriculum”, which was developed by the Committee For Children in Washington, USA.

“This is an evidence-based programme which has been well researched in having a significant positive effect for young children being able to detect situations which are potentially abusive, how to avoid, resist and get away if possible and to tell a trusted adult about any incident which occurred or was attempted,” said Ms Davey.

“Let’s be perfectly clear though, children are not in anyway responsible for any abuse, and they are not the one’s responsible for keeping themselves safe. It is the adults in their lives that carry that burden. But this programme arms the child with knowledge about unsafe situations, safe and unsafe/unwanted touches and how to get help,” she added.

Parents will be given  information about the programme, the subjects it covers, information about family violence, the impact on children and youth and about services available for families to learn non-violent ways to interact.

Teachers and daycare workerswill be taught how to recognise the signs and symptoms of domestic violence and physical/sexual abuse among their students might display. In addition, instead of the programme coordinators going into education environments to teach the sessions, teachers will be trained to teach the programme within their daily activities.

PPEP takes approximately 20 hours per week, however the schedule is flexible and depends on the demand for the service. Sessions held with children or youth are generally 30-60 minutes.

The Crisis Centre was awarded CI$10,000 by the Estella Scott-Roberts Foundation (ESRF) to cover the programme for a period of five months.

“CICC’s PPEP programming provides a foundational platform for the prevention of violence in our homes and communities, as well as the matter of childhood sexual abuse, which is becoming an ever-increasing concern as outlined in the results of the PAHO study released earlier this year,” stated ESRF Chairmain, Rayle Roberts.

Released to the public in May 2015, the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) report revealed that one in five girls in Cayman has been sexually abused, while one in six children has been physically assaulted by an adult.

This data is consistent with the high levels of sexual and physical violence against children across the Caribbean, the researchers revealed.

“The Crisis Centre was not surprised but certainly saddened about the numbers of our youth whom have experienced or witnessed some form of violence and sexual abuse in their young lives. The level of substance abuse and suicidal ideation are often the symptoms of child sexual abuse and/or of living in domestic violence,” said Ms Davey.

“It is clear that we have a serious problem that if not addressed, suggests generations of these victims will most probably have high rates of criminality, substance abuse and likely high/chronic need for health care services due to mental health problems that have gone untreated,” she noted.

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Pirates Week 2015 ended the same way it began – with a huge crowd and lots of excitement! On Saturday, 21 November, boats rides, teen dance, adults street dance, food festival and fireworks kept revelers, from the young to the young at heart, entertained. However, the main event of the day was the inaugural “Illumination” Night Parade held on Harbour Drive. The event featured many of the same floats that paraded in the opening Float Parade on 14 November, but this time, all brilliantly decorated with Christmas lights.

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In Cayman, much of the work of government is done and decided by appointed boards. Work permits, planning approvals, business licenses – all of these functions are performed by voluntary boards appointed by the administration of the day.

So in effect, major decisions that affect people’s lives, the way business functions, and indeed the running of the country, are made by people who are not government employees and who have not been voted into office by the populace, but are essentially politically-appointed decision makers.

Many times, there have been clear conflicts of interest with members of various boards. The planning board, weighted as it is with people involved in real estate and development is the first example that comes to mind. Indeed, the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) earlier this year opined that the development of the country had in fact been decided by the private sector due to the makeup of past planning boards and their decisions.

Beyond apparent conflicts of interest – as have been noted with past Airports Authority boards among others, there have also been accusations of corruption. A recent example has been the National Housing Development Trust (NDHT), where a former member of the board was recently convicted and imprisoned. Another is the Health Services Authority (HSA) board, with a former chairman of that board headed to trial on corruption-related charges.

Allegations of conflict of interest have also been made with regard to the membership of the Liquor Licensing Board. And we all know that people love to brag about their contacts on the Work Permit Board of the day. The perception is that as long as you know the right person on the right board, your applications will receive approval.

With each change of government administration, the make-up of these boards change. Spots on the most influential, and dare we say lucrative, boards are handed out as rewards to political and financial supporters.

Many of these boards are mandated with running entities that their membership knows very little about – one example is the Cayman Turtle Farm. Another is the Cayman Airways board. There are going to be very few experts in turtle farming and airline management floating around in a population of under 60,000 who are available and willing to serve on voluntary boards.

In other cases, it is becoming increasingly difficult to fill spots on some boards, as private employers may object to their staff members serving. This has been seen recently with the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority (CIMA) board.

We have actually lost count of the number of boards in existence. And then when you add the myriad committees and commissions, the mind boggles.

We also have to ask – what are the criteria for being appointed to a particular board? Oftentimes, the appointments either don’t seem to fit, or perhaps fit too well in terms of being a clear conflict of interest.

The whole system of appointed boards is also, in our opinion, not clear, not transparent and not objective. When you have groups of volunteers, appointed based on unknown criteria, making decisions of national importance it makes us nervous.

We don’t know who these people are. We don’t know why they were appointed. We don’t know their motivations, and we didn’t hire or elect them.

This is not to say that we do not appreciate the service of board members, who take of their own time to do the country’s work. This is also not to say that we think that all of these volunteers are corrupt or self serving.

What we are saying is that the board system in the Cayman Islands is about as clear as mud – and has about the same effectiveness as mud in bogging things down. The system allows far too much subjectivity into decisions which determine the expenditure of government funds, and the approval of applications in a multitude of areas of national importance. It also slows things down to a snail’s pace, as has been seen with the backlogs of applications in several areas – most notably in the immigration related boards.

But what else can be expected when we are relying on volunteers who meet once per month? Let’s face it, this is just not an efficient mechanism.

And then consider, some of these boards provide very little real oversight of the entities they are supposedly managing. With many government authorities and companies, the boards only receive the information they are given by the entity’s management – usually only the managing director. They have no inner knowledge of the day-to-day running of the operation, and are often completely unaware of any problems. It is a very easy system in which to hide wrongdoing and ineptitude.

This ongoing board game, of handing out appointments as political party favours, and allowing private individuals to control decisions that should be made by the government, according to clear and objective criteria, has got to end. Because the only loser in this game is us – the public.

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