Online Forum - Website posting from caymannetnews.com

Wednesday,  November 24, 2004

• Villas of the Galleon
  We too have become close friends with Lisa and her beloved Barnie over the past 5 years. We have sent email to Lisa trying to find out how she and Barnie are doing. We certainly hope everyone is doing as well as can be expected after Ivan. If anyone has talked or has had any contact with Lisa, please let us know. Please tell her that Cindi and Vern from Texas have her and everyone in Cayman in our prayers - Vern Lang
  
   
• MC Restoration
  I hope that a thorough investigation will be carried out to get to the bottom of the MC Restoration contract. From the very beginning, the refusal of the first contract to the “other” MC company, to the breaking up of the first committee to be replaced by a new one headed by Mr. Mark Scotland, to the awarding of a $10 million contract to MC Restoration, something smells very fishy. I do not know if this is considered as “insider trading” or if there is in fact anything illegal that has been done, but because of the very suspicious circumstances surrounding this contract, there must be an in-depth investigation carried out, and all guilty parties brought to justice. Thank you, I am feeling “arrested” - David
  
   
• Chamber Seeks support for Ship
  Now that the Chamber has decided that the cruise ship for housing is not a good idea, may I be so bold as to offer my thoughts on the subject? I think, since they have $10 million they can spend on restoration, why don’t they use it to build rental houses for people who need a place to rent. 
  Government could bring in additional construction workers, and use the local tradesmen, and build places they can rent at a reasonable rent. This would stop the price-gouging, and at the same time bring in money monthly to the Government. They could set rules, that the renters will be held responsible for the upkeep of the units as far as normal wear and tear, and with the understanding that government will not allow them to stay on if they are not good tenants... the same as any other landlord would do. 
  Government needs to stop letting foreigners stay free in the government units, like the Afghans etc., have done, and start to look out for the Caymanian people themselves who are willing to pay their way, but are limited in their income and resources. The Lord cleared away the trees, and some of the other things that were hiding the view... now perhaps we can face reality and help our people pull up their socks. 
  The Bible says that charity begins at home.. Caymanians need assistance now, and Government has the resources (apparently). If the Government would examine this idea and try to work on it... maybe the Government coffers won’t be so empty in the future, as they liked to claim - Concerned Caymanian
  
   
• Debris Controversy Continues
  This is beginning to get really stink. The McKeeva Bush led UDP again!. When will we learn… May 2005 I suspect. Enough is enough and we should start with Mark Scotland’s dismissal from the CIRO to make room for an independent inquiry into the awarding of this contract. Mr. Scotland could become a witness in this enquiry and who knows who else would fall when the net is cast? - Watchman
  
   
• Debris Controversy Continues
  In Charles Clifford’s letter explaining his resignation from Government I recall him warning of corruption undermining good governance in our country. Again in Mr. Clifford’s recent two-part letter in this newspaper titled Post Ivan Issues he hinted at this issue and questioned government’s intention to award a $10m contract to a foreign company and further questioned why the government was exporting our money at a time when our economy needed it most. 
  Mr. Clifford’s concerns are beginning to manifest themselves in the recent awarding of the contract for debris removal to a foreign company which apparently made an earlier unsuccessful presentation to government under a different but very similar name. Suspiciously the presentation was made by none other than Mark Scotland who is a UDP candidate in the upcoming General Elections and who has very conveniently been appointed as Project Manager under CIRO and he presumably was influential in making the recommendation for the award of the contract to the Central Tenders Committee. 
  This can best be described as the mother of all conflicts of interests and confirms that the corruption which Mr. Clifford warned about is real and has now become so blatant that the UDP does not care anymore and has positioned one of their candidates to ensure that they get as much money as possible from government during the recovery process. 
  Caymanians should never forget that this greed has resulted in virtually no assistance for them some nine weeks after Ivan. The UDP is too busy ensuring that they secure the money to be made from this unfortunate situation instead of giving the contract to local heavy equipment operators so the money can remain in our economy. They would have had the job completed by now. 
  We cannot and must not stand for this. We must stop this greedy bunch before we become another Jamaica or Haiti. I am not a PPM supporter but I am a Charles Clifford supporter and I encourage him to continue to expose the wrongdoings of the UDP Elected Government - Mrs BT
  
   
• Cayman’s farmers begin the recovery
  We would welcome any further news about the survival of Cayman farms following Ivan - R. Topgallant
  
   
• Blue Iguanas weather the hurricane
  Protecting the Iguanas seem to be worthwhile; however a town in Florida was protecting them also, and now the town is so over-run with the Iguanas, including babies, that they are trying to figure out what to do about it because they have now become pests. Sometimes it doesn’t pay to interfere with God’s plans for nature - Caring Caymanian
  
   
• Escaped prisoner Manderson makes attempt to flee
  I wonder if anyone has investigated this incident which I read about in a Florida newspaper about two weeks ago. The report said that the body of a man presumed to be in his 20’s was found in a wheel-well of an American Airlines plane which landed in Detroit after a stop in Miami. The flight, the article said, originated on a Caribbean Island. They did not name the Caribbean Island; however, I found this rather interesting since we know that American Airlines flies from Grand Cayman to Miami and on. Just a co-incidence perhaps, but it might be worth checking to see if the identification of the body had been made. Unless of course, Manderson has been seen, for sure, within the past week - Watchful Caymanian Eye
   
  • Editor’s note: The flight in question originated in the Dominican Republic
    
• A Caring Fire Fighter’s story during Ivan
  I am glad to read that Cayman firefighters were finally acknowledged for their bravery during the storm. I visited their H.Q. station back in December 2001. They are a great group of professionals. Well done - Paul Dill, Firefighter, Bermuda
  
   
• Radio Cayman webcast is great
  It’s really super being able to hear Radio Cayman loud and clear here in Tampa. Thanks for making it available to us Caymanians overseas! - Roy Bodden
  
   
• Cayman’s schools hit hard by Ivan
  I am concerned as to why the government has not made provisions or had talks with either other Caribbean countries, the US, UK or even Canada about taking in or waiving certain charges in order to have some of the children/students temporarily located for schooling purposes. I am certain there are parents who would take advantage of such a program; however the entry fees are quite high to get students into the schools - Judge Judy
  
   
• Questions from our readers
  I just want to make a comment on Katrina’s request regarding the University College of the Cayman Islands. Classes started sometime beginning of October and are under way. Our first term exams on Funds and Trust Courses is going to be next week - Ros
  
   
• Jacksons celebrate 53 years of marriage
  Mr Jackson married my wife Lisa and I in Feb. 2004. He made the ceremony a truly once in a lifetime experience. Many thanks - Ernest and Lisa Lee, Cincinnati, Ohio
  
   
• Business staffing applications lag
  I am a registered dental hygienist. I have lived in Cayman but did not work in this profession. I truly miss the Island and all the dear people. Would like to return and become part of the infrastructure. Please assist. I do believe my services are in need by the population. How can I help? Please advise - Elaine F. Fleisher
  
   
• Hong Kong investors lose US$80m in failed Cayman hedge funds
  My experience is similar to HN, Bahrain. But I’m really concerned the scam is continuing, with class action lawyers climbing in for a percentage, and unsubstantiated recommendations from Towry Law for obscure Far East investment advisors. Is there an honest intermediary out there who can help save my hard earned UK pounds, to whom I can entrust admin of remnants of my Circus Fund? Please send e-mail and credentials. I live and work honestly in Johannesburg - Jasper 
  
   
• Youth funds donated and task force formed
  I would like to know if this organisation can help us in South Africa to boost our youth since we have no resource and believe we need to develop a system to make our youth to get support on their basic life style - Justice Sepale
  
   
• Police homeless
  It is unbelievable that landlords are being so selfish during this time, when people are in need. They should be thankful their property was not destroyed, instead of exploiting tenants. The government needs to do something to control the rents - Leroy Wall, former Cayman resident 1997 - 2003
   
• Instead of the CI Government giving out major $$’s to Wesley Clark and now the MC Restoration, they should help the homeless Caymanians, and also the RCIP - LJ Burroughs
   
• So, as a result of landlords bilking their tenants out of excessive rent, we’ve got to send some RCIP officers packing? Brilliant. Mr Ennis said we “cannot afford to lose these officers.” Obviously we can, and we will. Regardless, one thing that IS true is that we obviously cannot afford to pay these officers what they’re really worth; nor can we afford to compel greedy and opportunistic landlords to operate with a since of dignity and class. 
  Ivan may have blown away trees and homes, but it’s apparent with all of the price-gouging going on Ivan certainly didn’t blow away any of the cockroaches.
  Maybe Florida can send us some free cops to go with the free cars - Puzzled in Prospect
   
• What a shame if the government let the RCIP go, and can do nothing for these very committed hardworking loyal people. We all understand that you Caymanians have had the eye of Ivan, but please, the diversity of the RCIP needs somewhere to call home, and that is where it is at. Please do give them an abode to call home - Diane, London, UK
  
   
• Breeze concert brings Christmas cheer
  I represent a “New Country/Southern Rock” Band, North-40 from Colorado. My parents are Caymanian residents, and we would be interested in playing to benefit the needy. Any chance of that? - Dawn Powell

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