Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands it is:
News Flash!
C & W reducesInternet rate to Caribbean Hotels and Tourism businesses - Caymannot included
According to a recent press report,Cable and Wireless - the exclusive provider of telephone, internetand communications service in the Cayman Islands have reducedits Internet rates for hotels and tourism related business aspart of an organization of American States (OAS) project - toother islands in the Caribbean - but not the Cayman Islands.
The British Communications giant signedan agreement in Barbados last Friday, which gives discounts tothese businesses in Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St.Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidadand Tobago and Barbados.
Last month, C & W announced reductionin rates region wide - including Cayman - by dropping its chargesfor browsers who download material. This has resulted in a 10-15 percent savings for local Internet users.
At that time, the Company indicated thatthere will be a further release towards the middle of this monthwhen a further communication that there will be further "goodnews regarding Internet service."
It is unfortunate that the Cayman Islands- particularly the Tourism, Financial and other related businesseswhich contribute a healthy portion to Cable and Wireless' overallCaribbean profit margin is not included in this arrangement.
Efforts to reach a spokesperson for C &W for a comment was unsuccessful up to the time this report wasuploaded.
Four SchoolGirls Arrested for suspicion of wounding
A press release issued bythe Royal Cayman Islands Police (RCIP) has confirmed that fouryoung females - school girls - were arrested at about 1:20 pmyesterday afternoon on suspicion of wounding and carrying an offensiveweapon.
It is reported that thewounded is the daughter of a government official.
The arrest was made as aresult of a disturbance involving a number of young females atthe Eden Centre on Walkers Road, George Town. This area is wheremost of the schools are located and students congregate near afast food restaurant during lunch, breaks and after classes. Inthis recent assault the young woman received injuries to her arm,she was transported to hospital by ambulance.
A few months ago there wasanother disturbance by young male residents, where two businessmen were actually injured. And in another incident, a police womanwas assaulted by a high school student who threw his shirt overher head and punched her repeatedly.
Cayman to supportCuba's move to export Turtle Products to Japan?
It was learnt late last week, thatMr. Kearney Gomez, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture,Communications, Environment and Natural Resources; Mr. Tim Hubbell,Deputy PS in the Ministry; and Mr. Joe Parsons, of the TurtleFarm, are presently in Nairobi, Kenya, attending the Conventionon Trade in an Endangered Species (CITES) Conference.
For sometime now, the Cayman Islands hasbeen self-sufficient in the rearing of sea turtles at its Farmin West Bay, from stock hatched from eggs laid on artificial beachesat the compound. This is a far improvement over the original methodof removing eggs from their habitat in Costa Rica and as far awayas the Seychelles Islands, and brought to the Farm for hatching.
Recognizing that besides the commercialvalue of the by-products after a Turtle was slaughtered for itsmeat, shell and skin -- and Turtle Farm itself as a viable Tourismattraction -- the Government purchased the Farm from the privateowners.
When the Cayman Islands became a signatoryto CITES, Government provided full co-operation to preservationSea Turtles as one of the endangered species left in the world.
Therefore, it was a surprise to many whena senior marine biologist from Florida who is attending the Conferencewent to the UK delegation office in Nairobi last week Thursdayto ask for a copy of the Cayman Islands' CITES Scientific Authority'sreport., she was advised that the Caymanian delegation was "notavailable" until next week. The assistant further statedat the UK office: "I think they went on a safari."
What had prompted the marine biologist toinquire about the report from the Cayman Islands in the firstplace was a rumour that Cayman's delegation was preparing to supportCuba in that country's efforts to re-open the trade in turtleshell from critically endangered Hawksbill turtles.
This practice had been strongly opposedby the scientific and conservation community worldwide at theconference currently being held in Nairobi.
Cuba has made two proposals under the Conventionon Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), allowing them to sellto Japan its current stockpile of turtle shells; and to exportan annual quota of shells, again to Japan.
Sea Turtle scientists and conservationistsworldwide fear that, as with ivory tusks from elephants - there-opening of international trade in the shells of Sea Turtles,even in the form of a one-off sale of stockpiled inventory, willencourage the stockpiling of shells by other countries and theillegal killing of Hawksbill turtles worldwide will proliferate.
It is reported that more than 135 respectedsea turtle experts and conservationists from over 40 countrieshave publicly opposed the Cuban proposals.
It was therefore of concern to the CaymanIslands environmental community to discover that Government representativesfrom the Cayman Islands have gone to the meeting in Nairobi toendorse the Cuban position This is especially worrying, especiallythat Cayman is using its influence with the UK to pressure theEuropean Union to vote for this unenlightened proposal.
The concerned marine biologist made an appealvia the internet last Friday to addresses in Cayman, in an effortto find out if the people of the Cayman islands really supportthese proposals.
Hawksbill turtle are migratory and populationsof Cuba and the Cayman Islands are closely interconnected. Theyare important to the health of the coral reef and are the turtlethat is most commonly seen by divers, making them important toCayman Islands tourism.
The Bermuda Government has also sent inan extremely strong letter opposing the proposals and copied itall around to the UK. delegation.
The debate started last Saturday on thefloor at the Conference. The Cayman Islands National Trust Councilwhen learning that a Cayman delegation was attending this conference,and were prepared to support Cuba, immediately sent a report byfax to Nairobi stating the Trust's position for our delegates'information on their return to the conference this week.
It is understood that if the Cayman delegationdoes not arrive in time for the crucial debate on turtles, ithas been arranged for it to be read by another Caribbean country.
It is not known yet why Government sentonly Civil Servants to attend this important conference and didnot include a scientist as well from the Department of the Environment,who have spent many years studying the turtle population in andaround these islands.
A telephone call to the Ministry responsiblefor matters in connection with the Turle Farm, indicated thata Press Release will be issued by the Governor's office some timetoday (Tuesday 18 April).
Like Caymanians themselves, the indigenouslocal Cayman Turtle population has dwindled over the years, andhave become an endangered species. Perhaps good sense will prevail,and the present Government Administration will ensure that thecountry will offer protection to prevent the depletion of SeaTurtles in our waters .. and beyond.
ImmigrationCorruption Being Weeded Out - Officers arrested
Two senior immigration officers were suspendedfrom duties following an "investigation into irregularities"according to a press release issued by Government InformationServices last Friday afternoon, 14 April.
The release stated:
"A senior-level immigration officerand an accounts officer were placed on leave in the Public Interest"by Chief Immigration Officer, Orrett Connor effective today, Friday,14 April, following their arrest on suspicion of official corruption.Both officers have been bailed to return to Police Headquartersat a later date.
"These arrests emanate from an initialinternal investigation that was subsequently handed over to theRoyal Cayman Islands Police by the Chief Immigration Officer forfurther investigation."
For some time there have been rife complaintsthat some Immigration Officers and appointed members have compromisedthe integrity of their appointment by accepting and requestingmonetary and other rewards for favours.
A few years ago, it was known one member of the Executive Counciltried to pressure the then Governor to transfer matters of Immigrationunder his portfolio. Wisely, the Governor did not capitulate.Needless to say, the term of this representative of H. M. theQueen, was one of the shortest as Governor of the Cayman Islands.
It is not known if anyone who has been subjected to this amoralactivity has made written or oral complaints to senior officialsin the Immigration Department and/or to the Chief Secretary whois in charge of Immigraiton matters. It is, however, a well-knownfact that these victims and desperate people are not willing tocome forward and identify those who have been granting favoursin connection with Immigration permission for reward for fearthey be subjected to further victimization on the renewal of theirapplication, either for a work permit or for more time to stayon the island.
There have also been suggestions that someworkers, particularly from Jamaica, have coerced to put in workfor officers in Government, their immediate family and friendswithout any - or sometimes reduced - remuneration, simply becauseof their desire to remain in the Cayman Islands.
In earlier days it is known that some developersand business people have had the habit of holding the proverbial'Sword of Damocles' over their imported domestic and constructionworkers, particularly those from the Caribbean and Central America.This practice continued for quite a number of years; however,it is now believed to be abated.
Before enactment of the Labour Law, andeven now in some cases, imported workers are compelled by theiremployers to work way beyond the statutory requirements of thelaw without any remuneration. There have been complaints thatthe Labour Law at times favours the employees rather than theemployer.
However, in some isolated cases, employersdo take advantage of employees. It is therefore correct to saythat there is a need not only to address these complaints whenthey are lodged -- but every worker should know they have a rightto make a report to the Labour Board when they are taken advantageof, unless there is some previous arrangement in place.
There is every reason for Government topursue another system for the granting, administration and renewalof work permits. This system could work far more efficiently ratherthan the current method whereby a group of unpaid of volunteersare given the power to grant or refuse permits - which at timesare based on personalities rather than fact.
This would alleviate the temptation, wherebyapplications to the Immigration authorities are dealt with ina reasonable manner, knowing that there are no grounds for themto pay a reward "behind the scenes" for such applicationsto receive favourable consideration.
In recent years there are professional Immigrationconsultation services being offered by former members of Governmentand other management firms. It is not every applicant who canafford these services. Perhaps the time has come for the ImmigrationDepartment to set up a special desk where those who are unfamiliarwith the requirement of these applications can be provided consultationwith trained officers or administrators to guide applicants throughthe process of filling out forms and providing the necessary supportingdocumentation.
This will serve as a pre-clearance for applicants,thereby avoiding the possibility of applications being returnedbecause of incomplete documentation required to complete the process.This would certainly save a lot of work for all concerned.
This will demonstrate Government's determinationfor transparency in its administration and reinvention.
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