Sunday, 6 February 2000| Updated at 8:55 PM |

BREAKING NEWS

8:44 PM ...

PRISONER ESCAPESFROM CENTRAL
It has been just been brought to our attention that a Prisonerescaped from the lock-up at the George Town Central Police Stationsome time overnight (Saturday) by removing the retaining securityof his cell. A telephone call to the Officer answering at CentralPolice at 8:44 PM tonight (Sunday) resulted in our call beingtransferred to the Officer-in Charge who said that he "cannotconfirm or deny such a report ... (and that we) should call theInformation Officer (at Police Headquarters) in the morning."
Cayman Net News got the news first ... and we will keep it's viewersposted.

Much is savedbecause of volunteer services to the Community
On a per capita basis, the Cayman Islands certainly out ranksany state in the Western Hemisphere, perhaps even the world, withthe provision of volunteer community services and expenditurefor various social programmes.

It is not known if a survey has ever beenundertaken, however, no one can doubt that a significant contingentof expatriates - from many nationalities who have settle here.... along with some dedicated Caymanians, have put in a tremendousamount of individual hours of involvement in community work forthe Cayman Islands.

It would be of tremendous cost to the Treasury,if these efforts were not provided 'pro bono' (free of cost)'.What is now required - especially for those who continue to contributetheir efforts, year after year ... is some form of official recognitionfor their unselfish services.

The CaymanIslands lead all Regional Territories in terms of Government spendingon Social Services
Many personnel brought in on Government's Social Services programmesare paid very handsome salaries supplemented with healthy benefitsas a package. However, one of the most frequent questions oftenasked is: How come there is a spiraling drug and alcohol abuseproblem ... especially among the youth ... and an increasing dependencyby the adult population?

It is obvious that there could be otherfactors to take into consideration, which drive people to misuseof drugs. Cited among other things, are the escalating cost ofliving including astronomical rents and an absence of programmesto encourage family values in preference to imported lifestylesand standards that may be applicable to our neighbours to theNorth ... but certainly not suitable for our minuscule population... which sometime prefers to mirror the lifestyles acted outin the television soap operas. No wonder a majority of our populationare so 'young and restless' as 'the world turns'.

Quite frankly, the continuing importationof professionals from large metropolitan cities, coupled witha self-imposed mentality that we could live and conduct our livesand businesses in the same manner as others do in larger cities,trying to apply programmes which may or not work here becauseof the difference of cultures from whence these professionalscame. Some of these programmes are simply not working.

Some still have not accepted, that thisis a Caribbean island ... washed by the Caribbean Sea. However,there is no doubt that Cayman stands out magnificently when itcomes to this territory's affluent lifestyles, attitudes towardsone another when it comes to race relations to (in most cases)is positive and there is a preference to display good mannersand friendliness at all times.

No wonder then, there was an outcry by justifiablevoices, that a public right of way in the tranquil area of SouthSound, was facing a stand off by residents of a newly built condominiumcomplex and those who had the right to use the designated rightof way to get to the open sea. The presence of a Security Guardfrom another island - armed with a fearsome looking German Shepherddog - employed by a Caymanian owned Security firm, "justhad a job to do" ... just like it's done on North AmericanTV ... was an alarming sight. Is this part of the image we arebuilding for others who come to Cayman to invest and visit?

Call by members Cayman Islands Civil ServiceAssociation (CICSA) for "equality" in pay and benefitsgiven to imported Civil Servants is justified
For far too long ... many sons and daughters of the soil havegiven most of their working life to the Government and peopleof the Cayman Islands only to receive less than others broughtin to work for the Civil Service. Some of faithful Caymanian servants,often work an average of 60-plus hours a week without asking foror getting compensation.

Caymanians still have to pay the same amountfor the cost of living and the same healthy rents and mortgages- without any subsidy by their paymasters. The Government allowsthis advantage to other Civil Servants brought here, whose mainaim is to make as much as they can and send as much home and/orto save a bundle for their eventual departure.

"And Why not?" ... says some expatriateCivil Servants, who claim that they are continually given hintsthat "they are here to go". It's certainly another areato be looked into, whereby, if someone comes to work here -- whetherit is for the Government or the Private sector ... they shouldbe given the opportunity to demonstrate their willingness to becomea part of the society. These same expatriates must given the initiativeand show their willingness to train Caymanians before they aregiven some tenure of Permanent Residency.

The PrivateSector deserves to be on a level playing field with Governmentwhen it comes to hiring
The private sector is not on a level playing field with Government.They are often sending recruiting teams overseas to hire largebatches of people -- as many as dozens at a time ... whether itis for teachers, prison officers or nurses ... without any hasslesfrom the Immigration Board. In other words, government is exemptfrom the often frustration 'guidelines' the private sector businessowners have to go through to test or out rightly hire someone.(It is a policy of the Immigration Department that if someonecomes on the island for testing of their skills ... even a probationaryperiod of one day, a week or a month .. they are told that theymust pay for a Temporary Work Permit .. which is not always granted... as some officers may claim that by applying for a Temporaryis a means by the applying employer to "circumvent the system").Yet, it is known that some firms have brought in management andtechnical personnel under the same probationery arrangement.

It is the impression of many, who must gothrough this process, that there is an effort to slow down thepace of developing businesses ... yet Government has carte blanchearrangements to hire as many as they want ... whenever they want.

Confirmationby the Minister of Education that there have been acts of violencein the Schools - excludes the rash of frequent thefts
This area of incessant criminal activity by students as youngas 10 years, is not reported widely ... but it has been happening.In one District Primary School, at least two cell phones and awalkman (portable stereo) were stolen in recent weeks. One musicallygifted child's clarinet was also pinched. Minor thefts of testpapers and school lunches are not reported ... but known ... whilecreating fodder for a emerging life in criminal activity. Hadit not been for the diligence of one caring Police Officer, themost recent stolen cellular phone would not have been recovered.

Sending a few children to an alternativeeducation class(es) does not seem to be the right answer -- becausethese same kids are then bundled with others of their same ilk,in the same manner that all prisoners, regardless of their crime,are bundled together in Northward.

Some kids are going to school exhibitingbehaviour and physical appearance that they have obviously beenusing drugs. What happens when a teacher who happens to be oncontract notes this? Could they ... should they report it to thePrincipal ... or someone in Authority in the Education Department?Many of these teachers ... from the Caribbean, England , Canada... and even Cayman do not .. because they are in fear of losingtheir position. Fear certainly rules at the top of some classrooms... even by teachers ... who have physical fear the some of kidsthey are teaching ...and their parents.

One caring citizen noted recently, thatchildren from as young as 10 years and in their teens ... thatthe upheaval in Northward Prison with the ultimate control ofthe institution falling into the hands of the prisoners, has givenmany kids on the outside (of prison so far) the impression thatthey have the upper hand in the society ... that they are untouchableby all adults -- law enforcement officials ... even their parents.
This brings to mind the statement by a someone from the Fire Serviceafter a hurricane by-passed Cayman. He said: "Not even (Hurricane)Gilbert can touch we". The longer the breakdown of disciplineand lack of official response in support of cubing these growingills continue, the winds of social disorder emanating from manyof our youth will continue to blow our away, disrupting the wayof life we treasure.

Still No PolicePress Releases
The obvious ban on CAYMAN NET NEWS receiving Press Releases fromthe Community Relations Department of the Royal Cayman IslandsPolice Service with reports made in connection with crime andother matters of lawlessness continues.