Articles

Wanting to develop a long-term financial roadmap that charts the future of Cayman, the Government and Deloitte & Touche signed a deal that signified

Economic Plan Actioned

At the signing for the commission of an economic development plan were (l-r) Financial Secretary, Hon. George McCarthy; Assistant Financial Secretary II, Mr. Kenneth Jefferson; Leader of Government Business, Hon. McKeeva Bush; West Bay MLA Captain Eugene Ebanks; Deloitte & Touche (D&T) Managing Partner, Mr. Ian Wight; D&T Director of Regulatory and Economic Consulting Services, Mr. Paul Byles; and D&T Partner Mr. Stu Sybersma.

The Cayman Islands Government signed two Letters of Engagement
on Tuesday commissioning the accounting firm Deloitte & Touche to carry out an economic development plan for the country, and an enhancement of its statistical system.

The Leader of Government Business, the Hon. McKeeva Bush, said both actions are very much needed. "In the past, we have simply been managing situations, responding to events as they occurred," he said, "There has been no real economic planning, no roadmap available to tell us where we are going. This cannot continue in the future."

The plan, which is expected to take five months to complete, will provide the Cayman Islands with a long-term road map of economic development. The process of making the plan will draw heavily on input from the private sector, according to Mr. Bush. "It will also draw on the wishes of the general public, as articulated in the Vision 2008 statement."

The enhancement of the Government statistical system comes after calls by both the Chamber of Commerce and Government economic consultant Professor Sir James Mirrless to update the country's economic statistics. "Data on the structure of the Cayman Islands economy is out of date," wrote Professor Mirrless in his report to Government, "United Nations National Account statistics published in 2002 gives tables of value added by industry, but only for the years 1987 to 1991."

Financial Secretary, Hon. George McCarthy praised the moves to hire Deloitte & Touche. "This comes at a time when it is required," he said, "Government needs this information and Deloitte & Touche will be able to supply it."

Deloitte & Touche managing partner Mr. Ian Wight said his company was up for the challenge. "The specialised unit within the practice of Deloitte & Touche is well-prepared to conduct this study," he said.

Mr. Bush said the money expended on these projects will be well-spent. "There will be sceptics who will say that these are just more plans that will not get implemented," he said. "This is definitely not the case, simply because the Island's very livelihood depends on us finding a way forward to sustain our present economic base, and to expose new areas of growth and expansion."

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New Grand Court Justice Appointed

Chief Justice Hon. Anthony Smellie, QC (l) and HE the Governor Mr. Bruce Dinwiddy, CMG (r), flank Mr. Justice Alex Henderson, QC, new Grand Court judge, and his wife, Esther.

Mr. Justice Alex Henderson, QC, was sworn in as a Grand Court Justice for the Cayman Islands, by His Excellency the Governor, Mr. Bruce Dinwiddy, CMG, on Tuesday, 1 July.

The new Grand Court Justice comes here from British Columbia, where he worked in various capacities for over thirty years. Mr. Justice Henderson has served as an acting judge for Cayman's courts since 2000.

He notes that having worked here prior to this appointment is an asset, enabling him to gain an appreciation for the judiciary, as well as local culture. "I am aware that norms and customs often differ from place to place," he says.

"But," he emphasises, "my mandate is not to impose or argue for how things are done up north. It's to integrate myself into the local court system, as well as the Islands' culture."

Mr. Justice Henderson also outlined the benefits of this jurisdiction. While there are 100 Supreme Court Justices in British Columbia, there are just three here. More international commercial cases are heard in the Cayman Islands, which fits his background in corporate commercial work, and the legal fraternity is smaller.

"The Chief Justice, the Hon. Anthony Smellie, QC, JP, Mrs. Justice Priya Levers, QC, and I talk almost every day, about one thing or another. That's good, that's one of the strengths of a small judiciary," he explains. "You can't have that kind of interaction with a hundred judges."

He also appreciates the close legal fraternity. "Judges and lawyers here know each other well," Mr. Justice Henderson says. "On average, the bar here is very good, very competent, and capable lawyers do make judges' jobs easier. They focus on the correct issues, and are clear in what they say and ask for."

Mr. Justice Henderson has acted in several high-profile cases in British Columbia, including one in which he was retained by a religious group to legally oppose an assisted suicide. The matter became the subject of two books and a movie. "I was lucky in that I had a number of interesting cases," he notes.

Cayman's newest Grand Court judge also lectured part-time at the University of British Columbia Law School for ten years, while maintaining his law practice. He has given at least a hundred lectures, over the years to various professional groups, and has authored chapters on legal matters in several books.

Mr. Justice Henderson, an avid scuba diver, is married to Esther Henderson, a dive master whom he met in Cayman. They have one daughter, Tanya.

The Chief Justice, Hon. Anthony Smellie QC, added a very special welcome to Justice and Mrs. Henderson.

He thanked the Justice for having served, from time to time, as a Judge of the Grand Court and was very pleased to note that he had already won the confidence of his colleagues, and of everyone who had appeared in his court. "While from time to time we will need to call on a fourth judge for assistance, I am also pleased that the Grand Court is back to its full complement of permanent judges," concludes the Chief Justice.

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Local Teen to Attend Conference

Patrice Frederick

Seventeen-year-old Caymanian Patrice Frederick has been selected to attend the Global Young Leaders Conference (GYLC) from 6 17 July in Washington, DC and New York City.

GYLC is a unique leadership development program for secondary school students from around the world who have demonstrated leadership potential and scholastic merit.

Patrice will be among 350 outstanding scholars from around the world to attend the Conference. These students represent the world's best in academics and leadership according to a GYLC article on the web.

The theme of GYLC is The Leaders of Tomorrow Preparing for the Global Challenges and Responsibilities of the Future. Patrice will have the opportunity to interact with key leaders and newsmakers with powerful influence over politics, finance, culture and diplomacy. She will also be able to take part in carefully designed curriculum, which includes thought-provoking simulations that build leadership skills.

"I'm very excited and honoured to be given an opportunity to attend GYLC," remarked Patrice.

GYLC culminates with a Global Summit, in which students apply what they've learned throughout the Conference as they debate, negotiate and build coalitions dealing with issues such as foreign aid, global warming, cooperative efforts in space, terrorism and human rights.

Past highlights of the programme include a briefing at the U.S. Department of State, an address at the United Nations, and site visits to financial institutions on Wall Street.

The GYLC is sponsored by the Congressional Youth Leadership Council (CYLC), which offers education leadership conferences for outstanding young people from around the world, providing them with exciting enrichment opportunities and authentic leadership laboratories.

The Council's programs are designed to inspire today's outstanding youth to reach their full leadership potential.

Patrice is the daughter of proud parents David and Marcia Frederick, and is a recent graduate of Wesleyan Christian Academy.

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World Report

Palestinian PM Mahmud Abbas

Israeli PM
Ariel Sharon

BAGHDAD: Four United States soldiers were reportedly killed in Baghdad, with attacks on coalition forces showing no sign of letting up and as a series of unexplained blasts overnight left six Iraqis dead.

HONG KONG: Hundreds of thousands of people marched here in protest at anti-subversion legislation that many in this former British colony fear could erode political freedom six years after its return to Chinese rule.

JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his Palestinian counterpart PM Mahmud Abbas expressed hope for peace as they held talks.

SEOUL: North Korea's military threatened "strong and merciless" retaliation if the United States and its allies imposed sanctions or a blockade.

ABUJA: Nigerian police adopted strong-arm tactics as they dispersed a protest meeting on the second day of a nationwide general strike, firing tear gas and beating journalists.

WASHINGTON: Under mounting pressure to send US troops to war-ravaged Liberia, President Bush's top advisers are "actively discussing" how best to help bring peace there.

SEOUL: South Korean railway workers voted to end their four-day strike, backing away from their confrontation with President Roh Moo-Hyun's tough new stand on labor unrest.

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News

Additional security measures now in place at Owen Roberts International Airport

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) advises the travelling public that in order to comply with the Cayman Islands National Aviation Security Programme, 100 percent Hold Baggage Screening (HBS) will commence at Owen Roberts International Airport (ORIA) on 1, July 2003.

Last week the CAA announced that frisking or 'pat downs' would take place at the security check-point for passengers departing Owen Roberts International Airport (ORIA) in Grand Cayman and the Gerrard-Smith International Airport in Cayman Brac.

These hand searches were mandated by the UK Department for Transport (DfT) as a requirement of all Overseas Territories. The directive was issued as a "Single Direction to Aerodrome Managers in the Cayman Islands under the Aviation Security Act 1982 relating to Aviation Security (AVSEC)".

In turn, the Cayman Islands National Aviation Security Programme stipulated this procedure and stated that it would occur for one in every five passengers, or 20 percent of all passengers processed. Passengers are advised that the 'pat down' will take place either because they have been chosen at random, or because the security electronic scanning devices indicate the need for the procedure.

The CAA's new announcement means that all checked bags departing the Cayman Islands to all destinations will be screened before going into the hold.

This implementation will ensure that the Cayman Islands remain in compliance with international standards and regulations, and that our practices of safe and secure procedures equate with those employed at most international airports in the US, Canada and Europe. These policies are in keeping with an overall aim of ensuring the highest standards of security for the travelling public.

Security personnel in Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac have been trained to global industry standards by qualified UK DfT security trainers. Flowers Air Dispatch Services (FADS), which has an existing contract with the Civil Aviation Authority to provide passenger-screening services at ORIA, will carry out this procedure in Grand Cayman.

CAA's own security officers are trained in this procedure on the Brac. These personnel have received the required levels of classroom training, on-the-job practical training and sensitivity training to prepare them to appropriately serve the public in this area.

In order to meet departure schedules and reduce the occurrences of delays, passengers are reminded to adhere to the 3-hour check-in requirement. It is hoped that passengers will be able to board their flights in a timely manner, following security procedures that are as seamless as possible.

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The 2003-2004 Budget Highlights

Part three in a series

In the third of our series of articles on the 2003/2004 Budget, we continue with the Budget Address to the Legislative Assembly on June 17, 2003, by the Financial Secretary, the Hon. George McCarthy, which outlined the Government's strategic goals for the next fiscal year.

Having described new measures designed to strengthen the economy, Mr McCarthy then turned to what is termed "Human Capital Development" the expansion of a well educated and vocationally trained population. In this area, the Government has a six-fold strategy: (1) promote and support improvement in school facilities; (2) strengthen local teacher education; (3) improve information, communication and technology amongst students and teachers; (4) enhance technical and vocational education; (5) establish citizenship education as part of schools' curricula; and (6) expand tertiary education opportunities and facilities.

To achieve these goals, three new schools are planned: a high school at Frank Sound and new primary schools at Spotts and West Bay. In addition, new temporary classrooms will be provided at George Hicks High School and the Bodden Town Primary School, as well as other renovation projects at various schools.

Tertiary education will be enhanced by the development of a four-year degree programme at the Community College and increased financial support by way of university and college scholarships. In all, the Budget allocates $45.8 million, or 15% of total government expenditure, to education and human capital development. A new Education Law is also planned, which will provide a major legislative overhaul of the national education system.

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Portfolio of Finance and Economics

Hon. George McCarthy,
Financial Secretary

The total budget for 2003/2004 for the Financial Secretary is $31,328,616 of which the largest component is financial management and advice in various forms at $12,635,463.

The next largest item, at $8,632,893, covers the regulatory oversight and monitoring of Cayman's financial sector, including some 340 banks, 144 trust companies, and 900 mutual funds. The government expects to issue 12 new banking licences during the coming year, along with new licences for 56 insurance services providers.

The budget for the customs department, including processing of arriving passengers and cargo and investigation of possible offences, totals $5,635,447, of which $38,039 is earmarked for the provision of drug awareness education.

The maintenance of the Cayman Islands shipping registry accounts for some $1,970,000 of this year's budget and the maintenance of a general register some $1,279,813.

The cost of management and advice relating to public service pensions is budgeted at $1,175,000 in respect of an estimated 550 public service pensioners, 46 parliamentary pensioners, 41 ex gratia recipients, and 1 judicial pensioner.

The Financial Secretary's Office Expenditure

Financial Management and Advice 12,635,463
Regulatory Oversight and Monitoring 8,632,893
Customs Processing and Enforcement 5,635,447
Shipping Registry 1,970,000
General Register 1,279,813
Pension Management and Advice 1,175,000
Total 31,328,616

In the next issue of Cayman Net News: Friday, 4 July 2003:
Budget for the Portfolio of Government Business

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Things you didn't know about recreational drugs

l We use our BRAIN to think, learn, dream. Smoking causes migraine headaches and strokes because there is less oxygen in the blood and less blood gets to your brain.
l We use our MOUTH and TEETH to eat, sing, rap. Cigarettes damage your teeth and gums. Gives you bad breath and can cause cancer of the mouth, tongue, cheek, and lips!

Information sourced from the Cayman Islands National Drug Council, telephone: (345) 949-9000

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Rotary Changover

Last Thursday, 26 June, members of the Rotary Club of Grand Cayman and special guests, including the Governor and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Dinwiddy, gathered at Ottmar's Restaurant for their annual changeover dinner to watch the ushering in of the new Board of Directors and to recognise the efforts of both members and non-members who have played an important role in the community.

After a photo gallery presentation depicting the events of the 2002/2003 year, perfect attendance awards were distributed to those members who demonstrated their commitment to Rotary through records of unbroken attendance. Included were Sophia Harris, Chris Evans, Betty Baraud, Larry Chomyn, Rob Jamieson and Alan Roffey. Those who had perfect attendance for ten years or more were Bobby Bodden 10 years, Harry McCoy 12 years, Rick Burgos 16 years, Reggie Parsons 22 years, and David Foster 24 years.

Next, it was time for the presentation of the second annual Custos Edmund Parsons Paul Harris Fellowship Award, which was inaugurated at last year's changeover dinner by Mr. Reggie Parsons, grandson of the late Custos Edmund Parsons, who served Cayman as the last Caymanian head of state from 1888 to 1898.

Addressing those who were present, outgoing president Mr. Nicholas Freeland outlined the importance of the award. "This is one of the most significant awards that our club can bestow," he said. "Each year, [it] is presented to a distinguished Caymanian citizen selected by our Board of Directors and thanks to Reggie's personal generosity, the annual cost of granting the award has been underwritten for ten years."

While last year's award went to Mr. Will Jackson, this year the recipient was Ms. Olive Miller, who was recently named as one of five women to receive the Quincentennial Distinguished Woman Award for Community Service. Before presenting the award, Mr. Parsons outlined the impact that Ms. Miller had had upon the community.

"Since she first visited Grand Cayman in 1946 as Olive Wright, she has been very closely associated and involved with our community and the people of Grand Cayman. From 1946-48, she was a missionary worker with the Church of Scotland, stationed in Jamaica and visiting Grand Cayman for six week periods. In 1949, she came to the Island permanently as a mission worker with the Presbyterian Church. During the week she was a teacher at the newly founded Cayman High School, and on weekends she was involved in church work in the various districts.

Over the years, her involvement with the Presbyterian/ United Church has been varied organising the girls' Guildry/Brigade, training Sunday School teachers, church elder, secretary to the Board of Governors of Cayman High School, plus many other accomplishments up to the present."

In 1971, Ms. Miller became involved in the civil service, first as the Government Information Officer, and later as assistant to the Chief Secretary. She founded the Pink Ladies Volunteer Corps and also became Associate Editor of an early Caymanian newspaper called The Tradewinds. In 1967, she was awarded the Queen's Badge and Certificate of Honour and in 1977, she received the M.B.E. distinction. She has been a Justice of the Peace since 1978, and will celebrate her 82nd birthday this November, marking 57 years since she came to the Cayman Islands.

In receiving the award, Ms. Miller provided the crowd with a dose of humour. "Once again I find myself the recipient of honours for the community service I have been privileged to render over many years," she said. "I'm beginning to think folk will soon be saying, "Not her again!"

She continued: "The road has not always been easy for me, and I have worked hard for all that I have achieved, but, as the song goes, I have taken 'one day at a time' and asked the Lord to 'give me the strength to do each day what I had to do' and I have been grateful for the help Rotarians have always given me in all the projects I have undertaken."

Next, outgoing President Mr. Nicholas Freeland delivered his final address, and in so doing, payed special tribute to those individuals who provided him with outstanding support both personally and in his administration over the past year. Chi Chi Foster and Iris Chomyn were recognised for their support of the club's fellowship events, while Alice Anderson and Jim O'Neill received commendation for their involvement with the Meals on Wheels program. For his special work in reaching out to youths, Mr. Freeland described James Myles as an exemplary role model for the youth of the community.

Inaugurating his own award, which he termed the equivalent of the Oscar's "Lifetime Achievement Award", Mr. Freeland called on Mr. Harry McCoy and Mr. Lionel Downer, for their outstanding service to the club and the community.

Finally, Mr. Freeland named Mrs. Rosie Jamieson as Rotarian of the Year. "Rosie has gone above and beyond in all respects when it comes to our fellowship events," he said. "All our members and their families have enjoyed the wide variety of events that Rosie organised throughout the year."

With that, Mr. Alastair Paterson began the changeover ceremony which would provide the club with a new batch of members to fill the posts of the Board of Directors for the 2003-2004 year.

They are: President Jonathan Nicholson, Immediate past President Mr. Nicholas Freeland, President Elect Mr. Raymond Whittaker, Vice President Mr. David Kirkaldy, Secretary Ms. Lori McRae, Treasurer Mr. Richard Harris, Sergeant-at-Arms Mr. Derek Haines, and Directors: Ms. Betty Baraud, Mr. Stuart Bostock, Mr. Lawrence Chomyn, Mr. Richard Coles, Mr. Christopher Evans, Mr. Robert Jamieson, and Mr. Trevor Neckles.
After remarks by in-coming President Mr. Johnathan Nicholson, outlining his hopes for the club in the coming year, Mr. Alan Brodie delivered a closing toast to end an eventful evening.

(l-r) Immediate PP Mr. Nicholas Freeland, Honorary Rotarians Mrs. Emma Dinwiddy and
His Excellency the Governor Mr. Bruce Dinwiddy and new President Jonathan Nicholson.

Mr. David Foster receives an award for 24 years of perfect Rotary meeting attendance
from outgoing president Mr. Nick Freeland as Club Secretary Lori McRae looks on.

Click here to see more photos

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Editorial

We dare to speak out

This newspaper has taken some heat recently for reporting some things that others preferred we not print. Though the veracity of our articles has been brought into question, we stand by our reports, and our sources.

That some people would back away from an unpopular position is not a novel occurrence. In a time when many issues affecting our country have become highly politicised, it comes as no surprise to find people even in private sector as adept at doublespeak as the most polished of politicians.

Too long, it seems, our society has lived in a hushed world of whispers, where decisions that affect us all are sometimes made without the general knowledge of the public. This practice, too, is not unique to the Cayman Islands. No doubt governments, corporations and other organisations the world over would love to conduct all of their business behind closed doors if the people allowed them.
The people in most democratic countries rely on one particular institution to provide the checks and balances required for proper accountability of both the public and private sectors. That institution, idealistically known as the fourth estate, is the media. In most countries, the media's role as public watchdog is seen as vital to the process of democracy.

The print media is seen as particularly essential, because the written word, even on a newspaper that is replaced by another the very next day, is less fleeting than the audio and video forms of media. The role of newspapers all over the world is well known to democratic societies. As the publisher of the Chicago Times said in 1861, "It is a newspaper's duty to print the news and raise hell."

Here in the Cayman Islands, however, the media historically has not been known to make waves, choosing instead to report mainly on benign news items that could offend few. Though residents craved for the information to which they felt entitled, they received little satisfaction from the established local media.

Not to be deterred, the public sought out other sources of information, mainly through conversation. However, in 1983-1984, there appeared a weekly pamphlet called
The Herald that was so widely popular that it helped bring about a change in political power. With its reports of strong-arm political tactics and secret backroom deals, in addition to a rumour column called "On the Marl Road", The Herald fed the truth-starved public's appetite for the free access to information.

With the advent of mass media in Cayman over the last decade, people have come to expect more than just harmless community news. Residents want to discuss issues these days, and if some Government official or company president does something against the public interest, then they want to know about it.

Here at Cayman Net News, we are keenly aware of the role that we play in this society, and that with internet readers all over the world, we have a serious responsibility to report as accurately as possible.

Unfortunately, there is still some carryover from the days when the media, if it could not say anything nice, did not say anything at all. There are people here who still think that the truth can be hidden from the public.

It is a tribute to the democratic spirit of this society that we receive "tips" almost on a daily basis from citizens concerned with some unjust, irregular or unreported event. Often the people giving us these tips do so at considerable risk to themselves.

We receive these tips in preference to other media because the public trusts us to look into their reports, and we will continue to do so in spite of criticism. As is our policy, we will give a voice even to those who criticise us, for, in the words of the famous American linguist and political scholar Noam Chomsky, "If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all."

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Letters to the Editor

No blanket status grants, says Immigration Chairman

Dear Sir,

I refer to the 30th June 2003 edition of your newspaper and specifically the article therein entitled "Nearly 1,000 For Status."

The article contains a significant error that requires correcting.

On page two of the paper in the conclusion of he article, you make the following statement. "Interestingly, it is understood that all who applied for status through naturalisation for consideration this year will be granted status."

I do no know from whom you got such understanding but I can assure you that no such decision has been taken by the Immigration Board and the Board is the only body empowered in law to determine applications for status on that ground.

Each application for a grant of Caymanian Status subject to a restricted quota must be considered on its own merits and in the context of all other applications for Status under the same sub-section of section 17 of the Immigration Law. This includes applications on the ground of naturalisaton.

A decision to approve every application of that ground on a blanket basis as suggested in your article, (and before quotas have even been officially released and a closing date set within which applications are to be submitted) would be both a breach of numerous provisions of the Immigration Law and Directions as well as a dereliction of the duties of the Board.

Given the seriousness of the issue raised, I trust you will see fit to print this letter by way of correction.

I have taken the liberty to copy this correspondence to the editor of the other local newspaper so as to ensure that a wide cross section of the public is informed as to the true position on this matter.

David E. Ritch OBE, J.P.
Chairman
Immigration Board

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Strong leadership should be applauded

Dear Sir,

Let me start by saying that I never thought I would have to write a letter such as this. But now I am pressed to do so. It seems that this government has risen and is 'taking a stand' on very important issues.

It seems this is an act of statesmanship rather than political. Take for instance the Cable & Wireless situation. Governments of the past (you know who you are) just seemed to have Cayman on automatic pilot.

That's right, the world of yesterday, from a financial point of view, was a much better place to manage than it is today. Real leaders have to stand up an be counted, 'grab the bull by the horns' so to speak.

A true leader will make unpopular decisions, if he or she sees the need to do so. The Cayman islands is a very expensive place to live, as we all know, and monopolies such as Cable & Wireless and C.U.C. contribute to the high cost of living on this Island.

While we are on the topic of monopoly, while Cable & Wireless has beenbleeding this country for much too long, so has C.U.C. They tell us every chance they get how to be energy smart. Well, they were very energy smart to start with; they made it possible for every man, woman and child to buy shares in the company.

Seems to me the main reason behind that ploy was to dig their claws deeper in Cayman society. C.U.C has been holding the Cayman Islands hostage for much too long. Every chance they get they want to put up the rates for electricity. Leaders of the country, do what the governments of the past never had the guts to do.

Please liberate us; you will have the majority of people behind you. While everyone does not have to make overseas calls, one way or the other, everybody uses electricity.

While we are on the topic of making Cayman less expensive, I think we should all support positive efforts when we see them. Whenever leaders step out of line we blast them, so we should also big them up, whenever they stand up for the country.

From where I stand, leaders such as the Hon. Ministers Linford Pierson, Mckeeva Bush and the Hon. Dr. Frank McField should all be applauded. Remember, there are none so blind as those who refuse to see.

Proud son of the soil,
R.M. Ebanks

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Digicel responds to 'Per Second Billing' inquiry

Dear Sir,

We refer to the letter published in the June 30 edition, in which the writer, Ronald D. Ebanks requested explanation from Digicel regarding its advertisement, "First With Per Second Billing".

Digicel welcomes Mr. Ebanks' query and hastens to assure him that it's because of Digicel's innovations in the Caribbean including per second billing that mobile telephone customers in the Cayman Islands are now benefiting from per second billing from Cable & Wireless.

Our advertisement highlights the fact that Digicel was the first to bring per second billing to the Caribbean islands where we provide service. This has been a standard feature of our service, and now Cable & Wireless is following, ensuring that they introduce this feature even before they face direct competition from another mobile service provider.

In fact, after Digicel launched in Jamaica, Cable & Wireless customers had to wait 18 months before being able to benefit from per second billing. Admittedly, they have also introduced per second billing on the fixed line for local calls in that island. Thankfully, some Cable & Wireless customers in the Cayman Islands have already begun to reap the benefit of competition, even before this has been formalized in these islands.

Digicel looks forward to being a full-service provider in the new, competitive telecommunications market in the Cayman Islands, and to bringing more innovations, state-of-the art technology and first-class service to all customers.

Digicel Jamaica Ltd.

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Witnessing history in the making

Dear Sir,

I had the good fortune to witness a historic event at lunch-time on Monday, when His Excellency the Governor, Mr. Bruce Dinwiddy CMG officially appointed the Honorable McKeeva Bush OBE as Leader of Government Business, and the Honorable Mr. Kurt Tibbetts as Leader of the Opposition. Both leaders delivered their acceptance speeches and this was quite an auspicious occasion.

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate both of the leaders and to remind them of their solemn vows they both made with reference to making the country first priority.

Norberg K. Thompson OBE

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Merchants disagree on raised import duty proposal

Dear Editor,

Please allow us the opportunity to comment on the headline article in the Cayman Net News on 17 June 2003. The headline of the article read "Raise Duty, Say Merchants."

The article implies that our membership supported this idea, but we are not aware of any meeting or resolution by the Cayman Merchants Association by which the membership expressed general support for such a proposal.

As a founding and current member of the Cayman Merchants Association, Kirkconnell Brothers Ltd. does not support the concept of increasing import duties for individuals.

We recognize that retailers in the Cayman Islands cannot provide the public with the selection of products available in the United States and other countries and we do not believe that consumers should be penalized for this. Retailers provide consumers with an efficient alternative to direct importation. The consumer therefore has the opportunity to decide on the most practical and economical method of satisfying his or her need.

Brigitte Kirkconnell

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News Analysis

Rights groups say no to child abuse

By KATHY A. GAMBRELL, UPI White House Reporter

WASHINGTON (UPI) - Human rights groups in the United States are reluctant to protest the number of American children abused and neglected in their own homes citing resources, constitutional law and the failure of U.S. officials to ratify an international child rights treaty.

Child abuse and neglect has reached epidemic proportions in the United States with cash-strapped states struggling to fix child-protection systems while, as United Press International reported in a three-part series earlier this year, the issue has failed to resonate with the general public or government officials in any consistent way despite high-profile cases periodically erupting into the public consciousness.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services states 3 million reports of child abuse and neglect were made in 2002. Of that number, 1 million reports were confirmed. Statistics indicate that about 12.4 out of every 1,000 children were victims of abuse or neglect, up from 12.2 out of 1,000 children in 2001.

Some 1,500 children die each year as a result of abuse and neglect in their own homes. Thus, over a 3-year period, more children have died in the United States at the hands of parents or caregivers than there were victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in New York and Washington.

Human rights advocates say the problem lies in the limited resources of many groups; the structure of the federal government, which provides autonomy for the states; and the fact that the United States has failed to sign a 1989 international treaty guaranteeing the safety and protection of children.

Michael Bochenek, counsel for Human Rights Watch's children's division, said that from a practical standpoint, the problem - at least with his organization - has more to do with the allocation of resources.

"It is difficult to get into jails, but it is more difficult to get into (private) homes," Bochenek said. "Every group has to pick its own focus and that could mean some issues go un-addressed."

Organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have shied from taking on the U.S. government for what child advocates have long considered its inaction on the plight of abused and neglected children.

Often the cases that emerge in the media are at once startling and horrid but elicit little attention from federal, state or local government officials unless there is a hint of misconduct on the part of employees under their watch.

Numerous cases have made front-page headlines in just the past two weeks:
· In Mount Vernon, Va., the body of a baby boy less than 2 weeks old was found June 8 in a pond on a private country club golf course. The child's mother has not been located.

· A 2-year-old girl was killed allegedly by her mother and the mother's boyfriend in Laurens County, S.C. Investigators say the couple abused and neglected the girl, who had head injuries. They were charged with homicide by child abuse.

· A 7-year-old Phoenix boy was found emaciated and locked in a closet inside his parents' home. Police said the child weighed 36 pounds and was bruised when law enforcement found him. The boy's parents, who have been charged with child abuse, told police the child was being punished and admitted they did not feed him for up to a week at a time, media reports said.

· And in Newport News, Va., police said a man punished his 5-year-old son by placing him in a metal cage and by whipping him with a belt. The boy's father and his 31-year-old wife have been charged with felony child abuse.
These cases and others like them rival treatment of children in other countries targeted as human rights violators.

Last week, Amnesty International released a report charging that each year, the United States jails some 5,300 children who enter the country illegally, holding them without access to attorneys. According to the report, some of the children were restrained and physically abused in violation of international agreements.

Officials with Amnesty International said the report, while generated in the United States, was an offshoot of its work on refugees.

Human rights organizations say that their inability to challenge U.S. officials on the rising number of abused and neglected children is due to the nation's failure to sign the U.N.'s Convention on the Rights of the Child, an international treaty that details how children should be treated. Adopted and signed in 1989, the United States has not ratified the pact.

Ambassador Michael E. Southwick, with the U.S. mission to the United Nations, told United Press International that the agreement was negotiated as far back as the 1960s and 1970s. Social conservatives, he said, opposed it saying that it was not protective enough of parents.

Southwick also said that the federalism issue made ratifying the document complicated.

"And finally, do you really need a treaty to do this? The (United States) has good laws - state of the art," Southwick said.

He said it was unlikely that the treaty would be ratified during the Bush administration.

Bochenek said that signing the agreement would force the United States to improve child protection, foster care and other quality of life issues for U.S. children.

Southwick said he did not believe that was the case.

"Our record in the practical sense is good," Southwick said, pointing to the U.S. government's signing on in support for treaties against children in armed conflict, sexual exploitation and the worst forms of child labor.

The language in the children's rights states that: "the child, by reason of his physical and mental immaturity, needs special safeguards and care, including appropriate legal protection, before as well as after birth."

It also insists that states "protect the child from all forms of physical and mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse while in the care of parents, legal guardians or any other person who has the care of the child."

Bochenek said the agreement would raise standard for the U.S. government to protect its children and signing it would immediately put the government in violation of an international treaty.

Alistair Hodgett, spokesman from Amnesty International's legislative office in Washington, said his organization does much work on children's rights, mostly in the area of criminal justice.

Decisions about what issues to research and investigate is generated from Amnesty International's London office, officials said.

Hodgett acknowledged that human rights abuses occurred in the United States but that the fact Amnesty International has not tackled the issue may be a simple case of capacity.

"There may be other groups that are already doing work on it. It may be beyond what we can do," Hodgett said.

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Health Feature

Baldness drug fights prostate cancer

By ED SUSMAN, UPI Science News

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (UPI) - A popular drug used to treat baldness in men also could become a powerful new weapon in the fight against prostate cancer, even though the drug also seems to cause more serious and potentially lethal forms of prostate cancer in some of the patients who develop the disease.

The drug, finasteride - sold under the brand names Proscar and the better-known Propecia - has been used for several years to treat enlarged prostate glands and, in lower doses, male baldness. Based on a major new study, finasteride also seems to cut prostate cancer risk by 25 percent.

"That's a profound reduction," said Dr. Peter Scardino, chairman of the department of urology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. In the United States alone, a 25-percent cut would mean more than 55,000 fewer prostate cancer diagnoses each year.

Because of the downside, however, the results "definitely (carry) a mixed message," said Dr. Charles Coltman, Jr., director of the San Antonio Cancer Institute and chairman of the Southwest Oncology Group, which conducted the study. "So, we sought the most rigorous peer review we could."

The forum for review that Coltman and colleagues selected for the 7-year, 18,882-man study was the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine. The publication considered the results significant enough to release them Tuesday, more than three weeks early, so clinicians could begin studying the implications. The study will appear in NEJM's July 17 issue.

The study detected prostate cancer in 803 of the 4,368 men in the finasteride group whose data were available for the final analysis. That is about 18.4 percent of the total. Cancer also was found in 1,147 men among the 4,692 men who were taking placebo and could be evaluated - or 24.4 percent of the group.

"That difference is statistically significant," Coltman said.

However, the men who registered high Gleason scores - ratings of the potential lethality of their disease - totalled 6.4 percent of those on finasteride and 5.1 percent of those on placebo. In other words, the risk of more dangerous cancers developing seems to be about 1 percent higher when finasteride is involved.
Because of the increased risk, Coltman and Scardino doubted many doctors would begin prescribing finasteride to battle one of the most puzzling and challenging forms of cancer. Just like so many other issues in contemporary medical treatment - the controversy that has been simmering the past year over hormone replacement therapy comes immediately to mind - using the drug involves tradeoffs.

Coltman explained some of those tradeoffs, which men over age 55 will have to discuss with their doctors:
· If 1,000 men take finasteride to reduce an enlarged prostate gland, at the end of seven years, 45 will develop cancer.
· If those same 1,000 men do not take finasteride, 60 will have cancer at the end of the seven years.
· Among the men who develop cancer who took finasteride, 22 will develop high-grade, dangerous cancers.
· Among the men who have cancer but did not take finasteride, 18 will develop high-grade malignancies.
In addition, men who take finasteride will find themselves at increased risk for sexual side effects, although the doctors said those effects, including impotence, also occur normally in men as they age.

"This is a landmark study in many ways," Scardino, professor of medicine at Cornell University in New York City, told United Press International. "I think many of us were surprised that finasteride profoundly reduced cancer in these men."

The biggest problem in dealing with prostate cancer is the wide variety of treatments - from the most conservative approach of "watchful waiting," which means doing nothing, to radial prostatectomy, the removal of the walnut-sized gland in an operation that can leave a man impotent and incontinent. Yet making more therapy options available generally means creating even more indecision about what course is best.

"Finasteride prevents or delays the appearance of prostate cancer," said Coltman, "but this possible benefit and a reduced risk of urinary problems must be weighed against sexual side effects and the increased risk of high-grade prostate cancer."

The report in the New England Journal of Medicine is based on findings involving about half of the participants, or 9,457 men. Because the preliminary results appeared to favor finasteride's anti-cancer benefits over the use of a placebo in other patients, the study, called the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial - which was sponsored by the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Md. - was terminated early. The 10-year trial originally was scheduled to end in May 2004.

"The numbers of people taking part in this study are so huge that we think this is a real finding," Scardino said. "We saw this difference across the board. We have to tell patients who are going to take finasteride that there is a one-in-100 chance that they will develop a dangerous cancer - at the same time we are telling them that taking the drug will result in a 25 percent reduction in getting prostate cancer."

Even though the study involved nearly 19,000 men, it was not large enough or long enough to determine if finasteride improved prostate cancer survival odds. Coltman estimated such a determination would require 15 years of observation and 57,000 participants.

"We will continue to follow these men and see what happens with them," he said. Study patients are being told which group they were in - finasteride or placebo - so they can change their medication after consultation with their doctors.

"The study gives us a lot more facts than we had before," Scardino said, "but it doesn't make it any easier to advise our patients what to do. I think I will be able to tell patients who are on finasteride now for control of benign prostate hyperplasia (non-cancerous enlarged prostate) that they do not have to change their medication. However, I think these patients should be monitored closely if they have prostate changes."

Scardino also suggested younger men using Propecia to prevent baldness might be doing themselves a favor by reducing their risk of prostate cancer, but whether that assumption remains valid in the long run will require a larger clinical study.

Both Propecia and Proscar are manufactured by Merck and Company Inc., of Whitehouse Station, N.J.

"If I had patients with a family history of prostate cancer," Coltman said, "I might advise them to take finasteride as a preventive treatment based on these results." However, he noted he and the patient would have to weigh the pros and cons of the study.

Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer, the second leading cause of death from cancer in men and the sixth leading cause of all deaths in the United States.

The number of new cases of prostate cancer, now estimated at more than 220,000 per year, is expected to rise to 380,000 by 2025 because of the aging male population, Scardino wrote in an editorial accompanying Coltman's report. Prostate cancer frequency and mortality rates increase with age. Other major risk factors include family history, ethnicity, and high fat diet. So far, there is no proven means of prevention.

Because prostate cancer is such a common disease, Scardino and Coltman both suggested the new study - and follow-up data on the study subjects - will be mined by scientists for nuggets that might help them find new ways to treat the disease in the future.

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Help Me Harlan

Children of abusers make their voices heard

Harlan Cohen

Dear Harlan,
The letter from "Not Good Enough" brought tears to my eyes. I also grew up with a mother who could never say anything good about me, despite the fact that I was bright (sixth in my high-school class of 500), beautiful and an all-around nice person (she called it weakness). I was constantly told that I was lacking in some way and that my birth had "ruined" her life. Today they call that verbal abuse, and it is often as hard to deal with as physical abuse. You gave the writer very good advice, and I hope she has the strength to use it. Nobody could change my mother, and I moved out at 17.

For two years after moving out, I ended every phone conversation with my mom by saying, "I really do not want to talk to you if you are saying bad things about me. I do not deserve it. I will talk to you later," and then I'd hang up. It took her two years to get it, but eventually she did lighten up, as it became clear that I would not continue to be abused. Despite my words, it took years and a wonderful husband who supports me emotionally to realize that the things my mother said weren't really true. Yet sometimes I still have to consciously remind myself that I deserve what I accomplish. Unfortunately for my mother, when she died years later, our still-strained relationship was one of her biggest regrets. I hope that "Good Enough" can remember that she is truly "good enough," and I hope that someone can get through to her parents. I will be praying for this family.
Sometimes It Still Hurts

Dear Still Hurts,
You have no idea how many children you have helped by sharing your letter. I only hope it can help abusive parents to STOP and seek help.

Dear Harlan,
I wanted to respond to the letter from "Not Good Enough." If I could talk to the girl, I would tell her to hang in there, life does get better I know. She should follow your advice and find a support system outside of her family, through her extracurricular activities, her friends, her church if she has one, or supportive adults at school or in her extended family. I was in the same situation, but it was 25 years ago. One particularly bad day, I even briefly considered suicide. Instead, I made a vow to myself to get out as soon as I was legal and to create my own idea of a family.

For the past 25 years, I have been blessed with wonderful friends, several extended family members that have been supportive, and a loving husband and daughter. I quit 25 years ago trying to understand my parents' behavior. It wasn't going to change anything. They are still bitter and disapproving, but in my mind, they are the ones who lost out. I have the support and love of my created family, and my parents are alone, except for my once-a-year obligatory visit. Thanks for a great column. (And by the way, I like your ears.)
K
Dear K,
Thank you for the letter (and for that ear compliment). Again, I hope that the abusers reading this will seek help. And for those children being abused, please know that there is hope, help and support. NEVER give up.

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Health Today

Creative cooking offers exciting options for healthy living

If your New Year's resolution was to live a healthier lifestyle, you're not alone. In fact, more than 20 million Americans have made that same resolution and kept it, thanks to the numerous options available to help people live longer, more productive and enjoyable lives. From home fitness equipment to the growing popularity of alternative exercise options like yoga and tai chi, the "fitness market" is no longer a niche, but a major part of the mainstream. Hitting the gym may be half the battle, but some of the most important work to be done with regard to healthier living still takes place in the kitchen.

According to nutritional research, reducing saturated fat and calories in your diet is just as important to your health as adequate exercise. One of the easiest ways to do this is by using dressings, marinades, herbs and spices, instead of high-fat sauces or butter to flavor your meals. Reflecting some of the latest restaurant trends, condiments offer a chance to try bold, unique flavorings in a wide range of dishes with only a fraction of the saturated fat and calories. And, consumer research indicates that condiment users are more likely to lead fit and healthy lives. In other words, having "easy access" to healthy food options especially in today's busy world is key for many to develop a healthier lifestyle.

Now you can enjoy the benefits of these new trends with a range of gourmet products now available in your
local supermarket. For example, new French's GourMayo flavored, light mayonnaises offer bold taste with half the fat and calories of regular mayonnaise.

Different cooking styles can also offer options for healthy meals. For example, Mexican-inspired cooking adds bold and spicy texture to your dishes with vegetables like chipotle chili and herbs like fresh cilantro. Many Mediterranean foods are prepared using olive oil and incorporate vegetables like sundried tomatoes, fish and whole grains. Asian-inspired meals are often prepared using sharply flavored seasonings like wasabi, with cooking methods low in saturated fat like stir-fry and steaming. Scientific research indicates that such foods and cooking methods may help prevent heart disease. Don't be afraid to experiment to find the taste that's right for you. Get started on the road to a healthier life today.

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Walking Back

The Cayman Islands ( Part 1)

Will Jackson

In the year 1734, the first Royal land grant was made to one David and Mary Campbell and next to a John Middleton. This grant was issued by the Governor of Jamaica in the form of letters to the individuals, with the agreement that they and their slaves should remain in the island as planters assisting the industries of Jamaica. They were granted three thousand acres of land to manage; other grants came after to a William Foster and a Mary Bodden. There was a Thomas Newland, from whence the Newlands village got its name.

Mr. Newland was a timber merchant, cutting and shipping large quantities of mahogany which grew in abundance over Grand Cayman; little by little the settlers grew as they kept on coming down from Jamaica.

There were the Tatums and Jennets; then came the Ebanks, Hunters and Hydes and the Hills; Those may all be counted among the founding fathers, whose names remain on the roll of Caymanians even until now. By the time the settlers really began to form communities, slavery was abolished, and land grants were of the past. One claimed land anywhere he saw a lot unclaimed. There was a quiet land war around the Island; more so in the eastern areas where was much land.

The 1830's saw the end of slavery when many of the slaves would launch out on their own, seeking their own living. Bodden Town which possessed many slaves could not contain them all as freed men, and many of them traveled east seeking their own fortune. There was much land in East End deep into the interior, which as soon claimed. All of the settlers on that end though strove to live as close to the sea and the beaches as
possible because of the hordes of mosquitoes that pestered them, but which the trade winds that blew along the shores helped to drive away.

Each family had to find sustenance by cultivating the land and making good use of the sea foods so they slept and relaxed in their humble little houses on the waterfront, doing one thing or another to earn their livelihood; the old folks of course, were very industrious, to the point of self help; mostly they built their own houses, almost completely out of the woods of the interior.

There was a saying among the fathers, "necessity is the mother of invention" this thought they lived by; it rang completely true among those early settlers. They accomplished with a machete, a hatchet and a saw, what we today bring in foreign contractors to do, using all the modern electrical tools for every purpose. I like to think of some of the beautiful schooners I saw built locally, and rigged to ply the oceans; like their houses that lasted an hundred years or more, unless destroyed by a severe hurricane; even so the ships they built would only be put down by hurricanes or being wrecked on a reef somewhere.

It was in the 1830's when the island began to be governed and operated as an island rather than altogether being looked upon as an unwanted parish of Jamaica; because the island had no resources to offer the mother country, or the adoptive mother, it had to be treated even as the illegitimate child, getting only that which the children of the home didn't need. In 1832 a legislative assembly was formed, consisting of the magistrates, appointed by the governor of Jamaica, along with some elected men, known as vestry men.

Thus the form of representative government was established, which did very well for the good of the island, until 1959 when an internal self government began to be dreamt of, and worked on by the then parliamentary type government that was formed. Soon the Island slipped away from the humble condition of being a dependency of Jamaica.

Thanks to Dr. Roy McTaggart's foresight, the Cayman Islands set out on a path that has led onward to our state of well being and success which is now enjoyed. Thanks to such men as Mr. Warren Connolly, Mr. Ormond Panton, Mr. Ducan Merren, and all the other great men of the times; just the time when the future of the Cayman Islands needed to be charted, and the old ship required good helmsmen to keep her on course.

Thanks to the God of Heaven for the wisdom he gave and the care he kept over these three rocks which were discovered only 500 years ago. May they ever be blessed by Heaven!

Will Jackson
Seafarer and noted
Caymanian Historian

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Overseas People

Paul McCartney considering concert in Cuba: report

President Fidel Castro (l) speaking to Abel Prieto, Culture Minister to Cuba.

HAVANA (AFP) Former Beatle Paul McCartney is considering holding a concert in Cuba next year, and is sending his agents to the island in July to work out the details, the Juventud Rebelde newspaper reports.

Cuban authorities, including Culture Minister Abel Prieto, have already approved the concert, the paper said, quoting writer Ernesto Juan Castellanos, who attended McCartney's June 1 concert in Liverpool.

"I know for sure that he wants to come. His representatives have asked me about many things," he told the paper.

McCartney traveled to Cuba with his children in January 2000, to find out more about the island's traditional music

Castellanos took the opportunity to grab a quick word with McCartney at the end of his concert in Liverpool, and asked him when he would go back to Cuba.

Ex-Beatle Sir Paul McCartney performs on the stage of the Preussag Arena in Hanover, Germany during his recent 'Back in the World 2003' Tour. AFP PHOTO DDP/Kai-UWP KNOTH

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BBC and government tensions grow

UK fisheries minister
Ben Bradshaw

LONDON (UPI) - The British government said it wanted an apology from the British Broadcasting Corp. for accusing the government of padding the Iraq dossier.

The request served to intensify the row between the British Broadcasting Corp. and the British government.

According to the BBC, fisheries minister Ben Bradshaw said, "What you (the BBC) have in effect done is accuse the government from the prime minister downwards, including the intelligence services, of misleading parliament."

ABC News reported that the BBC's head of news, Richard Sambrook, denied that BBC had an anti-war agenda and accused a senior aide to Prime Minister Tony Blair of trying to intimidate a broadcaster.

Sambrook said Andrew Campbell had a personal vendetta against the journalist.

A BBC editor called the tension between the state-run corporation and the government unprecedented.

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Overseas Feature

Paris menswear: Yamamoto's samurais, classy Vuitton, van Noten's mambo kings

Models present creations by Yohji Yamamoto 28 June 2003, during the men's spring-summer 2004 ready-to-wear collections in Paris. AFP PHOTO / Pierre VERDY

By Dominique Ageorges

PARIS (AFP) Whether headed to the office or a barbecue, men will be able to adapt their wardrobes to any occasion next summer with the creations of Yohji Yamamoto, Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton and Dries van Noten.

Yamamoto embraced the theatrical and the practical with a collection for spring-summer 2004, unveiled late Saturday, dedicated to the modern samurai, his models graying at the temples as if back from an arduous battle.

A perfect white shirt under a body-hugging jacket served to offset a full long skirt that called to mind the traditional dress of the Japanese fighters. Yamamoto's color choice of black and ecru enhanced the dramatic look.

But the Japanese designer also presented a look for today's urban warriors, pairing jeans with one or more shirts tied around the waist for extra volume. A long beige pinstriped coat added a sobering touch to a red-checked suit.

While US designer Marc Jacobs reinvented working-class blues for Louis Vuitton last season, his collection for next summer is more in tune with the house's reputation for unparalleled luxury and refined grace.

Models paraded down the runway in impeccably cut suits in gray, French blue and navy that seemed fit for Wall Street brokers, while Jacobs offered khaki cotton shorts and a Sahara jacket for casual weekends at the shore.

The scions of wealthy families on the US east coast will likely be seen next summer in Vuitton's smart shorts, Oxford cloth shirts and bow ties, topped with a classic navy blazer.

Sports enthusiasts will not hit the tennis courts without the season's must-have accessory: a gear bag with the signature LV monogram.

For a hot night of dancing and partying, men should look no further than the collection from Belgium's Dries van Noten, who hired a mambo orchestra named "El Tattoo del Tigre" to liven up his tropics-infused runway presentation.

The designer created a laid-back but sexy look worthy of a Havana nightclub by mixing tee-shirts and shorts with brightly-colored waistcoats, tuxedo cummerbunds and jackets with pointed collars.

Van Noten encouraged men to combine the separates in creative ways a long jacket with burgundy stripes topped Bermuda shorts, while a dark green checkered sweater was shown with either checkered or pinstriped trousers.
The Belgian designer blended brick red, celadon and light yellow with white and navy for a crisp summer color palette.

The runway, a huge dance floor surrounded by tables for journalists and buyers, turned into a party hall when the 30-odd musicians kicked up the volume at show's end, enticing the hundreds of guests to strut their stuff.

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Overseas News

Putin says he was ill at ease with protocol on Britain visit

Britain's Prince Charles (r) invites Russian President Vladimir Putin (l) and his wife Lyudmila (c) to get in the car after arriving at Heathrow Airport in London 24 June 2003. Putin's four-day state visit to Britain was the first by a Russian leader since 1874. AFP PHOTO / Adrian DENNIS

Queen Elizabeth II and Russia's President Vladimir Putin pose after the official welcome ceremony at Horse Guards in London. AFP PHOTO / Alexey PANOV

MOSCOW (AFP) Russian President Vladimir Putin returned home from a historic state visit to Britain last Saturday admitting that the rigid British protocol sometimes put him ill at ease, the Interfax news agency reported.

The pomp of protocol "is nicer to look at from outside, because when one participates in it, it presents certain difficulties," said Putin, who nevertheless called the visit during which London and Moscow officially buried their differences over the Iraq war fruitful.

The Russian president admitted donning a tuxedo for the first time during the trip, the first of its kind in 129 years.

"I can't say that I liked it, it is not very comfortable," he said.

But Putin said he did enjoy some of the pomp, especially a ride through downtown London in a carriage with Queen Elizabeth.

Putin and his wife Lyudmila spent four days at Buckingham Palace as personal guests of Queen Elizabeth II, one of the highest honours granted to a foreign leader, in the first such state visit from Russia since 1874.

The president, who speaks fluent German, said he made an effort to speak in English when expressing condolences to the British over soldiers killed during the war in Iraq.

"It wasn't easy," said Putin, who said he practices English for 15-20 minutes each day to "relax."
Putin said he held numerous informal discussions during the four-day visit, including with Prime Minister Tony Blair, encounters that "offered opportunities to make clear one's positions and to better understand one's partners."

"Our partners in Europe, especially in Great Britain, have decided to develop good relations with Russia," Putin said.

From London Putin flew to the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, where he held talks with his Polish counterpart, before returning Saturday night to the Russian capital.

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Prince Charles opens his accounts

The Prince of Wales

LONDON (UPI) - England's future king has opened his bankbook for the first time and he's not exactly poor, a report said.

Charles, the Prince of Wales, receives just under $5 million from taxpayers each year, in addition to an income of $16 million from his official estates, the London Guardian reported.

The statistics were apparently published to demonstrate the heir's value for money.

Charles raised more than $115 million for charity last year. A spokesman said: "He doesn't have a string of cars, he doesn't collect art, he doesn't have a villa in the south of France."

He employs 97 servants and staff, including 17 personal servants, including valets and butlers, a chef, grooms, gardeners and estate workers at Highgrove in Gloucestershire.

The report says he carries out 500 engagements each year and is patron of 350 charities. His office receives 50,000 letters a year and the prince personally writes 2,500 letters.

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Hotel rates rise in Las Vegas

NEW YORK, (UPI) - Rates for Las Vegas hotel rooms have been on the rise in the last few weeks, reported a securities research company.

New York-based Fulcrum Global Partners, found room prices run on average 10 percent to 20 percent higher than they did last year at this time.

The hike started with the end of the Iraqi war, a company analyst said. Las Vegas had benefited from Americans who decided to stay within national borders for their vacations, he added.
According to the survey, room rates at the MGM Mirage for the week of July 7 went up 13 percent to $130 for a week night and up 27 percent to $210 for a weekend.

However, experts told The Los Angeles Times that the increase, a bounce back from April's depressed rates, might be short lived.

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Americans not taking summer vacations

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (UPI) - Fifty-eight percent of American families surveyed say they are not taking a summer vacation primarily because of personal financial concerns.

A nationwide Harris Interactive survey commissioned by Colonial Williamsburg Foundation found half of those polled say family budget for non-essential expenses has a great deal (23 percent) or moderate influence (27 percent) on making summer vacation plans, more than double the concern cited over heightened terrorism alerts (12 percent, great deal of influence) and public health threats (11 percent).

Concerns about the economy, particularly job security, have a modest influence
(17 percent and 14 percent, respectively).

Sixty-one percent say American historic or cultural sites are important vacation destinations. More than 42 percent say they are very (14 percent) or somewhat likely (21 percent), or made plans.

(7 percent) to visit American historic sites this summer.

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'Designer baby' born to save brother

LONDON (UPI) - Britain's first genetic "designer" baby has been born to a couple hoping to cure their other child of a rare anemia, reports said.

Jamie Whitaker was delivered by Caesarian section Monday, 23 June in Sheffield after being genetically matched while still an in-vitro fertilized embryo to his 4-year-old brother, Charlie.

Charlie has the rare Diamond Blackfan anemia which only a transplant of stem cells from a sibling with a perfect tissue match can cure.

After being refused permission to genetically select a tissue match embryo by the Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority in England, parents Jayson and Michelle traveled to the Reproductive Genetics Institute in Chicago for treatment last August.

Blood tests are being carried out to see if Jamie is a perfect tissue match. The vital stem cells have been collected from Jamie's umbilical cord. Tests will also be done to determine if the baby has the same anemia condition as his brother.

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Breastfeeding driver to be charged

PITTSBURGH (UPI) - A woman attempting to breastfeed her child while driving from Detroit to Pittsburgh is facing child endangerment charges.

Catherine Donkers, 29, was spotted by a truck driver while nursing her 7-month-old daughter on the Ohio Turnpike, WTAE-TV, Pittsburgh, reported. The driver called the state Highway Patrol.

When finally stoped by officers at a toll booth in Portage County, she offered an affidavit as identification. She was also cited for not having a license.

Donkers claimed she had done nothing wrong because Michigan has an exemption to its child restraint law for nursing mothers. Police told the station they have to
abide by Ohio laws because that's where the traffic stop occurred.

The woman said she fed her baby before leaving but the child became hungry again.
In addition to the endangering charge, Donkers is accused of child seat violations. She and her husband say they plan to fight all charges and file a lawsuit.

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News From Our Region

CARICOM heads to examine tourism proposals

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica Continuing funding of the Caribbean's tourism marketing campaign features on the agenda for Caribbean Prime Ministers gathering in Montego Bay, Jamaica this week for the 24th CARICOM Heads of Government meeting.

According to Ralph Taylor, chairman of the Caribbean Hotel Association Charitable Trust (CHACT) the body that has administered the marketing of the region during the past year the leaders will discuss concrete proposals to build on the successful start to the Life Needs the Caribbean regional campaign. "If this submission is acceptable to the Governments, by the end of the year we will see a sustainable formula in place for Caribbean tourism," said Taylor.

A quietly confident Taylor is pleased that Caribbean governments have understood the vital importance of regional cooperative marketing and disclosed that the proposals will actually be introduced by Caribbean Ministers of Tourism following recent talks with the region's private sector.

Independent research conducted by Hall & Partners shows that the marketing campaign, launched last August, kept the region as a top-of-mind destination and its brand buoyant in the marketplace. Representing about 8% of the annual Caribbean dollar spend, the campaign increased the region's awareness by 20%, while for those who did not see the ads, awareness decreased by 12%.

"The net result of the advertising has been significant for Caribbean tourism," said Taylor, who noted that despite the challenges facing international travel, with few exceptions, business has been favourable across the region. He disclosed
that bookings on the www.gocaribbean.com website are encouraging, while CHACT's partner Expedia Inc. has registered phenomenal growth in Caribbean sales during the past year. The campaign included both television and internet advertising.

Last fall, CHACT launched the US$16 million campaign to market and promote the Caribbean as a single destination. The Trust, a public/private sector alliance, unites major hotel chains, airlines and credit card companies with the Caribbean Tourism Organisation, and with both CARICOM and non-CARICOM nations.

www.GoCaribbean.com allows the region to play a full role in the entire distribution channel of Caribbean vacations, rather than just focusing on the delivery of a product. Consumers and travel agents alike can now book airlines, hotels and other Caribbean properties at bulk or heavily discounted rates.
Bookings on the website www.gocaribbean.com cover both vacation packages (air and hotel) and hotel room nights. Reservations also can be made by telephone using the 1-888-CARIBBEAN toll free service. More than 390 hotels, offering more than 84,500 rooms, are available for bookings.

Eighteen destinations participate in CHACT's marketing campaign: Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos and the US Virgin Islands.

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Caribbean News Summary

High rates of school drop-outs and poor CXC results could lead to a human resource crisis in the region. So says Professor of Economics at the Cave Hill Campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI), Andrew Downes.
He warned that current labour shortages could blow up into crisis proportions.

Professor Downes was addressing the third annual dinner in support of the Olton Springer Memorial Scholar-ship in Barbados over the weekend. The Barbados Nation quoted the professor as saying that a lack of essential training and skills to meet new work requirements and poor work attitudes would make the situation worse.

He added that the labour shortage and lack of a skilled force would leave the region unable to compete in a new globalised market.

The UWI Professor said that the region's strength is its human resource. He urged stakeholders in education to engage in "smart and strategic partnerships" in order to meet the human resources need of the region.

"Such partnerships will involve strengthening the education and training to meet the current and future priorities, fully involving the employers and other stakeholders in the process of determining the type and length of training programmes needed to meet the demands of the new environment," said Professor Downes.

And he urged the establishment of a career guidance and placement system in schools and universities in the region, in order to match education with employment in the labour market.

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Rebel Antiguan MP named as minister

Antigua PM Lester Bird
reshuffles cabinet.

Rebel Antiguan Member of Parliament Mr. Longford Jeremy who joined three other colleagues in resigning on Tuesday, 16 June has been appointed a full minister. Prime Minister Lester Bird named Mr. Jeremy a full-minister with responsibility for Home Affairs, Local Government, Information and Youth Empowerment.

Commenting on the appointment, PM Bird said, "I am sure that the Honourable Longford Jeremy will carry out the functions of Minister of Home Affairs and
Information with great credit. His organisational skills and experience as a businessman will make for a smooth assumption of office."

This was only part of the major cabinet reshuffle announced by PM Bird on Thursday, 26, June, just a week after his government came under pressure to resign and he faced internal turmoil within his administration.

The prime minister also named Mr. Guy Yearwood to replace
Senator Asot Michael, who resigned recently. A recent High Court order had revoked Mr. Yearwood's appointment previous senatorial appointment, but he was re-appointed by Mr. Bird, who stated, "he has relinquished his Canadian citizenship in compliance with the law." Senator Yearwood will be responsible for Sports and Carnival.

Former Senator Ascot's responsibility for the Ministry of Public Works will now be handled by the prime minister, who said he will relinquish his post as Minister of Finance to Deputy Prime Minister Robin Yearwood.

PM Bird also appointed a three-man Cabinet Committee, headed by Deputy Prime Minister Yearwood, and including Ministers Molwyn Joseph and Gaston Browne, to help expand business activity for the government.

Additionally, Ministers Molwyn Joseph and Gaston Browne were given responsibility for Economic Development and Investment promotion as well as Free Trade and Processing Zone and Transportation, respectively. Minister Joseph already holds responsibility for Tourism, Environment, Tourism Development, Deep Bay Development Corporation, Beach Protection and Vendors, while Minister Browne is responsible for Public Service, Trade, Planning and Implementation, Planning, Statistics, Implementations, Public Service Affairs, Training, Human Resources Development and Management Services among others.

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Sports

Agassi vows to return after being shot down by Scud

Andre Agassi of the US miss-hits a return to Mark Philippoussis of Australia during their fourth round match at the 2003 Wimbledon Tennis Championships. AFP PHOTO/Odd ANDERSEN

LONDON (AFP) Andre Agassi has not finished with Wimbledon yet.

This year's campaign ended with him being shot down in five sets by Australia's Mark Philippoussis in the fourth round.

But the oldest man ever to hold the world number one ranking immediately dismissed suggestions that the emotionally draining defeat was one which would automatically bring a decision on when he hangs up his racquet any closer.

Asked if he would back at Wimbledon next year, Agassi snapped: "Sure. Why wouldn't I be back? I am still a tennis player and this is the place to be.

"It is not me that has being talking about it (retirement), it's you that have been talking about it.

"I've always said I won't know when its over until it's there. So I'm planning to be back next year."

By the time next year's Wimbledon comes around, Agassi will be 34 and, all being well, Jaden Gil, his 20-month son with wife Steffi Graf, will have a brother or sister.

It remains to be seen whether the American's appetite for the continual grind of practice and tournaments and all the hassle that goes with it can survive the expansion of his family and the passing of another year.

But for the moment, he insists he is happy to keep pounding away to maintain the phenomenal level of fitness that has enabled him to preserve his competitiveness in what is increasingly a young man's game.

If anything, he said, the commitments involved in being a father made defeats such as the one he suffered on Monday easier to absorb, despite the pain of knowing that there may not be too many more chances to succeed.

"The bad news is that it is more disappointing because it is another year lost at Wimbledon. But the good news in it is that you get to go home to your family and you get to regroup and you get to get out again and keep trying.

"If something special happened all the time, it wouldn't be so special you have to try and keep it in perspective."

Despite his disappointment, Agassi still found time to pay generous tribute to the way Philippoussis had performed.

"I felt like we both were doing well to give ourselves the chances and he ended up being the one to take them in the end," Agassi said.

"So little can decide each set it is so frustrating at times. But he was definitely the better player at the key moments in the match.

"There were a lot of moments where either one of us could have taken the match and he ended up doing it in the end."

Phippoussis's reward for his 6-3, 2-6, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 6-4 win was a quarter-final meeting with another unseeded player, Germany's Alexander Popp, in which he will start as clear favourite to win.

It was a success the Australian will relish after battling back from a string of knee operations which had threatened to end his career.

But things might easily have turned against him in the middle of the final set.

After Philippoussis had secured his critical break in the seventh game, Agassi had two break points to level things up again in the next game.

But on both points, the Australian whose serve has earned him the nickname 'Scud', came up with service winners before going on to hold his serve.

Two games later he was at match point and predictably he finished things off by hammering down a serve that even the best returner in the game could do nothing about.

Philippoussis said the victory had justified all the work he had done in getting back in shape after three operations to reconstruct his left knee.

"I've been working very hard all year on my fitness and it's starting to pay off. It is as simple as that."

"Every match I've played here I've got better and better and today I just had to hang in there and give it my all."

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Rugby World Cup on track with 99 days to go

SYDNEY (AFP) Ninety-nine days until the kick-off of the rugby World Cup and organisers say everything is on track for a memorable sporting event.

Today marks the 99-day countdown until defending champions Australia take on Argentina at the Olympic stadium here on October 10 to open the 44-day, 48-match extravaganza.

Domestic ticket sales have surpassed one million, although they are lagging overseas, stalled by the high cost of packages offered by off-shore travel operators.

While that's bad news for international rugby fans, Australians will have access to an extra 500,000 tickets from next month, including 300,000 released back from the International Rugby Board.

The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) has been overwhelmed by the demand from the Australian public to any rugby international here this year.

The Perth Test against Ireland drew 40,000, while 63,000 attended the Wales Test in Sydney and in Melbourne over 54,000 attended the England match.

Concerns that the marketplace may have been swamped were allayed this week when the 52,000-seat Lang Park in Brisbane was sold out for next month's Tri-Nations Test with South Africa.

The match represents the biggest rugby crowd for a Test in Brisbane.

"In a year where Australians have bought all these millions of dollars worth of rugby World Cup tickets so far, there's been an even greater uptake for the business as usual tickets," ARU communications manager Strath Gordon said on Tuesday.

"There's 99 days to go but Australians are showing an extraordinary capacity to buy tickets for mass entertainment rugby.

"There seems to be no end to the demand for tickets."

While the ARU and International Rugby Board believe they are on track to deliver a great tournament, continuing problems with player participation agreements threaten to overshadow the event.

The Rugby Union Players Association (RUPA) has taken the ARU to court over the agreements, with the matter to be heard in NSW Supreme Court on July 7.

Among its concerns are the use of player images, indemnities, anti-doping regulations, disciplinary regulations, the disputes committee and variations to the tournament regulations.

It is seeking an injunction to prevent the ARU forcing players to sign, which they must do to play in the tournament.

The International Rugby Players Association (IRPA) has support from players in countries including England, France, South Africa, Ireland and Wales as it takes on the IRB over the agreement, as well as its continuing demand for prizemoney.

Wallaby skipper George Gregan is also on the RUPA executive committee, raising questions of a conflict of interest and fuelling rumours about a frosty relationship with the ARU.

The ARU on Tuesday declined to comment on the player agreement dispute, but was confident of it being resolved before the July 31 signing deadline.

"We are hosting a tournament stretching for seven weeks in 10 match cities and with occasions when four matches are taking place on the same day on both sides of the country, logistics need to be planned with military-like precision," ARU chief executive John O'Neill said on Tuesday.

"However, 99 days out from the tournament, we are confident that we are on track to deliver the best ever Rugby World Cup."

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Dakar Rally gets another new start point

PARIS (AFP) The 2004 Dakar Rally will get another new start point when the 26th edition of the event gets underway in January.

The Grand Hall of Auvergne at Clermont-Ferrand, in central France, which has yet to be completed, will host the starting point of the famous race on January 1.

"This will be the most beautiful place from where the Dakar Rally has ever started in its history," said Patrice Clerc, president of the Amaury Sport Organisation after visiting the site where the work is being carried out.

"With the famous Charade circuit and the presence of the Michelin tyres factory, Auvergne can legitimately organise this great motorsport race.

"The event will mark the opening ceremony of the Grand Hall."

The Dakar Rally used to start from Paris but was switched to Marseille this year.

Confusingly, the final destination of the 2003 race was Egypt rather than the capital of Senegal although organisers said on Monday that the 2004 edition will finish in Dakar and travel via Spain, Morocco, Mauritania, Mali and Burkina Faso.

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Olympic Day Run/Walk

A young participant loads up on after-race refreshments as the Cayman Islands Olympics Committee (CIOC) members look on. Pictured are (l-r) CIOC Secretary General Mr. Donald McLean, Vice-president Mr. Carson Ebanks and President Mr. Jerris Miller.

Here at the start of the Olympic Day Run/Walk are some of the participants, who represented 26 different countries.

After an absence from the local sporting calendar of several years, the Olympic Day Run/Walk was revived on Sunday 22 June to the delight of over 100 participants representing 26 different countries.
The Olympic Day Run/Walk was inaugurated in 1987, with 45 national organizations taking part, to mark the founding of
the International Olympic Committee on 23 June, 1894. In 2001 a total of 151 countries carried out celebrations.
In the activity here, enthusiasts ranging in age from one year to sixty-plus, traversed a five-kilometre route that fittingly began on Aspiration Drive and concluded on Olympic Way.
Utilizing a wide variety of styles, men, women and children, ran jogged, walked, strolled, ambled and were pushed in prams around the course in high spirited fashion.
Each finisher was treated to refreshments, and was the recipient of a commemorative shirt and a souvenir Cayman Islands Olympic pin. Certificates of participation will be mailed to everyone in the near future.
Mr. Jerris Miller, President of the Cayman Islands Olympic Committee, expressed his satisfaction with the conduct of the event and stated that the Cayman Islands Olympic Committee welcomed the opportunity to recognize the many nationalities present in the community. He noted the contribution of the Phoenix Athletic Club in the organization of the event. Mr. Miller also declared that it was the desire of the Olympic Committee to obtain even greater community interaction in next year's offering, particularly since the
Summer Olympics will take place in Athens, Greece in 2004.

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England skipper Vaughan stands by Thorpe

England batsman Graham Thorpe. AFP PHOTO/William WEST

LEEDS, England (AFP) England one-day captain Michael Vaughan said Tuesday that Graham Thorpe was still the country's best batsman.

Vaughan, speaking ahead of England's rain-delayed one-day international against Zimbabwe at Headingley, told Sky Sports: "Thorpe is probably still our best batter.

"If he is settled and has made it clear he would be available for (the World Cup in) 2007 although I am not a selector I am sure he would have to come into consideration."

Surrey left-hander Thorpe, 33, has been out of England contention since withdrawing from the Ashes tour squad in the last northern winter, citing personal problems following the break-up of his marriage.

Last year Thorpe announced his retirement from one-day international cricket and soon afterwards played his last Test, against India at Lord's.

However, he has now made himself available again for international matches in both forms of the game and his good form for Surrey has put him back in the selection spotlight.

Neither Jim Troughton or Robert Key have impressed in the middle order during the team's one-day international campaign which Thorpe, skilled at keeping an innings ticking over, has watched from the sidelines after being omitted from the 15-man squad.

But Vaughan is in no doubt about Thorpe's quality. "He is a brilliant player and he would definitely get in your eleven."

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Island Games Highlights

Swimmers bring in the medals

Cayman Islands' swimmers won ten medals, including five gold, through Tuesday afternoon, highlighted by three record setting performances by Shaune Fraser.
In winning thee gold medals, Fraser set new Island Games marks in the 1,500m freestyle (15:52:13), the 200m butterfly (2:02:85) and the 400m individual medley (4:25:67). He also won a silver medal in the 100m butterfly.

Other gold medallists included Andrew Mackay in the 50m backstroke and Heather Roffey in the 100m butterfly, also in record time at 1:04:47. Mackay also won silvers in the 200m and 400m individual medleys, while Roffey also won silvers in the 200m freestyle and the 400m individual medleys.

Men's basketball team rolls

Colin Anglin scored 35 points and Dwight O'Garro added another 17, as the Cayman Islands men's basketball team rolled to a 116-91 victory over Gibraltar in Island Games in Guernsey on Tuesday.

The victory gave the men a perfect 3-0 record in their Group as they head into their final preliminary game against Jersey on Wednesday.

The men also defeated Bermuda 82-65 on Monday. They scored 302 total points in their first three games, 64 points better than any other team in the competition. Their +112 point differential also leads all teams, with defending champion Rhodes right behind them at +98.

Women's basketball team rebounds

After a tough 62-57 loss to Rhodes on Monday, the defending champion
Cayman Islands women's basketball team vaulted back atop their Group standings with a convincing 82-27 victory over Isle of Man on Tuesday.
Merta Day scored 15 for the Cayman squad, who will look to secure a spot in the knock-out round in their game against Gibraltar on Thursday.

Woman's triathletes win pair of bronze medals

Andrea Kilam won a bronze medal in the woman's triathlon, finishing the running/swimming/biking event in a time of 2:20:44. She later teamed with Lizzy Haines to win the bronze in the team event as well, with a combined time of 4:52:23.

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CIFA Awards Dinner reschedule announcement

Due to venue availability, the Cayman Islands Football Association (CIFA) Awards Dinner, postponed last weekend due to inclement weather, has been rescheduled for Wednesday 9 July at Pedro St. James at 7:30 pm.

The dress code is smart casual.

For further information please contact the CIFA office at 949-5775.

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Local Bridge Results

PARIS (AFP) The 2004 Dakar Rally will get another new start point when the 26th edition of the event gets underway in January.

The Grand Hall of Auvergne at Clermont-Ferrand, in central France, which has yet to be completed, will host the starting point of the famous race on January 1.

"With the famous Charade circuit and the presence of the Michelin tyres factory, Auvergne can legitimately organise this great motorsport race.

"The event will mark the opening ceremony of the Grand Hall."

The Dakar Rally used to start from Paris but was switched to Marseille this year.

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Sports Summary

Sport Summary

Sacked Detroit Pistons coach Alvin Gentry.
AFP PHOTO/Jeff KOWALSKY

Hornets become hive for stung NBA coaches

LONDON (AFP) Three-time men's singles champion Boris Becker has slammed the game's current stars as too boring and stifled by political correctness.

The 35-year-old Becker, who stunned the sporting world when he arrived as a 17-year-old in 1985 and won the title before adding further crowns in 1986 and 1989, says much of the thrill has gone out of the game.

"In my opinion tennis has become too proper, too politically correct. We forget that this is entertainment. In my era it was much more personal."

The German does however admit that there are exceptions to his rule.

"Lleyton Hewitt brings his emotions to the court. We need more of that," insists the former star.

Gentry was 89-133 with the Clippers after going 73-72 in three seasons with Detroit.
Gentry, 47, served as an assistant for the San Antonio Spurs, Clippers and Miami Heat. He was named interim coach of the Heat in February 1995 and the team went 15-21 the remainder of that season.

Gentry also served as an assistant to Doug

French Olympic judo champion retires

PARIS (AFP) France's 63kg Olympic judo women's champion Severine Vandenhende has retired from the sport because of a persistent knee injury it was announced on Tuesday.

The 29-year-old, who was also world champion in 1997, had decided to end her career because she did not want to undergo another operation and above all not have to relive the months of misery she already had experienced.

However according to Fabien Canu, the technical director of the French Judo Federation, she would be employed by the federation to look after the juniors coming up through the ranks.

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