438-stories

Staying open too late will cost a popular night club the ability to serve alcohol for one month, but the owner intends to fight the decision that saw the club's

Liquor Licence Suspended

A new popular night club that serves alcohol has had its liquor licence suspended for one month, after being found to be operating in contravention of the Liquor Licensing Board's mandates concerning hours of operation, Cayman Net News has learned.

According to the reports, the establishment, known as Jillian's Lounge and located in the Islander Complex, was visited by RCIP officers on 22 June, ten minutes after midnight. According to the Liquor Licensing Law, establishments that serve alcohol should be vacated by midnight Sunday morning.
One source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that patrons were still inside. "Upon discovery that alcoholic beverages were still being served," the source said, "instructions were given to stop serving the alcohol and to ask clients to leave."

The officers reportedly re-entered the lounge fifteen minutes after their request to empty the establishment was not complied with, and then spoke to the manager about the situation.

On Wednesday, 2 July the issue was brought to the attention of the Liquor Licensing Board, which reviewed the events of 22 June. Reports say that based on the complete disregard shown by the establishment to comply with the requests of the police at the scene, the Board made the decision for the suspension of the liquor license for a period of one month.

The Board also decided to impose a period of probation lasting until September 2003 following the one-month suspension.

In making the decision, however, the board reportedly took into consideration the fact that the establishment was relatively new, which might have had an impact on the eventual period of suspension.
Contacted for comment, Jillian's manager / owner, Mr. Stanley Walton, said he was surprised to hear that Cayman Net News knew about Board's decision. "I just found out about this at 6:00 tonight (Wednesday, 2 July). This is a bunch of (unfairness)," he said, "We didn't even know they were having a hearing so we could be there."

Mr. Walton did not deny the fact that Jillian's had remained open past the 12:00 am deadline. "We didn't realize it was that late," he said, "I was in the office and time had eluded us."
The RCIP officers, Mr. Walton says, told him that they were only issuing a warning. "We stopped serving immediately and we were trying to get everyone to pay their bills. We didn't want the people leaving before they all paid."

About 60 patrons remained in the premises when the RCIP came in at 12:10 am, according to Mr. Walton. "About 30 of them had bar bills, and we had them lined up to pay. Do you know how long it takes to cash out 30 bar bills?"

Mr. Walton thinks the penalty imposed is excessive. "With all the problems they have with clubs here, and they suspend us for one month? Other clubs have done much worse and they don't get their licence suspended. They must be trying to put us out of business."

Since no official word had yet been given to Jillian's concerning the suspension at the time of our interview with Mr. Walton, Jillian's was still in operation serving alcohol on Wednesday night after the Board's decision.

Mr. Walton says he plans to engage the services of an attorney, and that he may seek an injunction to prevent the suspension.

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Mrs. Emma Dinwiddy, Sunrise's Newest Rotarian

Mrs. Emma Dinwiddy

Sunrise Rotary Club the newest Rotary Club in Grand Cayman is proud to announce that Emma Dinwiddy, wife of His Excellency Bruce Dinwiddy, the Governor of the Cayman Islands, was recently inducted by President Gordon Hewitt as an Honorary Member.

Mrs. Dinwiddy was born in London, England in 1951 and spent her early years growing up in South Wales where she qualified as a Primary School Teacher in 1972 and worked at Wilberforce Infants School in North West London until 1975.

Married in June 1974 to H.E. the Governor, Mrs. Emma Dinwiddy did voluntary work in the American School, Vienna (1975-76) and the British International School in Cairo from 1981-83. She also worked as a volunteer at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Canada from 1992-94.
During her time in Tanzania (1998-2001), she also worked at the International School. Most recently she has completed an introductory course in counselling skills. She and her husband have two children, a daughter Celia, born in 1976 and a son Thomas born in 1979. Celia is married and living in Canterbury. Thomas is a trainee Accountant with Deloitte and Touche in London.
Among her recreations she enjoys reading, sewing, swimming, walking and the theatre.
Sunrise Rotary took the opportunity, at the induction of Mrs. Dinwiddy to ask a whole lot of questions that many do not normally get the opportunity to ask.
The following is Sunrise Rotarian Geoff Matthews' report:

Sunrise: When you married Bruce in 1974 was he working with the Foreign Office? Did it occur to you that one day he might be Governor?
Mrs. Emma Dinwiddy: Bruce was working for the Foreign Office when we were married in 1974. Although he was working on the Hong Kong Desk at the time, it never occurred to me that one day he might be a Governor. Even in 1974 there were not many Overseas Territories left.

Q. How many countries have you worked in? Which did you prefer?
A. This is the 6th country we have been posted to. If I leave out Cayman, Canada was our favourite.

Q. Where do you keep your furniture and 'stuff'?
A. Some of our furniture is in our small London flat and the rest is in store. All our other personal belongings, pictures, photographs etc. are here at Government House. "Home" has to be wherever we are, so we have always felt it important to have our own things with us.

Q. Everywhere you go on the islands you are instantly recognised is this a problem?
A. There are times when it would be nice to be more anonymous but we find everyone so kind and friendly that it is not too much of a problem.

Q. You must have met some very interesting people who were the most fascinating?
A. It is hard to single out any particular individuals. The real fascination lies in constantly meeting so many people of all nationalities and from all walks of life.

Q. From time to time you must meet spies, intelligence agents, and other notorious characters. Do any of them look like James Bond?
A. Unfortunately not! The encounter I remember most vividly was a long conversation with a Russian at a reception during our first posting in Vienna. After the party I told Bruce that I had met this charming man who had shown such interest in our lives. Bruce went rather white and told me that he was the local Head of Russian Military Intelligence!

Q. Can you choose where you are posted or is it pot luck?
A. At the beginning of Bruce's career we were simply told where we were going. Nowadays, every job has to be applied for.

Q. Some of the countries where you have lived must have been dangerous or possibly had health problems is this a concern?
A. Egypt and Tanzania both had health problems and malaria was a particular concern in Tanzania. Tanzania also turned out more dangerous than expected when our house was nearly demolished by the Al Qaeda bomb attack on the U.S. Embassy in August 1998. Fortunately, we were not at home that day. Life in both these countries was worrying at times.

Q. Have you ever had to have bodyguards or have you been armed?
A. We have never had to be armed ourselves but after August 1998 in Tanzania we had armed guards outside our house from time to time.

Q. If you had to choose a country for retirement and England, Wales (or Cayman) were not options where would it be?
A. Canada. We lived in Ottawa and had a wonderful three and a half years there.

Q. Did your children ever consider a diplomatic career?
A. Neither of our children has ever considered a diplomatic career.
Q. Spiders, bugs, creepy crawlies even snakes and dangerous animals must live in some of the places you have lived. Have you ever been confronted by them?
A. Rats were a real problem in Egypt and Tanzania. I had a rat run over my face while I was sleeping in Egypt.

Q. Rumour has it you are keeping a diary? When may we expect publication?
A. Yes. I am keeping a diary but I have no plans to have it published!

Q. Some ladies collect shoes how many pairs of shoes do you have?
A. I haven't counted my shoes recently! I don't deliberately collect them!

Q. What is your capsule wardrobe the minimum required for all occasions?
A. My wardrobe is not as "capsule" as it should be, as I am very reluctant to discard old clothes. I still have in my wardrobe here the dress that I wore on my 21st birthday!

Q. Do you have a favourite colour?
A. Blue is probably my favourite colour.

Q. Are there any single Governors?
A. The Governor in the Falkland Islands is single. As far as I know all the others are married.

Q. Would you rather have your daughter marry a Diplomat, a Politician, a Film Star, or more usefully a Plumber. If you could choose the profession of your son-in-law what would it be?
A. Our daughter married three years ago and her husband is neither a Diplomat, a Politician, a Film Star or a Plumber! My father always told me when I was young, "If the man is right, everything is right" and this is our philosophy with our children.

Q. You must have been to hundreds of receptions, dinners, state occasions and other functions. What was the best and what was the worst?
A. Probably the best occasion was a wonderful concert at The Royal Albert Hall given in honour of President Nelson Mandela when he came on a State Visit to Britain in 1996. The worst was, without any doubt, the first formal dinner party we gave at our house in Egypt. Our chef got drunk before the party and was in a very bad state by the end of the evening!

Sunrise Rotary is a breakfast club, meeting at the Grand Old House at 7.00 am on Wednesday mornings. This interview was conducted by Rotarian Geoff Mathews.

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Cayman Swimmers Shine in Guernsey

Kaitlyn Elphinstone (l) and Heather Roffey show off their medals. Kaitlyn smashed the old Island Games 800m freestyle record by over 16 seconds. More Island Games results in sports below. The Guernsey Press & Star.

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CI Int'l Fishing Tournament & Angling Club Make Donation

A beautiful Carey Chen painting was auctioned off during the recent 6th Annual Awards Banquet, and Mr. Wayne Panton (centre) was the lucky bidder of this magnificent work.

The proceeds were donated to two worthy causes The Cayman Islands Cancer Society and Mrs. Betty Hurlston (seated) who is suffering from Pulmonary Hypertension. Mrs. Hurlston's husband, Booth, stands behind her.

Accepting the donation on behalf of the Cancer Society are Mrs. Hope Stephenson (2nd from left) and Ms. Fiona Nicol and CIIFT Chairman, Mr. Clive Smith (left).

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News

Walkers announce new partner

Sara Collins-Francis, new partner at Walkers

Walkers, one of Cayman's leading law firms, has announced a new partner in the firm, Sara Collins-Francis.

Walkers Senior Partner, Grant Stein stated "Sara's advancement to partner at Walkers has come as the result of years of academic achievement, dedication and hard work." Sara obtained her law degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science in 1993, and was the recipient of several prizes, including the Barlow Lyde & Gilbert and Leonard Sainer Memorial prizes for Company Law.

Mr. Stein continued, "Sara was sponsored by Walkers during her studies, to qualify as a barrister-at-law, and gained work experience at 3 Verulam Buildings, a well known set of barristers' Chambers in London, before returning to Cayman. Sara has been working at Walkers since qualifying in 1994. Since then she has quickly become one of the Island's leading litigation lawyers."

If the name of Sara Collins-Francis sounds familiar, it is probably because of her many achievements to date. She was the 2002 Young Caymanian Leadership Award (YCLA) recipient; founder of the Legal Befrienders group, a non-profit source of legal advice for local domestic abuse victims; she is currently Chairman of the Planning Appeals Tribunal, and a member of the National Drug Council. In addition to all of this, she is a wife and mother of two young girls.

Wayne Panton, one of Walkers senior partners and a member of the firm's Management Committee commented "I am extremely proud of Sara. Her accomplishments speak for themselves and her appointment as the first female partner of Walkers represents a just reward for her academic achievements and her dedication to the legal profession, to Walkers and our community." He went on, "At Walkers we pride ourselves in having a very strong sponsorship and training programme, and I am particularly pleased to see Sara progress to partnership level as a result of the Firm's support and encouragement. There is no doubt that all young Caymanians will regard Sara as a fine role model".
Sara Collins-Francis added "I always wanted to be a lawyer, not only because it is a profession that encourages academic excellence, but also because of the long tradition of service by lawyers to the communities in which they live and work. That is what I have tried to achieve".

As a mother, wife, and now, a Walkers partner, Sara does not have as much time as she would like to work in the community. However, as a key member of the Walkers' Trainee Committee, along with other partners, Wayne Panton and Angus Foster, Sara will continue to directly contribute to the legal careers of other Caymanians. With dedication, hard work and proper training as a foundation for establishing their practice of law, Sara believes that a growing number of young Caymanians will be made partners at Walkers and other law firms on the Island in the years to come. "We look for the best graduates to become trainee lawyers and we try to give them the best possible training we can", she said. "A firm is only as good as its lawyers and we at Walkers want to give aspiring Caymanian lawyers the training they need to be recognised as excellent lawyers, not just in Cayman, but throughout the many jurisdictions in which our clients are based. "

Sara Collins-Francis thanks the partners of Walkers for all the support and encouragement that they have given her over the years, and is pleased to have the opportunity to join the partnership of a young and dynamic firm with Walkers' strong local and international reputation.

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The 2003-2004 Budget Highlights (Part four in a series)

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

Having summarised the Government's goals and plans in relation to the economy and education, Mr. McCarthy touched briefly upon some other important areas, including the social support strategy, where increased funding will be provided to youth and prisoner rehabilitation, construction of low cost housing will be continued and support for low and middle income housing finance will be increased. In addition, a major restructuring of the Department of Social Services will be pursued and spending on community policing is to be increased.

Emergency services will be improved by the acquisition of new emergency radio communications equipment at a cost of $1.8 million and a new airport fire truck worth $500,000. In addition, land will be purchased for a fire station at Bodden Town.

Some $1.3 million is budgeted for projects relating to erosion on Seven Mile and Boggy Sand Road beaches, to be met from the Environmental Protection Fund.

A total of $10.2 million has been allocated under a number of headings related to the recognition, support and development of the Cayman Islands' unique culture and community identity, together with $5.6 million for a wide range of community and sports organisations.

Office of Leader of Government Business

Expenditure by the Leader of Government Business in relation to the recent establishment of a Cabinet Office is budgeted at $1,115,736.

Ministry of Tourism, Environment, Development and Commerce

Hon. McKeeva Bush, Leader of Government Business; Minister of Tourism, Environment, Development and Commerce.

The total budget for 2003/2004 for this Ministry is $38,998,988, of which the largest component is tourism promotion activities at $19,350,440.

The next largest item, at $8,063,170, covers the provision of emergency, fire and related services, at a 98% response capacity and 98% compliance with the relevant law and orders.
A total of $3,181,455 is earmarked for various activities of the ministry, including policy advice, technical and administrative support and public education programmes.

$2,834,118 is to be spent on commerce-related activities, including $2,121,014 on promoting commerce and inward investment through the existing network of representative offices in the Cayman Islands, the Americas and Europe.

The budget for inspection, testing and licensing services, including the inspection of properties for liquor licensing (60) and tourist accommodation (225) purposes, vehicle inspections (3,600) and the testing and licensing of drivers, totals $1,814,427.

Environmental monitoring and enforcement services account for some $1,371,408 of this year's budget. The management and preservation of local features, including the Botanical Park and Pedro St. James, will amount to an estimated $1,273,748 and the organisation of various local events will cost $1,110,222, of which $765,226 will be spent on Quincentennial celebrations.

Office of Leader of Government Business

Co-ordination of Government Policy 600,438
Cabinet Support and Servicing 365,736
Ministerial Servicing for the Leader of Government Business 149,562

1,115,736

Ministry of Tourism, Environment, Development and Commerce

Tourism 19,350,440
Emergency services 8,063,170
Various other activities 3,181,455
Commerce and business development 2,834,118
Inspection, testing and licensing 1,814,427
Environmental monitoring and enforcement services 1,371,408
Management and preservation of local features 1,273,748
Organisation of local events 1,110,222

38,998,988

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Cayman's Director of Tourism speaks at CHIC

Mrs. Lania Rittenhouse

Last week in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, the Director of Tourism, Mrs. Lania Rittenhouse, represented the Cayman Islands at the Caribbean Hotel Industry Conference (CHIC)
Mrs. Rittenhouse was a member of the panel, whose discussion topic was entitled "By Land or By Sea (or both!): A discussion on what the cruise industry brings to land based tourism in the Caribbean and what it takes away".

The panel discussion took place on Tuesday, 24 June and the results of this session will form the basis of the Caribbean Hotel Association's (CHA) Cruise Policy.

Mrs. Rittenhouse's background in the cruise industry, and her current role as Director of Tourism for the Cayman Islands, provides her with a great depth of information on the subject. Her experience allows her to speak with insight and knowledge on the pros and cons of both the cruise and the land-based visitor.
Other speakers at the conference included Mr. Fernando Garcia, of the Riviera Maya Hotel Association, Mr. Ross Klein, of The Cruise Junkee, Mr. Giora Israel, of Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) and Alaska Lodging Management's Mr. Frank Rose.

Private sector members of the Cayman Islands' tourism industry also attended CHIC. Ms. Nicole La Valette, General Manager of the Cayman Islands Tourism Association (CITA) was joined by CITA Executive Board Members, Ms. Karie Bergstrom, Manager of Lacovia Condominiums and CITA director for the Condominium Sector, and other members, Ms. Effie Mitchell, General Manager of Casa Caribe, Ms. Marita Ebanks, General Manager of Plantana Condos and Ms. Sharon Mitchell, General Manager, London House.
"I was honoured to have been selected to participate on the 'By Land or by Sea' panel, as this is a significant issue being faced throughout the Caribbean", commented Mrs. Rittenhouse. "There is a consensus that cruise tourism is with us to stay, and that the key to its success for any destination is proper management."

She continued, "This was also a good opportunity to share the Cayman Islands' belief that every cruise guest is viewed as a potential land based guest, and early results from our newly launched cruise conversion programme are encouraging."

According to CHA, the Caribbean Hotel Industry Conference was designed to present hotel and allied members with a forum for the exchange of information and ideas, for the conduct of Association business, for networking and for developing new business contacts. It encompasses educational components of workshops and general working sessions with social networking, and has developed a trade expo that runs simultaneously with CHIC as an added bonus for participants.

Another extremely important aspect of CHIC was the auctions, one silent and one live. CHA members donated products and services for the auctions, and all the proceeds raised go towards a tourism
scholarship for a Caribbean national, which is administered by CHA.

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Updating the National Health Plan

Participants at the National Health Plan strategy session.

Twenty-five persons representing government and non-government organisations are updating the National Strategic Plan for Health, to ensure that it comprehensively addresses the provision of
healthcare in the Cayman Islands.

The Ministry of Health Services' Senior Assistant Secretary, Diane Montoya, along with The Cambridge Group's Senior Associate Howard Feddema, leads the session, on Monday, 30 June and Tuesday, 1 July, at the Marriott Resort.

Mrs. Montoya is the session's internal facilitator, having been trained by Cambridge earlier this year. Dr. Feddema is on board as the external facilitator.

In opening the session, Minister of Health Services the Hon. Gilbert McLean noted that the National Strategic Plan for Health (NSPH) was first developed for the Health Services Department, and as such focused on the department's provision of care.

Today, as Health Services have been decentralized from government to become an authority, the minister instructed the group to shift the NSPH's focus from the provider, to the development of strategies that advance all aspects of health. "I strongly believe there is a role for everyone to play in maintaining a quality health delivery system, as we create a new vision for health services," he explained.

Mr. McLean also acknowledged that team members had been chosen because of their "capacity to articulate meaningful consensus," and their appreciation of the need to "subordinate personal or special interests to the good of the country."

Mrs. Montoya notes that the first set of action plans for the NSPH were developed in March 1995. Since then, 85% of the action plans have been either completed or are in progress. The plan is periodically updated. A key revision occurred in 2000, when Vision 2008's action plans that related to health care were incorporated into the National Strategic Plan for Health. In February 2002, an update was held to evaluate the progress made in implementing the plan.

Following its appr-oval, the revised plan will be communicated to the public in July. Action plans to address strategies stemming from this two-day update are to be collated by September 2003, after which the planning team will review them, decide priority areas and set an implementation schedule, according to Mrs. Montoya.

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Tortuga's new Pineapple Rum Cake, created especially for Hawaii's cruise market

Mrs. Tatiana Hamaty proudly presents her cake.

Bakery staff with the freshly baked Pineapple Rum Cake.

Tortuga Rum Company introduced its new Tortuga Pineapple Rum Cake this week, the seventh variety of its world famous Tortuga Rum Cake.

The cake is available at all Tortuga retail and duty free outlets in Grand Cayman, and through mail order and online at the company's website, www.tortugarums.com The company's newest flavour will also soon be on the shelves of shops onboard Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) ships sailing in Hawaii. The unusual story behind Tortuga's Pineapple Rum Cake is another marketing milestone for the award-winning Grand Cayman company.

The new pineapple flavour was developed not only for the Caribbean market, but also in response to a request from Weitnauer Distribution Ltd. The Florida-based company is a leading duty free concessionaire, operating shops and boutiques onboard cruise ships. These represent the world's top cruise lines in destinations worldwide including Hawaii. Tortuga rum cakes have become top-selling items in Weitnauer's cruise ship shops, prompting marketing officials to believe that a Tortuga pineapple rum cake would be a hit with cruise passengers sailing in Hawaii.

Another Secret Family Recipe

The original, now world-famous Tortuga Rum Cake is a generations-old, carefully guarded tradition from Mrs. Carlene Hamaty's family, the Jacksons of Savannah, Grand Cayman.

Like the original golden and six other varieties of Tortuga Rum Cake, the recipe for Tortuga Pineapple Rum Cake is a secret family recipe.

However, this latest cake recipe comes Capt. Robert Hamaty's side of the family, His 86-year old mother Mrs. Tatiana Hamaty, created the pineapple rum cake recipe from scratch in her kitchen over 50 years ago and had suggested adding it to the Tortuga line. It is the second time this petite great-grandmother has turned an original family recipe into a hit for Tortuga.

Mrs. Hamaty worked for months to adapt her pineapple rum cake recipe for Tortuga's commercial use. Finally, in June, Grandma Tatiana supervised the production of the first batch of Tortuga Pineapple Rum cakes at the company's main Airport Industrial Park bakery in Grand Cayman. For days, she worked closely with the Tortuga bakery staff, perfecting the recipe, until everyone who tasted the cake gave their enthusiastic approval. Tortuga Pineapple Rum Cake is an irresistible blend of favourite Caribbean flavours made with Tortuga's private label premium oak-barrel aged Gold Rum, which is not sold to the public. With its rich pineapple taste and melt-in-your-mouth texture, the cake is pure island fantasy.

Why would a Caribbean company create pineapple products for the Hawaiian market? This bit of West Indian history might surprise you. This popular tropical fruit usually associated with Hawaii actually originated in the wild in southern Brazil and Paraguay. Amerindians domesticated and cultivated the pineapple, and carried it through South and Central America to Mexico and the Caribbean islands, long before the arrival of Europeans. Columbus tasted pineapple for the first time in Guadeloupe in 1493. Pineapples were "exported" from the Caribbean to the Pacific by Spanish explorers who brought the fruit to Hawaii almost 100 years later.

Staying on Top of Cruise Industry Trends, Mr. Hamaty has been studying the Caribbean's cruise ship tourism industry since Tortuga's inception in 1984. In 1987, Tortuga Rum Company became the first Cayman company to establish a duty-free liquor business, catering to the cruise industry with delivery direct to the ships, an important convenience for passengers.

Mr. Hamaty called his company's alliance with Weitenauer two years ago, a marketing milestone.
"We know that the shops onboard cruise ships compete fiercely with what is available in their ports of call. They constantly research the cost and variety of items and services ashore, and work hard to keep
the passenger spending onboard.

Tortuga's main headquarters in the Airport Industrial Park has been undergoing improvements during the last six months, to make the faculty even more attractive to visitors. Lovely landscaped grounds decorated with rum industry artefacts feature new photo opportunities such as a life size pirate statue, all framed by an attractive native coral stone wall. Tortuga's busy main 2,500 square ft. bakery features a state of the art rotisserie oven capable of baking up to 400 large, 600 medium or 1,000 mini rum cakes at a time. Visitors can watch staff bake, glaze and vacuum-package up to 5,000 Tortuga Rum Cakes every day and sample Tortuga label rums and liqueurs, and all varieties of Tortuga Rum Cake. Tortuga also has two other bakeries conveniently located for shoppers: at its waterfront store in downtown George Town off Boilers Road, and just north of the Cayman Turtle Farm.

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Leonard Dilbert poetry book to be launched

Leonard Dilbert

A new book of poems by Caymanian academic and artist, Leonard Dilbert is to be launched by the Cayman National Cultural Foundation this month.

"Grown From This Ground," a collection of Dilbert's poems, together with a number of his photographs, will be unveiled at the Harquail Theatre 21 July at 7:00 pm. The public is invited to attend.

Mr. Dilbert, a long time devotee of academic enquiry and the written word, was educated at Miss Izzy's, the Town Hall School in West Bay, and the Cayman Islands High School. He then studied at McMaster
University, the University of Western Ontario, the London School of Economics, and the Cayman Islands Law School. He has, most recently, studied creative writing at Vermont College.

"Grown From This Ground" has already begun to receive critical acclaim. Robin Behn, a professor at the University of Alabama, describes it as "a searing and joyful first collection of poems Leonard Dilbert brings the life of his native Cayman into cadences passionate, accusatory, prayerful. An astonishing debut by a significant lyric poet, this 'permanent bone-fever' is the best new book I have read this year."

Arts editor of the Jamaica Observer and one of the region's most respected poets, Wayne Brown, writes, "Leonard Dilbert is an original and accomplished poet. He does difficult things and makes them look easy; his scrutiny is always serious and searching." He continues, "his auditory imagination (the surest measure of a poet's quality, since every poem is ultimately a cathedral of sound) is trustworthy, sophisticated and often downright gorgeous.

This is an important first collection."

The Cayman National Cultural Foundation, publishers of the book, have announced that "Grown From This Ground" will have its first international appearance at the eighth Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA) in Suriname in August. The festival has been likened to the Carifta Games, but along artistic and cultural lines.

Participants from all across the Caribbean region are invited by the host nation to present the very best their countries have to offer in the performing, visual, literary and traditional arts. Mr. Dilbert will be part of the Caymanian contingent and is scheduled to read from his book and participate in literary seminars while there.

People interested in attending the launch at the Harquail Theatre, or in ordering copies of "Grown From This Ground," are invited to call the Cultural Foundation at 949-5477. While no admission is being charged, seats are limited and reservations are recommended.

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Mike Kee to speak at Missions Rally

Rev. Michael Kee and his family

Rev. Michael Kee, Youth Minister of the Church of God Chapel, Walker's Road, is the featured speaker at the Missions Rally to be held at the Church's Frank Sound Chapel on Wednesday, 9 July.

The former Triple C teacher will also be the featured speaker at the George Town Church on Sunday morning, 6 July in the 10:45 service, and at "Lift Jesus Higher" that evening, at the Ed Bush Playing Field in West Bay.

Rev. Kee and his wife, Wendy, will also be participating in a Youth Rally and Installation Service for Pastor John Otero at the Cotton Tree Bay Church in Cayman Brac.

The Church and Triple C School have been very focused on Missions during the year and have sent out a number of teams to Haiti and Nicaragua, as well as being involved in local projects. The children of Triple C School have raised over $6,000, by offerings only, to send to needy projects in Honduras, Nicaragua, Haiti, and Cuba.

The Church of God Chapel in the Cayman Islands is a product of the outreach missionary work of the Church of God in Anderson, Indiana. This work was founded in the early 30's in Grand Cayman.
The goal of the Missions Rally is to remind all Christians of Jesus' command to "go into all the world and preach the gospel," to provide information on a variety of projects, to sensitise people to the needs around the world, to motivate them to give of themselves and their resources, and even to consider short-term or career service to missions.

Michael and Wendy both taught at Triple C School in the 1980's. Michael was the Youth Pastor at the George Town Church from 1982 to 1990.

The Kees presently live in Beijing, China and are working with the English Language Institute of China (ELIC). Michael is the director of ELIC's China Teaching Fellowship, which places teachers of English in Chinese private schools around the country.

They are accompanied to the island by their children, Ian and Alana, who were both born in Grand Cayman.
Everyone is invited to come to one or all of the services. For further information, contact any of the phone numbers of the General Assembly of the Church of God in the Cayman Islands.

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Editorial

Setting the records straight

The respected Chairman of the Immigration Board, Mr. David Ritch, wrote a letter to the editor that appeared on page six of the Thursday, 3 July issue of Cayman Net News.

In his letter, Mr. Ritch states that the article contained "a significant error that requires correcting." In particular, Mr. Ritch took exception to a statement that appeared near the end of the article, which read "Interestingly, it is understood that all who applied for status through naturalisation for consideration this year will be granted status."

The Chairman goes on to question the accuracy of our report by saying, "I do not know from whom you got such an 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."

It is quite true that Mr. Ritch does not know from whom we received this information, but the public should be made aware, in light of Mr. Ritch's comments, that this information came to us through two separate and authorised sources, whose names will never be revealed by us.

It was not our intention to report on a decision that is contrary to Immigration Law and Directions, for we did not know this to be the case until Mr. Ritch told us. Instead, we only reported what we were told by two
people who are in a position to know. We also tried to reach Mr. Ritch for his input on this matter, but we were unsuccessful in our attempts.

Perhaps, this is a case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing, or at least saying. While the Board may be the only body empowered to determine applications for status on the grounds naturalisation, it is not an Authority working outside of the overview of the Cabinet. Mr. Ritch should therefore be aware that others are privy to the Government's decisions. The preciseness of our report on the number of status grants to be conveyed through naturalisation should attest to that fact.

Only time will prove the accuracy of our comment that those who applied for status through naturalisation may be granted such, although given that Mr. Ritch has suggested this would be in breach of the Immigration Law, our reporting the story might change the fact. This would be a shame, for we have always stressed the need for more people to be incorporated into the fabric of our society.

We look forward to receiving information from the Immigration Board showing the number of applicants to grantees so that we can report the official figures at a later date.

In the meantime, Cayman Net News will continue to report information confirmed by at least two sources, whether it comes through official channels or not. We respect Mr. Ritch's position in this matter and we hope that he will respect our responsibility as a newspaper to report the news obtained through reliable sources.

This also brings us to another case where our credibility has been questioned recently with regard to a story we ran about the Cayman Merchants Association (CMA) calling for a hike in import duty for those without trade and business licences.

We were told by members of the CMA, that the proposal had the backing the CMA as well as the Chamber of Commerce. While we felt no need to verify the position with other CMA members because we already had three of the members confirming their position, we did place a telephone call to a ranking Chamber administrator to verify its stance.

This call, made shortly after the Economic Forum organised by the Chamber in which one of the CMA's members broached the subject of a two-tiered import duty system, sought to verify their backing of the proposal. At that time, we were told that the Chamber did in fact back the proposal.

It therefore later came to a surprise to us that the Chamber called our report "erroneous".

Perhaps this was case of misunderstanding, but it could also be a case of stepping away from a riled hornet's nest to avoid being stung.

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Overseas Feature

EU leaders gather to design bloc's future

By GARETH HARDING, Chief European Correspondent

European Commission President Romano Prodi

PORTO CARRAS, Greece (UPI) - "Today is a truly historic day," declared European Commission President Romano Prodi at the end of a three-hour discussion about the draft European Union's constitution with leaders from across the continent.

For once, the former Italian prime minister was not exaggerating.

If Friday, June 13, 2003 goes down in history as the day Europe's elite band of constitution drafters unveiled a new blueprint for the Union, Friday June 20 will be remembered as the day the Union started putting its paper promises into practice.

Meeting in a heavily guarded luxury resort outside Thessaloniki in northern Greece, European leaders accepted a draft EU constitution drawn up over 16 months by a group of senior politicians headed by former French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing.

They also agreed on an ambitious European security strategy that could see the emergence of the EU as a major global actor after years of foreign policy muddle and months of division over Iraq.

Said Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou: "Europe has gone through a difficult time through the six months of our presidency and it has emerged stronger."

As if to underline its newfound confidence, the bloc extended a membership invitation to Albania and four Balkan states that have been torn apart by conflict during the last decade - Bosnia, Croatia, Macedonia and Serbia, and Montenegro.

"The unification of Europe will not be complete until our friends in the Balkans are part of the family," said Prodi.
Although no entry date was offered, the admission of the five states could swell the Union's members to 33 by the middle of the next decade. Ten mostly former communist countries are due to enter the 15-member club next May, with Bulgaria and Romania due to enter in 2007, and Turkey at an unspecified future date.

After months of public wrangling over Iraq, European leaders put on an impressive show of unity in the Porto Carras golf and gambling complex on the Halkidiki peninsula.

Appealing to EU leaders not to unpick the 68-page draft constitution, Giscard d'Estaing said: "May I ask you to prolong the intense moment that we, the members of the Convention, felt on Friday 13 June when we thought we had glimpsed the possibility that the Union of Europe was perhaps - perhaps - within reach."
The new constitution will not create a United States of Europe - as some conventioneers wanted - but it will come close.

By the end of next year, a European Union of 25 states could have a president, foreign minister and public prosecutor, a legally binding bill of rights and a single foreign and defense policy.

Under the new rules, decisions in all but a handful of areas would be taken by majority vote and the European Parliament - the EU's only directly elected body - would see its powers hugely enhanced.
"Of all the men and women in the world, it is the citizens of Europe who will have the most extensive rights," said Giscard with characteristic imperiousness.

The hundreds of black-clad demonstrators who fought pitched battles with police outside the summit venue might have disagreed with his claims, but heads of state gave the draft text a tentative thumbs-up.
"A good basis" for future work, was how EU leaders described the document, masking stark divisions over how far to deepen European integration. More federalist-minded countries like France, Germany and the Benelux states want to make only minor changes to Giscard's text, while others still have serious problems with parts of the blueprint.

France opposes majority voting on sensitive cultural issues and farm policy, while Britain is struggling to keep its veto in areas such as taxation, defense and social security policy. "What we want is a Europe of nations, not a federal superstate," said Tony Blair, repeating the British government's well-worn mantra.
Prodi warned that keeping the veto would "spell the death of the Union," but Giscard insisted it was essential in some areas. "You're not going to agree to EU foreign policy by voting, you're going to get it by consensus," the 77-year statesman told reporters.

Small countries, such as Finland, Belgium and Austria are also fighting a rearguard campaign against the creation of a powerful EU president. Jean-Claude Juncker, the Prime Minister of Luxembourg, has said he was "profoundly disappointed" with the draft.

One thing is sure - EU leaders will convene in Italy in October to thrash out remaining differences in time for voters to deliver their verdict on the document next year.

If the draft constitution creates the post needed for the EU to play a greater role on the world stage, the security strategy drawn up by the Union's foreign policy chief Javier Solana lays down the policy tools it requires to meet this goal.

Solana's text, which is modelled on the U.S. security strategy, calls for more defense spending, more pooling of intelligence and diplomatic services and for a more muscular foreign policy.

"As a union of 25 states with over 450 million people producing a quarter of the world's gross national product (GNP), the European Union is, like it or not, a global actor; it should be ready to share in the responsibility for global security."

Describing failed states, terrorist groupings and weapons of mass destruction as the greatest threats to European stability, the document calls on the EU to "develop a strategic culture that fosters early, rapid, and when necessary, robust intervention." This could include pre-emptive action to wipe out terrorist threats, said Solana, echoing one of the most controversial proposals in the U.S. security strategy.

While referring to the transatlantic relationship as "irreplaceable," the former NATO chief's paper warns Washington that "no single country is able to tackle today's complex problems entirely on its own."
John Palmer, policy director of the Brussels-based European Policy Center, said the security strategy would get a mixed reception in Washington, where it is to be presented by Prodi and Greek Premier Costas Simitis Wednesday.

"Atlanticists in the State Department will be encouraged by this paper, but neo-conservatives will say, 'We're going to have some trouble with these people, they're getting out of hand.'"

Unless its member states radically boost defense spending, the EU is unlikely to morph into a superpower to rival the United States in the foreseeable future. But the bloc, which has frequently been described as an "economic giant but a political pygmy," finally appears serious about asserting itself more forcefully on the world stage.

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The Last Word

Values vs. Religion?

Barrie Quappe

Faith in a higher being and a variety of religions are the cornerstone to Caymanian society. This is probably something all of us can agree on.
However, how religious are we? Someone told me a joke the other day: "Two jokesters decided to play a joke in church one Sunday. They arrive in church and announce loudly "Who is willing to drop dead for Christ?" The previously packed church quickly emptied out leaving five or six people. The two jokesters then said to the pastor: "There you go Father, we took care of the hypocrites for you, carry on."

I relate this joke to illustrate the common complaint heard about church-goers, and that is that people go to church, but never seem to incorporate the lessons given in church into their everyday lives.

We have traditionally turned to the church to teach us values. So are we losing faith?
Our youth appear to take less pride in their dress, violent hip hop artists are held up as role models, prejudice is popular, and armed robberies are now a fairly regular occurance rather than non-existent. Even globally, 9/11 certainly challenged beliefs in a higher being that is all loving and all caring.

Is a deity really the answer to societal concerns? Religions have created most of the world's conflicts. The new world was murdered and beaten into submission by crusading Catholics, and conflicts in the Middle East have raged on for centuries based on religious differences.

John Lennon proposed that peace would be possible in a world void of borders and religions, thereby removing reasons to "kill or die for".

Check out the 2nd verse:

"Imagine there's no countries, It isn't hard to do, Nothing to kill or die for, No religion too, Imagine all the people Living life in peace..."

Was he on to something, or do we need belief to give us meaning and a value system in our lives? Can you be virtuous without religion?

Check out this quote from famous musician Carlos Santana; "People do things for different reasons. For me, I feel really passionate about being of service and giving back. In this world, what's really sacred and holy is not places like Jerusalem or Stonehenge or the Vatican, but how we treat each other." Powerful words indeed.

Any way you view this, recent events evidence that we seem to be losing the faith and perhaps more individual responsibility and caring for each other needs to be stressed, whether or not you are aligned with a religion.

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Int'l Business

SmartTrust and ACL Wireless offer Wireless Instant Messaging internationally

Following the successful launch of its Wireless Instant Messenger application across eleven operators in India and other parts of APAC, ACL Wireless has teamed up with SmartTrust to distribute the solution globally over the SmartTrust platform.

The partnership will provide an integrated solution for mobile service providers looking to deploy Wireless Instant Messaging (WIM) services to their subscribers and leverage on the popularity that instant messaging has enjoyed on the Internet.

The WIM solution offered by SmartTrust and ACL enables mobile users to exchange instant text, photos and group messages in real time with friends on PCs or mobile phones, anywhere in the world. ACL WIM, under the service mark, MyChatline, works with Yahoo!, MSN and ICQ accounts as well as with operator's own WIM communities.

Delivering ease-of-use and menu-driven navigation, the SmartTrust infrastructure controls the delivery and presentation of data services on the mobile handset. The first commercial launches over the SmartTrust infrastructure show WIM service take-up amongst users to be 100% greater than the same service delivered via standard SMS.

ACL WIM is offered as a hosted multi-channel solution. Complementing the WIG/WIB channel, the application can also be provided over SMS, WAP/GPRS, J2ME and PC Clients.

"Instant Messaging is expected to become a huge growth area for mobile operators, leveraging consumer demands for peer-to-peer communication. Therefore, we have partnered with ACL to offer this unique multi-channel service to our operator customers," explains Andrew Dixon, director of VAS marketing at SmartTrust.

"The partnership with ACL for the launch of Wireless Instant Messenger (WIM) reinforces our commitment to providing something new, innovative and valuable to the end-user, as well as something
revenue-generating for the operator," he continues. "Because our solutions allow over-the-air service deployment to entire subscriber bases, regardless of handset type, operators who have used the technology to raise the value of data services have seen rapid rises in ARPU."

Sanjay K Goyal, CEO of ACL Wireless added, "By supporting multiple generations of networks and mobile devices, SmartTrust has been a clear market leader in providing value to the end-user. Our association with SmartTrust is an important breakthrough, as it will enable us to enter the global GSM market. Furthermore, the application is expected to have a high penetration rate as it can be delivered over a variety of technologies and devices".

"This one additional attitude that reinforces the strategy of SmartTrust in providing different solutions to their clients, making revenue from the mobile services", says Alexander Dannias, Sales Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, SmartTrust.

More information: http://www.smarttrust.com

About SmartTrust

SmartTrust is a leading provider of infrastructure solutions designed to provide mobile subscribers with easy to use and secure personalized services. Using SmartTrust's solutions, mobile operators are able to manage and optimize both handsets and GSM/3G (U)SIM cards to deploy revenue-generating Value Added Services (VAS). Operators that have implemented SmartTrust's solutions have significantly reduced churn and increased ARPU (Average Revenue Per User).

More than 90 SmartTrust systems have been deployed with leading operators around the world. Customers include Vodafone UK, Vodafone D2, Telenor, SONOFON, Cosmote, MTN, Cingular Wireless, China Mobile, Airtel/Bharti Cellular, Virgin Mobile, M1 and Satelindo.

The SmartTrust Certified Partner Program includes all major SIM vendors that have licensed its technology for implementation within their cards. Over 120 million WIB-enabled SIM cards are now in circulation with SIM vendor partnerships covering 95% of the SIM card industry. The company is headquartered in Sweden with a regional presence in Finland, UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, Malaysia, India, China, Hong Kong, Thailand and the United States.

About ACL Wireless

ACL Wireless Limited is the leading provider of a unique, consumer-centric, wireless instant messaging application to mobile operators across Asia. Founded in early 2000, ACL operates from its wireless research and development centre in India, with its Asia Pacific sales office in Malaysia. The company presently employs over 60 people. ACL has successfully marketed its flagship product ACL Wireless Instant Messenger (WIM) to eleven leading mobile operators in Asia, whose combined subscriber base exceeds sixteen million. Several other leading operators, with over twenty million subscribers, have evaluated ACL WIM successfully and are considering service offer to their subscribers.

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Overseas News

Tony Blair urged again to call euro vote

British Prime Minister Tony Blair

European Commission President, Romano Prodi

LONDON (UPI) - British Prime Minister Tony Blair faced new pressure to call a referendum on the euro, which England so far has rejected.

The president of the European Commission, Romano Prodi, was the latest to call for a referendum, warning that the country could not remain a key player in the European Union if it refused to accept the currency. The British government says Britain is not ready for the single currency that other European countries have adopted.

Prodi said the government's decision not to hold a referendum this year was disappointing and "a signal of deep political problems" in both the government and the nation. The decision, he said, was political rather than economic.

Blair meanwhile called a large group of middle-ranking ministers to Downing Street Thursday for discussions on how better to explain the euro, and Europe in general, to the public.

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Senate OKs drug importation from Canada

US Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Tommy Thompson

WASHINGTON (UPI) - The Senate voted 62-28 to allow American pharmacists to buy prescription drugs in Canada and resell them in the United States.

Drugs in Canada are often less expensive than in the United States, so many people think the move will result in lower drug prices, The New York Times reported.

The plan is attached to the Medicare legislation being considered by both houses of Congress.

Although the House is expected to pass the measure, it could take a while before it goes into effect, the Times reported. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson has to verify that the importations can be done safely and will be cost-effective. The Times reported that Thompson has declined to give his approval.

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Troops hit Iraq before war: General

US Army General Tommy Franks

TAMPA, Fla., (UPI) - Coalition forces took control of 25 percent of Iraq before the war was first publicized, one of the planners revealed.

Gen. Tommy Franks told Knight-Ridder planners worried Iraq might launch Scud missile attacks on Israel and Jordan from its western desert, so American, British and Australian forces had to infiltrate the area as quickly as possible to prevent a wider Middle East conflict.

Franks, the commander of U.S. Central Command, said more than 50 12-member special forces units secretly entered the Iraqi desert before the war officially started. On the first night they took out 50 observation posts along the borders with Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. On the second night, they destroyed another 50 posts.

American pilots also targeted Saddam's secure communications fiber-optic cables that are hard to tap. With those channels destroyed, Saddam and his commanders were forced to use high frequency radio, which is easily intercepted.

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Libya denies Italian troop presence

Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi

TRIPOLI, Libya (UPI) Libyan authorities say they know nothing about Italy's plans to send troops to stem illegal immigration, the BBC reported.

The denial comes a day after Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi told parliament he was close to an agreement with Libya allowing Italy to patrol ports being used by people smugglers.

Libyan Foreign Minister Abdulrahman Shalgham told La Stampa: "We will not accept an (Italian) military presence on our territory."

He said the issue would be discussed with Italian officials next week.

Libya a former Italian colony has acknowledged it cannot police its long sea and desert frontier.
The issue has gained urgency after more than 200 illegal immigrants drowned while trying to cross the Mediterranean to Italy in the last 10 days.

Berlusconi wants to make fighting the illegal tide of immigrants a priority during Italy's six months at the helm of the European Union presidency.

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Poderings

The way it was I

These days there is a tremendous amount of information available about Cayman; whether it be in the form of books, magazines, pamphlets, brochures, newspapers or video cassettes, the individual is able to read or see everything about his/her particular interest or subject. While the information is used primarily by tourists or visitors, there is a good possibility that only a few Caymanians read or use what is now available in many locations primarily in George Town.

Imagine what was available more than 65 years ago. That thought made me think of a small booklet which was published by the Cayman Islands Yacht and Sailing Club, (C.I.Y. & S.C.) in 1937, during Commissioner Cardinall's term of office.

For those who have never seen this booklet, 'ponderings' will publish short sections each week-end. Today we start with Section I. Be sure to collect and read all the Sections I to XVI followed by Sections XVII to XXVI which give additional information on 'Old Cayman' and early hotels so that you can compare the 'past' with the 'present'.

Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, B.W.I.

Dear Sir or Madam,

Every winter more and more people are seeking for some quiet peaceful place, well in the warmth of the sun; and each year the search is more and more difficult. If you happen to be one of these seekers, perhaps the Cayman Islands may appeal to you as a really tranquil place within reasonable reach of the busy world, but away from all its blare and noise.

The Islands are three in number and are situated slightly to the North of West from Jamaica of which the nearest point is about 150 miles away. It is of one only of these Islands that I am writing, the largest of the three, the Island of Grand Cayman.

Grand Cayman is a low-lying Island composed entirely of coral and coral limestone. It is covered with dense, luxurious vegetation, ablaze with flowers, lilies of many varieties, orchids of amazing size and sweetness of smell, creepers, gorgeous flowering trees and shrubs. At eventide the air is full of delicate perfumes, and to lie on the beaches inhaling the gentle scents with the cool trade wind fanning one, listening to the gentle lap of a sea, coloured miraculously with blues of every conceivable hue, is an experience not easily to be found elsewhere.

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Health Today

Learning to get along with lactose intolerance

Living with lactose intolernace doesn't have to mean a life without dairy.

You've heard it at least 1,000 times: "Drink your milk." Sometimes, though, you drink milk and it just doesn't feel right. Perhaps your stomach feels bloated or upset after a you've had a glass. It could be that you are lactose intolerant. You are not alone about 75 percent of the world's adult population has some problem digesting lactose according to WebMD, an online medical information resource (www.WebMD.com).

What is lactose intolerance?

Normally, the small intestine produces an enzyme called lactase, which is needed to covert milk sugar, or lactose, into a form the body can use. Lactose intolerance occurs when the small intestine does not produce enough lactase to break down the lactose. Sufferers experience symptoms like bloating, cramps, flatulence, diarrhea or gurgling sounds in the abdomen 30 minutes to 120 minutes after eating or drinking milk or milk products.
Adult lactose intolerance is the most common form of the condition. Onset usually occurs during adolescence or at any time during one's adulthood. Another form, acquired lactose intolerance, is often the result of an illness, like the flu, or as a side effect of a medication. The condition can last a few weeks or a lifetime. Lactose intolerance can occur in newborns and babies, but it is rare. In these cases, babies may be able to only drink a special lactose-free formula or breast milk, which is high in lactase. Sometimes, these individuals need to be on a lactose-free diet their whole lives.

So, how can I get enough calcium?

While there is no cure for lactose intolerance, you can still incorporate enough calcium in your diet. Try eating small servings of dairy products throughout the day. Solid foods help slow the absorption of milk, so you might also try drinking milk with a snack or meal.

Here's another idea: much of the lactose in cheese is removed during processing. Aged, ripened or hard cheeses like Swiss, cheddar, Colby and Parmesan, may cause less of a problem for you. (If the amount of sugars listed on the nutrition label reads 0 grams, it has no lactose.) The active cultures in yogurt can help you digest lactose, making it easier to handle. You might even be able to stomach ice cream or frozen yogurt. Its lactose may be less harsh on your stomach because of its solidity and fat content.

You may also want to incorporate foods rich in calcium into your diet, although as a rule, foods outside the dairy group offer less calcium. Try calcium-fortified orange juice, turnip greens, kale, mustard greens, bok choy, soy beans, oranges, canned salmon with bones, tofu or broccoli.

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Sports

FC International football camp gets a boost

Mr. George Ebanks hands over a cheque to Mr. Kennedy Ebanks, President of F.C. International to assist them in their 2003 Summer Football Camp.

The 10th Annual F.C. International Summer Football Camp is coming up again, thanks partially to a private donation by Mr. George R. Ebanks.

The free camp, which is open to children aged 6-16, will take place from 11-15 August at the Annex football field in George Town, and then from 18-22 August at the North Side football field.

Mr. Ebanks made his contribution to F.C. International Football Club to assist them in defraying the costs of the camp, which provides coaching, daily meals, a T-shirt, and a free football for the for each of the participants.
"As a former football player myself, I am very aware of the positive influence which this sport can bring to its young participants," says Mr. Ebanks, "Far too often, we sit idly by and criticize our youth about the bad things that they do, but for all those youngsters who will be taking part in this years' F.C. Football Summer Camp, it's the right thing to do to assist in this worthy endeavor. A youngster who is busy doing positive things is far less likely to be inclined to become involved in drugs or crime."

Club President, Mr. Kennedy Ebanks says that F.C. International provides the camps to give something back to the community. "This event is one that the kids look forward to every year," he says.

Mr. Ebanks noted that there is considerable cost in running the camps. "We would not be able to have them without the generous support of the community. We are very grateful to Mr. Ebanks, and other individuals and companies for their donations."

For more information on the F.C. International Football Camp. Please call 917-1049.

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Island Games highlights Swimmers Wade In

The crowds in Guernsey are seeing a lot of the Cayman Islands swimmers on the podium at the Island Games.

The Cayman Islands Senior Swim Team of Kaitlyn Elphinstone, Shaune Fraser, Andrew Mackay and Heather Roffey have achieved a number of personal best times, winning a combined 17 medals and breaking six event records through the third day of swimming at the Beau Sejour Leisure Centre. The swimmers proudly wear swimwear and apparel that feature logos of their major sponsors, Cayman National Financial Services and the C.I. Department of Tourism.

Shaune Fraser has won three golds and set Games records in the 1,500m Freestyle, the 200m Fly and the 400m Individual Medley. Not only had the 1,500m Freestyle and 200m Fly records been set 10 years earlier, Shaune broke each of them by more than three seconds. He broke the 8-year-old existing 400m Individual medley record by almost five seconds.

However, it was Shaune's first record-breaking performance in the 200m Butterfly that has the United Kingdom swimming world abuzz.

Kaitlyn Elphinstone won two gold medals, in the 800m and 400m freestyle, smashing the prior 800m Games record by more than 16 seconds.

Heather Roffey has hauled in an impressive six medals; a gold in the 100m Butterfly (new Games record), silvers in the 200m, 400m and 800m Freestyle, and 400m Individual medley, and bronze in the 200m Individual Medley.

Andrew Mackay ensured each of the Cayman swimmers has won gold, by winning the 50m Backstroke, and has also added silver medals in the 200m Backstroke, and the 200m and 400m Individual Medleys.
The Games swimming program ends Thursday with another full day of heats and finals. Through Wednesday, the Cayman Islands athletes have won a combined total of 19 medals.

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On the Cricket Pitch

Philip Hackett

Boy, cricket administrations can dance!

It has often been said that good batsman can dance, but the steps cricket administrators have been using of late to twist their way around critical issues far exceeds the skilful manoeuvrings used by any modern-day batsman.

The inaccuracies of some decisions made by on-field umpires have been a preferred topic for discussion from the rum shop to the conference room of the International Cricket Council (ICC). Yet rather than address the issue head on, those charged with the responsibility of managing the sport have chosen to dance around it.

There is no doubt that available technology has the potential to reduce umpiring errors. The use of television replays should be used and even expanded.

The idea of placing a third umpire on the field to help adjudicate is one which falls far short of solving the problem, and in some ways has the potential for further confusion.

Malcolm Speed, the chief executive of the ICC suggested a third umpire could be used to improve umpiring standards at the highest levels of the game.

"Perhaps it is time for us to add another on-field umpire at international level," said Speed during the ICC's annual conference at Lords recently. "Cricket is one of the most difficult games to umpire."

How the use of a third on-field umpire would be used is not immediately clear, but it is hard to imagine any number of umpires being as efficient as using television replays.

Quite often, play is held up while the third umpire watches a television monitor to determine if a fielder has saved a boundary, often with only a run at stake. Yet there seems to be a concern that using the replays to assist with more critical decisions could slow the game down.

The philosophy surrounding the entire exercise needs to be clarified. On one hand there is a concern that further use of technology may rob the game of the established traditions and atmosphere, while others are more concerned with the accuracy of decisions.

With the ever-increasing professional nature of the sport making performances more significant to the careers of players, there is more pressure to 'get it right,' but if this is the major concern, then it should be addressed directly.

Using two umpires standing in the middle has been done throughout cricket history, and with a minimum of 90 overs to be bowled, they now have to concentrate for longer periods under close scrutiny of critical, unforgiving, and sometimes unprofessional media personnel.

If a third umpire is employed on the field, he should be used as part of a rotation system that allows each umpire one session off the field each day. This need not create a major expense as it would eliminate the need for a standby umpire.

Television umpires could also be worked into the rotation if necessary. This would have the added advantage of exposing umpires who are now limited to the occasional One Day International.

This system, like any other, will not be without its flaws, but those in search of perfection may need to return to the drawing board and conceptualise the game of cricket all over again.

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Surprises, prizes and strong competition at Flowers one-mile Sea Swim

US Olympian swimmer Chris Thompson won the Flowers Sea Swim Elite race. Photo credit Marcos Montana

Despite overcast skies and brief showers, the Flowers One-Mile Sea Swim on 14 June was a splashing success as over 500 swimmers and hundreds of spectators gathered to celebrate the sport of swimming in the Cayman Islands.

The race was originally scheduled to start at Holiday Inn, but was changed to the Royal Palms due to an unexpected change in ocean current.

At The Ritz-Carlton finish, the first male swimmer to cross the line in the recreational race was Alfonso Bregni from Guatemala in a time of 20:40.

Second and third place were captured by local swimmers Brett Fraser and Gilfredo Gomez Cruz Jr. The top female finishers were Andrea Kilam in first place with a time of 22:10, Andrea Balderamos in second place and Jennifer Powell in third place.

After the race, swimmers enjoyed food and beverages provided by Subway and the Flowers Group, as well as medals and gifts from The Brasserie, Flowers Bottled Water and Hard Rock Café.

The day started to heat up during the elite race when USA Olympic medallists' Scott Goldblatt and Chris Thompson were neck and neck for first place. Spectators screamed as Thompson won after Goldblatt narrowly miscalculated the finish line.

The race was won in a time of 17:41. Defending champion Dylan Rackley captured third place, beating local swimmer Shaune Fraser by a fraction of a second.

The women's race was a major upset when four-time Olympic gold medallist Brooke Bennett was beaten by University of Michigan's Amy McCullough with a time of 18:42. Cayman's Heather Roffey wrapped up third place in 20:18.

At the prize giving ceremony, age group trophies were presented by the Flowers Family, and outstanding awards were given by His Excellency the Governor Mr. Bruce Dinwiddy, Minister of Tourism, the Hon.
McKeeva Bush and Minister of Sports, Dr. the Hon. Frank McField.

Over a hundred and twenty random prizes were distributed to competitors of all ages and sizes. These included over 40 tickets on Cayman Airways and a special Cayman Airways promotional Grand Prize that was an all-inclusive Fort Lauderdale Vacation Weekend.

In the closing speech, Mr. Frank Flowers extended a special thanks to all of the swimmers, volunteers and sponsors, such as Cayman Airways, Holiday Inn, Cayman National Bank, Villas of the Galleon, Red Sail Sports, Hard Rock Café, The Westin Casuarina, Subway, Foster Brothers, Ritz-Carlton, Vibe, the Department of Tourism, Northwest Airlines, The Flowers Group and International Trading Group. The latter donated computers to the first and second school teams to reach the finish line, which were Cayman Prep and St. Ignatius.

Next year the swim promises to be even bigger and better, with more prizes and surprises for everyone.

Lined-up for the post-race awards presentations were (l-r) Mrs. Emma Dinwiddy; HE the Governor Mr. Bruce Dinwiddy; Mr. Eric Crutchley of Cayman National Bank; US Olympian Mr. Chris Thompson; US Olympian Mr. Scott Goldblatt; Australian Mr. Dylan Rackley; US National Team member Ms. Amy McCullough; Ms. B.J. Bedford, US Olympic gold medalist; Mr. Mike Adams of Cayman Airways. Photo credit Marcos Montana

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Bodybuilder profile: Dave Johnston

Dave Johnston

In advance of the 2003 INBF Natural Caribbean Grand Prix Bodybuilding and Figure Championships, Cayman Net News Sports will profile some of the local and overseas participants in the event.

A firefighter from Peoria, Illinois, Dave Johnston and his wife Lynn will celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary in Cayman while Dave is here to compete in the 2003 INBF Natural Caribbean Grand Prix Bodybuilding & Figure Championships in August.

The proud parent of four children, including triplets, Dave got serious about working out when he first became a firefighter, knowing how important staying in shape is for performing the strenuous duties associated with the job.

Dave first chose running as a way to stay in shape. He has run 102 marathons, six fifty-mile runs, One One-hundred mile run, and two full-distance triathlons.

Later, his son Mike, who is also now a firefighter, encouraged Dave to become a bodybuilder.
The year he turned fifty, Dave entered the Police and Fire World Games and won a gold medal in his age group. He became hooked on the sport at that point, and has competed in numerous competitions since then.

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Sports Person of the Week

Richard Shirley

Although he has hitch-hiked and travelled around the world, Richard Shirley has always found time to play soccer. "I've played it since I was a 6-year-old," he says."Growing up in England, it was the natural thing to do."

Once the captain of his University of Aston soccer team in Birmingham, he later became a FIFA qualified coach. "I used to coach a team of 6-year-olds in the Bahamas," he says. "I found that teaching that particular age group was most rewarding."

In earlier years, Richard enjoyed playing midfield, but now he prefers defense. "I'm too slow and old now," he laughs.

He goes to the gym every day, making it his goal to stay fit for as long as possible. This desire to stay in shape could also be due to a serious injury he sustained while living in Canada, when he tore the ACL in his right knee. "It's what keeps the upper and lower leg together," he says, "and it took me one year to walk normally again."

He advises others to work hard, stay fit, and to play within the team.

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