InternationalWomen's Day:
Mrs. PatsyAlberga named "Woman of the Year 2000"
A ceremony marking International Women'sDay was held in the Women's Resource Centre on Tuesday, March7th, in conjunction with the Business & Professional Women'sClub (BPW) and presentation of the award for "Woman of theYear 2000"
Former Governor, Mr. John Owen first recognisedthis special day for the Cayman Islands on March 8, 1997. Thisyear, Mrs. Suzanne Smith, wife of His Excellency the Governor,was present for the event.
International Women's Day is commemoratedin the United Nations and by women's groups all over the world.Mrs. Marian Polack, Chairman of the International Relations Committeeof Cayman's BPW, delivered the following address to the gathering:
"When women on all continents, cultural,economic and political differences, come together to celebratetheir day, they can look back to a tradition that represents almosta century of struggle for equality, justice, peace and development.
International Womens Day is the story ofordinary women as makers of history; it is rooted in the centuries-oldstruggle of women to participate in society and social changeon an equal footing with men.
The idea of an International Women's Dayfirst arose at the turn of the century, which in the industrialisedworld was a period of expansion and turbulence, booming populargrowth and radical ideologies. Since those early years, it hasassumed a new global dimension for women in developed and developingcountries alike.
It has become a rallying point for coordinatedefforts to demand women's rights and participation in the politicalprocess. It is a day to reflect on progress made, to call forchange and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinarywomen who have played an extraordinary role in the history ofwomen's rights.
As we celebrate International Women's Daytoday in the Cayman Islands, and enjoying the peace and beautyof our islands, please give thoughts and prayers to those womenwho at this moment are caught in devastating floods in Mozambique,clinging to their children in swirling waters in their thousandswhile helicopters pluck them from the water.
Please give thoughts and prayers also tothe women of Afghanistan, who cannot be educated or be employedanymore; where women doctors and all other professions must stayhome and hide behind darkened windows, only venturing into theoutside totally hidden by a burkah and accompanied by a male relative."
Mrs. Polack concluded her presentation,saying: "We in the Cayman Islands, have a long way to go,but at least we can count our blessings, and acknowledge the manygreat women in the Cayman Islands, both Caymanian and ex-patriate,who give of their time and energy helping other the less fortunatein this country."
President-elect of the BPW Club, Mrs. KathyWagner, then announced the Club's choice for the Woman of theYear Award for 1999.
The following is the text of Mrs. Wagner'sremarks:
"Every year members of the Business& Professional Women's Club choose a woman in the communityas the Woman of the Year, someone who has made a difference tothe lives of our people. For many years this has been a Caymanian.
However, this year we have chosen to awardthe Woman of the Year to an ex-patriate - a woman who arrivedfrom Jamaica 24 years ago in the Cayman Islands with her familyand has devoted almost every day of her life to working as a volunteerand making that difference.
Most people's recollection of Mrs. PatsyAlberga was in her Pink Lady uniform in Casualty at the GeorgeTown Hospital. After many years, Patsy was forced to leave thehospital with a debilitating illness - namely, rheumatoid arthritis.For a year and a half we never saw her. Then one day she appearedin the the Coffee Shop at the Hospital in her Pink Lady uniform- dramatically recovered, although walking with difficulty, volunteeringonce again three days a week.
In her spare time, she cultivates plantsall year; twice a year she takes them to the Pink Ladies Bazaars- always with the support of husband, Ramon. Last Christmas Patsy'splant stall made almost $2,000.
It doesn't end there: Whenever she has time,Patsy visits 'shut-ins' in their homes - be they young, old, sick,lonely, in need of a loaf of bread - or some other basic necessity.
Lest all this makes you breathless, Patsyis a grandmother - in her 70's - and finds the time to volunteerwith the Rotary-supported literacy programme on the island. Thistakes her to the prison, churches and private homes - teachingpeople to read."
Mrs. Wagner concluded by saying that theBPW Club was honoured to have Patsy Alberga accept this award.Mrs. Suzanne Smith, Patron of the Business & ProfessionalWomen's Club then presented her with flowers and the Club's Womanof the Year plaque.
In thanking the Club for this honour, Mrs.Alberga asked that we take care of the children in these islands,some of whom do not even have a midday meal at school, and askedthose present to contact Mrs. Sukoo of the John Gray High Schoolif they would be willing to help these children.
With obvious emotion Mrs. Alberga commented:"It is difficult for these children to study all day in schoolon an empty stomach." Most women at this gathering expressedsurprise that this was indeed some of the cases to be concernedabout in our schools.
Mrs. Wagner said that she looks forwardto the challenges the Club faces this year.
The Business and Professional Women'sClub can be contacted by telephoning 949-2433; fax 949-3361; e-mail:mpolack@candw.ky or mail: Box: 31925 SMB
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From Yesterday, Tuesday7 March 2000
"InternetSurfers Offered Free Web
Local NetRates May
Be Coming Down
While it may be impossible to offer thesweet deal that the California-based firm of AltaVista is offeringinitially to 500,000 Internet users in England - with other UK-basedNet firms sure to follow, Cayman's exclusive provider of telephone,cellular and internet services Cable and Wireless (Cayman) Ltd.(C&W) may be making an announcement "shortly" -that there will be an adjustment in connection with the ratesbeing paid presently for internet services.
It would not be possible for Cable and Wirelessto even consider for the Cayman Islands the low cost - and insome cases - free services being offered by AltaVista and otherInternet service providers in England, the United States and Canada.
Ms. Rhonda Kelly, a Public Relations Executivewith Cable and Wireless, explained that the cost to provide the"excellent quality of communications Cayman enjoys to therest of the world" is quite expensive owing to the significantinvestment they have made in capital expenditures including theMAYA 1 Cable which can provide total communication services directlyto world capitals. She said that the company is now providingexcellent services because of C&W's "long term commitmentto provide value" to their customers.
It is estimated that between 20 and 25 percentof all homes in the Cayman Islands subscribe to C&W's Internetservices. In Britain there are 17 million subscribers and in theUnited States it is estimated that there are already 50 percentof homes logging on to the Net free - as a matter of routine.
In response to consumer demands across theCaribbean, Cable and Wireless reduced long distance rates, witha 're-balancing' plan last year.
It is hoped that new rates for Internetusers will help Cayman realise its goal to become a major playerin the tremendous opportunities now offered for the developmentof 'e-business' - which has the support of the Government anda respected group charged by the Authorities to forge this territory'sambition to become a leader in this modern method of trading.
Lower Internet rates will mean that studentsof all ages will be able to spend more time on their home computerstaking advantage of the wide range of subjects offered -- leadingup to degrees and other skills, without the need for expensivetuition and boarding at Universities overseas. The Cayman IslandsCommunity College's two-year jump-start educational programmewill also supplement Internet studies, and Cable and Wirelesshas already given a commitment to support Education in all schoolswith free Internet services.
With mounting concern towards the need formore Caymanians to move up into jobs which will require advancedacademic and technical qualifications - Government may want toconsider offering an incentive for training to graduates gettingready to join the work force -- and others who are already working,to be exposed to the opportunities offered in today's growth incomputer related jobs, by lowering or abolishing the duty paidon personal computers -- so that every home will have one.
This method has been adopted by many countriesworldwide, recognising that this is a cost-saving approach foreducating its people.
The partnership of Cable and Wireless andsome of the Caribbean states, have in recent years become an issueover the rates and profits earned by the Company. Locally, theGovernment gets six per cent of the Company's total annual revenue,or twenty percent of the Company's profit in the Cayman Islandsfor that period, after allowing for administrative and technicalsupport costs not exceeding five percent of total revenue in theCayman Islands.
Mrs. Pat Bynoe-Clarke, the first Caribbeannational to hold the post of Head of Corporate Communicationsfor Cable and Wireless (West Indies) Ltd, with her base officehere, confirmed recently that the communications giant is nowin the process of completing plans to re-fit all of their Caribbeanplants to offer digital service - a luxury long now enjoyed bythe Cayman Islands.
It was also confirmed that while the Company'sHuman Resources offices have been relocated back to the CaymanIslands with just a "few staff members" after relocationout of Cayman to the UK a couple of years ago, there are no plansat present to bring in a significant amount of employees fromoverseas.
Most of C & W's technical and administrativedepartments in their local operations are now headed up by Caymanians.
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