Highlights from the Print Newspaper edition - Issue No. 401
Updated
as of
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Tuesday,
13 May 2003 |
4:00PM
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Up Front
News
Editorial
Letter To The Editor
Business Report
Overseas Commentary
Health News
US Immigration korner
Overseas People
Overseas News
Overseas Features
Sports
Sports SUMMARY
Strategic manoeuvring in advance of the 2004 general elections has apparently begun in earnest with reports saying that two former opponents have forged…
A New Political Alliance?
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MLA Kurt Tibbetts |
Mr. Truman Bodden |
Land sales were up over 51 percent for the first quarter of this year compared to the corresponding period last year, according to Land Registry figures just released.
The total value of sales recorded at the Land Registry for January, February and March was CI$85 million this year compared to CI$56 million last year during the same timeframe.
The boom might have only been temporary though. "We had quite a flurry of sales in January and February," says Billy Culbert, president of the Cayman Islands Real Estate Brokers Association, "but things have tailed off some after that."
The Cayman Islands Government collected stamp duties totalling CI$2,844,135 in the first quarter, a rise of nearly a million dollars over the same period last year.
The real estate market remained slow, however, in Cayman Brac, where only CI$36,786 of stamp duty was collected from all sources.
While Mr. Culbert has noticed a slowdown in sales over the past two months no doubt contributable in part to the war in Iraq he still thinks the real estate market is looking better. "We're not at the levels of the heyday," he says, "but we are still seeing a lot more activity relative to last year. All in all, we're doing OK."
Mr. Culbert thinks some people
are waiting to make real estate purchases because they believe
Government will extend the stamp duty reduction once again. "I
don't know that they will," he says, "It might be on
some people's wish list, but they might be in for a surprise."
Stamp duty is currently reduced to five percent on all properties
as a result of a measure adopted by Government to stimulate the
sluggish post-9/11 real estate market.
After 18 months of reduction, stamp duties are scheduled to revert
to their normal levels of seven-and-a-half to nine percent on
14 May, however as reported earlier in Cayman Net News, Government
is expected to announce shortly that they have extended the stamp
duty reduction for another six months.
Team leader to Washington, the Hon. McKeeva Bush
=The Cayman Islands will leave no stone unturned in the global fight against the terrible scourge of terrorism,” Washington business leaders were told on Wednesday, 7 May when the Islands Leader of Government Business spoke to a DC-based think tank, the Heritage Foundation.
The address to the Heritage
Foundation is part of an initiative by the Cayman Islands Government
to enhance United States and international understanding of Caymans
efforts to comply with international conventions and requirements
in the fight against money laundering and terrorism. The Cayman
team also sought to engage various US government agencies in exploring
ways in which the partnership could work more effectively to the
mutual benefit of both parties.
The Cayman team was led by the Leader of Government Business,
the Hon. McKeeva Bush. Other members were Financial Secretary
George McCarthy, Acting Attorney General Samuel Bulgin, private
sector representatives Michael Alberga of the law firm Myers and
Alberga, and Bank of Butterfield Managing Director Connor ODea,
who is currently also president of the Chamber of Commerce. They
were accompanied by Permanent Secretary Charles Clifford, Senior
Assistant Secretary Letitia Solomon, and Chief Government Information
Officer Patricia Ebanks.
Explaining to the Heritage Foundation Caymans position in the very grave global fight against terrorism, Mr. Bush said: =So far no request for information has come to us relating to terrorism, but rest assured that such a request would be treated with the highest possible priority.” The Leader of Government Business updated the foundation on Caymans anti-money-laundering efforts under the terms of the 1986 Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT). Covering all serious crime, the treaty has helped the US put drug traffickers and other major criminals behind bars, Mr. Bush said. He stated that since 1990, the Cayman Islands has responded to more than 200 requests by the Justice Department for information. Within a month of receiving requests for data regarding bank and company records of Enrons activities in the Cayman Islands, the first shipment of documents was on its way to the US, followed by a second shipment in January 2003.
=We take our law enforcement obligations seriously,” Mr. Bush said.
He also outlined the Cayman
Islands position on the EU (European Union) tax-savings directive
proposal. Aside from being designed to promote the interests of
high-tax European countries, Mr. Bush said that the Cayman Government
did not believe that the proposed measures would be effective.
=They will simply drive deposits from countries which impose the
European Unions protocol to those which do not,” he said.
He said that a better alternative was the exchange of information
between revenue authorities on an =upon-request basis in cases
in which there is evidence of wrong doing.”
In response to the European initiative to impose a savings directive
that would require an across-the-board tax return to the European
country from which the funds originated, the Cayman Government
has taken the issue to the European Court of First Instance. The
Court found that as a matter of European law, the European Unions
draft Directive on the taxation of savings income is a fiscal
measure, and that the European Union cannot impose the Savings
Tax Directive on the Cayman Islands, and further that the United
Kingdom is not obliged to impose the Savings Tax Directive on
the Cayman Islands just because the United Kingdom belongs to
the European Union.
Former Congressional Chairman
of the Appropriations Committee, Mr. Bob Livingston who now heads
the Livingston Group arranged the Washington meetings and introduced
Mr. Bush to the meeting. The Livingston Group has been retained
by the Cayman Islands Government to provide government relations
and lobbying services on its behalf.
Mr. Livingston said that Caymans efforts to lift the economic
level of its citizens have accomplished =what the region and the
rest of the world havent.”
He said that much of this achievement was due to the freedom of exchange of capital, =and if this is not maintained, citizens around the world will suffer.”
Mr. Dan Mitchell, currently McKenna Senior Fellow in Political Economy of the Heritage Foundation, chaired the meeting. He said that the US, too, was a magnet for capital from around the world, adding: =So we have a direct interest in preserving the free market.”
Mr. Mitchell said: =If money
dried up in the Cayman Islands, money wont be here [in US] either.”
This is why, Mr. Mitchell said, that threats to free enterprise
in the Cayman Islands were threats to the US, as well.
Following Mr. Bushs address, the floor was opened for discussion
in which the Cayman team explained new initiatives and Caymans
response.
Mr. Mitchell is regarded as the leading International voice in the fight to preserve tax competition, financial privacy and fiscal sovereignty.
On Wednesday, the team visited
the Department of Justice, Treasury, and State Department. The
following day they went to Capitol Hill, where meetings were held
with members of Congress and Congressional staffers.
The team returned to Cayman on Friday, 9 May.
The Cayman Islands Quincentennial Royal Visit
His Royal Highness, The Earl of Wessex, Prince Edward; HE the Governor, Mr. Bruce Dinwiddy and his wife, Mrs. Emma Dinwiddy.
His Royal Highness, The Earl of Wessex arrived in Grand Cayman on a British Airways flight from London Heathrow at 4:25pm on Friday, 9 May.
As the George Hicks Swing Band played, Prince Edward descended the steps of the plane and was warmly greeted by His Excellency the Governor, Mr. Bruce Dinwiddy and his wife Emma. An excited crowd of school children waved Union Jacks as he made his way through the receiving line.
First in line to welcome the Earl of Wessex was the Honourable Chief Secretary, Mr. James Ryan along with the Leader of Government Business, Hon. McKeeva Bush.
As His Royal Highness continued along the receiving line, he received greetings from the Commissioner of Police David Thursfield; Director of Civil Aviation Richard Smith; Executive Director of the Quincentennial Celebrations Mrs. Angela Martins and Chairman of the Quincentennial National Committee Mr. Ezzard Miller.
The Earl of Wessex, who is visiting Cayman as part of the Quincentennial Celebrations, was then taken to Government House for a short rest before attending his first engagement in West Bay, where he unveiled the Wall of Recognition, honouring some 600 men and woman as lifetime achievers for their service to the district of West Bay and the Cayman Islands.
An excited crowd of people, complete with friends and relatives of those whose names are displayed on the wall, came out in full force to witness the event that represented people from many generations and sectors.
"It's pleasing that we have His Royal Highness, the Earl of Wessex here to participate in this momentous occasion with us. The wall symbolizes a commitment by West Bay to honor its own people and to recognize outstanding and unselfish service to the district and the entire country," commented the Leader of Government Business, Hon. McKeeva Bush. He added that many of the honourees helped lay the foundation for a modern and progressive Cayman Islands.
Spectators were delighted
to see His Royal Highness, who visited the Cayman Islands through
Monday, 12 May. He participated in several Quincentennial Celebrations
events, including an investiture of honours.
More photos and a report will be published in a future edition
of Cayman Net News.
Morocco's King pardons jailed Britons
King Mohammed VI poses with his son, the heir prince Moulay Al Hassan
LONDON (AFP) c Four Britons have been freed from Moroccan prisons following a mass pardon by King Mohammed VI to celebrate the birth of a son and heir, the Foreign Office said.
Mohammed VI has ordered the release of 9,459 prisoners, including 293 foreigners, to celebrate the birth of Prince Hassan.
The jail sentences of 38,529
people are also being reduced.
One of the four was Steve Bryant, a Briton in custody for more
than 10 years, the British embassy spokesman said.
The 48-year-old lorry driver from Waltham Forest, east London,
was jailed for 10 years in March 1993.
Bank gives $139m to help Vietnam's schools
HANOI (AFP) c The World Bank said Saturday it has given Vietnam 139 million dollars to fund a project helping underprivileged children complete primary school.
The total cost of the project is estimated at 244 million dollars of which the World Bank, Australia, Canada, Norway and Britain have provided 200 million dollars.
The project is targeted at Vietnam's more impoverished regions, with two-thirds of the chosen 189 districts having more than 50 percent ethnic minority populations, the World Bank said in a statement.
"Investments in primary education have a high rate of return," said Marianne Karlsen from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation.
Nobel Laureate Walcott Reads in Cayman
Derek Walcott signs book for CNCF Deputy Chairman, Mary Elizabeth Rodriques, on 30 April at the Harquail Theatre. Photo by Patrick Broderick
The Harquail Theatre has hosted a number of highly entertaining and outstanding events in recent times, but last Wednesday's Cayfest 2003 Distinguished Lecture saw its stage graced with the presence of a magical and impressive literary persona.
Nobel Laureate, Derek Walcott wooed the packed theatre with his sultry, hypnotic voice as he read one of his well-known poems, "The Schooner Flight". The 1992 Nobel Prize Winner for Literature arrived early to mingle with guests during the wine and cheese cocktail reception that preceded his presentation. After the reading, Mr. Walcott took questions from the audience, and delighted fans with a book signing in the auditorium.
During his brief stay in Cayman, Mr. Walcott attended Cayfest Dance Vibes, the world premiere of eight new dances on April 29th, the CNCF/ Bank of Butterfield Partnership of the Arts. He also visited Hobbies & Books Ltd, sponsors for the Cayfest 2003 Literary Competition, and signed books for one hour on April 30th.
Mr. Walcott praised the work being done by the Cayman National Cultural Foundation (CNCF), and his willingness to enhance those efforts, came in the form of a surprise offer during discussions with CNCF's Artistic Director, Henry Muttoo. The Nobel Laureate, who founded and directs the Trinidad Theatre Workshop, delayed his departure from Cayman by one day to conduct an acting workshop for nine local actors.
He was impressed with the actors for their "honesty" during the improvisation session, and expressed the hope that the group will remain together, working with Henry at least one day per week to learn the craft of acting, and hopefully move toward the CNCF objective of forming a National Theatre Company.
At the start of the workshop
on May 1st, the Cultural Foundation presented him with a Cayman
Catboat sculpted in Caymanite by local artist Horacio Esteban
who was also on hand for the presentation. Mr. Walcott's visit
was made possible through the title sponsorship of the Cayman
Islands Department of Tourism, and supporting sponsors Crescent
Point Resort, Jacques Scott & Co. Ltd, Indies Suites and Tortuga
Rum Company.
Cayman Islands Hospital introduces Cardiology Services in May
The Cayman Islands Hospital is expanding its range of specialists services to patients and as of May 1 began offering cardiology services with the appointment of Dr. Neeraj Prasad as Consultant Internist and Cardiologist.
The Hospitals new cardiology unit will offer diagnostic and therapeutic services including echocardiography, transoesophageal echocardiography, exercise ECG, 24-hour ECG monitoring and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.
Dr. Prasad graduated from the University of Dundee Medical School, Scotland. He continued his postgraduate training in Internal Medicine and Cardiology in Scotland and was awarded Membership of the Royal College of Physicians (UK) in 1991, and a Fellowship in 2001. He also has a Doctor of Medicine research degree awarded in 1998.
He is currently a Consultant Cardiologist and Honorary Senior Lecturer at the City Hospital NHS Trust, Birmingham, UK. In this post Dr. Prasad is lead clinician for the cardiac catheterization laboratory, and has particular interests and expertise in hypertension, heart failure and coronary artery disease.
Dr. Prasad says that he is =very excited at the prospect of developing the cardiology services at the Cayman Islands Hospital.”
Commenting on the appointment of Dr. Prasad, Medical Director of the Health Services Authority (HSA) Dr. Bryan Heap says that =the Hospital is fortunate in recruiting the services of such a high calibre. This gives us the potential to expand our cardiology services so that we will be able to perform a number of heart investigations and treatments now only available in Miami.”
Managing Director of the HSA, Mr Lewis Ebanks says the introduction of cardiology services at the Cayman Islands Hospital will help to reduce the need and cost of sending cardiac patients overseas for certain tests and diagnosis as these services will now be available in Cayman. According to Mr. Ebanks, =the cardiology service is one of many initiatives to be introduced by the HSA to improve the overall access and provision of healthcare to the people of the Cayman Islands.”
Everyone is invited to a health
fair on Sunday, 18 May, from 1 c 3 p.m. at Cayman Academy, off
Walkers Road.
Titled =Take Charge of Your Health!,” the fair is geared
for people who want to gain c or maintain c control of their health.
The entry fee is $2 for adults and $1 for children; however, most
of the services c including massages, eye exams, dental exams
and natural health consultations c are free.
The fair is organized by the Cayman Islands Mission of Seventh-day Adventists and the Cayman Islands Mission Health Professionals Association. For more info, call Pastor Thompson on 949-9713.
Meloney Syms wins Cayfest Grand Prize
Meloney Syms (left)
accepts the Cayfest 2003 grand prize of two Air Jamaica Air Express
tickets from Pat Strudwick, Manager for Air Jamaica Express in
Cayman. CNCF photo
Meloney Syms is the delighted winner of the Cayfest 2003 Grand Prize of two return tickets to any Air Jamaica Express destination. The prize was drawn at the end of the May 4th staging of Dance Vibes at the Harquail Theatre.
Anjuli Bradshaw, the 2003 Spirit of Cayfest Queen who was also a performer in Dance Vibes, drew the winning name from a few hundred entries.
Ms. Pat Strudwick, Manager for Air Jamaica Express in the Cayman Islands, handed over the tickets to Miss Syms on April 6th. Ms. Strudwick expressed the airline's pleasure at being able to support such an important undertaking like Cayfest.
The Cayman Islands Festival of the Arts, Cayfest, is produced annually in April by the Cayman National Cultural Foundation (CNCF). The Festival promotes and preserves the culture of the Cayman Islands, and exposes local talent in the culinary, visual, literary and performing arts.
Cayfest Winners of Literary Competition
Seven winners have emerged from the 2003 Cayfest Poetry and Short Stories contest coordinated by the Cayman National Cultural Foundation as a new feature in the annual Cayman Island Festival of the Arts. Sponsored by Hobbies & Books Ltd, the competition had three age groups, Children 7-11years, Youth 12-17years and Adults 18+ years. A total of 74 entries were submitted to Books By The Bay, the Piccadilly Book shop and the Cayfest Office.
In making the announcement CNCF Artistic Director, Henry Muttoo noted, " The Cultural Foundation is pleased that Hobbies & Books agreed to partner with us to offer another opportunity for writers of all ages to showcase their talents in the literary arts". There were a maximum of twelve prizes offered of which ten were awarded to seven writers in five categories.
Top poetry honours for Adults
went to Lydia Murphy and Aaron Housholder who tied for 1st with
their entries "I Come From a House" and "Exquisite",
while Asvhin Murugesu dominated in the Children section with his
poems "Crab Hunting in Cayman"; 1st, and "Pirates
Week" 2nd. Ravena Powell walked away with the first place
in the Youth category with her entry "Woman Provision".
Second in the poetry Youth section was "No One Knows Her"
by Alice Andrews who demonstrated her versatility by also capturing
second place for her short story "The Journey in Troubled
Waters".
Charles D. Bush was rewarded with first place for his short story
"An Otherwise True Story" while Aaron Housholder secured
another prize in the contest with his story "Divergence""
which took 2nd place in the Adults section. Kamala Murugesu completed
the list of short story prize-winners with her Youth entry "My
Reflection".
The category in which prizes were not awarded was Short Stories for Children. The judges commented that there were some note-worthy pieces submitted by children that unfortunately did not meet all the criteria for the contest. The winners received gift certificates from Hobbies & Books as their prizes.
Trees planted to celebrate Earth Week
Front row: Dominic De Mercado. Middle row: Lisa De Mercado, Mrs. Hema Balakrishnama, Shannon McKenzie, Linda Appleqvist. Back row: Isidora Eden, Lauri Jackson, Theon McKoy, Ron George and Frank Roulstone.
One persons vision of planting a thousand trees in Cayman began with the planting of the first two as part of the celebration of Earth Week 2003 on Friday, 25 April.
The trees were planted on either side of the International College of the Cayman Islands (ICCI) walkway that connects the colleges Friends Hall to Hirst Road.
The planting of 1,000 trees is the idea of Mr. Frank Roulstone, Jacques Scotts Director of Beverages Division. Heineken is funding the project through Jacques Scott. The seedlings are all being purchased from the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park.
Assisting in the planting of the two bull thatch palm trees were ICCI students Isidora Eden, Vice President of Student Services, Lauri Jackson, member of the Student Activity Sub-Committee (SASC), Theon McCoy, SASC member, and Lisa de Mercado, Student Services Representative.
The students were joined by Dr. Eileen Dounce, Director of Graduate Studies, Mr. Nical Carter, Director of Operations and Development, Ms. Hemalatha Balakrishnama, Director of Student Services, Ms. Linda Dean Appelqvist, Director of Public Relations, Mr. Alberto Bejerano, Maintenance Director and his wife, Mrs. Georgina Dominquez.
Ms. Shannon McKenzie
of the Department of Environmental Health came by to oversee the
Earth Week project.
Mr. Roulstone intends to see this project to fruition with the
planting of 498 more bull thatch palms with the addition of 500
mahogany trees.
On Saturday 26 April, International College of the Cayman Islands students Evelin Rivera and Alejandra Chavez spent a few hours rubbing elbows with His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden during an English as a Second Language class field trip.
Accompanied by their instructor, Linda Appelqvist, the two young ladies carried their English lesson notepads to Safe Haven and attended the 46th Baden-Powell World Fellowship Scout Exhibition.
Founded almost a century ago by Lord Baden-Powell, the World Scout Foundations Honorary President is His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf, of Sweden. The Scandinavian monarch spent four days on Grand Cayman and, according to reports, is the first King to have graced our shores.
Although Ms. Appelqvist lived on a Swedish-speaking island in the Baltic Sea, English was the language of the day.
Chief Secretary thanks NHC members
Chief Secretary, the Hon. James M. Ryan
The Chief Secretary, the Hon. James M. Ryan, MBE, JP, thanked members of the National Hurricane Committee (NHC) for =pulling together” and conducting a smooth Hurricane Charlene exercise.
=I trust that the exercise was beneficial for everyone,” said Mr. Ryan, who is the NHCs chairman. =His Excellency the Governor, Mr. Bruce Dinwiddy, also conveys his thanks to all.” He added that the Governor, who launched the exercise via portable radio on Tuesday, 29 April, kept in contact with various persons throughout and was very pleased with the way the exercise was organised.
He also acknowledged three observers to the exercise c Mr. Dale Lake of the Department of Disaster Management in the British Virgin Islands, Mrs. Rebecca Harper of the Canadian High Commission stationed in Jamaica, and Mr. Charles Dingler, head warden for the Canadian Commission in the Cayman Islands. During hurricanes, the three will assist Cayman authorities with notification efforts for Canadian nationals.
=We want to work together in times like these,” Mr. Ryan said, acknowledging that both the observers and local NHC members benefited from the mutual learning experience. =On behalf of Cayman, our co-operation will always be available.”
Mr. Kirkland Nixon, lead NHC co-ordinator, noted that Caymans hurricane emergency response is considered a model for the region.
The NHC swung into action for fictitious Hurricane Charlene with an =alert” issued on Tuesday. Two days later, on 1 May, Charlene struck Grand Cayman and brushed Little Cayman with hurricane-force winds. The =all-clear” c which also signalled the end of the exercise c was issued on Friday, 2 May.
Department of Tourism trains Civil Aviation Authority staff in customer relations
Group photo of some of the attendees at the certificate presentations.
Staff of the Civil Aviation
Authority recently attended a =Customer Relations Workshop”
provided by the Tourism Development Services Unit of the Department
of Tourism. Approximately 50 staff members from the Ground Transport,
Security, Janitorial and Administration Sections attended the
one-day session that focused on the importance of providing quality
service to visitors to and residents of our islands, problem solving
and dealing with difficult customers. Each participant received
a certificate of attendance upon completion of the course.
The Civil Aviation Authority wishes to thank the Department of
Tourism, in particular Ishwar Persad and Alma McKenzie for tailoring
the course to suit the Authoritys needs and also to thank Mr.
Frank Flowers of C.L. Flowers & Sons for the provision of
the training room.
Social Services Donates to Crisis Centre
Cayman Islands Crisis Centre board member Father Sean Major-Campbell receives a cheque for CI$1,000 from Director of Social Services Deanna Lookloy.
The Cayman Islands Crisis Centre recently received a cheque from the Department of Social Services for CI $1,000 towards supplies and rehabilitation programmes.
According to Social Services Director Deanna Lookloy, money for the donation came from the departments lifeline account, which is designed to help children in need. Children receiving services from the center (while there with their mother or father) will benefit from the donations.
In addition, Mrs. Lookloy
explained the departments decision to support the crisis center;
=We are happy to be able to help the Crisis Centre, which will
in turn help needy children and that is one of our primary responsibilities”
she said.
Crisis Centre board member Father Sean Major-Campbell, was delighted
to receive the cheque, commenting; =The Crisis Centre is most
grateful to receive continued support. We invite members of the
public to continue to contribute to this worthy cause and in return,
the Islands will benefit from our services. Our families and communities
will be able to receive help when it is needed most, which is
what the centre was designed to do,” he commented.
For more information on Social
Services programmes, contact the department at 949-0290 or visit
the customer service desk on 2nd floor, Tower Building. For more
information on the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre, telephone 943-2422.
A Call Against Arms
The recent spate of armed robberies on Grand Cayman is a very disturbing development for this country.
For years, the Cayman Islands has been known as a safe place to live or visit, and although there is crime here like anywhere else in the world, the limited, petty crimes committed tended to be non-violent in nature.
Times have certainly changed, though, since the slow-paced days of predevelopment. It cannot be expected for a nation to double in population in only 20 years and not have an increase in crime.
The Royal Cayman Islands Police (RCIP) have done a fine job in meeting the challenges of keeping law and order in the =new” Cayman. Todays police are better trained, more disciplined and less inclined to nepotism than two decades ago. Still, it appears there are some chinks in their protective abilities.
In the past four weeks, three separate robberies involving guns have taken place at local businesses. Thankfully, no one has been injured in these robberies, a fact that will inevitably change if the crime spree continues.
Because the crimes have similar
modus operandi, it is quite possible that the same men might have
perpetrated all three of these recent robberies. Still, the question
remains, where are the guns to commit these crimes coming from?
It is not difficult to surmise the answer to that question. Although
the importation of guns is forbidden except for special circumstances,
we are a three-island country with some 80 miles of coastline
on Grand Cayman alone, much of it easily accessible by boat.
Drug smugglers have used our largely unprotected shores as a method of landing their products on the Islands for many years. It is not a far stretch of reason to deduce that gun smugglers might use the same practice.
The RICP has very limited resources to meet the pervasive threat of illegal smuggling. In addition to a lack of manpower, the Marine Division only has four boats, far fewer than would be necessary to adequately patrol the shores of an island even as small as Grand Cayman. The problem is that even if the polices resources were doubled, some smuggling would still occur; it is just too difficult to patrol the whole islands coastline.
Yet something must be done to curtail the importation and ownership of guns in the Cayman Islands. Our safety, our way of life and our reputation in the eyes of tourists and overseas investors depend on it.
Our low rate of violent crime is one of the main attributes that separate the Cayman Islands from many other Caribbean nations. Dont think for a moment that fact goes unnoticed by the people who butter our bread with tourism.
It is therefore important we develop different methods of combating gun importation and possession. While the Government might be able to introduce new surveillance measures, or increase the number of boats patrolling our shores, the last line of defence will lay with the people.
Similar to some of the initiatives in the new Homeland Defence of the United States, where the people themselves play a vital role in the nations security, so must the people of the Cayman Islands accept some of the responsibility in this countrys war against guns.
Not only should boaters or those living on the coast be asked to report suspicious offshore activities, but the entire population should be encouraged to report any knowledge of gun possession in these islands.
Unless strong measures are taken to stem the tide of gun possession, violent crimes are bound to increase. By not acting proactively, the tide will certainly turn against our normally peaceful, placid shores.
Tanya Streeter opposes proposed Dolphin attractions
Tanya Streeter
Dear Sir,
As a Caymanian, I am writing to express my grave concerns at reports
that there are currently up to four different captive dolphin
facilities proposed for construction in the Cayman Islands. When
I was a child (and even as an adult), the waters around the Cayman
Islands always offered me much more entertainment than I could
take advantage of in a lifetime, so at the very least it baffles
me that anyone could think that our islands need such a facility.
As an environmentalist and spokesperson for The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, I hope my letter will serve to do a number of things, such as educate the uninformed about the dangers, cruelty and unsuitability of these facilities; empower those who are against these proposals with some key facts so that they are well equipped to publicly protest them; and finally to encourage those who are inclined to support the proposals to think a little differently. I will begin with some information that addresses these first two goals.
Scientific evidence suggests that the confinement of dolphins in captivity can be severely detrimental to their welfare and survival. Research shows that in captivity dolphins suffer from stress and subsequent frequent illness, behavioral problems, high mortality rates, decreased life expectancy and breeding difficulties. Commendable studies further reveal that the annual survival rate and calculated life expectancy of dolphins held in tanks is significantly lower than that of free-ranging dolphins in their natural habitat.
Its always interesting to hear representatives of captive dolphin facilities boast that their recently-deceased dolphin survived to the ripe old age of, say, 20 years old, when what they dont tell you is that in the wild that same animal would have lived until it was between 35-50 years old!
Its my understanding that some of the proposals submitted involve bottlenose dolphins purchased from existing captive facilities, while the others involve capturing the animals from the wild. Make no mistake, regardless of which dolphins may end up in a tank/pen in Cayman, at some point they were kidnapped in terror from their natural surroundings, often wounded in the process, with others even perishing around them.
Left to their freedom, wild bottlenose dolphins live in dynamic, complex societies with stable families that seem to remain together for a long time. They are free-living creatures that are used to traveling many tens of miles a day. Yet some people among us would rather keep them in captivity, forced to live in an artificial environment where humans control their every move. Such imprisonment can change their behavior so drastically that a captive dolphin display cannot begin to demonstrate the complex lives of wild dolphins or the natural environment they inhabit.
Based on this proven fact, facilities that operate under the guise of =education” are simply attempting to pull the wool over the eyes of visitors, because the performances they see bare no resemblance to that of wild dolphins. Its simply a scam. Almost all dolphins in captivity today around the world are suitable for rehabilitation into the wild, so even the proposal that involves =rescuing” the dolphins from another facility is redundant.
Dolphins are increasingly being displayed in captive facilities that offer swim-with-the-dolphin programs, and its likely that this element is included in one or more of the proposals currently on the table with CIG. In a situation where for hour after hour dolphins are forced to interact unnaturally with humans yet with no escape, they suffer from both psychological and physical illness.
Further, there have been many recorded instances where the dolphins take out their revenge on the very people who have paid their money for an experience they have been lead to believe will change their lives, even heal them, by causing varying degrees of injury including scratches, bites, bruises and even broken bones. After all, these animals can weigh upwards of 500lbs and they are highly intelligent c if they dont want to play but they are forced to, they can play very rough! I personally know of someone who had three ribs broken by a captive bottlenose dolphin!
There is simply nowhere in the Cayman Islands where it is suitable to keep captive dolphins. Even the proposal that apparently involves the construction of =sea-pens” is little better than that which includes a concrete tank at the Turtle Farm. Captivity is captivity. And anyway, it cant have escaped the attention of many of us that there are no resident dolphins in our waters! And there is a reason for that c our waters are not suitable for dolphins.
In my whole life in Cayman I have seen dolphins twice off the west coast of Grand Cayman and once on a crossing to the Sister Islands. And each sighting was incredibly lucky as they were simply migrating to somewhere with more suitable conditions.
Now I have reached the point in my letter where I must address my final goal of encouraging those who are inclined to support the establishment of such captive dolphin facilities to think a little differently. I always find the approach of =putting yourself if their shoes” quite effective, so consider this. Dolphins have often been described as having similar intelligence to that of children, yet with heightened instincts for survival.
Imagine yourself at the age of 8, or perhaps you have a child or relative at that age. Now imagine that child is at a picnic with you, and all your friends and family when from nowhere terrorists snatch him away. Your mother is taken too, but she fights until she dies, and your family is devastated at the losses. Now that child is transported in horrific conditions, oftentimes close to death, and imprisoned in a room that measures 10 foot by 10 foot with 6 other strangers of all ages and genders.
Fights break out to establish
dominance and the child is repeatedly wounded, constantly medicated
and suffers deep depression. As a final blow, in this tiny room
with all these other people and no place to seek refuge, the child
if forced to beg for food, the same food for the rest of its life,
by performing demeaning tricks. 20 years later, after years of
force-feeding via a tube and medication for illnesses he would
never have got in the wild, the childs body simply gives up.
Even if this story and all the supporting research means nothing
to you, and you are not the type of person who treats animals,
especially those of high intelligence, the same way you would
want to be treated, please consider the untold damage the establishment
of such a facility will do to Caymans excellent reputation for
conservation.
Visitors come to our islands because we have historically saved more than other islands who have exploited every asset to depletion. At least one of the proposals I refer to involves the massive destruction of part of the coastal area of West Bay to facilitate the holding areas for the dolphins.
That exact coastal area is
a natural habitat that needs to be preserved, as it is part of
the very delicate ecosystem we all know as the North Sound. If
we destroy North Sound, what will happen to the visitors that
enjoy it so much today?
Protect what we already have c and we already have so much! -
dont give in to the power of the almighty dollar just for today,
when tomorrow our children and grandchildren will never know the
beauty of the waters around us that we enjoyed as children. Nor
will they know the respect the Cayman Islands earned by having
a high standard of ocean ethics.
I respectfully call on the Cayman Islands Government to support the conservation and protection of wild dolphins and not to allow the development of captive dolphin facilities here. And I encourage the people of the Cayman Islands to take an active stand against these atrocious proposals.
Yours in conservation,
Tanya Streeter
Cable & Wireless claims No. 3 spot in High Speed Internet penetration
Dear Sir,
Is Cayman really behind on High Speed Internet Connectivity? Is
Internet expensive in the Cayman Islands?
It was with great interest that I read your editorial, Getting
up to speed for our future in the Wednesday, May 7th edition of
your paper. There is a great deal we agree upon; it is critical
for Cayman to develop its high-tech sector and deliver world-class
Internet services as a foundation to the kind of future we can
all look forward to for our children.
Cayman Net News noted that South Korea has taken this commitment
to heart, has managed to attain a high-speed Internet connection
rate of over 57%. While this may make them the envy of the world,
it needs to be recognized that
taxpayers have borne the costs through heavy subsidies.
However, I would like to challenge some assumptions made in the subject article. For example, did you know that Cayman currently has the 3rd best High Speed Internet penetration rate in the world? Here are the rankings….
South Korea 57.4%
Canada 49.9%
Cayman Islands 26.8%
Japan 25.6%
United States 22.8%
Sweden 18.4%
Germany 18.1%
France 14.6%
Italy 10.8%
Britain 10.7%
As a percentage of total Internet
households (Uses a combination of Yankee Group figures and internal
C&W statistics).
If Cayman is ahead of the U.K., the US and Japan, then clearly
Cable & Wireless must be doing something right. This was achieved
with no government subsidies, in less than two years, and at a
rate of growth that is still strong. Look for us towards the top
of the list quite soon.
In addition, you may be surprised to find that the cost of an average high-speed Internet connection in Cayman is actually less as a percentage of household income than it is in South Korea! According to the Chamber of Commerce, an average household income in Cayman is about $58,935 US, with a base high speed internet price of US$1069 annually, or about 1.8% of a household income.
In South Korea, a standard household income is about US$20,000 and at US$384, a High Speed Internet costs a family 1.9% of their household income according to figures quoted in the New York Times, May the 5th.
It is important for us to remember that Cayman is a very small country, and the costs for the same high speed equipment and infrastructure necessary for these services are shared by a much smaller pool of people than in large countries like South Korea. Despite this, we still have a favourable rate!
Finally, I think it is also important to remember that Cable & Wireless is not remiss in its duties to help prepare our children and our economy for the technology wave of the future. In addition to the internships, training and scholarships you noted, Cable & Wireless has been delivering high speed Internet connections at no charge to the schools of Cayman since it became available.
Cable & Wireless in Cayman has nothing to be ashamed of in how our citizens are served in this area. Thank you for allowing me to put the record straight.
Alee Faamoe
Cable & Wireless (Cayman Islands) Ltd.
Editors Note:
While its comforting to know that
Cayman enjoys the third best High Speed Internet penetration in
the world (which certainly is a reflection of our affluence) we
still do not have High Speed Internet access of the same speed
as that offered overseas. Internet service that is many times
faster than the best service offered here is available in other
countries. With at least three and maybe four potential telecom
players waiting in the wings to play on Caymans choice field,
we were merely pointing out that we deserve the best in service,
at affordable prices, to allow Cayman to compete with the world.
With waning tourism because of a region-wide drop in visitors,
and a quite cautious financial industry, it is incumbent on the
Government to ensure that whatever leg proposed to prop up and
expand the economy, such as IT, will be beneficial not just for
the existing monopoly but others who are preparing to enter the
pockets of our residents.
Senate Republicans may drop Foreign Tax Exemption
United States Senate Republicans may turn to Americans working abroad to help pay for a dividend tax cut by repealing a longstanding tax exemption, a Republican aide said.
One of the ideas being discussed to offset the cost of the dividend tax reduction is ending a law that exempts from taxes the first $80,000 earned by U.S. citizens who work overseas, said the aide, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Senate Republican leaders
are searching for ways to raise revenue after coming up with a
compromise tax plan that includes most of the cuts President George
W. Bush sought and stays within the $350 billion limit the chamber
set last month. The dividend tax cut would cost about $80 billion
more, though the details of how to pay for it hasnt been settled.
Repealing the overseas income exemption =in effect is a tax increase
for corporations, said Rick Grafmeyer, a tax lawyer and former
deputy chief of staff on the congressional Joint Committee on
Taxation.=If youre involved in international work, your taxes
would go up.
The Senate Finance Committee
is to vote on the tax bill today and send it to the full Senate.
A spokeswoman for committee Chairman Charles Grassley did not
return calls seeking comment on the exemption repeal last night.
The exemption has been part of the U.S. tax code in one form or
another for about 50 years. Eliminating it would generate $34
billion in revenue over 10 years, the non-partisan Joint Committee
on Taxation has estimated.
Qualifying
To qualify for what is known as a Section 911 exemption, you must
be a U.S. citizen and live outside the country for an entire tax
year, or 330 days in any 12-month period. U.S. citizens are required
to pay taxes in the country where they are living.
Proponents of repealing the law have argued that the exemption gives foreign-based workers an unfair advantage over employees in the U.S., according to a Congressional Budget Office analysis.
Grafmeyer predicted it would run into strong opposition. Many corporations pay taxes for their overseas employees as an incentive to take on assignments, he said.
=It is one of the most important
provisions affecting American workers and U.S. companies overseas,
said David Hamod, executive director of the Section 911 Coalition.
=We would consider it short-term thinking to approve the repeal.
Hamod declined to name members of the coalition because it has
been less active recently. In 1999, when the group was lobbying
to remove restrictions on the exclusion, it included Caterpillar
Inc., Deloitte & Touche LLP, Foster Wheeler Ltd., Hughes Saudi
Arabia Ltd. and overseas units of Lockheed Martin Corp., McDonnell-Douglas
Corp. and Oracle Corp.
Other Revenue
Grassley has said the Senate also may raise money for the dividend
provision by plugging loopholes that encourage companies and individuals
to relocate overseas and exploit tax shelters.
Some fees, such as those paid for customs, may also be raised. Republican leaders said they expect the tax bill approved by the Finance Committee will be modified in the full Senate.
=Everything is subject to
change on the floor, said Senator Rick Santorum, the No. 3 ranking
Republican in the chamber.
After a series of meetings last night, Republicans agreed to a
draft bill that accelerates income tax rate cuts slated for later
years, increases the child tax credit, expands deductions for
small businesses and provides $20 billion in aid for state governments
strapped for cash because of the slow U.S. economy.
Dividend Tax Grassley, of Iowa, said the Republican plan also would eliminate the tax on dividends for 86 percent of taxpayers. It would exempt the first $500 in dividend income from taxes. An additional 10 percent of dividend income above that would be tax free for the first five years the legislation is in effect and that would increase to 20 percent for the next five years.
Republican Senator Olympia
Snowe of Maine, who holds the swing vote on the finance panel,
had insisted any tax cuts that would cost more than $350 billion
be paid for through spending cuts or new revenue. =Given my concern
about future deficits, I believe the plan is a fiscally responsible
approach, Snowe said in a statement released last night.
Ohio Republican Senator George Voinovich, who also objected to
Bushs original tax cut plan, praised the deal. =The agreement
seems to be what Ive been hoping for t a robust tax cut that gives
the economy a needed shot in the arm without shooting the deficit
in the foot, he said in a written statement.
With the Senate split 51-49
in favor of Republicans, party leaders need their votes to pass
any tax legislation.
Whatever the Senate approves must be reconciled with the different
track the House is taking on dividends.
The House Ways and Means panel approved a $550 billion tax cut
that would tax dividends and capital gains at the same 15 percent
rate. Capital gains currently are taxed at a 20 percent rate and
dividends at the same rate as regular income, as much as 38.6
percent.
United States given deadline in EU tax dispute
By JOHN ZAROCOSTAS
GENEVA, Switzerland (UPI) t The World Trade Organization gave
final approval Wednesday to the European Unions request for punitive
tariffs by autumn on a list of American products worth $4 billion
in retaliation for
disputed tax break laws for major U.S. corporations.
=The (European Commission) will review the situation in autumn,” said EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy, after the Geneva-based WTO approved the sanctions.
=If there is no sign that compliance is on the way at that time, it (the commission) would then start the legislative procedure for the adoption of countermeasures by January 1, 2004,” Lamy said in a statement.
But senior Western diplomatic sources said after the recent diplomatic fight over the war in Iraq, the EU and the United States are in no mood for a costly trade war. The sanctions would derail the troubled Doha round of global trade talks, the sources said.
There is a desire at very senior levels in both Washington and Brussels to =tone down” the political tensions and that includes sensitive matters on the trade front, sources said.
Carlo Trojan, the EUs ambassador to the WTO, told reporters Brussels would give the United States until the end of the fiscal year, which ends Oct. 1, to comply with the rulings.
=We are still willing to give the U.S. a short additional period to make the necessary legislative changes before we take any action,” Trojan said. He added that the EUs objective was the removal of the illegal export subsidy.
American products targeted by the EU include nuclear reactors, iron and steel, aluminum, electrical machinery, textiles and clothing, fruit, grains, among other industries. The sum of $4.04 billion set the WTO was a record for retaliation allowed by the trade organization.
Richard Mills, a spokesman for the U.S. Trade Representatives office, said, =As we have made clear, the United States intends to comply with our international obligations.”
Mills added that both the House of Representatives and Senate are working to address the issue.
He also warned that retaliation
is a =double-edged sword with economic consequences for both side
of the Atlantic.”
=The Ways and Means Committee is expected to take up a package
that deals with resolving the FSC (foreign sales corporations)
issues in a manner consistent with WTO obligations,” White
House spokesman Ari Fleischer said.
But Western diplomatic sources said Brussels would probably not
use the authority granted by the WTO even if the United States
failed to bring the offending legislation fully in compliance
with WTO norms as stipulated by numerous dispute panels.
The same source doubted Brussels would take it to the brink.
Foremost, France t traditionally the most eager to take on the United States on trade matters t are as one EU member state diplomat put is = pragmatic” on the tax breaks issue and not sparring for a fight.
Another factor against, the same sources said, was that a decision to impose sanctions of such magnitude would require approval from EU member state leaders.
And this would draw stiff opposition from members with close ties with the Bush administration and also keen to mend the EU-U.S. relations.
Finally, there would be increased political pressure both from EU importers that could be affected and also EU exporters not eager to put in jeopardy access to the United States t the worlds biggest and most vibrant market.
Commemoration
of International Nurses Week
May 11 c 17, 2003
Message from the Hon. Gilbert McLean, Minister of Health Services,
Agriculture, Aviation and District Administration
Hon. Gilbert McLean
=As Minister of Health Services, I take this opportunity to acknowledge all members of the nursing profession during this week of recognition. It is an honor to join with others across the globe to pay tribute to nurses for their hard work and devoted contribution to the health and well-being of the people that they serve.
Nurses make up the largest contingent of health care professionals, and are constantly working to improve health care. Indeed, they personify health care with a human touch. Whilst most working persons generally interact with healthy, individuals, the nature of the medical profession, particularly nursing, frequently brings one in contact with people who are in urgent need of physical, mental, social and even spiritual care. Nurses touch the lives of so many individuals in times of pain and suffering. It is not just a job; it requires an extraordinary human touch.
The International Council of Nurses is commemorating Nurses Week 2003 with the theme =Nurses c Always There for Families: Fighting AIDS Stigma, Caring for All.”
HIV/AIDS is a devastating reality. This is a fact that nurses and other health care professionals constantly face, as they provide comfort for dying patients c while counselling them effectively, sensitively and compassionately. Moreover, they also support family members who are experiencing grief and loss.
Nurses throughout the Cayman
Islands whether local or from overseas, have proven themselves
to be effective and compassionate caregivers. Those who have been
hospitalized, or have relied on home health care to recuperate
from sickness or injury may not remember the procedure that was
performed or the specialised equipment that was used. Chances
are, however, that the best memory of ones health care experience
will be the nurses who provided care.
These are the men and women who were there for you 24 hours a
day c monitoring your condition, preparing you for surgery, changing
your dressings, checking your blood pressure, listening to your
concerns and teaching you how to take care of yourself once you
became able.
No matter how advanced the technology is at a hospital or clinic, or how beautifully the rooms are furnished, a health care facility just wont be able to provide the same level of services safely, effectively or efficiently without first-class nursing care.
Nurses are, and will continue to be, an indispensable part of the total multi-disciplinary team approach to health care today. Therefore, International Nurses Week is an opportune time to reflect on the major contribution being made each day by nurses in the delivery of health care.
It is with great pride that as Minister of Health Services, I commend the hundreds of nurses throughout the Cayman Islands who positively impact the lives of our families and the community at large. I encourage them to continue to deliver the excellent service to which we have all grown accustomed.
Felicia Persaud
This is a column created especially
for immigrants concerned or unsure of issues pertaining to the
US Immigration Law. The column will answer some of our readers
frequently asked questions and provide answers from qualified
immigration attorneys and advocates lobbying for the US immigration
cause.
Q: If a U.S. citizen traveled back to the Caribbean to marry,
is it possible that he could take her in to the embassy for a
tourist visa so she can travel with him immediately?
A: Attorney Andre Pierre says of course your wife can apply for a tourist visa at the U.S. embassy in the specific country. It doesnt mean she will be granted one though. The law, says Pierre, authorizes the admission of certain non-immigrants who want to visit the U.S. temporarily for pleasure (tourist (B2) visa). Your wife must therefore prove to the consular officer that she does not have any intention to remain in the U.S. permanently and the consular officer must believe that. The consular officer will consider weak personal ties to the home country; the absence of funds with which to return; strong family ties in the U.S.; employment; a prior application for Lawful Permanent Resident Status; conflicting stories about the applicant's purpose in coming to the U.S.; and the absence of a return ticket, in determining whether a tourist visa can be granted.
As you probably know, certain countries are thought by consular officers to have high rates of visa abuse - that is, the visa holder never returns home. This is particularly likely in an underdeveloped country where people have substantial economic incentives to leave.
In fact, adds Pierre, being married to a USC would lead the consular officer to believe that she does not have an intention to return to her country after the U.S. trip. What you can do is to file for her as a Legal Permanent Resident and wait for a few months or sponsor her as a fiancée and have the wedding here in the U.S.
Q: What is the waiting time
for married children of U.S. citizens?
A: The wait for a married child of a U.S. citizen is about six
years, says Attorney Sanjay Biswas. For single adults over 21
it is two to three years.
Q: I am a 33-year-old, single
woman without children. My mother sponsored me in February 2002.
She has been a citizen of the U.S. for the past 2 years. How long
do you think I will have to wait to get my visa?
A: Attorney Stan Mark says visas for children of U.S. citizens
are ONLY now being processed for those who applied before February
1, 1999. So, it appears you have at least a three-year wait as
an unmarried daughter of a U.S. citizen before your turn in line
for a visa, says Mark.
About the writer: Felicia Persaud is a New York-based journalist
and head of Hard Beat Communications. If you or someone you know
has an immigration question, then email Felicia directly at hardbeatinc@aol.com.
Individuals can keep their anonymity if preferred, since questions
will not be answered personally!
Rock legends Led Zeppelin raid the archives for new DVD
Robert Plant and Jimmy
Page of the legendary rock group Led Zeppelin perform at the Jazz
Festival in
Montreux, Switzerland, 07 July 2001. AFP PHOTO / Mirjam WANNER
PARIS (AFP) c Rock legends Led Zeppelin are about to release a whole lotta archives onto the market, but the surviving band members insisted here Tuesday that there will be no reunion concerts.
On May 27, the band whos Stairway
to Heaven once straddled the globe will release a two-disc DVD
set featuring live performances from 1970 to 1979, and the three-CD
=How The West Was Won,” drawn from June 1972 concerts in
Los Angeles and Long Beach, California
However Fifty-nine-year-old Led Zep guitarist Jimmy Page scotched
any idea of a new concert tour.
=The reason Led Zeppelin was not reformed is because we lost a major ingredient, John Bonham. It would have been inconceivable to bring in someone else”.
Bonham, the groups drummer, died in 1980 aged 31 after a heavy night of drinking, leaving fellow group members Page, singer Robert Plant and bassist-pianist John Paul Jones to pursue their own projects.
Page said that there was relatively
little film of Led Zeppelin in action, no singles were released
in Britain and the band rarely appeared on television, seeing
themselves mainly as a live band. =As a result we have little
visual documentation,” Page told reporters during a visit
here.
The five hour twenty-minute film by Dick Carruthers, who has also
worked with Oasis, the Rolling Stones and the Who, includes footage
from half a dozen performances ranging from their appearance at
Londons Royal Albert Hall in 1970 to their last concert appearance
in Britain, in front of 400,000 people at the Knebworth festival
the year before Bonham died.
Their classic songs including =Whole Lotta Love”, =Stairway To Heaven”, =Immigrant Song”, =Black Dog”, and =Rock And Roll” are all included along with a 20-minute version of one of their earliest compositions =Dazed And Confused”.
Page said he had paid the price for being a rock star in the 1970s.
=I was driven by Led Zeppelin, I was living, breathing, drinking L.Z, the price I paid was a broken marriage”.
=Rock and roll is pure escapism. It should be taken like a good medecine,” the veteran rocker added.
The guitar virtuoso confirmed that he had played on three 1960s rock classics before Led Zeppelin was formed; =Gloria” by Them, featuring Van Morrison, =You really Got Me” by The Kinks and =I Cant Explain” by The Who.
Led Zeppelin released eight albums which sold a total of 200 million copies worldwide, vying for supremacy in the 1970s with the Rolling Stones, whom Page admitted he had also played with.
Rock star Pete Townshend cautioned for child porn
Pete Townshend of the rock group The Who. AFP PHOTO/Doug KANTER
LONDON, (AFP) - Veteran rock guitarist Pete Townshend of The Who was formally cautioned by police in London on Wednesday for accessing an Internet site in 1999 that featured child pornography.
The Metropolitan Police said Townshends picture, fingerprints and DNA sample would be posted on Britains national sex offenders register for five years =as a routine part of the cautioning process”.
Townshend was arrested on January 13 after it emerged that he had used his credit card to access a child sex website. His detention was part of a worldwide swoop on 250,000 individuals whose credit card details turned up in August 2001 on a list of subscribers to a Texas-based Internet portal that gave access to child porn sites.
Townshend publicly acknowledged accessing the site but insisted it was for research purposes and said he believed he had personally been sexually abused as a child.
Police said in a statement on Wednesday it was =not a defence” for an individual to claim that he or she had looked at child pornography =for research or out of curiosity”.
But Townsend will not otherwise face prosecution, having =fully cooperated” with investigators, they said.
For Hollywood, Cannes is a rare chance to see, be seen and to sell
Randy Greenberg, senior
vice-president of international theatrical marketing and distribution
for Universal Pictures is convinced of the value of Cannes in
marketing Hollywood.
LOS ANGELES (AFP) c For big Hollywood studios and small independents alike, the Cannes festival is a chance to see, and above all be seen, and the glare of the international media is as hot and as good as it gets.
=Having critical success in Cannes is an important part of the overall campaign for a movie, its a fantastic added bonus, but it is not a necessity,” said Randy Greenberg, senior vice-president of international theatrical marketing and distribution for Universal Pictures.
=But being in Cannes and having the world media focused at your movie is even better. The publicity is more important than the prize.”
Cannes is far too important an opportunity for Hollywoods wheelers and dealers to be bothered about strained ties between France and the United States over the Iraq war.
Elizabeth Guider, executive editor of Variety, said that =a lot of people in Hollywood are left-wing and didnt support the war” but that politics for or against France mattered little when it came to selling films.
=People are so into their
business here that we want to go to Cannes because thats where
the action is,” said Guider.
=SARS, Iraqi war, French behavior, no big deal, I dont think that
changes anybodys mind in Hollywood about attending,” she
joked.
Reporters from around the world pack the two-week frenzy of film, with studios seizing the moment to obtain maximum exposure for the launch of films.
=The reason why we go there is to showcase the film, do interviews with the media from all around the world,” said Catherine Olim, a public relations representative with PMK in Los Angeles.
=Its a great venue to reach the international press and often just the publicity of being there is more important than actually winning a prize.”
This year Warner Brothers
will be in Cannes in force to wheel out its big-budget sci-fi
sequel =The Matrix: Reloaded.”
=They are not in competition, but thats not the point; movies
like that dont get prizes in Cannes, so its not like they are
sorry they are not in the competition. The point is they will
use that as their launching pad into Europe,” Guider said.
If many big studios are out for a promotion blitz, other studio
executives troll the offerings to buy and sell films, particularly
potential =arthouse” or experimental films.
=We are looking for films that are from all over the world, that can come in any language, any shape and any colour. As long as they have a singular original voice behind them they will interest a great many film companies in North America,” said Bingham Ray, president of United Artists.
=Everybody who looks for new films, new filmmakers, new voices goes to Cannes.”
Cannes is so important to Ray that he is flying out half of his team, six out of 12 United executives. Another of the great independent studios, Miramax, is sending in a phalanx of about 40.
In Cannes, =deals are done and many deals are announced. We have meetings that yield films six, or 12 or 18 months down the line,” Ray explained.
=We come into Cannes to view movies, pick up movies, sell movies, it is a place that we need to be in in order to do our jobs. In terms of acquisition and distribution it absolutely is strategic,” Greenberg added.
For most of the public though, the face of Hollywood in Cannes is the face of their favorite star. Many of them have scored big in Cannes over the years.
=When Nicole Kidman went with ‘To Die For, the film was not in competition, it was just a special midnight screening. But the film made a big impression there and it was Nicoles first real big production and made her known to the international and the American press,” Olim said. =A lot of people really took notice of Nicole and her performance for the first time at Cannes.”
But not everyone in Hollywood is wild about Cannes. Many grumble it is too pricey and too big.
=Everything about the festival is too expensive, because everyone raises their prices around that time, the flights in and out of Nice, the hotels, the cars, the restaurants, and all the advertising space,” said Greenberg.
=When you spend that kind of money to bring a movie to the festival as a distributor, a sales company or even as a producer, you need to get something out of that, and with all the other movies that are fighting for space, it is really hard for your particular movie to stand out.”
British brains illegally removed for medical research
LONDON (AFP) c A British government inquiry will reveal Monday that the brains of thousands of depressed people were illegally removed after their deaths and kept for medical research over a 30-year period, The Times newspaper said.
The brains of mentally ill or handicapped people were supplied to researchers by doctors without the families consent between 1970 and 1999, the newspaper said Saturday.
It said some 24,000 brains are still stored in British hospitals and universities, half the total of all the organs retained for research.
As English law stands, the
coroner is not permitted to allow a pathologist performing a post-mortem
examination to keep organs other than to establish the cause of
death t unless they have the consent of the relatives.
But the Human Tissue Act provides no sanction for doctors who
disobey the legislation.
British Health Secretary Alan Milburn promised after the publication of a damning report on Alder Hey hospital in 2001 that the Human Tissue Act would be amended, but it remains unchanged.
Bosses at Alder Hey apologised in February for their role in a scandal that led to hundreds of organs being removed from dead children without their parents permission.
The report to be published Monday by Jeremy Metters, the Inspector of Anatomy, was ordered by Milburn two years ago when it became clear that the practice of removing and retaining brains for research had become widespread, The Times said.
TOKYO (AFP) c An earthquake measuring 4.3 on the Richter scale shook central Japan Saturday, the Meteorological Agency said. There were no immediate reports of damage or injury.
The center of the quake, which struck at 11:46 am (0246 GMT) was located in the northwestern part of Chiba prefecture, 50 kilometers (30 miles) northeast of Tokyo, the agency said.
The quake could be felt in central Tokyo for a few seconds.
Its focus was 80 kilometers underground, it said. No tidal wave warning was issued.
Novelist Isabel Allende accuses Cuba and United States of violating human rights
Chilean
author Isabel Allende.
AFP PHOTO Christophe SIMON
SANTIAGO (AFP) - Chilean writer Isabel Allende accused the governments of Cuba and the United States of violating human rights during a radio broadcast here last Thursday.
=Just as I do not approve of the human rights violations committed by the US in Iraq, I cannot approve of what is happening in Cuba,” said Allende in an interview with Radio Cooperativa in Santiago.
Allende earlier said human rights =must be defended everywhere,”
in reaction to US writer Susan Sontags criticism of Colombian
Nobel laureate Gabriel Garcia Marquez for his not specifically
condemning recent executions in Cuba.
=It cannot be that ideology intervenes, that you are made to act
according to a certain ideology, when you are witnessing something
that is unacceptable,” said the 60-year-old Allende, who
lives in the United States.
Sontag and the Moroccan novelist Fatima Mernissi won Spains prestigious Prince of Asturias Prize for Literature on Wednesday for their vindication of womens roles and values, and their commitment to the =dialogue between cultures,” according to the jury.
=The role that women are playing in the media nowadays is incredible,” said Allende. =Until recently there were far more male writers than female, and womens history was told by men from their point of view.”
=Today women have their own literary voice that tells history from within: women are speaking for themselves, to women and to men,” she added.
Allende took advantage of her visit to Santiago to decry US involvement in Iraq, saying in the United States there was =strong opposition to what is happening.”
=There are peace demonstrations almost every day, theres great dissidence, most of all on the two coasts, east and west,” she said.
Allende, considered the most widely read Latin American woman in the world (=The House of the Spirits,” =Of Love and Shadows,” =Eva Luna,” and =Daughter of Fortune,” among other works), also criticized US television coverage of the war in Iraq.
Viewers =felt that the war was to be viewed like a video game. We did not see dead Iraqis anywhere. Atrocities (of allied troops) were nowhere to be seen,” she said.
=News such as the destruction of the Museum of Baghdad, appears
on a strip moving along the bottom of the screen, accompanied
by a different image. Also the most popular channel in the US
right now is Fox, which is pure political propaganda. It does
not have any impartiality, doesnt even try to. Personal commentary
is passed off like confirmed news and, later, when it turns out
to be a lie, the retraction appears
in small print and nobody finds out,” according to Allende.
Moroccans celebrate birth of Kings first son
Horsemen fire their rifles from their charging mounts under a giant portrait of Moroccan King Mohammed VI on 9 May 2003 at Rabat in celebration of the birth last Thursday of the kings first son, the crown prince Moulay Al Hassan. Under the constitution of Morocco, male heirs of the king, in order of birth, have the right to the royal throne. But the monarch can ordain another of his sons, other than the eldest, as his successor. The Moroccan royal baby will one day become the 18th sovereign of the Alaouite dynasty, under the name Hassan III. The Alaouite dynasty has ruled over Morocco since the reign of Moulay Rachid (1664-1672) and its monarchs are said to be direct descendants of the Prophet Mohammed.
Socialite indicted in Los Angeles spy scandal
By HIL ANDERSON
Katrina Leungs lawyer Janet Levine talks with reporters after Leungs bail hearing in Los Angeles 15 April 2003. A federal magistrate has refused to grant Leung bail. Leung, 49, was arrested in Los Angeles on 09 April along with a former top Federal Bureau of Investigation agent who was her long-term lover and who allegedly compromised secret US documents. AFP PHOTO / Hector MATA
LOS ANGELES (UPI) t A well-connected Los Angeles socialite, who
also allegedly acted as a double-agent for the Peoples Republic
of China, was formally charged Thursday with rifling her FBI handlers
briefcase and passing copies of sensitive documents on to Chinese
intelligence officers.
Katrina Leung, who boasted of having close ties to officials in both Beijing and Southern California, was indicted by a federal grand jury on five counts of illegally obtaining and copying documents related to national defense.
Leung, 42, was a familiar figure in the Los Angeles-areas Chinese-American community and frequently associated with local politicians. At the same time, she was acting as an =asset” for the FBI, passing on items of interest culled from trips to China and contacts with officials in the Beijing government.
Leung was a source of information for the FBI for nearly 20 years, during which time she took the codename =Parlor Maid” and allegedly carried on a long-term romantic relationship with James Smith, an FBI counter-intelligence agent who was Leungs handler.
Smith, who retired in 2000, was indicted Wednesday in Los Angeles on wire fraud and gross negligence charges for allegedly carelessly handling sensitive FBI documents between 1993 and 2002 by leaving them in his unlocked briefcase during his visits to Leungs San Marino home. Leung allegedly was able to surreptitiously copy the papers when Smith wasnt looking.
The documents in question included a 1997 FBI =electronic communication” regarding Chinese fugitives, a report on the 1998 =Royal Tourist” espionage investigation, and five pages of transcripts of conversations between =Lao” and =Mao,” two individuals believed to be Leung and her intelligence contact in China.
Both Smith and Leung were arrested April 9 and will both be arraigned Monday in Los Angeles federal court. Leung has remained in custody as a flight risk while Smith posted $250,000 bond.
If convicted of all charges, Leung faces 50 years in prison while the 59-year-old Smith faces 40 years.
The =honest services” wire fraud charges against Smith stem from his alleged failure to tell his superiors about his romantic affair with Leung, which prosecutors contend amounted to withholding his services from the FBI.
The Los Angeles Times reported Thursday that a Justice Department source noted that Smith was not charged with espionage-related crimes, which could indicate federal prosecutors were giving Smith the opportunity to strike a plea bargain.
=These kinds of violations are not that significant when you look at the transgressions he committed in providing classified information,” said the official, who was not involved in the investigation.
Apple jumps into online music with 99-cent downloads
Apple
Computer CEO Steve Jobs introduces Apples new music download service.
AFP PHOTO-John G. MABANGLO
CUPERTINO, California (AFP) c Apple Computer jumped into the controversial online music business last week with a new venture that allows customers to download for 99 cents per song, without subscription fees.
The move makes Apple an alternative to the free music-swapping services that the industry has been trying to shut down and those operated by the major labels, so far with little success.
Apple calls the venture the =iTunes Music Store,” that will allow consumers to download files as well as =burn” songs onto an unlimited number of CDs for personal use or copy them to other devices such as Apples iPod.
The online =store” includes music by Bob Dylan, U2, Eminem, Sheryl Crow and Sting, as well as music videos from several artists which users can watch for free.
The system allows customer
to browse by genre, artist and album and to preview items before
they buy.
=The iTunes Music Store offers the revolutionary rights to burn
an unlimited number of CDs for personal use and to put music on
an unlimited number of iPods for on-the-go listening,” said
Steve Jobs, Apples CEO.
=Consumers dont want to be treated like criminals and artists dont want their valuable work stolen. The iTunes Music Store offers a groundbreaking solution for both.”
The service features over 200,000 songs from music companies including BMG, EMI, Sony Music Entertainment, Universal and Warner, Apple said in a statement.
Users can listen to a free
30-second high-quality preview of any song in the store, then
purchase and download.
Some reports this month said Apple has been in talks to purchase
Universal Music, the music unit of French giant Vivendi Universal
as part of its music venture. But Apple has said it had made no
offer for the unit.
The launch coincided with the introduction of the companys third generation iPod, which according to Apple will hold up to 7,500 songs and is lighter and thinner than two CDs.
The iPod supports the industry-standard AAC audio format, which speeds up downloading time and enhances sound quality, the company said.
Aussie Bayliss aims for Superbike and MotoGP double
Australian Ducati pilot Troy Bayliss in action aboard the Ducati Desmosedici MotoGP bike.
JEREZ, Spain (AFP) c Australian veteran Troy Bayliss continues his campaign to add the MotoGP crown to his world superbike title.
The Ducati machines of Bayliss and teammate Loris Capirossi have made an impressive entrance into the championship this season having led the first two races in Japan and South Africa at some stage before the Hondas of Rossi, and then Sete Gibernau, took victory.
The 34-year-old Bayliss found himself at the front in South Africa two weeks ago before finishing fourth to add to his fifth in Japan.
=I was thinking ‘I shouldnt be out front just yet, maybe not for another couple of races,” said Bayliss.
=It was just nice to be part of the action because thats what it is all about. I had a good go with Valentino.
=It was great to be in the race. I virtually cruised the last ten laps because I knew that I could not do any better than fourth.
=The team did a great job there. Weve still got some things to learn and we are all looking forward to Jerez.”
Gibernau will get a rousing reception from his home crowd after his thrilling and emotional win in South Africa last month which he immediately dedicated to Japanese team-mate Daijiro Kato who died from injuries sustained in the season-opener.
That win put him into second place in the standings behind Rossi who had clinched victory in Suzuka.
The Italian, who won here last year ahead of Kato, has the best record at the Jerez track being the only rider to have recorded wins in all three world championship categories.
Rossi has been victorious in the MotoGP section in the last two years setting pole position and new lap records on both occasions, to add to a 125cc win in 1997 and 250cc glory in 1999.
The rider who has won here in the last four years has gone on to win the world title - a statistic which will not please Rossis bitter rival Max Biaggi, also on a Honda this season after switching from Yamaha.
He has a miserable record
in Spain - in 2000, he broke down on his spare machine after crashing
on the warm-up lap.
In 2001, he was eleventh while last year he was black-flagged
after missing a stop-and-go penalty.
Players give lukewarm reception to World Cup shoot-out proposal
Australian fullback Matthew Burke. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE) AFP PHOTO
SYDNEY (AFP) c Leading players were lukewarm over reports on Thursday that this years rugby World Cup has adopted a radical soccer-style shootout to resolve tied matches in the final rounds of the tournament.
It was reported here that
the new formula will see five players from each team hold a drop-kicking
competition from different spots on the 20-metre line if quarter-final,
semi-final or final matches are tied after regulation play.
There was no official confirmation of the press report.
Wallaby goal-kicking ace Matthew
Burke believes the drop-goal format is =a little bit on the dodgy
side”.
Burke said he hoped results were achieved without resorting to
drop goals.
=Theres only about four or
five blokes in the world who actually do it proficiently and Im
certainly not one of them,” Burke said.
=Its quite a specific drill so I think now, if thats the case
and its set in stone, you have to make a resolution that you get
five or six or seven blokes who can actually be proficient in
the skill.
=If it comes down to a World Cup final and theres a couple of drop kicks that can determine whether or not you hold up the William Webb Ellis Cup, it could be a little bit on the dodgy side.
=Its something thats been thrown on the rugby stage just before the World Cup, so I suppose weve got a couple of months to prepare for it.”
Burke said he thought the drop goal formula was more positive than some of the other tie-breaker methods employed in the past.
Previous World Cups were going to award knockout games to the team with the best disciplinary record or, failing that, on the toss of a coin. It never got to that stage.
The format could favour the northern hemisphere nations and South Africa, with South African sharp-shooter Luis Koen potting seven of the 14 drop goals in this seasons Super 12 for the Northern Bulls.
All Blacks captain Reuben Thorne also hoped the drop goals would not be needed.
=I think its probably very unlikely that it will get to that stage, but its certainly an interesting concept,” he said.
=We only found out about it
today and a few guys passed comments. I dont think it will get
to that stage and hopefully it doesnt.”
Athletics body clears Lewis of drug use
Olympic gold medalists Nadia Comanici (l) and Carl Lewis (r). AFP PHOTO/ Lee CELANO
MONTE CARLO (AFP) c Nine-time Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis has been cleared of drug offences by the International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF).
Lewis was one of 19 American medallists named by Wade Exum, the former United States Olympic Committee director for drug control from 1991 to 2000, who released documents revealing more than 100 positive drug tests involving US athletes from 1988 to 2000.
Included in the documents
are details implicating athletes who won 19 Olympic medals from
1984 to 2000.
Lewis was just one of three gold medallists at the 1988 Olympics,
along with the 200m winner Joe DeLoach and the 400m hurdle champion
Andre Phillips, who Exum said tested positive at the 188 Olympic
trials in Indianapolis.
But the IAAF said last Wednesday there was no case to answer.
The IAAF said it had reviewed the documents from 1988 which showed there had been eight positive findings at the US Olympic Trials for ephedrine and ephedrine-related compounds in low concentration.
=The IAAF Medical Committee felt satisfied, however, on the basis of the information received that the cases had been properly concluded by the USOC as =negative cases” in accordance with rules and regulations in place at the time and no further action was taken.
=For this reason, the athletes concerned ... who went on to compete at the Olympic Games in Seoul were eligible to do so in accordance with IAAF Rules.”
Lewis said last week the USOC at the time routinely let athletes off with a warning.
The USOC first disqualified
him then accepted his appeal, which was based on his assertion
that he had taken the stimulant inadvertently through an over-the-counter
herbal remedy.
Cydonie runs with new contract
Cayman Islands track star Cydonie Mothersill renewed her commitment with the Cayman Islands Government this month, which is a major sponsor of her athletic pursuits.
Her significantly enhanced contract was recently signed with Permanent Secretary Carson Ebanks JP, and Minister for Sports Dr. the Hon. Frank McField.
Cydonie is maintaining her training routine at Auburn Universitys track and field complex in Alabama. She is also working hard to improve upon her professional world ranking as the seventh fastest woman in the 200 metre race. In order to do this, she participates in regular competitions to maintain her position.
Professional athletes from all over the hemisphere are represented at these Caribbean athletic meets. In a departure from her normal distance, Cydonie will run the 400 metre in open competition next month.
She noted that a major event in this years calendar is the International Athletic Foundation world championship, which takes place in Paris during July. There, she hopes to improve on her IAF performance two years ago, when she placed fifth.
Also in July, Cydonie will
attend the Central America and Caribbean (CAC) Senior Championships
in Grenada. In August, she will then run in the Pan-American Games
in the Dominican Republic, as well as in world championship games.
Cydonie is still sponsored by Adidas and the Cayman Islands government.
Discussing her professional development, she said, =Im grateful
that things are working out much better this year. Last year was
not very successful because of many personal and professional
changes, but things have settled down now.”
A stipulation in her contract, as in those of other local ‘pro-social agents, is that she take advantage of opportunities to share her experiences with local students and young athletes.
The athlete finished John Gray High School and attended Clemson University in South Carolina on a track scholarship. She graduated with a bachelors degree in English, and eventually hopes to teach, which is her =hearts desire.”
In addition to her efforts
on the track, she is working closely with Caymans National Drug
Council, in the effort to steer young men and women away from
alcohol and drug abuse. =I want to give back something to the
community,” she says.
In the role as a positive social influence on young people, she
has conducted talks with school groups and assemblies. She intends
to participate in an anti-drug forum in June, as well as the annual
Drug Awareness Month in October.
Cinco De Mayo 5K produces blistering results
The weather for the CINCO DE MAYO 5K was as hot as a Mexican chili pepper, and the pace set by Steve Hilton and Tony Keely was almost as fiery.
Through two miles, it was anyones guess as to the ultimate winner, but Steve put on a surge shortly thereafter and pulled away to register a fine mark of 16:27.
Tony, who was making the most
of an opportunity to continue his preparation for upcoming long
distance activities in Canada and South Africa, stuck to his game
plan and ran smoothly and steadily for a time of 17:11.
Terry Guise took third place honors at 18:03, while a pair of
Mikes c Ridsdale and Braithwaite c rounded out the top five with
19:03 and 19:13 respectively.
A promising performance by
13-year-old Aaron Crowe resulted in a clocking of 19:47, and seventh
place overall.
Victory on the ladies side went to Nicola Jordan, as she posted
a time of 19:24. Once a frequent winner on the local scene, Nicola
had only returned for a short visit on this occasion.
Lisa Hoptroff may have been a few strides back of the ladies winner at 19:56, but she gained a trip to Cuba on Cayman Airways in the random draw. She also received an award for being the first mother to finish.
Andrea Kilam (20:40), Darina
Fennell (21:23), Tracey Lees (21:48) also made the list of top
five lady finishers.
In all, more than a hundred celebrants ran, jogged, or walked
their way through the early evening heat along the circuitous
route to and from the Seaview Hotel, where participants gathered
for post-race Corona-sipping, taco-tasting, awards distribution,
and the hilarity of piñata-bursting which concluded the
evenings antics.
Included in the group were visitors from New Mexico, Texas, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Florida.
Local Hispanic-themed restaurants donated some of the prizes, while other awards had a Quincentennial significance.
Local boxer in title bout on Thursday
Local boxer Charles Whittaker will defend his Junior Middleweight World Boxing Association FedCaribbean title against Alex Carrillo this Thursday at the Seville Beach Hotel in Miami.
Mr. Whittaker has a record of 21 wins (ten by knock-out) and six losses, while Mr. Carrillo comes into the bout with a 15-4 record, with 14 of his victories by knockout. Whittaker has been fighting professionally for the past decade, and is based in South Florida.
The match will be the main event of a card that includes four other bouts.
Local boxing fans, friends and supporters are encouraged to support Mr. Whittaker by taking advantage of a special travel package for the bout, which includes airfare, hotel accommodations and fight tickets. The entire package starts at CI$442. Other possible benefits include ringside seating and attending the after-fight party.
For more information, or to make reservations for the fight, please contact Kerry Dilbert at 949-8182 or Garth Ebanks at 947-2590.
Celtic Manager Martin
ONeill waves to fans.
AFP PHOTO/ Nick POTTS
GLASGOW (AFP) c Celtic boss Martin ONeill on Friday ended months of uncertainty over his future by finally signing a contract he agreed to four months ago.
The Northern Irishman, who is seen as being in line to take over at one of Englands top clubs after revitalising the Glasgow giants, sparked alarm among Celtic fans this week when he revealed he had not actually put pen to paper on his new deal.
But he casually confirmed on Friday that he had now put his name to a new one-year rolling contract. The deal means either the club or ONeill have to give a full-years notice if they want to sever their relationship.
=I have signed the documents but it still wont prevent me from getting the bullet if the results dont go right,” the Celtic manager said.
=Brian Clough once said that the only thing that is inevitable in football is getting the boot.”
Having guided Leicester City into the Premiership, ONeill joined Celtic in 2000 and has delivered back-to-back Scottish titles for a club that had become used to being dominated by old rivals Rangers.
This season has seen Celtic reach the UEFA Cup final and they are favourites to clinch a third domestic title after moving ahead of Rangers on goal difference with their midweek win over Motherwell.
ONeill was offered the managers job at Leeds United last summer, has frequently been linked with Liverpool and, in the longer term, is regarded as a potential successor to Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.
Philippine Basketball season starts soon
The Cayman Islands Philippine
Basketball Association all-Filipino 2003 Season will kick-off
this coming June.
Games will be held at the Eastern Avenue basketball court.
The organiser requests that
all entry forms be submitted on or before 15 May to be eligible
to play in the League.
For more information, contact Leonardo Solomon at 917-0290
Tiger Woods
Woods denies problems with Kiwi caddie
WASHINGTON (AFP) c American Tiger Woods has denied any fallout with caddie Steve Williams over club selection during the final round of The Masters.
Woods was in contention for an unprecedented third straight green jacket at Augusta National before running into trouble on the third hole.
The world No. 1 wanted to play safe with a long iron on the short par-4, but with the tee brought forward on Sunday to encourage players to go for the green, Williams persuaded him to hit a driver.
Woods took the New Zealanders advice but carved his tee shot into trees right of the fairway and had to play a lefthanded recovery shot.
Stuttgart to host world championship
STUTTGART, Germany (AFP) c The world track championships, which were taken away from China because of the SARS virus, will be staged here from July 30-August 3, a city official said last Thursday.
The full details will be announced at a news conference here on Friday, said Stephan Schorn, press spokesman for mayor Wolfgang Schuster.
The International Cycling Union (UCI) decided last week to move this summers event from the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen in Guandong province from where Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome emanated.
Stuttgart had been vying with Berlin, Vienna, Manchester, Moscow, Mexico and Sydney to host the event.
Australia, France and Germany were amongst the teams who had refused to send teams to China because of their fears over the virus.
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