Highlights from the Print Newspaper edition - Issue No. 400
Updated as of |
Friday, 9 May 2003 | 4:00PM
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Up Front
News
Community Calendar
Editorial
News Analysis
The Last Word
Special Feature
Overseas News
Health Today
Pondering
Cayman Net News Daily Comics
Sports
Seeking reciprocity for the Cayman Islands' efforts in assisting the United States, a five-member delegation travelled to Washington and struck a
Mutual Accord With The US
Cayman's government and private sector delegation brought home promises for reciprocity in agreements with the United States, said Leader of Government Business, the Hon. McKeeva Bush, who headed a delegation to Washington for high-level talks last week (6-9 May).
The Hon. McKeeva Bush shakes hands with Mr. Jim Sloan, Director of the US Financial Crimes Enforcement Unit (FinCEN), at the conclusion of Washington talks on benefits to Cayman with respect to US/Cayman cooperation. Flanking the two are, on left, Cayman's acting Attorney General Samuel Bulgin and, at right, Financial Secretary George McCarthy.
The broad terms of reference for the visit were to reinforce and build continued positive relationships with the US Government and political interests; discuss the potential reciprocity in agreements; encourage and facilitate open lines of communication with relevant government and political interests to equip them to assist in furthering the cause of the Cayman Islands' financial services sector; and to enable US agencies to gain greater depth of insights into the Cayman Islands through meetings involving a broader cross-section of the Cayman public and private sectors.
The talks involved principals in key US government agencies as well as Congressmen and Senators on Capitol Hill. Delegation members included Financial Secretary George McCarthy, Acting Attorney General Samuel Bulgin, along with private sector representatives Connor O'Dea, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Managing Director of Butterfield Bank; and Michael Alberga, partner with Myers and Alberga law firm.
Reflecting on the gains from the visit, Mr. Bush said that the US officials as well as Congressional representatives and senators responded positively to discussions on the potential for benefits for Cayman in recognition of the Islands' anti-money-laundering leadership role in the region and globally.
Former Congressional Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Mr. Bob Livingston of the Livingston Group introduces Mr. Bush to members of the Heritage Foundation. The Livingston Group has been retained by the Cayman Islands Government to provide government relations and lobbying services on its behalf.
Hon. McKeeva Bush addresses the powerful Washington free-enterprise lobby, The Heritage Foundation.
Benefits discussed included assistance with public relations, the potential for tax credits for US citizens, increased local share of seized assets, and certainly US customs arrangements for Cayman.
Explaining the reasons for the visit, Mr. Bush said: "The Government has been very concerned that in spite of our outstanding record of cooperation and assistance in this critical sphere of law enforcement, we have never sought to negotiate any tangible benefits for our people." He added that this administration places a high priority in positive gains for Cayman in current and future international negotiations.
In addition to requests specific to individual agencies, talks with the Department of Justice (DoJ), the US Customs Service, the Department of the Treasury and the State Department explored the concern for enhanced public relations for Cayman. "We are concerned that the old, worn-out and frankly false accounts of how our financial industry operates continue to be perpetuated in the press. We believe that these US government agencies, representatives of whom very clearly enjoy a close and positive working relationship with our judicial and legal counterparts, can help us to turn around this persistent but now unfounded image."
Mr. Bush said that he was very pleased with the response: "Most expressed warm sentiments, saying that Cayman was an outstanding example of the success that can be achieved in the battle against money laundering." He continued that by and large officials were sympathetic to our request for assistance with public relations, adding, "We came away with undertakings from several that they would be exploring this issue with their public affairs offices." The Cayman Government would be following up on this, he said.
Another issue in the area of public relations was focused on one important published report on Cayman's progress; while not necessarily negative, it tended to employ language that was not as positive as the Government thinks it should be, Mr. Bush said. To correct this situation, the minister said that an agreement had been reached whereby Cayman would have a direct connection in this regard with the originating agency.
An exchange of letters was discussed relative to the Tax Information Exchange Agreement (TIEA) as a means of incorporating benefits, hitherto not included in negotiations, Mr. Bush said. Until these and other matters are finalised Mr. Bush said he was reluctant to disclose details.
On talks with Congressmen and Senators, the Cayman Islands delegation spoke about the long history of international cooperation between the two countries. The delegation traced this back to the 1984 Narcotics Exchange Agreement, followed by the MLAT, and the cooperation between the US SEC and the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority. They were apprised of the recent signing of the Tax information Exchange Agreement (TIEA).
The Cayman Islands also confirmed its willingness to join in the fight against terrorism. This would increase exchange of information, and the freezing of designated assets were they to be found in the Cayman Islands and a request made.
"The talks with the various congressional representatives from both sides of the House were extremely engaging," Mr. Bush said. "The members of Congress were very supportive of Cayman's overall efforts to preserve a high standard of living for its people; to maintain its place as a world-class premier financial centre; and to remain vigilant in its fight against money laundering and terrorism."
In regard to the delegation's expressed concern that the Islands' record be accorded the recognition it deserves in the press, Mr. Bush said: "The congressional representatives were very supportive of Cayman's request for assistance in securing some positive press reporting of our efforts." To facilitate this, some Congressmen asked for a direct line of communication between the Cayman Islands and their offices, setting out, among other things, the levels of cooperation and other initiatives.
There was similarly positive response to the discussions on the negotiations for more tangible benefits to be incorporated into current agreement packages.
The delegation met with the following Congressmen and Senators: Rep. Cliff Stearns, Rep Gregory Meeks, Rep. Phil Crane, Rep. Maxine Waters, Rep. Mel Watt, Rep. Mike Oxley, Rep. Richard Baker, Senator Robert Bennett and Senator Michael Crapo.
Of particular interest and importance to the Cayman Islands was the meeting with Representative Richard Baker who chairs the subcommittees on financial services, capital markets, insurance, and other international business matters. He was very supportive of the Cayman Islands as a financial centre, Mr. Bush said.
Of similar importance was the meeting with Senator Robert Bennett, who is a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee.
Commenting on the visit, Attorney Alberga said: "The Leader of Government Business, the Financial Secretary and the Acting Attorney General have done an outstanding job in elucidating Cayman's position on various issues."
Echoing these sentiments, Mr. O'Dea said, "The Cayman delegation was very well received in Washington and it is obvious that there is a growing appreciation by the US Government that Cayman is a leader, not only in the Caribbean, but also amongst the many offshore financial centres, in terms of cooperation on various international initiatives. Our pragmatic approach in dealing with the issues is understood and respected and there was widespread acknowledgement of the considerable progress made."
This report and photos were supplied by Ms. Patricia Ebanks, Chief
of the Government Information Services, who traveled to Washington,
DC with the Cayman delegation.
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It's Official:
Stamp Duty Reduction Extended
Hon. Linford Pierson
As reported last month in
Cayman Net News, the Minister of Planning, the Hon. Linford Pierson
has confirmed that the Executive Council of the Cayman Islands
Government has authorized the extension of reduced stamp duty
on property transfers for another six months.
Also extended was the fifty percent reduction of building permit
fees and infrastructure impact fees that have run concurrently
with the stamp duty reduction.
Originally introduced in November 2001 to help revive the slumping real estate and construction industries, the stimulus measure has been particularly effective during the last six months, especially on high-end properties where buyers can save $100,000 or more with the reduced rates.
"From all accounts, it's been working," said Mr. Pierson, "and this government recognizes the need for this incentive."
Real estate sales were sharply up the first two months of this year, but tailed off in March and April, most likely due in part to the US war on Iraq.
Stamp duties will now continue to be assessed at five percent across the board instead of the normal rates of seven-and-a-half to nine percent until 14 November 2003.
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World Report
Menem quits Argentina's presidential race, leaves Kirchner default win
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Carlos Menem |
Nestor Kirchner |
LA RIOJA, Argentina (AFP) Former president Carlos Menem, 72, announced last Wednesday he was quitting Argentina's presidential race, leaving provincial governor Nestor Kirchner to win by default.
"I do not deem fit to participate in the second electoral round," he said, announcing his widely anticipated decision in a television address, just days ahead of Sunday's planned run-off election.
"I won the first round and I'm leaving," Menem the controversial former president told journalists earlier in his hometown of La Rioja.
Kirchner, who led opinion polls by more than 30 points, is now set to be proclaimed president.
Blair set to back London Olympic bid
LONDON (AFP) British Prime Minister
Tony Blair is due to announce the government's support for a bid
by London to host the 2012 Olympic Games, according to press reports
here.
Both the Guardian and Independent newspapers said details of the
bid will be presented to a regular meeting of the Cabinet of senior
ministers.
It is expected that a formal announcement will follow the meeting, which will take place at the prime minister's official London residence in Downing Street.
If a London bid does get government backing, the British capital is expected to face strong competition from several cities incluing New York, Paris and Madrid.
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News
Masters Medical makes major contribution to Cayman Islands Nurses Week Celebrations
Nurse Karen Rankine (right) of the George Town General Practice Clinic receiving her prize of an all expenses paid vacation to Florida compliments of Masters Medical USA/UK for Nurses Week 2003. Making the presentation is Chief Nursing Officer of the Health Services Authority, Mrs. Ivy Collins.
Nurses Week celebrations in the Cayman Islands was made even more special this year as one lucky nurse received a major prize of a weekend holiday to any Florida destination courtesy of Masters Medical USA/UK.
Masters Medical is a reliable supplier of Pharmaceutical and Medical equipment as well as Suppliers to the Cayman Islands Health Services for the last 14 years.
The contribution by Masters Medical is symbolic
of their commitment to healthcare and recognition of the important
role and invaluable contribution made daily by nurses who provide
highly skilled, safe and quality care in a variety of settings,
and who encounter increased
challenges to their professional and ethical commitment to deliver
essential health care.
asters Medical has pledged their support in providing funding for ongoing education programs.
Nurses Week will be celebrated this year
from May 11-17. The purpose of Nurses Week is to raise public
awareness of the value of nursing and to help educate the public
about the vital roles registered nurses play in meeting the health
care needs of the people of the
Cayman Islands.
Capt. Finbar
chats with Deputy District Commissioner and Brac
Quincentennial committee co-chairman Ernie Scott.
"Captain" Ernie Scott (r) at the helm of the Wolf.
Cayman Brackers had a rare treat on Tuesday, 6 May, when the topsail schooner Wolf, homeported in Key West, Florida, and billed as "The Flagship of the Conch Republic", docked at the Government Dock at Creek and welcomed visitors aboard.
The schooner stopped for two days at the Brac enroute to Grand Cayman, where she joined other tall ships for the Seafarers' Festival activities.
Her visit to the Brac was arranged by Mr. Linton Tibbetts, a friend of Wolf's Captain Finbar, owner and master of the vessel. It served as a kick-off for the Quincentennial District Committee's Discovery Day events.
Children from all three of the Brac's primary schools toured the ship on Tuesday morning and were particularly fascinated by the miniature (but very loud) cannon, which crew members fired for each group of young visitors.
Older enthusiasts were treated to a 90-minute late-afternoon cruise under full sail, during which Capt. Finbar turned over the helm to some of the Brac's former seamen, including Deputy District Commissioner and Quincentennial Committee co-chair Ernie Scott, Port Superintendent Ashton Bodden, and RCIP Constable Sheldon Scott.
Capt. Finbar first visited the Brac in August 1980, under unusual circumstances. He and three friends were sailing their 48-foot sailboat Island Princess to Belize.
Halfway between Cuba and Jamaica, they were caught by Hurricane Allen. Unable to put in at Port Antonio, they headed for deeper water to ride out the storm. Though the Island Princess and her crew put up a good fight, she ultimately was swamped and sank.
The four men spent 42 terrifying hours in their life raft before being picked up by a Norwegian oil tanker that had been blown off course by the storm. The tanker captain put in at Cayman Brac, where the shipwrecked sailors were cared for at Faith Hospital.
Brac businessman Linton Tibbetts paid their hospital bills and their airfare home, a gesture that earned him Captain Finbar's undying friendship. Says Finbar: "Cayman Brac is my second birthplace. I feel I began my second life here."
The Wolf is a classic 74-foot steel-hull topsail schooner, built in 1982-83 in Panama City, Florida. She is patterned after the blockade runners that plied the waters of the Florida Straits in the 1800s.
"When I got back to Key West [from the Brac] I began working on building the Wolf, and I've been sailing her ever since-that's 20 years of sailing her," Capt. Finbar said.
Besides participating in historic festivals and tall ship regattas, she is known for humanitarian missions such as carrying relief supplies to Port Antonio, Jamaica, after Hurricane Gilbert, to Guanaja, Honduras, after Hurricane Mitch, and to Abaco, Bahamas, after Hurricane Floyd. In 1998 she carried members of the Interfaith Pilgrimage of the Middle Passage to Cuba.
R&B soul sensation, Keith Sweat is set to take the stage at Some Kind of Blue. Photo: Anthony Mandler
Guests attending the R&B and Jazz concert will get a sweet taste of what's to come annually at the Cayman Islands "Some Kind of Blue" music festival. The concert takes place at historic Pedro St. James this Friday, May 17 at 7p.m. Headlining this exciting inaugural event are classic Soul R&B star, Keith Sweat, the London spoken-word and jazz duo, Floetry, and Bad Boy artist Carl Thomas.
Veteran hit maker and musical innovator Keith Sweat is known for welding a range of musical styles onto a base of smooth, traditional soul. Incorporating hip-hop to swingbeat to new jack, critic Nelson George called Sweat the "Luther Vandross of the hip-hop generation."
Sweat blazed onto the charts in 1987 with his multiplatinum hit Make It Last Forever, with the title single powering up the charts. Other hit singles included "Keep It Comin','" "Make You Sweat" and "Come and Get with Me," featuring Snoop Dogg. Hit albums over Sweat's long career include I'll Give All My Love to You, Keep It Comin' and 1994's Get Up On It. In all, Sweat has sold some 8 million copies, and was a mainstay on Billboard's R&B chart through the late 1980s and 1990s. In addition to recording his solo projects, Sweat formed the soul supergroup LSG with Gerald LeVert and Johnny Gill.
"Poetic delivery with musical intent,"
is how singer-songwriter Marsha Ambrosius and emcee-songwriter
Natalie Stewart of Floetry define their music. With the 2002 release
of their debut album and hit single "Floetic," MTV.com
describes Floetry's music as a "fusion of soul and spoken
word." Floetry aims to keep their music truthful and upbeat,
shying away from popular love songs and club music. The duo combines
Stewart's roots in reggae, vintage soul and revival music with
Ambrosius' love for funk and soul to create a unique hip-hop sound.
Basketball, not music, originally brought Ambrosius and Stewart
together as they both attended Brits Performing Arts School in
London. Initial rivals soon became friends who shared a love for
music, planting roots for a long-term partnership. Ambrosius dabbled
in publishing and Stewart composed with a poetry group, 3 Plus
1, until Stewart's group disbanded. Then Ambrosius grabbed Stewart
for a show. Building on success and audience enthusiasm from that
onstage debut, the girls started writing together. By 1997, the
London performance circuit saw them everywhere.
Three years later, despite feeling nervous about the U.S. circuit, the pair ventured to Atlanta to test a new audience. Minor success in Atlanta led them to try Philadelphia where they made a key connection with Jeffrey "Jazzy Jeff" Townes (as in Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince) of A Touch of Jazz Productions. Townes helped them land a record deal with DreamWorks Records and produce Floetic.
Ambrosius and Stewart write more than just their own songs. The pair can be credited for "Butterflies," from Michael Jackson's Invincible album, a number two hit on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Chart. They have also composed for Jill Scott, Glenn Lewis and Bilal.
Chicago native, Carl Thomas, notes a broad range of influences including Motown's Marvin Gaye, Ray Parker Jr., the Clark Sisters, Nat "King" Cole, Sting, James Taylor and Steely Dan. Early on, Thomas sang around the Windy City kicking it with some groups and doing a bit of recording. Then he ventured to New York where he hit open-mike nights at various clubs. After Bad Boy CEO Sean "Puffy" Combs saw Thomas perform once, he signed Thomas to his label in 1997.
"Carl's a soulful, sultry writer and charismatic performer who can really deliver onstage," Bad Boy director of marketing Tonya Salvant has said. Thomas made his major label debut in April of 2000 with the album Emotional. The hit single "I Wish" tells a story of a thwarted love affair and introduces the soulful vocals and expressive lyrics reminiscent of old-school R&B/soul music. He defines his style as, "R&B gumbo. A lot of songs I've written are reminiscent of the late '70's and early '80's. I wanted to approach the album from a nostalgic point of view." At the time, Thomas said he hoped people left his shows thinking, "Romance, even in 2000, isn't dead." Even more in 2003.
Thomas has toured with Puffy and the Family World Tour while writing ballads for Johnny Gill, Faith Hill and Ideal. He has even filled in for Chicago native R. Kelly's part on "Best Friend." Most recently, Thomas can be found as a featured player on "Jasmine," a track from fellow Bad Boy label Black Rob's latest album, Life Story.
Tickets to Some Kind of Blue concert at Pedro cost CI$150 and are on sale at the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism. A limited number of seats are still available. DoT
(l-r): Winston Connolly, Phillip and Doris Jackson with Philip Scott, Project Manager for Investors In People in the Cayman Islands
(l-r): John Forster, Director of Prisons, Police Commissioner David Thursfield, Joy Basdeo, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Human Resources and Tony Scott of the Prison Department.
Approximately 100 members of the business community and the civil service attended the official launch of the Investors In People programme in the Cayman Islands, hosted by His Excellency the Governor, Mr. Bruce Dinwiddy at Government House recently.
The guests, which included Members of the Legislative Assembly, heard brief remarks from the Governor, Hon. Roy Bodden, Minister of Human Resources and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Human Resources and Culture, Mrs. Joy Basdeo, all of whom affirmed and pledged their support of the programme, which encourages organisations to develop all their people in order to achieve their corporate goals.
The Governor noted that the Standard was made mandatory in the UK Civil Service and that every government department has subsequently been recognised as an Investor in People. "We should expect no less of our Civil Service. The adoption of this Standard will lead to greater job satisfaction, better service delivery and improved competitiveness for the public sector," said Governor Dinwiddy. "Furthermore it demonstrates our commitment to international labour standards." The Governor also mentioned the intention to link Investors In People to the revised Immigration Law and policies.
Hon. Roy Bodden spoke about Cayman's need to remain a jurisdiction of excellence in the service industries, and urged guests from the private sector to seek out more information about the programme. "The Investors In People Standard is important to both small and large organisations," said Mr. Bodden. "It also represents a paradigm shift as the public sector will be as much a subscriber to the Standard as we expect the private sector to be."
Six companies and three government departments are expected to sign on to the pilot programme and this event presented the opportunity for organisations to learn more about the Standard and register their interest.
The Investors In People Standard was introduced in the United Kingdom in 1991 as the benchmark for good practice in human resource development, and is based on the four principles of commitment, planning, action and evaluation.
"Any organisation small or large in any industry, that is committed to supporting the development of its people is eligible to participate in this programme," stresses project manager Philip Scott. "We believe that this should be the objective of all companies here in Cayman, and so we look forward to a positive response to the programme from the business community."
For more information about Investors In People contact Philip Scott on 945 3114 or by email (Philip.scott@gov.ky).
Community Calendar
Friday, 16 May
"Some Kind of Blue" concert at Pedro St. James at 8:00 p.m. (doors open at 7:00 p.m.). $150 per person, which includes show, lavish buffet and drinks for the evening. Contact Department of Tourism at 949-0623.
Saturday, 17 May
George Town Quincentennial District is hosting an Arts & Crafts celebration at the Lions Centre. Doors open at 9:00 a.m., the official opening is at 11:00 a.m. with a Parade of Flags. At 2:30 p.m. there will be a Parade of Nations. There will be Arts & Crafts displays, a catboat exhibition, cricket, football, old-time picture taking, skits, a grease pole and a May Pole. Food and drinks will be for sale.
Sunday, 18 May
St. Alban's Church of England will celebrate the Holy Eucharist at 9:00 a.m. and will sing Matins at 10:00 a.m. in the church at 461 Shedden Road (opposite Bodden Place).
16-18 May
Cayman Brac Jackpot Fishing Tournament. Registration at Divi Tiara Hotel on the 16th at 6:00 p.m. or on Grand Cayman by contacting Heather Bodden at 916-3574.
Monday, 19 May
The West Bay Executive Committee for the United Democratic Party (UDP) wishes to invite all Members to a general party membership meeting at John A. Cumber Primary School Hall at 7:30 p.m. This will serve as the quarterly meeting. For transportation and information please call 949-8660.
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Editorial
Sex Education: A necessity for teens
Despite all of Cayman's wealth, sophistication and development, teenage girls are still getting pregnant here at an alarming rate. In is not uncommon to find young Caymanian mothers in their early twenties with three or more children already, and in many cases they are single moms.
The reasons so many young girls are having babies are far from clear, muddied partially by lingering cultural mores of a bygone era, partially by a society that isn't inclined to air its "dirty laundry." The consequences of teen pregnancy, however, are quite apparent to those who wish to acknowledge them.
While not all of the statistical data collected in other countries is pertinent to the Cayman Islands, it is useful to look in particular to our big neighbour to the north for some insight into teen pregnancy because of the extensive studies they have done on the subject. The findings are chilling, both from the viewpoint of the mothers and from the children.
The studies have shown that a sexually active teenage girl that does not use contraception has a 90 percent chance of becoming pregnant within one year. Once they give birth, teenage mothers are much less likely to complete high school, and almost twice as likely to end up needing handouts than older parents.
The conclusions for the children are just as dismal. Children of teen mothers are consistently born with lower than average birth weights, and are more likely to perform poorly in school. These children of children are also at a higher risk for abuse and neglect. According to one study, sons of teenage mothers are more likely to end up in prison, and daughters of teen mothers are more likely to become teen mothers themselves.
There are several factors that have proved instrumental in the successful prevention of teen pregnancy, most of them stemming from abstinence from sexual activity. Religious and moral belief, fear of sexually transmitted diseases, not having met the right partner and to avoid pregnancy are all reasons girls have stated for remaining chaste.
Another interesting finding is that teens with strong emotional attachments to their parents are less likely to become sexually active at an early age. Most surprising, perhaps, is the fact that seven out of ten teens say they are ready to listen to advice from their parents, which their parents did not think they were ready to hear.
Based on that statistic, one can presume that a number of teenage pregnancies can be avoided if clear channels of dialogue are opened. Knowing the ramifications of teenage pregnancy, parents and educators alike must bring this issue into focus by talking about it with both male and female teenagers.
In Cayman, the subject is particularly difficult because many people feel that Christian values do not advocate free discussion about issues such as sex. Those who counsel teenage mothers here, however, will be the first to say that to ignore the issue is a grave mistake, since children will invariably find alternate, and often misleading, sources of information.
When young teenagers are left to their own immature devices to grapple with their budding sexuality, pregnancy is quite often the result. Once that happens, Christian values will have to be put aside, to make room for a new child, as the child who gave it life meets the burdens of adulthood.
Nothing will restore a lost childhood that might simply have been prevented by candid discussion, at home with parents and guardians, and supplemented with a school curriculum that includes dialogue about sex.
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News
Analysis
The Saudi ostrich
By Claude Salhani
WASHINGTON (UPI) Has Saudi Arabia's
refusal to admit that there might be something fundamentally wrong
in the Wahabi kingdom contributed to Monday's triple suicide bombing
in Riyadh that killed more than 34 people, including at least
seven American citizens?
Indeed, several questions beg to be asked.
What firm actions has the Saudi government undertaken since alarm bells sounded in the form of 15 young Saudi hijackers who commandeered and crashed four American civilian aircraft into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in rural Pennsylvania on Sept. 11, 2001?
First, did the kingdom's leaders try to dig into the reasons that might have propelled their disaffected youth into allying themselves to the likes of Osama bin Laden and adopting the cause of radical organizations such as al-Qaida? Did they look into what motivated their young people into carrying out such violent acts?
In a country where alcohol is banned, as are cinemas, nightclubs, cafes and other forms of amusements that allow young people to mingle, there is no space permitted for the young to spend their built-up energy an energy that simply had to explode sometime, somewhere, somehow.
The only avenue left to many young Saudi men, especially those with an education, and often plenty of leisure time on their hands, was quite naturally, religion. And this is where the Saudi experiment seems to have backfired. They calculated wrongly that through their tough restrictive religious rules and cultural controls, they could continue to shape, mold and direct the thinking and actions of their youth.
They were grossly mistaken.
Under normal circumstances, a country such as Saudi Arabia, with a per capita gross domestic product of $10,600 (2001 estimate) should not be fertile ground for terrorism. Yet it is.
What programs were undertaken to educate Saudis in the evils of radicalized Islam in the more than one and a half years since the Sept. 11 attacks?
"Nothing that I am aware of," Khaled Saffuri, president of the Washington-based Islamic Institute, told United Press International.
Second, did the Saudi government try to pre-empt further attacks by stepping up security at potentially vulnerable targets, such as the three building complexes that housed mostly foreigners and that were targeted on Monday?
Or, as might be more probable, were they sticking their collective heads in the sand, ignoring the perils, hoping the dangers would simply pass them by?
For the good part of two weeks now there have been increasing "communications" that Islamic militants were gearing up to attack American interests in the country.
"We had indicators that they were planning something. We didn't know exactly what," The New York Times quotes a senior U.S. official as saying.
Were the attacks predictable?
"There were many indications," Saffuri says.
Among the indicators that something was amiss was the discovery during a raid last week that a terrorist safe house only "several hundred yards" from one of the targeted buildings contained a weapons cache, according to one U.S. official. Among the items found was a collection of 55 hand grenades, more than 800 pounds of explosives and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Added to that, were the unusual steps taken by Saudi authorities of broadcasting on national television the names and photographs of more than a dozen suspects the police were seeking to apprehend.
So, why were no decisive actions taken? Herein lies part of the Saudi dilemma supposedly, a staunch ally of the United States.
"They are a monarchy without elected representative institutions or political parties. We embrace religious freedom. They rule through religious police. Economically, diplomatically and socially, the Saudi Arabian government has long promoted policies that challenge American beliefs and undermine the basic human rights of their own people," said Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif. These words were said at a hearing on Capitol Hill in June 2002, but, nevertheless, still hold true today.
"If Saudi Arabia had been a more open
society all along, the terrorism that now seems to emanate from
there would have dissipated over the years," said Rep. Dana
Rohrabacher, R-Calif., a member of the House Committee on International
Relations, also in June 2002.
"In a free society, people have many different avenues to
approach their frustrations, they don't turn to religious fanaticism.
In Saudi Arabia that is about all the avenues they left for people
to deal with their frustrations," Rohrabacher told UPI at
the time.
These attacks came on the heels of a U.S. announcement that it was moving its military base from Saudi Arabia to nearby Qatar, where the U.S. Central Command was headquartered during the recent Iraq war.
Part of al-Qaida's long-standing gripe and one of its demands was that the United States pull its troops out of Saudi Arabia; fundamentalist Muslims considered it insulting to have "infidels" based on the land that houses Islam's two holiest sites Mecca and Medina.
The fact that the attacks occurred despite
America's intention to withdraw its troops from the kingdom should
send a clear message to Saudi Arabia. It is not only the Americans
who are in al-Qaida's line of fire. Once the Americans leave,
the Saudi royal family will be targeted next.
Maybe now the Saudis will begin to realize they may not be able
to appease the fundamentalists, as they wrongly believed they
were doing all those years by "buying" protection in
the form of financing religious schools or madrasas
and other considerable contributions.
This latest attack should act as their wake-up call. As the English-language Arab News columnist Raid Qusti wrote, "It's about time we got our act together."
Feminism mislabeled as Christian at YWCA
By UWE SIEMON-NETTO,
UPI Religion Editor
WASHINGTON (UPI) - Imagine the Veterans of Foreign Wars appointing
Jane Fonda as their commander in chief. It's a good bet all the
old warriors would wander off elsewhere because, one would assume,
they have a clear sense of their identity of which Jane Fonda
has no part.
The funny thing is that when it comes to things Christian, such
clarity seems often lacking. This Thursday, Patricia Ireland will
take over as chief executive officer of the Young Women's Christian
Association. Wait a minute: That Patricia Ireland, the 57-year
old self-proclaimed bisexual and stalwart advocate of abortion
rights, including the right to the grisly partial-birth procedure?
Yep, that's her - president of the Young Women's CHRISTIAN Association.
Now, this column is not actually about Patricia Ireland, whose "feminine spirituality" seemed to have been sufficient for her election to the presidency of a purportedly religious organization. One may not particularly fancy her causes, but one cannot deny that she has pushed them effectively while at the helm of the National Organization of Women.
Unattractive as her past activities appear to some, they were nonetheless legal, even if one could be tempted to add, "alas."
So the question is not: Is Patricia Ireland
qualified as chief executive of a huge organization? She doubtless
is. The question is, rather: Why would the group, which has just
chosen this particular power lady as its boss, still call itself
Christian?
In fact, why would the U.S. branch of the YWCA insist on keeping
this particle in its name when none of its stated purposes is
specifically Christian? To be sure, "peace, justice, freedom
and dignity for all people" are all commendable goals, but
really rather generic ones.
Just open up the YWCA homepage on the Internet and type any of these Christian keywords into your computer's find function: "Jesus," "Christ," "God," "Bible," "Faith," "Salvation" or "Church" - what do you get? Simply a red stop sign with an exclamation mark and the message, "The text ... was not found."
Perhaps it's unfair to single out the YWCA. It is not the first and not the only organization to have frivolously clung to a definition that to over a billion people around the world describes infinitely more than just good ethics or common desires.
The word, "Christian," was hijacked by groups we certainly would never otherwise wish to place in the same category with the YWCA - the pro-Nazi German Christians in World War II, for example, or assorted "Christian" fellow-travelers of the Soviet Union during the cold war, racist sects in this country, and even Christian Sadomasochists.
I repeat: The YWCA is not in this unsavory league. But neither do its pronouncements provide any clue that it affirms even the most elementary tenets of Christianity: the belief in a triune God, in Scripture, in Jesus' death on the cross and his resurrection - and in our salvation by grace through our faith in Christ's sacrificial work for us.
We live in a wacky world where tiny intolerant minorities manage to have the public display or crèches banned, and where the Ten Commandments - which are Jewish as well as Christian - must not be exhibited in secular buildings.
Whatever crèches and crucifixes,
menorahs, Commandments and the like have meant to many generations
before us, we are to treat them with embarrassment and keep them
to ourselves. Yet at the same time the very term, by which some
of us define ourselves in the deepest sense of the word, is allowed
to be misused as a poster for all sorts of purposes.
As Diane Knippers, president of the Washington-based Institute
on Religion and Democracy suggests, the rule of the basic integrity
in advertising should apply here as everywhere else: Be truthful!
So take the "C" out of the YWCA, Knippers suggests.
That would make it the YWA, the Young Women's Association, a perfectly
fine name.
Come to think of it - why not come clean and merge with NOW straight away? This would spare the combined memberships of both organizations Ms. Ireland's moving expenses.
2002 a boom year for Salvation Army
WASHINGTON (UPI) - If an organization's success can be measured by the amount of people it has helped, then the Salvation Army in the United States experienced a boom year in 2002.
"We have found that we are needed more than ever before," Lt. Col. Tom Jones, the Salvationists' communications officer, told United Press International Tuesday, commenting on a report that his small evangelical denomination has assisted more than 42 million people during the fiscal year 2002.
This was an increase of 4.3 million - or 15 percent - from 2001. Commissioner W. Todd Basset, the Salvation Army's National Commander, described this as a record number. The services range from emergency lodging to financial aid, day-care and help in finding missing persons.
The church, founded in 19th century England and organized along military lines, currently celebrates National Salvation Army Week, in which its own leaders and those of the secular community honor its 5,452 officers (ministers), 118,000 soldiers (congregants) and 4.5 million volunteers, and inform the public of their ministry.
Around the country, there will be donut street parties, for example, reminding Americans of the "Sallies," or women Salvationists, handing out donuts and coffee at wartime.
Considering the small size of this denomination, its accomplishments in 2002 are staggering: more than 10 million nights of lodging for people who found themselves without shelter; cash grants handed out to more than 6 million individuals; almost 6 million receiving assistance during the Christmas holidays; and 60,000 referred to jobs.
According to Col. Jones, these and other increases in relief efforts reflect primarily the economically difficult economic. However, he observed, "People also turn to the Salvation Army out of a sense of spiritual hunger. They are searching for spiritual roots. They are looking for a solid rock they can hold onto."
The Salvation Army, whose officers - or pastors - earn never more than $15,000 a year, plus free housing and the use of a car, is arguably one of the most beloved Christian denominations, precisely because of its hands-on ministry. As a result, this is one church whose sanctuaries are filled with more than four times as many worshipers (457,000) as it has members.
Other denominations, too, benefit from the general appeal of the Salvation Army's straightforward Christianity. "We know that many people have resumed going to churches of their own denominations because of their experiences with us," Jones said. "The Salvation Army's fingerprints are on people who go to many other churches."
Asked about his favorite recent Salvation
Army success story, Jones reminisced about a formerly well-to-do
Virginia lawyer "who had lost his way because of his alcoholism."
"He came to us and stayed a week," the colonel went
on, "but then he left because he thought he was better than
all the drunks, bums, illiterates in our program. A week later,
he was back in jail, where he realized he was no better than anybody
else. He came back. He's been with us six months now and says
he's found what he had been looking for - getting right with God
and himself."
Founded in England in 1865, this army whose soldiers bear no arms, is today facing tougher challenges than ever before. According to Jones, its largest contingent is stationed in Africa, doing ministry in dire circumstances.
Sick of Spam
Barrie
Quappe
How many times can I possibly delete a message
about enlarging an unspeakable private part of the anatomy only
bestowed on males?
How many reports must I read on supposed African heirs who give
lengthy sob stories and then request help for re-location of massive
amounts of money from little old me?
What about those obscene pop-ups inviting whoever happens to see
the message first including my children - to watch "adult"
action on the internet?
Oh, and if I was lonely, spammers claim they can set me up with
my ideal date... relax, I said IF.
"Spam" is the name coined for these persistent pests. Filters are offered from several sources but none are 100% effective.
Americans are sick of spam, too. Recent reports state that a "National Survey Finds Nearly 9 Out Of 10 Office Workers Want Congress To Can Spam Through Laws That Supplement The Use Of Technology In The Workplace. Americans Using E-Mail at Work Favour Introduction of Federal Legislation to Regulate Spam"
Legislation? It's a start I guess, but not a fast solution. It seems that we will have to live with these pests until technology catches up to them.
Wouldn't it be great if we could set our computers to send an automatic return signal to spammers that decimated their computer? Just a thought.
Computer-challenged types
While we're on the topic of computers, have you ever felt like an idiot in front of the computer? You know those days. The one where you can't get anything to print and you try everything you can think of, right?
Just as your frustration level is going to melt down your monitor, some computer geek comes by and says, "Did you re-boot" or something obvious? Right about then your chair seems awfully upright when you would rather let it sink inconspicuously down through the floor! Aagh, I hate that.
Guess what, you're not alone. Computer technicians are the most wanted people on the planet in the business world. Most of us are focused on our jobs that don't necessarily include computer expertise.
It's even harder, it seems, for creative types, as they use a completely different side of the brain while writing, and then they need to switch to technical detail.
Thinking of a career change? Check out an
average salary of $50,000 and up. Not bad eh?
I guess the upside to computers is the jobs they provide for talented
humans things that make you go hmmm
E-mail:
barriequappe@hurleysgroup.com
Amish on the rise
By UWE SIEMON-NETTO, UPI Religion Editor
WASHINGTON (UPI) - "Soon half the world will be Amish and the other half will be taxi drivers who haul them," a young mother joked to sociologist Donald B. Kraybill of Messiah College, Pa.Of course she was exaggerating, but her statement contained a kernel of truth: The "Plain people" riding about in horse-drawn buggies are one of the nation's fastest-growing minorities. Within a year or two there will be 200,000 of them.
"Already some 192,000 Amish live in the United States and Canada," Kraybill told United Press International Monday. "Their number doubles every 20 years."
Is the radical wing of Protestantism finally achieving a breakthrough, almost 500 years after the 16th-century Reformation? Are the Anabaptists, or "re-baptizers," of whom the Amish are the most uncompromising branch, finally making converts?
"Not really," said Kraybill, one of the foremost experts on this relentlessly pacifist type of Christianity. "In all of America there are no more than 100 people who came from other denominations and have stuck it out under the strict Ordnung, or Amish rule."
No, the Amish don't really evangelize but still increase in numbers rapidly because of their large families - with six or more children each - and retention rate, according to Kraybill. He called this growth "biological evangelization."
Ninety percent of the youths who are allowed and even encouraged to "check out the world," return to the fold in their late teens or early 20s. They then ask to be baptized and resume the simple lifestyle of their forebears, a lifestyle in most cases without electricity, cars, television sets and the Internet, although the most progressive of the dozen or so Amish sects accept some of these modern amenities.
The Amish speak "Pennsylvania Dutch" among themselves, which in reality is a derivative of 16th-century southwestern German and Swiss dialects. The liturgical language of their worship services, which are held every other Sunday in a different farmhouse, is a Reformation-era High German that has lost its diphthong sounds, however. Diphthongs are the vowels marked by umlauts (two dots) in German.
As radical pacifists martyred throughout
the centuries by other Christians, both Catholic and Protestants,
the Amish were largely silent in the current debate over whether
the Iraq war was a "just" one or not."
The reason is that, like the Hutterites - a related sect that
practices community of goods - the Amish belong to the "separatist"
branch of Anabaptism, Krabill explained. "Separatists"
don't identify with the government - to the extent that they don't
even collect social security.
"As separatists, they don't concern themselves with the war. At any rate, they don't have radio or television; they don't watch CNN. Some read the papers, so they are aware of the war, but they have no strong opinions."
In fact, in their pacifism, many Amish go
so far as not to cooperate with the police and prosecutors investigating
hate crimes perpetrated against them, Bryan Byers, a criminal
justice professor at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., found
several years ago.
There is in fact a term for harassing Amish people, Byers reported.
It's called "claping." When young punks force Amish
buggies off the road, when they throw stones at Amish farmers,
and toss fireworks at their horses - that's "claping"
(pronounced clay-ping).
"For many non-Amish residents in northern Indiana, harassing members of the religious sect is a way of life," he wrote. But the Amish don't retaliate. "They want nothing to do with our laws," Byers went on. "They don't hold grudges."
They simply "turn the other cheek," as Christ has instructed his followers.
Of course other branches of Anabaptist Protestantism - some of the highly splintered Mennonites, for example - take a much more activist approach in their opposition against the Iraq war or any other, Kraybill said.
But then there are among the 40-odd Mennonite groupings some very liberal types, especially among the faculty of prestigious academic institutions such as Harvard and University of Chicago - or Duke; at the latter school the name of the eminent theologian Stanley Hauerwas comes to mind.
But they are a world apart from the "Plain People," whose forebears had split from the Mennonites in the 16th century. It is true, though, that when the Amish leave their church, they tend to become Mennonites, Kraybill told UPI.
In this sense, the direction in their culture runs contrary to the trends within mainline Protestantism, where conservatism is growing at the expense of liberalism.
"Among the Anabaptists direction tends to run the other way. A liberal Amish person might become a conservative Mennonite, and a conservative Mennonite would move on to a more liberal Mennonite congregation."
But as far as the 192,000 Amish living in 19 states and in Canada are concerned, this is just fringe stuff. Whatever changes occur within this community, they are chiefly occupational.
Only one-third of the Amish are still farmers, while the others work as craftsmen, builders, or small entrepreneurs. And they increasingly need drivers to transport their wares about.
For this, the Amish hire "the English," as they call all other Americans. So here, the mother cited by Kraybill had indeed a point - the more Amish, the more chauffeurs.
And guess what? Some Amish businessmen are doing so well now that they go off to Florida on vacation - driven of course by "Englishmen" in fine limousines.
Iran bans dozens of websites for political, pornographic content
Iranian Post and Telecommunications Minister Ahmad Motamedi (front right) sits with his fellow ministers in Tehran's Parliament.
TEHRAN (AFP) The Iranian authorities have banned several dozen websites for political and pornographic content, including those of US radio stations broadcasting in Farsi, the press reported.
"One hundred illegal websites are blocked," Post and Telecommunications Minister Ahmad Motamedi was quoted as saying in the reformist newspaper Yass-e No.
"There are websites that insult the beliefs of different religions," the minister argued to explain the ban.
According to other press reports the number of Internet websites on the official blacklist is much higher.
Iran's student news agency ISNA, quoting an Internet service provider who declined to be named, said that the post and telecommunications ministry have drawn up a list of 15,000 banned websites.
The ministry distributed the list to Internet service providers and told them to block these websites, ISNA reported.
"We have received a list of nearly 2,000 websites and were told to limit access to them," the head of one Internet service provider told AFP.
Most of these websites post pornographic material but some are also politically oriented, according to the reports.
Among those banned are several websites with close links to reformists, such as the Emrouz and Womeniniran websites.
Also banned are websites of US radio stations that broadcast in Farsi such as Voice of America and Iran Farda, which are considered by the Iranian authorities as voices of US propaganda, the reports said.
Iran's chief prosecutor Ayatollah Abdol-Ali Namazi said Tuesday that the judiciary had set up a special department to investigate and prosecute Internet offences in line with the strict laws that cover the Islamic republic's media.
He told the Hambastegi paper that Iran's
press law, which sets strict conditions on what can
be published and subjects offenders to heavy jail terms, would
also apply to Internet content produced by Iranian residents.
Deputy post and telecommunications minister Masood Davari-Nejad also announced Tuesday measures to block "immoral sites as well as political sites which rudely make fun of religious and political figures in the country."
Iranian president starts Syria visit
DAMASCUS (AFP) Iran's President Mohammad Khatami flew into Damascus from Lebanon Wednesday for talks with his Syrian counterpart, Bashar al-Assad, on the regional situation in the wake of the Iraq war, the state news agency SANA said.
The two leaders had an initial meeting shortly after the Iranian leader's arrival, along with senior ministers from both countries.
The two presidents are set to meet again on Thursday, before Khatami travels on to Yemen and Bahrain on his post-war tour of Arab states.
Khatami wound up a three-day visit to Lebanon, the first by an Iranian president since his country's 1979 Islamic revolution, with a joint statement condemning "threats" against Beirut, Damascus and Tehran.
This was an allusion to US pressure for the three countries to end their support for the militant Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah.
Without naming Washington, the statement said the "two parties condemn threats made against Iran, Lebanon and Syria, and the exploitation by Israel of regional and international developments to occupy Arab territories."
Solomon Islands banking officials evacuated as pyramid scheme goes bad
Prime Minister Allan Kemakeza
AUCKLAND (AFP) Banks in the Solomon Islands did not open last Monday amidst fears violence could break out over a worsening pyramid moneymaking scheme, a diplomatic source confirmed.
Hundreds of people who invested money in the "Family Charity Trust Fund" last week began besieging banks in the already civil war-torn country, demanding payouts.
Radio New Zealand International reported that a charter aircraft over the weekend flew senior officials of the ANZ Bank back to Australia.
The ANZ has been specifically targeted despite statements from their Australian headquarters that they had no link to the trust.
The Solomons, after four years of civil war, is bankrupt. Last week its capital Honiara lost all electricity after the government was unable to pay the power bill.
The shadowy Family Charity Trust has lured
thousands of people into paying 250 Solomons (34 US) dollars each
in promise that they would be paid 1.2 million dollars back a
month later.
There has been no estimate on how much was paid into the trust
but a diplomat said hundreds of people for the last week have
been outside banks and the Central Bank wanting their 1.2 million
dollars.
"It might get dangerous because people
have very high expectations," the diplomat said.
Solomon Islands Broadcasting Commission said it understands the
money collected by the trust has been taken to Fiji and police
confirm the trust has no known bank account in the Solomons. A
trust principal, using the name Betty Maenua, has also gone to
Fiji.
A month ago, Jackson Ofu, Police director of the Solomons Criminal Investigation Department, said no funds in the name of Family Charity Fund have been held in any of the islands' banks.
He however confirms that large deposits were made at two commercial banks and the Central Bank in accounts held in the name of Betty Maenua, all of which were withdrawn on three separate dates last year.
Prime Minister Allan Kemakeza last week repeated his denial that he was connected to the trust.
The trust is believed to be a variation on what is known as a Ponzi, named after one Charles Ponzo, an Italian migrant in the United States who in 1919 devised a scheme promising large payments in short time for smaller deposits.
The scheme is based on making some payments to investors early on to encourage new investors in.
Ponzi schemes are illegal in most nations.
Feds bust alleged video pirate
By PAT NASON
LOS ANGELES (UPI) - A grand jury in Los Angeles has indicted a Hollywood man in what officials call the first federal arrest for covertly taping films at preview screenings.
Johnny Ray Gasca, 33, was charged with criminal infringement of a copyright, interstate communication of a threat, possession of a false identification document of the United States, and witness retaliation. Gasca was arrested on April 22, six weeks after FBI agents executed a federal search warrant on his home.
Agents seized video duplication equipment, a false Social Security card and two diaries in which Gasca allegedly kept an accounting of profits from the sale of pirated copies of "Anger Management," "The Core" and "Cradle 2 the Grave."
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Johnson said Gasca gained access to prerelease screenings of feature films in various ways - including hanging out at places where studios assigned workers to hand out passes to test screenings.
"Once he would go to screenings," Johnson said, "he would try to pass himself off as an anti-piracy employee working for the Motion Picture Association of America. In one particular case, he used a fake name and a fake business card."
Johnson said investigators had determined that Gasca was involved in piracy for several months before moving to Los Angeles from New York in August 2002. He also said Gasca had an extensive criminal record, with 89 arrests and a conviction in the early '90s in an attempted murder case.
"This (video piracy) appears to be his newest occupation," said Johnson.
The MPAA has suggested that piracy costs
its members $3 billion a year in lost revenue.
Johnson said Gasca's diaries indicated he was making more than
$4,500 per week selling tapes of movies before their theatrical
release. He said the diaries did not indicate who Gasca's alleged
customers were, and Gasca has not shown any willingness to identify
them for investigators.
Johnson said the charge of communication
of a threat to the MPAA was based on the suspect's reaction when
the FBI kicked in his door and "smashed up" his video
equipment.
"He called the MPAA and said, 'You stopped my livelihood
and if I don't get all my machinery back, I'm going to make one
phone call and set off the release of up to 30 motion pictures,'"
said Johnson.
Gasca was also charged with witness retaliation for allegedly telling a postal carrier that she could be shot because she provided information to the FBI that became part of an affidavit in support of the search warrant.
The U.S. Attorney's office said Gasca faces a maximum possible penalty of 28 years in federal prison if convicted of all charges.
Return
Health
Today
Health costs of obesity rival that of smoking: Study
WASHINGTON (AFP) Obesity in the US population adds some 92.6 billion dollars to the nation's health care costs, a figure which rivals the cost of smoking-related health problems, according to a study released Wednesday.
The study in the journal Health Affairs found that obesity accounted for 9.1 percent of US medical spending in 1998, compared to the cost of smoking, which ranges from 6.5 percent to 14.4 percent.
It found that a higher percentage of people covered by the government health program Medicaid were obese, indicating that obesity had a larger effect on public health care spending.
The study carried out by economists Eric Finkelstein and Ian Fiebelkorn of RTI International and Guijing Wang of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention compared the health costs of obese Americans with similar ones who were not obese.
Its authors suggested governments and health insurers offer incentives to encourage weight loss.
"Unless programs aimed at reducing the rise in obesity rates are successfully implemented, overweight and obesity-attributable spending will continue to increase and government will continue to finance a sizable portion of the total," the study authors said.
Some 65 percent of the adult US population was overweight or obese in 2000, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
WHO not
worried by cholera "epidemic" in southern Iraq
BASRA, Iraq (AFP) The World Health
Organisation (WHO) said Wednesday a cholera "epidemic"
has broken out in southern Iraq but it has enough medicine to
battle the disease.
"We can speak of a cholera epidemic. But we are not worried
because enough medicine is available," said WHO disease specialist
Marta Valenciano.
The WHO said Kuwait's national public health laboratory confirmed the presence of zibril, the bacterium responsible for cholera, in four out of 138 samples which the WHO team collected last week in the southern city of Basra.
This analysis will allow the WHO team to determine which are the best antibiotics to prescribe to treat the disease, Valenciano said.
"We think it will be more serious than previous years. We have more cases than at the same period last year," she said.
Kuwait's health minister said meanwhile that an outbreak of cholera in southern Iraq appeared to be subsiding.
"We feel that the outbreak of cholera is subsiding now in southern Iraq," Mohammed al-Jarallah told reporters after escorting a convoy of 12 Kuwaiti trucks loaded with medicines to the Abdali border crossing with Iraq.
Kuwait said Sunday it was sending eight water purification stations to Iraq to provide potable water following the cholera outbreak.
The UN's WHO announced last week that it was bracing for a cholera epidemic in southern Iraq after the US-led war disrupted main water supplies, prompting people to resort to unsafe supplies for drinking.
Ice Cream Parlour
While exiting the new Royal Bank of Canada Building on Shedden Road, I looked across the street to see a green painted structure, which I recognized as the old Ice Cream Parlour Building which is now being used as a tourist store. It is easy to remember this building because it was a very important part of our heritage.
Before it was moved to its present location, it was located on South Church Street on the waterfront beside the Conwell Watler Building, which is now the museum. Back then the lettering on the front facia said 'GRAND CAYMAN ICE & MINERAL WATER CO. LTD.' What did that represent? many things, among them refreshments, ice and a rest stop.
Although it was not on the iron (coral) shore, to prevent flooding during hurricanes the building itself was supported by posts with the floor about two-and-a-half feet off the ground. On the front and north sides, there were wooden steps leading to a wide porch and two entrances. Two large front windows permitted the bright evening sunlight to illuminate the inside. At sundown, several gas mantle lamps were lit and hung from hooks in the ceiling.
At the back end, a long wooden counter running from side to side kept customers out of the service area. Customers could sit at tables or else take their purchases outside to the porch. Ice cream, bottled drinks (aerated water) and rapidly melting ice could be bought.
The back door led to the ice plant, which was an old ammonia type plant powered by a gas engine compressor. The ice cream was made in two large hand-crank freezers using ice from the plant. Usually there were three flavours: vanilla, strawberry and chocolate. Later, Grapenuts cereal was added to the vanilla. However, the four flavours were not all available at the same time; usually only two were.
The ice cream, bottled drinks and some ice
were kept in a large ice box behind the counter. Unfortunately,
the ice cream was usually soft even though the drinks were usually
cold.
For children, a dish of ice cream cost three pence (3d). At night,
the older generation patronized the parlour to chitchat. Because
the place was well screened, it was good refuge from mosquitoes.
Before being taken over by the Hislops, the parlour was operated
by 'Miss Lulu,' her daughter Miss Frances, and occasionally her
Uncle Frank.
Today's generation, with its many fast food locations, serving all kinds of foods, drinks and frozen deserts needs to experience the atmosphere of the Ice Cream Parlour, where we all knew each other, where we were all family instead of merely being customers.
Unfortunately, that atmosphere is long gone.
Kareem Earns World Ranking
Kareem Streete-Thompson has leapt to No. 35 in the world after an impressive series of recent performances.
The world has taken notice of Kareem Streete-Thompson's recent track and field performances, as Cayman's long jump specialist was acknowledged in two important ways this week.
On Tuesday 13 May, Kareem returned to the International Association of Athletics Federation's (IAAF) Long Jump World Rankings and shot straight to #35. Before this week, Kareem was off the chart, not rated above #100 in the world.
His leap in the rankings is a clear result of his recent past performances that just began in April and followed a lengthy injury recovery period that began in August of 2002. In many eyes, it is a rather bold performance statement from an athlete that left some wondering whether his best athletic days were past.
In another sign of tribute, the very next
day, Kareem was added to the privileged list of athletes asked
to add personal diary notes to the official IAAF Online Journals.
In his first contribution, Kareem served notice that he is back
as good, if not better, than ever, "My main goal this year
is clear," he wrote, "I want to be on the podium in
Paris. I know I can do it. Who am I afraid of? Nobody scares me
anymore. I have seen it all. I have jumped against the greatest
jumpers in
history and beaten them."
Showing the poise of a champion, Kareem's recent performances and brash confidence are sure to cause ripples in the sands of the long jump pits around the world. "I am out to seal my legacy," he wrote, "There are two medals I have yet to win World Outdoors and the Olympics. When I win those two medals, I can say I have done it all!!!"
It is a little early to know if Kareem will ultimately be successful in his quest. However, one thing is for certain; Kareem has made sure neither his fans nor rivals need to ask where he intends to be in August of 2003 and 2004!
Good turnout for Bank of Butterfield Sea Swim
In the second of eight races on the CIASA Open-Water Calendar, 127 swimmers turned out to participate in last Saturday's Bank of Butterfield "Bank Online" 800m Sea Swim.
Participants included local recreational swimmers, some recent CARIFTA champions, and a very brave 5-year old. One overseas participant came from as far away as the state of Montana.
As with all 800m sea swims, the enthusiastic competitors churned the crystal clear waters of Seven Mile Beach, starting at Governor's Beach and finishing at Public Beach.
Cayman Islands' Senior Swim Team member Kaitlyn Elphinstone narrowly beat out younger rival Jodie Foster to capture first place in the women's race. Jennifer Powell, Andrea Balderamos, Laura Stafford and Brigitte Tomascik filled out the top six positions.
All six of the women finished the race in under ten-and-a-half minutes, which qualifies them to compete in the "Elite" division race in the upcoming Flowers One-Mile swim to be held 14 June.
In the men's race, CARIFTA gold medallist
Shaune Fraser and Olympic qualifier Andrew Mackay, in a repeat
performance from last year, took first and second place respectively.
Will McFarland, in a reversal of last year's results, turned the
tables on younger rival Gilfredo Gomez-Cruz, Jr. to take third
place. All four men completed the race in less than ten minutes,
also qualifying them for the "Elite" category in the
Flower's One-mile.
Top finishers for the Masters swimmers were Peter Stafford, Victor Thompson and Andrew Crowe, taking tenth, twelfth and thirteenth place for the men. Jacki Dowdle, Andrea Barnes and Judy Tattersall finished ahead of the other Women Masters in 18th through 20th positions.
The youngest swimmer, five-year-old Coral Tomascik, finished a respectable 68th out of the 74 women's entrants.
The swimmers competed for the unique "Bank Online" trophies in 24 different age group categories, and also received custom-designed t-shirts. After the race, the Bank of Butterfield treated the participants with pizza, Gatorade, and other refreshments provided by Foster Brothers Ltd.
Return
Singh wrong
on Sorenstam, Woods says
HAMBURG, Germany (AFP) Tiger Woods does not believe Vijay Singh has much support in his objection to Annika Sorenstam playing on the US PGA men's tour next week.
Singh has described it as "ridiculous" that Sorenstam has been invited to the Bank of Colonial tournament in Texas and says he will withdraw if drawn against her.
"I think it's unfortunate Vijay said that very unfortunate," said Woods, who this week goes for a third successive victory in the Deutsche Bank-SAP Open in Germany.
"I don't think his is a widely-held view I think it's just Vijay's opinion. My message to Annika is 'just go and play'.
"I think it would have
been more fair for her to have four or five starts. Then you can
judge.
"Colonial is very difficult and it would be a great performance
is she makes the (halfway) cut a fantastic performance."
Woods' manager is also Sorenstam's
manager and he was consulted over which tournament she should
play in once she made it clear she was interested in competing
on the US Tour.
The men's world No.1 is not going to be among the opponents for
the women's world No.1, however.
On medical advice Woods is cutting back on his schedule this season following his knee surgery last December.
"I'm not worried, but the doctors have said it's in my best interests to take it slow this year, then I can play as much as I want," he added.
Return
Large contingent to compete at Pan
Am Games
Over 40 countries and 6,748 athletes have already registered to participate in the XIV Pan American Games that will be held this summer in the Dominican Republic from 1-17 August, according to information released in Santo Domingo by Nelly Manuel Doñé, Technical Director of the Organizing Committee of the Pan American Games (OCPAGs).
Of the 42 countries that
are currently members of the Pan American Sports Organization
(ODEPA), only Guyana has not yet registered for the event that
is held every four years.
From the Cayman Islands, 25 athletes are among those registered,
including track and field stars Cydonie Mothersill and Kareem
Streete-Thompson, and swimmers Kaitlyn Elphinstone, Shaun Fraser,
Andrew MacKay, and Heather Roffey.
In addition to the athletes, 2,425 coaches and delegates have also signed up, bringing the total number of people registered for the Games to 9,173. This number does not include judges or referees.
The United States has registered the largest delegation, with 713 athletes and a total of 1,010 people.
Ritz raises
US$30,000 for Crisis Centre
Michael Ryan and Paul Simon, winner of the Pro-Am
Presentation of a Cheque for $30,000 (Len Layman, Michael Ryan, Estella Scott and Hon McKeeva Bush).
The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman hosted its Second Annual Celebrity Tennis Weekend Charity Event at the Cayman Islands Tennis Club from 2-4 May, raising US$30,000 for the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre.
Local fans were treated to tennis exhibitions that featured stars like Jimmy Arias, Johan Kriek, Aaron Krickstein, and Cayman's own Nigel Mitten.
The Minister of Tourism, Hon. McKeeva Bush and the Minister of Sports, Hon. Frank McField were both on hand during parts of the weekend long event.
Mr. Michael Ryan, Chairman and CEO of the Ritz-Carlton, was pleased with the enthusiastic response to the event. "We'd like to thank everyone who helped make this year a success," he said. "Through ticket sales, a golf tournament, an auction, sale of memorabilia and sponsor donations, we are able to show our support to the Crisis Centre."
Speaking on behalf of the Crisis Centre, Director Estella Scott, said she was touched by the support. "On behalf of the board of directors and staff of the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre, we thank the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman for the generous donation, as well as for lending their support to this very important cause," she said. "We're proud to announce that they are the first gold sponsor in our corporate sponsorship scheme, which requires a CI$20,000 donation."
Ms. Scott indicated that
funds from the donation would be used for
operational costs of the centre as well as for the implementation
of various new programmes.
Nicola De Lima
Nicola de Lima will never forget her first tennis racquet. "When I first started to play," she says, "we were still using wooden racquets but because I was so small, my father would saw off the handle so that I wouldn't have any trouble lifting it. I started by hitting the ball against the wall it was the best type of practice because the wall never misses."
Nicola's father was intent on teaching all of his children to play tennis, and all reached top rankings in Canada both provincially and nationally. Nicola never outgrew her love for the game: "It's a wonderful sport," she says, "and it's something I hope to continue for the rest of my life."
Despite her busy schedule as Vice President of Sales at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, Nicola manages to play quite often, and has participated in each of the pro-am tournaments during the Ritz-Carlton Annual Tennis Charity Weekend. "This year we brought down Jimmy Arias, Johan Kriek, and Aaron Krickstein," says Nicola. "It generates interest in the sport and gets everyone involved."
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