Highlightsfrom the Print Newspaper edition - IssueNo. 485
Updatedas of | Wednesday, 10 September 2003 | 4:00PM
Up Front
News
Editorial
Letter to the Editor
News about Caymanin the Foreign Press
News From Our Region
Community Calendar
Sports
Saturday,6 September was a momentous day in the history of the Cayman Islands,with two significant occurrences
Royal WatlerTerminal to be completed in time for 2004 high season
Port and PPMLaunched
9:30 am
Leader of GovernmentBusiness, Hon. McKeeva Bush (5th from left) with participantsin the ground breaking ceremony (l-r) Burns Conolly, Capt. EugeneEbanks, Paul Hurlston, Mrs. Juilianna O'connor Conolly, OrettConnor, Brainard Watler, Ralston Anglin, Charles Clifford andDr. the Hon. Frank McField with son Joshua.
Amidst a festive scene that included steeldrum music and a traditional Caribbean breakfast, over 200 peoplewitnessed the groundbreaking of the Royal Watler Terminal CruiseTendering Facility last Saturday morning in George Town.
Delivering the main address, the Leaderof Government Business, Minister of Tourism and Chairman of thePort Authority Board, the Hon. McKeeva Bush said that the projectis vital to ensuring Cayman offers the best tourism product itcan in the very competitive global market place. "This facilityis a very important and necessary infrastructural item,"he said.
The Royal Watler Terminal will representthe first part of a US$26 million development of cruise facilitiesin George Town and West Bay that is being funded by the Florida-CaribbeanCruise Association (FCCA).
The Royal Watler TerminalProject Manager, Mr. Burns Conolly, giving the vote of thanksthat ended the programme.
The facility is named after the late RoyalDouglas Watler, a sea captain of schooners and later a civil servantin a variety of posts at the George Town Port. Mr. Watler wasawarded the British Empire Medal for his meritorious service tothis country. He died in 1982 at the age of 84.
The financing is structured in such a waythat the Port Authority will secure a loan from a local bank,and the FCCA will service the loan by paying US$1.00 per passengerfor all calls to Cayman ports by member cruise lines over thenext 15 years. "This is truly a partnership with the FCCAand they recognize that as Cayman is a preferred destination fortheir clients, it is incumbent upon them to invest in modern,larger and more user-friendly facilities," he said.
Mr. Bush said that the agreement does notmean that the FCCA will own anything in the Cayman Islands. "Itis important for me to point out," he said, "that atno point during the currency of this agreement will the FCCA haveoperational control of our ports, nor will they own any assets,including properties, which are in the Port Authority's possession."
Artist's renditionof the Royal Watler Terminal Cruise Tendering Facility, scheduledfor completion in 2004.
The new facility will include a custom-designedcruise terminal with retail stores, cabana kiosks, customs andimmigration offices, a first aid station, restrooms, along withbus and taxi parking.
To create the land necessary for the facility,nearly three acres of ocean will be filled and capped with cement,which will include a 200-foot by 40-foot finger pier for dischargingand loading cruise passengers.
The Royal Watler Terminal will help lessenthe demand on the North and South Terminals, which will both undergorenovations once the new terminal is complete. "The new facilitywill disburse our cruise guests over a greater area and therebyminimise their impact on traffic on Harbour Drive," saidMr. Bush.
The construction timetable for the WestBay cruise facility, which will be called the "West Bay Captains'Cruise Terminal," has not been finalized, but the Directorof the Port Authority, Mr. Paul Hurlston said the work would begoing on simultaneously in both locations.
Project Manager Mr. Burns Conolly said thathis company would be holding a press briefing in the near futureto address the particular specifications of the new cruise facilityin greater detail.
10:00 am
OppositionMovement lays groundwork for the 2004 General Election
Dr. the Hon. KennyAnthony, Prime Minister of St. Lucia (3rd from right) with People'sProgressive Movement political leader Kurt Tibbetts, MLA (2ndfrom right) and Members of the Legislative Assembly (l-r) AnthonyEden, Alden McLaughlin, Arden McLean and Edna Moyle.
The People's Progressive Movement (PPM)revealed their position on nearly every issue affecting the CaymanIslands, and elected the officials that will steer the party towardthe 2004 General Elections at their inaugural conference lastSaturday.
Close to 500 people attended the morningsession of the programme that included an address by Dr. the Hon.Kenny D. Anthony, the Prime Minister of St. Lucia.
The morning and evening sessions of theconference were open to the public, while the afternoon session,which dealt with party's draft constitution and the election ofits officers, was open only to members.
"We were absolutely overwhelmed bythe response," said George Town MLA and the PPM's newly-electedGeneral Secretary Mr. Alden McLaughlin on Monday, "We'vesigned up about 100 members as a result of the conference, andthe phones have been ringing all day long."
Prime Minister ofSt. Lucia, Dr. the Hon. Kenny Anthony
One highlight of the morning session wasa rousing speech by recently embroiled Mario Ebanks, who evokedAmerican civil liberties pioneer Martin Luther King, Jr. whenhe spoke of the days when the PPM would control the Government."Delegated, guests, and friends, I look forward with confidenceto that day, and on that day, all of us can celebrate and singfree at last, free at last, thank God almighty, we are free atlast."
Toward the end of the morning session, PrimeMinister Anthony spoke of the need for Caribbean unity when facingthe dangers of globalisation. "The only hope for the countriesin this region in dealing with the organised industrial worldis regional cooperation," he said, "Separately, we donot have the resources, human or financial, to address the myriadof international issues that confront us now on an almost dailybasis. Our respective voices are too faint to be heard, let alonelistened to, on the vast and unfriendly world stage."
Mr. Anthony commended the PPM for the formationof a people-centred political organization that is united arounda set of principles and policies, rather than ad hoc groups of"disparate individuals who come together on the basis ofexpediency in alliances to achieve some specific objective andthen disperse when that objective has been met."
Stressing the need for discussion, consultationand debate, Mr. Anthony said disciplined political organisationsare now vital in a competitive political environment. "Thedays of government conducted by a politician who functions morelike 'the Lone Ranger' of cowboy fame are long gone in modernsociety," he said.
Toward the end of the closed-door session,the PPM considered a number of draft resolutions, with the resolutionconcerning Immigration Legislation and Caymanian Status garneringhot debate amongst the party members.
Confirmed Political Leader of the PPM, theHon. D. Kurt Tibbetts, addressed the audience for nearly two hoursduring the evening session, outlining the PPM's stance on theissues affecting the Cayman Islands, and presenting the movement'sview of the future of the country.
The Leader of theOpposition, MLA Kurt Tibbetts
On the contentious issue of the recent Statusgrants, Mr. Tibbetts indicated it was not so much the what, butthe how to which the Movement objected. "Let me make it clear,"he said "the PPM is not anti-foreigner, nor do we opposethe granting of Status by the Immigration Board to worthy personswho have lived here for significant periods of time and who havecontributed to this society."
However, Mr. Tibbetts said that the grantingof Status to thousands of people had far-reaching implications."What is particularly sinister is that I understand thatthe Government also intends to amend the Elections Law to extendthe time for registration of voters to enable all new Status holdersto be naturalised and added to the voter's list in time for theGeneral Elections next year," he said, "They are bankingthat these new recipients of Caymanian Status will be so gratefulto the Government who conferred that privilege on them that theywill vote for the Government and return the UDP to power."
MLA Alden McLaughlin was impressed by theefforts of the conference organising committee, chaired by Mr.Alfonso Wright. "It was brilliantly organised. It demonstratedour ability to have a cooperative effort to pull off a major event,"he said.
Full report on the PPM Inaugural Conferenceand the profiles of officers in Friday's edition of Cayman NetNews.
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Motor vehicleaccident claims life of popular local hairdresser
Traffic Police are investigatingthe circumstances surrounding a fatal motor vehicle accident inwhich 45-year-old resident, Gary John Callan died. The accidentoccurred around 4.20pm on Friday afternoon (05/09/03) at the junctionof Batabano Road and Shore Link Terrace in West Bay and involvedone vehicle, a blue Chevrolet Cavalier of which Mr. Callan wasthe driver and only occupant.
The car apparently ran offthe road, colliding with a wooden fence post before collidingwith a concrete column and coming to a rest.
Police, Fire and Medicsall responded to the scene of the accident and Mr. Callan wasconveyed to the Cayman Islands Hospital in George Town where doctorslater pronounced him dead.
Accident reconstructionofficers have also attended the scene as part of the investigationinto the cause of the collision.
Traffic Investigators areappealing for witnesses to the accident and also for any personwho may have spoken with Mr. Gary Callan between 4.00pm and thetime of the accident. Police are also seeking any persons whomay have seen the vehicle, a blue Chevrolet Cavalier, licenceNo. 70 555, being driven prior to the accident.
Anyone who feels they maybe able to help with the investigation is asked to contact Sgt.Adrian Barnett of the Traffic Department on 9466254.
A post mortem was scheduled for the afternoon of Monday, 8 September.
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The Hirst Road/ShamrockRoad intersection was partially opened on Monday, 8 September,to facilitate the completion of the project, say staff at thePublic Works Roads Division.
Motorists are asked to drivewith extreme caution, observing all signs and road markings directingtraffic though the area. In particular, motorists should takenote that there is no right turn when exiting the Savannah Texacoand no right turn onto Hirst Road heading west.
Although there is a speedlimit of 30 MPH through the area, it is recommended that motoristsdrive at much slower speeds until they are familiar with the newintersection. An insert detailing how to use the new junctionwill be published in local newspapers later this week. The officialopening will take place on Monday, 15 September.
Staff at the departmentthank the public for their patience during these much needed roadimprovements.
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As Bermuda struggles throughthe aftermath of the worst storm to hit the island for 50 years,between 20 and 32 linesmen are expected to arrive there on Tuesdayfrom the Cayman Islands to help carry out repairs with pole linerepair.
The workers are being sentas part of the Bermuda utility company, BELCO's reciprocal arrangementwith the Caribbean Electric Association, when in times of greatneed workers from each nation's power suppliers will be sent tohelp. The arrangement to bring in these workers was agreed beforethe onslaught of Fabian.
By Sunday afternoon, powerhad been restored to 11,000 of the 25,000 homes that sufferedoutages, with all of the main lines expected to be energised byTuesday or Wednesday. However, BELCO spokeswoman Linda Smith-Wilsonsaid some homes could be without power for weeks.
Government offices reopenedMonday but opening of Government schools has been delayed by aweek to September 15 because of storm damage. Commercial flightsto the island also resumed Monday with Delta bringing two jetsin from Atlanta and Boston, while other carriers will restarton Tuesday.
Fabian tested Bermuda'sability to withstand a fierce storm. The British territory requiresnewly built houses to withstand sustained winds of 110 mph. Italso has a sturdy infrastructure with many of its power and phonelines underground. About 62,000 people live in the territory.
Bermuda had not seen a Category3 hurricane like Fabian since 1953, when Edna ravaged the islandchain with its 115 mph winds.
Hole-in-One winner donatesto charity
Last week, Bank of Butterfield'sMarketing Officer, Rhonda Serrano presented a US$20,000 chequeto Mr. Renard Moxam for making a hole-in-one on the 175-foot 11thhole at the Links at Safehaven during the Taste of Cayman GolfClassic on 6 July.
Mr. Moxam announced thathe would donate part of his winnings to the Special Olympics.
"Bank of Butterfieldcontinually supports community events, and we were happy to sponsorthe hole-in-one at this year's Taste of Cayman golf tournament,"said Mrs. Serrano.
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New fees and services wentinto effect last Monday, 8 September for issue of travel documentsat the Passport Office on Grand Cayman and at the Cayman Bracand Little Cayman Administration Building.
New fees will include acharge for processing of travel documents outside regular workhours in medical emergencies. In addition, new "super express"and "express" services and administrative fees are nowin effect to fast-track issue of passports and US visa waivers.In another efficiency-enhancing measure, the Passport Office willno longer be requiring that a postage stamp be affixed to verifypayment but will be collecting those fees directly and issuingreceipts.
The introduction of the new fees follows passage of an amendmentto the Passport Law, as gazetted late August. This repealed theold schedule of fees, instituting the new. This is the first increasefor services in this category since 1997.
On Grand Cayman, the feefor issue or renewal of an adult's passport will be raised from$40 to $60. Passports for children (persons under 16) will continueto attract a fee of $40. On Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, passportfees will be raised from $20 to $60 for adults, while passportfor children will be raised from $20 to $40.
The issue of emergency passportsfor British citizens on all three islands will carry an administrativefee of $40.
For persons needing "superexpress" service (first-time issue or renewal of passportin one business day or less), the fee will be an additional $60for children and adults in all three islands; issue or renewalin periods between two days and one week will be charged at arate of $40. These express services will be by appointment only.Issue of travel documents within the normal time frame will notincur any additional fees.
Express services will notapply in cases of lost, damaged or stolen passports, which willcontinue to require notification of the RCIP and a six-week waitingperiod.
Processing within normaltime frame of US visa waivers for Grand Cayman residents willbe the same as before, $10. On Cayman Brac, it will go up from$2 to $5. Express service (in one business day, by appointment)for waivers will also be available for a $25 fee.
For all three islands, medicalemergencies, requiring staff "call out" outside workinghours, will attract a fee of $50, which is in addition to thecost of the travel
document required. Personnel from the Health Services Authorityor the Chrissie Tomlinson Memorial Hospital on Grand Cayman, orthe Faith Hospital on Cayman Brac, will initiate this. Qualifyingcases will involve patients having to travel overseas by air ambulancefor medical purposes.
However, it is not mandatoryfor Passport Office staff to attend outside of office hours toassist persons who forget to pick up their documents. If Passportstaff do turnout, the $50 fee will be levied.
For all three islands, administrativeservices relating to processing of applications for British passports,to Liverpool or Jamaica, will be chargeable at $40.
In all three islands, the fee for change of name will be the same$30.
For all three islands, also,British Overseas Territories or British citizens applying fora US visitor's visa will pay a $20 processing fee.
A certificate of identity,and travel documents to Jamaica, will now cost $40, respectively.Provision has also been made for refugee travel documents, chargeableat $30 at issue and $20 on renewal.
Last year the Passport Officeissued 3,050 passports and 4,319 waivers. The department processed429 applications for US visas and 949 applications for BritishOverseas Citizens Passports.
The Passport Office's morecustomer-focused approach is an outcome of the Government's FinancialManagement Initiative (FMI), which seeks to enhance service deliverywhile facilitating greater cost effectiveness.
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Stephen Jared Ebanks(1985-2002)
The Stephen Jared EbanksYouth Centre, (YC) part of the Agape Family Worship Centre, officiallyopens on Wednesday, 17 September.
Many people have the misconception that the Youth Centre was builtprimarily as a tribute to Stephen, but that is not the case.
In 1992, when the WorshipCentre was built, the YC was a part of the original plans. A depositwas made on the building in January of 2002, and the preliminarywork started in November of that same year. Over the years Stephen,among others, was very persistent on seeing the completion ofthe Centre, but it was not possible at the time due to lack offunds.
"The primary reasonYC was named after Stephen," said his father, Pastor Al Ebanks,"was because of his involvement in the church, and influenceamong the other young people. After his death, it was discussedamong the leaders of the church, and we thought it would be afitting tribute to him."
At Stephen's ThanksgivingService, an offering was taken and approximately $14,000 dollarswas donated to the Stephen Jared Ebanks Youth Centre, which wasenough to start the ball rolling once again.
September 17 is more thanjust the opening of the Youth Centre; it would also have beenStephen's 18th birthday. "We felt that it would be a fittingtribute and opportunity for family and friends to gather for anoccasion that will hopefully have long term benefits for youngpeople through the programs offered within YC," said PastorAl.
One of the main purposesof the YC is being built is for the young people to have a placeto hang out, and at the same time call "home." Therewill of course be supervision by adults.
Another group helpingwith the tile laying at the Youth Centre (l-r) Matthew Bodden,Richard Ibeh, Phillip Bodden, Jarett Morgan, Andrew Ebanks andNeville Morgan.
The ultimate goal for theYC is to be able to provide programs that will equip young peopleto deal with the social issues impacting our community today.There will be [some] sports programs to encourage and developthe physical strength and capabilities of youth. Most importantly,there will be spiritual programs to help instill values and benefitsthat can be derived from developing a relationship with God.
The development of socialskills, such as in the job environment as well as mission tripsoverseas, is also a focus of YC. It is the desire of the churchthat the young people be able to reach beyond the shores of GrandCayman to other countries who are much less fortunate than ourcountry, so that they may be able to have a positive impact onothers around the world, and to learn life values and become productivecitizens of the community by helping others.
Currently there are approximately150 kids that attend the youth group at Agape on Friday nights,and the age group ranges from 5-19. The greatest challenge forthe YC is going to be securing funding for staffing and operatingthe centre. We are church is confident that with abundant faithand constant prayers, God will provide.
Stephen's parents, PastorAl and Kathy Ebanks, invite all of those who knew and loved himto join in on the celebration on Wednesday, 17 September at 6:30pm.
Rev. Dr. Roderick Hewitt,pastor of the United Church in Jamaica and Cayman as well as theUnited Kingdom, and executive secretary for the Mission at theCouncil for World Mission, will be in the Islands through Monday,15 September, for the Church's Moderator's Communion Service andits Quincentennial celebration efforts.
The service is set for Sunday,14 September from 10 a.m. at the Cayman Prep and High School onWalkers Road in George Town.
This year, because of its special significance for the CaymanIslands, church leaders and members will also join in the Quincentennialcelebrations for Cayman.
His Excellency the Governor,Mr. Dinwiddy, and the Leader of Government Business, the Hon.McKeeva Bush, will receive presentations on behalf of the peopleof the Cayman Islands from the church during the service.
Among those also expectedto attend the service are Chairman and Executive Director of theQuincentennial Committee, Mr. Ezzard Miller and Mrs. Angela Martinsas well as representatives of the Cayman Prep and High School,alumni of the original Cayman High School and Mr. Harry McCoy,author of "Journey to Partnership," a history of thefirst 150 years of the Presbyterian (United) Church in Grand Cayman.
Also during the week ofcelebration, the church will host a banquet at the Marriott Hotel,where the Rev. Dr. Hewitt will be the guest speaker. Rev. Dr.Hewitt was also recently elected moderator of the CWM Board ofTrustees. He is a lecturer and writer, with special emphasis onmissions and leadership, and the author of "TransformingLeadership."
The United Church, accordingto a release from the organization, is the longest establishedchurch in Cayman, serving since 1846 as the Presbyterian Church.Its ministry in Grand Cayman has continued uninterrupted servicesince.
The church in more recentyears united with the Congregationalists and the Disciples ofChrist in Jamaica to become the United Church in Jamaica and theCayman Islands. "One hundred and fifty seven years later,the United Church continues to promote the transforming Gospelof Christ as the true hope for our Nation and as fundamental aneed for the good of our people as it was for the 'spirituallydestitute' settlers of the middle of the nineteenth century,"church leaders say.
Another key focus of theUnited Church amongst its many local missions has been education,according to a prepared statement. "The church has been anardent promoter and provider of quality learning opportunitiesfrom the beginning of its ministry," said church officials."At its 100th anniversary celebrations in 1946, the Churchdecided that secondary education with internationally recognisedqualifications was needed and set about establishing the CaymanHigh School, the forerunner of its present Cayman Prep and HighSchool."
Since its start in 1949,the school has developed a commendable reputation for deliveringeducation which has significantly enhanced the lives of hundredsof Caymanians and residents and equipped them to deal successfullywith social, academic and workplace demands, both locally as wellas internationally.
In more recent years, theChurch has established the Institute for Theological and LeadershipDevelopment ("ITLD"), which offers accredited BA andMA courses from 5 centres in Jamaica and Grand Cayman.
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Part of the Tony Crosbieexhibition.
During the three-monthsthat Mr. Tony Crosbie spent in Havana, Cuba, he observed manyfacets of life that he transported to the canvas. Now back inCayman, Mr. Crosbie presents his impressions for the first timein an exhibition currently on display at the National Gallery.
Titled simply, 'Viva Cuba,'Mr. Crosbie tells of his experiences in Cuba and his observations,through the medium of art.
"I ask questions throughmy artwork (that) others choose to ignore," says Mr. Crosbie,who has been painting for the past 12 years. He says he turnedto art in an effort to channel his energy into a more creativeform and use it as a vehicle for stating what he perceived andunderstood to be going on around him.
Art aficionados are urged to check out 'Viva Cuba,' now beingshowcased at the Galley.
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Status GrantsMature Cayman
Sometimes shifts in popular opinions orstances take place so gradually that, even looking back on themin retrospect, it can be difficult to pinpoint where the changeoccurred.
There are some occasions, however, whenthe shift takes place rather quickly, one can see the nationalmood shifting gears to accommodate it, and the recent change inCaymanian Status grants is a good example of this.
Certainly the subject has been a topic ofdiscussion for many years in this country. The general attitudehas previously been one of conveying Status on only a few selectindividuals, with successive governments generally not addressingthe matter of the many examples of migrant people, contributinghere for years, but being denied the possibility of tenure.
It should be remembered that part of thoseearlier discussions was the concern that the Cayman Islands Governmentcould possibly be sued by individuals on the basis of internationally-acceptedhuman rights violations, and that that this concern in fact ledto the "leave-after-six-years" immigration stipulationthat was often applied.
Published remarks this week from the Leaderof Government Business indicate that the UK's expression of exactlythat point was a factor in the dramatic jump in the number ofCaymanian Status grants we are now seeing taking place.
While Government can justifiably be chargedwith being arbitrary and secretive in the selection process theyadopted, and though seemingly unpopular in some quarters, theymust also be commended for bravely tackling a thorny problem thatwas continually sidestepped by previous administrations.
Furthermore, although it has not been generallymentioned, there is also a societal aspect at play here. The growthof the Cayman Islands in the past 30 years has resulted in a societywhere half of the labour force is imported, and this has createda degree of cultural mix here that does not exist in the restof the English-speaking Caribbean.
Softball is played widely here; the NFLhas a massive following; nightclubs feature Latin music; CanadaDay is celebrated here by nationals on work permits; Jamaicanspectators outnumber Caymanians when those two countries playsoccer; there is an English bakery; an Irish pub; and the listgoes on.
The reality is that over the past 20 years,in particular, Cayman has in many ways mirrored the US "meltingpot" model of people with various skills and backgroundscoming to these shores for mutual needs with both the migratingindividuals and the host nation benefiting in the process.
The status grants, therefore, are doingnothing more than legitimising, or solidifying, a process to whichthe country, for economic reasons, has long been committed andto which it clearly must commit itself for the Cayman successstory to continue.
Indeed, the Cayman Islands has for manyyears officially affected the hypocrisy of saying, "Yes,we need you to come here and contribute to this country, but thatdoes not ever give you the right to live here indefinitely."
Certainly the government can justifiablybe called to task for the manner in which they decided who wouldget it, but it must also be conceded that the move to grant Statusto those many contributors is long overdue.
Significantly, even those who rail againstthe method of grants are voluntarily conceding the need for them.
It has to be seen as a just and humane decisionthat this Government has finally accepted, apparently with a pushfrom the UK, that the right to live here should rest on more thanthe act of being born here.
Ultimately, it means that the Cayman Islandshas matured in a noticeable way, in an identifiable span of time,and on the whole, this should be recognized as a step forward.
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The threatto Cayman's freedom of speech and democracy
Dear Sir,
Please grant me space in your valued newspaperto express my disappointment at the Hon. McKeeva Bush OBE, JPfor having the Ground Breaking ceremony for the Royal Watler Terminalon Saturday, 6 September, 2003, the same day that the PeoplesProgressive Movement held their inaugural conference.
I know that the Hon. Minister has a busyschedule, with all the necessary traveling that he has to do.I sometimes refer to him as Cayman's Henry Kissinger, as his frequenttrips abroad remind me of the late former President Richard Nixon'sSecretary of State who did so much traveling during the finalyears of the Vietnam War.
Having said that, I believe the Ground Breakingceremony for the Royal Watler Terminal on Saturday could havebeen postponed to a later date to allow ample time for well wishersto attend both of these important historic events, and leave itfor history to tell which was the more significant.
I hope and I pray to God that the Hon. McKeevadid not deliberately schedule the Ground Breaking ceremony forthe Royal Watler Terminal on Saturday (6 September), to dissuadeand discourage supporters and well wishers of the Peoples ProgressiveMovement from choosing to attend and participate in their InauguralConference, an event that turned out to be well attended, mostdelightfully enjoyable.
This was quite a refreshing event as opposedto some of the rhetoric and verbal abuse of the Queens language,which we have been subjected to on our radios and televisionsin recent times.
I am often reminded of how the people ofthe free world fail to understand and appreciate the true meaningof freedom and our right to choose.
Each day as we to go to work or just goabout our business, not only do we rarely stop to think that weare privileged to enjoy this freedom, which is our right, butwe also do not give thanks or even a thought on how our societyand mankind has suffered over the years so that we may now livein the freedom and peace we enjoy. Rarely do we give a thoughtto the many lives that have been sacrificed to earn our societythis right to freedom.
Yes we do have much freedom and the rightto many choices, but let us not forget that there are still peoplein other countries who do not have the same basic rights, thefreedom to choose to participate in the practice of democracy,with the objective to sustain or better their lives and make anhonest living. They are not able to voice their opinions and expressany views that differ from the views and opinions of their Leadersof Government.
On many occasions I am reminded, not bythreats, but by careful and well-meaning advice from fearful individualsof course, to be careful with what I write to the press, and howwriting letters could jeopardise my future if I annoy the wrongperson.
When we give up our right to express ouropinions and voice our concerns, when we choose not to participatein democracy, when we give up our rights to free association withpeople of our choice, even though our actions may annoy the Leadersof Government and their supporters, and be it that those viewsand expressions may be in conflict with those of the Leaders ofGovernment and their supporters, by giving up those rights andchoosing not to participate we are allowing ourselves to be ruledby Leaders who practice fear tactics and intimidation and we allowour future to be manipulated by bigots and people who are farless capable than we are.
Eventually, by continuously giving up ourrights to participate in democracy and free association with ourfriends and others, we will allow our country to enter into chaosand be ruled by inept people whose only qualification to participateis their blind and fearful loyalty to the Leaders of Government.We will allow ourselves to be governed by people whose objectiveis to control our destiny and to hold on to power for their ownpersonal gain.
Let me say I will never be bullied and intimidatedfor any reason, and I will not give up my right to participateopenly and willingly in the practice of freedom of expressionand freedom to support good causes and sensible Government. Iam not going to sacrifice the right to participate, for the comfortof a job or for my life or for anything else.
Just too many people before me have madethe ultimate sacrifice for the protection and promotion of democracyand a free society and I will stand for the same principles theyhave stood for even though they paid the ultimate price.
There have been many signs in these Islandsrecently that tell me freedom is under threat. The most tellingone is the growing fear of our citizens and their choice of notparticipating in the practice of democracy and the right to exercisetheir freedom of expression and freedom of association. Oh howeasily we can find excuses when we are scared to participate:our children come first, our jobs are too precious; I do not wantto be a target.
History is full of examples of Leaders ofGovernment, who have been very popular with the masses and themiddle and upper classes of society and yet those same Leadersof Government did not value freedom.
They became tyrannical, abusive, dictatorialand eventually sadistic. Sadly they did not reach that state overnight,they grew into the role, they reached that state gradually andby abusing every privilege and opportunity they were affordedto better themselves and to hold on to more power. Hitler wasvery popular with the people of Germany when he first rose toprominence.
The masses and the educated middle classpeople were very supportive and blindly loyal to him and theydid not participate in the practice of democracy and freedom.They gave up that right and subsequently they were ruled by fearand the story of what took place in Germany is well known to mankind.
This could have all been avoided had only the people of Germanychosen to participate in the practice of democracy and free societyand stood up for what was right and what they believed in. Insteadthey chose to be ruled by fear and intimidation.
After the Iran/Iraq war, one of Saddam'sHussein's generals became very popular with the people of Iraq.Not only was he brave in battle but also he was very kind to hissoldiers and shared their thoughts, their fears and their sorrows.Everywhere this General went he received a rousing ovation fromthe Iraqi people and they chanted his name when he made an appearancein public.
He was clearly very popular and Saddam viewedhis popularity as potential threat to his leadership and to hishold on power. The General was killed in a mysterious helicoptercrash. In the free world many Leaders of Government do not likeopposition members and their conflicting views. Opposition member'spopularity usually becomes a threat to the Leaders of Government'sposition of power. In many cases some of these Leaders of Governmentlose their popularity and their hold on power is lost in a democraticprocess.
But if they want to be tyrannical they willabuse every opportunity to put fear into the people to let themgive up their basic rights, let the people forego the freedomof expression and freedom of participation.
The same communist Cuba that the Hon. McKeevaBush and our esteemed Minister, the Hon. Dr. Frank McField visitedrecently to sign a contract for what they consider a Key Strategyin our Tourism Development, is another example of a country whoseLeader is always abusing power and authority.
In March of this year 75 people were jailed,some for up to 28 years for expressing their views on the needfor reform and a peaceful democratic Government in Cuba. DoctorCastro knows that if those people participate in freedom and democracy,that he will eventually lose his hold on power and authority inCuba.
Sadly it is with regret that I must express my disappointmentthat there are signs that freedom and Good Government and theRule of Law is under threat in the Cayman Islands. The most tellingsign is the constant choice of the people to give up their rightsto participate in the practice of democracy and a free associationbecause of their fears. Mainly the loss of business and the lossof employment.
One thing is for sure, if you chose notparticipate in the practice of democracy, you are no differentor better off than not having those rights and the choice to participate.Eventually some no good persons will govern you, who are lessthan you are and who are inferior. And be sure that not necessarilythe best people will run your primary institutions and eventuallywe will reach chaos and the threshold of disaster.
Not having the freedom to choose is nottoo different from not choosing to participate in the practicesof freedom. We must be careful with our choices. Freedom is adifficult thing to manage, use it wisely and often or lose itslowly and die in despair.
Dexter Harlan Rivers
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Dear Sir,
Please allow me space once again in yourpaper to voice a further response to the Homosexual Issue.
I am a tolerant, meek, peace loving, Godfearing and friendly person that really loves my country, theCayman Islands. I have defended her on the soccer field at a NationalLevel, in the pulpit, and wherever I go I promote her to the highestas a wonderful place to live and raise our families, now God hasspoken to me to defend her in the press. I am merely doing whatGod has called me to do: 'Cry Out', not to kill or destroy anyone.
God has called me to speak out as I seeour way of life threatened. Too many times the Caymanian peopleare misjudged because of our passive nature and many may interpretthat because we are MEEK, it would mean that we are weak.
Therefore, when one dares to stand we areviewed as Radical, Unloving and some other names I won't taketime to mention. The truth is Caymanians have tried to fulfill,'Live Peaceably among men.'
I am not a political man, I merely observe,listen and vote my conscience, allowing me the freedom to speakmy mind in times like these when my soul is stirred. I would liketo say here, I also welcome all visitors to the Cayman Islands,that are respectful and adhere to our laws including our decencylaws.
However, there are times when we have to draw a line for safetyreasons. Every country does.
For example, while we have many good peoplefrom the mid-east living among us, wouldn't you feel differentabout a shipload of mid east extremists than about a shiploadof regular visitors? In the same good faith I reiterate that Iam aware that we have homosexuals living among us and as longas they adhere to our decency laws and keep their sinful actsbehind closed doors, we can and we will peaceably coincide.
They will later answer to God for theirsins. Just because once in a while we find a roach in our housedoes it mean that we need our want any more?
I am wondering if the CITA is willing togive the people of the Cayman Islands a written guarantee, vouchingfor good conduct and adherence to our decency laws while in thestreets of George Town, by the homosexual passengers, or shouldwe not worry what they do because they are going to spend bigmoney?
2 Peter 2: 6 & 8 says: "for that righteous man dwellingamong them in seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soul dayto day with their unlawful deeds. They did not adhere to the lawsof Sodom & Gomorrah nor to God's Law: Leviticus 20:13, Romans1:21 28, nor our Laws.
Please read this: back in the early 80's,they visited our shores, they were so disrespectful and conductedthemselves in such a disgusting manner that when the late, Hon.Jim Bodden was made aware of what was going on, he closed downthe Legislative Assembly (which was in session), and with thehelp of the Police Force, 'round them up' and give them an houror so to reboard their ship and leave our shores.
Should we allow a recurrence of this? Isay "NO". Some may say that they don't have to be all-alikeor that they are mature 35 years-plus who know what they wantin life. That might be so, but, whether in your travels, on TVor anywhere else, have you seen a few dozen of them together inpublic behaving themselves or conducting themselves in a decentmanner?
Numbers embolden any people of the sameopinion. Just imagine what damage a few hundred could do to ourcruise industry. Remember, the incident back in the 80's was whenthere was only one ship per day, not a Wednesday in the 21st century,in the ports of George Town.
There are still many decent people visitingour shores who appreciated the stand in 1998 by the Minister fortourism, Mr. Thomas Jefferson. I believe that these would be turnedoff if we changed our stand now.
Cayman, I commend you for the calls voicingyou concern, let's continue to stand up and voice our displeasureof gay cruises to the Cayman Islands and pray that God will workon the heart of our present Minister for Tourism to step up tothe plate and do that which is right and decent for the peopleof the Cayman Islands, by asking them to find an alternative destinationfor the days they have planned to visit the Cayman Islands, asthey still have four months to do so.
God does love the homosexual and is notwilling that any should perish but that all come to repentance.
May God continue to Bless Cayman as we standfor him.
Yours in Christ,
Garrett Haylock
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Dear Sir,
I am a native Caymanian currently in theUnited States and I keep up with Cayman news via Caymannetnewsand CayPolitics daily, and I must say that since I been away,which has been over two months, I have read of more burglariesand robberies happening in Cayman than in the two towns that Ilive in the United States.
One of the towns I am currently living inis La Crosse, Wisconsin and the other is Helena, Montana both with a larger populations than Cayman, but obviously withless crime, at least within the last two months.
I think crime will continue in Cayman asthe gap between the haves and have nots continues to widen, andthe political system with its divided views and vendettas willhelp fuel the flames that will burn us all in the long run. Thelatest is the firing of Mario Ebanks. That shows where we areheading.
(Lebbie) Joseph Yates
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Dear Sir,
The weather pattern has changed in Europedramatically to the extent that during the summer, temperaturesof over 100 degrees were experienced for the first time. The weatherpattern has also changed in Cayman to a great extent in so faras trade winds are concerned and I would like to present the followinginformation.
Many, many years ago we did have some southerlywinds which shifted the sand from the southern end of Seven MileBeach further to the north, however during those years we experiencedlots of Northwesters that would take the sand back to the southfrom where it was removed.
In the last several years we have been experiencingsoutherly winds for much of the year which has unfortunately servedthe purpose of removing the sand from the southern part of SevenMile Beach and taking it farther to the north.
The ironic position is that we are havingvery few Northwesters, and therefore the sand is remaining onthe northern most part of Seven Mile Beach, and I am suggestingthat this is what many people are referring to as Beach Erosion.I am of the opinion that the sand has not been lost but it hasbeen shifted to other areas more northerly.
I have been swimming at an area on the SevenMile Beach practically every day for the past 10 to 15 years andthe beach where I swim is at least 50 to 75 feet wider than itwas before, therefore this seems to be where much of the sandhas been lodged.
I am also aware of another piece of beachproperty that was not suitable for swimming many years ago dueto many rocks, commonly referred to as ledges, however, todayand for the past several years those rocks have being completelycovered with sand being deposited from the south and the swimmingthere is fabulous.
I recently saw a newspaper article indicatingthat government would be replenishing a long stretch of the shorelinethat has lost the sand and reference was made to where the supplyof sand would come from, and I would like to make the followingsuggestion.
I have been told by elderly people livingin Little Cayman that 50 to 75 years ago large fishing vesselscould enter through the South Hole Channel and seek safe harbourin depths of water ranging from 10 to 15 feet.
Over the years the rough seas and hurricaneshave brought in sand and filled in that harbour and the deepestwater that you can now find is 5 to 6 ft, therefore there aremillions of tons of beautiful white sand that could be taken fromthe Little Cayman without damaging the harbour and used for thereplenishment of the Seven Mile Beach area, and I hope that thegovernment will give this some consideration.
The removal of this sand could serve anotherimportant purpose by allowing people that have nice yachts orfishing boats to anchor safely inside the reef at Little Cayman.As it is now a boat with a five or six foot draft has to picka high tide to get into the harbour and when the tide falls thekeel of the boat is resting in the white sand.
Norberg K. Thompson O.B.E.
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News aboutCayman in the Foreign Press
More on the Cayman IslandsInternet gambling
STRATFORD, USA Accordingto Online Casino News, sports betting website operators locatedin the Cayman Islands are making sports betting easy and convenient,but making the sports gambling problem worse.
Millions transferredto Cayman accounts
CLEVELAND, USA TheYoungstown Vindicator reports that Robert Bucci, whose brotherhelped convict congressman James Traficant, will be sentencedon charges of tax evasion involving the transfer of millions ofdollars to Cayman Islands accounts.
Cayman company sues USbiopharmaceutical
PHILADELPHIA, USA According to the Philadelphia Business Journal, a Cayman investmentfirm, Perceptive Life Sciences Master Fund Ltd, is suing GenaeraCorp. Inc. alleging that the biopharmaceutical company renegedon a $2 million stock deal.
$2 million payoff throughCayman
MANILA, Philippines The Inquirer News Service reports that investigations are continuingin the Philippines concerning an alleged two-million-dollar payoffto former justice secretary Hernando Perez that originated fromthe Cayman Islands.
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Nevisians claimmistreatment at Carifesta as Premier presses case for independence
Premier Mr. VanceAmory
Days after Director of Culturein the Nevis Island Administration, Ms. Ernestine Rawlins claimeddiscrimination in Suriname, Nevis
Premier, Mr. Vance Amory, says the action simply makes the casefor independence more pertinent now.
His comments come days afterMs. Rawlins claimed that even though the St. Kitts and Nevis delegationhad gone as one country, Nevisians were told that they could notmake use of the booth allocated for St. Kitts and Nevis.
She said that the personin charge of the delegation (a Kittitian) said that Nevisianswould use the booth over his dead body and it apparently tookthe intervention of senior Caricom officials, including the SecretaryGeneral, Mr. Edwin Carrington, to defuse the tension by allowingNevis to participate like any other accredited delegation.
Mr. Amory, while expressingregret at the way Nevis delegates on the Federation's delegationto Carifesta VIII in Paramaribo, Suriname, were treated by Kittitians,has said that the action proves to Caricom that there are twocountries existing in the Federation.
"Finally, I think,it has hit the Caricom Secretary General (Mr. Edwin Carrington)that what we have been telling him for the last so many years,is in fact true," the Premier said recently, during closingremarks at a town hall meeting organised by the Nevis Island Administrationat Hanley's Road in Gingerland.
He added that Nevisians' agitation for independence has nothingto do with the breaking up of any country, as the two islandsalready exist as two separate countries in a union (the Federation)that has no unity. Mr. Amory said that he had on numerous occasionsmade this point to representatives of the international community.
"It is nothing to dowith politics or with the government," said Premier Amory."It is a practical demonstration of why the people of Nevisshould seek to become independent. I do not think I need to addanother word."
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The Regional Security Systemwill soon have a new head. He is retiring Barbadian Commissionerof Police, Mr. Grantley Watson.
The Barbados Nation on Sunday,7th September, quoted sources as saying Mr. Watson's appointmentwas made at the just-concluded meeting of the Council of Ministersin Barbados. The retiring commissioner will replace BrigadierRudyard Lewis, who currently heads the RSS and was its first coordinator
Mr. Watson was reportedly chosen because of the organization'snew emphasis on intelligence gathering and co-ordination, thesource told the Nation.
The RSS was made official on 29, October 1982 when Barbados, Antiguaand Barbuda, Dominica, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadinessigned a Memorandum of Understanding in Barbados. Under the RSS,a member state whose security was threatened or who needed otherkinds of emergency assistance could call on other member states.According to the Memorandum of Understanding, members were obliged"to prepare contingency plans and assist one another on requestin national emergencies... and threats to national security."
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In a country constantlydivided along political and racial lines, an Indo-Guyanese ministeris denying that her ministry engaged in any form of discriminationin the recent distribution of school uniforms.
Minister within the Ministryof Human Services and Social Security, Ms. Bibi Shadick, has rejectedthe charge by the People's National Congress/Reform (PNC/R) thatpersons perceived to be non-supporters of the Government are beingdiscriminated against in the ministry's school uniform assistance,a government information service release said.
Ms. Shadick reiterated thatthere was no system in place at the ministry to allow for anydiscriminatory practices in the distribution system, adding thatthe PNC/R did not submit lists for areas outside of Georgetown,but the ministry ensured wide coverage in the distribution system,which included all Amerindian villages. Ministry officials triedas well to ensure that seriously depressed areas were assisted,the release added.
As regards possible flawsin the distribution system, Minister Shadick said, "All recordsof the ministry are always audited and this has been so everyyear since the PPP/C has been in government."
She said that her ministrydistributed over $33M in vouchers for school uniform assistancefor nursery, primary and secondary school students with
3,217 vouchers distributed for nursery school students at $1,500each, 7,486 vouchers for primary school students and 3,045 forsecondary schools at $2,500 dollars and $3,000 respectively.
The ministry also reportedlymade a $750,000 contribution to the Ministry of Amerindian Affairsto assist persons in the
hinterlands.
Cabinet approved $34M toassist persons in need of school uniform before the beginningof this school year, which began last week.
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By Felicia Persaud
If you are looking to wina 'green card' through the U.S. State's Department's annual diversityvisa lottery program, then you had better get on line or at least,find someone who can.
Come November, the departmentwill once again begin accepting applications for the 2005 lotteryfrom nationals around the world as well as from several Caribbeancountries. However, all applications must now be submitted electronicallyand must include your full name with your last or family namefirst followed by your first name and middle name; your date ofbirth, your gender, your city and your country of birth alongwith two photographs.
Come Saturday, 1st November,interested applicants can log on to www.dvlottery.state.gov andfill out an electronic form while supplying a digital photograph.No paper entries or mail-in requests will be accepted. The photographsmust be a new digital photograph and must have a resolution of320 pixels wide by 240 pixels high, and a color depth of either24-bit color, 8-bit color, or 8-bit grayscale, when scanned.
The deadline for the lotteryis Tuesday, 30, December and there is no fee to apply.
The department says thenew plan was implemented to make the process less prone to fraud,thereby "making it less vulnerable to use by persons who
may pose a threat to the security interests of the United States."
The annual DV program makespermanent residence visas available to persons meeting the simple,but strict, eligibility requirements. A computer-generated randomlottery drawing chooses applicants for diversity visas. The visas,however, are distributed among six geographic regions with a greaternumber of visas going to regions with lower rates of immigration,and with no visas going to citizens of countries sending morethan 50,000 immigrants to the U.S. in the past five years.
Jamaicans and Haitians areonce again excluded from this year's lottery but all other Caribbeannationals may apply.
To qualify, you or yourspouse must be a native of a country that is on the list; haveeither a high school education or have successfully completeda 12-year course of elementary and secondary education or twoyears of work experience within the past five years.
Only one entry per applicantmust be submitted. The department says it will send lottery entrantsan electronic confirmation notice upon receipt of a completedentry form.
Applicants will be selectedat random by computer from among all qualified entries. Thoseselected will be notified by mail between may and July 2004 andwill be provided further instructions, including information onfees connected with immigration to the U.S.
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The Jamaica Gleaner is apparentlylooking to zone in further on the growing black population inBritain. A brief article in the Sunday, 7th September editionof the paper revealed that its owners had begun negotiations withpublishers of The Voice, a London-based weekly that targets Britain'slarge black
and African-Caribbean community, to acquire the paper.
The article said discussions"are at too early a stage to anticipate an outcome."No other details were provided.
Jamaican-born accountantMr. Val McCalla founded The Voice in 1982, during a period ofstrong racial tension in Britain, the Associated Press reported.It quickly emerged as a leading voice in the black community anda staunch campaigner against racial injustice.
But in the last decade,declining advertising revenue, increased competition and accountingproblems have hurt the tabloid's readership, which is reportedlybetween 20,000 and 40,000 per week.
The newspaper is now runby the widow of Mr. McCalla, who passed away last year.
Founded in 1834, the Gleaneris the Caribbean's oldest daily still in print. It has a circulationof 45,000 on weekdays and 95,000 on Sunday. A weekly version isdistributed in more than 30 cities in the United States, Canadaand Britain.
Community Calendar
From 21 August onwards
Red Bay Primary School uniform shop (located in the main building)will be open on weekdays from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm, and on Saturdaysfrom 10 am until 2 pm. For further information telephone 947-6333.
31 August onwards
'Revelation of Hope' series, exploring the books of Daniel andRevelation. East End SDA church, Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday andFriday at 7:15 pm.
8 Through 12 September
The International College of the Cayman Islands will be holdinglate registration beginning Monday, September 8, through Friday,September 12. For further information telephone 947-1100
Sunday, 14 September
Chef John's Beach BBQ at the Public Beach, West Bay Road, 12 am-6pm. All proceeds will go towards two-year old Baby Zoe's hearttransplant fund.
Friday, 19 September
Visual Arts Society's 25th Anniversary Gala evening. Tickets areavailable at the VAS Centre in Eucalyptus Plaza. The cost is $75per person, or group tables of 10 for $675. For more informationor ticket reservations telephone 949-6479.
Saturday, 20 September
C.I.A.S.A. Social Evening and Fundraiser, at 7:30 pm. Dinner,wine, music and dancing at Annie Mae Roffey's residence in SouthSound. $45 per person, or $70 per couple. Tickets are availablefrom any CIASA board member.
Sunday, 21 September
A memorial service for all deceased Caymanian seamen and in appreciationfor all Caymanian seamen and their families will be held on Saturday,21 September at 3 pm at the Red Bay Church of God. Pastor AlsonEbanks will deliver the message. Family members of deceased seamenare asked to write down their name, date of birth, place of birthand their date of death, and hand it to greeters at the door.All residents are welcome.
Saturday 27 September
2003 Glamorous Granny Pageant, at the Mary Miller Hall. Divisionsinclude 'Grandmothers,' 'Grandfathers,' 'Ms.' and 'Full Figure.'Application deadline 12 September. Entry forms available fromGeorge Town Public Library, Fosters Airport Food Fair and HurleysGrand Harbour. For further information telephone Jewel, 947-1040,Bridget, 947-2403 or Gretta, 948-1414.
SOS Confidential YouthHelp line
Telephone 2-800-100-1000. The help line is open from Monday toFriday, 6-9 pm, and is organised by the NCVO.
Saturday, 18 October
Kiwanis Club 23rd Annual 'Bike-a-Thon,' 20-mile bicycle ride fromBlow Holes to Smith Cove. Bicycles to be dropped off at the trailersituated at the downtown driver's licensing building on Friday,17 October, 4- 6 pm, prior to being transported to Blow Holesat 6 am on Saturday. For further information, telephone Roger,949-7666 or Arie, 946 5656.
September through October
Updated Events Calendar Available from Government InformationServices (GIS). Calendar may be downloaded from the 'Local Issues'section
of government website: www.gov.ky, or contact GIS by telephone,949-8092, or email, gis@gov.ky to obtain a copy.
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Sports
All IslandMemory Walk/Run set for 14 September
In an effort to show unitywith families and friends who have lost someone special to death,the Our Angels Foundation presents the first annual "AllIsland Memory Connection Walk/Run," on Sunday, 14 September.
The walk/run will kick offat 5 a.m. from the West Bay Primary School, the North Side PrimarySchool and the East End Primary School and will continue to thefinal destination, the Pedro St. James Castle.
According to organizers,the event will kick off with lit candles from all districts acrossGrand Cayman. A special candle lighting will also be done at everyfour miles from the starting point in memory of all who have passedon. There will also be a moment for reflection.
"Whether you walk/runthe twenty-six miles, four miles or a couple hundred feet is notimportant," said organizers in a prepared statement. "Whatmatters is that you have taken this time to join with friends new and old and family who are walking the same journeywith you. The aim of the event is to join hands and hearts. Everyoneis welcome to join this event to show their unity with the familiesand friends who have lost that special someone, or to come outto show their support to welcome those returning from the walk/runat each four miles mark or Pedro St. James Castle."
The cost of participatingin the event is CI$15 and will include a t-shirt and entranceto the Celebration of life garden social and awards ceremony atthe Pedro St. James Castle, set for 5 p.m. that evening.
Funds raised will help the14-month old "Our Angels" foundation continue its missionof be the shoulder to lean on for bereaved families and friends.Part proceeds will also go to the Cayman Hospice Care. Friends,family members and businesses are being urged to back event participantswith pledges in memory of loved ones.
For more information contactMrs. Heather MacVicar at 916-7745, Ms. Priscilla Powery at 927-4213or Miss Donna Myrie at 916-1740. Or you can sign up at WorldsGym, Le Classique, Athletics Foot, Foster's Food Fair and Kirk'sSupermarket by next Saturday, 13 September.
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