Issue 203 iEnvironment Attraction could harm bat cave Page 3
iLocal Dump protestors gain more support Page 7
iWorld Knox signs mega book deal Page 9
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Murdoch flies in to reassure staff Page 4 Data can finetune education Page 6 Triple C’s Disney victory Page 12
Bodden Town triumph A local select eleven team from Bodden Town managed an impressive 3-1 victory over Swindon Town, on tour from the UK. In the third and final game for the team from the South West of England,
a strong second half performance helped the home side gain a much deserved win. At half-time, with the scores level at one apiece, many of the spectators thought the match was destined to be
a draw like Swindon’s other two games in Cayman. But second half strikes from Dimitri Hunter and D’Andre Rowe helped Bodden Town secure the win.
Hundreds call for change at political rally
tad.stoner@ieyenews.com
Speaker after speaker called for the ouster of Premier McKeeva Bush and the ruling UDP on Thursday night, claiming the Cayman Islands was at a crossroads, threatened with losing democracy without
Page 14
Picture special – Page 19
MAC ATTACK Tad Stoner
50 years since first US space orbit
Cayman prepares for Singapore cricket comp Page 20
immediate action. Addressing a crowd of 250 gathered on central George Town’s courthouse steps, the roster of speakers comprised PPM leader and George Town MLA Alden McLaughlin; East End and North Side MLAs Arden McLean and Continued on page 5
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iEnvironment
18-20 FEB 2012 | www.ieyenews.com
NEWS
Bat’s not the way to do it
“The Cancer Society staff truly care for cancer patients” “I am not a cancer patient but I have been attending the Cancer Society’s Survivor Dinners over the years with my wife. I appreciate how the Cayman Islands Cancer Society’s staff care for my wife who is a cancer survivor. I have a lot of respect for those people because they treat everyone with respect. They truly care for cancer patients.
One of the caves that Mr. Sorensen says will eventually be open to the public by controlled tours.
Christopher Tobutt christopher.tobutt@ieyenews.com
A large cave in North Side is being excavated and surveyed as a preliminary part of a future development as a tourist attraction site. Bat experts fear that any disturbance will cause the bats to fly away. The developer and owner of the caves, on the other hand, says that he brought the caves in 1997 with a view to protecting and preserving them, while making them accessible to tourists. The Department of Environment’s Manager of Terrestrial Ecology, Mat Cottam, said: “This is one of the most important sites for bats in the Cayman Islands and is specifically identified in the National Biodiversity Action Plan as a key site.” It’s an important site for Jamaican Fruit Bats, and also a historical site for a huge population of Brazilian Free-tailed bats too, Dr. Cottam said. However, bats can be very particular picky about where they live: “Cave-living bats are very sensitive to factors such as temperature and even air currents. The bats will pick out every thing that we might think of as cosmetic, such as enlarging the entrance; but from a bat’s perspective, these are quite significant factors,” Dr. Cottam said. Dr. Cottam said he had visited the site prior to the latest excavations: “There are about 50 Jamaican fruit bats there. I understand there was a large backhoe digging at the entrance to the to blog visit www.ieyenews.com
A Jamaican fruit bat.
cave. I would be surprised if there were any bats left in the cave after that,” he commented. Dr. Cottam said he was aware of the proposal to develop the site as a tourist attraction, and said that his primary concern was disturbance that might drive the bats away. “There are places in the world with tourist attractions and bats, but the encroachment by tourists in these places is very light. It is is something that could work here if managed properly.” Dr. Cottam expressed frustration that the National Conservation Law, drafted a decade ago, but never passed, would have protected bats, but at present there was no legal protection for bats under Cayman Islands law. Owner of the Caves Christian Sorensen said: “I am planning a national attraction modelled after the
Harrison Caves in Barbados, where tourists in groups of up to 20 could go and look around the caves with a tourist guide. “There are several hundred caves, and many of them contain rare bats, but only about five will be open to the public, and the other ones will be left alone. We are not going to be disturbing the rare bats in the other caves.” Mr. Sorensen maintained that his interest lies in protecting the caves from other disturbances: “I bought the caves in 1997 so that I could preserve them. We had a problem with illegal tourism, with tour operators taking parties of tourists to the caves. Some of them were stealing stalactites. People were going there and having parties, lighting fires, and leaving trash behind,” he said. “The cave that’s going to be open to the public has zero bats in it,” he added.
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I pray that the Lord will give them His blessings and the strength to carry on the good work that they are doing. I am happy to be around them as they are a friendly and loving group of people.” ~ Turner Myles 114 Maple Road George Town P.O. Box 10565 Grand Cayman KY1-1005 Cayman Islands
T. 345-949-7618 F. 345-949-8694 www.cics.ky
iLocal
18-20 FEB 2012 | www.ieyenews.com
NEWS
Free immigration application to launch CAYMAN ISLANDS (GIS) — Local business owners and humanresource professionals are invited to the launch of the Department of Immigration’s new computer application, Immigration On-Line (IOL), on 21 February. Chief Immigration Officer Linda Evans encourages all interested businesspeople to take advantage of this introductory session, which will be held at the Ritz Carlton’s Cayman Brac Room on Tuesday afternoon, from 2 to 5 p.m. “While our customers have had access to see their data for several years, the previous system provided very limited information,” said Ms. Evans. “That system will be terminated in May, and be replaced by IOL, so all of our customers should make an effort to get enrolled as soon as possible.” This web-based service provides private companies with an external view of their records, as held in immigration databases. The IOL program is free to users and was developed by
iWorld
government’s Computer Services Department, in collaboration with immigration officials. The developers describe IOL as a ‘powerful, functional tool that can be used to efficiently manage a company’s immigration needs’. Computer Services’ Applications Project Manager Mick Whitworth said, “On these ‘virtual visits’ to the department, companies can review all their current applications and up to eight years of history. Users can view application status changes, meetings, decisions, financial transactions and more. This system is proactive, and will identify to companies their applications that are due for renewal or annual payments. It also includes a ‘Meetings Calendar’ that identifies all applications listed on Immigration Board meeting agendas. Companies can also peruse their current Business Staffing Plans. IOL incorporates comprehensive search engines to find applications quickly and gives users the ability to export data locally via
An Immigration officer assists a client. (Photo by Information Officer Lennon Christian.)
Excel Spreadsheets. “Empowering our customers with the information to help themselves is one of our customer service objectives. This initiative was tested for several months in a pilot project, which included large private-sector employers, as well as some recruitment agencies,” added Ms. Evans. “After finetuning the processes, we are happy
that the system is now being rolled out publicly.” Speaking of the security and flexibility of the new application, she noted, “The service has built-in protections and access limitations. Even so, while IOL will benefit larger companies, it is especially designed to assist smaller businesses – many of which do not have dedicated HR staff.”
NEWS
Rupert Murdoch: No defense for tabloid wrongdoers LONDON (AP) — News Corp. chief executive Rupert Murdoch on Friday told staff at his scandalhit British tabloid The Sun that executives will continue to give police any evidence of wrongdoing and won’t protect reporters found to have broken the law. But the media mogul, who toured The Sun’s London newsroom amid simmering staff revolt, also pledged to restore the newspaper’s status and confirmed plans to soon launch a new Sunday edition to replace the shuttered News of the World. In an emailed message to staff, Murdoch confirmed he plans to remain in London for several weeks to handle the crisis caused by Britain’s phone hacking scandal and police investigations into alleged email hacking and
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purported bribery of public officials. Murdoch’s visit follows last week’s arrest of five senior staff at The Sun as part of an inquiry into the alleged payment of bribes to police and defense officials for information. A total of 10 current and former staff at The Sun — Britain’s biggest selling newspaper — have been questioned over the allegations. None has so far been charged. “We cannot protect people who have paid public officials,” Murdoch said in his email, which was forwarded to The Associated Press. “I am confident we can live by these commitments and still
produce great journalism.” Murdoch confirmed that staff currently suspended amid the police inquiries would be allowed to return to their posts, and pledged to help The Sun, which he has owned since 1969, recover from the crisis. He said the tabloid is “part
of me and is one of our proudest achievements.” “We will build on The Sun’s proud heritage by launching The Sun on Sunday very soon,” Murdoch’s email read. “Our duty is to expand one of the world’s most widely read newspapers and reach even more people than ever before.” Murdoch closed his previous flagship Sunday tabloid, the News of the World, in July amid outrage when it emerged that journalists at the tabloid routinely eavesdropped on the private cell phone voicemail messages of celebrities, sports figures, politicians and crime victims. to blog visit www.ieyenews.com
iLocal
18-20 FEB 2012 | www.ieyenews.com
NEWS
Government is like a plane flying blind
Ezzard Miller
Captain Bryan Ebanks
Tad Stoner tad.stoner@ieyenews.com
Continued from front page Ezzard Miller; West Bay activists Alice Mae Coe, Ormond Morgan, Paul Rivers, Captain Bryan Ebanks, Mervin Smith and Dr Edward Caudeiron; and Bodden Town anti-landfill spokesmen Gregg Anderson and Vincent Frederick. Each exhorted the crowd to stand against plans by the Dart-government ForCayman Alliance (FCIA), including closure of a section of the West Bay Road and creation of a waste facility in Bodden Town, and massive land acquisitions by the Dart group, feared to presage multi-million-dollar development. Mr McLaughlin called the FCIA proposals “absolutely asinine” and “absolutely idiotic”, warning they were “symptoms of a much more frightening problem: a premier and a government who are absolutely clueless, flailing about to try to fix our economic problems. “They don’t have a plan, the captain has lost contact with air traffic control, they are flying blind, the plane is running out of fuel and there is not a runway in sight. After almost three years in office, they seized on Dart to fix it. Their policy is to sell the country’s assets and buy votes,” he said. Appealing to national pride, Capt Ebanks told the group the FCIA threatened their 300-yearold traditions, accusing Dart founder Kenneth Dart, of “economic communism”. “In Cuba, they took the country by to blog visit www.ieyenews.com
force. Mr Dart is taking this by money. He is using politicians to use his money to destroy us. We will lose our power and control. It is not as though he needs more money or more land, and I have never seen politicians so disrespectful of the people that elected them,” he said. Both Mr Anderson and Mr Frederick pointed to the need to remediate the George Town landfill on site, pointing to plans by previously designated contractor Wheelabrator to convert waste to energy, producing electricity, lowering consumer costs, and Gregg Anderson potable water. Otherwise, they said, Cayman’s residential properties adjacent to waste problem will simply be moved Royal Palms on Seven Mile Beach: “It’s to Bodden Town, endangering another nice land there. It’s perfect to put in community’s health, safety and there,” he said archly. The area is home property values. “This is not something to the Dart family. The 7:30-10:00 gathering we are going to accept. If we are subject to economic enslavement, what are we culminated as Mr Miller warned the crowd: “This is about trust and you going to gain?” Mr Anderson asked. The most disturbing imagery cannot trust the UDP. You cannot trust of the night was suggested by Mr the Dart conglomerate. You cannot Rivers, former independent political believe anything they tell you. There is candidate for West Bay, who likened a master plan here and your children Dart Realty and local politicians to have no future.” Plugging his “one-man, one-vote” sexual predators: ”We are in bed with a rapist and our leaders are holding us initiative as a way to unseat Mr Bush, down. We need to get rid of that man,” “and all nine members of the UDP that agree with him”, Mr Miller said closing he said, alluding to Premier Bush. Warming to the theme, Mr McLean the West Bay Road was “just the tip of asked if UDP Bodden Town MLAs, the iceberg”. “We stopped the East End dock Mark Scotland and Dwayne Seymour, “have gone mad. Are you already fed by marching,” he said, alluding to up with politics, after only three years, pressure that stopped development of a cargo and cruise facility in High that this will be a one-term thing?” Only half jesting, he suggested the Rock. “Now is your time. Come out, landfill be moved to two spacious stand up and march.”
AFTER HOURS COMMENCING 20th FEB 2012
ELECTRONIC BILLING
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iLocal
18-20 FEB 2012 | www.ieyenews.com
NEWS
Data can fine-tune education
Christopher Tobutt
christopher.tobutt@ieyenews.com
National Education Data Day was an opportunity for senior Ministry of Education officials to meet with principals of all government schools, in order to find out how data could be used to fine-tune the education system to meet growing expectations and challenges. Chief Policy Advisor in the Education Policy & Planning Unit, Dr. Jo Wood, explained that the reason for the seminar was to verify with school heads that the information such as numbers of boys, girls, teachers, special needs, and English as a second language needs received during a one-day census on 31 January was accurate and reliable. “We wanted to verify with them that we were collecting the right kind of information,” she said. “We want more and better information to help us improve, and we want to involve school principals in an ongoing process to use data to improve schools’ performance. “The other big purpose was to kickstart principals into using data much more with their staff, so they could continue to discuss individual student learning needs.” Dr. Wood said. Noting a recent improvement over the past six years in percentages of students who were gaining A-C passes in their Year 12 exams (from 23% in 2005 to 45% in 2011), Dr.
Chief Policy Advisor in the Education Policy & Planning Unit, Dr. Jo Wood
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Photos by Christopher Tobutt
Chief Officer in the Ministry of Education Mary Rodrigues.
Wood said that feedback from reliable data could help sustain such improvements, and thereby reach the Ministry’s aim of reaching a 75% pass rate in the future. Addressing the heads of all government schools that were gathered at the seminar, Mary Rodrigues, Chief Officer in the Ministry of Education said: This dialogue today is a starting point. We will be looking at our data but what else do we need to know? Mrs Rodrigues described the consultation process that has been going on ever since Minister Anglin took office. “He (Rolston Anglin) spent a lot of time in consultation.
We didn’t just tour schools, we visited the school campus, yes, but we had separate meetings with teachers and senior management teams to find out what are the good things that are happening in our system, but what are the challenges as well? “We need data for many purposes; we need data to help us decide how we prioritise our spending. Where do we need to put the emphasis when it comes to resources? “We also need data on student performance, and we want to talk about establishing national benchmarks for performance for our students. If we have good
Minister of Education, Rolston Anglin
quality, reliable timely data, then we have a basis on which to really make targeted decisions within our system.” Mrs Rodriguez said that today’s seminar would be part of an annual process of data collection and consultation with school staff. Education Minister Rolston Anglin said: “Credible and reliable data on which to make decisions. If we are still going to go with what’s comfortable, - hunches; gut feelings, we are not going to end up with the type of reform that the country needs, that our children need, that our students deserve and in my mind have the right to.”
School Principals attended the seminar
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iLocal
18-20 FEB 2012 | www.ieyenews.com
NEWS
New support for dump protestors Tad Stoner tad.stoner@ieyenews.com
The coalition opposing relocation of the George Town Landfill to Midland Acres has gained the support of Bodden Town’s 200-resident Belford Housing Estates, swelling local dissent. At the same time, the 75-member Coalition to Keep Bodden Town Dump Free has published a four-page flyer rejecting claims in a similarly designed brochure by the Dart-government ForCayman Investment Alliance (FCIA) that the new facility will not harm surrounding areas. “The flyer includes a rebuttal to every point raised by the government/ Dart PR machine,” said coalition spokesman Gregg Anderson, who also spoke at a Thursday night courthouse rally in George Town, opposing a range of FCIA plans. “We’re using every means at our disposal, in spite of our limited resources, to counter the misconceptions spread by government and by Dart and to defend our district against this needless assault.” he said. Thursday’s 7:00pm Belford Estates gathering at the Bodden Town Civic Centre heard from coalition spokesman Alain Benier and Small Engineering founder Sam Small, describing FCIA plans to close the 70-acre George Town landfill and create an alternative wastemanagement facility on 110 acres east of Bodden Town. “It was small meeting, about 20 residents of Belford Estates, about 10% of the Belford residents,” Mr Bernier told iNews Cayman, “but all unanimously were against moving the dump. They all signed up for a yard sign.” He ascribed the turnout to the simultaneous George Town event which appeared to boost support for both the coalition and local efforts to halt closure of a section of the West Bay Road at Public Beach. The coalition flyer, titled “Don’t Dump on Bodden Town”, says the FCIA has mislabeled the project as a “waste-management facility”, insisting instead “this will be a dump, exactly the same as we have at the George Town Landfill, apart from a liner under the piles of trash.” Mr Anderson, speaking in George to blog visit www.ieyenews.com
PhotosAnderson by Christopher Tobutt Gregg and Vincent Frederick
George Town Landfill
Town, referred to Washington’s Environmental Protection Agency and studies indicating increased disease rates near landfills, saying “There is no liner ever made that protects completely. We are going to have contamination and it is going to seep into the water table.” The flyer repeats coalition insistence that the landfill remain where it is, enabling remediation and wasteto-energy conversion, producing electricity and potable water, and asking why government has shelved at least four studies – plus one Central Tenders Committee-approved commercial proposal – championing an on-site solution. Freedom of Information requests, the flyer says, have revealed no “studies, correspondence, reports, emails or memoranda” regarding Bodden Town as a landfill site, except for a Department of Environmental Health statement advocating better waste management on site. The brochure lists official consultation with residents as “none whatever”. “This is a crazy idea, especially as it
is miles from the source of the waste,” according to Mr Small, closing the flyer. “This is a really daft idea because we don’t want to create another pile of garbage for future generations to have to deal with.” An accompanying press release finishes by saying “the coalition insists on fixing the problem where it is, instead of creating a new Mount Trashmore with no concern at all for due process, for the well-being of Bodden Towners and for their environment. “This is what government is imposing on Bodden Town for the sole benefit of Dart – converting a residential/agricultural area into a heavy industrial zone,” it says.
Richard Branson On 10 February, iNews reported Premier McKeeva Bush met Virgin Atlantic founder and chairman Sir Richard Branson. The premier has asked us to point out that he never met Sir Richard, but rather top executives of the airline.
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iWorld
18-20 FEB 2012 | www.ieyenews.com
NEWS
Nigerian underwear bomber gets life in prison DETROIT (AP) — Defiantly declaring “a day of victory,” a Nigerian man was given a mandatory life sentence Thursday for trying to blow up a packed jetliner with a bomb sewn into his underwear. People aboard the flight testified that the failed attack had disturbed their sleep and travels for more than two years. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was the same remorseless man who four months ago pleaded guilty to all charges related to Northwest Airlines Flight 253. He seemed to relish the mandatory
sentence and defended his actions as rooted in the Muslim holy book, the Quran. “Mujahideen are proud to kill in the name of God,” he said. “Today is a day of victory.” Had the bomb not fizzled, nearly 300 people aboard the flight would probably have been killed. The case stirred renewed fears that terrorists could still bring down an American jetliner more than eight years after 9/11, and it accelerated installation of body scanners at the nation’s airports. Before Thursday’s sentencing,
four passengers and a crew member from the flight told U.S. District Judge Nancy Edmunds that they have struggled to live and travel normally since the incident on Christmas Day 2009. During their remarks, Abdulmutallab appeared disinterested, rarely looking up from his seat just a few feet away. Abdulmutallab “has never expressed doubt or regret or remorse about his mission,” Edmunds said. “In contrast, he sees that mission as divinely inspired and a continuing mission.”
Amanda Knox has deal with HarperCollins for memoir NEW YORK (AP) — Amanda Knox has a book deal. The young exchange student whose conviction in Italy and eventual acquittal on murder charges made headlines worldwide has an agreement with HarperCollins to tell her story. The 24-year-old Seattle resident, imprisoned for four years in Perugia, Italy, has not publicly discussed her ordeal beyond a brief expression of gratitude upon her release last October. “Knox will give a full and unflinching account of the events that led to her arrest in Perugia
and her struggles with the complexities of the Italian judicial system,” HarperCollins said in a statement Thursday. “Aided by journals she kept during her imprisonment, Knox will talk about her harrowing experience at the hands of the Italian police and later prison guards and inmates. She will reveal never before-told details surrounding her case, and describe how she used her inner strength and strong family ties to cope with the most challenging time of her young life.”
The book, currently untitled, is tentatively scheduled for early 2013. “Many accounts have been written of the Amanda Knox case, and countless writers and reporters have speculated on what role, if any, was played by Knox in that tragic and terrifying sequence of events,” HarperCollins publisher Jonathan Burnham said in a statement. “No one has yet heard Amanda Knox’s own account of what happened, and this book will give Knox an opportunity to tell the story in full detail, for the first time.”
London takes over fashion spotlight from New York LONDON (AP) — London Fashion Week kicked off with a splash of colour Friday shown by British designers Antoni & Alison, the first of dozens of catwalk shows jammed into the next six days. The London duo, known for their knitwear, showed bold, colourful prints as designers, models, buyers and journalists filled Somerset House on the Thames river, site of the main shows. London Fashion Week raises its profile this year with some of the industry’s biggest stars. Stella McCartney (pictured) will hold her
first stand-alone show in London since she graduated. There will also be a debut show by McQ, the second line from the Alexander McQueen fashion house led by Sarah Burton. “There is fantastic talent as always, and the international audience is looking very strong,” said Caroline Rush, the elegant CEO of the British Fashion Council. “There is great excitement about (McQ) because of Sarah Burton’s success dressing Katherine Middleton for the royal wedding last year.”
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Rush said British heritage brands like Belstaff — also showing in London for the first time — and the return of regulars like Burberry, Christopher Kane, Erdem and Paul Smith should guarantee big crowds and motivated buyers. The shows follow Thursday’s conclusion of New York fashion week and precedes expositions in Milan and France. McCartney, who has shown her smart, minimalist collections at Paris Fashion Week for a decade, is moving her catwalk to London for a special presentation.
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iEditorial
18-20 FEB 2012 | www.ieyenews.com
OPINION
The Editor Speaks Drugs in Northward drive me bats
It is shockingly no surprise to learn that for a second colin.wilson@ieyenews.com time in a week Cayman’s favourite ‘weed’, ganga, has been found in staff offices inside Northward prison. Since my editorial, “Prison and rehabilitation,” in last Wednesday’s (15) edition of iNews Cayman I received a ‘tip-off’ that several packets of ganja were recovered from the administrative office in the same building as the prison director’s office. This same information has also been reported in another news outlet. Once again, shockingly, there has been no statement forthcoming about the matter from neither the prison director nor the chief officer in the portfolio of internal affairs. Even the RCIPS are silent on the matter. All this has come after the damning report from the Institute of Public Administration of Canada about the complete lack of rehabilitation programmes at the prison. How can we, the public, have any confidence in our penal system when the very people who are in charge refuse to make a statement about such a terrible statement of affairs? I raised the question how a witness could be ‘high’ from smoking ganga and was serving a sentence just before he gave evidence before the judge during a recent murder trial? Did I hear an explanation about that? Of course not. It drives me bats! And talking of which…… There is much talk of the threats to our bats concerning the Crystal Caves developer Christian Soresen’s plans to develop Cayman’s North Side caves into a tourist attraction. We received a call last Wednesday from a very irate lady about the matter who was almost in tears as three species, two very rare, are roosting in one of these large caves. Even though Mr. Sorensen does not have planning permission for the work, heavy equipment is in place and work has started on his “tourist attraction.” His “words of comfort” about the project shown on Wednesday’s CITN-Cayman27 News Bulletin did not ring sincere at all. The National Trust, quite rightly, are very indignant about the matter and said, “Although at present Environmental Impact Assessments are not legally required for the development of any environmentally sensitive area in the Cayman Islands, such assessments
Colin Wilson
are accepted as best practice in the vast majority of developed countries. Such an Assessment will objectively rate the value of the unmodified site as compared with the value of proposed enhancements to accurately inform the development process along with the relevant stakeholders.” There is NO LEGAL REQUIREMENT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENTS. This is astonishing. The Cayman Islands indigenous and native bats are all at risk and none of them are protected in law. Astonishing. With no national conservation law on the books, the only legal sanction to prevent Mr. Sorensen from developing these caves is the planning laws. Astonishing. The Department of Environment (DoE) confirmed they were not consulted about the clearance work that has started. Astonishing. A representative of the Department of Tourism, who was sitting on the Liquor Licensing Board of Grand Cayman on Friday 14th when Mr. Sorenson’s application for a liquor license on behalf of Crystal Caves came up for consideration, commended him on his planned development saying how good it was for tourism. Astonishing. Never mind the bats. Who needs them anyway? The National Trust states, bats are a “keystone species because plants that are dependant upon bats are vital to the survival of birds and other animals. These, in turn make their own contributions to balanced ecosystems. Most people credit bats with controlling mosquitoes, but insect-eating bats also eat many thousands of harmful beetles, grasshoppers, katydids, cockroaches, and moths and their larva every night.” The Trust confirmed that, “these caves have been recognised as an environmentally sensitive area.” Of course we need bats! And I am waiting for Mr. Sorensen to say, “sorry” after its too late to put the disaster right. Doesn’t the DOE have any clout? It would appear not as the Planning Authority doesn’t feel fit to consult with them. Already it might be too late as bats are very susceptible to disturbance by the presence of humans. Yes, it does make me angry and it does drive me bats!!
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NEWS
Survivor rage grows in deadly Honduran prison fire
Maria Hernandez stands behind a fence as she waits for information about her relative.
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) — As workers cleaned up the rubble of the century’s deadliest prison fire, a collective rage built among relatives who gathered at the morgue and said the official explanation of a mattress fire killing 355 people was absurd. Details of the investigation remained thin early Friday, and mystery swirled around the possible cause, from a crazed inmate who set fire to his bedding to rumors that gas cans were found inside and that guards deliberately set the blaze. Family members said guards fired on prisoners to keep them from fleeing the flames, though guards and firefighters said they were shots in the air to summon help and to respond to what they thought was a prison break. The attorney general’s office said it was investigating all angles. “It’s impossible to believe that prisoners set the fire themselves when they too were going to die,” said Felix Armando Cardona, 56, whose son, Luis Armando Cardona, 28, died in the blaze that broke out in Comayagua prison late Tuesday night. From the time firefighters received a call at 10:59 p.m., what should have been a rescue became a catastrophe. Only six guards were on duty, four in towers overlooking the prison and two overseeing 852 people crowded into a facility built for half that number. Some 57
percent had yet to be convicted, either awaiting trial or being held as suspected gang members, according to a government report. Survivors said they watched helplessly as the guard who had the keys fled without unlocking their cells. “He threw the keys on the floor in panic,” said Hector Daniel Martinez, who was being held as a homicide suspect. Martinez said an inmate who was not locked in because he also worked as a nurse picked up the keys and, braving the scorching heat, went from one cell block to another, opening doors. “He went into the flames and started breaking the locks,” said Jose Enrique Guevara, who was five years into an 11-year sentence for auto theft. “He saved us, I tell you.” About 100 relatives of the presumed dead gathered in tight knots outside a barricade manned by police and soldiers at the Tegucigalpa morgue, their faces etched in pain as they waited for a public address system to call the name of the latest identified victim. Family of the few victims identified by late Thursday were escorted to a cinderblock building where Red Cross workers in white suits unloaded black plastic body bags arriving from the prison farm about 55 miles (90 kilometers) away. Most wore surgical masks to ward off the heavy scent of decaying bodies. Loads of cheap brown
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An inmate who survived a prison fire stands inside the medical attention area.
wooden caskets pulled up aboard blamed on the guards. Prison officials and the governor pickup trucks, apparently donated. Prosecutors’ spokesman Melvin of Comayagua province originally Duarte said 25 forensic examiners said the fire was started by an were working around the clock, inmate who screamed he was starting with the few bodies going to burn the place down in that weren’t too charred to have a cell phone call to the governor, Paola Castro. finger prints. On Thursday Castro said the Prisoners who survived unscathed or suffered only minor call was actually a message from injuries remained inside the someone reporting the fire and prison. Those with more serious that she accidentally erased it. The U.S. State Department has injuries were taken to hospitals and were trickling back Thursday. criticised the Honduran government Some were being treated inside for harsh prison conditions, citing by the nurse credited with saving severe overcrowding, malnutrition, and lack of adequate sanitation. many lives. Miguel Angel Lopez, a guard on duty inside the prison, said he called the fire brigade as soon as he saw the blaze, but it took firefighters 30 minutes to get inside. Fire officials told The Associated Press they were blocked from entering the prison for half an hour by guards who thought they had a riot or breakout on their hands. Relatives are suspicious because Honduras has been the site of two other major prison fires, in 2003 and 2004, that killed a total of 176 inmates. Government officials were convicted of wrongdoing in the 2003 An injured inmate who survived a deadly prison fire waits for blaze, which investigators medical care.
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18-20 FEB 2012 | www.ieyenews.com
NEWS
Triple C students win Disney’s Conservation Challenge Out of more than 1,300 entries from 69 classes across the Cayman Islands, the ultimate winner of Disney’s Planet Challenge (DPC) for 2012 has been announced: the Year 6 class from Triple C School in Grand Cayman! The winning project titled ‘Save the Wetlands’ was led by Year 6 teacher Ms. Sharmaine Campbell who guided the students in researching the valuable role of the wetlands in the Cayman Islands and how they stop soil erosion while providing a habitat for a diverse section of wildlife. As the students learned more about this vital element in the ecosystem, they felt spurned to action, hosting public events to educate their community as well as organising a 5K walk to raise awareness of the wetlands. “Each year I am more excited to see the youth of the Cayman Islands taking a proactive stance when it comes to our environment,” shared Acting Director of Tourism, Mr. Shomari Scott. “Through the DPC programme, we see exceptional students who have made a commitment to preserving our environment and are passionate about spreading that message to others. This year’s focus by the Year 6 students on the protection of the wetlands is definitely inspirational to me and I extend sincere congratulations to them
Dianne Connolly of Cayman Islands Department of Tourism (far left) and Disney Representative Barda Kosovrasti (far right) with the Disney’s Planet Challenge winning class from Triple C.
on the success of their project.” The DPC is an educational programme that was first introduced in 2003 through a partnership between Disney Cruise Line and the Department of Tourism. Since then it has garnered the support of the Departments of Education and Environment, who provide guidance and information to the participating students. To honour the winning class, the Triple C students will be hosted onboard the Disney Fantasy while it is docked in Grand Cayman on Monday, 30 April. During their visit, they will be guests of honour in a special DPC ceremony
and then relax for a day of Disney fun onboard the ship while learning more about Disney’s commitment to conservation around the globe. A new element introduced this year will afford the opportunity for two students from the winning class to join their peers from around the world at a special ‘conservation celebration’ at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. This unique event brings together the winning students and leading conservationists in a twoday youth summit to tackle some of the major environmental issues affecting the world today.
Tocky is seeking her forever home, can you help? Cayman Animal Rescue Enthusiasts are looking for a home for this pretty blonde girl. Tocky is a 6 year old Cayman mix spayed female, 48lbs in weight. She loves being cuddled and brushed and will let you know when she needs some extra attention by gently bumping your hand. She is currently an indoor and outdoor dog and would do well in either setting. There must be a little bit of hound dog in this sweet girl because she welcomes you home with her own style of singing! She is generally mild mannered indoors, more
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playful out of doors. She is a great watchdog and is completely housebroken. Tocky is a rescue and has adapted well to becoming a cherished pet. She’s so happy about being cared for that she ‘sings’ and ‘talks’ when she’s excited about meals or walks. Tocky needs to be in a onedog household and needs lots of love to make up for her early years. She is up to date on her vaccinations and is heartworm negative, receiving monthly Heartguard preventative and frontline application. For information on meeting Tocky please call Kate at 927-9979 - or email her at relaxo@candw.ky to blog visit www.ieyenews.com
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China faces conflict of law, business in iPad settlement and the phone BEIJING (AP) — Chinese launch went off as planned. officials face a choice in Apple’s China is Apple’s fastestdispute with a local company growing market and the over the iPad trademark — side company already has bigger with a struggling entity that a sales here than any other court says owns the name or market except the United with a global brand that has States. In the year that ended in created hundreds of thousands September, sales totaled $12.5 of jobs in China. Experts say billion in China and Hong Kong, that means Beijing’s political nearly 12 percent of revenue. priorities rather than the “We’ve been very, very courts will settle the dispute if focused on China,” CEO Tim it escalates. Cook told investors this week at Shenzhen Proview Technology a conference in San Francisco. has asked regulators to seize The dispute comes amid iPads in China in a possible complaints Beijing is failing prelude to pressing Apple Inc. to do enough to stamp out for a payout. There have been Customers try out iPad tablet computer at a Apple’s authorized rampant unlicensed Chinese seizures in some cities but dealer outlet in Changsha in south China’s Hunan province. copying and exports of goods no sign of action by nationalranging from music and level authorities. Hollywood movies to designer Proview has a strong case clothing to pharmaceuticals. under Chinese trademark law, but that could quickly change But unlike “trademark if Beijing decides to intervene squatters” who register names to avoid disrupting iPad sales of products already sold abroad or exports from factories in and then demand foreign southern China where the companies pay for the Chinese popular tablet computers are rights, Proview registered the made, legal experts say. iPad name long before Apple “If this becomes political — planned its phone. and it’s very easy to see this Apple, based in Cupertino, becoming political — then I California, insists it owns think Apple’s chances look the iPad name in China pretty good,” said Stan Abrams, and accuses Proview of an American lawyer who Workers outside the Proview Technology office building in Shenzhen in south China’s Guangdong province failing to live up to the 2009 teaches intellectual property law sales agreement. Apple to agree to a settlement within at Beijing’s Central University of shut down Apple.” Neither company has released Shenzhen Proview Technology is a few days to avoid the uncertainty that contract, which lawyers said Finance and Economics. The dispute centres on whether a subsidiary of LCD screen maker of a court fight, said Kenny Wong, made it impossible to know who has Apple acquired the iPad name in Proview International Holdings Ltd., an intellectual property lawyer the stronger case. for the firm Mayer Brown JSM in China when it bought rights in headquartered in Hong Kong. Apple points to a Hong Kong court Chinese news reports say Proview Hong Kong. “I think Apple will be ruling in July that said Proview and various countries from a Proview affiliate in Taiwan in 2009 for is deeply in debt, increasing under immense pressure to have the Taiwan company both were the pressure for it to demand a this settled as soon as possible,” he “clearly under the control” of the 35,000 British pounds ($55,000). Apple insists it did. But Proview, substantial payout from Apple. said. “Obviously, it depends on the same Taiwanese businessman, Yang which registered the iPad trademark Proview International, meanwhile, amount the Shenzhen company Long-san, and refused to take steps in China in 2001, won a ruling has been suspended from trading is asking.” required to transfer the name under An Apple spokeswoman in Beijing, the agreement. from a mainland Chinese court in on the Hong Kong stock market December that it was not bound since August 2010 and will be Carolyn Wu, declined to comment. The companies acted together by that sale. Apple appealed and a removed in June if it cannot show Apple ran into a similar issue before “with the common intention of it has sufficient assets, business it launched the iPhone in 2007. hearing is scheduled for Feb. 29. injuring Apple,” the judge said. Cisco Systems Inc., the maker of “My gut reaction is that many of operations and working capital. But that was not the final In a rapid-fire series of moves, networking hardware, had owned judgment in the case and might not these activities really could be seen as pre-settlement brinksmanship,” Proview has filed a trademark- the trademark since 2000 and used be accepted by mainland courts, said David Wolf, a technology violation lawsuit that goes to court it for a line of Internet-connected because although Hong Kong is a desk phones. Cisco sued, the Chinese territory, it has a separate marketing consultant in Beijing. Wednesday in Shanghai. That deadline is likely to prompt companies reached an undisclosed legal system, Wong said. “Proview’s motive is money, not to to blog visit www.ieyenews.com
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Godspeed John Glenn: 50 years since first US orbit CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) manned moon landing in 1969. — The name still resonates and It’s a sentiment he’s shared often generates goose bumps like few with Neil Armstrong, Ohio’s other revered son and the first man to set others in the world of spaceflight. foot on the moon. John Glenn. “I’ve been very fortunate to have Even astronauts — not just the rest of us mere mortals — get mushy a lot of great experiences in my life, talking about Project Mercury’s and I’m thankful for them. So I don’t “clean Marine” who led the country’s see myself as being envious. But in his case, I’ll make an exception,” charge into orbit. As the world’s most enduring Glenn said, laughing, during an and endearing spaceman gets set interview late last month with The to celebrate what no other living Associated Press. Armstrong, for his part, would astronaut has done — mark the 50th anniversary of his own spaceflight like one day to be in Glenn’s shoes — he finds himself in overdrive “and have as much success in reflecting on what has been an longevity.” He called the milestone “the most significant of all the space undeniably charmed, golden life. First American to orbit the Earth, anniversaries.” “And John Glenn deserves all the aboard Friendship 7 on Feb. 20, 1962. Oldest person to fly in space, honors that his country can bestow,” at age 77 aboard shuttle Discovery the 81-year-old Armstrong wrote in in 1998. U.S. senator for four terms an email. “He is an American patriot.” Five decades later, Glenn reflects and one-time presidential candidate. Namesake of a NASA center as with pride on the accomplishments of well as a university’s school of all seven of NASA’s original Mercury astronauts — not just his own. public affairs. “It’s amazing to me to look back Now 90 and living in Columbus, Ohio, Glenn just recently gave up 50 years and think that it’s been 50 flying and sold his twin-engine years,” Glenn said, seated in his topBeechcraft Baron. It was tough floor office at Ohio State University, hopping up on a wing to climb inside the school of public affairs aboard the plane. Glenn and his wife, that bears his name. Nearly every day he’s asked Annie, who turns 92 on Friday, both about spaceflight or NASA, so “it’s had knee replacements last year. “We decided it was time to pack it remained very vivid to me.” Glenn is reluctant to comment on in,” Glenn said. Besides, his goal was to fly the his superstar status. He’s as modest and down-to-Earth as ever. He cites plane until 90, “and I did that.” With so many blessings and attitude and exercise — he tries to accomplishments, there’s still walk a couple of miles every day — one brass ring Glenn wishes as key to his active longevity. He walks and talks like a much he’d snagged: Apollo 11, the first
Sen. John Glenn speaks during an interview at his office in Columbus, Ohio.
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Atlas rocket carrying the Friendship 7 Mercury spacecraft launches from Cape Canaveral, Fla., piloted by Col. John Glenn Jr. - the first American to orbit the earth.
younger man — standing straight the world’s first manmade satellite, and tall, and asking questions, not Sputnik, and the first spaceman, just answering them, in a clear and Yuri Gagarin, who had orbited the steady voice. He appears almost as globe a year earlier. Gagarin logged robust as he was for his shuttle ride a full revolution; the next cosmonaut to fly spent an entire day in orbit. at age 77. Finally, it was America’s turn to The only other surviving Mercury astronaut, Scott Carpenter, ranks shine. But it was a nail-biter. Unlike the secretive Soviet space Glenn as tops among the handpicked military test pilots presented program, NASA conducted its manned launches on live TV. in 1959 as the Mercury Seven. First, a thruster malfunctioned “He’s a very good man,” said Carpenter, 86, who followed Glenn in orbit. Glenn had to take manual into orbit on May 24, 1962. “He’s a control. Then there were signs that grown-up man, but he’s still a very the protective heat shield on his capsule was loose. No one, Glenn good Boy Scout.” Fifty years ago on Monday, Glenn included, knew whether he would circled Earth three times in five survive the fiery re-entry. The hours, putting America on even shield proved to be tight, and Glenn footing with the Soviet Union. The returned a national hero on the Soviets already had laid claim to scale of Charles Lindbergh.
Astronaut John Glenn, left, and President John F. Kennedy
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LIFESTYLE
Headaches affect women more than men
Georgina Wilcox georgina.wilcox@ieyenews.com
Headaches affect women more than men. In fact a migraine (where your head pounds, you feel nauseous including vomiting, light and sound are unbearable, a tiny noise and/or a ray of light creates blinding pain), affects women nearly three times more than a male. According to the Mayo Clinic, 17 percent of women have migraine pain, while only 6 percent of men do. It is also true that women may have more painful headaches than men, as well. Naturally, there are a number of factors that come into play when considering an individual’s chances of developing headaches, and the frequency of such problems. Age, genetics, and family history can all play a role, but for women, there are a couple of other factors to be considered. Hormone levels and birth control pills (which tamper with current levels or introduce synthetic hormones to the body) are both possible factors in the headache equation. The big factor that can play a role in someone’s chances of getting headaches is age. The older one gets, theoretically, the more prone one is to experiencing headaches. People with a family history of being
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susceptible to the problem are also at increased risk, though whether or not there is a concrete genetic link is still uncertain. However, women have come to note that changes in hormones can often be accompanied by headaches. This can include things like certain periods of the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and any other times or circumstances that alter a woman’s usual hormone levels. This includes the use (or overuse) of birth control pills and patches, which introduce synthetic hormones. The simple cause of this would be progesterone and estrogen, sometimes known as the core hormones of the female physiology. The two of them may have an effect on other chemicals in the body, along with a variety of chemical receptors. Among the many
possible physiological compounds that can be affected by the two mentioned above are the ones that regulate and coordinate headaches in the brain. This usually occurs due to some form of ‘correspondence’ with other chemicals in the brain. For example, high levels of estrogen and low levels of serotonin have been known to cause headaches in some patients, with the intensity varying from the mild to the severe. As can be expected, there are times when the synthetic hormones of birth control pills can also have similar effects. Of course, just because hormone levels are a natural part of the body and can’t be discarded completely doesn’t mean the average woman is defenseless against them. Modern medicine has ways of helping treat and/or prevent, as the case
may be and the intensity of the headaches. Most over-the-counter pain relievers are good ways of combating headaches that come during the start of menstruation, which is typically accompanied by a sudden drop in estrogen levels. Proper diet and exercise, which are basically considered to be good for pretty much anything, can also help reduce the intensity of hormonerelated headaches when they come. Proper and adequate sleep can also be critical in this. What about those who use birth control pills? There are ways to fight off hormone-related headaches for women on the pill, though the advice may be a tad bit different from those of women who aren’t. Taking a programme that has more or less placebo days can be useful in helping combat the potential increase in hormonal headaches. There are also pills and patches that do not use estrogen or progesterone, and thus there is no increased risk of headaches. Everyone is sensitive to different things. In fact, these are just some of the more common triggers. One person might be sensitive to alcohol but have no problem with caffeine, while another might have terrible migraines from caffeine and a higher tolerance for alcohol. People are also responsive to different triggers at different times. For instance, one day, bright light may not affect you at all, while on another day, it could immediately set off a headache or worse still a migraine.
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18-20 FEB 2012 | www.ieyenews.com
WORLD
Manchester City report ‘racist’ chants from Porto fans Manchester City have lodged an official complaint to Uefa after alleged racial abuse to some of their players during Thursday’s Europa League game at Porto. Team-mate Yaya Toure told Sky Sports News: “I heard something. “That’s why we like the Premier League, it never happens there. Maybe other countries don’t expect black players.” Tournament organisers Uefa said they were still waiting for reports from their match delegates, which are usually received one or two days after each match, before deciding whether to take any action. After the game it was revealed that Balotelli had told a club official he had been subject to racial abuse from the stands. In the post-match press conference, Mancini insisted that the chanting had not disturbed him. “I didn’t hear the noise, because I was concentrating on the game,” he said. “I think Mario Balotelli and Yaya Toure are too strong [to be affected].” Mancini reserved special praise for Balotelli, calling his performance “calm”. “I think Mario did very well, he played very well,” he said. “He was calm and it is important he continues like this.” Meanwhile Manchester United’s Antonio Valencia faces up to a month out of action after suffering
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a hamstring strain in their Europa League win against Ajax. Second-half goals from Ashley Young and Javier Hernandez sealed a 2-0 victory in the Netherlands. Substitute Valencia injured himself while combining to produce United’s second goal in Amsterdam. “It looks like a bad one,” said manager Sir Alex Ferguson of the Ecuadorian’s injury. With United leading 1-0 courtesy of Young’s low shot just before the hour mark, Valencia had been on the field for just over 10 minutes when he supplied the ball to Wayne Rooney, who fed Hernandez for the goal. While the visitors celebrated a
valuable second away strike, Valencia was quickly replaced by Danny Welbeck. The midfielder will now be out until mid-March and will miss the return leg with Ajax at Old Trafford on 23 February, as well as Premier League games against Norwich, Tottenham, West Brom and Wolves. After the game, Ferguson described his side’s performance at times as “very ordinary”. “We didn’t play well at all in the first half,” he added. “I’m delighted with the scoreline, but I think it was very ordinary. We didn’t really hit any great heights, but we did improve in the second half and we probably deserved to win it.”
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Caribbean Coaching Certification Programme The Cayman Islands Olympic Committee (CIOC) has announced they will be hosting the first ever Caribbean Coaching Certification Programme (CCCP) training workshop in the Cayman Islands. In partnership with the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC), the CIOC will host this training workshop for all teachers and community coaches from any sport. This workshop will focus on general sport topics, and will cover 10 modules including topics such as Coach as a Leader, Developing Sport Skills, Sport Medicine, Event Organization, and
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Fitness among many others. The workshop will take place over 3 days in February and March and will be held in Camana Bay. The dates for the training workshop are February 21st from 9:00am-5:00pm, March 29th from 1:00-5:00pm and March 30th from 9:00am-1:00pm. The course will be conducted by Dr. Dalton Watler, the Deputy Chief Officer for Tourism Development and President of the Cayman Islands Athletics Association. The Cayman Islands Olympic Committee understands the importance of training and educating our coaches from a variety of levels and is committed to bringing in any
education programme opportunities to the Cayman Islands. “It is imperative that we provide training and education at a grassroots level to enhance the coaching base within our community so that we may best prepared and help our athletes achieve their goals” says Donald McLean, the President of the CIOC. This course is sure to be a valuable and beneficial investment for all teachers and community coaches. To register or find out more information on the Caribbean Coaches Certification Program, please contact Jessica Wolfenden at cioc2@candw.ky or 9466984. Space is limited. to blog visit www.ieyenews.com
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Bodden Town 3-1 Swindon Town Picture special - Continued from front page
Photos by Christopher Tobutt
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LOCAL
Captains look forward to Singapore swing The six captains in Singapore this week for Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 5 (WCL Div. 5) are all confident of promotion and feeling well prepared for the hot and humid conditions that the country has to offer. Singapore captain Saad Khan was joined by Argentina’s Esteban MacDermott, Bahrain’s Yaser Sadeq, Cayman Islands’ captain Abali Hoilett, Guernsey captain Stuart Le Prevost and Malaysia’s Suresh Navaratnam at a press conference today looking ahead to the tournament that begins tomorrow (18 February). Hosts Singapore will take on Cayman Islands first: “We’re looking forward to the tournament getting under way. We’ve not played Argentina or Cayman Islands before but we have played all the other teams in the event. We know the Cayman Islands play good cricket but so can we so we’ll be prepared for the game,” said the leader during the pre-match press conference today. Meanwhile, Cayman Islands’ Hoilett is happy with the conditions and the side’s preparation saying: “The conditions here are similar to Cayman and we’re feeling good ahead of the event now it’s about playing cricket. We’ve been working really hard and now all we want to do is get down to playing cricket.” Guernsey’s Le Prevost admitted the temperatures were high but the team’s pre-match preparation in the United Arab Emirates had been a key part of the team’s preparation ahead of the tournament: “To have had two matches and training in Dubai before coming to Singapore has definitely helped us, especially as we’re coming off the winter season in Guernsey. “We’re looking forward to playing in Singapore again, the conditions and pitches are good and hopefully we can finish with a positive result and promotion once again.”
Cayman Islands’ captain Abali Hoilett (photo by ICC/Ian Jacobs)
Fellow WCL Div. 6 qualifiers Malaysia only travelled the short distance by bus to neighbouring Singapore and the team have been preparing with a number of matches and camps. “We played Bahrain in a couple of warm-up fixtures in Malaysia before we travelled and prior to their arrival our new coach, Roy Dias, took us to his native Sri Lanka for a training camp which was great preparation. “We’re looking forward to facing Argentina first up and hopefully if we get off to a winning start we can maintain the momentum throughout the event,” admitted the Malaysia captain. Argentina feature in this division by virtue of relegation from Division 4 in 2010 alongside Cayman Islands and captain, Esteban MacDermott admitted the travel to get to Singapore had been tough but the conditions were not dissimilar to Buenos Aires where the side play
their cricket. “We have travelled a long distance to get here but the team are acclimatising well to the conditions here. “We’re all finding the temperature pretty good and the humidity is not dissimilar to Argentina so it’s not been so much of an issue for us with regards to getting used to conditions, it’s now about getting down to playing good solid cricket.” Bahrain’s leader Yaser was happy with the conditions and looked forward to his side’s opening fixture against Guernsey, a side they last played in 2009 in Pepsi ICC WCL Div. 6. “We’ve come off winter in Bahrain and a winter that was unusually cold for once! We’ve had some warmups against Malaysia before we got here to Singapore and we’re happy with our preparation. The side has evolved since 2010 in Nepal and definitely since 2009 when we last faced Guernsey.”
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