Local News

(CNS): Following mounting complaints relating to the use of jet skis too close to the shore and causing a disturbance to residents, police say, they along with Customs and Immigration Marine Unit will be clamping down and focusing on enforcing the law among users. “We are aware that some of the machines have been modified and are louder than normal crafts,” said Maine Unit Chief Inspector, Courtney Myles. He added that the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS) are not out to spoil people’s fun but the law is there for a reason.

(CNS): Cayman Brac’s Watering Place Post Office will reopen on Monday, 20 April, as postal operations shift from the West End Post Office. Normal business hours will also resume at the Watering Place PO: Monday to Friday, 9 to 11:30 am and 1:30 to 3pm; and Saturday, 9 to 11:30 am. Watering Place customers who have temporarily used post boxes at West End to collect their mail are therefore now being asked to return keys to either the West End or Watering Place post offices.

(CNS): Butterfield Bank (Cayman) Limited recently presented the First Baptist Christian School with a sponsorship of $5,000 toward the FRCS’s art programme, which ranges from music to drama. Butterfield is an avid supporter of arts in the Cayman Islands. “Arts and music are an integral part of a child’s learning and education, and we are pleased to support this programme at our local school,” said Butterfield’s Rebecca Ebanks.

(CNS): The Rotary Club of Grand Cayman have announced today the six finalists of their essay competition, entitled Adventures in Citizenship. The competition, now in its forth year, promotes the interest and understanding of local citizenship. The contest was open to all high school juniors in both public and private schools in the Cayman Islands. This year, entries were received from John Gray High School, Cayman Brac High School, Triple C High, Cayman Prep, St Ignatius, and Cayman International, representing all high schools in the Cayman Islands.

(CNS): Anyone looking for a break from election fatigue may find the Cayman Carnival Batabano could be just the ticket. Ready to hit the streets with all its colour, splendor, vibrancy and multi-national mixture organizers have announced that this year’s festivities get underway with the Junior Batabano Street Parade and Family Fun Day on Saturday 25 April.

(CNS): Internationally celebrated parental consultant Florence Bernard will be visiting Books & Books in Camana Bay next Monday, for a signing of her book, Better At School: The Essential Guide to Help Kids Improve at School. Having lived and taught all over the world Bernard now resides in the States but she spent seven years in Grand Cayman teaching languages, physical education and drama to grades 2 through 12 at St. Ignatius Catholic School.

(CNS): With her work now donning the cover of New Art International, a compendium of contemporary art April Bending will be visiting Books & Books this weekend for an Evening of Art. The book which contains 348 colour plates from 95 individuals including Bending is described as an exhibition-between-covers of contemporary artistic impetus and achievement. During the even Bending will be talking about her career as an artist, signing copies of the book and showing some of her work.

(CNS): With license premises seen as key trouble spots the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS) Inspector Anthony White gave a presentation to members of the Liquor Licensing Board as part of the ‘design out crime’ initiative part of the RCIPS’ effort to educate the community on what can be done to help prevent and detect crime. The talk covered various aspects of crime prevention such as how to improve security thought environmental design, lighting and the use of CCTV. Deputy Chair of the Liquor Licensing Board, Lynn Bodden-Smart (left) said the presentation was informative and educational.

(CNS): The Cayman Islands Postal Services said today that three bags of mail, which had been delayed since last year have now arrived in the Cayman Islands. Some of the mail was reportedly dispatched as far back as August of last year from New York but did not make its way here until last Friday way 3 April. The postal service said the reason for the delay is still not known.

(CNS): Duncan Taylor, CBE, who is currently serving as the British High Commissioner for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean will step in to Governor Stuart Jack’s shoes when he departs at the end of November this year the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has announced. Taylor, will take over the position in January 2010, according to a communiqué issued by the Governor’s Office.

(CNS): Members of Rotary Central have relocated an existing bus shelter at the corner of Shedden Road and Eastern Avenue as well as place a shelter at a new location on Eastern Avenue as part of ongoing efforts to improve its Bus Shelter program, started over 20 years ago soon after the Club was chartered in 1986. All advertising revenues from this Rotary Central program have been, and will continue to be, used for community projects, a Rotary release notes.

(CNS): According to recent government inspections standards in early learning provision have improved in local schools since last year. During February and March staff from the Early Childhood Services unit have been undertaking annual inspections in all Pre-schools and Day Care Centres across Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac. “Overall, the quality of provision has improved since last year,” said Kate Marnoch, Head of Early Childhood Services.

(CNS): Despite the growing controversy in the mother county with regards the symbolism of the Order of the British Empire and the Member of the British Empire, aka the OBE and MBE, the former colonies are still embracing these gongs regardless of their obvious connections to colonialism and slavery. Governor Stuart Jack is likely to get a significant response to his appeal this week for people to submit nominations for the Queen’s New Year Honours 2010 from Cayman.

(CNS): Children in Jamaica living with HIV/AIDS were dealt another blow to their young lives when their home was destroyed by fire on Monday, 16 March. However, after a plea from Father Gregory Ramkissoon, the founder of charitable organisation Mustard Seed Communities, a container in Grand Cayman has been filled with toys, clothes shoes, bedding, and many other essentials and will soon be leaving for Jamaica.

(CNS): Talking about the issue of sexual assault is one of the messages that the Estella Scott-Roberts Foundation (ESRF) wants to get across to the Cayman Islands community as it joins with other groups around the world this April to support Sexual Assault Awareness Month 2009 (SAAM). “To increase public awareness about the problem of sexual assault and to encourage community involvement, ESRF has adopted the theme: Believe, Talk, Act,” the foundation said.