Topic: Law
World records: Cayman's open data flaws
Typically, a letter grade of "C" means "average." But when it puts your country on par with the likes of Pakistan and Russia, what it really means is "unsatisfactory."
From the National Conservation Council
National Conservation Council responds to Compass editorial.
CarePay trial: 'No way' ministry could pay contract, says witness
A government financial manager refused to authorize a US$1.2 million payment for the proposed expansion of the CarePay patient swipe-card contract, even though his superiors at the Ministry of Health had already green-lighted the payment, jurors in the criminal trial of Canover Watson heard Tuesday.
Professor: Same-sex unions legislation 'inevitable' in Cayman
When human rights professor Robert Wintemute visited the Cayman Islands in January to deliver a critique of the islands’ “out of date” laws on rights for homosexuals, he hoped to start a conversation.
Senior judges convene in Cayman
Some of the Caribbean region’s most senior judges are in the Cayman Islands this week to discuss a draft law that governs the appointment, discipline and removal of judges.
The Council: Conservation consternation
It's difficult (but not impossible) to give the protection of the environment a bad name, but the National Conservation Council is making some headway.
Bikers ride for Christmas toys
More than 50 motorcycle riders took to the streets on Sunday to collect toys as Christmas gifts for Cayman’s children.
PR application, appeal take eight years
A man whose application for permanent residence took more than eight years from the date it was filed to when it was rejected by an appeals body has sued the Cayman Islands government, seeking re-consideration of the case.
Soto biography book signing at Book Nook
A book about Bob Soto's extraordinary life, aptly titled "Extraordinary Adventures" will be launched on Dec. 15 with a book signing on Dec. 18.
Cayman Economic Outlook conference date, speakers set
Inequality will be the theme of the 14th annual business conference presented by Fidelity Bank (Cayman) Ltd. on Jan. 19.
No new president for embattled CONCACAF
Following the indictment of three consecutive presidents, soccer’s governing body in the Caribbean and Central America has decided to hold off on appointing a new leader.
Panton proposes beneficial ownership deal
Government proposed what it calls a “centralized platform” for beneficial ownership information where service providers would keep the information and investigators would be able to access the data when necessary.
Anglin opts not to testify in his own murder trial
Devon Anglin, the defendant on trial for the murder of 4-year-old Jeremiah Barnes, opted Wednesday not to give evidence in the case.
CarePay trial: Witness says 'half dozen' companies wanted CarePay deal
About “half a dozen” companies, both local and international, had expressed interest on bidding for a Cayman Islands public hospital patient swipe-card contract prior to the contract being awarded to a Jamaican-St.Lucian firm, according to the former chief information officer for the local Health Services Authority.
New registration and licensing center set to open in January
The Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing will start offering inspection, registration and drivers’ licensing to more conveniently service Grand Cayman’s eastern districts starting in January.
CarePay trial: Minister Archer raised questions about swipe-card company
The former head of the Cayman Islands National Insurance Company said she was contacted last year by Finance Minister Marco Archer about the CarePay swipe-card contract for the local public hospital system.
Devon Anglin trial: Experts give evidence on gunshot residue
Gunshot residue was found on the clothing of Devon Anglin, accused of killing 4-year-old Jeremiah Barnes, a court heard this week.
Esterley Tibbetts Highway widening project begins
The project to widen the southernmost portion of the Esterley Tibbetts Highway to four lanes, which was announced on Nov. 25, is already under way.
Kane Cayman sponsors students
Independent insurance management company Kane (Cayman) Ltd. recently donated $40,000 to the Educational Scholarship Foundation of the Insurance Managers Association of Cayman.
Webb fired from Cayman football association
Jeffrey Webb has been officially terminated as president of the Cayman Islands Football Association after pleading guilty to involvement in racketeering and bribery schemes at world football’s governing body, FIFA. CIFA’s executive committee said it would hold elections for the role “at its first congress in 2016,” though it has not set a date for the meeting.
Cayman business in brief
Cable and Wireless and Manchester United team up; Travers Thorp Alberga merges with Orion Law; The Banker names Butterfield ‘Bank of the Year’; PwC moves to Camana Bay
CarePay trial: AIS contract was 'not going to be stopped,' says ex-medical chief
The former medical director of the Cayman Islands Health Services Authority said that he was “not comfortable” with either the CarePay patient swipe-card contract or a subsequent contract for a pharmaceutical tracking system being awarded to the local operator of a Jamaican-St. Lucian company, but admitted he did not formally object to either deal.
Clifton Hunter value: $69.2 million
The Cayman Islands government lost $41.6 million on the construction of Clifton Hunter High School between the date the school opened and the time a valuation of the North Side property was completed in May 2013.
Murder trials, other trial dates set in 2016
A trial date for a woman charged with the murder of her daughter and another trial date for two men charged with a murder in George Town in July are among those set for the coming year.
Ten airport severance packages totaled $173,000
Cayman's airports authority promises ad hoc 'severances' won't be paid to employees again.
Law Reform Commission calls for consumer protection law
A new report from the Law Reform Commission calls for new rules to protect consumers in the Cayman Islands.
The battle over 'beneficial ownership'
The topic of "beneficial ownership" is, for many of the jurisdictions including Cayman, the primary issue defining current relations with our common Colonial Mother.
Premier: Cayman unmoved on beneficial ownership
The Cayman Islands and other U.K. Overseas Territories have agreed to implement centralized registers of beneficial owners of companies or “similarly effective systems” at the Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council Meeting this week.
Daylight Saving Bill published
Government has published a Daylight Saving Time Bill as it pushes ahead with plans to adopt the system of changing clocks with the seasons.
FIFA scandal fits in with Mob Museum's motif
The FIFA corruption scandal, which has links to the Cayman Islands, fits right in with the ranks of notorious mobsters and gangster-hunting “G-men” featured at the Mob Museum in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Gambling Law assent clears way for fundraising raffles
Fundraising “raffles” officially are not considered gambling in legislation assented to by Governor Helen Kilpatrick and gazetted, just in time for the holiday giving season.
McCallum's fun runs get quicker
Pat McCallum may be introverted and petite, but do not let that fool you. She excels at every sport she puts her mind to, the latest being running.
Police theft: Missing drugs, missing answers
The recent revelation made by Police Commissioner David Baines — that suspected corrupt police officers are under investigation over the theft of $1 million in drugs from the George Town Police Station — could be cause for greater confidence in the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service or, potentially, the reverse.
Gay rights battle paralleled in Bermuda
A landmark ruling in the Supreme Court of Bermuda giving same-sex couples equal rights on immigration and employment issues has been cited as further evidence that the Cayman Islands needs to modernize its own laws.
Overseas Territories, London officials expect to broach beneficial ownership issue
Premier Alden McLaughlin and a six-member Cayman Islands delegation attended Tuesday afternoon’s opening session of the three-day annual Joint Ministerial Council in London. Ongoing questions of beneficial ownership are expected to be among the more contentious subjects addressed among the group of 12 Overseas Territories and Foreign and Commonwealth Office leaders.
St. Ignatius students excel in inter-schools debates
High school students Naomi Harris and Finley McDougall from St. Ignatius Catholic School won the inaugural Conyers Inter-Schools Debate Tournament last week in a tightly contested event.
Animal tethering practices in Cayman questioned
Roni Wildoner was traveling along the eastern coast of Grand Cayman in October when she spotted a bull tethered on the side of the road near Breakers. She investigated and found that the animal was tangled in his rope. A plastic makeshift water trough, with jagged, sharp edges, was empty, save for a handful of leaves. Tethering animals on the side of the road is a traditional practice in Cayman, but some say it's time for the tradition to end.
Finance minister says government audits improving
Finance Minister Marco Archer says accounting and financial controls are improving, despite an adverse opinion and other criticisms from the auditor general on government financial statements from the past two years.
MLA Alva Suckoo silent on future plans
Bodden Town MLA Alva Suckoo declined to discuss on Monday any future political plans he may have with regard to political party membership.
Eden's Progressives departure sets off political uproar
The departure of long-serving Bodden Town MLA Anthony Eden from the Progressives-led government last week sparked a behind-the-scenes political scramble and was viewed by some Cayman politics insiders as a potential foreshadowing of others leaving the Progressives party.
Mr. Eden said he would sit on the other side of the Legislative Assembly when the House next meets in the new year.
Shooter's clothing compared to defendant's
Expert video analyst Grant Fredericks testified last week that clothing worn by Devon Anglin, accused of killing 4-year-old Jeremiah Barnes, appeared indistinguishable from those worn by the shooter.
MLA Eden leaves PPM over civil union issue
A founding member of the People’s Progressive Movement political
party left the organization Thursday after a months-long dispute over
the legal acceptance of same-sex unions in the Cayman Islands.
‘Fallen Angel and Devil Concubine’ returns to Harquail
After nearly 25 years, 'The Fallen Angel & The Devil Concubine' returns to the Harquail Theatre stage, as part of its 30th anniversary celebration.
Review: From Island Girl to National Hero
The biography of Miss Sybil McLaughlin offers a compelling look at the life of the Cayman Islands' only living National Hero.
Winners of Bon Vivant Cook-Off announced
The semi-finals of the Bon Vivant Cook-Off were held in the shop's kitchen on Nov. 18 and 19, sending two teams through to the final, scheduled for Jan. 17, 2016.
Appeal against life sentence for rape adjourned
The appeal of rapist Jeffrey Barnes against a sentence of life imprisonment has been adjourned.
Government says no new taxes or borrowing
Releasing government’s 2016-2017 strategic policy statement, an annual exercise to set spending priorities, the premier and finance minister said the budget includes no new taxes or fees.
UK escalates beneficial ownership demands
The United Kingdom is seeking direct access by its law enforcement agencies to information about the beneficial owners of companies and other entities in the Cayman Islands and other Overseas Territories.
Internet issues impacting economy
The Cayman Islands is losing millions of dollars in investment because of inadequate telecoms infrastructure, regulators have warned.
Age proves no barrier for young Bodden Town community activist
A young girl’s concern for her community is turning heads and causing a stir.
Manderson: 'Confusion' over job-hopping
Significant confusion has arisen in recent months as to whether work permit holders employed in one occupation can “switch jobs” to a completely different profession.
Premier condemns anti-business rhetoric
Premier Alden McLaughlin admonished legislators for anti-business, anti-expat rhetoric that he warned risked hurting the island’s economy.
The premier supported an amended version of a private members’ motion from backbencher Winston Connolly, who called for changes to business licensing laws to encourage training, development and ownership opportunities for Caymanians.
CarePay project costs 'increased massively'
The proposed costs of a public hospital patient swipe-card project increased by as much as US$3.5 million after bid documents for the deal were submitted to former Cayman Islands Health Services Authority Board chairman Canover Watson, Crown prosecutors alleged Tuesday.
Changes coming for government spending
The Cayman Islands government spent more than $95 million last year buying various goods and services from vendors.
CIMA: Hedge fund asset growth shows confidence in regulatory regime
The growth of assets managed by Cayman-based funds shows that investment managers have a high level of confidence in Cayman’s regulatory regime for funds, according to Cindy Scotland, managing director of the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority.
Efforts to help migrants thwarted by police
A group of Cayman Islands residents who chartered a vessel to try to bring food and water to migrants on a ramshackle boat say marine police prevented them from assisting the men.
Baker roasted the elite runners
The Wednesday Night Running Club’s handicap series is one of those quirky events that a casual observer would not expect to become a popular fixture on the sporting calendar, yet it has.
Call for greater ownership opportunity for Caymanians
Caymanians are being prevented from getting to the top in the best paying professions in the country, MLA Winston Connolly claimed as he proposed changes to legislation governing business in the territory.
Conservation Council bans video recording, photography at public meetings
The National Conservation Council, a year-old council formed under the National Conservation Law, announced Monday that while the public is welcome to attend the meetings, video recording and photography will not be allowed.
Crown: Watson, Webb used company to defraud public sector
Canover Watson, with help from his friend Jeffrey Webb and former personal assistant Miriam Rodriguez, used a company he and Webb set up to “defraud public bodies of large amounts of money” jurors heard in the first day of a corruption trial.
Defilement sentence not excessive, court says
A sentence of three years and seven months was not manifestly excessive even after a guilty plea to the offense of defilement, the Court of Appeal ruled last week.
Port politics: 'The Council' comes to life
Flexing its muscles against its creator, the National Conservation Council is attempting to impede the Progressives government’s pursuit of the cruise berthing project downtown.
Premier, human rights body clash on same-sex unions
The government cannot consider any request to recognize same sex unions, Premier Alden McLaughlin said in a letter to the Human Rights Commission that was made public on Monday.
Hospital patients will be required to pay upfront for prescriptions
Patients at the Cayman Islands Hospital’s pharmacy will be asked to pay upfront for their prescriptions from January next year.
Legal action possible over port decision
Cayman Islands Government has been served with notice that a judicial review could be filed with relation to Cabinet’s decision to proceed with the cruise port development.
On corruption: The duties of the governor
The Cayman Islands has a reputation for being a hotbed of corruption, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
Still no sanctions for breaking finance law
For about a decade, the Cayman Islands Government failed to file consolidated financial statements on time, or in any sort of auditable form, as required by the territory’s Public Management and Finance Law.
Whistleblower oversight added to understaffed watchdog office
A government watchdog office which has no permanent leadership and whose future has been uncertain for more than a year will be given responsibility for monitoring whistleblower cases, Cayman Islands Deputy Governor Franz Manderson has confirmed.
Baker's in seventh heaven after overcoming handicap rivals
The Wednesday Night Running Club Handicap Championship was another eventful series, and for the seventh time since its introduction there is a new champion.
Canadian regulator claims breach by Caledonian co-defendant
The executive director of the British Columbia Securities Commission has issued a notice of hearing alleging that Verdmont Capital S.A breached securities laws by trading in securities on behalf of British Columbia residents.
Employer pays unfair dismissal fee in $1 bills
Robert Campbell, owner of Campbell’s Auto Repair and Sales Ltd., delivered more than $12,000 in $1 bills to law firm Samson and McGrath Thursday afternoon.
Free speech, hate speech, and Mr. Eden’s speech
As an individual, Anthony Eden has a protected right to free speech. As an elected MLA, Mr. Eden is sworn to uphold the Constitution. This is where the trouble begins.
