Artist’s rendition of Scranton Park – Aerial View (CNS): The Cayman Islands Government has signed a deal with McAlpine to complete Phase 1 of the proposed public park in the middle of George Town. The contract, worth $2.3 million, does not include buildings. It covers the landscaping, site grading, earthworks, stormwater management, a pond, pathways and lights, among other parts of the park, such as the planned callisthenics area. Although the park is primarily for residents, the tourism ministry is overseeing the project as it is situated in the heart of Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan’s constituency. The deal with McAlpine comes just a few weeks after the official groundbreaking for Central Scranton Park. Officials said it is the first step in transforming the old local Scranton Park into a new, much bigger green space in the centre of the capital. “The development of Central Scranton Park has been a vision...

Premier Juliana O’Connor-Connolly chairs Finance Committee on 11 Oct 2024, with Financial Secretary Ken Jefferson (CNS): Parliament has given the OK for the government to add $51.8 million in extra spending to this year’s budget. On Friday, Finance Committee went through the long list of new expenditures, including $35.4 million in operating expenses and $16.4 million in capital expenditures. Core Government is now expecting to collect $1.098 billion in revenue, which is $3 million more than originally budgeted. Core expenses are now forecast at $1.081 billion, which is $31 million more than the $1.05 billion original budget for this year. This has cut the anticipated surplus from $44.5 million to just $16.5 million. Government is forecasted to borrow $27 million this year, though Financial Secretary Kenneth Jefferson said that might not be needed. However, the government will need to use the money it is borrowing in 2025 as planned, given...

Example of gummy packaging (provided by the RCIPS) (CNS) The RCIPS has revealed that the two juveniles who were taken to the hospital last week after consuming a drug had eaten edible cannabis gummies. The police have since conducted a joint operation with Customs and Border Control at two undisclosed commercial premises where they found a “significant batch of THC-infused products”, including gummies that had been recently imported to Cayman. The juveniles had reportedly passed out after eating a quantity of the drug-laced candy, which is sold legally in parts of the United States and Canada. They have since been released. However, the police and health officials are warning parents about the sedative effect of the gummies laced with THC, which causes significant changes in mood and behaviour. Chief Medical Officer Dr Nick Gent described the products as dangerous substances that, when consumed, can have serious health consequences for younger...

A&E entrance at the HSA hospital (CNS): Two juveniles ended up in hospital on Monday after they consumed some drugs and passed out. Responding to a report made at around 7:45pm, police officers went to a residential address in East End, where they found a juvenile who was unresponsive. The juvenile was said to have ingested a drug, which has not been disclosed as police have said this is part of their investigation. He was taken to hospital by ambulance and soon afterwards, a friend of that child was also reported to be en route to the hospital with a parent. Both juveniles were treated at the hospital by the attending doctor and have since been released to their guardians. Police urged parents to monitor their children’s activities and behaviour. Anyone with any suspicions or concerns about drugs can contact the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) at 649-6000. Bodden Town CID is investigating this...

(CNS): As of June this year, the estimated population of the Cayman Islands had risen to 87,866, a more than 5% increase on the 2023 figure and a growth in headcount of around 3,000 people from December 2023, when the population stood at 84,738. The number of Caymanians rose by just 2.5% to 39,897, while the number of permanent residents grew to 7,822 from 6,433 in the spring of 2023. The non-Caymanian population is now estimated to be more than 40,000, a 4.8% increase from last year. Cayman’s rapidly growing population is not a result of a growing birth rate but an increase in migrant workers. According to the Spring 2024 Labour Force Survey, more than 53% of the workforce (33,573 people) are expatriates. The overall population is made up of 44,936 men (up by 6.3% since last spring) and 42,930 women (up by 3.7%) — another sign that foreign...

Fish Market, George Town (CNS): The Cayman Islands Government has accepted a private member’s motion submitted by back-bench member McKeeva Bush (WBW) to consider the compulsory acquisition of two small parcels of land in the George Town Harbour where the fish market is located. Most of Red Spot (aka Dora’s Beach) is owned by Chris Johnson, who has been reluctant to sell the site to the government for a permanent fish market as he had planned to donate the land to the people as a beach for everyone to use free from commercial activity. Local fishermen say they have been using the area to unload, clean and sell fish for decades, a claim Johnson disputes. Nevertheless, he has allowed them to use the site to sell their wares since he acquired the land in partnership with another owner in the early 1970s. In recent years, he and his family began...

Government Administration Building (CNS): Premier Juliana O’Connor-Connolly has announced the approval of a 5% increase in the cost of living allowance for civil servants, which will start on 1 January. She said the pay raise is to address the widening gap between salaries and the rate of inflation, and there is a need to bolster overall compensation packages to keep them competitive with the international and local talent market. The premier also said the lower salaries are to be reviewed and increased to ensure no civil servant earns less than $3,000 per month. The premier revealed the pay increase during Thursday’s meeting of parliament. She said civil servants “work tirelessly to deliver government services to the public” and ensure the smooth running of government, which relies on them to fulfil policy objectives. “It is imperative that the government ensures civil servants are not at a disadvantage in terms of their...

Collapsed sea wall on Seven Mile Beach (CNS): The Cayman Islands Government has finally released a statement on the erosion of Seven Mile Beach, which Climate Resiliency Minister Katherine Ebanks-Wilks called “an urgent national matter” but which many people are calling a national crisis. In a press release issued Thursday evening, she said the CIG was keen to find a sustainable solution. To this end, a cross-governmental meeting with stakeholders and technocrats is planned for Monday to discuss the worsening problem. The release said that earlier this week, government members met with Opposition Leader Joey Hew to discuss this pressing matter. The forthcoming meeting will include the technical team from the Department of Environment and key representatives from each of the ministries responsible for Environment, Planning, Tourism and Lands. Over the last few weeks, multiple severe weather events have exacerbated the already worsening erosion on the southern end of Seven...

(CNS): A Honda Fit speeding away from the scene of a domestic disturbance in Tropical Gardens, George Town, in the early hours of Wednesday morning collided with an RCIPS patrol car, causing extensive damage to the vehicle and leaving an officer with minor injuries. The police said that shortly before 12:30am on 9 October, officers responding to a report of a disturbance saw a yellow Honda Fit leaving the scene, travelling towards the police car. After the officers activated their emergency lights and sirens, the Honda Fit initially slowed down but then sped off and collided with the front of the police vehicle. Both vehicles became disabled, and the police vehicle received extensive damage. The driver of the Honda Fit got out of the vehicle and ran off.  The police officers chased after him, but he escaped.  Both vehicles were removed from the scene, and the Honda Fit has been...

View towards Royal Palms after the recent stormy weather (CNS): Climate Resiliency Minister Katherine Ebanks-Wilks presented the long-awaited climate policy to parliament Wednesday. The document outlines a 26-year plan for the adaptation and mitigation measures necessary for the Cayman Islands to become climate-resilient. Stressing the importance and significance of the policy, which has taken almost fifteen years for the government to adopt, Ebanks-Wilks said the region is already experiencing more intense rainfall events and tropical storms, putting communities and critical infrastructure at greater risk of flooding and damage. “Warmer sea temperatures and longer periods of drought jeopardise the health and viability of valuable, limited natural resources, upon which our tourism, our food security, our livelihoods, and our quality of life depend,” she told her parliamentary colleagues in a short speech about the policy. Although the policy was presented to the Cabinet more than a year ago, it has been languishing...