(CNS): Officers from the RCIPS Marine Unit closed the Sand Bar today, Thursday 11 March 2010, as winds increased across Grand Cayman. Urging people on the water to use caution, Inspector Brad Ebanks, officer in charge of the Marine Unit said that during this type of inclement weather the unit faces increased demands as more boaters find themselves in distress. “RCIPS has been working with the Water Sports Operators for a number of years now in efforts to ensure safety for people who use the water and marine life alike,” he said.

(CNS): Following reports of two burglaries in Cayman Brac that involved heavy goods, police say they have made an arrest in connection with the strong-arm burglars who might not have had such a clean getaway after all. Police confirmed that the washing machine and drier, which had allegedly been stolen from an unoccupied residence in the Watering Place area on Monday 22 February, were recovered from a house in the Alta Vista area yesterday. A 33-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman have now been arrested on suspicion of burglary and released on police bail as enquiries continue. Area Commander Chief Inspector Malcolm Kay said the two were arrested following a local police operation

(CNS): Following an emergency meeting that brought together around 700 public sector workers on Monday, the president of the Cayman Islands Civil Service Association said that he and his colleagues would be spending Wednesday evening putting the finishing touches to their collective thoughts regarding government’s proposed salary cuts. James Watler told CNS that Monday night’s meeting went well but raised more questions than answers for many public sector workers. He explained that for some it was the first time they were really hearing the details of the proposed salary and benefit cuts, which caused genuine concern.

(CNS): Although the Cayman Islands real estate market is continuing its four-year downward trend, analysts say this year’s fall in value was, at least, not as much as had been expected.  Although transfers fell by around 9%, Charterland Ltd chartered surveyors said it could have been a lot worse. Simon J Watson, the firm’s director, said there has been much speculation as to how the Cayman property market was impacted by the economic environment of 2009. The decrease was expected but it was actually less than many property experts had predicted, he observed.

(CNS): Following the recent move by government to remove the mandatory obligation for employers and employees to pay 10% of earnings into pension funds the Cayman Islands Chamber Pension Trustees have raised their concerns that employees may be forced to agree to employers stopping their pensions even though the new law says it must be voluntary.  The Chamber has also warned that regulating and managing this change in the law will prove problematic increasing the costs of pension administration as well as allowing more non-compliance.

(CNS): Cayman Wildlife Rescue volunteers have successfully released a juvenile Brown Pelican that was rescued in Pease Bay. The pelican was found by a concerned member of the public in February during rough weather.  When the bird did not fly away when approached, it was apparent it was suffering as a result of the weather and needed emergency care. Volunteers captured the pelican and took it to Island Veterinary Services where the vet said the bird was slightly underweight and dehydrated.  The Pelican was taken to the Cayman Wildlife Rescue facility, where a dedicated band of volunteers ensured that he was fed sprats twice a day. 

(CNS): The small business owners in Barnes Plaza, where a woman was shot in the face last Friday afternoon, are assessing the impact on their future livelihood. Some are concerned that the gangland attempted murder on their doorstep could drive customers away, while others have told News 27 that the shooting was all about the people involved and not the location. The concerns of many of those in the area mirror those of residents throughout the island -- it's not where, they say, but how many -- that is, the problem with shootings or major criminal incidents seeming to take place almost daily.

(CNS): The former education minister has said that the premier knew that this year’s budget was over ambitious and would never balance. Alden McLaughlin said McKeveva Bush had presented a “pretend budget” to the Legislative Assembly in order to ease the pressure from the UK. Accusing him of lying to both the people and the UK about the expected revenue, the opposition MLA said at a public meeting last night that the leader of the country had placed the Cayman Islands in an even more precarious position so that he could beat up on the PPM. McLaughlin said Bush had put too much pressure on business with fee increases and undermined confidence with his false declarations of the country’s bankruptcy.

(CNS): The Cayman Islands premier will be meeting with the UK government this week to discuss the Miller Report and the state of the country's finances. Following the revelations in his address to the country on Monday evening that the government will need to borrow again to balance the 2009/10 budget, McKeeva Bush will also need to seek permission from the FCO’s Overseas Territories Minister Chris Bryant. The last time Bush went to London seeking UK approval for borrowing he was told the UK wanted to see direct taxation, and while he was eventually granted permission, it was based on a number of conditions, including a balanced budget for this year. (Photo by Dennie Warren Jr)

(CNS): Frustrated by government’s refusal to convene an emergency Finance Committee meeting as he requested, Ezzard Miller, MLA for North side, is taking on the budget single handed. Convinced that there are numerous areas in spending that government could cut more easily than the salaries of civil servants, the independent MLA says that he will be examining the budget documents line by line to see the exact details of each appropriation and attempt to cut unnecessary expenditure. Miller told CNS that he believes this is what government should do first before taxing public sector workers.