(CNS): The international mission of observers that will be watching the Cayman Islands general election next Wednesday (22 May) said they would not interfere with the process but would record and validate the election from start to finish. Mario Galea (left) from Malta, who is heading up the six man team, told the press Friday that the team was here to ensure a free and fair election but the members were not interested in who was elected, only how they get elected. Galea said the mission would observe every element of the election on behalf of the people, from campaign finances to the count. Two days after the polls close they will give a preliminary report of their observations before publishing a final report within two months of the election. (Photo by Lennon Christian)

(CNS): A civilian employee of the RCIPS has escaped going to jail in the first ever corruption case in the Cayman Islands. Patricia Webster pleaded guilty to two counts of misconduct in a public office following an investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission. Justice Charles Quin handed down a nine month jail sentence on Thursday but suspended the sentence for 12 months because of a significant number of mitigating circumstances, despite the seriousness of the crime. The judge found that Webster was foolish and naive but had not received any pecuniary gain from her crime when she gave out confidential information to a friend.

(CNS): The police have confirmed that a 63-year-old man who was visiting Cayman on a cruise ship on Thursday died after a snorkelling trip off Eden Rock. The US tourist was swimming with friends at around 10.00am on 16 May when he got into difficult. The man was brought to shore by his friends where CPR was administered by EMS. He was then taken to the Cayman Islands Hospital in George Town where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. A spokesperson for the RCIPS said that the matter is now under investigation by the Joint Marine Unit.

(CNS): Neil Lavis, who has 30 years corrections experience in Britain, has been appointed as the Cayman Islands new prison director. Lavis is currently serving as the governor of HMP Swansea in Wales. Appointed because of key achievements during his three-year tenure there which have direct relevance for the HMCIPS, the new prison boss will start next month at a very challenge time of change for the local prison. HMP Swansea currently houses over 435 prisoners with 400 staff and a £9.5 million budget. Eric Bush, chief officer in the Portfolio of Internal and External Affairs, said he was confident Lavis would play a central role in efforts to improve the state of the local prison system.

(CNS) Updated: The police have confirmed that they have finally received a report regarding the allegations of theft at the Pines Retirement Home in George Town. The home released a statement more than two weeks ago stating that the board had dismissed its manager, Sue Nicholson, and was working with KPMG to prepare a report for the authorities. However, it is understood that Nicholson is no longer on Grand Cayman and the police said learlier this week that no report had yet been made to them about the missing money. But on Friday morning an RCIPS spokesperson confirmed that a report had now been filled with the Financial Crimes Unit.

(CNS): The various groups opposed to the West Bay Road closure are continuing on with their fight, despite the recent disappointment regarding one of the legal challenges. The judicial review application filed by Rupert Ackermon, one of the leading activists in the Truly4Cayman group, was thrown out by  Justice Charles Quin as a result of the time line, and the legal questions surrounding the deal were therefore never aired. However, a second legal action filed by four West Bay women who are also part of a broader group of activists opposing the Dart-NRA deal with government are awaiting a court date for their writ of summons to be heard.

(CNS): The group of district activists fighting to prevent the relocation of the George Town dump in Bodden Town are asking voters to pick from all of the PPM candidates and some independents on polling day as they have committed to keeping the district dump free. Alain Beiner, chairman of the Coalition to Keep BT Dump Free said his group had made the proposal by Dart Realty Cayman Ltd to place a new landfill in Midland Acres a major campaign issue but not all of the candidates had been clear about their opposition to the plan. He urged voters that to protect the district they should only vote for candidates who have unequivocally committed to keeping the district dump-free.

(CNS): Over the last few months the community affairs ministry has been urging those people who collect veterans' or seamen's benefits as a result of past service at sea to contact the ministry so it can verify that the people concerned are still alive and living here in Cayman. Speaking at Thursday’s press briefing, the current Cabinet said that, contrary to rumours, the monthly payments from government were not at risk. Meanwhile, on the campaign trail the PNA members of the minority Cabinet have been hammering home the message that these and all other social  payments come from central government coffers and are not dependent on McKeeva Bush being in office.

(CNS): With the General Election less than one week away, the Elections Office is reminding all liquor licence holders that no alcohol can be sold or given away until 7pm in the evening on Polling Day, an hour after the polls close. This includes bars, restaurants, hotels, duty free stores, as well as local liquor shops. Elections Supervisor Kearney Gomez also reminded employers that they must allow all staff members who are registered voters time off to go to the polls and that all political advertisements and banners and other inducements to vote for a particular candidate or party must be removed by midnight on Tuesday 21 May.

(CNS): With the country’s attention firmly focused on the political storms, the impending arrival of the Atlantic Hurricane Season on 1 June has taken a back seat for many people. However, local officials are urging everyone to begin their preparations during the forthcoming holiday weekend. Monday 20 May is the National Day of Preparedness, with this year’s theme focusing on things people need to survive a major storm. The theme "Get your preparedness kit together!" urges residents to consider what they need and get stocked up before the season starts.

(CNS): All fourteen PPM candidates running with party leader Alden McLaughlin have declared their unreserved support for him following accusations made by the C4C on Wednesday that some of them were disloyal, and asked voters not to fall for the claims. In a statement signed by the PPM team released Thursday afternoon, the candidates said the C4C was causing “political mischief” but had not named a leader of its own, as the Progressives pointed out that McLaughlin was elected leader by the party membership. The candidates said they would not be sidetracked by the “spurious claims” of the coalition, which has failed to gain a broad base of support from the electorate.