Wednesday News Roundup

DOE ISSUES ROMAINE LETTUCE RECALL

The Department of Environmental Health (DEH) urges members of the public, restaurant operators, wholesalers and retailers not to purchase, eat, serve or sell romaine lettuce until otherwise notified. Included in this notice, are all forms of romaine lettuce such as whole lettuce, pre-cut lettuce and salad mixes that include romaine lettuce. This after an alert Tuesday issued by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concerning the potential contamination of romaine lettuce with E. coli.

JUDGE TO DECIDE ON CHILD ABDUCTION CASE

Sean Scott (37) from West Bay is charged with criminal tress and attempting to abduct a nine-year-old girl from Plantation Village condos in May 2018.

Justice Roger Chapple, heard the week long case alone and must now decide the fate of the accused. Several eyewitnesses including the girl and her grand-father placed the accused at the scene but gave conflicting descriptions of what he looked like.

Scott initially admitted to being in the area and wanting to assist some children playing. His electronic monitoring tag (for a previous burglary charge) almost placed him in the vicinity.

The judge will render his decision early next month.

DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING WANTS YOUR INPUT

The Department of Planning is preparing to update the Development Plan for Grand Cayman and is seeking the public’s help.

Dubbed “Plan Cayman”, the Development Plan is a long-range, comprehensive strategy that provides guidance for the physical development and overall use of land on Grand Cayman.

“This process is one of the key tasks government has set out to accomplish, as part of our strategy for developing a strong economy for the Cayman Islands,” notes Hon. Joseph Hew, Minister for Planning.

“Our infrastructure has a direct impact on our businesses, communities and families; and to ensure it is sustainable in the future, we need the public to have its say”, adds the Minister.

To begin the process the department launched a dedicated website, www.plancayman.ky, in early October which served to educate the public on the purpose and structure of the Development Plan. Through the online platform, the public can find important documents, learn about upcoming events and provide their feedback.

The first document to be made available online for public input is the National Planning Framework. The document, which was drafted by the Central Planning Authority (CPA) under the mandate of the Development and Planning Law, sets out long-term goals for land use on the island.

It covers a number of areas of interest including land use, the natural environment, transportation, infrastructure, recreation and open spaces. In addition, the document builds on information gathered during previous public outreach programmes.

NFL PARTNERS WITH HEALTH CITY CAYMAN

NFL Alumni (NFLA) today announced a partnership with Health City Cayman Islands, a world-class tertiary care medical facility founded by renowned cardiac surgeon Dr. Devi Shetty.

Health City is only the second hospital in the Caribbean to receive accreditation by Joint Commission International, and provides affordable state-of-the-art surgical techniques in sports medicine, orthopedics, neuro and spinal surgery, plus a full range of other medical services.

“We are pleased to partner with Health City Cayman Islands,” says NFL Alumni CEO Elvis Gooden.

“We are constantly seeking the most advanced affordable health and wellness related offerings to benefit the quality of life of our members. Partnership with Health City Cayman Islands will provide our members with another excellent medical resource.”

NFL Alumni members will benefit from Health City’s commitment to successful results and improved quality of life. Surgeons and medical staff at Health City have extensive experience in their fields, employ the latest technologies, and together provide seamless, concierge care. Patients recover in the secure and tranquil setting of Grand Cayman.

“We are delighted to join forces with NFL Alumni to provide world-class medical care to members and their families, just one hour away from the United States.” says Health City Cayman Islands Clinical Director Dr. Binoy Chattuparambil. “Our proven commitment to patient-centered care, quality outcomes, and transparent bundled pricing makes this a perfect partnership.”

COMMUNITY GROUP OFFERS FREE ALARMS

The Prospect Red Bay Community Group (formerly the Prospect Community group) is giving away free window and door alarms to every home in the Prospect and Red Bay area.

This extraordinary gesture has been made possible because the group’s Community Emergency Response Team won first place in the 2017 annual CERT Challenge and decided to use the winnings to provide a siren system for the community.

“When we won the CERT Challenge and realized we had $6,000 to spend we wanted to use the funds to do something positive for as many people in our community as possible,” said the group’s Executive Committee Chairperson, Ms. Sabrina Turner. “We decided on the alarms because they can be placed on any window or door in the home and they add another level of security and awareness to our existing neighbourhood watch.”

While being light and compact in size, the alarms have a piercing 120 decibel siren which is loud enough to call attention in a variety of situations. They can be installed to any surface in seconds and no tools are required.

The free giveaway takes place on Wednesday 21st and Thursday 22nd November between 6-8pm at the Seafarers Hall on Victory Avenue. To receive an alarm, residents are asked to bring a current utility bill in their name or their voters ID to confirm they live in the area. In addition to the alarms, residents will also receive free neighbourhood watch window decals.