1. Islands

Category Archives: Islands

Cayman Islands jury clears ex-premier of all criminal charges nearly 2 years after his ouster

Posted on by

Published October 09, 2014

KINGSTON, Jamaica A Cayman Islands jury on Thursday found a former premier not guilty of nearly a dozen criminal charges about two years after he was ousted from office on suspicion of corruption.

Prosecutors alleged McKeeva Bush had illegally tapped his government credit card to withdraw nearly $50,000 in casinos in the Bahamas and the United States, using some of the cash to gamble on slot machines.

The jury of four men and three women deliberating about seven hours, and unanimously cleared Bush of six counts of misconduct and five counts of breach of trust in the tiny British Caribbean territory that is one of the world's biggest financial centers.

In a statement after the verdict was delivered, Bush said the charges "were nothing more than the result of a conspiracy to remove me from power." He has repeatedly asserted that he did not break any laws and that he was the victim of a smear campaign by political opponents.

Bush and a few dozen supporters hugged and cheered outside the courtroom after Justice Michael Mettyear had departed.

Bush, the British Caribbean territory's longest serving politician, lost a no-confidence vote in December 2012 and was ousted as the islands' No. 1 politician after police arrested him at his home on suspicion of misusing a government credit card and other charges.

The charges rocked the Cayman Islands, where Bush had been the premier since his United Democratic Party won 2009 general elections. He wielded great power within the territory because he was in charge of finance, tourism and development as well as being head of government.

A few months after his arrest, Bush's fractured party was defeated in parliamentary elections. He retained his seat as a lawmaker in his powerbase in a populous district of Grand Cayman. He also remained head of his political faction.

Link:

Cayman Islands jury clears ex-premier of all criminal charges nearly 2 years after his ouster

Chinas Airstrip in Paracel Islands Heightens Vietnam Tensions

Posted on by

Chinas completion of an upgraded airstrip in the disputed Paracel Islands gives it another foothold in the South China Sea and risks sparking a renewed diplomatic rift with communist neighbor Vietnam.

Vietnam foreign ministry spokesman Le Hai Binh yesterday called the two-kilometer-long runway on Woody Island, part of the Paracel group, a violation of Vietnams sovereignty after photos of the project appeared in Chinese media this week. In July, a Chinese company removed an oil rig it had placed in contested waters off Vietnams coast after skirmishes between boats of the two countries and deadly anti-Chinese riots in Vietnam.

Chinas presence on the island it calls Yongxing, which houses banks, post offices and government buildings, is likely to further strain ties with fellow claimants to the South China Sea, through which some of the worlds busiest shipping lanes run. The military facility could spur countries such as Vietnam to turn to the U.S. for sophisticated maritime aircraft to counter Chinas actions.

It has a huge significance for Chinese ability to exercise its sovereignty claims over the South China Sea, Collin Koh, an associate research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, said by phone. Vietnam is not going to let this go easily. Its going to lead to more diplomatic tensions.

Chinas runway violates international law and damages ties, Vietnam News cited foreign ministry spokesman Binh as saying. The move contravenes an accord between Vietnam and China on settling sea disputes and a 2002 agreement between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on conduct in the area, he said.

Clashes between Vietnamese and Chinese vessels near the oil rig during the summer highlighted Chinas limited maritime air surveillance in the region, according to Koh. An offer by Malaysia offer to host U.S. P-8 Poseidon surveillance airplanes in the country further unnerved China, he said.

The Woody Island outpost is set to become a military command and control network, he said.

Its not just about lengthening the runway, Koh said. Its about having shelters for small aircraft like jet fighters, underground bunkers for fuel and ammunition.

China considers much of the South China Sea its territory based on its nine-dash line map first published in the 1940s. The map covers an area that extends hundreds of miles south from Hainan Island and takes in the Paracels, which are claimed by Vietnam, and the Spratly Islands, some of which are claimed by the Philippines. China is creating artificial islands in the Spratly area.

China is sending a message to everyone in the world about its resolve to maintain what it perceives as its territorial integrity, Alexander Vuving, a security analyst at the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Hawaii, said by phone. China is hardening its position with all of these things.

See more here:

Chinas Airstrip in Paracel Islands Heightens Vietnam Tensions

Southern Nicobar Islands | Tsunami Affected Area | Great Nicobar | Car Nicobar | Part 3 – Video

Posted on by


Southern Nicobar Islands | Tsunami Affected Area | Great Nicobar | Car Nicobar | Part 3
This Island is the most silent Island I ever saw. The Great Nicobar and Car Nicobar islands were the worst hit among all the islands because of their proximity to the quake and relatively flat...

By: allenwebstarme

Read the original:

Southern Nicobar Islands | Tsunami Affected Area | Great Nicobar | Car Nicobar | Part 3 - Video

Southern Nicobar Islands | Tsunami Affected Area | Great Nicobar | Car Nicobar | Part 1 – Video

Posted on by


Southern Nicobar Islands | Tsunami Affected Area | Great Nicobar | Car Nicobar | Part 1
The Great Nicobar and Car Nicobar islands were the worst hit among all the islands because of their proximity to the quake and relatively flat terrain. Aftershocks rocked the area, and one-fifth...

By: allenwebstarme

See more here:

Southern Nicobar Islands | Tsunami Affected Area | Great Nicobar | Car Nicobar | Part 1 - Video

Solomon Islands elections set for November

Posted on by

US yet to request help in Iraq, says Abbott

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has not ruled out Australian military involvement in Iraq if requested by the US.

Clive Palmer says he'll sue Qld's Deputy Premier for claiming he sought special favours for coal projects.

Former president George H.W. Bush turns 90 on Thursday and is marking the big day with a skydive.

Clive Palmer is hiring an Elvis impersonator to entertain his constituents at his Sunshine Coast resort.

The meeting between US President Barack Obama and PM Tony Abbott went ahead despite the Iraq crisis.

The Geoff Shaw show rolls on with the suspended Victorian MP due to headline a comedy event on Friday night.

Australia and the United States have reached a deal to bolster Marine rotations through Darwin.

Julia Gillard's former boyfriend has denied ever giving her money from a union slush fund for renovations.

Victoria's parliament is now deadlocked but the premier says his government is getting on with business.

Read this article:

Solomon Islands elections set for November

EIT donates nursing books to the Cook Islands

Posted on by

Student nurses in the Cook Islands have lots of extra reading to look forward to, with staff from EITs School of Nursing donating textbooks to support their three-year training programme.

Spearheading the book-donation drive, EITs Assistant Head of School Nursing Jennifer Roberts asked her colleagues for textbooks they were no longer using. In the four weeks since, they have been piling up in her office so that now, she says, there are 112 to send away.

The campaign was prompted by a recent holiday to the island group and ongoing communication with the principal of the Cook Islands School of Nursing, New Zealander Mary MacManus.

"They have also asked EITs School of Nursing to review their new curriculum, introduced this year for their Diploma in Nursing programme, so that has been on my to-do list too."

Jennifer says Mary was pleased to accept the offer of books, which are needed to build up a library for use by the student nurses and health professionals working in the Cook Islands. While the island group has an 80-bed hospital on Rarotonga and a 20-bed hospital on Aitutaki, most nurses work in primary health care out in the community.

The Cooks have a population of 11,000 people living on 15 islands scattered over two million square kilometres of ocean.

"Often nurses are working on their own, running a clinic where the challenge is to be a Jack of all trades, dealing with whatever problems come in the door."

Student nurses start practicums in their first year of training, undertaking 1900 clinical hours to complete their diplomas compared to the 1100 hours required for New Zealands Bachelor of Nursing.

Jennifer says she wasnt expecting so many donations - "and theyre not small books". Hefty tomes covering areas such as anatomy and physiology wont date. Also useful will be those on maternal and child health, which make up a big component of nurse training and practice in the Cooks.

"They provide a foundation of knowledge - you always need a textbook."

Go here to read the rest:

EIT donates nursing books to the Cook Islands


  1. Islands