Ministers Roll up Their Sleeves LOCAL NEWS — Page 5
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Covid 19 Vaccination Caymanian Schedule Page 6 Wednesday, May 12, 2021 Issue No 660 www.caymaniantimes.ky 50¢ INSIDE THIS ISSUE Ministers roll up their sleeves LOCAL NEWS — page 5 PWD/NRA Teams Prepare for Hurricane Season ENVIRONMENT — page 7 See story on page 3 >> PAHI Minister Tours Departments, Meets Staff DoE ADVICE IGNORED ON FILLING IRONSHORE FOR DEVELOPMENT Newly appointed Minister of Planning, Agriculture, Housing and Infrastructure (PAHI), Hon. Jay Ebanks toured a number GOVERNMENT — page 9 of departments under his portfortio and met with staff members last week. These included the Public Works De- partment, Department of Vehicle and Equipment Services, Facilities Manage- ment, Department of Agriculture, Nation- al Roads Authority, Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing, National Housing Development Trust, among others. “It is important for me to meet the staff in their work environment, see what they do and have some discussions before making plans for the ministry,” said Min- ATTORNEY GENERAL WINS AT ister Ebanks. PRIVY COUNCIL ON REFERENDUMS X Acting Director, Public Works Department Troy Whorms with Hon. Jay Ebanks during a ISSUE Department tour SEE PAHI MINISTER TOURS, Page 9 Fast & Affordable - ADVERTISE YOUR EMPLOYMENT ADS Accepted by WORC with Email [email protected] Caymanian Times Newspaper or call 9162000 / 9458463 2 Issue No 660 | Wednesday, May 12, 2021 | Caymanian Times E�itorial EDITORIAL LET’S VACCINATE BEFORE IT GETS TOO LATE The turnout for Saturday’s ‘vaccination ly involved and leading the global effort rally’ (complete with the prize incentives) against the COVID-19 pandemic, is that was both impressive and encouraging the vaccines on the market are safe, to the with reports of around 1,000 people lining extent that they are also getting vaccinat- up to get the jab. ed. It suggests that the message about the A reluctance to take the vaccine is un- importance of the COVID-19 vaccine for derstandable especially with the reports individuals and the wider community is of a small minority of cases of severe reac- getting through again. tions to at least one of the vaccine brands, After the initial good response which the Oxford AstraZeneca. had put Cayman in the top league of the It’s reassuring however, that the greater global vaccination roll-out, the rate slowed majority of people who have been vacci- down, especially when the campaign was nated have had little or no adverse reac- opened up for those 16 to 50age range. tion. Getting vaccinated remains a matter of And while the current indications glob- choice but there is a wider community ally and locally are we may have to learn good at stake. to live with the virus, the level of protec- The information from the scientists, tion against severe illness that the vac- governments and others who are direct- cines provide eclipses the doubts being X Sabrina Turner, Martyn Roper, and Clinton Whittaker who took his first shot expressed...and some have been rather outlandish to put it mildly. pharma’ and a slew of conspiracy theories The COVID-19 vaccine should now be faceSide into issues the backgroundabout the profitability when measured of ‘big viewed as just another in the arsenal of vaccines that protect us from diseases or which now include the COVID-19 vaccines. reduce the risk of us becoming seriously ill upSo against let’s play the ourefficacy part forof these ourselves vaccines and should we be unfortunate to contract one for Cayman. of the many viruses in circulation. Let’s not be close-minded. Our health Here’s a list to consider across all age depends on this. groups (sourced from the UK National Opening up the borders and the econo- my also depend on it. (measles, mumps and rubella), tuberculo- sis,Health chicken Service pox - NHS);and shingles.There’s flu, rotavirus, MMR also So, come on Cayman, vaccines that provide a safeguard against It’s getting late, let’s vaccinate. pneumonia and hepatitis A and B. Also, note the vaccine expiry date. Add to that list vaccines against, small- It would be a crying shame pox, diphtheria and rabies plus others be- To end up throwing away ing researched. Vaccines which have been donated by They all have side effects but that is far the UK While elsewhere in the world people individual, their family, the community are literally dying andoutweighed the world. by the proven benefits to the For the lack of vaccines 4.2% 3.8% 3.2% 3.2% 3.2% 2.5% 2.8% 2.6% 2.2% 1.8% 1.6% 3.1% 3.0% 2.7% 2.3% 2.2% 1.9% -0.1% 1.7% 1.2% 1.2% 1.3% -0.4% -2.5% -2.7% -7.2% Caymanian Caymanian Times Issue # 660 Publisher: Ralph Lewis Company: Lewis Cayman Islands Ltd #19 Walkers Road (next to Tomlinson Furniture) Telephone: 345 916 2000 Email: [email protected], or [email protected] Website: www.caymaniantimes.ky Local News Caymanian Times | Wednesday, May 12, 2021 | Issue No 660 3 X Governor Martyn Roper, with Department of Health workers, and Dr. Lee X Health-worker heroes Ministers roll up their sleeves at ORIA By Christopher Tobutt coming months we have to have a plan for the reopening of our Hon Premier Wayne Panton, borders and central to that plan - to restore a normal economy is ernment ministers and VIPs having a well-vaccinated pop- cameflanked to byOwen a whole Roberts host Interna of gov- ulation – there’s just no getting tional Airport on Saturday 7 May around it. We’re leading from the led a big drive to get at least 70% front and have to make sure that of the country vaccinated so that as a government, we are all fully Cayman can reopen soon. While vaccinated, to show the way for- quite a few of the Ministers and ward for the rest of the country. MP’s that make up the new gov- Please do your part, and be part ernment have already received of the solution. both of their jabs, quite a few Rolling up their sleeves were Chris Saunders, the deputy pre- second doses. The Government mier and Minister of Economic iswere urging coming everyone to get theirover first16 orto Development and Labourm and while Kenneth Bryan, Minister of the 2-dose covid-19 vaccinations Tourism and Transport, as well beforecome and June get 9, sotheir that first as manydose asof as East End Member of Parlia- possible can be vaccinated be- ment, Isaac Rankine. fore the current shipment from the UK effectively expires. said, “Its really good news that Premier Panton said: “Taking soChief many Medicalof the people Officer have Dr. come Lee X Government Ministers and MP’s proudly show their vaccination sticky-plasters. Photo includes Minister of the vaccine is key to our plan out today to take the vaccine. Health Sabrina Turner, Chris Saunders, Kenneth Bryan, Katherine Ebanks-Wilks, Bernie Bush, Isaac Rankine, and McKeeva Bush to reopen the borders to start We’re getting through our last our tourism industry, and it is remaining doses and we really really the only solution moving want to make sure that we use encouraging our community vaccines which, when you look look globally and see what’s hap- forward. It is obviously a public them up, because they are a real to take the vaccine. We have an around the world would be a pening we have a golden nugget health issue, but at the end of the gift to all of Cayman to protect us incredible opportunity with our crying shame.” here that is about to expire and day it translates to a global eco- from the coronavirus. supply of vaccines from the UK Sabrina Turner, Minister of we really hope that the message nomic crisis, too. His Excellency the Governor, but they do expire at the end of Health and Wellness. I want to is sent out clearly here in com- “This is the only solution, mov- Martyn Roper was also encour- June. So you have to have your say that this event is very im- bination with what is happening ing forward. We have to get to a aging everyone to come and get portant today and we are really globally then the people will real- point where we have the maxi- vaccinated. “This is really im- so you can have the second dose encouraged as well, there has ize how blessed we are to have a mum number of people who are portant and I’m really thankful atfirst the dose end ofby June. the ninthOtherwise of June, we been a lot of effort into getting vaccination like this that is highly vaccinated. At some point in the to Premier Panton and his team will have to waste some of the the uptake of vaccines. When we sought-after.” X Minister of Tourism and Transport Hon. Kenneth Bryan X Premier Wayne Panton, and his 17-year old Foster Son receives his first jab, with Hon Premier Wayne Panton looking on proudly show their vaccination cards X Chris Saunders 4 Issue No 660 | Wednesday, May 12, 2021 | Caymanian Times E�ucation Pre-schoolers to get new literacy programme Young children in certain pre- tor, explained that decades of research showed that early investment in literacy ground-breaking new early years litera- could have a profound impact on brain de- schools will be benefitting soon from a organisation, Literacy is For Everyone far exceeding academics. (LIFE).cy programme, thanks to the non-profit velopment“As well asand raising learning, educational with its achieve-benefits LIFE has teamed up with the Cayman ment and future job prospects, high liter- Islands Early Childhood Association (CIE- acy levels improve health and wellness, eliminate poverty, impact crime and in- cious Gems Preschool on Walkers Road carcerations rates, and ensure long-term thisCA) toSeptember, bring Thrive and Bythen Five it isfirstly to be to rolled Pre- socio-economic stability for all,” she said.