The front-page article in the 4 Dec. 1975 edition of the Caymanian Compass was of the sentencing of Jean Yves Doucet, the former chief executive of Interbank and a “leading influential resident in Cayman” to 9 months’ imprisonment by Stipendiary Magistrate Jim Shaw.
Doucet was found guilty of 13 counts of fraudulently converting gold bullion or money to purchase gold, and US$1 million that was the property of Las Tegas company. Defence Counsel Casey Gill represented the accused and gave notice of appeal verbally. Bail was set to half million dollars plus personal recognisances of the accused in the sum of $100,000. During the sentencing, Gill said, “I see Your Honour smiling,” to which the judge replied, “I am not smiling. Mr. Gill. Please don’t try to read my thoughts.” Details on the trial including character witnesses all speaking of Doucet’s interest in helping Caymanians. The judge in his 90-minute delivery of the judgement, said “trust had been reposed by people in the Cayman Islands. That trust has been betrayed.”
Another story that appeared outlined that Cayman Airways Limited was in financial difficulty, and the details of Financial Secretary V.G. Johnson addressing the Legislative Assembly.
Johnson was also the chairman of the board of CAL and informed the House that CAL had been operating “under a severe financial strain since Nov. 1974, operating at a loss, and that the company’s value was almost nil. Measures to improve the financial situation were outlined including looking at the lease arrangement and a new flight schedule.
The photo that appeared on the front page showed the large haul of ganja that was taken off a DC3 at Owen Roberts airport. The amount of ganja was about four tons, which had a street value of around $12 million and allegedly came from a fishing vessel “Lilla Palmer”, which ran aground on the reef at Bloody Bay. Three Americans were arrested in connection and appeared in court and charged with the possession and importation of ganja. They were Frank Moss, Leroy Alvin McMasters Jr. And Wilmot Platt 3rd.
Finally, Craddock Ebanks, elected member for North Side made an impassioned plea in the Legislative Assembly for responsiveness to the needs of the people in his district, citing numerous examples of small, but important, requests that had gone ignored for months – even years.
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