2020 year in review stories
As the final minutes of 2019 began to tick down, people across the Cayman Islands gathered in churches, yards, public beaches and elsewhere to ring in the new year. For most, 2020 started with a bang, as brilliant displays of fireworks lit up the night sky. Little did the world know at the time that 2020 would be one year for the history books.
January
1 Jan.: Port and same-sex marriage cited as largest 2020 challenges
In his New Year message to the Cayman Islands, Premier Alden McLaughlin acknowledged that issues of the cruise port dock and same-sex marriage will be challenging ones for his government in 2020.
7 Jan.: DoE says two ‘king tides’ expected for early 2020
The Department of Environment announced the expected arrival of two king tides – much higher-than-normal-tidal surges, that were due to occur in Grand Cayman and the Sister Islands in mid-January; when the full moon would be closest to the Earth.
12 Jan.: First water-related death recorded
On 12 Jan., 72-year-old Jack Joseph Pardo, of North Carolina, USA, died while snorkeling in the sea off North Church Street. Pardo was visiting Cayman at the time of his death.
15 Jan.: 181 parrots registered during amnesty
As the end of the six-month parrot registration amnesty programme drew near, the DoE announced it had registered 170 birds on Grand Cayman and 11 on Cayman Brac. The birds were also given a free health assessment by the DoE team.
21 Jan.: Missing landfill worker declared dead
Nine years after she was last seen, missing Department of Environmental Health employee Anna Evans was declared legally dead. The last sighting of Evans, 37, a mother of five, was at the George Town landfill on 27 Jan. 2011.
22 Jan.: Same-sex marriage fight heads to Privy Council
Lawyers representing same-sex couple Chantelle Day and Vicky Bodden Bush confirmed plans to take their fight to the UK Privy Council. In March 2019, Day and Bodden Bush won their initial court fight to be granted the right to marry in Cayman. That was later overturned by the appeals court in November the same year.
Port vote case begins
Also on 22 Jan., a three-day judicial review into the legality of the Port Referendum Law began in the Grand Court. The civil action, which was filed by Shirley Roulstone, called on the courts to strike down the law, arguing that it was too specific and did not meet the requirements set out by Cayman’s Constitution.
24 Jan.: Scrap metal fire erupts at landfill
The first of what would be several landfill fires for 2020 erupted in the scrap metal section of the George Town landfill, as sparks from a car that was being compacted ignited with gas that was still in the vehicle’s tank. No injuries were reported and the blaze was extinguished a few hours later.
27 Jan.: Women honoured at National Heroes Day
The 2020 Heroes Day celebrations split the focus between Cayman’s constitutional progress and the contributions women have made, and continue to make, in local politics. During the celebrations, the busts of several National Heroes were unveiled by their surviving descendants.
28 Jan.: Earthquake rocks Cayman
A 7.7 magnitude earthquake in the northern Caribbean was felt in Cayman, Jamaica, and Cuba. The quake lasted about two minutes and it opened up sinkholes across Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac. The 2pm quake sent the country’s capital into an early afternoon gridlock as businesses closed early and more than 6,500 people rushed to their loved ones. It is thought to have been one of the strongest earthquakes in the history of the Caribbean.
31 Jan.: Cayman begins to monitor a mysterious illness coming out of China
Public Health officials stated that they were monitoring SARS COVID-19, a virus that was first widely reported in Wuhan, China. At the time, health officials said there was nothing to worry about in Cayman and that there was a plan in place should the virus reach the islands.
February
2 Feb.: Cayman ramps up COVID-19 response efforts
Cayman’s National Security Council gathered to discuss potential travel restrictions that could be implemented as COVID-19 had spread to 18 other countries and claimed its first death outside of China.
‘Ruthless and dangerous’ home invader jailed for life
Also, on 2 Feb., 26-year-old Elmer Wright, of George Town, was given a double life sentence for an aggravated burglary during which he and others tied up and robbed a couple at gunpoint in the Patrick’s Islands area. Although the life sentences were indeterminate, Wright could become eligible for parole after serving 18 years in prison.
4 Feb.: MLA calls earthquake and coronavirus ‘warnings’ over gay lifestyle
Opposition member Anthony Eden tells other elected officials that recent earthquakes and the developing global pandemic COVID-19 were a result of Cayman’s departure from Christian principles in favour of a pro-gay lifestyle.
10 Feb.: Smith Cove parking plan ignites debates over site covenant
Debate over the Smith Barcadere development intensified, as advocates for keeping the cove area undeveloped clashed with government over plans for an oceanside parking lot and the scope of a covenant prohibiting commercial activity at the site.
11 Feb.: Mandatory quarantine implemented for coronavirus
Government imposed mandatory quarantine and began working on travel restrictions for travellers and residents who had been to mainland China.
12 Feb.: Megalodon tooth found in Cayman
A tooth from a megalodon, a long-extinct giant shark, was found in the eastern districts of Grand Cayman, according to the Department of Environment. DoE scientists examined and measured the tooth, which was a little over 4 inches (10.25cm) long.
18 Feb.: EU adds Cayman to blacklist
The European Union added the Cayman Islands, together with Palau, Panama and the Seychelles, to its list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions at a meeting of the bloc’s finance ministers.
19 Feb.: Judge rules in favour of CPR, National Trust in referendum judicial review
Justice Tim Owen ruled in favour of Cruise Port Referendum Cayman and the National Trust in a judicial review of government’s planned referendum on the proposed $200 million cruise berthing and port facility.
21 Feb.: Community recommends plastic ban by Jan 2021
Cayman’s single-use plastics stakeholder committee said it will recommend legislation banning certain single-use plastics with a January 2021 start date. The announcement was met with commitment from Environment Minister Dwayne Seymour and Infrastructure Minister Joseph Hew.
22 Feb.: Max 8 plane completes maintenance flight
Cayman Airways’ 737 Max 8 aircraft successfully passed a maintenance flight test after being grounded for nearly a year. CAL’s Max 8, VP-CIW, was taken out for an hour-long test flight and attracted scores of onlookers who pulled off the road to watch the plane take off and land.
26 Feb.: Bush takes leave of absence as Speaker
House Speaker McKeeva Bush took a leave of absence from his post following a drunken altercation with a female staff at a West Bay Road bar, which was met with protests from community activists, and North Side MLA Ezzard Miller calling for Bush’s resignation.
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