High of 85 Low of 75 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 DAMAGED CORAL: VOLUNTEERS STEP UP, CARNIVAL PITCHES IN SPORTS | PAGE 16 MEDALS GALORE MAKE HEARTS LEAP Gymnasts outstanding in Tampa ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY MARCH 5, 2015 PremierHealth BritCay has one word to describe policy holders. People. People, not policy holders BritCay prioritises the needs of patients and providers with timely and efficient access to benefits. That’s why we settled 540* claims per day and 95% in 5 working days. BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE AGENCIES LTD. BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International: insurance, health, pensions, life Call 949-8699 www.britcay.ky *2013-14 CALEDONIAN SEC CASE Co-defendant’s freeze order reduced MICHAEL KLEIN mklein@pinnaclemedialtd.com Verdmont Capital S.A., which was sued along with Caledonian Bank and Caledonian Securities by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for alleged securities law viola- tions, reached an agreement to reduce its U.S. assets that are subject to a freeze order to US$2 million from US$19 million. The reduction raises questions about the temporary restraining order for Caledonian Bank over US$76.6 million, which remains in place. A hearing on the continuation of Caledonian’s temporary restraining order is set for March 27. The size of the initial restraining order, apparently double the estimated turn- over of four alleged penny stock pump-and- dump schemes traded through Caledonian Securities, directly contributed to a run by depositors on Caledonian bank and its subsequent insolvency. In contrast to Caledonian’s temporary re- straining order, Verdmont’s asset freeze now covers substantially less than the sales pro- ceeds of the alleged pump-and-dump schemes. Under the preliminary injunction, Verdmont, a Panamanian broker dealer, has to hold $2 million in cash in a U.S. brokerage account and transfer clients’ funds in the name of Bamfield Equities, formerly known as Bartlett Trading, Chloe Company S.A., Jacametra Inversiones S.A., Creekside Capital Ltd. and Oakgrand Market Trading Inc., to a segregated account. Verdmont opposed the initial temporary restraining order, stating that the funds were largely those of clients not connected to the lawsuit and sales of the four stocks concerned. COMMISSION CHAIR: VOTING MAP WILL HAVE 18 DISTRICTS BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The head of Cayman’s three-member Electoral Boundary Commission has con- firmed that the group has not been instructed to add any new Legislative Assembly seats to the territory’s voting map ahead of the May 2017 general election. Commission chair Dr. Lisa Handley, who is based in Maryland, in the United States, vis- ited Cayman between Feb. 24 and Feb. 26 and plans to return on Sunday to resume the com- mission’s work. The commission is set to change Cayman’s current general election map from six voting districts (five in Grand Cayman and one in Cayman Brac and Little Cayman) to 18 single- member constituencies. “We plan on drawing 18 single-member dis- tricts,” Ms. Handley told the Cayman Compass. The practical effect of that decision is that Grand Cayman’s five voting districts, which consist of three multimember districts and two single-member districts, will become 16 single-member districts, with each returning one member to the assembly. Cayman Brac and Little Cayman are likely to be split into two separate constituencies, each returning one member. Cayman’s constitution requires that the Sister Islands be represented by at least two Legislative Assembly members. Concerns that the Progressives-led govern- ment would attempt to increase membership in the Legislative Assembly to 19, 21 or even 25 MLAs were expressed last year by North Side MLA Ezzard Miller and East End MLA Arden McLean. ‘Illegal’ motorbikes issue raises ire in Barkers Two bikers arrested BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Billy Ebanks has been riding his dirt bike in West Bay’s Barkers park for many years, but on Sunday he was told by police that he could no longer ride there. Mr. Ebanks and a friend had been riding around private land at Barkers when they were ap- proached by a Royal Cayman Islands Police officer, who later arrested them. “This officer proceeded to tell my husband and his friend that they were riding on a main road and that he was going to sum- mons them to make an appear- ance in court due to the fact that they were riding illegally,” said Candice Thompson-Ebanks, who objected to what she felt was “harassment” by the officer. “I notified the officer ... that they were on a private, ungazetted PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » New garbage trucks arrive The Department of Environmental Health took possession of five new garbage trucks on Wednesday and expect another five new vehicles to arrive on island by the end of this month. Director of Environmental Health Roydell Carter, fourth from left, received the keys for the five vehicles from Richard Simms, head of the Department of Vehicle and Equipment Services, with, from left, Ernest Ebanks and Stephen Quinland of the Department of Vehicle and Equipment Services, Ministry Councilor Roy McTaggart, Chief Officer Jennifer Ahearn, Deputy Chief Officer Nancy Barnard, and Colford Scott and Ronald Dilbert of the Department of Environmental Health. For more, see page 8. – PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Billy Ebanks, on his dirt bike, with wife Candice Thompson-Ebanks in West Bay on Wednesday. – PHOTO: BRENT FULLER PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL NEWS THURSDAY MARCH 5, 2015 • CAYMAN COMPASS www.tonymosleylifeinsurance.com © Warner Bros. Pictures © 21st Century Fox www. REGmovies.com SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any lm starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. - THURSDAY - FOCUS (R) 1:30 | 4:10 | 7:20 | 10:00 SEVENTH SON 3D (PG13) 1:10 | 3:35 2D | 7:10 | 9:40 2D KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE (R) 3:45 | 6:50 | 9:50 FIFTY SHADES OF GREY (R) 1:00 | 7:05 SELMA (PG13) 12:50 | 3:50 | 7:00 | 10:00 PADDINGTON (PG) 1:20 JUPITER ASCENDING (PG-13) 4:00 | 9:55 SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS 3D (PG) 12:45 2D | 3:00 | 5:15 2D | 7:30 9:50 2D Two years for wounding ex-girlfriend Devon Scott found not guilty of aggravated burglary in Cayman Brac CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A man found guilty of wounding his ex-girl- friend with a knife has been sentenced to two years imprisonment. The wound was a deep cut to her finger that re- quired stitches. Devon Scott, 39, of Cayman Brac was charged with aggravated burglary and wounding after an inci- dent in Cayman Brac shortly after 7 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 16, 2014. He elected trial by judge alone and Justice Alastair Malcolm heard the matter. Scott had admitted he went to the home of the man with whom his former girlfriend was living. He maintained that he went there to talk to her and get her to come back to him, al- though she had ended their relationship in February. As Justice Malcolm re- marked in his reasons for sentence on Friday, “If you did not know already that she wanted nothing to do with you, it was patently clear when she slammed the back door shut and locked it as soon as she saw you.” Scott, carrying a knife, then climbed through a window of the house and was surprised by the owner of the house, who had a machete in his hand. Scott was hit on the back with the machete and cut twice on his arm. There was a struggle between the two men and Scott was attempting to cut the other man in the neck when the woman inter- vened. Scott then struggled with her and she received the wound. His defense was that the wound was caused by the other man’s machete. Justice Malcolm did not ac- cept this version. He said he was satisfied that the wound was caused by Scott’s knife as the woman was using some force to push the knife up and away from the other man’s neck and Scott was resisting her. The judge said this was a deliberate act by Scott and he must have fore- seen it could cause some bodily harm to her; it was not accidental. The judge pointed out that any wounding is se- rious, but this one was ag- gravated by the fact that Scott entered the house knowing he was neither in- vited nor welcome, having a knife at the time and using it on one of the occupants. The judge noted that the charge of aggravated bur- glary had alleged that Scott entered the house with a knife with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm on the man. There was no doubt that Scott had entered the house as a trespasser and did have a knife, but the issue was whether his in- tent was to inflict serious injury to the male occupant. Once inside, he did try to cut the man’s neck, but that was after Scott himself had been hit three or four times with the machete. “He may well have intended to in- flict really serious injury at that stage, but was that al- ways his intent, or was it because of what [the other man] had done?” The judge said he was in doubt as to what Scott’s in- tentions were when he en- tered the house. The verdict on that charge was there- fore not guilty. At the sentencing hearing, Crown counsel Greg Walcome assisted the court with sentencing guidelines and precedents. He said there was a high degree of culpability because the de- fendant had invaded his vic- tim’s home. He noted that there could be no discount of the sentence because the matter had gone to trial. Mr. Walcome said the woman’s injury was not permanent. Defense attorney John Furniss pointed out that Scott had no previous con- victions for any violence. The decision to go to the house was almost spur of the moment. During his trial, Scott had told the court that he had a hangover at the time of his actions and didn’t think things through; af- terwards, he regretted what had happened. He maintained he went into the house to try to con- tinue a conversation with the woman. In passing sentence, Justice Malcolm explained that the maximum sentence in Cayman for wounding is seven years. The incident also led to a charge of damage to prop- erty, referring to damage done to a vehicle outside the home. Mr. Furniss ex- plained later that this charge can be dealt with in Summary Court only, so it would be heard at a later date. Film board courts production crews Music videos, property and nature shows a niche for Cayman JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com When the opening scenes from a James Bond movie or epic action sequences from “Pirates of the Caribbean” are broadcast across the globe, it is the Bahamas flashing across millions of movie screens. Invariably, as the back- drop for glamorous Hollywood beach scenes, the islands gain invaluable exposure from the movie industry. While politicians and broadcast companies here ac- cept that they are never likely to compete with their much larger neighbor, they believe there is space for the Cayman Islands to grow as a set for movies or television. Sean Bodden, the new chairman of the Film Commission board, hopes to increase the number of film crews coming to the island. “Our main goal is to market the island to filmmakers and to bring people here to show- case the Cayman Islands in a unique way,” he said. Mr. Bodden, director of Whirlybird Productions, has been appointed as the head of a new-look board made up of broadcasters, producers and moviemakers, including Badir Awe, the co-director of locally made movie “The Devil You Know.” The board has the sup- port of Tourism Councilor Joey Hew, who has moved the Film Commission into the ministry in an effort to expand its mar- keting reach. “It is definitely an area we want to develop,” said Mr. Hew. “We might not have the capacity at the moment to take on a full production, but even a single scene would have a tremendous economic impact.” Beyond Hollywood, there are potentially lucrative op- portunities in the world of music videos and commercials. Currently, the most common productions in Cayman are un- scripted television broadcasts – house hunting shows, fishing and diving documentaries, and the occasional reality show. “It is a common misconcep- tion people have that the Film Commission is supposed to be attracting major big budget, $100 million dollar movies. The truth is that our core market may not be that, at least not right away,” said Mr. Bodden. Recent productions filmed in Cayman have included U.K. Channel 4 property show “A Place in the Sun” and VH1 re- ality show “Atlanta Exes.” Not quite James Bond, but Mr. Bodden said the value of this kind of content could not be dismissed. “When HGTV comes to film a show here, for example, they showcase million-dollar man- sions and high quality of life to the millions of people that watch that channel,” he said. Mr. Bodden believes there is steady demand from pro- duction houses for “non- scripted” content, but he be- lieves the commission could be more proactive in efforts to en- tice crews to Cayman. Mr. Hew added, “We need to take advantage of all the op- portunities out there. As long as we are careful about what we allow to be filmed here, the kind of exposure we could get is something marketing money can’t buy.” Initial efforts of the new Film Commission board in- clude revamping its website and establishing relationships with production companies. They also want to look at the incentives offered to film in Cayman. Currently, film crews are offered permit rebates and duty reductions for equipment on a negotiated basis. Mr. Hew also hopes an increase in film production in the Cayman Islands will create opportunities for young people who currently feel they have to move overseas to pursue their dreams. “It is equally important that our young people get to work on these sets – even as volunteers. We want to expose our young people to the type of experience they need to de- velop their talent.” Sean Bodden, the new head of the Film Commission in Cayman.Badir Awe co-directed ‘The Devil You Know’ movie in Cayman. GRAND COURT JUROR NOTICE Grand Court jurors who are in the Jan. 14 to March 31 session and who are not cur- rently empaneled on a trial are now to report on Monday, March 16, at 9:45 a.m. Jurors can call the Jury Information line at 945-5072 for the most up-to-date information. ROBBERY CASE IN COURT James Romano Whittaker, 34, appeared in Summary Court on Tuesday charged with the Oct. 16, 2014 robbery at Coconut Joe’s Bar and Grill on West Bay Road. He was further charged with possession of an imi- tation firearm with intent to commit robbery. Whittaker appeared via video link from Northward Prison. Magistrate Valdis Foldats advised that rob- bery is a charge that can be dealt with only in the Grand Court and transmitted the file to the higher court. The matter was set for mention on Friday, March 13.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MARCH 5, 2015 THANK YOU SPECIAL THANKS TO: Global TM CaymanAc ve.com WATERSTOP SPONSORS GOODWILL SPONSORS CHARITIES MAJOR SPONSORS www.offthebeatentrack.ky | /offthebeatentrackcaymanislands CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THE RUNNERS! TO ALL OF OUR SPONSORS, SUPPORTERS AND VOLUNTEERS OF THE 6TH ANNUAL OFF THE BEATEN TRACK CaymanActive Smoothie King Ragazzi Agua Catch George Carvalho Halo Lifestyle Salon & Spa Watermans RaceCaribbean Osetra Bay XQ’s Loop Media LifeExtension Crossfit7Mile RedSail The Lobster Pot Red Cross Cayman Islands Casanovas Foster’s Food Fair Jacques Scott Island Supply Cayman Islands Cycling Association Kirk Market Cost-U-Less Caybrew George Town Yacht Club Asha Charles Photography 3 Girls and a Kiln Cuban migrant costs soar to $1.6M BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands gov- ernment spent nearly $1.6 million last year on the de- tention, housing and repatri- ation of Cuban migrants who arrived illegally on the coun- try’s shores. The cost is far beyond anything the local govern- ment has seen in recent years and is due mostly to a large increase in the number of migrants coming to Cayman shores and partly to security improve- ments made last year at the Immigration Department’s detention center for migrants in George Town. The increase in mi- grants was illustrated again Wednesday as a boatload of 46 Cubans arrived on Cayman Brac. They were said to be making minor repairs to the craft and waiting for weather conditions to im- prove before setting off. According to figures pro- vided by the Ministry of Home Affairs, which has re- sponsibility for immigration, policing and issues relating to the security and care of Cuban migrants, Cayman spent $1,576,000 during cal- endar year 2014 on mi- grant-related costs. Those in- clude the costs of detention, feeding, housing, any medical care and transportation upon their return to Cuba. In 2013, the govern- ment spent $589,000 on mi- grant detention, care and repatriation. In 2012, that figure was $300,829. In 2011, it was $26,031. In 2010 and 2009, govern- ment spent nothing on ille- gally landed Cuban migrants because none had arrived in Cayman. The cost figures listed here are for the calendar year, January through December. They will vary from what is contained in the Cayman Islands annual budget, which runs from July 1 to June 30. Cayman did see more than double the number of migrants arrive on its shores during 2014 than in the pre- vious year. According to the ministry, 143 Cuban mi- grants arrived in the Cayman Islands during 2014. Sixty- seven migrants arrived here in 2013, and 69 were reported in 2012. More Cuban migrants ar- rived in Cayman last year than in any year since 2006, when the government re- corded a total of 148 mi- grants landing here. In the past decade, gov- ernment officials said 745 Cuban migrants had landed illegally in Cayman, including 21 children. The other reason for the major cost increase to gov- ernment is security im- provements made at the Immigration Detention Centre last year in the wake of a number of high-profile escapes by migrants housed at the center. Premier Alden McLaughlin announced in June that the detention center would be turned into “a prison” with prison officers guarding the Cuban migrants in the same way they would in- mates at Northward or Fairbanks prisons. Escapes from the migrant center were being reported at least once every few weeks during early 2014 and were often viewed in a laissez-faire manner by the Cayman com- munity as the Cubans are usually economic migrants and not perceived as a threat. However, warnings from Immigration Department of- ficials made government re- consider its stance on the low-security facility. “We don’t know who they are. We don’t know their background. We don’t know what kind of threats they would pose to the people out there,” said Deputy Chief Immigration Officer Gary Wong. The escapes escalated to the point where, in May 2014, some of the migrants began exhibiting threat- ening behavior toward the security guards who staffed the facility, government offi- cials said. One of the group jumped the fence and es- caped before being captured by prison officers. A second man climbed onto the roof “armed with large rocks” as the flare-up escalated. The May 22, 2014 incident followed a number of escapes from the detention center re- ported since the beginning of last year. In the latter half of 2014 and the early part of 2015, no escapes from the Immigration Detention Center have been reported. Cayman spent $1,576,000 during calendar year 2014 on migrant- related costs. Those include the costs of detention, feeding, housing, any medical care and transportation upon their return to Cuba. Cuban migrants speak with a Cayman Islands immigration officer at the Spotts dock last year. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVYThe islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will findtheirownway” Money talks. And the $100,000 donation from Carnival Cruise Lines to ongoing reef restoration efforts is a declaration of the company’s regard for its business relationship with the Cayman Islands and its respect for our fragile marine environment. Thank you, Carnival, for the generous gesture of goodwill. Similarly, we extend our thanks to the army of volunteers who have been working tire- lessly to piece together the remnants of the section of coral reef that was badly damaged last August by the Carnival Magic cruise ship’s anchor, and who most recently raised $28,000 to help sustain the recovery project. The voluntary nature of Carnival’s monetary pledge must be emphasized. In short, Carnival’s donation does not equate to a determination of blame. Last fall’s accident can be attributed to a conflu- ence of factors, natural and man-made, and involved the participation of three parties: Carnival (whose anchor hit the reef), Bodden Shipping Agency (whose pilot may have directed the cruise ship to the wrong location) and the Port Authority of the Cayman Islands (who licensed the pilot). Of the three principals, only Carnival (which, by the way, is the only “non-Caymanian” in the group) has pitched in to help fix what was broken. In response to the news of Carnival’s pledge, Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell and Environment Minister Wayne Panton portrayed the donation as a product of some sort of public-private partnership between the government and the cruise company. We find this quite curious. We are highly interested in learning more from our officials about what, exactly, the public sector has con- tributed to the deal. From where we sit, the arrange- ment has operated thusly: The public sector has asked, and the private sector has given. Our kudos go to those who bring their checkbooks to such meetings. While Carnival, local businesses and members of the community continue to reach into their pockets for the coral’s cause, the government hasn’t made any move toward its single biggest depository of money, the Environmental Protection Fund, which now contains about $50 million in funds that are most suited for just this kind of contingency. The purported steward of the fund, the much- ballyhooed National Conservation Council, has met twice now (both times after the reef was destroyed), immediately diving headlong into a morass of paper- work, red tape and bureaucratic processes — none of it having anything to do with healing the still-fresh eco- logical wound in the middle of George Town harbor. If the Conservation Council really were serious about conservation, its first substantial order of business would have been to channel money from Point A (the fund) to Point B (the reef), while, if it were deemed necessary, navigating obstacles related to legality and liability. The private sector has stepped forward to con- tribute substantial resources to help repair the damaged coral. How is it that the public sector has not? After all, the reef is public property. Damaged coral: Volunteers step up, Carnival pitches in THURSDAY MARCH 5, 2015 • CAYMAN COMPASS Writer: Track meet worst organized ever The seventh edition of the Inter-Scholastic Track and Field Championships at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex on Feb. 10-12 was, from an organizational standpoint, the worst in the young history of the event. This is not to say that the previous six were much better. To be brutally honest, all seven editions have been organizational disasters but this year’s was arguably the worse of the lot. This annual inability to start and complete the meet on time and to rigor- ously follow the prescribed schedule is bewildering. The decision by the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) to permit or fail to recog- nize that one school had en- tered two teams in a champi- onship determined by points remains mind boggling. This almost brought the Meet to an abrupt halt on the second day. The inexplicable delays in the track events (a problem that has plagued CIAA events for the last three years) reached new depths this year. The meet, which must form the cornerstone for de- velopment of this nationally mandated core sport, suffers from a number of conceptual and organizational flaws and defects that can and must be corrected in time for the staging of the 2016 version of the event. First and foremost amongst these is that the championships must be owned, promoted and orga- nized by the schools them- selves. There was not one school representative on the LOC this year and if it is true, as stated at the technical meeting on the day preceding the start of the meet, then this unbelievable state of affairs has existed from the inception of the championships. If this change is made, then it would be the schools’ decision as to what events they wish to compete in, the age or class categories in which they desire to compete. They would then be in a po- sition to collectively seek and obtain corporate sponsorship for the meet. The concept of the schools owning the meet is not a novel one; it is used locally at the inter-primary level and more significantly it has been used for over 100 years in the organization of the most successful inter- high schools track and field championships in the world, staged annually in neigh- boring Jamaica. Done this way, the muted criticism that the meet is used primarily as a CARIFTA Games qualifier and not a genuine schools championship would be- come redundant. Secondly, this is not a three-day meet. Given the number of schools and events involved, this is a two- day championship if prop- erly organized. The private high schools have shown that they can do over 100 events involving an almost equal number of schools in approx- imately four hours. Thirdly, it must be real- ized by the powers that be that these championships in particular and inter-high school sports in general are a vital tool in the whole edu- cational and nation building processes. To think otherwise is to subscribe to a debunked educational theory that aca- demics and sports are poles apart and should not be ac- corded anything resembling equal treatment. For athletes, at any level, to perform at their best, they need an audi- ence and not one consisting wholly of their athletic peers. Competing in a stadium be- reft of their teachers, fellow students, friends, relatives and the general public and the atmosphere created by the presence of such per- sons is not indicative of true championships. To continue such a practice must be con- sidered disrespectful not only to the student-athletes but also to the corporate spon- sors of the meet. Fourthly, the meet must have fixed dates on the schools and sporting cal- endars each year, for ex- ample, on a second or third Thursday and Friday in a given month. This will aid in the preparation of the stu- dent-athletes to compete to the best of their abilities. Fifthly, thought must be given to the private schools competing as a unit at the meet. Currently the cham- pionships can only be won by either of the two public shools. Allowing the pri- vate schools to compete as a unit should make the meet much more competi- tive. A system similar to that which operated at the pri- vate schools championships last December lends itself to these championships. Alternatively, the event winners at the private schools championships could then go on to represent the private schools as an entity at the inter-school meet. The amazing thing is that in spite of the organizational nightmare that these champi- onships have suffered from, the student-athletes have shown vast improvements in the relatively short eight years of competition. This year, a duo of just-turned-15- year-olds and one 14-year- old have threatened to run sub-11 seconds for the 100 meters; a 15-year-old girl has tossed the javelin over 40 me- ters and a number of the stu- dent-athletes have performed at a level that places them on the brink of world youth qualifying marks. A total of 37 new marks were estab- lished this year and in the likes of Taj Yen, Greg Bennett, Toriann Gonez, Ashantae Graham, Monique Gordon, Hannah Robinson, Jayden Francis, KC Gordon, Kashief Dawkins, Dejaughn Murray, Zayda Rankine, Shalysa Wray, Tatyana Martin, Pearl Morgan, Lacee Barnes, Kiera Mclaughlin, Daneliz Thomas, Gabriela Ritch, Lavon Watler, Lessario Ebanks, Isaiah Robinson, Karim Murray, Rashaun Conolly, Jeahvon Jackson, Leighton Thomas, and Jacob Scott lies a rich pool of promising athletes with talent aplenty to keep the Cayman Islands athletic flag flying high for a consid- erable time in the future. As a country, they and the other student-athletes now and in the future cannot be allowed to ‘’fall through the cracks.” Their talents must be har- nessed and showcased for the benefit of the country and these championships pro- vide an excellent opportunity for doing so. It cannot be al- lowed to fail due to mal- or mis- administration. The real remedy lies with the teachers, the schools and their PTAs (or whatever it is called these days). They need to put pressure on the powers that be to take the necessary corrective mea- sures and put this meet, and all inter-high school sports in general, on a proper organi- zational footing. Failure to act now will mean a continuation of a great disservice to the youth of this country in general and the student-athlete in partic- ular and makes a mockery of the concept of national core sports. The time for lip ser- vice is long past. It is now time for action. H. Delroy Murray FROM CAYMANCOMPASS.COM “UCCI seeks international accreditation,” March 4 What a huge mistake it was to invest so many hun- dreds of millions of dollars into the high school and to- tally ignore the college. After high school, college is vital nowadays to succeed in life. Cayman would be a great spot for a high-end uni- versity that could attract stu- dents from all over the world to look at attending college in the Caribbean. However, in order for something like that to flourish, it would have to be done by the private sector. Michael Davis So often people like Roy Bodden who make tremen- dous contributions to the welfare of our country are overlooked. I say a big thank you for your efforts in ar- ranging for UCCI to meet the standards as required by ACIS and the confidence you have in the educational system which you have devel- oped to allow this to happen. The success of this event would certainly touch many lives and generations to follow. Caroline Solomon “Online poll: Most approve of Camana Bay expansion plans,” Feb. 27 Dart is the best real es- tate developer to land on our shores. Everything is so per- fect and of good class. It is just such joy to take a walk around Camana Bay and enjoy the well-kept grounds, the beautiful plants – including many Cayman species – and the welcoming atmosphere of island breeze, good food, and ice cream. I support the new expan- sion to Camana Bay and just cannot wait to see it unveiled. Twyla Vargas “Kanuga headed for finish line,” March 2 What an amazing lady! David Wheaton5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MARCH 5, 2015 Fire crews find hot spots at landfill Firefighter safety a concern BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Islands Fire Service and environmental health crews were removing a large slab of concrete from the George Town Landfill on Wednesday that may have been a contributing factor to fires flaring up re- cently at the site. Acting Fire Chief John Bodden said he could not pinpoint the exact cause of last Sunday’s surface fire at the landfill, but he said is- sues with waste disposal were contributing to flare- ups and deep-seated fires starting there. “[The concrete slab] didn’t cause the fire, but it was con- tributing because it was re- taining heat. You could see smoke coming from that area,” Mr. Bodden said. “By the concrete being exposed to the heat for a while, it was retaining a certain amount [of heat]. The garbage on top of the slab was just house waste – paper and such.” Fire crews have long sur- mised that heat from certain objects stored at the landfill has led to spontaneous com- bustion within the large piles of trash contained there. Over time, the mixing of household waste products with other flammable materials have led to sizeable blazes, such as the one that occurred on Sunday, Mr. Bodden said. “That area [where the con- crete slab was found] was used for oil disposal, but be- cause of the expansion of the landfill, other [waste] has drifted over there now,” he said. “Some of the fires are so deep-seated it takes a while before it gets to the top. The majority of the time it is spontaneous combustion.” Premier Alden McLaughlin credited fire crews and land- fill workers’ efforts be- tween Sunday and Tuesday in monitoring the landfill site and watering down sus- pected “hot spots,” which may have prevented other fires from flaring up after Sunday’s incident. “Their quick action added to the improved manage- ment at the landfill and up- grades to equipment have improved our ability to min- imize and prevent fires,” Mr. McLaughlin said. Preventing repeated fires at the landfill is not only a general public safety issue, but also a safety issue for firefighters, Chief Bodden said. “Safety of our staff is our number one pri- ority and being exposed to fires involving the landfill does put our staff at great risk,” Mr. Bodden said. In one photo taken by the Cayman Compass at the scene of Sunday’s landfill fire, a fireman was pictured hosing down the flames with a piece of cloth wrapped around his mouth. He was not wearing a helmet or breathing apparatus. Mr. Bodden said this was not the result of lack of avail- able equipment for the de- partment personnel on scene. “All officers are provided with protective gear, helmet and gloves,” he said. “The of- ficer attending that inci- dent should have had on his helmet and respirator or his breathing apparatus.” “[The concrete slab] didn’t cause the fire, but it was contributing because it was retaining heat. You could see smoke coming from that area.” JOHN BODDEN, acting fire chief Firefighters on the scene of Sunday’s landfill blaze. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY STUDENTS ACE MOCK TRIALS CHARLES DUNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com There were two cases be- fore retired Justice Kipling Douglas for the day in Courtroom 4, and both were complicated issues dealing with human rights. The first involved allegations of abuse in a children’s home. The second, a test of rights to dis- tribute religious materials in a public place. The trials took half a day each, but the preparations had taken weeks. “The level of preparation on their part was pretty significant,” said Nicole D’Heer Watson with the Campbells law firm. But the 10 people arguing the cases were not lawyers from Campbells; they were stu- dents from St. Ignatius. The students, all 15 to 17 years old, are part of the A-Level law program at the Catholic school. The mock trials, called “moots,” gave students the opportunity to research the law and argue their cases in a real court- room before a real, if retired, justice. They even donned the official black robes of barristers. Campbells sponsors the law program at St. Ignatius, and attorneys help students learn just what it means to become a lawyer. “We decided to put the students to the test this year,” said Alistair Walters, a Campbells partner. “We worked with the program in- structors to add a moot com- petition to the curriculum in an effort to provide the stu- dents with the added ex- perience of preparing and participating in a genuine courtroom mock trail.” James Austin-Smith, a Campbells attorney who helped with the program, said, “I was incredibly im- pressed with the students’ understanding of the diffi- cult issues presented to them and with their ability to con- duct themselves with such confidence and competency in an actual courtroom en- vironment, which can some- times be intimidating to a seasoned professional.” “This competition pro- vided the students with in- valuable experience and was an incredible addition to the A-Level program. We are al- ready looking forward to the next one,” said Rhian Minty, a lecturer at the Truman Bodden Law School. Ms. Watson said Campbells and St. Ignatius plan to host mock trials again next year. She said they may “roll it back a little” on the cases because the level of research and the legal argu- ments were closer to a univer- sity level. “It was a lot more than we anticipated,” she said, adding that despite the high level of the cases, the students did an excellent job.The islands’ most-trusted news source 6 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. THURSDAY MARCH 5, 2015 • CAYMAN COMPASS THURSDAY, MARCH 5 FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Professional First Impressions clothing drive today through March 27, to collect gently used business attire, including shoes and accessories such as handbags, belts and fashion jewelry. Items needed to help women enter or rejoin the business world. Clothing drive organized through the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre and the Family Resource Centre. For more information, to make a donation or arrange clothing collection, email clothingdrivecayman@gmail. com or go to facebook.com/ professionalfirstimpressions. FRIDAY, MARCH 6 FISH FRY: Fridays during Lent until March 27. St. Ignatius School canteen, 5-8 p.m. Dine in or carry out. Menu includes mahi-mahi, $10; or snapper, $12, with all the trimmings. Child portions $7. SATURDAY, MARCH 7 PAWS IN THE SAND: Fundraiser at Rum Point Restaurant. Cocktails, 6 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m. Broadway show, 9 p.m. Free ferry leaves Safehaven Dock 5 p.m. Tickets are $100 per person, available at Lighthouse restaurant, or call 916-1731 or 916-3957. ALOHA TEA PARTY: Girls Brigade fundraiser at 1237 Frank Sound Road, residence of Handel and Audrey Whittaker, 3:30 p.m. Tickets are $6 per person, adults and children. Tickets available from any Girls Brigade officer. Call 926- 3842 or 322-2212. LITTLE MISS: Cayman’s Our Little Miss Scholarship Pageant organizing committee is accepting applications for the pageant on April 25. Today is the deadline for early-bird registration of $100. Six age divisions, from Baby Petite (0-2 years) to Miss (18-26). Talent required for ages seven and up. Entry deadline is March 31. For more information, contact 327-9890 or caymanolm@gmail.com. FAMILY FUN DAY: National Gallery, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. All are invited to free drop-in art activities based on the exhibition “Luminescent Forms: Art Under the Microscope.” Activity sheets and art materials available for children in breezeway, and self-guided tour packs in the gallery for families. Free coffee and tea available in the Art Café. Donations welcome. For more details, contact education@nationalgallery. org.ky or 945-8111. SUNDAY, MARCH 8 COMMONWEALTH DAY: Service 4 p.m. at St. George’s Anglican Church, followed by garden reception. All are invited, especially residents and visitors from Commonwealth countries. FUN RUN AND DOG JOG: Dog lovers are invited to show off their pets’ sporting talent or take a Humane Society shelter dog for a spin at the annual CARE K9 5K Fun Run and Dog Jog. Registration, $25, includes event T-shirt, finish line snacks and doggie biscuits, plus random prize draw. The event raises money for CARE’s community spay and neuter programs. Registration, 6:30 a.m. Start, 7 a.m. on Nexus Way. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11 BOOKENDS CLUB: Books & Books, 7-8:30 p.m. All are invited to join members when they review their latest pick, ”The Cellist of Sarajevo” by Steven Galloway. Open discussion. The Bookends Club meets the second Wednesday of every month. THURSDAY, MARCH 12 BOOK SIGNING: All are invited to meet Joanna Barsh, author, businesswoman and member of 100 Women in Hedge Funds. She will showcase her latest book, “Centred Leadership” at Books & Books, 5:30 p.m. This free event includes presentation, group discussion and book signing. FRIDAY, MARCH 13 FISH FRY & ROAST: Presented by St. George’s Anglican Church off Courts Road. Noon to 6 p.m. Cost is $10. Proceeds in aid of Mothers Union programs. SATURDAY, MARCH 14 HEART HEALTH FAIR: The Cayman Heart Fund invites everyone to this free event, which includes presentations by medical specialists, a Get Active Zone for kids, heart- healthy local produce and cardiac-protective healthy snacks. Free screening for blood pressure, BMI (Body Mass Index), blood glucose and cholesterol and waist circumference. From 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Arts & Recreational Centre, Camana Bay. For more information, contact caymanheartfund@gmail. com, 916-6324 or visit caymanheartfund.com. FARMERS MARKET: 10 a.m. to noon. Camana Bay, Gardenia Court. Chef demonstrations and tastings, free and open to the public. CAYMAN SUNSET: Adult mixed-media painting course today and tomorrow offered through National Gallery. Contact education@ nationalgallery.org.ky or 945-8111. Class fees $162 for members, $180 for non- members, includes some materials. MONDAY, MARCH 16 JURY DUTY: Grand Court Jurors in the Jan. 14 to March 31 session who are not currently empaneled on a trial are to report today at 9:45 a.m. Call the Jury Information line at 945- 5072 for the most up-to- date information. TUESDAY, MARCH 17 ST. PATRICK’S DAY 5K: The St. Patrick’s Day 5K Irish Jog starts at 5:30 p.m. at Grand Cayman Beach Suites, Britannia Golf Course. All proceeds to Special Olympics Cayman Islands. Entry fee is $10 per person. Registration starts March 12 at Butterfield House 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Email irishjog@ butterfieldgroup.com, visit www.ky.butterfieldgroup.com. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18 CITA ELECTIONS: Nominations are due by 4 p.m. today for the Cayman Islands Tourism Association Board of Directors elections, at the annual general meeting on April 22. Ten seats are open. The designated representative of any member business in good standing who has been a member for at least one year is eligible to be nominated, with the support of five other member signatures. FLOETRY: All are invited to join poets and performers who share their work during an open mic night of poetry and readings. Share your own work or listen to others. 7-8:30 p.m. Books & Books SATURDAY, MARCH 21 DRUM CIRCLE: Professional drummers of I Am Percussion Ensemble jam in Gardenia Court, 5-7 p.m. All are invited to join in or just enjoy the show. THURSDAY, MARCH 25 OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY: Free presentation on occupational therapy for persons with mental health and intellectual challenges. Hibiscus Room, George Town Hospital, 8-9 a.m. FRIDAY, MARCH 27 GOLF SCRAMBLE: St. Ignatius-sponsored event at the North Sound Golf Club; 1 p.m. shotgun start. Space for 22 teams of four. Phone 949-6797 for details. SATURDAY, MARCH 28 CAPT MARVIN’S MEMORIAL RUN/WALK: Two-mile event starts at Tiki Beach, 6:45 a.m. For all age groups. $15 registration. Proceeds will help the Flashy Nation Sports Club with equipment and money to represent Cayman in international events. Register with Kendall Ebanks at Anytime Fitness, or contact 924- 2898 or flashynation@ hotmail.com. GENERAL INTEREST FREE YOUTH TOURS: Free guided tours of the temporary exhibition “Luminescent Forms: Art Under the Microscope” are available for students of all ages at the National Gallery. By appointment until March 27. Students will discuss the exhibition and get hands-on in the Sand Lab. Topics covered include art, science, social studies, literacy and numeracy. For information or to book a tour, contact NGCI at 945-8111 or education@ nationalgallery.org.ky. HIV TESTING: The Public Health Department advises that free HIV testing is available every Tuesday year-round at the Cayman Islands Red Cross on Thomas Russell Way. Anyone who wishes to get tested should arrive by 9 a.m. Testing will be available every Tuesday, 9-10 a.m. Contact HIV/AIDS Coordinator Laura Whitfield at 244-2631. REEF RESTORATION: Certified divers are invited to work on the Cayman Magic Reef restoration in George Town. A schedule of work dates and times is posted on Facebook under Cayman Magic Reef Recovery. Dates, times and places are listed under Events for volunteers to check and sign up. FOOD HANDLERS: Certification courses in basic food hygiene are offered by the Department of Environmental Health. March 11, 25; April 15, 29; May 13, 27; June 10, 24. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the DEH conference room in the Environmental Centre, 580 North Sound Road. $15 per person covers all materials and fees; pay at DEH headquarters, 580 North Sound Road, between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. For more information, call 949-6696. OPEN CANVAS: Visual Arts Society supports this initiative at Karoo Restaurant located in Camana Bay. Wednesdays in February and March, 7 p.m. to close. No fee. Easels are provided for artists of all levels to enjoy painting and socializing with other artists. Participating artists receive 2 tickets for house wine or beer compliments of Karoo. For more information, contact info@ visualartcayman.com or jr@ cib.ky, or call 546-9422. VISUAL ARTS SOCIETY: Painting open studio available Mondays 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Watler House, Pedro Castle. This is an opportunity for adult intermediate artists to work at their own pace on their own projects. To register, contact openstudio@ visualartcayman.com or 546-9422. $10 per day or $15 non-members. See also info@visualartcayman.com. ART FOR STUDENTS: The National Gallery hosts free Active Learning Sessions for students of all ages. Part tour, part art activity, the tour takes students up-close with the National Collection – more than 50 years of Caymanian art history – providing links to literacy, mathematics, social studies and science. For information or to book a session, contact 945-8111 or education@ nationalgallery.org.ky. PINK LADIES: Coffee Shop at the Cayman Islands Hospital is open Monday- Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for breakfast, lunch, drinks, snacks. Takeout orders welcome, call 244-2661. Funds are donated back to the community. Contact pinkladiescayman@gmail. com. ARTISANS MARKET: Camana Bay Artisan Market every Wednesday. Visual Arts Society has artists displaying arts, crafts, paintings, prints, hand-crafted jewelry and ceramics for sale between noon and 8 p.m. near Karoo. For more information about being a displaying artist, contact info@visualartcayman. com or 546-9422. MIND’S EYE: Free guided tours for up to eight people are offered at Mind’s Eye – The Visionary World of Miss Lassie, Cayman’s intuitive artist. Tours by appointment, 10-11 a.m., second and fourth Saturdays. Contact the Cayman National Cultural Foundation by email at admincncf@candw.ky or 949-5477. HUMANE SOCIETY BOOK LOFT: North Sound Road. Open Monday 12:30-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Also, Thursday from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Volunteers needed for front desk a few hours per week. Contact humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards etc in good condition always needed. SPECIAL OLYMPICS: Volunteers are needed on Tuesdays from 5:30-6:45 p.m. to assist with training athletes in track and field, bocce and football. Truman Bodden Sports Complex. Contact Penny McDowall, 516-2578, soci@candw.ky or pjmcdowall@gmail.com. LOST DOGS: The Department of Agriculture and veterinary students of St. Matthew’s University provide an online list of dogs housed at the Department of Agriculture Animal Rescue Shelter in Lower Valley. Anyone missing a dog can check www.smustudents.webs.com. RED CROSS THRIFT SHOP: Open Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at RC headquarters on Huldah Avenue. Book bargain every Thursday and Friday, a bagful for $5. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.compasscayman. com/caycompass/portal/ community-calendar.7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MARCH 5, 2015 For more information contact 345.916.6324 • info@caymanheartfund.com Topic: Recent Advances in Stroke Prevention Speaker: Barry T. Katzen, M.D., Founder and Executive Medical Director, Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute, Baptist Health, South Florida Tickets: $50 per person • $450 per corporate table of 10 The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman Friday, March 13 10:30 AM to 2:00 PM Luncheo n Ruby The & Wo men’s Expo Baptist Health International and Cayman Heart Fund Present Cruise passenger’s drugs turned hours visit into days American defendant’s seven-day stay included two days in George Town Police Station CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A cruise ship pas- senger found in the Royal Watler Terminal with drugs on Thursday, Feb. 26, ap- peared in Summary Court on Tuesday afternoon, March 3, when he was ordered to pay $1,750 in fines and costs. Defense attorney Lloyd Samson said police had $2,000 in cash as a bail bond for Daniel Louis Mastie. Since officers had obvi- ously deposited the money, and the time was almost 3 p.m., it would take until the next day for his client to get the money and make the payment. He asked for 24 hours and Magistrate Valdis Foldats granted it. “This is a lesson learned, I hope,” he told the defendant. Mastie, 24, pleaded guilty to possession of .3279 grams of cocaine and 2.16 grams of ganja. Crown Counsel Toyin Salako said customs offi- cers on duty at the Royal Watler Terminal stopped Mastie and searched him. They found a plastic wrap with vegetable matter in one pocket and a small plastic bag with a white powdery substance in another pocket. He was arrested and inter- viewed. There was no evi- dence to suggest he bought the drugs on the island, Ms Salako told the court. Mr. Samson said Mastie, who is single, was on a va- cation with his family and ultimately the family con- tinued on their voyage. He said he had tried to deal with the matter immediately but could not do so because of “administrative aspects.” Meanwhile, his client had been stranded. Of the five extra days Mastie had spent in Cayman so far, two of them were in custody at the George Town Police Station, Mr. Samson advised. “I’m sure that was a wake-up call,” the magistrate commented. Mr. Samson said Mastie, who is from the Washington D.C. area, suffered from a certain malady for which he used ganja as medicine. The magistrate said that did not explain the cocaine. He said it was “the height of stupidity and somewhat arrogant to come into a for- eign country not only with ganja but also cocaine. In some countries, doing what you did could result in a very long prison sentence,” he told Mastie. Cayman is not like that, he continued. “If you were a resident, we would take the rehabilitative approach. That’s the kind of system we have, but when people don’t take advantage of the oppor- tunity, they risk going to jail,” the magistrate explained. He suggested that Mastie get help back in the U.S. Here the consequences of his offending would be a significant financial pen- alty to send the message to other visitors that they can’t have drugs here. The magistrate said he was taking into account the guilty pleas and the two days in custody. “I hope your family gives you a bit of grief,” he added. The fines were $1,000 for the cocaine and $500 for the ganja, plus $250 for the cost of prosecuting the case. Mastie asked permission to apologize. “I didn’t mean to ruin my family’s vacation or bring this on everyone here,” he said. The magistrate said it was “the height of stupidity and somewhat arrogant to come into a foreign country not only with ganja but also cocaine.” JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A review of procedures in Cayman’s Summary Court system is under way in an effort to help deal with the slow progress of cases through the crim- inal justice system. An adviser, seconded to the Department of Public Prosecutions from the U.K.’s Crown Prosecution Service, arrived on island Jan. 27 to assist with the review. Criminal Justice Adviser Claire Wetton will be in Cayman for the next three months to advise on pro- cesses and procedures that could help improve the ef- ficiency of the overloaded Summary Courts. “I will consider and ad- vise on ways in which some processes can be enhanced or simplified, to reduce the burden on the courts, spe- cifically the summary court and ultimately assist in im- proving the efficiency of the processes,” she said in a statement. The case management re- view was first revealed by Attorney General Sam Bulgin at the official opening of court in January. At the same ceremony, Chief Justice Anthony Smellie lamented the lack of progress the court system had made in meeting bench- marks for processing cases. He said there were more than 100 cases awaiting trial dating back a year or more, including one from as far back as 2009 and several from 2010. The Chief Justice re- peated his belief that there was “no hope” of improving on that record without new court facilities. It is hoped that the case management review will at least lead to some new pro- cedures which could im- prove the efficiency of the system and alleviate some of the burden on the clogged courtrooms. “We are grateful for the assistance offered in a re- view of the Summary Court procedures and issues in order to assist with ca- pacity building in the man- agement of our heavy case load,” Director of Public Prosecutions Cheryll Richards said in a statement. “We look forward to working closely with Ms. Wetton and have already begun to discuss with her some of the issues faced and suggestions for improve- ment. We look forward to taking on board any recom- mendations arising out of this initiative.” The governor’s office said in a press statement that it was funding Ms. Wetton’s 12- week secondment in an ef- fort to improve the “delivery of justice” in the territory. “The objective of the posting includes providing help and assistance to the Summary Court Team of the Office of the DPP and to the Court to deal with the most important weaknesses in the criminal justice system,” the statement said. Governor Helen Kilpatrick said in the statement, “Identifying and improving upon procedures which can as- sist in the smooth and efficient running of the court system is crucial to reducing criminality in the Cayman Islands.” Ms. Wetton declined to be interviewed by the Cayman Compass. Criminal Justice Adviser Claire Wetton will be in Cayman for the next three months to advise on processes and procedures that could help improve the efficiency of the overloaded Summary Courts. Case management review under way Clothing drive seeks attire for businesswomen A clothing drive to help provide business attire for women entering or re- joining the business world is being run this month. The Professional First Impressions clothing drive will continue throughout this month, which is “Honouring Women Month,” to benefit the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre and the Family Resource Centre. The drive is aimed at col- lecting gently used busi- ness attire, work-appropriate shoes and accessories such as handbags, belts and fashion jewelry. The initiative started in 2012 as a community project organized by women at AtWater Consulting. “We collected over 1,000 articles of clothing and around 150 shoes and handbags in 2012 and had a very generous do- nation to give in 2013 as well,” said Erika Mazzei, organizer of Professional First Impressions. She added, “I am con- fident that ladies in the community will come to- gether to help the clients of the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre and Family Resource Centre again in 2015. Professional First Impressions helps you to make space in your closet and helps expand the pro- fessional possibilities for others. This clothing drive really is a win-win.” The clothing drive ends on Friday, March 27. For more information, to make a donation or to arrange clothing collection, email clothingdrivecayman@gmail.com or visit the Professional First Impressions page on Facebook. The drive is aimed at collecting gently used business attire, work- appropriate shoes and accessories such as handbags, belts and fashion jewelry.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 THURSDAY MARCH 5, 2015 • CAYMAN COMPASS In court filings, Verdmont stated that it did not trade any of the four stocks on its own account, except for one day trade, which resulted in a profit of $11,300. The net commissions for the sales of the stocks amounted to $228,665.52, according to the broker. The SEC civil law- suit alleges that Verdmont, Caledonian and two bro- kers in Belize, Legacy Global Markets SA and Clear Water Securities Inc., sold re- stricted, unregistered shares to the public in the U.S. in violation of Section 5 of the U.S. Securities Act. Verdmont claims that as broker it was exempt from Section 5 because it had “made a reasonable inquiry into the circumstances of its customers’ proposed sales.” The broker submitted ev- idence that when it opened the accounts for three of its clients involved in the trading of three of the penny stocks, it requested com- pleted know-your-customer questionnaires, including professional letters of refer- ence. Verdmont said it also obtained certificates of incor- poration for clients Lornex Financial in Nevis, Cayman- registered Nautilus Growth Fund and Samoa-based Bartlett Trading, which was renamed Bamfield Equities in February 2014. The broker claimed that it had examined the stock certificates to ensure that no legend or other restric- tion was in place, and that it had obtained documentation on how the shares were ac- quired by the clients, such as subscription and purchase agreements. The broker claims it fur- ther researched how the shares were registered with the SEC, contacted the stock transfer agents for confirma- tion that shares were valid and free trading without stops or restrictions, and conducted Bloomberg re- search to ensure that cus- tomers were not selling more than 5 percent of the outstanding shares. The SEC requires that the owners of 5 percent or more of a U.S. public company’s sharehold- ings reports their ownership. Verdmont said it had also conducted WorldCheck searches on its clients. WorldCheck is a screening tool used to identify risky clients. “None of Verdmont’s due diligence revealed any ‘red flags’ indicating that addi- tional inquiry might be nec- essary,” the court filing said. Of the three Verdmont clients named by the SEC, only Bamfield/Bartlett con- tinues to have assets in the Verdmont client omnibus accounts in the U.S. The accounts for Lornex and Nautilus were closed on Oct. 16 and Oct. 10, 2014, respec- tively, Verdmont said. The broker said after searching its records, it could not find evidence that Maripose Acosiadios SA is or was a client, as suggested by the U.S. securities regulator in the lawsuit. Verdmont’s trading records show that cli- ents Lornex, Nautilus and Bartlett/Bamfield sold nearly $15 million worth of shares in three of the four penny stocks named in the lawsuit through the Panamanian broker. All three stocks, Goff Corp., Norstra Energy and Xumanii, turned out to be worthless and sub- sequently saw their share price collapse. During a debate on a gov- ernment motion concerning the “one man, one vote” issue, Mr. Miller noted that govern- ment had not declared how many voting districts the ter- ritory could be divided into. Premier Alden McLaughlin has expressed concern that maintaining an even number of legislators could lead to a “hung parliament” – where no one party or group has a ma- jority of candidates elected and therefore cannot form a coalition government due to political differences. However, Mr. McLaughlin sought to quell fears about any increase in the current number of 18 lawmakers. “There is no such proposal in the [government] motion, the resolution speaks not at all to any increase in membership,” Premier McLaughlin said. Mr. McLean said govern- ment’s intention in moving to single-member voting dis- tricts was “obvious.” “It’s about me and the member from North Side,” he said during the debate. “The premier has said that I have fears about losing my seat if we amalgamate ... East End and North Side.” The issue Mr. McLean raised derives from the fact that, in order to create single- member districts on Grand Cayman with an equal number of voters, the districts would have to be split into about 1,100 voters apiece. Currently, East End and North Side have roughly 600 voters each. Also, the Sister Islands have 1,000 voters in total, so split- ting Cayman Brac and Little Cayman into two districts would likely result in about 500 voters per constituency. Mr. McLean said the Constitution Order, 2009, re- quires any Electoral Boundary Commission to “have regard for existing boundaries” in its work. “If the premier and his government are looking to make electors equal in this country, is he proposing to change the constitution, and Cayman Brac only get one [vote] too?” The Compass asked Ms. Handley, following her ap- pointment in January, about her general views in drawing up single-member represen- tative districts. “Electoral districts that vary greatly in population vi- olate the central tenet of de- mocracy that all voters be able to cast a vote of equal weight,” she said. “However, boundary commissions should be given some degree of flexibility to balance the concern for equal population with other redistricting cri- teria such as respect for com- munities of interest.” This issue of “equality of voting,” or that all represen- tative districts should have roughly the same number of voters, was discussed by a group of election observers from the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association sent to keep an eye on Cayman’s 2013 general election. Widely varied numbers of voters in each district is against the principles of equal voting rights, Commonwealth elec- tion analysts said. road, so they were fine to be riding out there.” The two men were ar- rested on suspicion of driving without a license, driving without insurance and failing to give details to a police officer. The Ebanks family ac- knowledges that the bikes they used on Sunday are not “street legal,” meaning they are not licensed or insured for use on the roads. However, they had always maintained the understanding that if the land was private and not a gazetted road – an official public right of way – their bikes could be used. In addi- tion, Mrs. Thompson-Ebanks noted that the dirt bikes were hauled to the Barkers location on a trailer. The arrests come in the wake of the Grand Cayman community’s general displea- sure, expressed to police in public meetings over the last two months, about the im- proper, annoying and dan- gerous use of motorbikes that are not licensed for use on the roads. In both North Side and East End districts, residents told police officers at public meetings that problems with loud, dangerous motorcycles – some of which appeared to have been operating without license plates or registration – were affecting quality of life and in some cases interfering with public enjoyment of local beaches. North Side MLA Ezzard Miller said his con- stituents have been reporting these matters to local police for months, with apparently little effect. “These bikes are illegal,” Mr. Miller told police Chief Inspector Brad Ebanks and other police officers at- tending the North Side dis- trict meeting Tuesday night. “They cannot be licensed and you can’t get insurance for them. How can police allow them on the road?” Mrs. Thompson-Ebanks said she is aware of many problems with “illegal” mo- torbikes being operated in West Bay as well, but she said her husband’s case is not what local residents were complaining about to police. “Billy has always encour- aged the youths that would ride with him to not ride on the main roads, wear their protective gear when they would ride, and practice general safety and common sense,” she said. “He has tried to encourage the youths that there are so much more pro- ductive things to do than to get into the gang violence that is wreaking havoc on our little district.” Police Superintendent Adrian Seales said the key is- sues in the Barkers case are whether the motorbikes were being operated on private land and whether they had the permission of the land- owners – in this case the Dart group of companies – to op- erate the bikes there. “People can ride on [un- licensed] motorbikes or go- karts, but on private land,” Mr. Seales said. “In order to get to that private land, the bikes either need to be [put on a trailer] or driven on the back of a truck. “I don’t know the circum- stances of this particular case, but it would largely have to be left up to the dis- cretion of the investigating officer. If the road is a public road, then unlicensed vehi- cles cannot be operated on it.” Mrs. Thompson-Ebanks said her family has written to the Dart group of companies, asking them for permission to use the Barkers area for the Sunday motorbike rides. A representative of the Dart group said Wednesday that they were unaware of any such request at the time. ‘Illegal’ motorbikes issue raises ire in Barkers CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Commission chair: Voting map will have 18 districts CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The 2015 Electoral Boundary Commission members are, from left: Adriannie Webb, Dr. Lisa Handley and Steve McField. Cayman gets five new garbage trucks JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman has five new gar- bage trucks, but for now res- idential trash collection will remain at once a week. “Residential collection will still remain once a week at this stage, but collection will be more consistent,” said Roydell Carter, the di- rector of the Department of Environmental Health. Mr. Carter received the keys for the new trucks from Richard Simms, director of Vehicle and Equipment Services on Wednesday. Three of the trucks – front-end loaders – will be for commercial opera- tions, while two rear-loading trucks will be for residen- tial use. The total cost of the five new trucks is $1,096,706, officials said. The trucks are expected to be in service from this Friday, after the necessary checks, licensing and staff training are completed. “We are upgrading the fleet so the older ones that are giving a lot of trouble will come out of service,” said Mr. Carter. “These will prob- ably replace two of the older vehicles. He added that the intention was for the waste collections to be carried out in the morning so that the trucks are off the road by noon each day. Between 250 and 300 tons of garbage are taken to the landfill every day, he said. Currently, six trucks op- erate on the residential pick- up rounds, but Mr. Carter said ideally eight to 10 trucks are required to en- sure that two back-up ve- hicles were available in case of breakdowns. Money was allocated by Cabinet in the 2014-15 budget to buy 10 new trucks. In addition to the five vehi- cles already delivered, an- other rear-loader truck, three roll-on/roll-off trucks to handle commercial waste, and a grapple truck for res- idential and commercial waste are scheduled to arrive on island this month. Ministry of Finance and Economic Development Councilor Roy McTaggart welcomed the new equip- ment. “What I think it is going to achieve for us is a consis- tent and reliable service, … where in the past years the service has suffered because of unreliability,” he said. Residential garbage is collected in West Bay on Mondays; George Town on Tuesdays and Wednesdays; Bodden Town on Thursdays; and North Side and East End on Fridays. Co-defendant’s freeze order reduced CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The reduction raises questions about the temporary restraining order for Caledonian Bank over US$76.6 million, which remains in place.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MARCH 5, 2015 EU adapts foreign policy to new realities The European Union is rethinking its foreign policy to better adapt to crises like the ones it faces in Ukraine, Russia and Syria without having to be overly dependent on allies like the United States. CHADWICK PRESLEY WOOD 8th July, 1986 - 5th March, 2015 A Special Tribute in Loving & Blessed Memory of Our Precious Devoted Angel Son and Brother, Chadwick Presley Wood ~ "CHAD" who left us on 5th March, 2005; Today Thursday, 5th March, 2015, is ten very long and sad years. Our Precious Devoted, Loving and Caring Angel Son, Brother, Uncle, Nephew, Cousin, Great Friend, Student, and Co-worker, Our one and only "Chad", "Chaddy" ~ The World's Greatest and most loved whose wonderful and beautiful life was taken away from him, and us, much too young, and much, much too soon. Chad had a heart full of gold, worth more to us than wealth untold. He will forever and ever live on in our hearts and lives. Our Precious Angel Chad, you will never know how many times throughout these past ten hard and most diffi cult years we needed you here with us. You will never know how many times throughout each year we look at your beautiful pictures and think to ourselves, how very proud we all are to have had someone so "VERY SPECIAL" as you in our lives. So many times we think about the big diff erence you made in each one of our lives and how very important you were, and still are, to have been such a 'GREAT PART' of our family and for being such a very loving, caring, and devoted Son, Brother, Special person and friend to each and everyone of us. CHAD, we want you to know that you are always remembered and constantly missed by all of us and we are most thankful that God gave you to us. We are so thankful to you and for everything that you so lovingly and thoughtfully did for us; NOT just one time, but so many times during your short life here on this earth with us. Only God in Heaven knows the grief and pain we feel each day since you were taken away from us, but we have comfort in knowing that God must have surely needed you to make Heaven an even better and brighter place, our precious handsome "Special Guardian Angel and Shining Star". You are surely Heaven's gain, and this earth's great loss. So many times we needed you, so many times we cried, if our love could have saved you our Darling Chad, you certainly never would have died. However, we are comforted knowing that God has you in His keeping, and we will always have you in our hearts as you had a heart full of love for all of us. We know that God does not sleep nor slumber, and that those who are responsible for you having lost your innocent life so tragically will have to answer and pay the price some day. How could any human being on this earth have ever been so inhumane and so cruel to not call 911; FLED the scene of the accident; left you there; and would not even reveal the truth about who their accomplices were, and so much more? In our opinion, nothing but individuals who were aware of their wrongdoings and with a very 'guilty' conscience. However, God saw and knows exactly what went wrong, and who caused you to lose your innocent life, BUT one thing is for sure ~ one day, the whole truth will be revealed. Rest in Peace, Our Precious Guardian Angel. We love you and miss you and will see you and be with you again some sweet day in Heaven. May God bless you always and let you know how very much you continue to be loved and missed every single day of our lives. Your loving and heart- broken parents ~ Aline & Cebert; brothers ~ Morgan, Cebert, Jnr.; Sister ~ Gina; in-Laws; Special Nephews ~ Jace, Chris, Jaithan; & Niece ~ Skai; Loving Aunts & Uncles; many special cousins; many close & special friends; Classmates; High School & College Teachers, and all your Co-workers at Cayman Coating & Johnny's Auto. CHADWICK PRESLEY WOOD A Special Tribute in Loving & Blessed Memory of Our Precious Devoted Angel Son and Brother, each year we look at your beautiful pictures and think to ourselves, how very proud we all are to have So many times we think about the big diff erence you made in each one of our lives and how A Special Tribute in Loving & Blessed Memory of Our Precious Devoted Angel Son and Brother, each year we look at your beautiful pictures and think to ourselves, how very proud we all are to have someone so "VERY SPECIAL" as you in our lives. So many times we think about the big diff erence you made in each one of our lives and how Cebert Gina Chad A Special Tribute to Our Wonderful Brother, Special Cousin & Special Friend, Chadwick Wood A Special Tribute to Our Precious Uncle CHAD, who we unfortunately never got to see. We have heard so many good things about you and your beautiful life and we are so sorry you are not here with us, but we look forward to meeting you in Heaven one sweet day. Love forever ~ Jace, Chris, Jaithan & Skai. XXXXOOOO Chad, it does not take a special day to remind us of you as the days we do not think of you are hard to fi nd. You were such a very Special, Loving and caring person in our daily lives. We will never forget you. There are years lost behind us, full of words we never spoke,but neither distance nor time can take away the bond we forged as children, and today we want to remind the world how much we really care. Chaddy, you were the BEST Brother, the Best Cousin, and the Best Friend that anyone on this earth could ever ask or hope for. Your life was FULL of LOVE, laughter, and labour; Your love for your family and friends was TRUE, You did your very best for ALL OF US, And we will FOREVER LOVE and will always REMEMBER YOU no matter what. We love you and miss you always our precious 'Chad'. Your loving Brother ~ Cebert, Jnr., and Sister ~ Gina; Special and close cousins ~ Jeremy, Jesse, Orrie, Merilyn, Travis, & Nikita; Special and close friends ~ Kim, Karin, Britt, Stephanie, Jonelle, Damara, Hannah, Charmaine, Cindy, Eva, Sandra, Marline, Alex, Alexis,Carlos, Forde, Reagan, Roje, Justin, & many others too numerous to name. XXXXXOOOOO God bless you and may your soul RIP. XXXXXOOOOO British citizen fighting with Kurds killed in Syria IRBIL, Iraq (AP) — A British citizen fighting alongside Kurdish forces against the Islamic State group has been killed in Syria, a Kurdish commander said Wednesday. Konstandinos Erik Scurfield, a former Royal Marine, was shot dead March 2 in the front-line village of Tel Khuzela, Kurdish com- mander Redor Khalil told The Associated Press. Another foreign fighter battling with the Kurds, American Jordan Matson, said he was with the body on Wednesday and was working on getting the remains back to Britain. “We’re trying to make con- tact with his mother to see what her wishes are,” Matson told the AP Wednesday. “Otherwise, he wished to be buried here under an olive tree.” Matson said on his Facebook page that Scurfield also had Greek citizen- ship and had served in the Greek army and as a British Royal Marine. Scurfield was 25-years-old. Dozens of foreign fighters have traveled to Syria and neighboring Iraq to fight with Kurdish militias bat- tling the Islamic State group. Matson and four other for- eign nationals told the AP last month that they ar- ranged to join Kurdish forces through the Facebook page run by the People’s Protection Units, or YPG, the main Kurdish militia fighting in northern Syria. At least one other foreign fighter, Australian Ashley Johnson, who went by the name of Ase, is known to have been killed fighting alongside the Kurds. The Islamic State group, which currently holds ter- ritory in a third of Iraq and Syria, has recruited thou- sands of foreign fighters, mainly from Europe and else- where in the Middle East. Scurfield’s parents, Chris and Vicci Scurfield, are ar- cheologists who live in a former farmhouse in the vil- lage of Royston. In an in- terview with Sky News on Wednesday, his mother said the family is “reeling” from the news. “His flame might have burned briefly but it burned brightly with love, courage, conviction and honor, and we are very proud of him,” the family later said in a media statement. The British Foreign Office said it is aware of re- ports that a British national died in Syria. “As we do not have any representation in Syria it is extremely difficult to get any confirmation of deaths or in- juries and our options for supporting British nationals there are extremely limited,” it said. Dan Jarvis, the local member of parliament from Barnsley Central, where Scurfield is from, said Wednesday that the Briton traveled to Syria to provide humanitarian aid. “My understanding was that he went there for honor- able reasons,” Jarvis told Sky News. “There are other ways in which people who have these legitimate concerns can make a contribution, sup- porting charities or NGOs.” “The advice is rightly not to go there,” Jarvis added. RUSSIA’S PUTIN CALLS SLAYING OF OPPOSITION POLITICIAN A ‘DISGRACE’ MOSCOW (AP) — The killing of a key opposi- tion figure is a “disgrace” to Russia, President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday. In televised remarks to Interior Ministry employees, Putin condemned the slaying of Boris Nemtsov, who was gunned down while walking near the Kremlin late Friday. While the Kremlin said Saturday that Putin had sent his condolences to Nemtsov’s mother, his com- ments Wednesday were Putin’s first public remarks on the subject. “The most serious atten- tion must be paid to high- profile crimes, including those with a political mo- tive,” Putin said. “We must finally rid Russia of the dis- grace and tragedy of the kinds of things we recently saw and experienced: I mean the audacious murder of Boris Nemtsov in the very center of the capital.” Nemtsov, one of Putin’s most vehement critics, was killed just hours after a radio interview in which he denounced the presi- dent for his “mad, aggres- sive” policies in Ukraine. He was also working on a report about Russian in- volvement in the war in eastern Ukraine. No suspects have been detained yet in the 55-year- old’s killing, despite an offer of 3 million rubles (nearly $50,000) for infor- mation related to the case. On Wednesday, in re- sponse to questions about any possible suspects in Nemtsov’s killing, Federal Security Service chief Alexander Bortnikov told Russian news agencies that “there are always suspects.” He did not elaborate. The one witness is 23-year-old Anna Duritskaya, a Ukrainian citizen who was walking with Nemtsov when the shooting occurred. Konstandinos Erik Scurfield, a former Royal Marine, was shot dead March 2 in the front-line village of Tel Khuzela.Next >