High of 86 Low of 75 Moderate to rough with wave heights of 4 to 6 feet. Small craft should exercise caution over open water. FRIDAY MARCH 13, 2015 • CAYMAN COMPASS ‘Great Big Gig’ Hopestock festival fundraiser brings plenty of music on Saturday B5 St. Patrick’s Day There are many ways to enjoy Ireland’s national holiday on island B10 Technology Special Event Special Event Yoyo wants a home SPECIAL EVENT Cayman Arts eXtra Classical music takes center stage B4 Monument Valley Don’t forget the Monument Valley: Forgotten Shores app B7 Sweet Yoyo is the perfect balance of puppy inquisitiveness and passion for fun. Can you give this loving pup a home? B12 cayman weekender Cayman Arts eXtra Editorial | pagE 4 CanCer registry: an invasive gov’t proCedure eSTaBLISHed 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – Friday MarCh 13, 2015 Airports boss: Jetways ‘too expensive’ Airport project focuses on capacity issues JaMes Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Boarding bridges that allow travelers to walk directly from planes to the ter- minal would have added more than $20 mil- lion to the cost of the planned Owen Roberts International Airport redevelopment, airport officials said. The Cayman Islands Airports Authority un- veiled the initial designs on Monday for the US$55 million project, confirming that passen- gers would still be required to disembark via stairs to the tarmac and walk to the terminal. Airport bosses acknowledge that boarding bridges, also known as jetways, would add to passenger convenience and comfort, particu- larly with an expected influx of medical tour- ists as Health City Cayman Islands grows. They have not ruled out adding them in future, but say it is simply too expensive right now. An expansion to the runway at the airport to accommodate long-haul flights was also ruled out as too expensive and not currently supported by airline demand. The new design will mean the outdoor “waving gallery” where friends and relatives greet arriving passengers will be no more. Currently, people waiting for arriving friends and relatives can take up positions on the second floor, under a wooden A-frame, to wave at those walking from the plane to the ter- minal building. “Although we realize that this unique fea- ture was very popular with Caymanian trav- elers and their families, it is a sad fact that the world today demands that much more stringent security regulations need to be im- plemented to meet world class standards,” the authority said in a statement. “Jetways are something we would like to do, but we simply cannot make them work within the budget we have,” said Albert Anderson, chief executive officer of the Airports Authority. “The estimated cost is CI$20.5 million for the jetways and the infrastructure that sup- ports them, including elevators, escalators and the like,” he said. “This amounts to approxi- mately 40 percent of our overall budget and they do not address the main issue we have, Caribbean eConomy grew 4.6 perCent in 2014 Charles dunCan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Caribbean region as a whole is growing economically, driven by tourism, according to a new regional economic report from Integra Realty Resources Inc., and Cayman helped lead the way with tourism growth of almost 11 percent. The report ranks the Cayman Islands as 13th in the region, including Mexico, for stay-over tourists. Cayman’s economy grew 2.2 percent in the last fiscal year. But there are some long-term concerns for Cayman’s economy, according to IRR’s James Andrews, who wrote the report. Potential pitfalls for the local economy highlighted by Mr. Andrews include finding the space for new hotels and resorts with first-class beaches, and transparency pres- sures for all offshore financial centers. “Cayman is unique in the region be- cause tourism isn’t the primary contributor to [gross domestic product],” Mr. Andrews said. The financial sector is the main driver of GDP, he noted, but added, “It has changed the tourism product.” “There’s a knock-on effect of better infra- structure and a feeling of cleanliness and safety,” he said. In other countries in the re- gion, “people don’t feel at liberty to walk around and explore.” Improved infrastructure and greater safety have created what Mr. Andrews calls a “dif- ferent tourism product” in Cayman, where Waterfront restaurant to close Breezes by the Bay was favored by festival-goers JaMes Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Breezes by the Bay restaurant over- looking George Town harbor will close next month. The restaurant, in a prime location on the waterfront, has been a favorite spot for spectators during the Pirates Week and Batabano festivals. Cliff Woods, director of the Tropical Trader Restaurant Group, said the majority of the staff, including all the Caymanian employees, would be moved to the group’s two other out- lets – Chicken! Chicken! and Cimboco. He said it had been challenging to run the business in George Town in recent years, and the decision was made to close and focus on the two other restaurants. “Everyone knows that it has been dif- ficult in George Town for the last several years,” he said. “Cruise arrivals are turning upwards and I do think that times are changing, but we have decided to focus on our strengths. “Hopefully, someone else will take the space and figure out what we Breezes by the Bay, which has always been packed during the annual Pirates Week festival, is closing next month. - pHoto: aLan marKoFF PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL Friday March 13, 2015 • Cayman Compass 345.623.1400 • SALES & RENTALS • PROPERTY MANAGEMENT • COMMERCIAL LEASES • capitalrealty.com.ky OPEN HOUSES THIS SATURDAY Fabio/Conch Point #3 MLS 403995 US$885,000 Deb/South Shore #304 MLS 403456 CI$290,000 Alvin/South Shore #303 MLS 403321 CI$329,000 11am - 2pm George/Conch Point #8 MLS 403884 US$899,000 1pm - 3pm CARIBBEANCAFEA til 3pm Saturdays & Sundays! Cimboco ~ A Caribbean Café 94-PASTA (947-2782) Located in The Marquee Plaza Brunch & Breakfast Tarpon Fish Feeding 7:30pm & 9:00pm Nightly Eugenio Leon Harpist Extraordinaire, serenades tableside tonight and every Friday night! Tonight! Friday Happy Hour 5pm-7pm with FREE Hors d’oeuvres + Drink Specials Salsa Tuesdays with DJ Flex Free lessons with Kirk starting 9.30pm Every Tuesday “BOOGIE NIGHTS” Don’t forget Next Last Friday of the Month Is Almost HERE!! Friday March 27th Old School Dance Party 70’s disco & 80’s classics Music By DJ FLEX Starting at 9:30pm Call 949-2231 or email: thewharf@candw.ky ABBEY WAY DUPLEX 2 x 3b, 2b, total 4000s/f Great investment Canal front location Excellent F & F l l l l Great Price! CI$599,000 Member CIREBA MLS#403801 345-945-4411 info@cirealty.ky caymanislandsrealty.com Shabbat Candle Lighting time on Friday, March 13 6:17pm Chabad Jewish Center of the Cayman Islands jewishcayman.com-345.516.4474 James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Lawyer and former Tourism Minister Cline Glidden has been sec- onded to regional foot- ball governing body CONCACAF to assist in establishing a new dis- pute resolution court for the sport based in the Cayman Islands. The territory has been selected as the likely des- tination for a planned center of arbitration for all football matters within the Americas region. Mr. Glidden, a former vice president of the Cayman Islands Football Association, now with law firm Ogier, will advise on the legal, logistic and adminis- tration process involved in setting up the new court. He will be on a six-month sec- ondment with CONCACAF, the governing body for the sport in the Caribbean and Central America. CONMEBOL, the gov- erning body for soccer in South America, is also involved in the pro- cess of setting up the ar- bitration panel, which would handle all disputes across both regions. Jeffrey Webb, presi- dent of CONCACAF, said, “It is a pleasure to en- gage Mr. Glidden’s ex- pertise and experi- ence to assist with this arbitration process.” James Bergstrom, re- gional managing partner of Ogier, said, “Mr. Glidden is well known for his con- tributions in the com- munity, and we are happy to partner with President Jeffrey Webb and CONCACAF with this ini- tiative, which we are con- fident will be a great op- portunity for the entire Cayman Islands. We are ex- cited to play a role in this initiative and look forward to Cline using his wide range of public and private sector experience and skills to assist with this very im- portant initiative, which will be useful for the con- tinued development of his legal career.” It is envisaged that the arbitration court will cover all football-related disputes, from contract wrangles to doping cases. Mr. Gildden was un- available for comment Thursday. NEW YORK (AP) — An Oscar-winning com- poser of Broadway mu- sicals, Stephen Schwartz, will create four musicals to debut onboard Princess cruise ships, the cruise line announced Thursday. Princess Cruises called it a “first-of-its-kind cruise in- dustry partnership” with such a big name from Broadway and Hollywood. Schwartz, 67, is the com- poser of “Wicked,” “Pippin” and “Godspell.” He has won Oscars for “Pocahontas” and “The Prince of Egypt” and Grammys for “Godspell,” “Pocahontas” and “Wicked.” The new productions will open over the next few years. The first musical, “Magic to Do,” will debut aboard the Crown Princess ship this fall, celebrating Schwartz’s “life- long fascination with magic” and combining some of his most famous songs with a new song written for the show, according to Princess. It’s not unusual for cruise lines to turn to es- tablished Broadway shows for onboard entertainment. Royal Caribbean cruises offer full-length produc- tions of Broadway musicals “Cats,” “Chicago,” “Saturday Night Fever” and “Mamma Mia!” Guests on Norwegian Breakaway can see the shows “Rock of Ages” and “Burn the Floor.” Disney Cruise Line, meanwhile, is theming cruises on its hit movie “Frozen” this summer with deck parties, character meet- and-greets, menus and per- formances on select sailings. Disney Magic itineraries in- clude the Norwegian fjords that inspired the hit movie. What’s different here, of course, is that an established composer is writing a new musical to debut on a ship. Schwartz was scheduled to appear Thursday eve- ning at an event to discuss the deal. Princess Cruises operates 18 ships and is owned by Carnival Corp. Ex-minister gets soccer court role Princess cruises Partners with Oscar-winning cOmPOser Brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A Cayman Islands Health Services Authority phys- iotherapist and mother of four children died in a one- car accident Wednesday on Shamrock Road. Police could provide no explanation for why the black Kia Sorrento driven by Rowena Scott, 25, suddenly veered off the road and into a stone fence in the middle of the afternoon. Her passenger, Jovin Fuentes, also 25, re- mained hospitalized at press time Thursday. Mr. Fuentes suffered serious injuries, according to police, but he was expected to survive. HSA Chief Medical Officer Dr. Delroy Jefferson said hos- pital staff members were left shaken by the news of their colleague’s death. “She really was a very kind and loved person,” Dr. Jefferson said. “It will have a major impact on staff, I’m sure.” Lizzette Yearwood, HSA chief executive officer, said meetings were held with staff Wednesday and Thursday. “Myself, other senior man- agers and the counseling team met with Rowena’s immediate colleagues and extended our services to them on an indi- vidual or collective basis if they feel the need in the days, weeks and months ahead,” she said. “Our sincerest condo- lences also go out to her family and friends at this time.” According to police, the crash happened just before 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, just west of Spotts dock. “A female driver, driving a black Kia SUV heading east towards Bodden Town, lost control of her vehicle, ran off the road on the left and col- lided with a concrete wall,” the police statement said. “She was pronounced dead at the George Town Hospital.” Ms. Scott is survived by her mother Carol Ann Scott, her father Ron Scott, and four children, including twin girls. Mr. Seales said police were still investigating the crash, but indicated it was evident that neither passenger was wearing a seat belt at the time of the collision. The Cayman Compass ob- served star-shaped cracks in the SUV’s front windshield where it appeared the pas- sengers had struck their heads during the crash. “We don’t wish to sound insensitive, but we always ad- vise drivers to just ‘click it’ [seat belt] before you go,” Mr. Seales said. “You never know what’s going to happen.” Crash victim was mother of four, hospital physio “She really was a very kind and loved person. [Her death] will have a major impact on staff.” Dr. Delroy Jefferson, Health Services Authority Ms. ScottThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 Cayman Compass • Friday March 13, 2015 UPGRADE TO 4896 - LIME - Broadband Offer Full Page Ad - CMYK - 10.33 x 15.97 - 27 Jan 2015 SUPERFAST BROADBAND A FREE Google Chromecast and Netflix for 6 months, or An Alcatel 3G Tablet with 1GB data for just $49 SIGN UP OR UPGRADE TO AND CHOOSE FROM BROADBAND LIME Terms & Conditions ApplyThe 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” The case for a mandatory cancer registry in the Cayman Islands has not been made — and probably can never be made. Although its proponents may be well-intentioned, they are lobbying for an initiative that deserves to die right now in its legislative tracks — before it metastasizes one iota further. In essence, the debate over the so-called Cancer Registry Bill boils down to a conflict between two fun- damental, but conflicting, principles: the safeguarding of individuals’ private information versus potential benefits to the greater good. We at the Compass agree almost entirely with the issues raised recently by local attorney James Austin- Smith, who is chairman of the Cayman Islands Human Rights Commission. Among his concerns: • The great degree of detail of the personal informa- tion being gathered • The lack of a “credible link” between the informa- tion being provided and its intended purpose • The lack of explicit protections for the information government collects In other words, the government has failed to fulfill its obligation to explain exactly a) why it wants the information it seeks, b) what it is going to do with the information, and c) how it is going to keep that infor- mation private. Instead of specific practical reasons as to why Cayman needs a mandatory cancer registry, what we have heard thus far from lawmakers, health officials and bill advocates has consisted of non-germane gen- eralizations (i.e., most large nations have mandatory registries), vague bromides (i.e., cancer registries can assist research, diagnoses and deployment of public resources) and indeterminate promises (i.e., the data will be kept confidential). Not nearly good enough. In order for the government to interject itself into the physician/patient relationship, the need and the benefit must be obvious and compelling. In this instance, it is neither. Remember, we are dealing with patients who are engaged in the greatest fight of their lives — the fight to save their lives. In so many instances cancer patients are physically weak, and emotionally even more so. The government has no business intruding into the private lives of its most vulnerable citizens. If ever there were “no-tres- passing” territory for our ever-expanding government with its voracious appetite for dollars and data, this would be it. And to what purpose? Cayman is a minuscule community with a largely migratory population. With only 55,000 residents, any information collected will be empirically insignificant. It will not lead to the prevention of even one case of cancer or result in more effective treatment for those already diagnosed with the dreaded disease. Proponents of this legislation promise what they cannot deliver, namely that any information collected, including the names and medical minutiae specific to individual cases, will remain confidential. Pardon our skepticism. We are in the news business and routinely are the recipients of leaked, oftentimes damaging, confidential information from both private and public sources. It has become almost a local joke — promulgated by North Side MLA Ezzard Miller — that he has received yet another delivery of confidential information from a disgruntled government employee to the windscreen of his pickup truck. When contemplating any initiative by any gov- ernment, especially those regarding the gathering of private information about its citizenry, we are reminded of the medical dictum, “Primum non nocere” ... “First do no harm.” Cancer registry: An invasive gov’t procedure Friday MarCh 13, 2015 • Cayman COmpass Early onset Clinton fatigue WASHINGTON – She burned the tapes. Had Richard Nixon burned his tapes, he would have sur- vived Watergate. Sure, there would have been a major fire- storm, but no smoking gun. Hillary Rodham was a young staffer on the House Judiciary Committee investigating Nixon. She saw. She learned. Today you don’t burn tapes. You delete emails. Hillary Clinton deleted 30,000, dis- missing their destruction with the brilliantly casual: “I didn’t see any reason to keep them.” After all, they were private and personal, she assured us. How do we know that? She says so. Were, say, Clinton Foundation contributions considered personal? No one asked. It’s unlikely we’ll ever know. We have to trust her. That’s not easy. Not just be- cause of her history – William Safire wrote in 1996 that “Americans of all political per- suasions are coming to the sad realization that our first lady ... is a congenital liar” – but be- cause of what she said in her emergency news conference on Tuesday. Among the things she listed as private were “personal communications from my hus- band and me.” Except that, as The Wall Street Journal re- ported the very same day, Bill Clinton’s spokesman said the former president has sent ex- actly two emails in his life, one to John Glenn, the other to U.S. troops in the Adriatic. Mrs. Clinton’s other major declaration was that the server containing the emails – owned, controlled and housed by her – “will remain private.” Meaning: No one will get near them. This she learned not from Watergate but from Whitewater. Her husband ac- quiesced to the appointment of a Whitewater special pros- ecutor. Hillary objected stren- uously. Her fear was that once someone is empowered to search, the searcher can roam freely. In the Clintons’ case, it led to impeachment because when the Lewinsky scandal broke, the special prosecutor added that to his portfolio. Hillary was determined never to permit another open- ended investigation. Which is why she decided even before being confirmed as secretary of state that only she would control her email. Her pretense for keeping just a single private email ac- count was “convenience.” She doesn’t like to carry around two devices. But two weeks ago she said she now carries two phones and a total of four de- vices. Moreover, it takes about a minute to create two ac- counts on one device. Former Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood did exactly that. Her answers are farcical. Everyone knows she kept the email private for purposes of concealment and, above all, control. For other State Department employees, their emails belong to the govern- ment. The records officers de- cide to return to you what’s personal. For Hillary Clinton, she decides. The point of regulations is to ensure government trans- parency. The point of owning the server is to ensure opacity. Because she holds the emails, all document requests by Congress, by subpoena, by Freedom of Information Act inquiries have ultimately to go through her lawyers, who will stonewall until the end of time – or Election Day 2016, whichever comes first. It’s a smart political cal- culation. Taking a few weeks of heat now – it’s only March 2015 – is far less risky than being blown up by some future email discovery. Moreover, around April 1, the Clinton apologists will begin dismissing the whole story as “old news.” But even if nothing further is found, the damage is done. After all, what is Hillary run- ning on? Her experience and record, say her supporters. What record? She’s had three major jobs. Secretary of state: Can you name a single achievement in four years? U.S. senator: Can you name a single achievement in eight years? First lady: her one achievement in eight years? Hillarycare, a shipwreck. In reality, Hillary Clinton is running on two things: gender and name. Gender is not to be underestimated. It will make her the Democratic nominee. The name is equally valuable. It evokes the warm memory of the golden 1990s, a decade of peace and prosperity during our holiday from history. Now breaking through, however, is a stark reminder of the underside of that Clinton decade: the chica- nery, the sleaze, the dodging, the parsing, the wordplay. It’s a dual legacy that Hillary Clinton cannot escape and that will be a permanent drag on her candidacy. You can feel it. It’s a recur- rence of an old ailment. It was bound to set in, but not this soon. What you’re feeling now is Early Onset Clinton Fatigue. The CDC is recommending elaborate precautions. Forget it. The only known cure is Elizabeth Warren. Charles Krauthammer’s email address is letters@charleskrauthammer.com. © 2015, Washington Post Writers Group Please allow me to re- spond to comments made by Twyla Vargas in the Tuesday, March 10, edi- tion of the Compass: “Our generation originally came from the Boddens, Edens and Solomons, who were all Europeans, who then mixed with Africans.” I am a fifth-generation direct descendent of Bessie “Aunt Bessie” Ritch (born Robinson), who was mar- ried to Thomas Mattias Ritch. Aunt Bessie was the sister of Bob “The Governor” Robinson, who is the documented first settler of Spot Bay. None of these individ- uals were “Bodden,” “Eden” or “Solomon.” Further, none were “Europeans.” In fact they were proud, hardworking, en- terprising Caymanians. George samuels On being ‘Caymanian’ Charles Krauthammer In reality, Hillary Clinton is running on two things: gender and name. Gender is not to be underestimated. It will make her the Democratic nominee. The name is equally valuable.5 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Friday March 13, 2015 Find more. Do more. CAYMANYP.COM A CAYMAN ISLANDS YELLOW PAGES GREEN INITIATIVE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THESE FINE ORGANISATIONS: Since its inception, Yellow2Green Recycling Programme has collected over 100,000 directories; which would have otherwise ended up at the local landfill. We couldn’t have done it without the support of our sponsors and the community. THANK YOU SPONSORS & THE COMMUNITY! TO OUR Rehabilitation of Offenders Law under review James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Reformed criminals could have convictions stricken from the record under pro- posed legislation aimed at improving job prospects for ex-offenders. Criminal convictions dating back several decades are still proving a barrier to employment and travel for some Caymanians. Under current Cayman Islands law, job applicants can be asked to declare their entire criminal record to prospective employers. Ex- offenders are also required to declare convictions on some travel visa applications. Proposed amendments to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Law, under re- view by the Ministry of Home Affairs, would give anyone convicted of a serious offense the right to apply to have that conviction quashed if they had not re-offended within 10 years of their release. Kathryn Dinspel-Powell, deputy chief officer in the Corrections and Rehabilitation Division of the ministry, said the current law hampers the life prospects of ex-offenders, some of whom were still paying for mistakes made in their youth many years later. There are 10,067 people in the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service database with a criminal conviction or se- rious traffic conviction, ac- cording to a recent Freedom of Information request. The database dates to the early 1990s, according to Police Superintendent Adrian Seales, and thus would in- clude people who have since died or left the island. Even with that caveat, the figure suggests a siz- able percentage of Cayman’s population has a conviction of some kind. Under current law, anyone convicted of an offense car- rying a sentence of more than 30 months in prison is con- sidered ineligible for rehabil- itation, meaning the sentence will show up on criminal re- cord checks for the rest of their lives. The proposed changes would raise the threshold for a serious offense to 36 months, and would include a process for offenders to apply to a board of criminal justice experts to have the conviction removed from the record after 10 years. Ms. Dinspel-Powell said, “This is preventing people from getting work opportuni- ties, from being able to travel, and that can impact their prospects and quality of life. “We can’t pay lip service to rehabilitation if we don’t recog- nize that people are being re- habilitated and they are being treated as though they com- mitted the offense yesterday.” Lesser sentences of six to 30 months are currently con- sidered “spent convictions,” meaning they do not show up on criminal record checks after 10 years. Convictions of less than six months are considered spent after seven years. Under the proposed changes, those time periods would be reduced to seven and five years, respectively. Dianne Conolly, training and development manager at the National Workforce Development Agency, said criminal convictions present a barrier to employment for many of the agency’s clients. “In such a small commu- nity as Cayman, having a criminal conviction can mean that the people with a record are marginalized, effectively reducing employment oppor- tunities,” she said. “This marginalization is sometimes paired with the lack of skills needed to find employment and very few companies willing to provide employment op- portunities to those with criminal convictions.” Ms. Conolly said the NWDA could work with ex- offenders to improve their skills and training and en- gage with the business com- munity to encourage them to hire former prisoners. She said the agency is also working with the prison service to offer a City and Guilds Employability Skills program in the prisons. But she said offenders need to be committed to making the choice to live a life free of crime in order to have realistic long-term em- ployment prospects. Ms. Dinspel-Powell said the proposed changes to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Law, which could go to the Legislative Assembly later this year, were designed to help of- fenders who had shown they were truly reformed. She said the ministry is working with the NWDA and the prison service to improve interven- tions in prison to ensure that more offenders are given the chance to reform. “We have a major commit- ment to reducing crime and recidivism,” she said. “This is one of the things we are working on. “We have proven that locking people up and throwing away the key doesn’t work. If we expect them to change, we need to intervene and help them to develop coping strate- gies and life skills.” Proposed amendments to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Law ... would give anyone convicted of a serious offense the right to apply to have that conviction quashed if they had not re- offended within 10 years of their release. Proposed changes could ease criminal conviction barriers Offenders who have been convicted in Cayman’s courts may have their convictions stricken from the record under proposed legislation amendments. - PHOTO: File/CHRiS COURT6 LOCAL NEWS Friday March 13, 2015 • Cayman Compass Water Authority - Cayman “Suppliers of the World’s Most Popular Drink” Water Authority - Cayman is now accepting applications for its 2015/2016 Annual Scholarship. The successful applicant could receive up to CI$30,000 to pursue an undergraduate academic or technical/vocational degree or diploma in a field of study relevant to the Authority’s work. Applicants must meet the following criteria: Priority listings of relevant study subjects and scholarship application forms with all details may be obtained from the Water Authority Administrative Headquarters at 13G Red Gate Road, George Town, Grand Cayman, via the Water Authority website, or by email request to HR@waterauthority.ky. APPLICATION DEADLINE is 17th APRIL 2015. SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY Be Caymanian Be 18 years or older Be in good health Be of good character Demonstrate financial need Provide proof of acceptance at an accredited and competitive institution May already be enrolled at an institution and be in good academic standing Jodiann JacksonJodiann Jackson Graduate EngineerGraduate Engineer 2010/2011 Scholarship 2010/2011 Scholarship RecipientRecipient Online pOll About half would consider investing in infrastructure fund AlAn MArkoff amarkoff@pinnaclemedialtd.com Nearly half of the respon- dents to a caymancompass. com online poll say they would consider investing in a private fund to finance the Cayman government’s major infrastructure projects. Of the 421 total respon- dents, 63 of them – 15 per- cent – said they would “abso- lutely” invest in such a fund, while another 143 people – 34 percent – said they might if the terms were right. “I want to participate in building a stronger Cayman,” said one person. “No problem, once the fund is initiated by a repu- table person/entity,” said an- other person. “Caymanians need to start investing in the infrastructure of their own country. Let’s keep the wealth in the country, it doesn’t need to leave. We need to starting believing in ourselves at a local level.” “With pensions losing money, why not invest in Cayman’s infrastructure?” said someone else. “It is the right time to do this,” commented one person. “Investing in Cayman’s future and keeping the money here is precisely what we need to do.” “This is exactly what Bo Miller has been trying to pro- pose for the last few years,” said another respondent. “It would provide a sense of ownership, pride and identity for investors as part stake- holders and shareholders.” Another 51 people – 12.1 percent – said they didn’t have money to invest, but if they did, they would invest in a fund to finance government infrastructure projects. “Infrastructure is im- portant and I presume the government project would be carefully vetted,” said one person. Another 144 people – 34.2 percent – said they wouldn’t invest in such a fund under any circumstances. “Investors expect a re- turn,” said one person. “Government is not only in- capable of producing a re- turn, but it has proven when it runs things, it will lose money. One would have to be a fool to give govern- ment more money than it already takes. If you wish to invest in Cayman’s infra- structure, buy CUC shares or Cayman Water or the tele- communications companies. They pay a return.” “With the Cayman Islands Government’s track record of reneging on signed deals, there’s just no way,” said an- other person. “One only has to review the long and oft-repeated litany of botched governance, ineptitude, incompetence, in- efficiency and straight out corruption within the golden circle of certain government, civil service and business people to know how bad this film would turn out in the end,” said one respondent. “Not today, Bobo,” com- mented one person. Twenty people – 4.7 percent – responded “I don’t know.” Next week’s poll question What do you think of the government spending more than $38,000 to pro- vide free food and beverages for attendees of the National Heroes Day event? [Say why in comments] ■■ I think it’s per- fectly appropriate ■■ Providing refreshments is fine, but $38K is a bit much for an annual event ■■ It’s a nice gesture, but government shouldn’t be paying for free food and drink ■■ It’s an unacceptable vote-buying ploy ■■ I don’t know/other. To participate in this poll, visit www.caymancompass.com starting March 16. Total respondents: 421 Absolutely! 63 Votes 15.0% Maybe, if the terms are right. 143 Votes 34.0% I don't have money to invest, but if I did, I would. 51 Votes 12.1% I wouldn't under any circumstances. 144 Votes 34.2% I don't know. 20 Votes 4.7% COMPASS ONLINE POLL Source: CaymanCompass.com Online Poll Question: A private investment fund to finance government's major infrastructure projects is being established. Would you be inclined to invest in it?7 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Friday March 13, 2015 Law commission reviews criminal libel Brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands Law Reform Commission is looking at a number of changes to defamation laws in the territory, including whether criminal penalties for libel and slander should remain in current legislation. “There have been sev- eral defamation cases in re- cent times in the Cayman Islands, of recent note the ac- tion brought by the chairman of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission against former politician Joey Ebanks,” the commission stated in notes published this week. “In light of such cases and of the use of the Internet as an outlet for the anonymous delivery of opinions which can greatly affect a person’s reputation, the commission believes that it is timely to review the defamation laws in the Cayman Islands.” Human Rights Commission Chairman James Austin- Smith also recently opined that defamation laws – re- ferring to the act of making untrue and damaging state- ments about another person in a public forum – should be modernized in Cayman. “My personal view is that criminalizing statements is a sledgehammer to crack a nut,“ Mr. Austin-Smith said. “If you’ve got the protec- tion of the civil law, crim- inal libel is perhaps some- thing that we need to move on from and probably don’t need anymore.” The reform commission noted it would look into a number of areas regarding defamation, including: ■■ The abolition of criminal libel, meaning any al- leged offenses for defa- mation would have to be dealt with in civil court. There would also be con- sideration of whether libel (published defamation) and slander (spoken defa- mation) should be con- sidered the same offense ■■ Introduction of defenses of “unintentional defama- tion,” in which the party making the defamatory statements might “offer amends” for unintentional damaging statements ■■ Whether the publication of apologies for defama- tory statements should be construed as an ad- mission of guilt in court ■■ Whether a “wire service” defense should be imple- mented. In other words, who is held liable if a news publication reports a story containing defama- tory material that was ini- tially published elsewhere ■■ Whether a defense of “triviality” should be in- cluded, when a person sues another over what the court considers a fairly inconsequential in- stance of defamation. In addition to the re- view of defamation laws, the Law Reform Commission is also looking at contempt of court rules. This issue largely in- volves the uncertainty over what Cayman Islands media outlets are allowed to report from criminal court proceed- ings. This can, in some cases, have a “chilling effect” on free expression and may not be compliant with human rights, according to an eval- uation in March 2014 by the Law Reform Commission. The commission revealed this week that a Contempt of Court Bill is being reviewed. The commission’s discus- sion paper on the matter last year concluded that changes should be made to the cur- rent sub judice rules, which determine when criminal matters are considered to be before the court and, there- fore, have severe restrictions on what can be reported. “We believe that the cur- rent law is unduly restric- tive of the right of the media to report and comment on particular legal proceed- ings and may very well not be compliant with the bill of rights,” the Law Reform Commission’s position paper stated. Tea parTy fundraiser raises $36,000 for gallery A garden tea party fun- draiser held last week raised $36,000 for the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands. The money raised at Ariane Dart’s Tea Party will go toward the Creative Careers programs at the gallery. “The Ariane Dart Tea Party, held annually in aid of the National Gallery’s vi- brant arts education pro- gram, was a wonderful af- ternoon and a successful fundraiser,” Natalie Urquhart, National Gallery director, said in a statement. “We were delighted to see so many gal- lery members and friends turn out to support free youth arts education.” She said the gallery re- ceives approximately 48 per- cent of its annual operations budget from the Cayman Islands government, with the remainder of $500,000 being raised through private grants and fundraising events each year. “The Tea Party [held on March 6] plays a critical role in helping us reach these tar- gets,” Ms. Urquhart said. “We are extremely grateful to our host Ariane Dart, and our many attendees.” The Creative Careers pro- gram offers a wide range of opportunities to those wishing to pursue careers in creative industries. Programs include scholarships, intern- ship programs, career advice, work experience opportuni- ties, art workshops, lectures, art resources and tours. Ms. Urquhart said the National Gallery is com- mitted to supporting the next generation of arts pro- fessionals and sees great potential in the individuals who have taken part in the Creative Careers program so far. “It is vital that we work to assist creative students who wish to further their ed- ucation, develop their talents, reach their potential, and in so doing, enhance the com- munity in which we live and work,” she said. Students have fun during a tour of the National Gallery.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Friday March 13, 2015 • Cayman Compass Looking for a life-changing summer experience in a world renowned, diverse and adventurous Hospitality hotel? The Ritz-Carlton is seeking motivated High School graduates or University students for an eight week internship which will cover various hotel operations for maximized learning and growing. Interns must portray strong communication skills, be willing to try new things, engage with our guests and be open to a flexible work schedule. This internship is open to Caymanians only. SUMMER INTERNSHIP at The Ritz Carlton Deadline for applications is March 31st, 2015 Apply online at www.ritzcarltonjobs.ky Artisans Calling all Local Only persons with a valid trade & business licence will be considered. collateral@caymanislands.ky The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism is compiling an inventory of local artisans and products for possible use in their Marketing & Public Relations collateral supplies. If you have locally produced, artwork, or products that you feel are representative of the Cayman Islands please contact: Tel: 9490623 or e-mail www.caymanislands.ky which is terminal conges- tion. They are also very costly to maintain.” The designs announced Monday were based on an action plan laid out in a busi- ness case produced last year outlining the options for the airport. That business case sug- gested that the project should be funded through CIAA rev- enues, primarily the $13 pas- senger facilities charge. It concluded that ex- panding the terminal building was the top priority for Owen Roberts airport, which was said to be operating at double its intended capacity. The plans announced Monday triple the space for public areas inside the terminal and increase the number of passengers that can be comfortably handled annually at the facility to 2.7 million. Mr. Anderson said the Cayman Islands Airports Authority is looking at other options to better deal with disabled passengers. The report by PwC sug- gested that a “mobile solu- tion” at a cost of $1 million would be sufficient, based on current budget and demand. It suggested that as Health City grows and pas- senger volumes increase, boarding bridges could be reconsidered. “Given that boarding bridges are primarily tar- geted at passenger conve- nience, rather than resolving capacity issues, the level of cost would put considerable pressure on overall project affordability,” the report said. “However, it is important to ensure that the infrastruc- ture adequately supports the Health City initiative, given the potentially transforma- tive impact on the Cayman Islands economy,” the report said. should have done differently.” Diverting resources He said the group’s two other restaurants were “bursting at the seams” and it made sense to divert re- sources to those businesses. “We have got a won- derful team and those restaurants need their strengths,” he added. Transition period for George Town The closure of Breezes by the Bay comes amid a period of transition for the George Town waterfront. Island Companies’ deci- sion to close several stores in the Flagship building and the closure of the Hard Rock Cafe in 2013 were seen initially as a sign that the prospects of the capital were in permanent decline. But Hard Rock re- opened late last year, an Ice Bar has opened in the Flagship building, and a new venue, Bar Crudo, has opened underneath Guy Harvey’s restaurant. Revitalization Robert Hamaty, pres- ident of Tortuga Rum Company and an advo- cate for the revitalization of George Town, said he thinks the town’s fortunes are actually on an upswing. “Things are not looking that bad in general,” he said. “Cruise numbers are picking up and a few new places have opened up. That also means there is more competition.” Mr. Hamaty said the Association for the Advancement of Cruise Tourism, which was set up to promote business inter- ests in George Town, had died off. He believes the town needs a more coor- dinated approach to mar- keting to compete with Camana Bay. “There is no mer- chants association or town council,” he said. “George Town is too fragmented. The merchants are com- peting against each other instead of working to- gether on public relations and marketing.” there are no longer any full- service resorts where tour- ists can stay on the prop- erty through their vacation. These mega-resorts are pop- ular in places like Jamaica where people may not feel safe to go out and explore on their own. “People tend to go out and experience the island a bit more,” Mr. Andrews said of Grand Cayman, and the trend here is for more fam- ily-oriented high-end ho- tels that assume visitors can walk the beach and access other dining and experience options that are not on the hotel property. But with the buildup on Seven Mile Beach, he said, resort developers are left looking for other areas to build. Cayman has “a limited number of product types” for tourists, he said, and “long term, we need to find places to build hotels that work.” “Are the sites in the eastern districts good enough?” Mr. Andrews asked, referring to five-star beaches on property large enough to support a large resort. Overall, the tourism sector is recovering and is ahead of 2008 levels for stay-over arrivals. According to the report, Cayman had more than 980,000 hotel room nights sold last year, about a 70 percent occu- pancy rate. Regional outlook Regionally, the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Jamaica led the way in stay- over tourist arrivals. The Dominican Republic had more than 5 million stay- over tourist arrivals in 2014, up almost 10 percent over the previous year. The report states that, regionally, visitor arrivals and average daily rates at hotels have almost reached pre-recession levels. The economy of the Caribbean region grew by 4.6 percent in 2014. The Dominican Republic led the region in GDP growth, and the report cites forecasts for that country’s growth of about 7 percent in 2015. The World Bank revised down its growth forecasts for the Caribbean for the next two years, predicting regional growth of 4.1 per- cent this year and 4 percent in 2016. The report states: “The increases in visitors to the islands should boost reve- nues for related industries such as restaurants, water sports and tours.” The report gives a fa- vorable outlook for the Caribbean as a whole: “We see continuing gradual im- provement in most of the local economies in the re- gion, as a result of in- creased tourism and interest from investors.” Sales in resort devel- opments, however, have not fared so well, and are “fairly stagnant at most developments.” The report states: “We see little change in this sector in 2015 other than a poten- tial for a modest increase in sales due to increasing dis- posable income from poten- tial U.S. buyers.” CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Caribbean economy grew 4.6 percent in 2014 Airports boss: Jetways ‘too expensive’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 There are no immediate plans to include jetways at Owen Roberts International Airport. This architect’s rendering shows the tarmac side of the new airport. Waterfront restaurant to close CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Friday March 13, 2015 We have been asked to announce the passing of Mrs. Genevieve Adora McLaughlin who passed away on Saturday, February 28, 2015. A Service of Thanksgiving will be held on Saturday, March 14th 2015 at East End United Church at 3:00 p.m. Viewing will be from 2:00-2:45 p.m. Interment to follow at East End Cemetery To sign the Guest Book visit: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mrs. Genevieve Adora McLaughlin who passed away on Saturday, February 28, 2015. A Service of Thanksgiving will be held on Saturday, March 14th 2015 at East End United Church at 3:00 p.m. Viewing will be from 2:00-2:45 p.m. Interment to follow at East End Cemetery To sign the Guest Book visit: www.churchillsfuneralhome.comTo sign the Guest Book visit: www.churchillsfuneralhome.comTo sign the Guest Book visit: We have been asked to announce the passing of www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We regret to announce the passing of Arthur E. Grindle Jr. Who departed this life On Sunday, 22 February, 2015. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com Mr. Grindle will be repatriated to the United States of America. We regret to announce the passing of Arlen Reid Who departed this life on Saturday, March 7 2015. Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page Interment will follow in Creek Cemetery . Funeral services will be held at the Ashton Rutty Center, Cayman Brac, Saturday, 14 March 2015 at 2:00 PM. Viewing will be from 1 PM one hour prior to the service. Cayman Airways is offering a special charter Saturday departing 11 AM and returning 8 PM. We regret to announce the passing of Richard Hall Who departed this life On Sunday, 8 March, 2015. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com Mr. Hall will be repatriated to Canada. I wish you were here today even for just a little while so I could say Happy Birthday “Mom” and see your beautiful smile. The only gifts today will be the gifts you left behind; The laughter, joy and happiness... precious memories...you are my Angel.my Angel.my Angel. From: your loving daughter Denise & Family Happy Birthday “Mom” in Heaven 13, March 1950 - 5, Nov 2014 New Financial Services Division judge begins sitting A new nonresident judge has commenced sitting in the Financial Services Division of the Grand Court. Justice Nigel Clifford, QC, was sworn in via Skype in January and started work as a judge in late February. Even though he serves as a nonresident judge, Justice Clifford has extensive ex- perience with the Cayman Islands. He started his profes- sional career with local law firm Hunter & Hunter as an associate in 1987. Practicing in civil and commercial liti- gation, he appeared before the courts of Cayman in a wide range of cases. He became senior liti- gation partner at Hunter & Hunter in 1995, and later was senior counsel with suc- cessor firm Appleby Cayman. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2004. In his legal career, Mr. Clifford focused particu- larly on cross-border insol- vency and company liquida- tions in many international jurisdictions. He has given expert wit- ness evidence in courts in the U.S. and Panama on Cayman Islands law. Notably, he served as the lead attorney for the Cayman Islands liq- uidators of BCCI, then the world’s largest financial in- solvency that involved lawyers and other pro- fessionals in many jurisdic- tions around the world. “I am pleased I can round off my career in the im- portant Financial Services Division of the court, and that I can use my relevant experience for this pur- pose,” Justice Clifford said in a statement released by the Cayman Islands Judicial Administration this week. “Cayman has been a very important part of my life, and I am very grateful to have been given the opportu- nity to maintain my connec- tion with the Cayman Islands and to serve in this capacity,” he added. Now resident in England, Justice Clifford plans to commute to Cayman sev- eral times a year as nec- essary. Under the Grand Court rules, preliminary work on cases can be ar- ranged by video link and conference calls. Welcoming the new judge, Chief Justice Anthony Smellie said, “I am very pleased to be able to wel- come Justice Clifford as a colleague of the Cayman judiciary.” He said, “Our acquain- tance goes back, of course, many years to when he first came to practice in Cayman, and more latterly as he served as lead counsel in the BCCI liquidation for which I was the supervising judge.” The chief justice added that in Justice Clifford the judicial administra- tion was fortunate to have attracted someone “with the strong intellectual ca- pabilities and unyielding work ethic required to meet the demands of the Grand Court, and especially of the FSD, in today’s commercial environment.” Justice Clifford’s local knowledge of and experi- ence with Cayman law and practice enable him from the outset to deal with the full range of cases coming before this division of the Court, Mr. Smellie said. “I hope that Justice Clifford and his wife Penny and their daughters will enjoy their times to come in Cayman, which I know they still regard with deep affection.” Mr. Clifford’s daugh- ters, Josie and Louise, spent their formative years in Cayman and received their early education here. Mr. Clifford was born in Kenya, where he also at- tended high school. In addi- tion to his previous role as a local barrister, he served as president of the Cayman Islands Law Society in 2001. He was also a member of the Private Sector Consultative Committee, and in 2005 he became the first chairman of the Cayman Islands Law Reform Commission. Also engaged in civil ini- tiatives, he was a founding di- rector of Cayman HospiceCare. Justice Clifford Whale slams boat in Mexico, killing Canadian tourist CABO SAN LUCAS, Mexico (AP) — A 35-year-old Canadian woman died and two other tourists were injured when a surfacing whale crashed onto their boat, Mexican au- thorities said Thursday. The Attorney General’s Office for Environmental Protection said two other tourists suffered “con- siderable” injuries when the whale breached and hit the side of the boat on Wednesday. The office said the boat had been carrying nine tourists on a snorkel tour and quite near shore when the collision occurred. It described the vessel as “a fragile type with inflatable parts.” Photos showed the open boat – about 25 feet long, with twin outboard motors – apparently undamaged after the collision. In a statement to pros- ecutors, the company that operated the boat, Cabo Adventures, said the vessel was returning from a trip when the whale suddenly appeared. It said the cap- tain tried to turn the boat to avoid the whale, but the marine mammal struck the vessel. Contacted by tele- phone, a company employee said the firm would not com- ment further on the accident. The Baja California Sur state prosecutor’s office said the collision near the beach resort of Cabo San Lucas tossed the victim into the water. A crew member and a passenger lifted her back onto the vessel and Mexican navy personnel moved the woman to shore. She was taken to a clinic, where she died during treatment. Prosecutors’ spokesman Sergio Villarreal said the woman died from head trauma. He said it was the first death in this type of accident he knew of. The woman’s hometown has not been released. John Babcock, a spokesman for Canada’s Foreign Affairs Department, said that “to protect the private and per- sonal information of the in- dividual concerned, further details on this case cannot be released.” “Canadian consular of- ficials in Cabo San Lucas are providing consular as- sistance to the family in this difficult time,” Babcock said. While officials iden- tified the animal as a gray whale, Jorge Urban, a pro- fessor of biology at the Baja California State University who specializes in whales, said it was almost certainly a humpback whale. Urban said such acci- dents “are not common. Sometimes a ship will hit a whale, but we only learn about it from the scars on them (the whales).” “This is the first time in 30 years of studying whales that I have heard about an accident like this ... in which passengers are pitched into the sea, and one dies,” Urban said Whales surface to breathe, often unexpectedly. Collisions between whales and boats are not totally unknown in Mexico, where whales come to breed in coastal lagoons in winter. Authorities generally re- quire boats to stay a safe distance away from whales in whale-watching areas and protected reserves, but those rules don’t apply in the area around Cabo San Lucas. In January 2014, a boat and a humpback whale col- lided off the coast of Baja California, injuring a U.S. tourist and three other people on board. Collisions between whales and boats are not totally unknown in Mexico, where whales come to breed in coastal lagoons in winter.Next >