ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – Monday March 23, 2015 High of 83 Low of 73 Smooth to slight with wave heights of less than 2 feet. FOUR LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU BETTER: SEVEN MILE BEACH, WATERFRONT, WALKERS ROAD, TOWN CENTRE PLAZA RiveRS election challenge hewitt ordered to pay costs Tad SToner tstoner@pinnaclemedialtd.com Chief Justice Anthony Smellie has ordered West Bay’s Gordon Hewitt to reimburse MLA Tara Rivers for her costs incurred during his losing June 2013 challenge to her election. Chief Justice Smellie delivered the deci- sion on Friday, March 13, although publication came only March 19. The 13-page document calls the costs in the July 17, 18 and 19 Grand Court action “quite significant,” citing Ms. Rivers’s claim that “it would be neither fair nor appropriate that she should be required to bear them herself …” The decision specifies neither the amount nor a time frame for payment. Ms. Rivers employed as her defense at- torney QC and constitutional scholar Jeffrey Jowell, a leading authority on U.K. public- sector law. In the 12 months between July 2007 and June 2008, the Cayman Islands gov- ernment paid Mr. Jowell $424,000 to advise on local constitutional development. Hampson and Company attorney Paul Keeble instructed Mr. Jowell in Ms. Rivers’s defense. “I also note my acceptance that it was nec- essary for [Ms. Rivers] to have engaged both leading and junior counsel, as well as the ex- pert, Prof. Cole, who testified on United States law,” the Chief Justice wrote. David Cole, professor of law at Washington, D.C.’s Georgetown University, gave evidence on loyalty oaths and acquisition of a U.S. passport. On Friday, Ms. Rivers, herself a lawyer, de- clined to detail either her costs or the timing of her application to Mr. Smellie for reimburse- ment. “I really don’t want to comment,” she Fewer than 600 on nwDa registry BrenT Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Nearly 1,600 Caymanians remain unem- ployed according to the latest government estimates, but as of last month only about one-third of those believed to be jobless had registered with the National Workforce Development Agency. The workforce agency, which serves partly as a job skills training and advisory unit and partly as a recruitment agency, reported that – as of Feb. 28 – there were 593 people regis- tered with the NWDA. Those represent only the unemployed who have registered at the agency. There are other Four FounD guilty oF CnB roBBery JaMeS WhiTTaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Four men have been convicted of rob- bery for their roles in Cayman’s biggest ever bank heist. David Tamasa, Rennie Cole, George Mignott and Andre Burton were all found guilty, for the second time, of the robbery of more than half-a-million dollars in a daylight raid on Cayman National Bank in June 2012. A group of armed, masked men burst into the bank’s Buckingham Square branch and threatened customers and staff before making Hundreds honor Bob Soto’s ‘well-lived’ life BrenT Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Capt. Roberto Mark Bodden Soto, known to most in the Cayman Islands as Bob Soto, was laid to rest Saturday fol- lowing a memorial service attended by hun- dreds of the British Overseas Territory’s prominent residents. The impact the 88-year-old former Home Guard corporal, seaman, ship captain, busi- ness entrepreneur and the Caribbean’s “fa- ther of diving” had on his homeland was made abundantly clear in dozens of written remembrances and farewell speeches at the Cayman Islands Baptist Church in Savannah Saturday afternoon. But equally poignant during the service were memories of the father of three sons, five stepchildren, 19 grandchildren and “five and ¾ great grandchildren” [the sixth great- grandchild is due to be born in April and was counted as the ¾’], who variously knew Mr. Soto as “Poppy,” “Opa” or “Dampy.” “I loved hearing about all of his life ex- periences from growing up as a resourceful young boy and the great challenges he faced surviving on an island with so little,” son Danny Soto said. “He made his own hooks and worked hard at catching fish to trade for other goods. He would paddle a canoe from Lobster Pot to South Sound searching for fish. the Quappe family sings ‘amazing grace’ at Saturday’s remembrance service, as Pastor Randy von Kanel looks on. - Photo: Brent Fuller PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » ABCDE NATIONAL WEEKLY Worst Week Aaron Schock 3 Politics The new lobbying machine 4 5 Myths College sports 23 The nation Growing like a weed store 8 THE WEEK OF SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2015 . IN COLLABORATION WITH THE wASHIngTon poST Who is Bobby Jindal? Editorial | pagE 4 cayMan’S FuTure iS arriving ... in droveS2 LOCAL NEWS Monday March 23, 2015 • Cayman Compass www.tonymosleylifeinsurance.com 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. © Warner Bros. Pictures © 21st Century Fox RUN ALL NIGHT (R) 12:50 | 3:45 | 7:15 | 10:00 FOCUS (R) 1:30 | 4:10 | 7:20 | 10:05 THE SECOND BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL (PG) 12:45 | 3:30 | 6:50 | 9:40 INSURGENT (PG13) 3D 1:00 | 4:20 2D | 7:00 | 9:50 2D BLACK OR WHITE (PG13) 1:10 | 4:00 | 7:10 | 9:55 CINDERELLA (PG) 12:40 | 3:15 | 6:45 | 9:20 *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. - MONDAY - Eager students flock to reading fair More than 30 finalists took part in a reading fair at George Town Library that aimed to promote reading and an ap- preciation of literature among Cayman’s youth. Saturday’s fair, hosted by the Cayman Islands Information Professionals and LIFE (Literacy is for Everyone), involved a storyboard compe- tition for children. The finalists competed for 10 prizes of Kindle HD6s, do- nated by the Cayman Islands Public Library Service. Cayman Islands Information Professionals is a professional library and in- formation science association – one of eight library associa- tions in the Caribbean. It was founded in 2013 by information specialists living and working in the Cayman Islands. “The promotion of libraries and literacy is at the very core of our mission. Libraries after all are key repositories of in- formation, and are impor- tant to the fabric of commu- nity learning that is available for free,” said Paul Robinson, chairman of Cayman Islands Information Professionals and deputy director of the public library service. “This particular event is a reading fair where children creatively produce a story- board based on their favorite book,” he added. “The submis- sions are judged on clarity, creativity, thoroughness, in- terest invoked and quality. This fantastic competition not only encourages reading, but fires the creativity, imag- ination and fun associated with books.” Su Mander of LIFE’s exec- utive team said. “Encouraging children to create a story- board about a favorite book is a creative and fun way to help them develop their reading comprehension skills.” Ashley Welsh, program officer for Cayman Islands Information Professionals, ex- plained that students chose their favorite books “and worked very hard to create a lively presentation that al- lows them to share their love of reading.” Books that the children worked on included “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” and “The Wizard of Oz.” All the children received runner-up prizes and certificates of par- ticipation for their colorful and informative presentations. The winners, who each re- ceived a Kindle, were David Lewis, Abbie Carnahan, Madison Chin, Madison Malice, Natalie Bolland and Sofia Hansen. TourisT in dive faTaliTy idenTified as Texan A 70-year-old American tourist who died last week on a dive off North West Point in West Bay, Grand Cayman, has been identified as Stephen Edward Van Buren of Conroe, Texas. Mr. Van Buren was on a dive when he experienced difficulty in the water, po- lice said. He was trans- ported to the Cayman Islands Hospital by ambu- lance where he was pro- nounced dead. He was in Cayman for a vacation last week with his son, police said, and had arrived on island the day before the fatal accident. Mr. Van Buren is the sixth person to die in a water-related accident in the Cayman Islands during 2015. Students make documentary on Cayman marine life Jewel levy jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Five students from the Cayman Islands Further Education Centre are using their media skills to make a social action film about the threats to Cayman’s seas. The documentary “Deep Bleu” will focus on making observations about conser- vation efforts, the state of Cayman’s grouper popula- tion, current conditions of local reefs, water pollution, and the effect of captivity upon dolphins. The initiative is part of an extended class project at the Further Education Centre. The group, which is filming outside of school hours, expects to complete the project in May. Filmmakers Mikol Bodden, Alexei Bush, Tariah Lemay-Nottage, Melissa Narcisse, and Alyssa Thomas want people, espe- cially their peers, to appre- ciate how fragile the oceans are. To do this, they are diving in head first to see the underwater environ- ment and film their experi- ences for others to see. Ms. Lemay-Nottage, a 16-year-old Year 12 student focusing on creative media, said the project will edu- cate her peers and visitors about Cayman’s marine life. “This project is about what the Cayman Islands re- volves around – our water. We’re surrounded by it, and tourists come to look at it – that’s really what attracts them to the Cayman experi- ence,” she said. They have conducted interviews with several people from the depart- ments of Environment and Public Works, as well as marine conservationist and artist Guy Harvey. “This film is more of a journey as the students are making discoveries and finding they have more questions than answers,” said Claire Cox, a teacher and diver overseeing the project. Ms. Cox said that the course and project qualifi- cations are meant to give students the skills to work independently and gain the confidence to explore their own thoughts and ideas. “We have a studio with lighting, camera, sound re- corders and green screens. This is where they have conducted most of the in- terviews. We also have an office space with a meeting desk and several iMacs,” said Ms. Cox. The film group has set up its own company,Kaymanite Production, and Ms. Cox teaches them how to be- come directors, editors, pro- ducers and presenters. Dive operator Divetech is supporting the group with the course equipment and a PADI instructor at the Further Education Centre is donating his time. Environment Minister Wayne Panton said the project falls under his ministry’s mandate to en- courage greater apprecia- tion of Cayman’s waters. “The sea has always been an important part of the lives of Caymanians; we have grown up with a deep appreciation for the oppor- tunities it presents and the life within it,” he said. “I be- lieve that today our young people have an even deeper appreciation for the value of our marine environment.” Department of Environment Director Gina Ebanks-Petrie said, “These students have a chance to increase their knowledge of one of Cayman’s vitally im- portant ecosystems. We are hopeful that the approach they are taking will also help them to acquire skills that will assist them in ob- taining employment when the time comes for them to enter the job market.” Student Melissa Narcisse wanted to gain more of an understanding of how to protect the local reefs. “I am interested in the recent damage by the cruise ship, so for me, filming and cre- ating this documentary about our reefs and other marine issues will be a very important way of bringing about change. “The way we, as lo- cals, see our marine life is evolving. For me, learning to dive will help me not only see what other people have been saying about Cayman’s marine life, but also help me create my own opinion,” she said. The Ministry of Environment and the Department of the Environment’s $800 sponsor- ship of the group is being used to pay for dive trips, diving certification, equip- ment and camera gear. Environment Minister Wayne Panton, fourth from left, presents a check for $800 to student Tariah Lemay- Nottage, as her fellow students and ministry, school and Department of Environment officials look on. Paul Robinson, chairman of Cayman Islands Information Professionals and Su Mander of LIFE, with winners Madison Chin, front left, and Madison Malice at Saturday’s reading fair at the George Town Library. Walker Riley, dressed as Willie Wonka, by his storyboard of ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.’3 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Monday March 23, 2015 Erin Brockovich Luncheon | March 25, 2015 12pm - 3pm (followed by networking drinks) Ritz Carlton, Grand Cayman To purchase tickets or become a sponsor please contact Alejandro Ruiz on 945 8188 or email alejandro.ruiz@fountainhead.ky. Silent Auction for Designer Handbags All proceeds go to support the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre. Tickets: US$150 per person (includes 3 course lunch and glass of wine) US$1350 per table of 10 Erin Brockovich is a name synonymous with tenacity, triumph and the power of an individual. Erin was the inspiration behind the Oscar Award winning movie Erin Brockovich and the impelling force behind the largest medical settlement lawsuit in history. Hear her incredible journey and become inspired to make a change. Sponsored by The Scholarship Secretariat advises Caymanians of the local scholarship application period: 1st March - 30th April, 2015 The local scholarship can facilitate a Fall 2015/Spring 2016 start date. Applications must be made online. Please visit the following site to apply and obtain the required forms: www.education.gov.ky/scholarships Those Year 11 JGHS, CHHS and LSHS students wanting to pursue A Level studies only beginning Fall 2015, must also complete this application process. Do not delay applications because grades are not yet available. Scholarships are available to attend: UCCI, ICCI, Truman Bodden Law School & A Levels Contact the Scholarship Secretariat at: Email: scholarships@gov.ky | Telephone: 244-2482 Local Scholarship Opportunities MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT & GENDER AFFAIRS MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT & GENDER AFFAIRS MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT & GENDER AFFAIRS New coral damage investigated Department of Environment dive teams assess anchor damage James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Environment officials are once again investigating damage to pristine coral reef caused by a boat anchor in Cayman’s waters. This time the culprit ap- pears to be a mega yacht. The damage, discovered last week by scuba divers, is not as widespread as the devastation caused when the Carnival Magic cruise ship dropped anchor on a reef off George Town last year. But Department of Environment divers, who assessed the site late last week, said a patch of coral near the Thirteen Trees dive site on the west end of Grand Cayman – in front of The Renaissance and London House condos on West Bay Road – had been reduced to rubble. The chances of catching the boat crew responsible for the anchor damage is slim. Nobody witnessed the in- cident, which officials say could have happened at any time over a two-week period. Research officer James Gibb, who dove the site on Friday, said there were sig- nificant amounts of rubble and broken coral at the site, which is close to a desig- nated anchorage point for visiting yachts. “It is a relatively small patch that has been de- stroyed, compared to the Magic site, but the damage is pretty devastating. On one finger of coral, it looks like half the coral has been snapped off; on anther finger, it looks like it has all been affected.” He said divers would be out all next week assessing the extent of the damage, moving rubble and salvaging live coral. Ultimately, divers will be able to glue the sal- vaged coral back to the reef. Scott Slaybaugh, deputy director of the Department of Environment, said the damage was discovered early last week, but the incident could have taken place at any time over the previous two weeks. “Somebody seems to have anchored around 1,000 feet away from where they would have been instructed to drop anchor by the Port Authority. “Since nobody actually witnessed the damage, the best we can do is establish a time frame for when it could have taken place. During that time, there were three mega yachts [that came] in, so tracking down a single re- sponsible party just doesn’t seem possible at this point.” Mr. Slaybaugh said an- chor damage to coral around Cayman used to be a signifi- cant problem, but he said the Department of Environment had worked with the Port Authority to put systems in place to reduce such instances. “We thought we had a good system in place to pre- vent this kind of thing, but we will need to review it to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” he said. Visible markers could be placed at the designated anchorage point to prevent visiting yachts from relying on GPS to find the right spot, he added. The chances of catching the boat crew responsible for the anchor damage is slim. Nobody witnessed the incident, which officials say could have happened at any time over a two-week period. A map supplied by the Department of Environment shows the site of the damage off Seven Mile Beach, with the area marked “Port Coordinates,” where the Port Authority advised yachts to anchor, about 1,000 feet from where the unidentified boat damaged the reef near the 13 Trees dive site. Department of Environment research officer James Gibb reviews the damaged reef.The 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. WASHINGTON – The rate of dog ownership is rising ominously. How can a pro- fusion of puppies be wor- risome? A report from the Raymond James financial services firm concerning trends in the housing market explains: Increasing numbers of women “are adopting dogs for security and/or compan- ionship,” partly because of “the great education divide.” Since 1979, the report says, the number of women going to college has acceler- ated relative to male enroll- ments. By 2012, there were 2.8 million more women than men in college, and by 2020 this “enrollment gap” is pro- jected to grow to 4.4 million as women account for 74 per- cent of enrollment growth. In 2000, the adult popula- tions of college-educated men and women were approxi- mately equal. By 2013, there were 4.9 million more women 25 or older with college de- grees than men in that age group. This means a shortage of suitable male partners for a growing cohort of young women, who are postponing family formation. The report says millions of female-led households are being estab- lished by women who, being focused on their careers, are delaying motherhood, partly because of a shortage of suit- able partners. More about suitability anon. “Increased ‘competition’ for college-educated males” might mean that college-edu- cated bachelors will feel less incentive to become domes- ticated, further depressing family formation. And for the growing class of under- educated young men, there are increasingly bleak “em- ployment, income and dating prospects.” What is good news for dog breeders is bad news for the culture. Two years ago, Susan Patton, a Princeton graduate and mother of two sons who attended Princeton, detonated multiple explosions in the culture wars when, in a letter to The Daily Princetonian, she told “the young women of Princeton” what “you re- ally need to know that no- body is telling you.” Which is that their future happiness will be “inextricably linked” to the men they marry, so they should “find a husband on campus” because “you will never again have this con- centration of men who are worthy of you.” She explains: “Men regularly marry women who are younger, less intelligent, less educated. It’s amazing how forgiving men can be about a woman’s lack of erudition, if she is excep- tionally pretty. Smart women can’t (shouldn’t) marry men who aren’t at least their in- tellectual equal. As Princeton women, we have almost priced ourselves out of the market. Simply put, there is a very lim- ited population of men who are as smart or smarter than we are. … It will frustrate you to be with a man who just isn’t as smart as you.” Patton’s brassy indif- ference to delicacy served the serious purpose of riv- eting attention on what so- cial scientists call “assor- tative mating.” Plainly put, America has always aspired to be a meritocracy in which careers are open to talents, and status is earned rather than inherited. But the more merit matters to upward mo- bility, the more inequality be- comes entrenched in a strati- fied society. Those favored by genetics, and by family acculturation the acquired social capital (the habits and dispositions necessary for taking advan- tage of opportunities), tend to go to school and then to work together. And they marry one another, concentrating ad- vantages in their children. Hence today’s interest in what is called “privilege theory,” which takes a dark view of the old couplet, “All men are by nature equal, but differ greatly in the se- quel.” The theory leaps from the obvious to the dubious. Obviously some people are born with, and into, advan- tages, congenital and so- cial. What is dubious is the conclusion that government has the capacity and duty to calibrate, redistribute and equalize advantages. Joy Pullmann, writing at The Federalist, a conservative website of which she is man- aging editor, notes something else obvious: This agenda is incompatible with freedom. Furthermore, although some individuals have advantages they did not earn, “very often someone else did earn them” – by, for example, nurturing children in a stable family. It is hardly an injustice – an invidious privilege – for nur- turing parents to be able to confer on their children the advantages of conscientious- ness. The ability to do so, says Pullmann, is a powerful motivation for noble behavior that, by enlarging society’s stock of parental “hard work, self-control and sacrifice,” produces “positive spillover effects for everyone else.” Enhancing equality of op- portunity is increasingly ur- gent and increasingly difficult in an increasingly complex, information-intensive society. The delicate task is to do so without damaging freedom and the incentives for using freedom for individual striving, which is the privilege – actually, the natural right – that matters most. George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2015, Washington Post Writers Group Monday MarCh 23, 2015 • Cayman COmpass Like a crack of thunder, the announcement that the Cayman Islands now boasts its largest population ever – 58,238 – is a confirmation that lightning has struck. Last year, following a half-decade of decline and stag- nation, Cayman’s population shot up by 4.5 percent, an annual rate that if sustained would easily place our country among the fastest-growing in the world. And we see no reason why Cayman should not continue this growth; on the contrary, we believe our country’s strategic positioning (economically, finan- cially and geographically) to be so sound that to counter the impending wave of prosperity would require an act of God – or government. Therefore, we pray that hurricanes maintain a safe distance from our shores, and we applaud Cayman’s current elected leadership in all parties, which seem predominantly to share our belief that for Cayman’s economy, “growth is good, and more growth is better.” In tandem with the news of Cayman’s popu- lation increase, officials revealed that unemploy- ment in Cayman fell 1.6 percent to 4.7 percent last year, a number in the “low-to-normal” range for developed countries. If anyone is looking around for another shovelful of marl to dump on the debunked theory that new work permit holders “steal” Caymanian jobs, consider this: Last year’s population growth was fueled mainly by the 1,800 newly arriving non-Caymanian residents (most all of them work permit holders); at the same time, the unemployment rate among Caymanians fell 1.5 percent to 7.4 percent – still too high, but signifi- cantly declining. Last October, we published an editorial that set forth our pro-growth position and attempted to explain that pro-expatriate policies are also pro-Caymanian policies. One of our readers provided a thoughtful response, asserting that if population size were the ultimate determinant of wealth and well-being, then residents of India would enjoy some of the highest standards of living on Earth. Point well-taken, but we’ll also provide a couple of our own: First, being pro-growth is not the same thing as being pro-“infinite growth.” Sooner than later, it may start to feel a bit crowded here, particularly if Cayman’s infrastructure does not keep pace with new residential development. Right now, though, Cayman’s population density is only about half that of Aruba and one-fifth that of Bermuda. Second, all growth is not created equal. Cayman’s immigration policy must be predicated on ensuring that long-term residents are self-sustaining and do not place a future financial burden on the Cay- manian people. As the most recent statistics illustrate, nearly all of Cayman’s new residents will arrive by airplane at the Owen Roberts International Airport, not by stork at the Cayman Islands Hospital. As time goes on, expatri- ates will account for a greater and greater proportion of the Cayman population. Actuarially that redistribu- tion of demography is ordained and inevitable. Geographically speaking, the new data show that two districts have been left out of last year’s growth, East End and the Sister Islands. We won’t explore in this editorial the causes and effects of this dis- parity, short of observing that increasing inequities in the number of voters per elected member should figure heavily into calculations of electoral bounda- ries, allotment of public spending and plans for capital project investment. It is incumbent upon those seeking a low-growth or no-growth strategy for the Cayman Islands to rec- oncile their position with the cost of government, the growing swath of services it provides, the expense of future capital projects and, notably, its debt obliga- tions (particularly its underfunded health and pension benefits for government workers and their families). Somebody’s got to pay government’s ever- increasing bills and obligations, and those “some- bodies” will be our future residents and businesses. Cayman’s future is arriving ... in droves Social inequality’s deepening roots 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 find their own way” GEORGE F. WILL5 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Monday March 23, 2015 HomeOptions BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE CO. LTD. BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, Grand Cayman KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 12 Kirkconnell Street, Stake Bay, P.O. 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Next port director faces big pay cut Brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands gov- ernment is searching for a new leader at its port au- thority operation, but the successful candidate will be taking quite a pay decrease compared with the current director’s salary. Advertisements went out Friday for the post of Cayman Islands port director seeking a candidate with a bachelors or masters degree in business or finance with 10 years senior executive ex- perience managing an orga- nization with more than 100 employees and a budget of more than $10 million. The salary range for the position is advertised at be- tween $123,000 and $173,000. Deputy Premier Moses Kirkconnell told the Legislative Assembly last year that the current annual salary range for the port di- rector was between $180,000 and $204,000. The issue arose after North Side MLA Ezzard Miller raised questions about the pay scales for some di- rectors at government statu- tory authorities and publicly- owned companies, including the port, Cayman Airways and the Cayman Islands Airports Authority. “It is somewhat shocking to me to find out ... that these people are paid more than the premier,” Mr. Miller said. Premier Alden McLaughlin’s annual salary is about $160,000 per year. Premier McLaughlin has raised his own concerns about the management issues surrounding certain govern- ment-owned companies and statutory authorities. “There are those who will say otherwise, but my view of [the creation of the statu- tory authorities and govern- ment companies] is that, by and large, that has not saved the government money,” Mr. McLaughlin said last year. “If you look at the salaries paid to statutory authorities and gov- ernment companies compared to those in central government ... you would be astounded. There are those in statutory authorities that earn more than the governor, let alone me or the deputy governor. “We do not believe the statutory authorities and government companies can operate completely outside what obtains in the country and in the [central] govern- ment particularly. I think there is the mind-set in some of those who control these entities that they are a com- pletely independent entity, doing whatever they want. That’s not the case at all.” Port director Although his government contract is not due to ex- pire until May, the Cayman Islands Port Authority’s cur- rent managing director, Paul Hurlston, has been shown the door by the board of direc- tors. An acting director has been appointed in the interim. Mr. Hurlston was put on “gardening leave” – not re- porting to the office, but still being paid – in mid-February until the end of his contract on May 21, port chairman Errol Bush confirmed. Mr. Bush said a letter informing Mr. Hurlston of the board’s decision was delivered to him during a February meeting. “It was contemplated [previ- ously] that we would do this, but we just wanted to wait until after the Christmas break,” Mr. Bush said. The port chairman told the Cayman Compass in December of the board’s de- cision not to renew the cur- rent managing director’s six- year contract, which was approved in the waning hours of the former People’s Progressive Movement gov- ernment administration. “His contract was not an open contract. It ends in May 2015,” Mr. Bush said at the time. “He has to give us no- tice of his interest to renew. [The board], in turn, has to give him notice of our in- terest [in continuing the con- tract]. We did not want to renew his contract.” Mr. Hurlston has never re- turned calls or emails from the Compass seeking com- ment about the situation, but wrote a letter to the news- paper after the fact. In ad- dition, the Compass is in possession of an unsigned letter sent to the port board in February in which staff members said they faced “hostility” from members of the board. According to the Feb. 11 staff letter: “It would appear that the board … has already, and perhaps for some length of time, identified substan- tial ‘inefficiencies, risks and weaknesses’ in the current daily operations of the port, and has already determined, prior to the inception of your proposed Deloitte review that these deficiencies exist mainly due to ‘the current or- ganizational structure.’ “There are a number of other departments, au- thorities, etc., amongst the branches of government that arguably and demonstrably are in more need of serious adjustments in the same areas that you have vaguely but persistently stated/ hinted at in this and pre- vious communications to us and the general public via the press. “We are somewhat per- turbed, puzzled and perplexed by the board’s seemingly guarded hostility towards our establishment … and in par- ticular it seems, towards the sitting management.” Port chairman Mr. Bush told the Compass in December that the authority had hired Deloitte via a tendering pro- cess to perform what he termed an “organizational re- view” at the authority, aimed at “getting us back on better financial footing.” Deloitte issued the job advertisement for a new di- rector on behalf of the port authority on Friday. Liquor board roundup: No Whiskey Mist on the sidewalk Brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The recently-opened Irish pub Whiskey Mist in the Strand shopping center had its request to open an outdoor sidewalk drinking area denied by the Liquor Licensing Board of Grand Cayman on Friday. Pub representative Harry Lalli told board members that, since the advent of no smoking rules inside bars and restaurants, patrons who smoke were forced to go out- side to have cigarettes or ci- gars. Mr. Lalli said the pub wished to allow those patrons to drink in designated side- walk areas. Board chairman Mitchell Welds questioned whether there was enough sidewalk area for shopping center cus- tomers to get around and whether smokers would be able to stay far enough away from the entrance of the es- tablishment to comply with local anti-smoking laws. In the end, the request was denied. Asian beer The board green-lighted an application to transfer a liquor license held at the Dragon Inn Restaurant in the Mirco Center to the Bodmer building. The license, which will be changed to a package store license, will allow the Asian market at the Bodmer building to sell liquor, in- cluding Asian beers. An attorney representing owner Poh Lye “Paul” Ch’ng said Mr. Ch’ng intended to sell the Dragon Inn Restaurant. Probation The probation period for two bars was again extended by the liquor board. Liquor board members said problems with the use of an unapproved and poten- tially unsafe outdoor patio at Archie’s Bar on Shedden Road continue. Police reports indicated things had calmed down at Archie’s since a mid- morning police raid uncov- ered illegal gambling. Probation was also con- tinued for East End’s Pirates Cove bar. Chief Inspector Claudia Brady said the bar continues to have trouble “around its premises,” in- cluding an assault that sent one victim off island for med- ical treatment last month. Representatives of the bar told the liquor board that vio- lent incidents were largely oc- curring in areas outside the premises that they could not control, but Chief Inspector Brady said the bar was still considered a “hotspot” – or trouble spot – by police. 6 LOCAL NEWS Monday March 23, 2015 • Cayman Compass John Gray becomes ‘heritage’ high school Caymanian heritage is alive and well at John Gray High School, where students take part in a thriving heri- tage arts club. The aim of the club, ac- cording to the school, is to help retain Caymanian tradi- tional crafts that might oth- erwise be forgotten. Each week, Cayman Traditional Arts instructor Donna Bryan shows students how to make items through the art of plaiting thatch. “My mother was excel- lent at plaiting thatch and brought us all up on the products she made through the art,” Ms. Bryan said. At first a volunteer with the school, and for the past two years an instructor through Cayman Traditional Arts, Ms. Bryan brings basket-loads of “strings,” long thin strands from the Silver Thatch Palms that grow in her back yard. Some have been left in their natural pale beige state, while others have been col- ored using clothes dye into an assortment of colors. She patiently teaches stu- dents how to plait using five, seven, nine or as many as 11 strings. The result is a length of plaited thatch that can then be sewn into a variety of items, such as hats, bags, belts, bracelets and slippers. “I’m impressed that some students had already learned the art of plaiting thatch as they had been taught by their grandparents who were keen to pass their knowledge down through the genera- tions,” Ms. Bryan said. Students are slowly amassing an array of beau- tifully made items that they hope to sell. “It would be wonderful if we could raise sufficient funds to buy a sewing ma- chine,” Ms. Bryan said. “Then the students could pro- duce a much wider selection of items.” Patricia Forbes, acting deputy principal of Tarpon Academy at John Gray High School who has been a key organizer of the club, said, “It’s very important for the students to be able to learn about their heritage. “Years ago, the Cayman Islands were known for making the strongest rope in the world from our Silver Thatch Palm, and so it is wonderful that Ms. Donna is able to pass this skill on. Students really enjoy the club, which we hold on a Tuesday lunchtime, and we are very grateful to Ms. Donna for initially volun- teering her time and now instructing students with Cayman Traditional Arts.” The National Gallery of the Cayman Islands is working on a number of initiatives prompted by its staff’s recent participation in a conference that sought to build stronger ties between artists in the Caribbean region, the gallery’s director said. Director of the National Gallery Natalie Urquhart said the “Tilting Access” re- gional art conference of- fered an essential platform through which to increase the visibility of artists from the Cayman Islands and to forge new relationships with other arts organizations in the region. “Historically, Caymanian artists have been removed from the vibrant regional art scene and subsequently rarely feature in regional ex- hibitions and publications. Moving forward, it is crit- ical that we become part of the wider regional dialogue and to explore opportunities for our artists and curators,” said Ms. Urquhart. “By bringing together arts professionals from across the region, Tilting Axis has provided an unparalleled platform for collaboration and exchange and I look for- ward to moving ahead with several of the initiatives that were discussed which range from residency opportunities to shared resources and ex- hibitions,” she added. The visual arts con- ference, “Tilting Axis: Within and Beyond the Caribbean – Shifting Models of Sustainability and Connectivity” was held in Barbados in late February and aimed at forging infra- structure between indepen- dent art organizations and museums operating across the Caribbean, United States, European Union and China. The conference was or- ganized by The Fresh Milk Art Platform, Inc., located in Barbados, in collabora- tion with ARC Magazine, Res Artis and the Pérez Art Museum Miami, and was supported by the Prince Claus Fund, the British Council and the Davidoff Art Initiative. Co-organizers Holly Bynoe and Annalee Davis said the conference sought to create opportunities for visual artists living in the Caribbean and to provide professional and economic development in the region through formal collabora- tions between key art orga- nizations and foundations, across the Caribbean and beyond. The conference also aims to build and redefine relationships around cultural exchange between the Global North and the Global South. After the two-day dis- cussion, which included topics ranging from arts ed- ucation, scholarship and re- search, exhibitions, residency programmes, collaborative projects, and the growth of creative industries in the re- gion, a strategic action plan for continued collaboration was developed. Gallery staff attends visual arts conference Seminar to explore impact of Magna Carta A seminar that ad- dresses the impact on human rights and democracy of the 800-year-old Magna Carta will be held at the University College of the Cayman Islands this week. The University of West Indies Open Campus, along with the Constitutional Affairs and Parliamentary Studies Unit of St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Magna Carta 800th Anniversary Committee, will host the seminar, titled “Magna Carta and Human rights in Cayman Islands.” It will be held at UCCI at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 25. Keynote speaker will be Cayman Islands Attorney General Sam Bulgin. Other speakers include attorney Vaughan Carter, a member of the Constitutional Commission and the Gender Quality Tribunal, who is also former deputy chairman of the Human Rights Committee and senior lecturer at the Cayman Islands Law School, and attorney Natasha Bodden, former Freedom of Information Unit coordinator and the former Immigration Appeals Tribunal coordinator. According to organizers, “the 800th anniversary of the sealing of the Magna Carta on 15th June, 2015 pres- ents a unique opportunity to highlight the connection be- tween the Magna Carta and the evolution of human rights and democracy throughout the Commonwealth.” The main topics to be ad- dressed include: how the Magna Carta influenced the anti-slavery lobby in England and the abolition of slavery in the 19th century in the West Indies; the connection be- tween English common law, human rights and democ- racy in the Commonwealth Caribbean and the Magna Carta; and how the Magna Carta influenced the devel- opment of human rights and governance in the Cayman Islands. The Magna Carta was signed in Runnymede, Surrey, in England, between rebel British barons and King John in 1215. Under duress, the king agreed to a charter of lib- erties, known as the Magna Carta (or Great Charter) that would place him and all of England’s future sovereigns within a rule of law. The charter was not ini- tially successful and was re- issued, with alterations, in 1216, 1217 and 1225. It went on to serve as the founda- tion for the English system of common law. The Magna Carta estab- lished the principle that ev- eryone is subject to the law, including the king, and guar- antees the rights of individ- uals, the right to justice and the right to a fair trial. Participants of the Tilting Axis 2015 conference. Heritage arts instructor Donna Bryan with student Cristal Garro-Prado. Iesha MacIntosh, Shaquana Welcome and Thashawna Matthews practice plaiting their thatch rope.7 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Monday March 23, 2015 CULINARY MAGAZINECAYMAN’S Christina Pantelidis cpantelidis@pinnaclemedialtd.com 345-525-0404 Kate Allenger kallenger@pinnaclemedialtd.com 345-925-4104 Maria Ainis mainis@pinnaclemedialtd.com 345-325-5092 To make your reservations contact If your business is “food,” then your magazine should be Flava. This beautiful publication has been elegantly redesigned, its distribution greatly enhanced, and its coverage of local cuisine simply unsurpassed. Flava – the perfect publication for advertisers to reach food lovers with exquisite taste. Advertising Deadline Monday, March 23, 2015 NEXT ISSUE OUT APRIL 2015 Flava: A ‘table’ of contents that is irresistible! $10,000 bond will not be returned Charles DunCan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com A judge last week ruled that the $10,000 bond for Arthur Screaton, who left Cayman while facing charges of theft and false accounting, would not be returned even though the Crown decided not to seek extradition. Screaton, a 55-year-old Canadian national, traveled to the United States with the court’s permission in 2012 to join his wife and child, and, as a condition, a friend posted a bond of $10,000. The Crown located Screaton in Denver, Colorado earlier this year, but decided not to seek extradition. Attorney John Furniss applied for the bond to be returned since it was the Crown’s decision not to bring Screaton back to face trial in the Cayman Islands. Prosecutors accused Screaton of stealing more than $10,000 from Rackam’s Bar and C-Blu Lounge, of which he was the restaurant manager, between October and December 2010. He pleaded not guilty in March 2012 but departed Cayman before his trial was to begin in September that year. White collar crime expert joins DPP The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions this month appointed Patrick Michael Moran as its new deputy director. Mr. Moran, a specialist in white collar crime, money laundering and asset forfei- ture, replaces Trevor Ward, who left the role in December. A statement on Thursday issued by the Director of Public Prosecutions office said Mr. Moran had pros- ecuted for several agen- cies in the United Kingdom, including the Crown Prosecution Service and the Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office. He has, the DPP writes, “appeared at courts of all levels, up to and including the House of Lords.” Mr. Moran was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 1997. Before coming to Cayman this year, he practiced from Chambers in London, which included prosecuting se- rious criminal offenses. He joined the Director of Public Prosecutions in the Cayman Islands on March 2. The new deputy director is also a qualified advocacy trainer. He has been a qual- ified trainer for 10 years by one of the Inns of Court, a professional association for lawyers, and spent several years as the head of educa- tion in his chambers. Mr. Moran Bail surrendered in Screaton case Mold closes West Bay social services office Department of Children and Family Services office shuts ‘indefinitely’ The West Bay office of the Department of Children and Family Services closed down last week because of concerns about mold in the building, according to the department. The office closed its doors as of Friday, March 20. According to a statement re- leased by the department, the office was closed because the presence of mold at the premises had raised concerns about the “welfare of the staff and clients.” The closure of the office is “indefinite,” the depart- ment stated, “as the building is scheduled to be assessed by Environmental Health and the Public Works Department in order to determine the ex- tent of the problem.” The three social work staff assigned to that office have been relocated to the Department of Children and Family Services’ main of- fice at Commerce House, 7 Genesis Close, George Town. “The public are assured that services to our cli- ents will in no way be nega- tively impacted as the social workers who have been relo- cated will continue their var- ious field visits and related duties in the West Bay com- munity; only their base of op- eration has changed,” the de- partment’s statement read. It continued, “The West Bay office deals with the scope of children and family services ranging from child protection matters, juvenile delinquency to the care and wellbeing of the elderly.” The department has no- tified the Sir John A Cumber Primary School, the West Bay clinic, the local police station and other agencies in the dis- trict about the closure. “DCFS no longer deals with financial assistance ser- vices, so this closure does not impact persons seeking as- sistance in this regard,” the department stated. “Families seeking financial assis- tance should visit the Needs Assessment Unit located on the 2nd Floor Aqua Mall or call 946-0024 as usual.” According to the World Health Organization, which carried out a two-year review into the subject, mold can lead to increased prevalences of respiratory symptoms, al- lergies and asthma. For more information, call the DCFS on 949-0290. According to a statement released by the department on Friday, the office was closed because the presence of mold at the premises had raised concerns about the “welfare of the staff and clients.” The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 off with sacks stuffed with cash. Tamasa, who was not present during the raid, was said to be one of the chief organizers, planning the robbery and supplying the weapons. Mignott carried a shotgun and took part in the raid. Cole was the decoy man who distracted the bank security guard while Burton was the getaway driver. The crown’s case hinged on the evidence of Marlon Dillon, who admitted to his own role and testified against his accomplices. The four men were orig- inally found guilty of the robbery, along with Ryan Edwards, in April 2013. Their convictions were quashed by the Court of Appeal because of a pro- cedural irregularity in the original trial. Edwards’s conviction was upheld. It took a new jury of eight women and four men just over seven hours to again find the men guilty of robbery and posses- sion of firearms, following a seven-week retrial which concluded Friday. They will be sentenced on Wednesday. Dramatic CCTV footage of the terrifying raid was shown to the jury during the course of the trial. Key witness Dillon identified Mignott as the man seen in the footage, wearing a grey hoodie and wielding a shotgun. At one point, he is seen in the images, shared with the Cayman Compass, forcing a security guard to the floor at gunpoint and threatening a customer with the weapon. Dillon told the court that Cole, seen on the footage chatting with the security guard, was sent in as a decoy to distract the man in the moments before his accomplices burst into the bank. He identified himself and Edwards as the two other masked men. Edwards, wearing a high visibility reflective vest, is seen on the footage forcing bank staff to allow him into the vaults and then later passing a black bag filled with cash to Dillon before leaping over the counter. Footage from outside the bank showed Mignott, Dillon and Edwards jump into their vehicle and at- tempt to escape. But their exit route was cut off by a security van and the three men are seen running from the car and escaping on foot. The court heard that they were then driven from the scene by Burton, who was waiting nearby in a second vehicle. Police were able to trace that vehicle back to Dillon and he was later caught hiding under a shed at his home. Around $100,000 in cash was found nearby. Dillon, who admitted his involvement, testified against his accomplices and assisted the Crown in another murder case, was sentenced to three years in October for his role in the robbery. The CNB bank presi- dent, at an earlier hearing, reported that the robbery was the largest in the his- tory of the Cayman Islands and the sum stolen ac- counted for one-sixth of the bank’s net profit for the year. Monday March 23, 2015 • Cayman Compass “underemployed” workers – those who work fewer than 37.5 hours per week – and employed workers seeking other positions or careers who also register with the NWDA. Recently, the Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce has suggested that all unemployed cit- izens who are seeking work in the Cayman Islands be required to register with the agency so that local companies will know precisely the “real” jobless numbers. Current unemploy- ment figures are pro- vided by the govern- ment Economics and Statistics Office based on a survey sample size of about 1,400 residents in the Cayman Islands. The statistics office’s 2014 es- timate put Caymanian unemployment at 7.9 per- cent, down from a year earlier when it stood at 9.4 percent. Overall un- employment dropped from 6.3 percent in 2013 to 4.7 percent in 2014. National Workforce Development Agency Director Brian Holland did not respond to specific Cayman Compass ques- tions regarding whether the agency thought man- datory registration of unemployed people was considered feasible or desirable. However, Mr. Holland said he believed the agency does provide good value for those who do use its services. “The feedback that has been received [from] those who choose to ac- cess the services of the NWDA has, in large part, been positive and the public has noted the en- hancements that have been made to the services that are delivered by the NWDA,” Mr. Holland said. “We are confident that those persons who are reluctant to access the services offered by the NWDA will come to see the agency as a very useful resource in their search for employment.” Mr. Holland said the NWDA website now al- lows people to apply for jobs online following registration. Employers who apply for a work permit for one of those NWDA-advertised posts will be checked by the Immigration Department via the online system. “This interface serves to increase transparency in the work permit pro- cess and provides an ef- ficient way for employers to communicate efforts to hire a Caymanian,” Mr. Holland said. While the NWDA site has some 1,000 local com- panies participating in its jobs listings program, the government does not mandate the registra- tion of all jobs through the NWDA or any other government agency. That may soon change. Proposals to create and implement a comput- erized immigration and labor database, available online 24/7, are expected to be received by the gov- ernment next month. The online system would allow the Immigration Department to do a number of things that it either struggles with now, or that it simply cannot do in the current paper record manage- ment system. For example, the system seeks to allow the relevant immigration of- ficer or immigration-re- lated board considering a work permit applica- tion to see – in real time – who has applied for specific jobs, including Caymanian applicants, and their relevant qualifi- cations for the post. Once the system goes online, any business ap- plying for a work permit will be able to do so at any time. It is envi- sioned that applicants for various immigra- tion services will also be able to pay fees online around the clock. In addition to the im- migration-related ser- vices, the site is expected to function as a jobs da- tabase where employers can post positions and certain job-seekers can post resumes which can then be viewed by businesses. “We believe online services at immigration will mean a reduction of long wait lines and wait time in the immigration hall and a lessening of the burden of cumber- some forms and docu- ments,” Premier Alden McLaughlin said. “We are confident that those persons who are reluctant to access the services offered by the NWDA will come to see the agency as a very useful resource ...” Brian Holland, director, National Workforce Development Agency CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Fewer than 600 on NWDA registry Three of the robbers make off on foot following the holdup after crashing their car into a security van. George Mignott was identified as the man in the grey hoodie who wielded a shotgun during the raid. Four found guilty of CNB robbery Marlon Dillon is seen on CCTV footage scooping cash into a black bag. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Cayman Compass • Monday March 23, 2015 Grand Opening Special 4 Weeks Karate $ 69.00 4 Weeks Karate $ 69.00 Call 926-Kick (5425) caymankarateacademy.com or email: bobdaigle@me.comor email: bobdaigle@me.com New location #1 Alexander Place, Dorcy Drive MISSING 3 Legged Dog - West Bay Obi slipped his collar when he got spooked on a walk at Barkers Beach. He ran down the dyke road so he may still be in Barkers, The Shores or any- where in West Bay. He is black and white and is missing a hindleg. Please call 925-3990 if you spot him. told the Cayman Compass. Mr. Hewitt filed his June 12 challenge to Ms. Rivers’s election in the May 22, 2013, polls on behalf of his wife and United Democratic Party candidate Velma Powery- Hewitt, who finished fifth in the district’s four-way race. Mr. Hewitt’s suit alleged Ms. Rivers was not qualified to be an MLA because she held a foreign passport and had violated constitutionally mandated residency require- ments both to stand for elec- tion and hold political office. The three-day trial in front of Chief Justice Smellie heard prolonged testimony from a series of overseas ex- perts, ultimately adjourning in mid-July. Mr. Smellie’s verdict came on Aug. 9, 2013. In his decision this month to award costs, the chief jus- tice rejected arguments by Mr. Hewitt’s attorney Steve McField that the court was no longer qualified to make decisions in a case closed nearly 18 months ago. “Mr. McField submits that I have no jurisdiction to award costs …” the chief justice wrote. “This, he says, came about at the moment that I delivered judgment on 9 August 2013 without making an express order for the costs of the petition. “But the answer to the ob- jection raised by Mr. McField must therefore lie in the fact that upon delivering judg- ment on 9 August 2013, I re- served the question of costs. No final order as to costs was ‘passed and entered,’” he said, meaning the issue re- mained open. On Friday, Mr. McField declined to comment on the decision, saying only that actual costs had still to be ascertained, and “we don’t know when that will be,” saying they would wait for an invoice. He also declined com- ment on whether Mr. Gordon alone would be obligated to pay the bill. Equally, Mrs. Powery-Hewitt declined comment, referring ques- tions to Mr. McField. Mrs. Powery-Hewitt was a UDP candidate in the 2013 balloting, while Ms. Rivers ran as an independent, en- dorsed by the Coalition for Cayman group. Her elec- tion broke a years-long UDP stranglehold on West Bay politics. Widespread suspicions that the UDP – in December 2013 renamed the Cayman Islands Democratic Party – had funded Mr. Hewitt’s suit were rejected by party leader and then-Pre- mier McKeeva Bush. Speaking from overseas on Friday, Mr. Bush reiterated the argument: “I don’t know anything about this, and I have said that the UDP had nothing to do with the case.” The Cayman Islands Democratic Party chair- woman Tessa Bodden echoed Mr. Bush, saying, “I don’t want to comment on the case, but the party was not directly involved. I stand by Mr. Bush. That was the position when it hap- pened and that is still the position now.” The chief justice did not impose punitive costs on Mr. Hewitt, saying his suit had been “in the public in- terest” and was not “im- properly, negligently or unreasonably” brought. Similarly, he wrote, gov- ernment would absorb de- fense costs incurred by the two other defendants, both public officers, named in Mr. Hewitt’s suit – the returning officer for the West Bay bal- loting, Delano Solomon, and Attorney General Sam Bulgin. “Costs,” Chief Justice Smellie said, “are … awarded to the successful First Respondent [Ms. Rivers] … on a standard basis …” “He talked fondly about his dear brothers Rene [16] and Haldene [21], who were tragically lost at sea on the ship Hustler during [the 1940] Hurricane,” Danny Soto con- tinued, adding that his dad was only 14 at the time and had to take care of his family when his older brothers died at sea. “He looked up to them and followed in their foot- steps working on ships all over the world.” “To most people, Bob Soto was a legend, he was a pioneer that changed the face of an en- tire industry,” read a tribute from grandchildren Erica and Melanie. “To us, though, he was our Opa. Bob Soto, the grandfather, was a truly re- markable man and the kindest soul on the face of this Earth.” Many at the service noted the swiftness of Mr. Soto’s passing last week. According to family members and friends, even at age 88, his sudden death came as a sur- prise to many. “What brave adven- tures we have had together and some very funny times leaving me with precious and blessed memories,” Mr. Soto’s wife Suzy said in a tribute recorded to mark her hus- band’s passing. “You cared for me in the most loving and kind manner. Monday [March 16] you spent with me in the hospital and then my turn came the next day, Tuesday at 2 a.m., going to the hospital.” Mr. Soto died at the Cayman Islands Hospital on Tuesday, March 17. Dive ‘father’ It wasn’t until Mr. Soto had reached his 30s, and had decided to give up em- ployment in the maritime in- dustry, that he came back to Cayman with an idea to start up a new business. As Mr. Soto’s longtime friend and dive “buddy” Ron Kipp bluntly explained during his memorial address: “He literally carved a busi- ness out of the jungle. All we had [on Grand Cayman in 1957] were mosquitoes and Bob Soto.” Stories told at the memo- rial service about how Mr. Soto started what’s generally believed to be the first recre- ational dive operation in the Caribbean were extraordi- nary, almost beyond belief. Ministry of Tourism Councilor and George Town MLA Joey Hew related some of the tale: “[Bob Soto’s] dive shop started with 10 con- verted fire extinguishers for [air] tanks, melted battery lead for weights and a vir- tually homemade 19-foot wooden boat. Despite this ru- dimentary equipment, Bob was elated that he could now help others to experience the marvels of the magnifi- cent underwater world that had become so much a part of his life.” In a memoir compiled prior to Mr. Soto’s death, which was read out during Saturday’s memorial ser- vice, Mr. Soto himself ex- plained further: “We built [the dive boat] … under the almond trees by Pageant Beach. I started teaching people to dive. I’d go to the hotels trying to solicit busi- ness and the hoteliers would say ‘oh no, you are not going to take our guests out and drown them.’” Times were tough in the beginning, but Mr. Soto made the business work for nearly 25 years before selling to Mr. Kipp in 1980. Mr. Soto, born in 1926 on the Isle of Pines to a Caymanian mother and Cuban father, was in- ducted as a member of the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame in 2000. Today, the Cayman Islands boasts a multimillion dollar, world-renowned dive industry with more than 40 independent dive operators on three islands. Mr. Kipp said he intended to lobby the Cayman Islands government and the dive in- dustry to change the name of the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame to the Bob Soto International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame. “And I’m starting today,” he said during the memorial service. “Goodbye, my friend.” Old times Mr. Soto’s service to the Cayman Islands and Caribbean dive industry is well known, but he was also regarded during the memo- rial for his military service and seamanship. Shane Bothwell, a Caymanian who served in the U.S. Marine Corps and who also knew Mr. Soto as “Poppy,” told the hundreds gathered at the Cayman Islands Baptist Church that Mr. Soto was one of the last members of the Cayman Islands division of the Jamaican Home Guard that kept watch on the is- lands’ coastline during the latter stages of World War II. The potential for enemy ships to harry and dis- rupt Allied shipping lanes in the Caribbean Sea was considered a real danger at the time. The members of the Home Guard were honored in November last year with a plaque bearing their names placed on the cenotaph outside Elmslie Memorial Church in downtown George Town. Guard “Corporal” Bob Soto gave the address at the Remembrance Day event on behalf of his fellow guardsmen. “There was no shortage of men willing to come for- ward [for guard service],” Mr. Soto said at the time. “I was 16 years old, but I told them I was 18. I was a big boy for my age. It is heart-warming … to have the recognition.” Following the end of World War II in 1945, Mr. Soto took a job on a U.S. Navy salvage tugboat – the SS Warbler. It was there he first became interested in diving. “It was hard-hat diving and we did salvage work,” he recalled in his memoirs. “We would take ships that had run aground, pull them off, fix their bottom and tow them in, if necessary.” After close to 15 years at sea venturing, quite liter- ally, around the world be- tween 1942 and 1957, Mr. Soto managed to send quite a bit of money home to his mother, who still lived on Grand Cayman. She used part of it to build a concrete duplex for her son in George Town across from where the Lobster Pot restaurant now stands. “I then built a dive shop across the street on family land in 1958 on the beach at White Hall, later adding the Lobster Pot on the second floor,” Mr. Soto’s memoirs read. Last week, after hearing the news of Mr. Soto’s death, that same restaurant and dive operation site – Lobster Pot – flew its flags at half- staff in memory of the man who built it. Hundreds honor Bob Soto’s ‘well-lived’ life Rivers election challenge: Hewitt ordered to pay costs CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “I’d go t o the hotels trying to solicit business and the hoteliers would say ‘oh no, you are not going to take our guests out and drown them.’” BOB SOtO’S memOirS frOm 1958 Kris Bergstrom and Danny Soto read various remembrances to the audience at Saturday’s service. - Photo: Brent FullerNext >