Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. High of 90 Low of 74 ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – Friday april 24, 2015 Sweet Yoki Cine Club returns Five films highlight ‘Coming of Age’ theme B7 Music Leisure Movies ■ special event Junior Batabano Visit Abbey Road Virtual tour takes you inside the fab studios B2 Conversation with Grace Friday april 24, 2015 • Cayman Compass Grace Gealey talks fashion B6 Yoki is great with other dogs and children and would love a home to call his own. Can you help? B3 Kids’ events on Saturday. B12 - Photo: stePhen clarke Junior Batabano CAymAn wEEkEnDEr Editorial | pagE 4 ‘ThaT nah happen’ (iT mighT very well happen) Gov’t delays controversial audits release BrenT Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Following a series of explosive internal au- dits being revealed in the Cayman Islands, the government is now seeking to delay the re- lease of its own Internal Audit Unit’s reports until at least a year after the reports have been completed. An open records request submitted by the Cayman Compass in January for 10 Internal Audit Unit reports has largely been “deferred,” with the exception of two reports given to the Compass this week. Government officials with the Portfolio of the Civil Service explained in a lengthy memo to the Compass that they would no longer re- lease those reports in an “ad hoc” manner and that the records would be held for a certain reasonable “passage of time.” The government’s response was made fol- lowing at least four separate Freedom of Information requests to the Internal Audit Unit over the past several years by this news- paper, all of which have been granted except for one report that was withheld due to na- tional security concerns. The government has never raised any is- sues with previous open records requests for internal audit reports, although it has re- dacted certain passages in some of those re- ports prior to release. All of the previous in- ternal audit reports obtained by the Compass were received through legal Freedom of Information requests, and none was received prior to completion and the issuance of a management response, which was attached to the report. “The prior practice of the release of in- ternal audit information in an ad hoc manner and only upon request is flawed,” said port- folio Chief Officer Gloria McField-Nixon in her response to the Compass request. “The nature of this work relies heavily on maintaining a positive rapport with management who are encouraged not only to be frank and candid during an audit but to self-report manage- ment issues, preferably before the matters es- calate to one of serious or systemic failure. “The premature release of information be- fore an audit is completed could have an in- hibiting effect on the internal audit process,” Ms. McField-Nixon continued. “However, the passage of time will have an impact on the likely level of prejudice caused in favor of the Hydes re-elected tourism boss James whiTTaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Ken Hydes vowed to work to continue the upward momentum of the tourism industry after being re-elected president of the Cayman Islands Tourism Association on Wednesday. Mr. Hydes, special projects coordinator at Dart Enterprises, said it is important that the industry does not become complacent after achieving record tourism arrivals in 2014. He said the hotels, restaurants, water- sports businesses and other private sector partners need to work with government to en- sure visitors keep returning to these shores. “The important thing now is that we build on our success,” he said. “Turning those tour- ists into repeat visitors is going to be a big part of the focus going forward.” Mr. Hydes was re-elected to head a new- look executive council, with Theresa Broderick of Plantana condos as vice-president, fol- lowing a ballot during the tourism associa- tion’s annual general meeting at the Westin re- sort on Seven Mile Beach. “I think there is momentum right now in the industry,” Mr. Hydes said immediately after the vote. “There are a lot of issues that carry over from last year, and I look forward to building on those and carrying on the suc- cess that we have had.” He said a key priority is ensuring opportu- nities for Caymanians to share in the success of the industry. Those sentiments were echoed by Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell, who targeted jobs and opportunities as key priorities. “While it is encouraging to register Coconut seller struck, killed by driver BrenT Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A man who worked in the George Town waterfront area selling coconuts to tourists was struck and killed early Thursday by a hit-and-run driver on the Linford Pierson Highway, the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service confirmed. Donnie Ray Connor, 59, was run over sometime in the early morning. His man- gled bicycle could be seen at the crash scene on the soft shoulder of the outbound lanes along the highway, near Agnes Way, hours later as scene of crime officers exam- ined the area. It had been broken into two pieces in the collision and was almost un- recognizable as a bicycle on first glance. “We suspect [Mr. Connor] was traveling on his bicycle when he was hit,” RCIPS Chief Inspector Claudia Brady said. Mr. Connor’s body was discovered at the crash scene around 4:30 a.m. by a member of the public who called 911. He was dead by the time emergency ser- vices responded to the location, police said. “It was later confirmed that the incident was the result of a hit-and-run motor ve- hicle collision,” Chief Inspector Brady said. No arrests had been reported by press time. Police are asking that anyone who was in the area between midnight and The mangled bicycle of the hit-and-run victim can be seen in two pieces at the side of the Linford Pierson Highway, which was closed for several hours following Thursday morning’s accident. – PHoto: brent Fuller PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 »2 LOCAL NEWS Friday april 24, 2015 • Cayman Compass CARIBBEANCAFEA til 3pm Saturdays & Sundays! 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April 24th (Finally The last Friday of the month HAS ARRIVED) TOMORROW NIGHT Saturday April. 25th Barefoot Man and Sea N’B Starting live at 8:00pm Come for dinner Stay for Dancing No Cover with DJ Flex Free lessons with Kirk starting 9.30pm Every Tuesday Salsa Tuesdays Salsa 345.623.1400 • SALES & RENTALS • PROPERTY MANAGEMENT • COMMERCIAL LEASES • capitalrealty.com.ky THIS WEEK’S NEW LISTINGS WEST BAY PALMS UNIT#32 $194,000 CI MLS # 404333 Fantastic 2bd/2bth condo near the Shores, LOW FEES, granite countertops, upgraded Master Bath, nice garden area, close to shopping, beaches, and all amenities. Minutes to Camana Bay via new highway. Call: AMAR SHEOW t: 926-4162 PENINSULA AT LALIQUE POINTE $1,095,000 US MLS # 404374 The Peninsula at Lalique Pointe in Crystal Harbour is one of the most exclusive addresses in Grand Cayman. This is a rare opportunity to purchase a wonderful lot of this dimension overlooking Mitchell’s Creek with plans already approved by planning for a gorgeous 5 bed, 5 bath estate plus guest house. Call: FABIO SORDINELLI t: 926-0915 Brac group tackles waste Environmentally-minded residents of Cayman Brac have set up a group on the is- land to help create a more ef- fective recycling program for the Brac and Little Cayman and to cut down on waste in the islands’ landfills. The group, called Sustainable Sister Islands, is working with government and waste management company JUNK to reach those goals. JUNK accepts plastic for recycling and other solid waste for processing, while the government collects and recy- cles aluminium and batteries. “It is our hopes to widen our recycling and processing ef- forts by working with both government and JUNK,” said Kathleen Bodden-Harris of Sustainable Sister Islands. The group says plastic is a major source of shoreline litter, which is harmful to tourism and endangers ma- rine and wildlife species. “We feel the Sister Islands have exceptional infra- structures to that of Grand Cayman,” Ms. Bodden-Harris said. “It is our purpose to call attention to such details and educate the public in proper processing procedures so that everyone is on board with a simplified yet unified system, The 5 Rs: Remove/Reduce/ Rinse/Reuse and Recycle.” She said the group plans to motivate the local commu- nity, through schools, busi- nesses, and the tourism and diving/boating industry. School presentations began last week and beach cleanups have been going on since February. Another beach cleanup will be held from 7 a.m. on Saturday, April 25, at Long Beach, at the east end of Spot Bay Road. There will also be un- derwater cleanups, begin- ning in June, along with road- side and park cleanups. At a meeting earlier this month, which is Earth Month, at the Panama Canal in Creek on the northern side of Cayman Brac, Sustainable Sister Islands un- veiled its slogan on a banner – “Be Part of the Solution … Not the Pollution! RECYCLE NOW!” The group says its imme- diate goal is to set up recycling depots on Cayman Brac that are easily visible and accessible. For more information, call 916-3960. Three charged wiTh pedesTrian’s robbery Victim’s finger was broken CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Two men and a woman have had charges of rob- bery transmitted to the Grand Court in relation to a robbery of a female pedes- trian last week along West Bay Road. Othneil Hezekiah Williams, 18, and Darrel Anthony Williams, 20, ap- peared in Summary Court on Monday, April 20, when Magistrate Grace Donalds re- fused bail and directed that they be brought to the Grand Court on Friday, May 1. The two are charged with stealing a purse from a woman in the early hours of Friday, April 17, on West Bay Road, in the vicinity of Cayman Reef, and using force or fear of force in order to do so. Items stolen with the purse included US$8, CI$4, a Tissot watch, rosary beads and bank cards. Robbery is a charge that can be heard only in the Grand Court. On Thursday, April 23, Andriana Shanice Ebanks was brought before Magistrate Kirsty-Ann Gunn. Ebanks, 21, was also charged with the robbery. Senior Crown counsel Nicole Petit said the rob- bery was perpetrated by one person wielding a ma- chete. The victim received a broken finger as a result of violence used. The robber then fled in a vehicle. Ms. Petit said it was believed that five individ- uals were involved, two of whom were still at large. She explained that the Penal Code provides that a person who aids and abets another person in commit- ting an offense is deemed to have taken part in com- mitting the offense and to have committed it. On that basis the person may be charged with actually com- mitting the offense. Ebanks was said to have been in the vehicle with others at the time of the robbery, Ms. Petit said. She accepted that this defendant had no previous convictions, but objected to bail on other grounds. The magistrate refused Ebanks’s application for bail and ordered that she also be brought to Grand Court on May 1. Adventist pastors baptize 68 Since the Cayman Islands Conference of Seventh-day Adventists began holding nightly meetings this month, ministers have bap- tized 68 people. The church has been hosting its Footprints of Hope evangelistic campaign since April 3 at the Lions Centre in George Town. According to or- ganizers, hundreds of people are visiting the center each night to hear televangelist pastor Glen O. Samuels deliver impassioned sermons. “We are delighted for the 68 precious souls who have taken the step to commit their lives to Jesus,” said Pastor Samuels at the baptismal ser- vice, which was conducted at Spotts Beach last Saturday. “In this time of hopeless- ness in many areas of life, it is good to know that we can find hope, purpose and direc- tion in a life dedicated to the service of the Lord.” In a statement released by the church on Thursday, Pastor Shian O’Connor, presi- dent of the Cayman Islands Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, said the church is “committed to offering a better way to those who long for a brighter future; to young people who see their peers succumbing to drugs and vi- olence and despair, there is a better way; for families that are being ripped apart by strife and confusion, there is a better way; for a society that faces darkness and despair, there is a better way; and that better way can be found in a life surrendered to Jesus.” The program runs from 7:30 p.m. each night except Thursday. Attendees also listen to health lectures, and health screenings are carried out during the meetings. Young people have also gotten involved in the Footsteps of Hope campaign, which hosts a weekly Saturday evening youth forum where drama and interactive discus- sions are used to address cer- tain youth-focused issues. Pastor Samuels, presi- dent of the West Jamaica Conference of Seventh-day Adventists in the Jamaica Union of Seventh-day Adventists, hosts a weekly tele- vision program in Jamaica. Seventh-day Adventist pastors gather at Spotts Beach on Saturday to baptize 68 people.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 Cayman Compass • Friday april 24, 2015 PRESENTING SPONSOR OF PRESENTING SPONSOR OF 4918 - LIME - Batabano2015 - COMPASS - Full Page Ad (10.333 x 15.97) - Samsung PosPaid Offer - CMYK - 16 Apr 2015 GALAXY S6 32GB ONLY WITH MYPLAN BASE AND 5GB DATA SAMSUNG 549 $ JUMP UP TO 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. Friday apriL 24, 2015 • Cayman COmpass “It is obvious that part of the intent of both political parties is to try and combine East End [with North Side] with the hope of getting rid of either me or [East End MLA] Arden [McLean],” proclaimed North Side MLA Ezzard Miller on a radio talk show. He was speaking on the subject of the Cayman Islands’ proposed political transition to single-member voting districts. He continued: “That nah happen.” ... Beg pardon? As a seasoned veteran of Cayman’s Legislative Assembly, Mr. Miller surely realizes that a man in his position — that is, neither in the Progressives majority nor the Cayman Islands Democratic Party minority — is in reality in no position at all, when it comes to issuing edicts about the elected government’s possible actions, including changing election laws to reshape the boundaries of the district one has grown accus- tomed to representing. “There is something afoot,” Mr. McLean said. “[Oppo- sition Leader] McKeeva [Bush] talking about conspira- cies; this is the conspiracy he needs to talk about.” In fact, Mr. Bush did talk about said “conspiracy” on Tuesday evening during a public meeting in West Bay. More to the point, he singled out North Side and East End as patent violations of the concept underlying “one man, one vote” that each of our country’s law- makers should represent, and be voted in by, roughly the same amount of people. The position that Mr. Miller and Mr. McLean have staked out, that their diminutive constituencies ought to be as off-limits to redistricting as Bodden Town is to the dump, is one most accurately described in terms of entitlement. For when Mr. Miller and Mr. McLean argue for the preservation of their districts’ bounda- ries, they are actually arguing for protection of their political livelihoods. Neither of those motivations — historical nor personal — is germane to the issue at hand, which is whether Cayman should change its long-standing system of multi-member electoral districts, and, if so, what the new system should be. The government’s Electoral Boundary Commission is pursuing the option of splitting Grand Cayman into 16 small, single- member districts (with the Sister Islands retaining their two representatives, as prescribed by the Cayman Islands Constitution). Something that is of practical immediacy, however, is identifying precisely who is in charge of this opera- tion. Here’s a hint: It’s not Mr. Miller or Mr. McLean, nor is it Mr. Bush. It’s not the Electoral Boundary Com- mission, either. The issue of what to do about “one man, one vote” is in the hands of Premier Alden McLaughlin and his government. To borrow a phrase from former U.S. President George W. Bush, they are “the deciders.” The utterances of any other legislator, consultant, committee member or newspaper Editorial Board con- stitute, ultimately, nothing more than public input that Mr. McLaughlin and his government may or may not choose to consider as they make their decision. With that in mind, we’ll continue to offer our thoughts on this important topic as it continues to be discussed within Cayman’s halls of power. We won’t, at this time, present our single “ideal” system of voting for Cayman — if such a thing even exists. We also aren’t sure that a definitive argument has been made that would compel Cayman to take leave of its current multi-member system at all. If a change is to be made, we would argue that any new system should adhere to a few basic principles: equality (in terms of individual voter’s “bang for their ballot”), inclusiveness (as opposed to divisiveness) and efficiency (which could very well mean having fewer districts, not more). Although much talk will be devoted to where and how to divvy up Cayman according to invisible lines, the overall vision for Cayman must be of one, united country, made up of one, united people — not of three separate islands, or six disparate districts, or 18 members of the Legislative Assembly. ‘That nah happen’ (It might very well happen) 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” Greece’s flirtation with catastrophic default Washington Post Editorial Board The election victory of Greece’s Syriza party in January thrilled left-wing populists across Europe – but elicited a more jaded response in other quar- ters. Surely, the conven- tional wisdom said, Syriza would abandon its unequiv- ocal opposition to the fiscal austerity Greece’s credi- tors prescribe in return for funding. Surely, the respon- sibilities of office would trump the demagoguery of seeking it and would in- duce new Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to compromise with the European Union, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund – so as to avoid a cat- astrophic shut-off of bailout funds and a possible Greek exit from the European common currency. Three months later, that conventional wisdom no longer looks so wise. Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis has spent his time provocatively jetting from one world capital to the next, demanding World War II reparations from Germany and explaining why Greece’s creditors, not Greece, need to change. He has even gone to Moscow in search of a sympathetic hearing from the Orthodox Balkan coun- try’s traditional Russian al- lies. The Putin regime did, in- deed, provide warm words. No cash, though. In that respect, at least, Moscow wasn’t that much different from the IMF, the United States, Britain and Germany, whose leaders let it be known during the just- completed IMF spring meet- ings in Washington that Greece must accept further economic reforms before they’ll discuss more access to their financial resources. Notably, the Greeks’ next payment to the fund, US$763 million, is due in early May, which means the U.S. tax- payer, as IMF underwriter, is indirectly at risk. A Greek default is now imaginable; Athens is so hard up for cash that it has just requisitioned local gov- ernment funds to pay the central government’s wage and pension obligations. We don’t blame Syriza, or the people who voted for it, for wishing that they could end the country’s grinding eco- nomic crisis. Yet the credi- tors’ united front opposing the Syriza government’s de- mands is nevertheless neces- sary. It isn’t reasonable to ex- pect European or American politicians to put their con- stituents’ hard-earned money at risk unless Greece puts forward a convincing plan for spending the funds. That plan should detail neces- sary points of relief from the harshest cuts, as well as pro- growth structural changes. Without such reform, Syriza is offering only irresponsible populism, which Europe’s leaders want to show does not pay, lest Syriza-like movements (of the far left and far right) gain in larger, more strategic countries such as Spain, Italy and France. Greece’s leaders seem not to grasp how the debt crisis has changed in five years. Their creditors are no longer banks and hedge funds but governments and multilateral institutions – i.e., taxpayer-supported in- stitutions that bailed out the private sector, in hopes of stabilizing the European economy and rescuing its common currency. The is- sues are now as much polit- ical as financial or economic. Tsipras and Varoufakis like to talk about their respon- sibilities to the voters who elected them, but the men and women across the table from them have similar ob- ligations. The Greek side should behave accordingly. © 2015, Washington Post Graffiti by Greek street artist Achilles is seen on a wall of an abandoned house in central Athens. - Photo: APThe islands’ most-trusted news source 5 Cayman Compass • Friday april 24, 2015 6 LOCAL NEWS Friday april 24, 2015 • Cayman Compass ESO_SYSTEM OF NATIONAL ACCOUNTS _COMPASS AD_2015.indd 13/16/2015 3:58:25 PM Prison attempting to address mental health care gap James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com There is currently no clin- ical psychologist on staff at the prison, contributing to delays in providing court-or- dered assessments and re- ports for defendants with mental health issues. The prison service is at- tempting to fill the gap by using experts from private practices and the Health Services Authority. But high demand and a general lack of resources for mental health patients in the Cayman Islands is contrib- uting to a backlog of cases. Prison officials ac- knowledge there is an ur- gent need to fill the post, which has been vacant since December 2014. Raquel Solomon, spokes- woman for the prison, said the recruitment process was taking longer than expected, partially because of a lack of qualified applicants locally. “The qualifications and expe- rience are such that we only received three applications, none were Caymanian and only one candidate was ac- tually qualified. We now have to cast our net wider and re- cruit internationally to fill this post,” she said. Ms. Solomon said the prison was attempting to bring someone in part time to fill the gap in the interim. The prison’s clinical psy- chologist is responsible for assessments requested by probation services or the courts and oversees the mental health needs of the prison population. Ms. Solomon said it was difficult to cover the work- load while the recruitment process continues. “Mental health services are at a premium. The doc- tors that do this work in the private sector and with the Health Services Authority are in extremely high demand,” she said. The issue is having an im- pact on the courts. Fiona Robertson, a lawyer with Samson & McGrath, said the inability to get court-or- dered mental health assess- ments done at Northward prison was resulting in sen- tencing delays for some clients. “There is a chronic need for more doctors on the is- land that can do these types of reports,” she said. “The problem we have is that the speed at which the reports can be provided is not quick enough, and in some cases sentencing has to be delayed.” Mental health assess- ments are not required in every case, though they are frequently requested by pro- bation services and can be ordered by the court prior to sentencing. “It’s not that the courts are ordering too many of these reports. The issue is that there are only a handful of doctors that can do them and they have to do it in conjunction with the work they already have,” Ms. Robertson said. She said the issue is part of a much wider problem of lack of mental health care generally in the Cayman Islands. “There has been a pressing need for a long time for a long-term psychiatric facility on the island. If we don’t address this, we are going to be looking at more problems later on,” she said. Justice Charles Quin ear- lier this month described the lack of mental health care and facilities for prisoners in Cayman as a chronic situa- tion that needs urgent atten- tion and resources. He said, “The criminal jus- tice system is faced with a marked increase of defen- dants with serious mental issues and they must be ad- dressed as a matter of ur- gency. It can’t go on. It’s a chronic problem.” In a separate sentencing judgment, again this month, Justice Quin also lamented the lack of a rehabilitation program for sex offenders at Northward. Ms. Solomon said the prison service is working on introducing such a program, which will be implemented once a new clinical psycholo- gist is hired. She said the prison has four qualified counselors who received training earlier this year from Liam Marshall, a Canadian doctor who spe- cializes in dealing with vio- lent and sexual offenders. She said, “For the prison service, the plan is to eval- uate each prisoner to identify their rehabilitation needs. Identified sex offenders will then be assigned to a treat- ment program in an ef- fort to reduce the likelihood of re-offending.” She said partner agen- cies in the Department of Community Rehabilitation, the Health Services Authority and the private sector have also received training and will be involved in working with the offenders after their release. “The qualifications and experience are such that we only received three applications, none were Caymanian and only one candidate was actually qualified.” Raquel Solomon, prison spokeswoman There is a shortage of psychologists to deal with prisoners at Northward. - Photo: Brent FullerThe islands’ most-trusted news source 7 Cayman Compass • Friday april 24, 2015 Scotiabank & Trust (Cayman) Limited and the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre would like to thank the sponsors, supporters and attendees of this year’s Power of the Purse Luncheon Event. The luncheon was an overwhelming success with over 450 attendees who gathered at the Ritz Carlton to hear the empowering message of key note speaker, Erin Brockovich. Over $28,000 was raised to benefit the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre exceeding fundraising targets. THANK Y OU T O THE SPONSORS & SUPPOR TERS Thank You! “ ” Scotiabank is overwhelmed by the positive response from this event. Without the support and generosity of our sponsors and the local community this level of success would not have been possible. Scotiabank has a long history of supporting diversity and inclusion and will continue to encourage individuals in the local community to find their voice. -Sloane Muldoon, Managing Director, Scotiabank & Trust (Cayman) Limited “ ” The Power of the Purse was a phenomenal event - Erin Brockovich was a powerful speaker and perfect ambassador for our message of how one person can overcome adversity and create positive change. We are grateful to Scotiabank for their efforts in bringing Ms. Brockovich to the Cayman Islands and hosting a memorable event. -Ania Milanowska, Executive Director of the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre To view more photos please visit melissawolfe.com Cayman Fashion Group Danielle Coleman DART DMS Broadcasting Fountainhead Funky Monkey Kirk Freeport Melissa Wolfe Photography Natalie Bishop Pinnacle Media Ltd. Ritz Carlton SUPPORTERS BRONZE GOLDThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Friday april 24, 2015 • Cayman Compass One to one Customized plans to meet your individual needs - Nutrition advice - Muscle building - Weight loss - Sports performance training Cayman Karate Presents: High Intensity Training Muscle Building Weight Loss Burn Fat Fast Pace and Fun! Whatever your goals we will reach them together! SPARTAN BOOT CAMP TRAIN LIKE A WARRIOR 1 Alexander Place, Dorcy Drive, GT Contact Robert 929-2928 mmaconditoningcayman@hotmail. Associate, Bachelor & Master’s Programmes Certificate, Professional & Continuing Education Programmes MASTER YOUR TRADE LEARN A NEW SKILL 623-UCCI (8224) www.ucci.edu.ky CLASSES START: MONDAY, 11 MAY 2015 4 a.m. Thursday and who may have seen the accident or Mr. Connor to contact Inspector Adrian Barnett at 526-2204. Witnesses can also contact George Town Police Station at 949-4222, the RCIPS tip line at 949- 7777 or call Crime Stoppers at 800-8477. Thursday morning’s collision was the sixth fatal crash in the Cayman Islands this year. The collision was also the fifth major hit-and-run incident investigated by po- lice since the start of 2015. Mr. Connor, the victim in Thursday’s crash, had more than 60 convictions against him for burglary, according to publicly available court records. His court-appointed at- torney, John Furniss, has described his pre- vious offenses as “not the most serious … more the nuisance value.” He was sentenced in late 2009 to four years’ im- prisonment for a series of offenses that included tres- passing, shoplifting and stealing fruit from a tree. Traffic nightmare Thursday’s collision, which closed the main ar- tery into central George Town for several hours during morning rush hour, backed up traffic from the Linford Pierson Highway to Hirst Road in Savannah-Newlands. RCIPS officers had traffic barricades placed at the King’s round- about and were diverting traffic onto Crewe Road and South Sound Road at that junction. Traffic heading from George Town to the eastern districts was blocked at the junction of Agnes Way and the Linford Pierson Highway and drivers were making U-turns once they encountered the police barricades. Police reopened the highway at around 9 a.m. Thursday. record-breaking arrivals,” he said, “for the tourism in- dustry to really deliver on its true potential as the second pillar of our economy, it must provide jobs for those who wish to work, business op- portunities for those who choose to invest, and bring opportunities for wealth cre- ation and prosperity for those who are prepared to collaborate and work hard for the greater good of our Cayman Islands.” Both Mr. Hydes and Mr. Kirkconnell suggested the upward trend in air ar- rivals would continue throughout 2015. Mr. Kirkconnell noted that the first two months of 2015 had outstripped the re- cord successes of 2014. But he said Cayman is not likely to see the same year-on-year “double digit” improvement that led to a record 382,000 tourists arriving in Grand Cayman in 2014. The 11 per- cent increase on the previous year was more than double the Caribbean average. Room stock Mr. Kirkconnell acknowl- edged that increasing room stock is also a priority if the success is to continue. He added, “We have reached the saturation point and are ex- periencing the first signs of limitations in capacity.” He said several infra- structure and development projects, including Dart’s Kimpton hotel on Seven Mile Beach and a planned five- star development at Beach Bay, Bodden Town, would have an impact. However, he cautioned it would take two years to see any significant measurable benefits from these projects. Mr. Hydes added, “We have gone from a situation of trying to get bums in beds to the point where it is about finding the beds to put them in. It is a good position to be in.” Mr. Kirkconnell also up- dated industry figureheads on the progress of the air- port and cruise projects, predicting work would be under way on the $50 mil- lion expansion of the Owen Roberts International Airport by summer. He said an environmental impact assessment had been completed on the port project, and a mitigation plan was in the final stages of production, with design development ex- pected to begin shortly. New executive council Members of the Cayman Islands Tourism Association, the private sector lobbying organization for the tourism industry, also voted in a new executive council during the meeting, with directors having responsibility for dif- ferent areas of tourism. The new council is: Water sports direc- tors: Keith Sahm (Sunset House), Ash McKnight (GoPro Cayman) Condominium directors: Theresa Broderick (Plantana condos), Gaetan Babin (Wyndham Reef Resort) Restaurants and night- clubs: Julie Allan (Rackam’s), Steve Shienfield (Dukes) Cruise tourism: Ken Hydes (Dart Realty) Transport: Nigel Mitten (Majestic Tours), Brian Krug (Budget) Hotels: Marc Langevin (The Ritz-Carlton), Danielle Wolfe (Caribbean Club) Allied/Members and land- based attractions: Tim Adam (Cayman Turtle Farm), Joanna Boxall (Acorn Publishing). Coconut seller struck, killed by driver CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “It was later confirmed that the incident was the result of a hit- and-run motor vehicle collision.” Claudia BRady, RCIPS chief inspector CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Hydes re-elected tourism boss Copyright changes on the way Charles DunCan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com The days of $5 bootleg DVDs of the latest “Game of Thrones” episode or new movie release may soon be gone. New copyright laws will come into effect later this year, modernizing Cayman’s 1956 law and bringing it in line with Europe and the United Kingdom. The U.K. Privy Council ex- tended provisions of British law to Cayman last month. Provisions of the U.K.’s 1988 Copyright Act will replace the 1956 law in the fall, with a date still to be determined. But local artists and attor- neys say it will be a major adjustment for Cayman to understand and follow copy- right law. Sophie Davis, an intellec- tual property attorney with HSM IP in Cayman, said in a recent interview that copy- right is ignored in Cayman for the most part. “People don’t understand [copyright law] or think it’s not really that important,” she said. She said the law firm is marking World Intellectual Property Day this weekend by meeting with local mu- sicians and artists to dis- cuss copyright protections and how to protect their brands with trademarks. The theme for this year’s IP Day is “Get up, stand up. For music,” to highlight the ongoing issues with pi- rated music and copyright issues around music down- loading and streaming. The title is a reference to Bob Marley and the Wailers’ “Burnin’,” though it is not a copyright violation. Josh Pearl and Stephan Cotterell, musicians who re- cently started local clothing line YNC with Mr. Cotterell’s brother, agree with Ms. Davis’s assessment. Mr. Pearl said he made a film recently and a friend found a copy in a bootleg DVD store. He sells digital access on his website but also has it available on YouTube for free. “I wasn’t educated on this at all,” Mr. Pearl said. He wasn’t concerned about a DVD store with a bootleg copy for sale, but said he only recently learned what copyright law says and what his options are if someone makes illegal copies of his work. “It’s been a free-for-all,” Mr. Cotterell said. “You just get away with it.” Ms. Davis said intellec- tual property protections like trademark and copyright are important in a global economy to “make sure a country is taken seriously.” The new copyright law deals with such is- sues as digital music and movies that were not even in Cayman imaginations in 1956. It also gives additional protections to copyright holders in other countries. Ministry of Commerce representatives have said they plan to conduct a public education campaign, and give places like bootleg DVD stores enough notice so that no one is surprised when the new rules take effect.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Cayman Compass • Friday april 24, 2015 public interest disclosure.” Ms. McField-Nixon said, going forward, the internal audit reports would be “proac- tively released” on the Portfolio of the Civil Service website, unless the government man- aged to find other reasons to prevent disclosure within ex- emptions to the FOI law. The Compass is ap- pealing the portfolio’s de- cision to the Information Commissioner’s Office. Successive auditors gen- eral in the Cayman Islands have emphasized the impor- tance of the timely release of their own reports, which are separate from the work of the Internal Audit Unit. Current Auditor General Alastair Swarbrick has often complained about the time it takes for his office’s annual financial audits to be “ta- bled” – made public – in the Legislative Assembly. “In some instances, the time since the financial state- ments were completed and signed off by all parties is close to two years and in many cases close to one year,” Mr. Swarbrick said in one evaluation of government an- nual reporting. “I … continue to have a significant concern about the timeliness of the tabling of these reports as it diminishes the usefulness of the information for members of the Legislative Assembly and the wider public and ultimately undermines effective accountability.” Former Auditor General Dan Duguay constantly op- posed “going back to the old ways” of handling auditor’s reports where they would have to be presented and de- bated in the Public Accounts Committee prior to their re- lease, meaning they were withheld from public view for years. Mr. Duguay said taking that retrograde step would be a “dangerous, dan- gerous precedent.” Reports disclosed Findings of numerous Internal Audit Unit re- ports that appeared in the Compass earlier this year re- vealed the following: ■■ An entire set of financial records was improperly shredded; staff members willfully ignored direc- tives of managers; man- agers routinely lapsed in their reporting respon- sibilities; $250,000 was spent on a system to track stamp sales that ulti- mately did not work at the Cayman Islands Postal Services Department. ■■ A number of participants in the retirement assis- tance program for seamen and veterans received un- authorized benefits; some may have been fraudu- lently earning payments. ■■ The Cayman Islands gov- ernment is supporting about 1,200 indigent people on its public sector healthcare dole, but it was unable – in most cases ex- amined by auditors – to justify why those individ- uals should be receiving free health coverage. ■■ Almost 40 percent of hotel owners didn’t file state- ments to back up monthly room tax payments during a 2013 review of the Department of Tourism’s revenue collection process. Gov’t delays controversial audits release Dawn service to mark Anzac Day ChArles DunCAn cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com Saturday is the 100th anniversary of Anzac Day, commemorating the day forces from Australia and New Zealand landed on the Gallipoli peninsula in the two countries’ first major opera- tion in World War I. Australian and New Zealand nationals, as well as all others in the commu- nity who wish to attend, will gather for a dawn service at the South Sound dock to mark the day. A fundraiser will be held in the afternoon for the widows of soldiers from the two countries. Anzac Day has become a national day of remem- brance for the two coun- tries, marking not only the failed invasion of the Ottoman Empire in modern- day Turkey, but honoring all those from New Zealand and Australia who were killed and wounded in wars and other military operations. Matthew Bishop, a New Zealander who is orga- nizing the dawn service, said the failed invasion is part of Australia’s and New Zealand’s national identities. “There were a lot of mistakes made in that campaign,” he said, “It was a turning point in national consciousness.” The dawn service is part of the tradition for Anzac Day, dating back to the years when fighting still raged in Europe’s Great War. Australians and New Zealanders in those coun- tries and around the world also mark the day with marches and other memo- rial services. “It’s a somber time, really. It’s a moment of reflection for the men and women who have died,” Mr. Bishop said. This is the 15th year a dawn service will be held in Cayman, he said. An Australian and a New Zealander in Cayman will read the commemoration statements from the high commissioners of their re- spective countries. Mr. Bishop said 20 to 30 people normally show up at Cayman’s annual Anzac Day commemoration, but this year he said he expects more like 50 to 60 people for the dawn service. “This is a special day on the calendar for both New Zealand and Australia,” he said. Starting at 2 p.m., the group will host a social fun- draiser at Duke’s, near Public Beach, to raise money for Legacy, an organization sup- porting widows and wid- owers of the war dead from the two countries. Australian and New Zealand nationals, as well as all others in the community who wish to attend, will gather for a dawn service at the South Sound dock to mark the day. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1Next >