ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – Tuesday May 12, 2015 SportS | page 15 Fowler wins Players Rickie Fowler produces the greatest finish in tournament’s 34-year history High of 89 Low of 76 Moderate with wave heights of 3 to 5 feet. editorial | page 4 uPcoMing PreMiere: PreMier vs. PreMier back to back wins www.butterfieldgroup.com Proud winner of The Banker’s prestigious Cayman Islands Bank of the Year award for 2013 and 2014. Bank of the year... Again! Missing police records gov’t fails to meet Foi requests BrenT Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com An open records request in February 2014 seeking details of certain expenses and main- tenance data for the Joint Marine Unit that was initially “lost” in a computer hard-drive crash has apparently been either delayed or ignored for the past six months. Officials with the Cayman Islands Information Commissioner’s Office confirmed Thursday that they would have to open an ap- peal against the police to retrieve the records if they did not receive a response. The issue of the “lost” files of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Marine Unit has been ongoing since last summer when the Cayman Compass was told that a number of relevant records had been compromised after multiple hard drive failures at the Citrus Grove building. Last October, police officers noted they still could not open computer records they believed had been restored following the computer crashes. The Computer Services Department indicated in October that the rel- evant records had been restored. A November email from then-RCIPS infor- mation manager, Chief Inspector Raymond Christian, stated: “Since [computer services] restored the files, apparently they have not re- ceived any complaints from the Marine Base that they are unable to open the files. It is my understanding that [computer services] in- structed them to report back to them any files that they were unable to open.” Mr. Christian indicated last week that the request had been passed on to current RCIPS information manager, Superintendent Adrian Seales. On Monday, Mr. Seales said, “The data has not been restored. Two restore links were provided from [computer services], the first was done and placed in the corrupted folder, which ended up being corrupt. The second re- store link returned folders within the drive but data is missing. “In brief, the document sought to accu- rately answer the FOI questions is blank. CSD have not responded with a cause or to a reso- lution to the problem(s).” Round 3 of TempuRa RecoRds baTTle BrenT Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands Information Commissioner’s Office has been ordered, for a third time, to review its decision re- garding the release of records related to the ill-fated Operation Tempura police corruption investigation. According to a court order made public Monday, visiting Grand Court Justice Timothy Owen has quashed a decision by Acting Information Commissioner Jan Liebaers made in July 2014 to release certain records related to the Tempura probe. “The decision is remitted back to [the infor- mation commissioner] to reconsider whether the requested records are exempt from dis- closure ...” Justice Owen’s order states. “It is declared that, on remission, [the informa- tion commissioner] is to use such investi- gative powers pursuant to the Freedom of Information Law as he considers necessary ... for the purpose of his reconsideration.” The records in question relate to a 2010 complaint initially filed by the Tempura probe’s former legal adviser, Martin Polaine, which was carried forward later by its senior investigating officer, Martin Bridger. The com- plaint, which alleges misconduct by certain Cayman Islands judicial and legal figures in- volved in the Tempura probe, was dismissed by then-Cayman Islands Governor Duncan Taylor, who said the claims in Mr. Bridger’s complaint amounted to defamation. Mr. Taylor used a 185-page evaluation of the complaint, completed by U.K. attorney Ben The last of the great Wanderers JaMes whiTTaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com He’s the most successful footballer on the island and the scorer of one of the best goals ever seen at England’s fa- mous Wembley stadium. But few in Grand Cayman know the name Sam Smyth, let alone his story. Mr. Smyth, a Northern Irishman who has lived in the Cayman Islands for six years with his daughter, realtor Sheena Conolly, is the last surviving member of the great Wolverhampton Wanderers team that won the FA Cup in 1949. Mr. Smyth scored the winning goal in front of 98,920 spectators, dribbling the ball from the halfway line before smashing it into the net to secure a 3-1 win against Leicester City. Now, at 90 years old, the memories are starting to fade. Mr. Smyth recognizes a younger ver- sion of himself, a 24-year-old inside-right forward, in the team photo, and he recog- nizes his manager Stan Cullis and some of his teammates. But the goal itself, he can only recollect in snatches. Grainy black-and-white footage from the “Match of the Day” coverage confirms the hype is justified. Mr. Smyth can be seen in Sam Smyth, 90, looks through old photographs of his glory days as a key member of Wolverhampton Wanderers’ FA Cup winning team. – pHoTo: James WHITTaKeR PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL Tuesday May 12, 2015 • Cayman Compass 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 y x HOT PURSUIT (PG13) 12:40 I 2:50 I 5:00 I 7:30 I 9:50 AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON 3D (PG13) 12:30 2D I 1:00 I 3:35 2D I 4:10 6:40 2D I 7:20 I 9:45 2D FURIOUS 7 3D (PG13) 12:45 I 3:45 2D I 6:45 I 9:45 2D AGE OF ADELINE (PGI3) 7:00 I 9:40 PAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 (PG) 1:10 I 4:00 *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. - TUESDAY - $8.00 www.tonymosleylifeinsurance.com Crews search for missing after twisters hit Texas, Arkansas VAN, Texas (AP) — Emergency responders on Monday searched through wreckage in parts of Texas and Arkansas after a line of tornadoes bat- tered several small communi- ties, killing at least five people, including a young couple whose daughter survived. Eight people were still missing in a rural East Texas town, raising the possibility that the number of dead could climb. The couple in their late 20s or early 30s died when a twister hit their mobile home late Sunday in the Arkansas town of Nashville, Howard County Coroner John Gray said. Their daughter was 1 or 2 years old. He did not release the parents’ names. Once the word spreads, he added, the deaths will be a blow to the community. “That’s what it’s like in a small town,” Gray said. “You either know them or you know somebody who knows them.” In neighboring Texas, a likely tornado pummeled the small town of Van, damaging about 30 percent of the com- munity, according to Chuck Allen, fire marshal and emer- gency management coordi- nator for Van Zandt County. Authorities confirmed at least two deaths as they sur- veyed the damage. Eight people were still unaccounted for in Van, population 2,600, about 70 miles southeast of Dallas. Rescuers went door to door following the storms. Damage appeared to be widespread, with trees uprooted and nu- merous homes and buildings flattened or ripped apart. About 50 people spent the night at an American Red Cross shelter at a church. Firefighters in Corsicana, 60 miles southwest of Van, recovered the body of a mo- torist early Monday after weekend storms dumped 11 inches of rain. Preliminary reports in- dicate 20 to 25 tornadoes formed Sunday in South Dakota, Iowa, Oklahoma and Texas, according to meteo- rologist Greg Carbin of the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma. The storm system was ex- pected to slowly move east, he said, with a low possibility for tornadoes in lower Michigan on Monday. Thunderstorms were forecast from Texas to the Great Lakes region. “This is certainly not an atypical system for spring where you’ve got the rem- nants of winter but the onset of summer,” Carbin said. The National Weather Service believes at least one tornado hit Van on Sunday night, senior meteorologist Eric Martello said. Weather service crews were sur- veying the area Monday. Floods resulting from the same storm system that rolled across North Texas caused a huge sinkhole to open up in Granbury, some 40 miles southwest of Fort Worth. The 40-foot-wide sinkhole swal- lowed the parking lot of a supermarket and damaged water and sewer lines be- neath, WFAA-TV reported. Farther north, in Lake City, Iowa, a suspected tor- nado tore the roof from a high school as about 150 stu- dents, family and faculty at- tended an awards ceremony inside Sunday night. Dave Birks, girls’ basket- ball coach at South Central Calhoun High School, said people were able to flee to the basement and locker room area about two minutes be- fore the twister arrived. Much earlier Sunday, storms struck the small town of Delmont in South Dakota, hurting nine people. “Our house is flat. There is nothing left,” said Stephanie Lunder, 34, who took shelter with her husband and four children in the basement. The town’s 200-plus res- idents were asked to leave for safety reasons, state Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Kristi Turman said. They were to be al- lowed back on Monday to assess their property. GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP) — A party in power for over two decades in Guyana faced off in general elections Monday against a new coalition of op- position parties that seeks to challenge a tradition of racial politics and accuses the gov- ernment of President Donald Ramotar of mismanagement and corruption. There were long lines at polling stations, with reports of four-hour waits in some places, as Ramotar’s People’s Progressive Party sought a sixth consecutive term leading the sparsely populated country on South America’s northern shoulder, with an economy dependent exports of commodities such as gold, bauxite, rice and sugar. Ramotar said after casting his ballot that his party would keep its ma- jority. “I am very confident of victory,” he said. “Very.” But his party, which has held power since 1992, was in a tough fight from an op- position coalition led by David Granger, a 69-year-old retired army general. The co- alition has offered itself as an alternative to the racially based politics that have dom- inated a country divided be- tween people of Indian and African descent. Granger predicted his co- alition would win with 58 percent of the vote. “We really want to establish a govern- ment of national unity that will make people feel that it is inclusive,” he told reporters after casting his ballot in the capital of Georgetown. Ramotar has also touted his People’s Progressive Party as inclusive but it has long been primarily supported by people of Indian descent. There are few ideolog- ical differences between the two factions. The op- position’s main argument is that it would do a better job of fighting corruption fueled by the drug trade and would modernize the ailing rice industry. It has attracted Guyanese of dif- ferent ethnic backgrounds amid disenchantment with the dismal economic pros- pects and a perception of widespread corruption. Police and election officials reported no major problems as people formed long lines around the country to vote. “I want accountability and transparency,” said 30-year- old Aubrey Shepherd, a nurse who said he was supporting the opposition. Phillipa Brewster, using a walker to support herself as she voted a day before her 93rd birthday, said she would also support the opposition. “This situation in this country is not like in my day. I don’t like it so I am going to vote for change,” Brewster said. But voters like Roy Samlall, a surgeon, said the ruling party deserves credit for infrastructure projects and its plans to develop a deep-water harbor and hy- droelectric power. “I don’t think the opposition has any- thing better to offer.” Voter Ryan Phagoo, a minibus conductor, said that some in his family are supporting the opposition but he is sticking with the ruling party. “Police officers and teachers will get more money,” the 29-year-old said. “I am glad for that so I voted for the government.” The ruling party, the op- position coalition and a handful of small parties are vying for 65 Parliament seats. More than 570,000 people are eligible to vote. A story on page one of Friday’s paper incorrectly ref- erenced the name of the ar- chitects contracted to work on the redesign of the Treasure Island resort. The correct name of the firm is OBM International, which has of- fices in Cayman and across the Caribbean and a corpo- rate head office in Miami. The Cayman Compass strives for accuracy and is committed to correcting errors that appear in the newspaper. Those interested in contacting the paper for that purpose can email the editor at newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com. Long poll lines in Guyana vote challenging racial politics CORRECTION Lightning strikes as storm clouds pass in Denton, Texas on Sunday. - Photo:Al Key/the Denton RecoRD-chRonicle viA AP The Department of Commerce and Investment, which includes the Trade and Business Licensing counter on the first floor of the Government Administration Building, will close early on Wednesday due to staff training. The main office, which opens at 8:30 a.m., will be closed from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Wednesday. The Trade and Business Licensing counter will open from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. and will also reopen at 2 p.m. For more information, call 945-0943 or email info@dci.gov.ky. Dci to close WeDnesDAy moRning3 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Tuesday May 12, 2015 One-Day Workshop The Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman June 8, 2015 America’s #1 Success Coach www.Thrive.ky | info@Thrive.ky (345) 945-1515 | (345) 525-7070 Founder of the book series Chicken Soup for the Soul Tickets Still Available! JACK CANFIELD JackCanfield 4X12_4x12 Jack Canfield 5/5/15 6:33 PM Page 1 Liquor stores add security Robberies threaten ‘quality of life’ Brent FuLLer bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Four late-night armed robberies on Grand Cayman have forced local liquor stores to change operating strategies to help protect customers and staff. “So far, no [staff have] been hurt, God knows it’s terrifying for them,” Tortuga Rum Company President Robert Hamaty said Monday. “[Security] is an additional cost, but what can you do?” Four Grand Cayman li- quor stores have been hit since April 21, including one Tortuga store and one Blackbeard’s liquor store in the Seven Mile Beach shopping district, which is Cayman’s hub for tourism. Other stores that were robbed include Blackbeard’s in Grand Harbour and the Pop-A-Top store in West Bay. Police descriptions of suspects in the various cases differ substantially. In the first heist on April 21, a 5-foot-5-inch tall man wielding a machete robbed the Tortuga Liquors store at the Greenery across from the Strand shopping center. Two days later, a machete-toting suspect robbed the Grand Harbour Blackbeard’s store, but he was described as being several inches taller. A 5-foot-9-inch suspect armed with a gun held up the Pop-A-Top store in West Bay on April 28. A 5-foot- 5-inch tall suspect, armed with a handgun, robbed the Blackbeard’s at Cayman Falls shopping center Friday night. All of the robberies hap- pened between 8:45 p.m. and 10 p.m. A number of Grand Cayman liquor stores were granted extensions to their operating hours in late 2013, allowing them to re- main open until 10 p.m. The closing time for most li- quor stores had previously been 7 p.m. By November 2013, about two dozen li- quor stores, most of them in George Town and the Seven Mile Beach area, were granted permission for ex- tended hours, The new hours vary, but most of the stores that ap- plied for the extended hours are now open between from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. or from 10 a.m to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The Liquor Licensing Board of Grand Cayman’s general policy, prior to 2013, was to allow liquor stores in the district of George Town to stay open until 7 p.m. and for liquor stores in the “outer districts” to stay open until 10 p.m. The historic justi- fication for allowing liquor stores farther from town to stay open later is to cater to commuters who may not ar- rive home until after 7 p.m. Concerns Liquor Licensing Board Chairman Mitchell Welds said Monday that the recent robberies had gotten the at- tention of liquor board mem- bers, who consider the inci- dents “quite alarming.” “The board has always supported maximum secu- rity at liquor license prem- ises,” Mr. Welds said. “Any time you have an exten- sion of opening hours, it heightens the risks. The board supports increased security when there are in- creased hours.” Matt Bishop, chief ex- ecutive officer of Cayman Distributors Group which runs Blackbeard’s stores, said that while some extra precautions are needed for night operations, he does not see a correlation between the later opening times and the recent spate of robberies. “It seems a bit of a stretch to me,” Mr. Bishop said. “The ‘not today bobo’ robbery [at Blackbeard’s in Grand Harbour in 2011] took place in the afternoon.” That incident, which has become something of a Cayman legend, involved two armed robbers who entered the Grand Harbour store and were foiled by local fish- ermen Charles Ebanks and Edward Azan, who ef- fected a citizen’s arrest after chasing down the suspects outside the store. Security Mr. Hamaty said Tortuga stores had also been robbed prior to the extension of op- erating hours to 10 p.m., and that his company has now placed security guards at all stores that are open past 7 p.m. Mr. Bishop said Cayman Distributors is currently taking security advice and has made “a number of secu- rity changes after the April robbery at Grand Harbour,” including changes to cash handling procedures. Both men said the number of robberies is of far more concern than local businesses losing a few hun- dred dollars. “These robberies are not just a robbery against Blackbeard’s or Tortuga,” Mr. Bishop said. “It’s really a robbery against Cayman. They’re making people fearful and that degrades our quality of life. “Nobody wants to live in a high-security zone. We need to come together and get on top of it.” Mr. Welds said the Liquor Licensing Board of Grand Cayman was likely to con- sider the liquor store secu- rity issue at its next meeting, scheduled for June 5. A CCTV still image of the robber who held up Blackbeard’s in Grand Harbour last month.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. Printed and Published by: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town send us yOur VieWs Or neWs: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com adVertise With us: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS daVid r. legge and Vicki l. legge EdITOR-In-CHIEf daVid r. legge A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will findtheirownway” And now … for the main event. In one corner, wearing green, former Cayman Islands Premier McKeeva Bush, who has filed a private members’ motion in the Legislative Assembly alleging a “conspiracy” between local and U.K. officials. In the red trunks, current Cayman Islands Premier Alden McLaughlin, who has responded to Mr. Bush’s public pronouncements with a lawsuit alleging slander and libel. Unlike the recent boxing match between Floyd May- weather and Manny Pacquiao, the political pugilism between Mr. Bush and Mr. McLaughlin promises to live up to its top billing. In this particular bout, there is much more at stake than mere money. The venue for this imminent conflict is yet to be determined. Mr. Bush, it appears, would prefer to air his grievances within the wide expanses of the Legisla- tive Assembly, while Mr. McLaughlin’s druthers seem to lie within the tighter confines of the courtroom, under the vigilance of a learned judge. Mr. Bush, for one, has argued publicly that Mr. McLaughlin’s defamation lawsuit is a ploy to invoke “sub judice” restrictions, and therefore limit (or even abort) parliamentary discussions and media coverage of Mr. Bush’s motion. We are not privy to the substance of conversations between Mr. McLaughlin and his legal counsel, but if that is indeed his working strategy, we feel obliged to observe that it might not work. There are two reasons for that: first, the defamation proceedings would occur in civil court, not criminal court, and would be decided by a judge, not a jury; second, the “parliamen- tary privilege” that lawmakers enjoy in the Legislative Assembly may shield them from any sub judice con- siderations even if they do arise. Several years ago, Cayman Islands Chief Justice Anthony Smellie explained, “The sub judice rule ... is a principle that says that proceedings that are current before the court should not be discussed in the media if, and here’s the thing, by so doing, the proper admin- istration of justice could be impaired. “Now typically, that would relate to jury trials because jurors stand to be influenced by what is in the press. “I know of no case yet where that sub judice rule has been enforced against any element of the media because of a concern that a judge, a trained judge, may have been influenced by what the media printed to the detriment of the proper administration of justice.” (Mr. Smellie’s comments were published in a story that appeared in the January 2011 edition of Cayman Financial Review.) In case of collision between the sub judice rule and parliamentary privilege, it is unclear which will prevail under Cayman law. However, the legal precedent in the U.K. is that a lawmaker’s right to speak freely in parlia- ment trumps even a direct order from a court, even in criminal cases tried by juries. Suppose, however, that for whatever reason, Mr. Bush’s motion never reaches the House floor. There will be a myriad of other opportunities for him to make public the supposedly damning information he claims he possesses. If not in the Legislative Assembly, then in a courtroom. If not in a courtroom, then there’s always “Plan W” — as in, “Windshield,” as in, that’s where a reporter or other concerned citizen may end up finding said documents. To quote the Bard, “at the length, truth will out.” To quote Mr. Bush, “Alden’s got a surprise coming.” Upcoming premiere: Premier vs. Premier Tuesday May 12, 2015 • Cayman COmpass Mankind’s animal instincts WASHINGTON – We often wonder how people of the past, including the most re- vered and refined, could have universally engaged in con- duct now considered uncon- scionable. Such as slavery. How could the Founders, so sublimely devoted to human liberty, have lived with – some participating in – human slavery? Or fourscore years later, how could the saintly Lincoln, an implacable oppo- nent of slavery, have neverthe- less spoken of and believed in African inferiority? While retrospective judg- ment tends to make us feel superior to our ancestors, it should really evoke humility. Surely some contemporary practices will be deemed equally abominable by suc- ceeding generations. The only question is: Which ones? I’ve long thought it will be our treatment of animals. I’m convinced that our great- grandchildren will find it dif- ficult to believe that we ac- tually raised, herded and slaughtered them on an in- dustrial scale – for the eating. To be sure, there has been a salutary turn in our at- titude toward animals, es- pecially their display and confinement. To its credit, Barnum & Bailey is retiring its elephant acts. Festooning these magnificent creatures with comically gaudy cos- tumes and parading them about, often shackled, is a re- proach to both their nobility and our humanity. Or consider those SeaWorld commercials reas- suring us how well their orcas are treated. The tone is con- trite and almost apologetic, as befits a business that trains splendid creatures to jump high on command for fish – and for our amusement. And although some of these measures are market- driven – SeaWorld has been hemorrhaging customers and Cirque du Soleil has been thriving without ani- mals – they are nonethe- less welcome. As are the im- provements in zoos. The zoo animals I remember from my childhood were so sadly caged, so restlessly pawing the ground, so piteously de- feated. Today, the enclosures are more forgiving, the bars largely gone, the running space more ample. It’s understandable. The zoo used to symbolize man’s dominion over his menacing adversaries, his competitors for living space. Tigers still roamed, and could eat you. Now the competition is over. Our rivals have either been wiped out or driven back to the bush. Except for the occa- sional shark dining on some intrepid surfer, the threat is gone – and with it, the thrill of conquest. No need, therefore, to dis- play wildlife bound and tamed, King Kong-like. The overriding mission of today’s zoo is conservancy – the care, study, preservation and prop- agation of the various species, some of them endangered. Another advance, and not just for them but for us. One measure of human moral progress – amid and despite the savageries we visit upon each other – is how we treat the innocent in our care. And none are more innocent than these. Which brings us to meat- eating. Its extinction will, I be- lieve, ultimately come. And be largely market-driven, as well. Science will find dietary sub- stitutes that can be produced at infinitely less cost and ef- fort. At which point, meat will become a kind of exotic indul- gence, what the cigar (of “Cigar Aficionado”) is to the dying to- bacco culture of today. As a moderate carnivore myself, I confess to living in Jeffersonian hypocrisy. It’s a bit late for me to live on ber- ries and veggies. My conces- sion to my qualms is a few idiosyncratic distinctions (of no particular import). And while I don’t demand that every chicken I consume be certified to have enjoyed an open meadow and a vibrant social life, if I can eat free range, I will. No. I’m not joining PETA. Indeed, I firmly believe that man is the measure of all things. Sometimes you have to choose. I cringe at medical experimentation, but if you need to study cats’ eyes in order to spare some humans from blindness, do it. (Though not to test cosmetics.) If the Delta smelt has to die to conserve 1.4 trillion gal- lons of water for the parched humans of California, so be it. If the mating habits of the Arctic caribou have to be dis- turbed so we can produce 1 million barrels of oil a day – on a drilling footprint the size of Dulles Airport in a refuge the size of Ireland – I say: Apologize to the amo- rous herd, then drill. But some things are un- necessary. Caging beautiful creatures. Displaying them for spectacle. It’s good that these are being rethought. The cheeseburger ques- tion we leave to our progeny. Though, when their time comes, they should refrain from moral preening. They will, by then, have invented abominations of their very own. Humans always do. Charles Krauthammer’s email address is letters@charleskrauthammer.com. © 2015, Washington Post Writers Group Charles Krauthammer From CaymanComPass.Com “Expat votes go uncounted in UK election,” May 11 Why is the governor’s of- fice unable to comment? As the representative of the U.K. government and U.K. people in the Cayman Islands, I would think that this is something that would be taken very seriously. The idea that U.K. voters living in the Cayman Islands were left disenfranchised be- cause of postal holdups and delays in sending out ballot packs should be a top pri- ority for the governor’s office. mack Boland Overseas mail taking too long to arrive in customers’ mailboxes. What a surprise. Who would have thunk it? norman Linton “New Treasure Island owners promise massive investment in hotel,” May 8 Treasure Island was once a star stop of the West Bay Road. Everything about this place was very good and community-friendly. Sometimes locals would go and spend a weekend holiday, honeymoon or just hang out. The local rates were good, the food excel- lent and the music entertain- ment just great. Glad to hear new things are going to be done with it; just remember to keep it community friendly and you cannot lose. Twyla Vargas I do hope by “renova- tion” they mean “bulldoze the place and rebuild it.” David Williams “George Town revitalization: A private moment,” May 7 Infrastructure creates op- portunities for all. But as soon as you start talking about “George Town,” you’re already failing. The problem for cruise passengers and for Cayman is “or.” Shall I go to Seven Mile Beach “or” the Turtle Farm? Today we had about 12,000 cruise ship passengers – to transport them all by mini- bus would take almost 1,000 vehicles and form a traffic jam two-and-two-thirds miles long, bumper to bumper; clearly that is impractical. Look at Disney World. It’s half the size of Cayman (47 square miles), with a popula- tion of about 58,000 staff (by coincidence!) but handles 10 times the visitors every day The answer is infra- structure – their monorail system is fast and “flies” above the traffic. Could a cruise ship pas- senger go to the Botanical Park if it was only 15 min- utes away, “and” then go to the Turtle Farm “and” then go to Seven Mile Beach? Could the cruise pier be built elsewhere so as not to damage the environment if there was a rapid transit to George Town, “and” East End, “and” West Bay? Could a new airport be built with proper (and sev- eral) international length run- ways (3,000 feet longer than Owen Roberts), jetways and so forth, 10 minutes from the Shetty Hospital, but also 10 minutes from George Town? Dart isn’t building new roads because he has some spare asphalt. That infrastruc- ture adds value to the hotels and Camana Bay. The govern- ment needs to start doing the same for Cayman as a whole. “But there’s no money ...” Yes, it always seems to be the answer, but perhaps priori- tizing spending and making better use of the monies spent would bring this into the realms of feasibility. All too often the government is paying for steak, but being served a beef-flavored raman noodle! andy Gray “Cayman FOI being ‘undermined,’” May 7 Wow, thanks, Jennifer, for bringing these facts to the people of Cayman. Jay Easterbrook The zoo used to symbolize man’s dominion over his menacing adversaries, his competitors for living space. ... Now the competition is over.5 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Tuesday May 12, 2015 America’s #1 Success Coach JACK CANFIELD WIN $495 ticket One-Day Workshop June 8, 2015 ENTER AT caymancompass.com/competitions One winner each week for 5 weeks 6x4 Jack Canfield Competition_6X4 JACK CANFIELD COMPETITION 5/5/15 6:27 PM Page 1 Workforce Development to visit Sister Islands District struggles with unemployment CharleS DunCan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com Job seekers on the Brac can meet with represen- tatives from the National Workforce Development Agency from Wednesday through Friday at the Department of Labour and Pensions office. “We hear on a nearly daily basis from people looking for work,” Sister Islands District Commissioner Ernie Scott said. The NWDA said in a press release that represen- tatives will be on the Brac to meet with job seekers and employers to help with resumes, getting people registered in its computer system, and general job search assistance. They will also host a workshop on employer expectations at 2 p.m. Thursday. Mr. Scott said when his of- fice posts a job, “it’s common to get two to three dozen ap- plications,” depending on the nature of the job. However, he said ap- plicants often do not have the skills for the job, have a criminal record or an- other barrier to getting a job with government. Government does not keep annual statistics on unemployment in the Sister Islands. The most recent data from the 2010 Census shows a 7.7 percent unem- ployment rate on the Brac. Little Cayman has a 1.1 per- cent unemployment rate – two of the almost 200 people of the labor force. Unemployment countrywide that year was 6.2 percent, according to the Economic and Statistics Office. Since 2010, the popula- tion of the Sister Islands has remained relatively steady, with about 1,850 people from the most recent Economic and Statistics Office estimates for 2014. Unemployment across the Cayman Islands fell to 4.7 percent last year, the lowest level since the 2008 global recession. Employment in the Sister Islands is driven by public administration, construc- tion, tourism and household employees, according to the last Census. Last year, employment on the Brac took a front seat in the Legislative Assembly. Premier Alden McLaughlin said the island “is at a cross- roads ... population figures are dwindling, businesses are struggling.” Sister Islands unemploy- ment came to the fore during a debate over a development on the Brac. Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush said at the time that the island “is dying on its feet.” The NWDA will be available to meet with people looking for work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday at the Department of Labour and Pensions office, 256 Creek Road. Walk-ins are welcome, or job seekers can make an appointment by calling the NWDA office at 945-3114. Beginning this week, portions of Bodden Town Road will close so the Water Authority – Cayman can install a new water main. The Water Authority expects the first phase of the project, from the cemetery to Gun Square Road, to take two months. Sections of the road will close from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day and will be accessible only to local traffic. Other drivers will be diverted to Anton Bodden Drive. Businesses and resi- dences in the area will have to be connected to a tem- porary water line while the new pipeline is installed. pipeline work to close road Protection order made Carol WInker cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Shane Edward Connor, 37, was discharged last week after a Grand Court judge en- tered a not guilty verdict on a charge of threatening to kill his mother in September 2014. After Connor’s mother agreed that a protection order would be preferable so that she could avoid a trial, Justice Michael Mettyear made the order according to provi- sions of The Protection from Domestic Violence Law, 2010. Connor is not to directly or indirectly contact his mother or his brother and is not to go to a specified ad- dress, the judge’s order stip- ulates. The order is for three years – the maximum al- lowed in the law. Trial was to have started on May 4 but did not go ahead. On May 5, Crown counsel Scott Wainwright ad- vised Justice Mettyear that the required medical certifi- cate had been received from the complainant, Connor’s mother, to excuse her ab- sence. Mr. Wainwright said the Crown would not seek further time for a trial. After Justice Mettyear noted Ms. Connor’s prefer- ence for a protection order, attorney Lee Halliday-Davis advised that the defense did not oppose it. The Crown offered no evidence against Connor, and a verdict of not guilty was entered. On May 8, the matter re- turned to court because of questions about potential publication of the case. Mr. Wainwright said he and Ms. Halliday-Davis agreed that there could be no preventing of publishing proceedings as they per- tained to the indictment. However, he continued, the protection order was pro- tected from publication. A re- striction is contained in the law itself: “No person shall publish a report of any pro- ceedings under this Law un- less he is first granted leave of the court which heard the proceedings.” If the court allowed pub- lication of the order against Connor, further victims would be dissuaded because if they did, their names would be published in the press, he argued. Publishing an order in its entirety would have a chilling effect, he predicted. The public interest in having an effective way of dealing with domestic violence cases outweighed any interest the press might have in pub- lishing a story, he indicated. In his ruling, Justice Mettyear summarized the sit- uation that led to his making of the protection order. He said Connor was due to stand trial on May 5 for an indictment alleging common assault on his mother and threats to kill her. On that date, the mother did not come to court due to her poor health. She had said she was prepared to give evidence if she were well enough. “Because the case had been adjourned on earlier oc- casions and it was not known when she would be fit, and because the defendant had been in custody many months, the Crown quite rightly de- cided to offer no evidence but sought a protection order,” the judge explained. As a result of what he had been told, Justice Mettyear said, he entered a not guilty verdict and made the protec- tion order. The press sought a clar- ification as to what could be published. That query was passed on to the Crown and defense attorney for their consideration. Justice Mettyear said the defense had made a good point – that the defendant was entitled to have his ac- quittal published. He also noted Mr. Wainwright’s con- cerns – that the complainant was not keen to have her de- tails published and that fu- ture complainants would be reluctant to come forward. The judge said it seemed to him that he had to have in mind the complainant’s view, but that was not the overriding factor. He pointed out that if the trial had gone ahead, all the details would have become public. But the reality was that the man had been acquitted: if only the matter of the in- dictment were reported, that would not give a fair and true picture of what had happened. Justice Mettyear said it was better in his view that the public know the court has the power to give protec- tion to a vulnerable woman. “It seems to me that fu- ture complainants would be comforted,” he said. On that basis, what happened could be published, but without specific detail. Connor previously stood trial in April on another charge of threats to kill. In that indictment, the com- plainant was a prison officer and the offense allegedly took place at Northward Prison in October 2013. Justice Mettyear directed that there be no reporting of the matter because the trial involving Connor’s mother was sched- uled to follow so soon after and he did not want anything to influence potential jurors. On April 21, a jury found Connor not guilty. Justice Mettyear said it was better in his view that the public know the court has the power to give protection to a vulnerable woman. “It seems to me that future complainants would be comforted,” he said. Man acquitted of threatening to kill his mother6 LOCAL NEWS The annual Red Cross Gala featured Rod Stewart tribute artist Doug Varty, who wowed the audi- ence with many of the veteran rocker’s hits. The gala, one of the Red Cross’s main fundraisers for the year, was held Saturday night at the Westin Hotel. - PHOTOS: MAGGIE JACKSON Check out these photos and others by visiting caymancompass.com/photogalleries or on facebook.com/caycompass (and don’t forget to tag yourself and your friends!) Tuesday May 12, 2015 • Cayman Compass Adrian and Sinead LynchAllison McDonald and Marsha Clair Cassandra Powell and Jose Hernandez Ian and Charmaine Bravo, Pauline Beckford and Martina Oparaocha Richard Moody and Karen ShieldDee and Chris Duggan Jackie Balls, Katherine Houston, Caroline Courtis and Karen Ebanks The Red Cross board: Andrew McLaughlin, Jondo Malafa Obi, Irina Scrivens and Ravi Persad The Red Cross volunteers Shirley Terry, Cecilia Stewart and Lavern Suckoo Wendy and Randy Mellaneo Rod Stewart tribute performer Doug Varty takes the stage.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 Cayman Compass • Tuesday May 12, 2015 GRADUATION FEATURE2015 Graduation is a milestone moment in life To make the experience even more memorable, the Cayman Compass will be publishing a special 2015 Graduation Feature on Thursday, May 28. It is the perfect opportunity for advertisers to not only reach the proud parents of these young graduates, but the next generation of Caymanian professionals. Ad space deadline: Tuesday, May 19 949-5111 | sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com the early recording crashing the ball into the net as the clipped tones of the commen- tary team hail an historic FA Cup moment. The television clip shows Mr. Smyth later celebrating with his teammates in an open-top bus parade through the packed streets of the small Midlands city. The victory, one of the finest moments in the history of the club, is fondly remem- bered in Wolverhampton, where the class of ’49 are toasted as legends. Wolves went on to be one of the best teams in English football through the 1950s, though they have faded today and play in the second tier. The Cayman Compass tracked down Mr. Smyth at his home in South Sound after receiving a letter from Wolves fan Glyne Wetton, who has written about the 1949 team and kept in touch with many of the former players, nursing some of them through ill health in their final days. Mr. Wetton wrote that he was attempting to get in touch with Mr. Smyth, who he believes to be the last living member of the 1949 team. “This 1949 team were all my heroes and I have tried to care for them over the years,” wrote Mr. Wetton, who recalled queueing with his brother for 36 hours to get a ticket for the big game, only to be told they had sold out as he reached the ticket window. “Luckily for us, for the first time ever the second half of the game was on BBC TV so we saw Sam’s famous goal,” he said. Ms. Conolly’s home on South Sound is filled with memora- bilia, match day programs and magazine and newspaper arti- cles about the team. One article in the Wolves program describes her fa- ther’s contribution to that FA Cup win, scoring six goals including the winner in the semifinal against Manchester United, before his goal in the final. It reads: “There can be no argument about the goal he scored for Wolves to clinch their 1949 FA Cup Final vic- tory over Leicester City at Wembley. Smyth beat several players in a memorable run to score one of the old sta- dium’s best individual goals.” He scored a total of 43 goals in 116 games for the club and also played nine times for Northern Ireland. Every month the family gets an update from the Wolves former players’ asso- ciation. These days the mis- sives more often bear sad news. “We learned recently that he is the last surviving member of the team that won the cup,” said Ms. Conolly. Mr. Smyth’s days as a pro- fessional footballer in post- war England were far re- moved from today’s Premier League, where stars com- mand multimillion-dollar an- nual salaries. As Wolves’ top scorer in the 1948-49 season, Mr. Smyth was paid two English pounds a week, roughly $3. “He actually left England to come home to Northern Ireland when he got married because he couldn’t afford to live on that salary,” Ms. Conolly remembers. His exploits are little known in Cayman. “He has always been a modest man and never wants any fuss or attention. I think there are a few people here, of that era, who love and follow football that know about him, but not too many,” said Ms. Conolly. She said her dad went on to run a sports merchan- dising company in Ireland after his retirement. Now, he has his share of health prob- lems but still enjoys watching sports, particularly football, cricket and golf. The last of the great Wanderers CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Sam Smyth, far left, scores his legendary goal. The Wolverhampton Wanderers post-match photo in 1949. Sam Smyth is seen in the front row, second from left.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Tuesday May 12, 2015 • Cayman Compass Computer services offi- cials did not respond to ad- ditional requests for com- ment Monday. Missing data RCIPS representatives, who were responding to an open records request filed by the Cayman Compass in February 2014, revealed the hard drive crashes had occurred when information related to the request about Marine Unit patrol boats could not be located. Mr. Christian reported numerous times that of- ficers were searching for the relevant records sought by the request for the pe- riod from Jan. 1, 2011 to Feb. 19, 2014. The request for infor- mation read: “All of the wa- tercraft used as part of the Joint Marine Unit’s opera- tions by name of the boat. How many times each of those watercraft have a) broken down, have been damaged or were otherwise found to be deficient and have required repairs or re- placement; b) the period of time they were out of ser- vice; c) the cost of making the repairs; d) when they were returned to service; e) if they were not returned to service, what happened to the watercraft.” Some of the repair cost information has been pro- vided as part of the re- quest, but Mr. Christian said data related to the time the vessels were out of service was on the gov- ernment hard drives that had crashed several times. The last recorded crash oc- curred in March 2014. Since November 2014, the Information Commissioner’s Office has been attempting to follow up with the RCIPS to retrieve the relevant files. The RCIPS initially blamed the government Computer Services Department over the issue and then stopped responding to the commissioner’s office requests altogether. Emails sent to police by the commissioner’s office in December and in January received responses that the RCIPS was still seeking to retrieve the data. Follow-up emails sent in February and again last month received no response from the police. Hard drive crash The March 2014 hard drive crash, which affected five drives containing gov- ernment data, caused the stored data on those drives to be corrupted, officials confirmed. “A series of hard drive failures occurred on the server, the server itself did not fail,” Wesley Howell, deputy chief officer of the Ministry of Home Affairs, said at the time. “The server held data for the RCIPS, specific types and exact number of files that are corrupted are unknown. The file share that has the corrupted files holds 1.2 terabytes of data.” A tera- byte is equal to 1,000 giga- bytes or 1 trillion bytes of computerized data. Over a period of months, the Computer Services Department worked to restore the corrupted data, and by August 2014 reported that all but 10.6 megabytes had been retrieved. The Compass then renewed its open records request for the Marine Unit informa- tion. The open records re- quest for the Marine Unit information remained out- standing as of press time. Aina, to aid in his dismissal of the claim. Retired Cayman Islands journalist and U.K. citizen John Evans filed an open records request under the Cayman Islands Freedom of Information Law in February 2012 for both the complaint and the gover- nor’s evaluation of it. The governor’s office denied the request, a decision that was later overturned by the in- formation commissioner. Mr. Taylor challenged the information commissioner’s decision by way of judicial review. That case, following a first hearing in late 2013 when it was sent back to the information commission- er’s office for further con- sideration, headed back to court in February 2015. The second decision in the case resulted in Justice Owen’s order issued Monday. Mr. Liebaers said the exemption referred to in Justice Owen’s order under section 16 [b] of Cayman’s Freedom of Information Law applies to records re- quired for an ongoing law enforcement investigation or court proceeding. It’s often referred to as the “law enforcement exemption.” This type of exemption typically would apply only until the completion of any criminal investigation and any subsequent trial that might arise. This raises the possibility that, at the end of whatever case local po- lice might pursue against Mr. Bridger, the “law en- forcement” exemption would fall away. “Whether ultimately [the exemption applied] prevents publication of the whole of the governor’s report [or merely identified parts of it] or whether future events wholly undermine the basis for ... the exemption are all matters for the information commissioner to reconsider ... in light of the full exercise of his investigative powers,” Justice Owen’s earlier judg- ment in the case, made public in March, stated. Mr. Bridger has been under investigation by the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service since last year, apparently in relation to an allegation of crime he made to the RCIPS in 2014 about the actions of former Governor Stuart Jack, Attorney General Samuel Bulgin and U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth official Larry Covington during the early stages of Operation Tempura. All three men denied the allegations made by Mr. Bridger. Police Commissioner David Baines has since said the allegations were “without merit.” It was not known who made the crim- inal complaint against Mr. Bridger. Nine months have passed since Mr. Baines first publicly alluded to the crim- inal probe. He said recently that he has never been in- terviewed by police in con- nection with the case. It will now be up to the information commission- er’s office, following a fur- ther review of the relevant records in conjunction with the governor’s office, to in- vestigate further to deter- mine the status of the on- going criminal investigation into Mr. Bridger. Following that review, the information commis- sioner could decide either to make the records public, if it is determined there is no “real” criminal inves- tigation, or if that inves- tigation has ended. The commissioner could agree the records are exempted under section 16 (b) of the FOI Law and deny their re- lease. A third option might be to release the records in a partially redacted form, blacking out any sec- tions related to the ongoing criminal probe. “The decision is remitted back to [the information commissioner] to reconsider whether the requested records are exempt from disclosure …” Grand Court JustiCe tiMotHy owen CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Round 3 of Tempura records battle Missing police RecoRds gov’t fails to meet Foi requests CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 NuN says bomber ‘sorry’ for victims BOSTON (AP) — Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s lawyers rested their case Monday in their bid to save him from execu- tion after death penalty op- ponent Sister Helen Prejean testified that Tsarnaev ex- pressed genuine sorrow for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing. “No one deserves to suffer like they did,” Prejean quoted him as saying. The prosecution wrapped up its case as well Monday. The two sides will return on Wednesday to give closing arguments, after which the federal jury will de- cide whether the 21-year- old Tsarnaev should be put to death or receive life in prison. Prejean, a Roman Catholic nun whose story was told in the 1995 movie “Dead Man Walking” starring Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn, met with Tsarnaev five times since March at the re- quest of the defense. Prejean, who smiled at Tsarnaev several times during her testimony, said she could hear “pain” in his voice when he said he re- gretted what happened to the victims in the 2013 attack, which left three people dead and more than 260 wounded, including 17 who lost limbs. Shell clears major hurdle for Arctic drilling ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Just days ahead of a planned protest of Royal Dutch Shell’s Arctic drilling program in Seattle, the company on Monday cleared a major bu- reaucratic hurdle to drill off Alaska’s northwestern coast. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management ap- proved the multi-year explo- ration plan in the Chukchi Sea for Shell after reviewing thousands of comments from the public, Alaska Native or- ganizations and state and federal agencies. “We have taken a thoughtful approach to care- fully considering potential exploration in the Chukchi Sea, recognizing the signifi- cant environmental, social and ecological resources in the region and establishing high standards for the pro- tection of this critical eco- system, our Arctic commu- nities, and the subsistence needs and cultural traditions of Alaska Natives,” the agen- cy’s director, Abigail Ross Hopper, said in a statement. “As we move forward, any off- shore exploratory activities will continue to be subject to rigorous safety standards.” Before Shell can begin drilling this summer, the company must still obtain other permits from state and federal agencies, including one to drill from the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement and government opinions that find Shell can comply with terms and con- ditions of the Endangered Species Act. Shell spokesman Curtis Smith said the approval “is an important milestone and signals the confidence reg- ulators have in our plan. However, before operations can begin this summer, it’s imperative that the re- mainder of our permits be practical, and delivered in a timely manner. “In the meantime, we will continue to test and pre- pare our contractors, as- sets and contingency plans against the high bar stake- holders and regulators ex- pect of an Arctic operator,” Smith said in an email to The Associated Press. The Port of Seattle would need to get another permit to base the Arctic drilling fleet in Seattle for about six months of the year. Seattle Mayor Ed Murray last week said the port, a public agency, must obtain a new land-use permit from the city before Shell contractor, Foss Maritime, can use Terminal 5. Foss Maritime on Saturday said it planned to appeal to the Seattle Hearing Examiner in the next two weeks. Once filed, the exam- iner will set a hearing date and then issue a ruling. Port commissioners are taking up the lease issue at a meeting Tuesday. Meanwhile, activists plan to protest the move- ment of 400-foot drill ship Polar Pioneer from Port Angeles, Washington, to the Seattle port. A so-called “fes- tival of resistance” starts Saturday and will include protesters on land and in kayaks, trying to block the ship’s movements. Royal dutch shell hopes to use this rig for exploratory drilling during the summer open-water season in the chukchi sea, off Alaska’s northwest coast, if it can get the permits. - Photo: aPThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Community Calendar ■ Community Calendar is published Tuesdays and Thursdays. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. Cayman Compass • Tuesday May 12, 2015 TUESDAY, MAY 12 WEST BAY CLINIC: The Health Services Authority advises that the West Bay District Health Centre will close at 2:30 p.m. today to facilitate necessary works by the Cayman Water Company. Residents are reminded to seek any services they need and collect all prescriptions as necessary by 2:30 p.m. The clinic will reopen on Wednesday as usual. FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS: The National Children’s Festival of the Arts invites the community to the final concerts at the Harquail Theatre this evening through Thursday, from 6 p.m. Featuring medal- winning performances in speech, drama, choral music, instrumental music and dance, the program will change nightly. Students of all ages will perform. CAREgIVERS DAY: The National Gallery celebrates International Nurses Day by inviting all nurses and caregivers to an appreciation breakfast and guided tour at 9 a.m. Coffee, tea and pastries will be served. For more information, contact education@nationalgallery. org.ky or 945-8111. WEDNESDAY, MAY 13 BRAC WORKFORCE: National Workforce Development Agency representatives will be available to meet with employers and job seekers, and assist with online registrations, resume preparation and other job search activities today and tomorrow 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; and on Friday, 9 a.m.–2:30 p.m. at the Department of Labour and Pensions Office, 256 Creek Road. Appointments can be made by calling 945-3114, and walk-ins are welcome. On Thursday afternoon, interested individuals may also attend a workshop on “Employer Expectations” from 2-5 p.m. at the Labour and Pensions Office. To register, call 945-3114 or email nwda.training@gov.ky. NEW YEAR HONOURS: Today is the deadline to recommend people who have made outstanding contributions to Caymanian society for Her Majesty the Queen’s New Year Honours 2016. Nomination forms can be found on the U.K. government website at www.gov.uk/honours/ overview. Completed forms should be returned, under confidential cover, to the Governor’s Office, at Government Administration Building on Elgin Avenue, or to email staffoff@candw.ky. For any further information, contact the Governor’s Office on 244-2434. BOOKENDS CLUB: Members review their latest pick, “Americanah” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. All are invited to share insights and impressions in an open discussion. Books & Books. 7-8:30 p.m. FOOD HANDLERS: Certification courses in basic food hygiene are offered by the Department of Environmental Health; today and May 27, June 10 and 24; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at the DEH conference room in the Environmental Centre, 580 North Sound Road. $15 per person covers all materials and fees; pay at DEH headquarters, 580 North Sound Road, between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. Call 949-6696. FRIDAY, MAY 15 NATIONAL gALLERY INTERNS: The National Gallery is accepting applications for the 2015/16 yearlong NGCI Deutsche Bank Internship, in addition to their shorter NGCI Summer Internship program, which runs June through August. Today is the deadline for Summer Internship applications; May 31 for the 2015/16 NGCI Deutsche Bank Internship. For application forms, visit www.nationalgallery. org.ky and for additional information call 945- 8111 or email education@ nationalgallery.org.ky. RUNDOWN: The annual comedy show continues tonight at the Harquail Theatre, 8 p.m. Other shows May 16-17, 29-31. Shows Fridays and Saturdays start 8 p.m.; Sunday shows start at 6 p.m. Tickets are $25 for adults, $15 for youths and seniors. Available from Grand Harbour Health Care Pharmacy, Funky Tang’s, Foster’s at the Strand and the Cayman National Cultural Foundation offices. SATURDAY, MAY 16 HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS: Representatives of Hazard Management Cayman Islands will be at Kirk’s Home Centre this morning to meet with residents, answer questions and hand out disaster awareness information. Residents are encouraged to visit the store and enter a drawing to win preparedness kits. DEALS ON WHEELS: The Red Cross mobile thrift shop will be in West Bay at the junction of the West Bay Town Hall, 6-10 a.m. WEDNESDAY, MAY 20 FLOETRY: Poets and performers share their work during an open mic night of poetry and readings. All are invited to share their own work or listen to others. Free and open to the public. 7-8:30 p.m., Books & Books. SATURDAY, MAY 23 HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS: Representatives of Hazard Management Cayman Islands will be at Cox Lumber Company this morning and Uncle Bill’s Home Improvement Centre this afternoon to meet with residents, answer questions and hand out disaster awareness information. Residents are encouraged to visit the stores and enter a drawing to win preparedness kits. gIRLS BRIgADE: West Bay Girls Brigade Company hosts a Talent/ Spring Fashion Show at the John Gray Memorial Church Hall. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. Showtime 7 p.m. Admission is $10; $5 under age 12 (includes light refreshments). Cupcakes will be on sale. Tickets available now or at the door. Call 926-3842 or 322-2212. CHALKFEST: Annual Chalkfest competition at Camana Bay along Market Street, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. This family event includes a live DJ performance, face painting, balloon animals, a magician show and more. The competition is open to all ages and abilities. Registration fee $5 for kids, $10 for adults. Proceeds benefit the National Gallery Outreach Program. Prizes awarded. Entry categories are Primary (5-10 years old), Middle School (11-13), High School (14-17) and Adults (18+). Chalk provided free; participants are encouraged to bring rags, sponges and buckets to help with blending and covering large areas. Free water and sunscreen. SUNDAY, MAY 24 FUN RUN: As part of Child’s Month, Cayman Academy hosts a “Walk for a Child” 5K fun run from 6 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Resort, adjacent to the North Sound Golf Course. Registration is $10 for adults and $5 for under 12s and all Cayman Academy students. Participants can register at the school, Kings Sports Centre gym, Funky Tangs or the Seventh-day Adventist conference office. Part proceeds will go toward the Bethany Butler Art National Gallery Scholarship Fund. FRIDAY, MAY 29 PROPOSALS FOR ESTABLISHINg CORAL NURSERIES: The Department of Environment invites proposals from those interested in establishing coral nurseries. Following Cabinet’s approval of a policy for managing coral nurseries, the department is accepting proposals through May 29, with projects to commence in October 2015 or later. Proposals should be for establishing nurseries for Acropora corals and eventual outplanting on Cayman’s reefs. Proposals or requests for information may be submitted to DoE@gov.ky. SATURDAY, MAY 30 HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS: Representatives of Hazard Management Cayman Islands will be on hand at A.L. Thompson’s this morning and Progressive Distributors this afternoon to meet with residents, answer questions and hand out disaster awareness information. Residents are encouraged to visit the stores and enter a drawing to win preparedness kits. GENERAL INTEREST VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: CONCACAF Under-15 Boys Youth Tournament in Grand Cayman from Aug. 11–23, needs volunteers. Email volunteers@cifa.ky, call the Cayman Islands Football Association office at 949-5775 or visit www. caymanfootball.com. HIV TESTINg: Free HIV testing is available every Tuesday year-round at the Cayman Islands Red Cross on Thomas Russell Way. Anyone wishing to get tested should arrive by 9 a.m. Testing will be available every Tuesday, 9-10 a.m. Contact HIV/AIDS Coordinator Laura Whitfield at 244-2631. FREE gALLERY TOURS: Free guided tours of the temporary exhibition Plastic In paradise: Scenes of Real Life Fictions by Heidi Bassett Blair are available for students of all ages at The National Gallery. Students will discuss the exhibition and get hands-on art activities that incorporate literacy and numeracy. Until July 3. For information or to book a tour contact 945-8111 or education@ nationalgallery.org.ky. SCHOOL REgISTRATION: Registration of students enrolling in or transferring to government schools for the 2015/2016 school year is open through June 26 at the Department of Education Services and the Cayman Brac Teachers Centre. Parents may pick up registration forms at government schools, the Department of Education Services at 130 Thomas Russell Way, George Town, or the Brac Teachers Centre. Registration for reception classes is open for qualifying children who are age 4 before Sept. 1, 2015. gRANTS FOR THE ARTS: Registration is open for grants from the Cayman National Cultural Foundation for art-related projects that need some financial help. CNCF hands out grants twice a year. Visit www. artscayman.org/grants-for- the-arts for guidelines and a registration form. Deadline is July 15. CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES: The West Bay office of the Department of Children and Family Services is closed until further notice. Staff have been relocated to Commerce House on Dr. Roy’s Drive. People in need of assistance should call 949-0290. THRIFT SHOP SEEKS CLOTHINg: The Humane Society Thrift Shop is desperately low on stock. Clothing, accessories, toys, small appliances, shoes, bric-a-brac and pictures are needed. Please bring donations to the Humane Society building on North Sound Road. BETHESDA COUNSELINg CENTRE: At 68 Mary St. caters to all who seek help. Call 946-6575. Open Monday to Friday 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Appointments available Saturdays and late evenings. Center is owned and operated by the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. REEF RESTORATION: Certified divers are invited to work on the Cayman Magic Reef restoration in George Town. A schedule of work dates and times is posted on Facebook under Cayman Magic Reef Recovery. Dates, times and places are listed under Events for volunteers to check and sign up. VISUAL ARTS SOCIETY: Painting open studio available Mondays 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Watler House, Pedro Castle. This is an opportunity for adult intermediate artists to work at their own pace on their own projects. To register, contact openstudio@ visualartcayman.com or 546-9422. $10 per day or $15 non-members. ART FOR STUDENTS: The National Gallery hosts free Active Learning Sessions for students of all ages. Part tour, part art activity, the tour takes students up-close with the National Collection – more than 50 years of Caymanian art history – providing links to literacy, mathematics, social studies and science. For information or to book a session, contact 945-8111 or education@ nationalgallery.org.ky. PINK LADIES: Coffee Shop at Cayman Islands Hospital is open Monday- Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for breakfast, lunch, drinks, snacks. Takeout orders welcome, call 244-2661. Funds are donated back to the community. Contact pinkladiescayman@gmail. com. ARTISANS MARKET: Camana Bay Artisans Market every Wednesday. Visual Arts Society has artists displaying arts, crafts, paintings, prints, hand-crafted jewelry and ceramics for sale between noon and 8 p.m. near KARoo. For more information about being a displaying artist, contact info@visualartcayman.com or 546-9422. MIND’S EYE: Guided tours for up to eight people are offered at Mind’s Eye – The Visionary World of Miss Lassie, Cayman’s intuitive artist. $8 per adult, $4 per child. Tours by appointment, 10-11 a.m., second and fourth Saturdays. Contact the Cayman National Cultural Foundation by email at admincncf@candw.ky or 949-5477. For more Community Calendar events, visit www. compasscayman.com/caycompass/ portal/community-calendar.Next >