High of 89 Low of 78 Smooth to slight with wave heights of 1 to 2 feet. Adventure awaits Warren Macdonald is on island to share his inspiring story B12 Vega Sicilia Exploring Spain’s most renowned wines B4 Jewelry Food & Drink Leisure ■ Travel Honduras vacation Beautiful waterfalls and stunning wildlife B10 Real gems Cayman jewelry designers create the perfect accessory B14 Friday May 22, 2015 • Cayman Compass Fabulous Flakes This sweet kitten was rescued at just 5 weeks old. Can you offer her a home? B4 cayman weekender Honduras vacation Editorial | pagE 4 ‘Pay as you vote’: Begging Cayman’s leaders for Change eSTaBLISHed 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – friday may 22, 2015 TUESDAY - FRIDAY - SUNDAY 17.95 $39.95 HSA ‘bad debts’ push toward $80M Brent fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands Health Services Authority’s “bad debt” will reach $80.5 million in little more than a year’s time, according to esti- mates contained in the government’s budget. Last year, the Health Services Authority ex- pected its unpaid bills dating back one year or longer would total just under $70 million as of June 30, 2015. According to the government’s figures, the authority underestimated the shortfall. The “provision for doubtful debt” in the health authority’s spending plan is expected to reach $72.4 million by June 30, 2015, in- cluding some $14 million in unpaid debts amassed over the past year. By June 30, 2016, that “bad debt” is bud- geted to reach $80.5 million, according to the Health Services Authority’s own estimates. If that comes to pass, the HSA will have nearly doubled its unpaid receiv- ables in just three years, from an estimated $45.8 million in “doubtful debt” during the 2012/13 budget year. The health authority’s chief executive of- ficer, Lizzette Yearwood, warned the Legislative Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee in late March that the situation with the bad debts was likely to persist in the near term. Ms. Yearwood told the committee that the public hospital system had been “more consis- tent in enforcing our payment policy,” particu- larly with elective surgeries. However, she noted that public hospitals still have a mandate to deliver care to those who can’t, or won’t, pay for it. “There’s still a culture in the public that a number of persons feel that healthcare is free,” Ms. Yearwood said in March. The total allowance for unpaid receivables has been compiled over more than 10 years, Austin HArris Admits drunken AssAult on womAn No criminal conviction for talk show host James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Radio talk show host Austin Harris es- caped without a criminal conviction on Thursday after admitting to assaulting a woman at a party. Harris said he was “severely intoxicated” at the time and could not remember anything about the incident. He had previously entered not guilty pleas to charges of common assault and damage to property but reversed his plea on the morning of a planned trial at Summary Court. Witnesses said Harris, the host of Rooster FM’s “Crosstalk” radio show, grabbed the woman by the throat and was pulled away by television weatherman Kevin Watler during the incident at a leaving-the-island party for the victim in March 2014. Harris, who called former Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Linford Pierson as a character witness, said he had given up al- cohol and had sought counseling for anger management since the incident. “I know that, ‘I don’t remember’, or ‘I was drunk’ are not reasonable excuses or defense, but it is the only defense I have. While I may not remember the events, I accept full respon- sibility for myself and my actions,” he said in a prepared statement read to the court. “Many people have felt my silence implies a lack of remorse. Nothing could be further from the truth. I lie awake at night thinking about the pain, suffering and embarrassment I have Seamen’s support grows to $6M Brent fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Slightly more than 900 people in the Cayman Islands are expected to receive $550 monthly as payment to retired seamen or their widows during the government’s upcoming financial year. According to budget records, 910 people will receive assistance from the ex-gratia benefit payments to seamen in the 2015/16 budget year, which begins on July 1. That represents almost a 15 percent increase from the 793 former seaman and their widows who received the monthly benefits during the current fiscal year. The cost of administering the benefits is budgeted to increase from $5.1 million in the current year to just more than $6 mil- lion in the upcoming year. Finance Minister Marco Archer and Premier Alden McLaughlin have warned about increasing costs of the benefits pro- gram due to a growing list of people who are eligible. The seaman’s benefit is supposed to be paid to any Caymanian over age 60 who earns less than $2,000 a month and has spent at least three years at sea. The mer- chant marine trade was one of the major sources of employment for Caymanian men up until the late 1970s. Last June, Premier McLaughlin said, “We need to come to some decisions about this issue because the cost, rather than going down, is climbing, and the number of per- sons on the waiting list just keeps growing. At the moment, we cannot accommodate PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 13 » More than 900 people are now on the seamen’s ex-gratia payment dole, up from 250 people 15 years ago. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 12 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 12 »2 LOCAL NEWS Friday May 22, 2015 • Cayman Compass CARIBBEANCAFEA til 3pm Saturdays & Sundays! 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Priced at CI$114 per sq ft Call DEB MORRISON t: 324.0190 ADONIS DRIVE LAND CI$275,000 reduced CIREBA MLS 403426 CI$5.05 per sq ft 1.25 acres across from Mizpah & West Palms Condo Call AMAR SHEOW t: 926.4162 “We Do The Homework” Call Us Today 623.1400 Golf carts race for charities Jewel levy jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Kirk Supermarket’s parking lot on Sunday will be the site of golf cart races to raise money for and pro- mote awareness of two local charities. In the “Great Race for Grace,” 10 participants will race carts around a circuit, and two golf carts will be auctioned to raise money for the Frances Bodden Girls Home and for Feed our Future. Qualifying is at 10 a.m. and the race starts at noon. The project is a joint ef- fort of The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, Five Mile Capital, Aqua Nirvana and the Cayman Islands Further Education Centre. Aqua Nirvana donated the money to build two golf carts that will be auctioned. The carts were designed and built by seven students, six girls and one boy, from the Cayman Islands Further Education Centre. Under the leadership of the school’s engineering director, Tom Sperandeo, they learned not only about building electric cars, but also about team- work and responsibility. “It felt really good to be able to build the golf carts and to support a local charity that provides as- sistance to so many young people,” said student Nikita Parsons, who worked on the golf carts. “We learned a lot about teamwork from the staff at The Ritz and really enjoyed the hands- on experience. It was a lot of fun building the golf carts and learning about the mechanics. “I really appreciate the experience and would like to thank everyone involved for giving us this opportunity.” The students worked over four Saturdays at The Ritz-Carlton to assemble the two golf carts. Margaret Jackson, head of the careers advisory ser- vice at the Cayman Islands Further Education Centre, said, “The project has been a really worthwhile experi- ence for the young people.” Students from the Cayman Islands Further Education Centre with one of the two golf carts they built for the race. Hurricane exercise tests preparedness Jewel levy jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com A full-scale national hurri- cane emergency exercise took place at the George Town Fire Station Thursday in which re- sponders prepared for a vir- tual category 5 hurricane. Under the tabletop ex- ercise scenario, “Hurricane Silly,” packing winds of up to 200 mph, was hitting Cayman, with floodwaters rising in Cumber Avenue, Windsor Park, Randyke Gardens and other low- lying areas. Dispatchers were calling for evacua- tion, firefighters were res- cuing a stranded family, East End shelter generators were fried and downed electrical wires were sending sparks shooting through the shelter bathrooms. The Caribbean hurri- cane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30 but hurri- canes are not evenly distrib- uted across the region during this time, and occasionally hurricanes can form outside of these dates. The hurricane exercise was designed to refresh fa- miliarity with the National Hurricane Plan for response teams, and to test the en- tities in various scenarios to ensure they have their preparation plans, pro- grams and gear ready if a hurricane hits. “The exercise is very useful because we get to find out the things that would cause issues before an event happens [and] it gives us an opportunity to re- solve them, so that in a real event, hopefully, we won’t have these issues,” said McCleary Frederick, director of Hazard Management, Cayman Islands. “It also gives an opportu- nity for responders to prac- tice what their responsi- bilities are. That way, they know what to do without having to refer to a manual or anything else.” He added, “We will al- ways have kinks with com- munication, equipment and so forth [but] the ben- efit of doing the exercise is to work out some of those kinks ... If there is an event that we have to respond to, everyone would know their roles and be able to respond accordingly.” Updates on a hurricane’s status will be given through as many media outlets as possible: radio, television, websites, Twitter, Facebook, text messaging and all other means in which they can send the message out, Mr. Frederick said. In charge of radio op- erations, officer Bobeth O’Garro said Cadet Corps members form the team who will take calls and dis- seminate information to all the other entities. “If all the computer equipment gets broken, we have various ways of communicating with other entities, such as by radio, text or phones,” Ms. O’Garro said. At the Cayman Islands Red Cross on Thursday, vol- unteers coordinated the various hurricane shel- ters and provided updates. Representatives from the district shelters simulated an emergency. Each district shelter had to report how many people were in the shelter, how the shelter was holding up and whether they were ready for people coming in. The Red Cross acts as first aid providers at the shelters, and its building is a hurricane shelter, said Marsha Thompson, shelter manager for the Red Cross. Teresita Ebanks, Davor Bonia, Andy White with radio, Natalie Williams and Wilston Bennett check equipment at the Hurricane Emergency Operations Centre on Thursday during an emergency exercise. - Photo: Jewel levyThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 Cayman Compass • Friday May 22, 2015 4937 - LIME - NEW iPhone 6 Offer - Full Page Ad - CMYK - 10.33 x 15.97 - 13 May 2015 UPGRADE TO iPhone 6 $ 299 iPhone 6 isn’t just bigger _ it’s better in every way. Larger, yet thinner. More powerful, yet power efficient. It’s a new generation of iPhone. BUY NOW | LIME.COMThe 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 May 22, 2015 • Cayman COmpass “When did it change that proud, able-bodied Caymanians would rather not work — even for entry level pay — but go to politicians for cash and rely on social services instead?” — George Town MLA Winston Connolly For at least as long as there has been a ready supply of easy money in the Cayman Islands, elected representatives have been doling it out to their con- stituents. Call it what you will: a demonstration of goodwill, political patronage, blatant vote-buying … We like freshman lawmaker Winston Connolly’s descrip- tion: “It’s shut-up money.” In their entirety, Mr. Connolly’s remarks, recently pub- lished in the Compass, comprise a collection of similar unvarnished and undiluted truths (our favorite kind) that are well worth exploring and expounding upon. Here are two key paragraphs: “What I … have found in my two years in politics is that, on top of social services, the norm is to go to your politician for a ‘top up,’ so you don’t have to go through the proper channels and that, in my view, is wrong.” “These are not loans. It’s the monthly norm that politicians give, a lot of times to the same people over and over, from their own salary so that they can pay utilities, buy food, pay mortgages and school fees, etc.” In this space, we shall confine our observations to three themes. First, what do Mr. Connolly’s statements say about their speaker? Well, if Diogenes is still looking for an honest man, tell him to stop. We have found him. How long this particular man will remain in office — after challenging openly Cayman’s long-established practice of politicians paying (or “paying off”) the elec- torate — will be up to the voters to decide. The con- ventional, if not cynical, wisdom would be that Mr. Connolly is not long for this Legislative Assembly. We, however, would challenge that assertion. Personally, we prefer our leaders to be vertebrates, and we consider candor to be a desirable character- istic, rather than a disqualification. We’re sure many Caymanian voters will agree. In any case, these kinds of things tend to be sorted out by elections. Second, what does the practice of “vote-buying” say about Cayman as a democracy? As a Compass reader commented on our website, as long as our elected lawmakers are allowed to pay constituents in exchange for their support (tacit or spoken), all of our government’s watchdog authorities, anti-corruption bodies and “standards in public life” amount to nothing but farce. As Mr. Connolly noted, the ease with which a poli- tician is able to “buy” his office has a direct, inverse correlation to the size of the district. In other words, the fewer voters there are in a district, the less money needs to be spent to secure a majority (or, the more money a politician can afford to pay each voter in order to woo him to his camp). That argument — which has been made by others, including Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush — should be kept in mind as the Progressives continue to move toward implementing a “one man, one vote” system predicated on the division of Grand Cayman into 16 single-member electoral districts. Last, and most fundamentally, what does the whole situation say about Cayman as a society? Apart from the adulteration of the body politic, the fact that many people have come to rely on regular “gifts” from law- makers exemplifies, and exacerbates, the dependence- oriented ethos that grips significant segments of our country’s population. As our political cartoonist illustrates today on this page, a handout is a handout. There is little difference — practically and philosophically speaking — between begging on the street and soliciting from an elected representative, except one is out in the open and comes with no strings attached. ‘Pay as you vote’: Begging Cayman’s leaders for change 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” From CaymanComPass.Com “We’re No. 1! Seven Mile Beach best in world,” May 21 Whether or not it’s ac- tually the best in the world is beside the point; excel- lent publicity like this is just what Cayman needs. Now lets focus on getting that “safe haven” reputation back. People need to also know that they can stroll down the street or along the beach in Cayman without a care in the world. Now that’s what makes a place feel like paradise. michael Davis Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, and this type of story is subjective. Make no doubt about it, Seven Mile is one of the nicest. Best in the world is a stretch. But let’s take it and run with it, and let the other issues as mentioned by other submitters be a subject for another discussion. Len King Seven Mile Beach is mar- velous, but I would put the remote, un-cluttered, un- manicured beauty of Point O’ Sand on Little Cayman ahead in my personal “best of” list. Nonetheless, a hearty con- grats to Grand and this fine recognition. Very proud! peter Hillenbrand Given this award, for which we are very pleased, now might be the time to ask for the environmental impact assessment for the proposed cruise ship berthing facility. This important EIA seems to have gone missing. Given the jewel of Seven Mile Beach, which could be put at risk by this development, we all need to care about this issue. Jack augsbury It’s as “official” as it gets? Is U.S News & Travel the ac- knowledged judge of the best beaches in the world? Seven Mile Beach is a truly won- derful natural feature of Cayman, but it is not the best beach in the World. Superlatives are always dangerous because invari- ably, someone will step up and prove you wrong, espe- cially when you are relying on a third-party evaluation. You are right in enjoying the marvelous publicity this re- port provides for the island, but don’t wallow in self-con- gratulatory backslapping. David Wheaton “U.S. News & World Report: Seven Mile Beach ‘No. 1’ in the world,” May 19 Yes, much better that they leave us off the list en- tirely, or even better give us a dishonorable mention for how terrible this place is so tourists will be pleasantly surprised by how mediocre it is here. Get real. Everybody knows these rankings aren’t scientific and are not the de- finitive end-all, be-all, and everyone will have their preferences, but these is- lands, and Seven Mile Beach especially, are in the top ech- elon no matter the ranking. Christoph Walser “MLA Connolly: Stop political handouts,” May 19 About time this showed up in the newspaper. Jeremy smith Yes, Mr. Connolly, I think you brought a very interesting topic to the public’s attention. This kind of behavior leads to other destructive behaviors of the people and the politicians. I think that when you take this to the Legislative Assembly, also add along with it that no one politician can make deals with govern- ment property or assets be- hind closed doors; it must be completed by the LA. Ron Clair Ebanks Mr. Connolly, it’s called “buying votes,” simply put. You are a brave soul for addressing this issue through a public media forum; it’s about time someone did. It makes a complete farce of having an Anti- Corruption Commission and other government watchdog authorities when, essentially, the politicians are free to carry out what would end civil servants up in jail but ... It’s been going on for a long time and is by now institutionalized in Cayman’s political and so- cial systems. Where Cayman is lucky, for now, is that this is a peaceful country with a small population and enough soci- etal wealth to spread around to keep most people happy, or at least satisfied. Look at Jamaica as a per- fect example of the politically and economically driven vi- olence that this type of cor- ruption carries with it, when there are too many mouths to feed and not enough bread to go around. Your views might not be popular and might cost you votes in your re-election cam- paign, but history will re- member you as a brave man with integrity for addressing this issue now. Ricardo Tatum “Beach thefts hurt tourism, magistrate says,” May 15 Hear, hear! Congratulations to Magistrate Kirsty-Ann Gunn! Something like this would be the quickest way to hurt tourism. Safety is what sets Cayman apart from other is- lands, and that reputation must survive. Evelyn Cannata Tourism is a pillar of the Cayman economy, and tour- ists (and locals) must be made to feel safe on our fa- mous Seven Mile Beach (and everywhere else)! steven White Where in this piece are solutions? Plain-clothed and uniformed police must patrol the beaches, unless of course you want Cayman to be the murder and robbery capital of the Caribbean. By the time action is taken, damage to our reputation may be irreparable. Then what? Lukishi Brown “Film festival’s coming attractions,” May 15 Wow – so impressed with the progress of Cayman’s film festival. A lot of hard work and dedication that will bring a wonderfully different event to the shores of Grand Cayman. Dwight martin Enjoy it this year as it may never return due to the smelly, fire-engorged dump in their midst. 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Bush: Caymanians must decide future Brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Islands Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush said local residents – and elected lawmakers – should consider what they truly want when determining budget priorities for the up- coming fiscal year. “Where will these is- lands be in the future?” Mr. Bush said Wednesday during his response to the govern- ment’s budget presentation. “Caymanians must embrace wealth or reap poverty. “You can’t listen to those who talk about they don’t want to have too many per- sons here … or that this person or non-Caymanians is responsible for taking busi- ness,” he said. “At the same time, that person complaining can walk away with $25,000 or $40,000 check from the business these people have brought to these islands.” Mr. Bush said there was a delicate balance to be struck “by protecting our own people, but allowing people to come and spend so that we can enhance ourselves.” As he has several times in the past, Mr. Bush warned the government against adopting immigration policies that could “stifle business” in the islands. “[That] cannot build a country for the future,” he said. “Growth in gross do- mestic product means more demand for goods and ser- vices. We can only get that kind of consistent … growth if we have a population that can sustain that demand and also earn a decent wage. If we try to stifle growth and rely on cheap labor … the Cayman economy will suffer and busi- nesses will close.” Mr. Bush said Cayman’s fu- ture depends on it competing globally as a “center of excel- lence” in both tourism and fi- nancial services, as well as ex- panding into other industries. “We can’t be the dish- washer destination,” he said. “We must continue to at- tract top quality people from around the world. The money [is] not growing on trees in North Side and East End. “Caymanians need to decide what it is they truly want.” Former government A good portion of the op- position leader’s debate was spent reminiscing on the public projects that were begun under his former United Democratic Party administration, projects that he claimed the opposition of the day had not supported. Among those projects listed were the Health City Cayman Islands hospital, Cayman Enterprise City, the proposed Ironwood Development and ac- companying extension of the East-West Arterial Highway, the For Cayman Investment Alliance and a proposed five- star hotel in Beach Bay. “If I had listened to the [then]-People’s Progressive Movement opposition, the spe- cial economic zone along with the Shetty hospital would never have gotten off the ground. “But today, the PPM have seen the light and, lo and be- hold, what wonderful projects they are today.” Mr. Bush also noted that his former government was pub- licly blasted for introducing a raft of new fees, including an increase in the petroleum tax and successive increases on work permit fees and certain financial service industry com- pany charges. “The alternative to in- troducing those fees would have been the introduction of some form of direct taxa- tion, which the U.K. [govern- ment] wanted me to do,” he said. “[The PPM administra- tion] broke the law and the Cayman Islands had to go cap in hand to the U.K. to get every budget, including this budget … approved by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. “Take credit for that! Take credit that you and the mem- bers of your Cabinet that … you drove our islands to the brink of financial collapse. Now [the government] want to blame McKeeva for it.” Mr. Bush Missing woMan May have left island Charles DunCan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com A 22-year-old woman reported missing by po- lice last week may have left the island. Police sent out a press release to local media May 16 asking for help locating Sahira Wong Quintero, a Cuban na- tional. Police said at the time that they received the report on May 13 that Ms. Quintero was last seen two days earlier at the Treasure Island hotel with a female friend. Contacted over so- cial media, she told the Cayman Compass that her friends knew she was leaving. Police say she called and spoke with an officer, but they are not com- pletely convinced. Ms. Quintero, who had been working at a Cayman bar, contacted police after speaking with the news- paper. Police confirmed they had spoken with her, but she “stopped short of saying where she was,” according to police spokesman Adrian Seales. Police commissioner David Baines said po- lice checked with airlines and immigration and did not find a record of her leaving the island. “Follow-up enquiries suggested that she may have left the island via al- ternative means without any fear or threat,” he wrote in an email, adding, “We have had no visual or direct evidence that the person using the phone and Facebook is the one and the same person we are seeking.” News from the three- sentence press release spread across Cayman’s media, including in this newspaper. A message on Facebook prompted a reply from Ms. Quintero’s account that she was fine and in Miami. She said she had told her friends in Cayman that she would be off island for a time. She gave conflicting ac- counts to the newspaper about where she is now and whether she plans to return to Cayman. Ms. Quintero said she told her friend goodbye before leaving Treasure Island that night. “I don’t know why this hap- pened,” she said over Facebook chat.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 Cayman Compass • Friday May 22, 2015 Make the best of every ground. The new GLE. Arriving this fall 2015, pre order yours today. For further info email chad.phillipps@carcitycayman.com. Car City, Durham Dr. Industrial Park, PO Box 10440 APO, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, Sales: (345) 949-04408 LOCAL NEWS Friday May 22, 2015 • Cayman Compass Happy Birthday in Heaven Emily Naomi Ebanks May 22, 1936 - August 27, 1997 We feel warmth around us like your presence is so near, And we close our eyes to visualize your face when you were here, We endure the times we spent together and they are locked inside our hearts, For as long as we have those memories we will never be apart. Missing you always... Your loving husband Robert Heartbroken Children, Grandchildren, and Great Grandchildren Emily Naomi Ebanks We regret to announce the passing of Frank Benedetto Who departed this life On Wednesday, 13 May, 2015. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com Mr. Benedetto will be repatriated to the USA We regret to announce the passing of Thomas Hurlston Who departed this life On Saturday,16 May 2015. Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page Interment will follow in South Sound Cemetery. Funeral services will be held at The Lions Centre, Saturday, 30 May,2015 at 10:00 AM. s.com We regret to announce the passing of James A. “Sonny Boy” Bodden MBE, JP Who departed this life On Tuesday, 12 May 2015. Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page Funeral service will be held at Agape Family Worship Centre, Saturday, 23 May 2015 at 2:00 PM. Viewing will be from 1:00 PM, one hour prior to the service. Capt. Marcus Rudolph Scott (22nd May 1945 - 21st April 2014) A dad’s love is special A gift beyond compare You only know the meaning When he is no longer there. A special friend A special face A special Dad I can’t replace. With an aching heart I whisper low I miss you dad and love you so. Dad Missing you on your First Anniversary in heaven R.I.P. till we meet again Especially missed by daughter Cherry. Lovingly remembered by Brothers- Roy, Stanley and Errol Sisters- Rhodell and Cherry Cayman Airways tightens up medical fare requirements Charles DunCan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Airways now requires passengers ap- plying for the airline’s dis- counted, flexible air fares for medical cases to submit their requests via insur- ance providers or the Health Services Authority. The airline, in a posting on its website, states that the change in its policy, effective as of May 15, “eliminates the potential for abuse.” Previously, customers could apply for the medical air fare by submitting paper- work themselves. On its website notice, posted on Thursday, the air- line stated that discounted medical fares “are no longer offered to the general public without the involvement of the certifying entities.” Following reports from some potential passengers who said they had been in- formed that the medical air fares had been discontinued, Cayman Airways spokes- woman Olivia Scott-Ramirez told the Cayman Compass in an email, “Cayman Airways is looking into claims of pas- sengers being given inaccu- rate information regarding the certification process.” Earlier this week, Margaret Fantasia followed her normal routine to book a flight for herself and her son Joseph so he could get specialist treat- ment at a hospital in Miami. She and her son have used the Cayman Airways’ discounted, flexible tickets several times to travel to Miami for the child’s ongoing treatment in the U.S. Ms. Fantasia said she sent the airline a doctor’s note and appointment con- firmation, as she had done in the past when requesting a medical airfare to take her 3-year-old son, who has an iron deficiency, to the Miami Children’s Hospital. A Cayman Airways representa- tive replied by email, stating the airline no longer offers the medical rates and of- fering to help make a stan- dard reservation. The email from the reser- vation agent read: “We will be happy to assist you with making a reservation, how- ever, please note that we no longer offer discounted med- ical fares to the public.” Dr. James Robertson, a pe- diatrician with TrinCay, said the real benefit of the airline’s medical fares program is the flexibility – Cayman Airways allowed tickets to be changed as needed without additional fees or penalties, enabling patients and their loved ones to deal with the unpredict- able without worrying about changing their flights. “It’s uniquely Cayman in a really positive way,” he said. For parents of his patients dealing with so much worry and stress, Dr. Robertson said, the Cayman Airways program “makes it that much easier and just a little less painful.” CINICO chief executive of- ficer Lonny Tibbetts he re- ceived notice from Cayman Airways that as of May 15 the airline would only give the medical fare to the pa- tient and his or her registered escort, which the insurance company already pays for. “Any other persons not listed in the [travel registra- tion form] will not be entitled to receive the medical fare rate from Cayman Airways,” he said. Trial on Webster murder continues Judge rejects no case to answer submission CarOl WInKer cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Justice Charles Quin re- jected a submission that there was no case for Jose Sanchez to answer in regard to the Sept. 7 2014 murder of Solomon Webster and ruled that the trial should continue Thursday. Defense counsel Mark Heywood had made his sub- missions in respect of the second count against Sanchez – possession of an unlicensed Colt Commander semi-auto- matic pistol. He argued that the pistol was not a firearm under the meaning of the Firearms Law because expert witness Allen Greenfield had told the court that when he examined the pistol on Oct. 3, it was not capable of dis- charging a missile. He further argued that there was no evidence that Sanchez had brought the pistol to Miss Daisy Lane the night Mr. Webster was shot. Justice Quin adopted many of the responses Director of Public Prosecutions Cheryll Richards had made to these arguments. The judge pointed out that a spent casing had been found in the same area as Mr. Webster’s blood. Mr. Greenspan had said the casing had come from the Colt pistol, although he could not say when. That meant the Colt pistol was operable at one time; and Mr. Greenspan could not give a date or time when it be- came inoperable. The judge said finding the casing in the same area as the blood was important evidence that should go to a jury. This is a judge-alone trial, as Sanchez chose, but at this stage the judge was considering only whether there was evidence on which a reasonable jury – the tri- bunal of fact – could convict. He said the evidence was not so weak or vague that it could not conceivably lead to a conviction. Justice Quin also pointed to the evidence of three witnesses who said they saw Sanchez have a gun or something like a gun in his possession. These three witnesses saw Sanchez fighting or struggling with Mr. Webster and a third man – Shaquille Bush – in a multi-tenanted yard off Miss Daisy Lane. There has been no challenge to evidence that fighting began when Bush confronted Sanchez and Mr. Webster joined in the struggle after it started. One of the witnesses said she had heard Mr. Webster say, “You shot me. You shot me, Peto.” Peto is a nickname for Sanchez. After Justice Quin’s ruling, the question arose of whether Shaquille Bush would be called to give evidence. The Crown had not called him. The judge said he had con- sidered it his over-riding duty to the defendant to call Bush. He asked Mr. Heywood spe- cifically if the defense wanted Shaquille Bush to give ev- idence. Mr. Heywood said there was no apparent advan- tage to the defense, since the best that could be shown was that Bush was a liar. Ms. Richards said she was somewhat surprised by the defense decision not to hear Bush; she indicated that, along with his answers to questions, there would have been an opportunity to see his reactions when questions were put to him. Mr. Heywood also raised the question of what was the case that Sanchez was expected to answer – that he brought the gun with him to Miss Daisy Lane or that he came into posses- sion of it after the physical confrontation began. Ms. Richards pointed out that she had opened her case on the facts available: that it was Sanchez’s firearm and he had brought it to the yard. “We do not resile from that position,” she told the court. Justice Quin pointed out that in his ruling he had said the evidence was sufficient to conclude Sanchez was in pos- session of the gun: he had not said anything about how the gun arrived there. Mr. Heywood advised that the likelihood was that he would be calling Sanchez to give evidence. Another matter arose that prompted Justice Quin to ask all observers to leave the courtroom. Proceedings were subsequently adjourned until 3:30 p.m.9 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Friday May 22, 2015 To sign the Guest Book visit: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Charles Joseph Ted Goring (fondly known as “Ted”) who passed away on Sunday, May 10th 2015 A Service of Thanksgiving will be held on Sunday, May 24, 2015 at Church of God Universal, Walker’s Rd., (next to Chrissie Tomlinson’s Hospital) at 3:00 p.m. Viewing will be from 2:00-2:45 p.m. Interment to follow at Dixie Cemetery Mrs. Martha Esperaza Jackson June 22, 1982 – May 18, 2014 Missing You Now that you’re not here To share our lives each day We feel sadness in our hearts That just will not go away. When the sun goes down And evening starts to fall Is when our arms long for you, and we miss you most of all. For when we were together We were as close as we could be, There isn’t anyone on earth Who could mean the same to me. Mrs. Martha Esperaza Jackson Mrs. Martha Esperaza Jackson Greatly missed by your Husband: Eric, Daughters: Eriann, Rhiann and family. Forever in our hearts. Daughters: Eriann, Rhiann and family. Who feels it, knows it Gone but not forgotten Delores Rockett & Baby Rockett One Love Rockett Happy Birthday in Heaven Ann Rockett Gone but not forgottenGone but not forgottenGone but not forgotten Online pOll Most say they tip wait staff well at restaurants AlAn MArkoff amarkoff@pinnaclemedialtd.com Nearly 80 percent of the respondents to a cayman- compass.com online poll said they would tip at least 11 percent of the bill if a res- taurant didn’t add automatic gratuities and they had no complaints about the service. The majority of sit-down restaurants in the Cayman Islands add automatic gra- tuity to customers’ bills. Of those that add automatic gra- tuity, 15 percent is the most common, but a few restau- rants have increased that to 18 percent in recent years. Like restaurant workers in North America, wait staff in the Cayman Islands tend to get low hourly pay and rely heavily on gratuities to make a livable wages. This con- trasts with other countries, including those in Europe, where wait staff generally re- ceive higher base wages and patrons pay minimal gratu- ities, at their discretion, on restaurant bills. Automatic gratuities Automatic gratuities are not the norm in the United States, except with groups, usually of six or eight diners or more. However, when auto- matic gratuities – which are classified as a service charge – are added in the U.S., the amount is usually 15 per- cent. The recommended gra- tuity rate for good service in the U.S. is generally between 15 and 20 percent of the food and beverage bill, excluding sales tax. The suggested rates are a little higher in major cities with higher costs of living like New York. Of the 613 total respon- dents to the one-week poll, the largest segment – 229 people or 37.3 percent – said they normally tip between 11 and 15 percent of the bill. “Traditionally in the country I am from, a 15 percent service gratuity is added, which I have become accustomed to and think is fair in most instances,” said one person. “Fifteen percent is the basic tip,” said someone else. “If service exceeds the norm, then I increase accordingly.” “I don’t mind gratuities on restaurant tabs and will add in more if the service war- rants it, but I hate when gra- tuity is put on a bar tab and I will never leave extra when it is,” said another person. “If I go to a bar and there is no gratuity added I always tip, and probably more than grats would be.” “If a gratuity is an ac- knowledgement of service, I want the option to determine the amount based on the ser- vice, which is not always the same,” said one respondent. “If it is automatically in- cluded, it has nothing to do with service and is just a tax on your bill.” “I get so irritated when they automatically add the service,” said another person. “I always tip in cash to ensure the server receives it,” said someone else. Tipping 16-20 percent Almost an equal number of respondents – 226 people or 36.9 percent – said they normally tip between 16 and 20 percent of the bill. “Servers here don’t make much for their wage,” said one person. “As long as I get good ser- vice (takes my order in a timely fashion, keeps my drink glass full, is friendly and re- spectful, etc.), the wait staff will receive 20 percent from me,” said another respon- dent. “If the restaurant auto- matically adds the tip (usu- ally 15 percent), that’s usually all they’re going to get. I have found that most of the time the wait staff don’t deserve any more than that due to the fact that they know that they don’t have to work hard in order to earn it. In fact, there are some restaurants that I won’t even frequent anymore because of the lousy service and the automatic tip.” “At a sit-down restaurant, I will normally leave 15 to 20 percent gratuity if the server at least tries,” said someone else. “Bad or indifferent ser- vice will lead to a lower tip, but I will at least leave something.” “I have two rates that don’t tax my mental math abilities,” said one respondent. “Twenty percent seems fair for smaller orders and 10 percent for or- ders over CI$60.” “If 15 percent is included, that’s normally all they get,” said another person. “If it isn’t included, I give 15 per- cent for competent service up to 20+ percent for out- standing service, probably averaging 17 to 18 percent overall. If I recall correctly, Bermuda passed a rule that if tip was included, an “ad- ditional tip” line was not al- lowed as a lot of tourists don’t realize grats are in- cluded and double tip. This adds to the perception of Cayman being expensive, when their foreign currency credit card bills arrive.” “I find that often the auto grat is not disclosed on credit card slips so that customers are prompted to tip on the baked-in gratuity,” com- mented someone else. More than 20 percent Another 35 people – 5.7 percent – said they generally tip more than 20 percent of the bill. “If service is good,” said one person. Eighty-five people – 13.9 percent – said they gener- ally tip between 6 and 10 percent if automatic gratuity isn’t added. “That’s reasonable,” said one person. “As you add more and more, you just promote infla- tion of gratuity,” said another person. “Start adding 20 per- cent now and you’ll see 30 percent added automatically in a few years.” “I do not believe that I should be tipped for doing my job, so for me tipping should be for service over and above the call of duty,” said someone else. “People should be paid a living wage and this be re- flected in restaurant prices.” “Ten percent is nice and easy to calculate,” said one respondent. “I tip for exceptional ser- vice, not because I have no complaints,” said another. Twenty-four people – 3.9 percent – said they generally tip 5 percent or less if gratuity isn’t automatically added. “A tip should represent over-and-above service and not an expectation,”said one person. No tips Another 14 people – 2.3 percent – said they tip nothing if gratuity isn’t au- tomatically added. “Why should I pay my waiter’s salary?” asked one person. “That’s the restau- rant’s job.” “They already get paid to provide service,” said someone else. “I’ll only tip them if they can prove to me that their establishment recycles,” said another person. “I don’t get tips in my job, so why should they?” asked one respondent. “Pay them a living wage and scrap this Americanized rip-off.” Next week’s poll question The government says it has decided to imple- ment daylight savings time by moving the clocks ahead one hour between March and November starting in 2016. Do you support that decision? [Explain why in commments] ■■ Absolutely ■■ I’m leaning to- ward agreeing ■■ I’m leaning to- ward disagreeing ■■ Absolutely not ■■ I don’t care one way or the other To participate in this poll, visit www.caymancompass.com Total respondents: 613 6 to 10 percent of the bill 85 Votes 13.9% 0 to 5 percent of the bill 24 Votes 3.9% Nothing 14 Votes 2.3% More than 20 percent of the bill 35 Votes 5.7% 16 to 20 percent of the bill 226 Votes 36.9% 11 to 15 percent of the bill 229 Votes 37.3% COMPASS ONLINE POLL Source: CaymanCompass.com Online Poll Question: If a restaurant doesn't add automatic gratuity, how much do you generally tip if you have no complaints about the service? “If 15 percent is included, that’s normally all they get. If it isn’t included, I give 15 percent for competent service up to 20+ percent for outstanding service.” Poll resPoNdeNT If you have information which could help prevent or solve a crime, call the Cayman Crime Stoppers tips line now Calls are anonymous and you could receive a reward of up to $1,000 IT’S SAFE TO TALK OR REPORT CRIME ANONYMOUSLYNext >