High of 90 Low of 79 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. Playful Cody This fun-filled dog would love to find a home to call his own B3 Cayman’s critters Wildlife above and under the waves B8 Gardening Special event Photography ■ On Stage ‘Twelve Angry Jurors’ Teens star in Cayman Drama Society showcase B7 Sustainable design Local plants enhance green spaces B5 ‘Art is Life’ Selita Ebanks lends her support to fundraiser B3 Friday July 17, 2015 • Cayman Compass Get a quote today. +1 (345) 949 9744 Home • Contents • Motor • Liability • Business • Marin e #203 Alissta Towers, 85 North Sound Road, Grand Cayman KY1-1109. E: Aleisha.Lalor@caribbeanalliance.com www.caribbeanalliance .com Rated A (Excellent) at A.M. Best Company ...IN THE CARIBBEAN Our customers enjoy extensive coverage and competitive premiums on every personal and commercial insurance product. Get a quote today. +1 (345) 949 9744 Home • C on tents • Mo tor • Liability • Business • Marin e #203 Alissta Towers, 85 North Sound Road, Grand Cayman KY1-1109. E: Aleisha.Lalor@caribbeanalliance.com www.caribbeanalliance .com Rated A (Excellent) at A.M. Best Company ...IN THE CARIBBEAN Our customers enjoy extensive coverage and competitive premiums on every personal and commercial insurance product. Photo: StePhen Clarke CAYMAN WEEKENDER ‘Twelve Angry Jurors’ Editorial | pagE 4 Cruise berthing: Calming Cayman’s roiled waters ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – Friday July 17, 2015 Economy grew 2.1 percent in 2014 New numbers show strongest economic growth since 2007, decreases in inflation Charles dunCan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com Gross domestic product for the Cayman Islands, a mea- sure of economic growth, in- creased by 2.1 percent in 2014 to its highest level since be- fore the global economic crisis, according to government fig- ures released this week. Tourism and related sec- tors like hotels and restaurants led the growth, increasing by an estimated 10 percent from 2013. Wholesale and retail trade and transport and storage also saw high growth last year. The only two sectors to decline were financial services and gov- ernment services. Releasing the new economic report, Finance Minister Marco Archer stated, “I am pleased that we had another year of economic growth for the Cayman Islands in 2014, the highest we have achieved since 2007.” “With this performance, av- erage income in the Cayman Islands rose to $48,095 in 2014 from $47,170 in 2013,” the min- ister added. Economists with the Economic and Statistics Office expect GDP to grow 2.1 per- cent again in 2015, led by tourism and construction. Unemployment figures for 2014, released earlier this year, show overall unemployment at 4.7 percent, the lowest level since the start of the recession FIFA deFendAnt extrAdIted to U.S. brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com One of seven defendants arrested in con- nection with an international racketeering and bribery case involving world football’s gov- erning body was sent to the U.S. Wednesday to face criminal charges. International media reports indicated that defendant was Cayman’s Jeffrey Webb. Meanwhile, a U.S. Senate subcom- mittee held an inquiry Wednesday into a number of issues surrounding FIFA, its regional organization CONCACAF and the U.S. Soccer Federation which some sena- tors inferred had “turned a blind eye” to what was occurring within world football’s governing body. Cita opposes proposed cruise berthing facility plan brent Fuller and Kelsey JuKam bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com; kjukam@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands Tourism Association is opposing government’s current proposal to establish cruise berthing facilities in George Town Harbour. The largest tourism business representa- tive organization in Cayman, which has here- tofore been largely silent on the project, stated the reasons for its opposition in a press re- lease issued Thursday afternoon: “This posi- tion has been reached after careful review of the documentation available, individual CITA sector meetings and a survey of our members where the majority of the respon- dents indicated that they did not support the current proposal. “It should be noted that the deliberation on this matter has not been an easy one because the topic is extremely polarizing based on in- dividual member business’ focus.” CITA has said that any views on cruise berthing development in Cayman would be informed by environmental impact as- sessments and business cases associated Courtney Platt photographs the wreck of the Balboa in George Town Harbour this week. - PHoto: eLLen CUYLAertS PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 10 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 10 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » -3.0 -2.0 -1.0 0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 20102011201220132014 Real GDP growth (%)2 LOCAL NEWS Friday July 17, 2015 • Cayman Compass 2 Enjoy a Cimboco breakfast of *Two Eggs (Done to your liking) *Your Choice of Apple Smoked or Canadian Bacon *Herb Roasted Potatoes *Honey Wheat Toast For ONLY $5.00!!! Finish it o with a cup of Java for .99¢ Start your day o right! Mon-Fri * 7:30-11:00am *Except Holidays Shabbat Candle Lighting time on Friday, July 17 6:49pm Chabad Jewish Center of the Cayman Islands jewishcayman.com-345.516.4474 Eugenio Leon Harpist Extraordinaire, serenades tableside tonight and every Friday night! Salsa Tuesdays with DJ Flex Free lessons with Kirk starting 9.30pm Every Tuesday TONIGHT LIVE MUSIC Friday, July 17th Catch O’the Day/ Gone Country Starting @ 8:30pm till... Come for dinner Stay for Dancing Call 949-2231 or email: thewharf@candw.ky Tuesdays 9.30pm Salsa Free lessons with Kirk starting Tarpon Fish Feeding 7:30pm & 9:00pm Nightly Tonight! Friday Happy Hour 5pm-7pm with FREE Hors d’oeuvres + Drink Specials Tonight! Friday Happy Hour 5pm-7pm with FREE Hors d’oeuvres + Drink Specials Friday Happy Hour 5pm-7pm CAYMAN TRADE CENTRE 7150s/f commercial 9000s/f residential Multi use building High yield at list price l l l l NEW! CI$2,250,000 Member CIREBA MLS#404639 345-945-4411 info@cirealty.ky caymanislandsrealty.com www.tonymosleylifeinsurance.com Two appear in court charged with murder of Jason Powery Set to mention in Grand Court CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Justin D’Angelo Ramoon and Osbourne Wilfred Douglas appeared in Summary Court on Thursday morning charged with the murder of Jason Charles Powery on the night of Wednesday, July 1. Ramoon, 23, and Douglas, 28, were also charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm, but no details were listed as to make or type. Defense attorney Fiona Robertson represented both Accused child Abuser returns ChARLEs DuNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com A school aide, accused of sexually assaulting seven girls at a government pri- mary school, returned to the Cayman Islands Wednesday after a court granted him leave to travel to Jamaica to apply for a student visa, police say. The 19-year-old Bodden Town man was arrested Dec. 1, soon after school officials learned about allegations of sexual assault on seven stu- dents. Police charged the man on June 25 with 10 counts of indecent assault on a female. The man traveled to Jamaica on Monday and returned Wednesday, ac- cording to police. Court of- ficials confirmed Thursday that the man turned in his passport to the Court Clerk as required by the judge. The Cayman Compass is not naming the man or the school to protect the identi- ties of the alleged victims. Jury noTice The Grand Court jury re- port date has been changed. Grand Court jurors who are in the July 1 to Oct. 6 session are to report on Monday, July 20, at 9:45 a.m. call the Jury information line at 945-5072 for the most up- to-date information. Drugs, phones found on prison grounds ChARLEs DuNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com Prison guards found 4 pounds of what is believed to be ganja, three phones, five bottles of alcohol, rolling papers and cigars in two packages that apparently were thrown over the fence Monday at Northward Prison, according to prison officials. Drugs and other con- traband are a common problem at Northward Prison. A recent report from United Kingdom inspectors, who visited the prison ear- lier this year, found that “illegal drugs were easily available” to prisoners, and guards regularly found cell- phones and other contra- band in the prison. Prison Service Director Neil Lavis said in a state- ment, “It’s a shame that goods are still flung over the prison fence. This was a significant find. “We work hard to battle the ongoing threat that these illegal items represent, and I want to thank the staff for their hard work and dedica- tion in developing and acting on this intelligence.” Delivering contraband to prisoners can lead to a $15,000 fine and up to three years in prison. Mr. Lavis said drugs and alcohol can cause conflicts between inmates. He said prisoners found with con- traband can face longer sen- tences and loss of privileges. The U.K. Prisons Inspectorate report, released in May, described Northward as “decrepit and squalid.” Inspectors found that perim- eter security at Northward had improved since the last inspection in 2012. A prisoner survey by in- spectors reported that 35 percent of inmates said it was easy to get drugs in Northward. The report rec- ommends mandatory random drug testing for inmates, both to deter drug use and give prison officials a measure of drug use in Northward. Investigators found that the prison conducted 30 drug tests at Northward in 2014, which they called “insuffi- cient.” Most of those tests, the report states, were done before release or for parole applications. About a quarter of those drug tests were pos- itive for ganja, and a few tested positive for cocaine. The report states: “Drug supply reduction arrange- ments were rudimentary and haphazard, with no published strategy and little evidence of directed actions to reduce the supply into the prisons.” Prison officials found two packages that had been thrown over the fence Monday, containing 4 pounds of suspected ganja, cell phones, cigars, alcohol and other illicit items. The contraband was thrown over Northward Prison’s fence. men. She noted that murder is a charge that must be dealt with in the Grand Court. Magistrate Grace Donalds set the matter for mention in Grand Court on Friday, July 31. Ms. Robertson asked that the defendants be brought to court in person rather than appear via video link. They were remanded in custody until then. Their charge sheet shows the same address for both men, a res- idence on Myles Lane in George Town. In a press release is- sued by police after the in- cident, Mr. Powery, 20, was described as a resident of West Bay. He died after being shot in the head in front of a house on Martin Drive, off Shedden Road, in George Town.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 Cayman Compass • Friday July 17, 2015 4978 LIME - DOUBLE Data - Weekend - Full Page Ad - CMYK - 10.33 x 15.97 - 15 July 2015 DATA All weekend, add a prepaid data plan and get double the mobile data. Visit us online to find the mobile data plan that’s right for you. BIGDOUBLE DATA WEEKENDThe 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 JuLy 17, 2015 • Cayman COmpass Before the debate over George Town cruise berthing goes too far off the deep end, let us attempt to steer the conversation back toward calmer waters. A month after the publication of a $2.5 million envi- ronmental impact assessment of the proposed port project — with the report detailing negative consequences such as damaged and destroyed coral habitat, as well as the loss and degradation of manmade dive sites — Cayman Islands officials have hired a new set of consul- tants, at a purported cost of US$27,000, to scrutinize the seabed in George Town Harbour for a second time. The circumstances are somewhat notable (fishy, perhaps?), considering that, whereas this government administration has loudly trumpeted each previous incre- mental step in the cruise berthing process, the public only learned about this new study by following the marl road to government’s back door. So much for tendering; so much for transparency. The more cynical among us may even suspect that, à la the infamously “sanitized” report on behavior in Cayman public schools, government officials were trying to sneak in a do-over because the original EIA document said things they didn’t like, or didn’t want others to hear. Meanwhile, the opponents to the cruise port have undertaken their own research effort, sending divers and cameras down to explore the areas that might be impacted by the proposed piers. We have a problem with the way both groups are pursuing the cruise berthing discussion. Their approach is, in a word, too “one-dimensional.” Before Cayman invests additional time and resources into scouring the seabed and tallying up each coral colony, sponge, shark, turtle and lionfish, we should be utilizing the vast data already compiled to contemplate the downtown cruise project in a much broader context. For example, building the cruise piers is expected to result in the annual arrival of some 2.3 million cruise visitors (compared to 1.6 million in 2014, or the record 1.9 million in 2006). How will Grand Cayman (and our roads and tourist facilities) efficiently manage all of those visitors, especially since officials have shown no indication of pursuing the significant upgrades to related infrastruc- ture that have been recommended by consultants? What impact will the influx of cruise passengers have on the future development of downtown George Town, or on the behavior of our steadily-growing stay-over tourist population? Most fundamentally, how do our officials expect to pay for the $150 million-plus capital project, without wholly dedicating existing revenue streams from taxes on arriving cruise passengers, and without creating premium upland development reserved for the benefit of the private sector partner? In regard to this extremely important issue of cruise berthing, Compass reporters are being bombarded with strident sounds emanating from all megaphones. However, at this point neither side, pro or con, has pre- sented a full, nuanced argument that considers all factors at play. (This is understandable, as each side is arguing to “win,” not necessarily to inform.) The cruise dock is a hugely significant decision that should not be made by virtue of one group yelling at another. Missing from this debate are reasonably objective voices of rationality. Where are Minister of Environment Wayne Panton, Director of the Department of Environ- ment Gina Ebanks-Petrie, or even the much-ballyhooed National Conservation Council? What do they think about the EIA and the new parallel study? The Cayman Islands Tourism Association on Thursday finally made its opinion of the proposal known when it released a statement saying it did not “at this time” support the cruise berthing facilities plan, following input from its members and a review of the environmental impact assessment and outlined business case. There is no doubt that a massive cruise berthing facility will affect the marine environment in George Town Harbour and negatively impact businesses that depend on that body of water and the reefs and shipwrecks it contains. However, that, to us, is only one factor in a wide- ranging conversation that Cayman should be having on the cruise dock, but which — although the idea has been on the table for several decades — we have not yet even come close to conducting. Our minds, and our pages, are open for the debate. Cruise berthing: Calming Cayman’s roiled waters 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 The thing that I have come to understand about corrup- tion (especially low-level cor- ruption) is that it is some- thing that can be seen as normal behavior to some people. I would even go so far as to say that it is something that can become the norm within organizations or even entire societies. Sometimes even people that initially have good intentions become cor- rupt because of the extent of corruption that exists within their immediate environment and because of the frustration they encounter when trying to do things the correct way (this is not an excuse to be corrupt but just a statement of fact). At the root of corrup- tion we often have something called greed. The type of greed that is responsible for the global financial crisis, the type of greed that would see money destined for poor people in Haiti not making it to its des- tination, the type of greed that has resulted in more and more of the so-called middle class falling into poverty. mack Boland “NRA cites concerns with Dart road plan application,” July 15 If this were not being done by the government, one might call it blackmail. John Harris “United adds Chicago, Washington flights,” July 15 It will be interesting to see how this impacts the CAL weekend service to Chicago. That is due to re- sume on Dec. 18, but is it re- ally needed now? To me the United flight times look far more passenger-friendly and I bet the fares are cheaper. David Williams “New ‘Gasboy’ fuel system promises improved controls,” July 14 The crisis is fundamen- tally a moral one. L. Bell There is a certain irony in describing the new pay point as the “swipe” station. Roger Davies “The bus stops here — or does it?” July 14 My husband and I live near the Botanical Gardens on the Frank Sound Road. My helper uses the bus to come to my house. She often com- plains that the bus ‘’left her’’ at the Frank Sound junction or at the Clifton Hunter High School because he didn’t want to drive any further. My helper explained that she has complained many times to the people at the bus terminal without effect. We need consistency in the bus service. s.F. Harris We also need these bus drivers to obey the rules of the road. After all, they are placing their passengers at risk! Many times I see these ve- hicles speeding, not properly yielding to roundabout traffic, zero use of any indicators. etc. I could list more but you get the general gist of it. Jeremy smith pluto success and nasa’s future BloomBerg View The first detailed glimpse of Pluto was a stunner: A mottled, multicolored orb, shimmering 3 billion miles from Earth. It has craters, “great mounds,” a myste- rious dark belt along the equator – even suggestions of snowfall. The photos came from the NASA spacecraft New Horizons, which has reached the outskirts of the solar system after a nine-year journey. By almost any mea- sure, the mission is already a success, and serves as a fitting capstone for the era of exploration that the U.S. began half a century ago. The next space age will probably look quite different – private enterprise can play a greater role, and NASA should let it – but it will be an exhilarating one all the same. Interest in space nowa- days is increasingly commer- cial. Intrepid entrepreneurs ply the heavens. Satellite startups are pursuing in- triguing new business oppor- tunities. At the same time, the thrill of exploration remains. The possibility of life existing elsewhere in the universe looks increasingly plausible. And NASA’s Kepler mission has discovered hundreds of new planets beyond the solar system – some of them very much like our own. Space hasn’t looked this interesting in a generation. Which makes articulating a vision for the U.S. space program all the more im- portant. NASA’s next major ambition – getting people to Mars – is electrifying, yet the plan to get there is expen- sive, behind schedule and excessively vague. More to the point, if the U.S. wants a sustained pres- ence on Mars, it will need the help of private enter- prise. Companies such as SpaceX and Orbital Sciences have made substantial prog- ress in pushing down the costs of rocketry. Occasional (and useful) failures aside, they’re also doing commend- able work supplying the International Space Station. SpaceX and Boeing intend to start ferrying humans there by 2017. There’s good reason to think that such compa- nies – under NASA’s super- vision – could eventually develop far cheaper ways to get to Mars. Such an ar- rangement could even serve as a blueprint for the next era of space exploration. The New Horizons mis- sion is the latest confirma- tion that the American space program is still capable of accomplishing great things. It shouldn’t be the last. © 2015, Bloomberg ViewThe islands’ most-trusted news source 5 Cayman Compass • Friday July 17, 2015 6 LOCAL NEWS Friday July 17, 2015 • Cayman Compass Online pOll Most not planning to leave Cayman on summer vacation AlAn MArkoff amarkoff@pinnaclemedialtd.com More than half the re- spondents to a caymancom- pass.com online poll who live in the Cayman Islands are not planning to leave the country on vacation this summer. The 38.1 percent of people who said they planned on traveling abroad on vaca- tion this year represented a number that is considerably lower than in previous years when similar polls were con- ducted. In July 2007, be- fore the start of the financial crisis, 69.3 percent of the poll respondents said they were traveling abroad during the summer. In July 2011, 52.7 percent of those participating in the poll said they planned on visiting a country outside of the Cayman Islands during the summer. Still, the 128 people who said they would travel abroad this year represented the largest segment of re- spondents to this year’s poll. “I’m making a family visit in the U.S.” said one person. “I wish I could go somewhere else though.” “Visiting in-laws over- seas,” said someone else. Seventy-eight people – 23.2 percent of the total re- spondents and 25.8 percent of those who indicated they lived in the Cayman Islands – said they were spending their summer vacation right here on Grand Cayman. “Staying home, sweet home!” said one person. “Staying here due to the high cost of airline tickets,” said someone else. “I love doing staycations,” said another person. “No flight hassles and the money I save on airfare I can spend on staying at the local re- sorts that all offer great deals during the summer. And I get to reconnect with my country.” “I’m staying up at Cayman Kai,” commented someone else. “So nice and quiet, far away from those … cruise ship tourists!” “I just don’t have the money to travel,” said an- other person. Another 77 people – 26.9 percent of the respondents living in the Cayman Islands – said they weren’t taking a summer vacation this year. “What’s a summer vaca- tion?” asked one person. “I spend it right here working.” “I am far too busy,” said another. “I took a long weekend to New York, but not taking another trip until possibly Christmas,” said someone else. “I vacation all year be- cause I live on Cayman Brac!” quipped one respondent. “I prefer winter vaca- tions,” noted another. “I can’t afford it,” said someone else. “I’m Caymanian and the cost of living is too expensive.” Fifteen people – 5 percent of respondents living in the Cayman Islands – said they were traveling to the Sister Islands over the summer and 38 people – 11.3 percent of the total poll respondents – said they didn’t live in the Cayman Islands. One of those people planned to come to Cayman over the summer, and another one planned a visit later in the year. “I am spending it at The Wyndham Reef Resort,” said one respondent. “I’m not taking a summer vacation, but will visit Grand Cayman later in the fall,” said another. Next week’s poll question How would you rate Grand Cayman’s public bus service? (Explain the reason for your answer in comments): ■■ Excellent ■■ Good ■■ Fair ■■ Poor ■■ Terrible ■■ I don’t know To participate in this poll, visit www. caymancompass.com starting July 20. Total respondents: 336 I don't live in the Cayman Islands 38 Votes 11.3% Not taking a summer vacation 77 Votes 22.9% Spending it right here on Grand Cayman 78 Votes 23.2% Traveling to the Sister Islands 15 Votes 4.5% Traveling away from the Cayman Islands 128 Votes 38.1% COMPASS ONLINE POLL Source: CaymanCompass.com Online Poll Question: What are your summer vacation plans? longtime island visitor recalls treasured memories Jewel levy jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com American Keith Rayner has been a regular visitor to Grand Cayman over four de- cades. While the beauty of the island was what first at- tracted him, memories of his wife and the time they shared on the island keep him coming back. His wife Shirley, 80, passed away in 2011, but she left a special gift for her hus- band, now 84 – a journal of short stories of their trips to Grand Cayman. “She was a schoolteacher and loved to write short sto- ries. Her stories tell how much she loved the island and its people,” he said. One of her stories, titled “My Lookout Chair,” - Mr. Rayner’s favorite – describes how she would sit on a chair, looking out at the sea and the sky at sunset. In it she wrote: “Skies are beautiful in the early evening and you can watch the sun actually set. The sun never seemed to want me to see it leave down there. The day van- ishes without a trace of the beauty it once had or will have tomorrow.” Writing runs in the family – the Rayners’ granddaughter Taura Ebanks has written a children’s storybook based on her experiences growing up in the Cayman Islands. Ms. Ebanks’s mother Lisa Rayner married a local boat captain, Schister Ebanks. Mr. Rayner, on his latest trip to Cayman, recalled fondly the first visit he and his wife made here from Iowa in 1971. “We fell in love with the island’s warm weather and beautiful ocean and made many trips after that,” he said, adding that it was after a friend had good things to say about the island that he and his wife first came to Grand Cayman. The friend told the couple he had “found the most wonderful place in the world,” and they traveled from the United States to see it for themselves. Not too long after that, the Rayners brought their family and other friends with them. They stayed in a three-bed- room villa at Seascape on West Bay Road for $55 a night. To prove a point, Mr. Rayner produced a Seascape price list from the ‘70s. A dinner at Grand Old House was not that expensive and they dined on lobster and steaks, he recalled. Mr. Rayner also noted: “When we first came over, we left the doors open, walked anywhere at night and never thought about break-ins or robber[ies]. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming, not that I am saying they are not so today … but more so back then because tourists were a novelty.” He said many of the drivers were courteous, and waved or beeped their car horns when they passed. As for Seven Mile Beach, he said of the earlier years, “All we saw passing in the waters those days were a few fishing boats. There were no cruise ships, tour boats or water sports equipment and activities … people just en- joyed the residents and the quiet scenery.” On one of their visits, he recalls helping two fishermen remove needle fish from their nets after pulling in a huge haul. “That was fun,” he said. “They had caught hundreds of fish and were pulling them into the boat when they asked us to take out the unwanted fish. At the time I did not know the name of the fishes but later on they told us they were sprats. One of the fun things to do those days was watch the fishermen.” The Rayners enjoyed bar- becues at the Holiday Inn, which were popular with Caymanians and tourists alike, listened to Barefoot Man, and watched the local fire-eater perform. Visits to the Stingray City Sandbar were laid back and enjoyable, he said. “We loved to walk the beaches and meet the local people. When finished walking, we would sit and take in the island’s sunset and smells. I can’t come up with any regrets, bad experi- ences or problems during our travels to Cayman,” he said. Mr. Rayner said that al- though the island has changed considerably, it still retains the charm of quiet island living. “Right now, I don’t know many people here, but I still enjoy the warm weather, water and people,” he said. Keith and Shirley Rayner enjoy the solitude of Seven Mile Beach in earlier years. Keith Rayner relaxes on a beach chair at Villas of the Galleon on Seven Mile Beach. – Photo: Jewel levy7 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Friday July 17, 2015 CRUZE $21,200CAMARO $37,410 TRAX $21,995 CAPTIVA SPORT $27,615 TAHOE $39,815 COLORADO 4X4 $36,995 SILVERADO $42,035 N300 PICKUP WAS $16,200 NOW $13,065 SONIC LT WAS $18,760 NOW $17,800 TRAX 1.4L TURBO FULLY LOADED N300 CARGO $15,285N300 PASSENGER $15,795 EQUINOX SUVSONIC HB 1.4L TURBOSPARK NEW DESIGN 4 YEARS FACTORY WARRANTY 945 9191 925 4992 113 Owen Roberts Drive salesmanager@advancechevrolet.com service@advancechevrolet.com Facebook.com/advancechevrolet www.advancechevrolet.com FIND NEW ROADS SALES / SERVICE / PARTS / BODY SHOP / RENTAL NEW 2016 MODELS COMING SOON TURBO DIESEL NEW 2016 NEW 2016 NEW 2016 NEW 2016 ON SPECIAL! ON SPECIAL! L.E.D LIGHTS Navy helps clean up halfway house Jewel levy jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Sailors assigned to British Navy support ship the RFA Lyme Bay visited the Bridge Foundation Men’s Halfway House in West Bay to give it a cleanup on Thursday. Around 27 active duty ser- vice members chopped bush, picked up trash, removed un- wanted vegetation, fixed hur- ricane shutters and checked air conditioning systems at the halfway house. “The men love it,” said cap- tain of the ship’s disaster re- lief team Chris Swanwick, as he directed a light wheeled tractor brought from the vessel to assist with the cleanup. “Events like this get them off the ship and into the commu- nities to meet the local people while getting a feel of Cayman. They get fed with Cayman homemade food and they are doing something they love.” The men were rewarded for their work with a meal of curry chicken and white rice, potato salad and upside down pine- apple cake made by the women of Beacon Halfway House, also in West Bay. Along with the removal of trash and other debris from around the club house and res- idential areas, the sailors also used a rock breaker from the ship to put in a walkway to the nearby pond so clients could use it as a meditation retreat. “It’s what we do,” said SPR engineer James Bredin, taking a break along with Corporal Ross McNeil. “We don’t do much work on the ship … we just get trans- ported, to come and help out in the community is good.” Bud Volinsky, director and operations manager of the halfway house, said it was good to have the Navy men help out for the day. Captain Swanwick said he paid a visit to the halfway house after he was given the name by Cayman’s Ministry of Home af- fairs Office to see what needed to be done and the men offered to help out. The British Navy ship is on a six-month tour of the Caribbean. While on Grand Cayman, the ship’s disaster relief teams exercised their contingency plans, conducted reconnais- sance by air and sea of poten- tial landing sites and trans- port routes in the event the ship would have to dispatch supplies and equipment to re- mote locations around the is- land in the event of a disaster, rehearse disembarking and transporting equipment from the ship’s internal dock to the shore on a Mexeflote landing raft and gave local agencies demonstration of the their de- ployment capabilities. The Lyme Bay arrived in Cayman Wednesday, on a five- day visit. It is part of the Royal Navy’s Atlantic Patrol Tasking North operation, which pro- vides year-round humanitarian aid and disaster relief to the Caribbean, in addition to con- ducting counter-narcotics oper- ations in the region. Some of the RFA Lyme Bay navymen clear bush by the Bridge Foundation Halfway House. - PHOTOS: JEWEL LEVY New police recruits soon to be hired ASHANI FRANCIS-COllINS afrancis-collins@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service plan to hire 12 to 15 applicants as entry-level officers in the coming weeks. This follows a recruit- ment process which began on March 25. The drive was open to Caymanians and per- manent residents between the ages of 18 and 40 who are physically fit. The RCIPS received 283 applications for the positions. Deputy Commissioner Anthony Ennis said that one of the goals of this year’s recruit- ment was to see more women applying for the positions. Currently, there are 86 fe- male officers on the force out of 388 total officers. This means that only 22 percent of police officers in Cayman are women. Forty-seven of these 86 female officers are Caymanian. Jacqueline Carpenter, RCIPS public relations officer, said an estimated 112 women applied out of 283 total appli- cants during the recruitment drive. The application form does not request a candi- date’s gender, so this estimate was made based on the appli- cants’ names. The RCIPS narrowed the initial applicant pool of 283 down through written tests. After medical examinations, the final candidates will be selected and will begin training on Aug. 3. Two sailors check out the hurricane shutters at the halfway house.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Cayman Compass • Friday July 17, 2015 17th September 1938 - 17th July 2014 God saw you getting tired and a cure was not to be. So He put His arms around you and whispered “come to me”. It broke our hearts to lose you, but you didn’t go alone. For part of us went with you, the day God called you home. can’t believe a year has passed since you left us, Deeply Missed. Derek, Keshia and Reagan Irvine We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Kenroy Dwain Solomon who passed away on Thursday, July 2, 2015. A Service of Thanksgiving will be held at William Allen McLaughlin Civic Center, John McLean Dr., East End on Sunday, July 19, 2015 at 2:30 p.m. Interment to follow at East End Cemetery In lieu of owers, donations can be made at the service in aid of Cayman Islands Cancer Society. We have been asked to announce the passing of A Service of Thanksgiving will be held at William Allen McLaughlin Civic Center, John McLean Dr., East End on Sunday, July 19, 2015 at 2:30 p.m. In lieu of owers, donations can be made at the service in aid of Cayman Islands Cancer Society. Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Mark Anthony Vernon who passed away on Tuesday, July 7, 2015. A Service of Thanksgiving will be held on Saturday, July 25, 2015 at Church Of God Prophecy, Victory Tabernacle, # 325 Eastern Ave, George Town at 12:00 p.m. Interment to follow at Prospect Cemetery. A Candle light Vigil will be held on Monday, July 20, 2015 at the Port Authority, Royal Watler Terminal at 7:30 p.m. Candles will be provided Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Mark Anthony Vernon who passed away on Tuesday, July 7, 2015. A Service of Thanksgiving will be held on Saturday, July 25, 2015 at Church Of God Prophecy, Victory Tabernacle, # 325 Eastern Ave, George Town at 12:00 p.m. Interment to follow at Prospect Cemetery. A Candle light Vigil will be held on Monday, July 20, 2015 at the Port Authority, Royal Watler Terminal at 7:30 p.m. Candles will be provided Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com Tabernacle, # 325 Eastern Ave, George Town at 12:00 p.m. A Candle light Vigil will be held on Monday, July 20, 2015 We have been asked to announce the passing of Mrs. Daphne May Collins who passed away on Monday, June 29, 2015. A Service of Thanksgiving will be held at Church Of God Prophecy, Victory Tabernacle, # 325 Eastern Ave, George Town, on Saturday, July 18, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. Viewing will be from: 10:00 – 10:45 a.m. Interment to follow at Prospect Cemetery In her honor, please wear colorful attire to the Service. Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome. We regret to announce the passing of Chelsea Rae Doxey peacefully passed away on Saturday, July 11, 2015. Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page A Memorial Service will be held at the First Baptist Church, Crewe Rd. on Saturday July 18, 2015 at 2:00 PM. Please dress in casual, colorful attire. In lieu of flowers please make donations to the Cayman Islands Cancer Society or Cayman Island Hospice Care. We regret to announce the passing of Jason Powery Who departed this life On Wednesday, 1 July 2015. Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page Funeral Services will be held at the Church of God, Captain Reginald Parsons Dr. West Bay, on Saturday July 18, 2015 at 3:00 PM. Viewing will take place from 2:00-3:00 PM prior to the service. Interment will follow at the Boatswain Bay Cemetery. with the project. An environmental im- pact assessment ordered by the Cayman Islands govern- ment predicted that several acres of coral reef could be destroyed if plans for new cruise piers in George Town move forward. Following that assess- ment, the government has confirmed that another com- pany was hired to per- form an additional review of the seabed in the vi- cinity of a proposed cruise ship berthing facility in George Town Harbour. The company, Continental Shelf Associates, of Stuart, Florida, was paid US$27,000 for what was described as a habitat survey, government officials said Thursday. Gordon Stevens, a spokes- person with the CSA Group, which is Continental’s parent company, said Thursday that the work was “very minimal” and nothing close to the full- blown environmental assess- ment already completed on the site at cost of $2.5 million. Ministry of Tourism chief officer Stran Bodden said Thursday that US$27,000 was the total amount government had spent on the Continental Shelf Associates study and denied rumors that govern- ment had actually spent in the six figures on another en- vironmental survey following the initial assessment. John MacKenzie with West Indian Marine, the local partner of Continental Shelf Associates, declined to re- spond to questions about the underwater survey. Underwater debate Some proponents of the cruise berthing project are now saying that predictions of damage have been exagger- ated and that the portion of the reef that would be affected by the project is mostly dead anyway. In a reaction to such claims, a group of photogra- phers and filmmakers have been working for the past two weeks to prove that the reefs in George Town Harbour are very much alive. “There’s a big gap of un- derstanding about what is at stake between people who are experiencing the water and the rest who don’t get in the water,” Courtney Platt said. Mr. Platt is a photogra- pher who has made more than 5,000 dives in the Cayman Islands since he began diving here in 1983. His favorite site is the Balboa Wreck in George Town Harbour. It lies within the area that will be dredged to make way for the new cruise pier. Even though he knew the Balboa would be affected, Mr. Platt was not initially opposed to the cruise pier plan, he said. But when the environmental impact assessment was pre- sented to the public, he real- ized that more than one dive site was at stake. “I greatly respect all of the proponents that I know of who want to build this dock,” Mr. Platt said. “I think these guys are brilliant and wonderful people and have the best in- terest of Cayman at heart, but I do think that they are overes- timating the ability to mitigate the damage done by dredging.” The plans, he said, will af- fect not just the reef systems that are in the dredge pit, but surrounding reefs that will be affected by silt and poor visibility. The wrecks of the Balboa and the nearby Cali are immediately affected by the berthing plans, as they lie within the dredge site, but many divers say the wrecks and other dive sites like Eden Rock, the Soto South Reef and Devil’s Grotto could also be negatively affected. “It’s very much like an atomic blast,” Mr. Platt said. “You have the epicenter where you have total destruction and then you have a gradient of death radiating from that.” He said the reefs that lie within the zone that would be affected by the cruise berthing plans are not only alive, but more vibrant than many of the other reefs on the island and act as nurseries for ju- venile grunts, snappers and groupers, as well as many other organisms. On film With the help of nine film- makers and photographers, Mr. Platt has launched a cam- paign aimed at educating the public about the life that ex- ists in-harbor at George Town. Documentary filmmaker Michael Maes said he was glad to volunteer his time to help document the biodiver- sity of the reef, even though it has taken him away from his own work. “You’re in the mouth of the harbor and there’s so much life and so much young life,” Mr. Maes said. “It’s a cradle of new life.” While Mr. Maes said he’s most concerned about the en- vironment and the future for the children of Cayman, he also sees the potential for a negative financial impact should the pier be built. “You’ll have more passen- gers in,” Mr. Maes said. “But you’re taking away the reason why many of them come.” Relocation One solution offered by the authors of the environmental impact assessment to mitigate the potential damage is to re- locate the reefs that lie within the zone that would be imme- diately affected by dredging. The authors noted that such a solution would not be able to completely save the reefs. Kristi Foster, assistant di- rector of research at the Central Caribbean Marine Institute, said relocating coral is “an incredibly sensitive op- eration” that could “easily” re- sult in mortality rate of 50 per- cent or higher. The coral first has to be dislodged in some way and somehow transferred to an- other site. Ms. Foster said that for a coral relocation project in Qatar that was awarded to Continental Shelf Associates in 2012, removal teams planned to set up swimming pool- size aquaria on a barge to transport the coral. After it is moved, one by one, the coral has to be taken down to the new site. She said that even if teams can figure out how to remove and transfer the coral, the sur- vival rate is incredibly vari- able, because different depths, water flow, and neighbors like other coral or algae affect the coral in different ways. “The other thing that’s going to happen is you’re dis- rupting the entire biodiversity,” Ms. Foster said. “You can’t rec- reate the new reef, the exact complexity, and the exact to- pography. For instance, the sea urchins that live inside the reef, how will those be moved?” Ms. Foster said that the sea urchins that live inside the reef eat algae and keep the coral healthy. “It’s such a complex operation and we still know so little about it,” Ms. Foster said. Solutions Mr. Maes hopes that the government will find an al- ternate solution that pro- tects the unique environment of the reefs in the harbor and ensures that future gen- erations of Caymanians will be able to enjoy not just the beauty of the reefs but the economic benefits they bring to the country, too. He hopes to turn his footage of the harbor reefs into a documentary and plans to show it at interna- tional film festivals. Mr. Platt plans to con- tinue posting photos and video of the reef every day until dredging begins. He posted on Facebook a photo from Wednesday’s dive that he says had received more than 1,200 hits by Thursday afternoon. The photo shows a group of excited Caymanian children, hands pressed against the window of a glass bottom boat, as they look out at a school of fish being fed at the south end of Soto’s Central Reef in George Town Harbour. “I nearly cried in my mask with happiness seeing the joy and amazement of those kids watching us, the fish and the reefs,” Mr. Maes commented on the photo. “It was so fun to see and made the im- portance of education very clear again.” CITA opposes proposed cruise berthing facility plan CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The company, Continental Shelf Associates, of Stuart, Florida, was paid US$27,000 for what was described as a habitat survey, government officials said Thursday.The islands’ most-trusted news source 10 Friday July 17, 2015 • Cayman Compass LG STEAM TECHNOLOGY EVERY BRAND, EVERY MODEL SALE ENDS 25th July 15% OFF Extradition Seven of the defendants charged in the U.S. racke- teering and bribery probe involving top FIFA offi- cials were arrested May 27 in Zurich, Switzerland, just ahead of the football orga- nization’s annual meeting. So far, only one of those defendants has agreed to extradition. According to a statement released by Switzerland’s Federal Office of Justice Thursday: “[The unnamed man] was handed over to a three-man U.S. police es- cort in Zurich who accom- panied him on the flight to New York.” Swiss officials have de- clined to identify the defen- dant who was sent to the U.S. after agreeing to ex- tradition proceedings last week. However, several in- ternational news sources – including Bloomberg News Service, which first reported it – identified the defendant as Webb. Prosecutors in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York declined to comment on the extradi- tion and no publicly available court records about the case had been released as of press time Thursday. Webb is facing 15 counts in the 47-count U.S. indict- ment lodged against nine cur- rent and former FIFA officials and five sports marketing ex- ecutives, alleging that FIFA officials accepted bribes in exchange for awarding the commercialization rights to certain international football tournaments over a period of more than two decades. Webb, who is the former FIFA vice president and ex- president of CONCACAF (FIFA’s regional gov- erning body for the North and Central America and Caribbean region), has been charged with racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud con- spiracy, money laundering and money laundering conspiracy. He could face more than 20 years in prison if con- victed in a trial. An indictment in U.S. fed- eral court is merely an ac- cusation of guilt and all defendants are presumed in- nocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Senate hearing As the extradition com- menced Wednesday, U.S. senators on the Commerce, Science and Transportation subcommittee were grilling the U.S. Soccer Federation Chief Executive Dan Flynn about what was known re- garding the corruption scandal prior to federal court indictments being re- vealed in late May. Charles Blazer, one of the FIFA defendants who has already pleaded guilty in connection with the racke- teering case, is an American and was CONCACAF’s gen- eral secretary until his resig- nation in 2011. Webb, who is Caymanian, is married to an American doctor and owns several properties in the U.S. Mr. Flynn said he knew no “cold hard facts” regarding the corruption within FIFA or CONCACAF, and indicated that Blazer had left the U.S. soccer organization in the mid-1980’s. However, Mr. Flynn did note that he had a “level of discomfort” with the way some of the CONCACAF meetings were being held, particularly under former president Jack Warner. He never formally reported any allegations of miscon- duct or wrongdoing to au- thorities, he said. “I had no hard evidence and we wanted to continue to participate and try to influ- ence [FIFA] as one of [its] 209 members,” Mr. Flynn said. “The second choice we have is to opt out [of FIFA] and with that comes a series of ramifications.” The “ramifications” in- cluded, according to Mr. Flynn, potential expulsion from FIFA and no realistic chance of competing for the World Cup 2026 tournament, which the U.S. covets. The last World Cup competition held in the U.S. was in 1994. “[FIFA president] Mr. [Sepp] Blatter wields a lot of influence in the organization,” he said. U.K.-based journalist Andrew Jennings, who first revealed some of the inci- dents that now form a part of the U.S. federal court in- dictments nearly 10 years ago, told senators that he thought the U.S. Soccer Federation was being “cow- ardly” in its approach to the FIFA scandal. “I suddenly learned today that America is a terribly un- important little country that is terrified of countries like Guinea-Bissau not agreeing with it,” Mr. Jennings said. “I find this very dispiriting.” The U.K. journalist urged the U.S. Soccer Federation not to accept the CONCACAF or- ganization’s stated “reforms” following the latest scandal, largely because those fa- miliar with FIFA have heard it all before. “When Mr. Blazer and Mr. Warner were out … they had reforms, they had re- form meetings,” Mr. Jennings said. “They pledged trans- parency and they brought in two men, Jeffrey Webb from Cayman and Mr. [Enrique] Sanz … from Traffic [USA], from the corrupt sports marketing company?” and down from 6.3 percent in 2013. Unemployment for Caymanians dropped to 7.9 percent, and the rate for non- Caymanians was down to 1.5 percent for the year. Tourism led the surge in economic activity, with al- most two million visitors to the Cayman Islands last year, up almost 16 percent over the year before. Air arrivals were up almost 11 percent and cruise passengers, which last year decreased by almost 9 percent, increased 17 percent in 2014. The financial services in- dustry had a mixed per- formance for the year, de- creasing overall by 0.2 percent. The report states: “New company and partner- ship registrations grew while declines were recorded for mutual funds registration, including master funds, in- surance licences, stock ex- change listing, and banks and trusts.” Government last year re- corded a $93 million sur- plus, following a $70 million surplus in 2013. Core gov- ernment debt also fell, down more than $25 million to a recent low of $534 million, or just under 20 percent of overall GDP. Inflation slows, declines Inflation, which measures price increases across the economy, was 1.3 percent last year, down from a 2.2 percent inflation rate in 2013. Another report, released simultaneously with the 2014 economic report, shows the consumer price index, which government uses to measure inflation, dropped into the negative for the first time in almost five years to -0.4 percent for the first quarter of 2015. Consumer price increases slowed during the fourth quarter of last year, and con- tinued that trend into nega- tive territory in the new year. Putting the blame squarely on falling oil prices, Minister Archer said in a statement, “This is the first time since September 2010 that the CPI of the Cayman Islands showed a negative movement.” He added, “It parallels the 0.1 percent CPI decline in the United States during the same period. The general price movements in the two countries reflect the impact of global oil price reductions.” The consumer price index measurement com- bines average prices and calculates how house- holds spend their money in Cayman, about two fifths of which go to housing and utilities, which is down about 1 percent for the quarter. Electricity, gas and other fuels decreased by more than 13 percent in the first quarter of this year. Other decreases so far this year include restaurants and hotels, down more than 8 percent, and miscellaneous goods and services, which decreased by 2.3 percent. Economy grew 2.1 percent in 2014 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 FIFA defendant extradited to US “With this performance, average income in the Cayman Islands rose to $48,095 in 2014 from $47,170 in 2013.” Marco archEr, finance minister Jeffrey Webb Quake strikes near BarBados BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (AP) – A strong earth- quake struck Thursday in the ocean northeast of Barbados and was widely felt throughout the Caribbean, but officials said there were no immediate re- ports of damage or injuries. Supermarkets and other businesses were evacuated and people moved away from the shore right after the quake hit. Earthquakes are common in the Caribbean but this was particularly strong and shallow. There were no reports of any injuries or damages, according to Kerry Hinds, the acting director of the Department of Emergency Services in Barbados. Nevertheless she urged residents to be cautious, given the size of the quake. “With earthquakes, there is the possibility of after- shocks so please be mindful of that,” Hinds said. The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude-6.4 quake was centered 81 miles northeast of Bridgetown at a shallow depth of about 3 miles. It hit at 11:16 a.m. local time (15:16 GMT). CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1Next >