ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – Thursday OcTOber 22, 2015 sports | page 17 easT end runs aTTracT eliTe Three races in Halloween series High of 86 Low of 79 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. editorial | page 4 GOOd GOvernance wOrks besT in The sunshine Road User If luck isn’t on your side, BritCay is. Extra benefits come without having to pay more premium if you insure your car with BritCay. BritCay also has a great reputation for settling claims fast. Ask for a quote. BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE CO. LTD. BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International: insurance, health, pensions, life Call 949-8699 www.britcay.ky FREE $10 Million ASSET PROT ECTIO N! with motor cover* *private motor insurance cgigrp Opposition leader bush sues former governor, police chief Alleges arrest designed to destroy him politically James whiTTaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Islands Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush has filed a lawsuit against Police Commissioner David Baines and former Governor Duncan Taylor alleging they conspired to depose him as Premier of the Cayman Islands. In a writ of summons, filed with the Grand Court on Wednesday, attorneys acting for Mr. Bush claim the criminal investiga- tion and charges laid against him were po- litically motivated. Mr. Bush was ousted as Premier days after his arrest in December 2012, fol- lowing a vote of no confidence in the Legislative Assembly. His party went on to lose the general election the following May. He was eventually found not guilty on six counts of misconduct in public office and five counts of breach of trust by a Member of the Legislative Assembly, connected to claims he withdrew almost $50,000 on his government credit card to gamble on ca- sino slot machines in Florida, Las Vegas and the Bahamas. The writ alleges there was no legit- imate basis for Mr. Bush’s arrest and charge and that the investigation set out to destroy him politically. “The prosecution of the plaintiff was ma- licious,” it states. “The defendants wanted to bring him down politically and to have him arrested and charged prior to the 2013 general elec- tion, so that he would be forced to resign as Premier before the election and to ensure that he was not re-elected as Premier of the Cayman Islands. “The defendants agreed to damage the plaintiff by manipulating and abusing the constitutional and legal system in the Cayman Islands to create the impression that there was a legitimate and reasonable basis for the charges brought against the plaintiff and by taking steps to ensure they resulted in his loss of office.” The writ goes on to claim that the charges made Mr. Bush the subject of “public atten- tion, contempt and ridicule” and resulted in irreparable damage to his reputation both locally and internationally. It states that he would likely have been re-elected Premier if it were not for the criminal investigation and has suffered fi- nancial losses, including legal fees and ex- penses totaling $875,000 as a result. The attorney general is also listed as a defendant in the lawsuit, a requirement for any civil proceedings against the Crown. Mr. Bush has never sought to deny that he used his government credit card to with- draw cash in casinos. More human rights claims filed against immigration boards brenT Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Two Grand Court lawsuits filed this month against the Immigration Appeals Tribunal allege that decisions of the tribunal were contrary to human rights protections in the Cayman Islands Constitution Order (2009). The writs, filed on Oct. 2 and Oct. 19, come on the heels of a landmark ruling by Cayman’s Chief Justice Anthony Smellie on Aug. 28 which raised questions in a number of areas sur- rounding the Immigration Law, both in previous iterations and in its current form. The writ filed on Oct. 2 on behalf of Milton Arthur John Buchanan by the law firm Bodden and Bodden alleges that the appeals tribunal “acted unreasonably and/or contrary to the principles of natural justice” in denying an appeal of his per- manent residence application after it was initially denied by the Caymanian Status and Permanent Residency Board. “The tribunal was bound … to consider whether the Caymanian Status and Permanent Residency Board had acted unlawfully in assessing the $663K wasted on abandoned immigration fingerprint system 2008 plan to fingerprint work permit holders never implemented charles duncan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com Government spent $663,000 on soft- ware after awarding a contract for a biometric fingerprinting system in 2010, but the software was never used, ac- cording to an audit released this week. The electronic fingerprinting system was approved as part of the 2008 Immigration Law amendments. Government bought the equipment and software. Officials promised the pro- gram would be implemented in 2010, 2011 and again in 2012. The 2013-2014 audit of the Ministry of Home Affairs, tabled in the Legislative Assembly’s current ses- sion, appears to put the program to rest, taking the $663,000 software off the ministry’s books. The audit states, “Software for the biometric project costing $663K for immigration pur- poses … has not been used since its PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » Police Commissioner Baines PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » Mr. BushFormer Governor Taylor2 Thursday OcTOber 22, 2015 • Cayman Compass REGIONAL www. REGmovies.com SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any lm starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. - THURSDAY - $8.00 * UPCOMING RUGBY MATCHES AT THE CINEMA * VISIT WWW.BIGSCREEN.KY FOR MORE INFORMATION. 18 YEARS & OVER BRIDGE OF SPIES (PG13) 12:25 I 3:30 I 6:35 I 9:40 THE MARTIAN 3D (PG13) 12.20 I 3:25 2D I 6:30 I 9:35 2D THE WALK (PG) 4:00 THE INTERN (PG13) 1:05 I 4:00 I 6:55 I 9:50 PAN 3D (PG) 1:20 I 4:20 2D I 7:00 I 9:40 2D WAR ROOM (PG) 1:10 I 7:10 I 10:00 HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2 3D (PG) 1:00 2D I 3:34 I 6:50 2D I 9:10 FIFA ethics probe targets German great Beckenbauer (AP) – German soccer great Franz Beckenbauer and FIFA vice president Angel Maria Villar have been in- vestigated by ethics pros- ecutors and are awaiting verdicts in their cases, the governing body’s ethics panel said Wednesday. Both Beckenbauer and Villar – now serving as FIFA’s No. 2 official while President Sepp Blatter is suspended – have previously been iden- tified by media as targets of the investigation into the bid- ding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Both men face sanc- tions for obstructing then- FIFA prosecutor Michael Garcia’s investigation, ethics committee spokesman Marc Tenbuecken told The Associated Press. With Garcia’s inquiry failing to find evidence of corruption involving Russia and Qatar, it falls to a crim- inal investigation of sus- pected money laundering led by Switzerland’s at- torney general to ascertain whether there was any fi- nancial wrongdoing in those World Cup bidding con- tests. The Russian and Qatari awards have been tainted by five years of so-far un- proven allegations. The official disclosure Wednesday inflicts more damage on FIFA, which is reeling from waves of cor- ruption allegations that led the ethics committee two weeks ago to suspend Blatter and the front-runner to succeed him as president, Michel Platini. In a wide-ranging state- ment, the ethics committee said it aimed to judge Blatter and Platini during their 90- day suspensions. Blatter is also under criminal investigation by Swiss authorities for a sus- pected “disloyal payment” of around $2 million from FIFA funds in 2011 to Platini, who was also questioned. Both deny wrongdoing. In a separate case, sus- pended FIFA secretary gen- eral Jerome Valcke is accused of “misuse of expenses and other infringements of FIFA’s rules and regulations,” the ethics committee said. The announcement Wednesday comes the day after the FIFA executive com- mittee agreed to lift strict se- crecy rules it imposed on the ethics committee in 2012, and which prosecutor Cornel Borbely and judge Joachim Eckert argued were harming their work. Villar was second-in-com- mand at the executive ses- sion on Tuesday, which also made him interim head of FIFA’s organizing committee for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, replacing Platini. Public naming of the Spanish football federation president adds to embarrass- ment for UEFA, where Villar is the highest ranking elected official after Platini was sus- pended by FIFA pending his ethics inquiry. Beckenbauer and former Spain international Villar were members of FIFA’s much-discredited executive committee when it chose Russia and Qatar as fu- ture World Cup hosts in December 2010. Ten of the 24 executive committee members in 2010 have been banned or suspended from duty by the ethics panel. Seven more, including Beckenbauer and Villar, have been investigated by the ethics committee or faced allegations of wrong- doing in the World Cup bid contests. Interim FIFA President Issa Hayatou de- nied allegations by a British Parliamentary committee that he took a seven-figure bribe to vote for Qatar. “If two other countries had emerged from the en- velope, I think we would not have these problems today,” Blatter told the FIFA Congress in May. The Russian and Qatari wins – over losing bidders including England, Australia and the United States – pro- voked rifts among former al- lies and intense scrutiny of allegations of bribery, fi- nancial favors and rules- breaking voting pacts. Peru’s Paolo Guerrero, center, fights for the ball with Chile’s Felipe Gutierrez, left, and Francisco Silva during a 2018 Russia World Cup qualifying soccer match in Lima, Peru, on Tuesday. - Photos: AP In this March 2006 file photo, German soccer legend Franz Beckenbauer, right, talks to Wolfgang Niersbach during a workshop in the buildup for the World Cup in Düsseldorf, western Germany. officiAl: Us cAnnot AbstAin from Un vote on cUbA embArgo WASHINGTON (AP) – The Obama administration has concluded that it must op- pose a U.N. resolution crit- icizing the U.S. economic embargo against Cuba, an American official familiar with the process said Wednesday, because the draft in its current form does not “fully reflect” the new spirit of engagement between the former Cold War foes. The official left open the possibility that the U.S. would change its position, in the unlikely event Cuba amends the text. Officials had been hoping for a compromise that would allow the U.S. to abstain, an unprecedented step that would effectively pit President Barack Obama’s administration with the world body against the Republican-led Congress, which has refused to repeal the 54-year embargo. The U.N. General Assembly vote is on Oct. 27 and Cuba will win over- whelmingly. Such resolu- tions are unenforceable, but the annual ritual serves to highlight Washington’s overwhelming isolation on the issue and frame the “blockade,” as the Cubans call it, as illegitimate. Last year’s tally was 188-2, with only Israel siding with the United States. This year’s vote was seen as potentially dif- ferent, however, coming after the U.S. and Cuba re- stored diplomatic rela- tions and both countries’ ongoing efforts to improve commercial ties. And in a surprising wrinkle, U.S. of- ficials told The Associated Press in September that the United States could abstain instead of voting against the resolution as it has done for the past 23 years – if the language dif- fered significantly from past versions. Officials also said the U.S. was open to discussing revisions with the Cubans and others, something American diplomats had never done before. Just six days away from the vote, those efforts appear to have proved insufficient. UEFA President Michel Platini, left, and FIFA vice president Angel Maria Villar Llona attend the preliminary draw for the 2018 soccer World Cup in Russia. President ObamaThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 Cayman Compass • Thursday OcTOber 22, 2015 discoverflow.ky/crv Simply text WIN to 5463 and answer the Flow trivia questions through December 17th. The more questions you answer the more points you earn. Earn enough points and you’ll be entered to win the grand prize of a brand new Honda CR-V. Flow Terms & Conditions applyThe islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. Printed and Published by: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town send us yOur VieWs Or neWs: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com adVertise With us: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS daVid r. legge and Vicki l. legge EdITOR-In-CHIEf daVid r. legge A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will findtheirownway” Transparency is a first step toward accountability. When it comes to the perception of high gas prices, Cayman Islands lawmakers have wholeheart- edly embraced the idea of using transparency as a tool to force private sector companies to lower the cost of fuel for consumers. They are demanding that fuel importers open up their books to government scrutiny and demonstrate that they are not colluding to fix extortionate prices. This is an example of “Do what we say, or else” approach to governance. In the minds of legislators, the “or else” means the potential for outright regula- tion of the fuel market. In the minds of fuel importers, that might generate the thought, “We’re outta here.” Conversely, while the government is saying that private companies need to be more open about their finances, they at the same time are taking actions that are delaying the release of information on public pension funds. As we reported on the front page of Tuesday’s Compass, officials have decided to delay until March 2016 the publication of an actuarial evaluation of public sector retirement savings plans. The evalua- tion, conducted by outside consultants, will describe how much money taxpayers owed to the public pension scheme as of Jan. 1, 2014. (A 2011 evalu- ation pegged the shortfall at $178.3 million over a 20-year rolling period.) The newest evaluation was completed and pre- sented to government caucus in September 2014, then sent back for significant revisions, which were finished in August of this year. The Compass submitted an open records request for that information, which officials “deferred” until the “anticipated” date of March 31, 2016, in order to allow time for Cabinet members to read and approve the report. Assuming that time line is adhered to, the information on the public pension plans will not emerge into the public domain until it has aged for a period of two years and three months. Data, unlike fine wines and certain rums, do not tend to improve with age. On another matter of the public purse, Mr. Ezzard Miller, MLA from North Side, has reassumed the mantle of chairman of the Legislative Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee, following the resigna- tion of Councilor Roy McTaggart from the post and the forced ouster of Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush from the PAC. We opposed the removal of the Opposition Leader, brought about by a majority vote of Progressives and independent lawmakers. We think the absence of Mr. Bush diminishes the ability of the PAC to provide a forum for the expression of views not necessarily in line with those of the ruling government. That being said, Mr. Miller, on his own merits, is a most suitable chairman of the PAC. Mr. Miller brings the very kind of “bulldozer” mentality that the leader of the PAC requires. Anyone who knows Mr. Miller knows his personality is comprised of very little “bull” and plenty of “dozer.” Just what the PAC needs. Good governance works best in the sunshine Thursday OCTOber 22, 2015 • Cayman COmpass The New American Century With Wal-Mart sales and profits falling, pundits are asking if the economy is again headed down. Hardly. Like IBM and other business icons in trouble, the Arkansas retailer is simply being squeezed by better competi- tors – and mostly Americans – who herald a new age of American innovation. Wal-Mart’s recipe for suc- cess was simple. Through a detailed knowledge of sup- plier costs, disciplined supply chain management and low wages for store personnel it bargained hard with manu- facturers and delivered goods at the lowest prices. Unfortunately, its methods were hardly occult and others like Dollar General and Target caught on, undermining the Arkansas behemoth’s competitive edge. Moreover, along with other big employers like McDonald’s, Wal-Mart is under increasing social political pressure to pay workers more. Wal-Mart attributes 75 percent of its drop in pro- jected earnings to raising entry-level wages to US$9 an hour, but employers do not get much paying a single mom so little. Shoppers complain its stores are un- friendly, messy and often poorly stocked. Other bargain retailers are suffering a similar malaise, because millennials – and older folks willing to change buying habits – can get better products, cheaper on-line. For $99 a year, Amazon Prime provides prime-time TV and free shipping di- rectly from the folks that make products. That vir- tual marketplace offers more choice, competition that drives down prices, and cuts out altogether the retail supply chain – shipping to warehouses and stores, and retailers inventory carrying costs. That drives consumer prices to their lowest pos- sible level. Brick and mortar is not going away but simply when consumers know ex- actly what they want they can save even more by avoiding the cost and pain of negotiating Wal-Mart’s congested parking lots and “courteous” employees. Alas, much the same is happening over at IBM. The tech giant’s competi- tive advantage was in helping moderate-sized and large companies manage on-site computing, software and re- lated services – and then using the resulting access to hawk its mainframes, soft- ware and businesses ser- vices, such as Lotus Notes email and artificial intelli- gence systems. Unfortunately for IBM and traditional rivals Hewlett- Packard, Dell and Oracle, businesses large and small can rent or lease computer services more cheaply on “the cloud” – on-line, just like dis- count granola bars. Amazon Web Services leads by offering 10-times the cloud computing capacity as the next 14 largest rivals combined and boasts clients like General Electric, BMW and Capital One. AWS is building a market- place for software and ser- vices from a wide range of suppliers – with obvious ad- vantages over an IBM consul- tant who has an interest in hawking Big Blue’s offerings. Many other firms like Juniper Networks, Equinix and Red Hat are also offer computing power, software and other services on the Web. Both Wal-Mart and IBM are moving what they do to the web and cloud but both have CEOs more comfortable with another age and execu- tives who feel entitlement to out-sized compensation their revenue and earnings trends indicate they hardly deserve. The good news is that so many of the leaders in e-com- merce, and the infrastruc- tures of data management, computing, software and business services that define the cloud, are American. The story repeats in so many places – Tesla, not BMW or Toyota, with electric cars that break performance meters, and Twitter and Facebook that turn all of hu- manity into a village square. We entered the 21st Century being told by so many economists and pun- dits this would be the Asian Century. China’s woes and inept leadership throw cold water on that thinking. Just as in Henry Ford’s age, the future belongs to people with a “better idea.” Thankfully, many of those are the American entrepre- neurs who are defining a New American Century. Peter Morici is a professor at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business. He served as chief economist of the U.S. International Trade Commission from 1993-1995. He tweets @pmorici1. Pragmatism’s nice, but ideas do matter Tyler Morning Telegraph ediTorial Board In recent weeks, there’s been a compare/contrast ex- ercise among the Republican electorate, pitting Donald Trump against pretty much any of his opponents. It goes something like this: “Ted Cruz has the right ideas, but Donald Trump gets things done.” Or, “Rand Paul has great ideas, but Donald Trump has accomplishments.” But here’s a reminder that ideas matter. “China’s leaders have long behaved as if nothing could daunt them,” The New York Times reported last week. “But an 800-year-old docu- ment written in Latin on sheepskin may have them running scared. Magna Carta – the Great Charter – is on tour this year, celebrating eight centuries since it was issued in 1215 by King John of England. It is regarded as one of the world’s most im- portant documents because of language guaranteeing in- dividual rights and holding the ruler subject to the law.” A centuries-old docu- ment has China’s ruling Communist Party nervous – because of ideas. “It is not clear why the public showing was moved off the Renmin University campus,” the Times reported. “But Magna Carta is widely considered a cornerstone for constitutional government in Britain and the United States, and such a system is inimical to China’s leaders, who view ‘constitutionalism’ as a threat to Communist Party rule.” As one Chinese pro-de- mocracy dissident put it, “They fear that such ideology and historical material will penetrate deep into the stu- dents’ hearts.” Because that’s what ideas do. Of course there’s a place for pragmatism in politics. It’s important to have the po- litical skill to get bills passed. But at the same time, a pragmatism unmoored to any philosophy is no good. And this is what we see in much of the poll-driven po- sitioning in the Hillary Clinton camp. Indeed, her husband, former President Bill Clinton, is arguably the nation’s most pragmatic president in recent history. To use the words of Richard M. Weaver, “ideas have consequences.” That’s the name of a book he pub- lished in 1948. The overemphasis on pragmatism is a trend that has been coming for some time. As Weaver wrote, “Man created in the divine image, the protagonist of a great drama in which his soul was at stake, was replaced by man the wealth-seeking and – consuming animal.” We are more than pro- ducers and consumers, though of course we are those things, too. We are also what we think. “That it does not matter what a man believes is a statement heard on every side today,” Weaver wrote. “What he believes tells him what the world is for. How can men who disagree about what the world is for agree about any of the minutiae of daily conduct? The statement really means that it does not matter what a man believes so long as he does not take his beliefs seriously.” Is this sounding familiar? In recent years, Ronald Reagan has been the em- bodiment of the right com- bination of pragmatism and ideas. He could rail against the evils of the Soviet Union and work out compromises with its leaders. So let’s not over-value pragmatism. Ideas matter, too. © 2015, Tyler (Texas) Morning Telegraph Peter Morici Wal-Mart attributes 75 percent of its drop in projected earnings to raising entry-level wages to US$9 an hour. - Photo: AP5 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Thursday OcTOber 22, 2015 High Quality Granite, Quartz, Glass Countertops at Affordable Prices Lots of full size slabs to choose from Tiles Wall & Floor* Seamless Custom shower enclosures kitchen & Bath Cabinets * Customers own Material fabricated & Installed 947-7767 email: info@stonepros.ky Visit our Showroom 985 Crewe Road (IMP Bldg) before the Cayman Contractors Store On Site Fabrication Shop (12am close on Saturdays and Sundays) Food served from 11am - 10pm Open 11am - 1am OPEN FOR DINNER DAILY AT 5:30PM Phone: 345-945-5217 ~ E-mail: conchrest@gmail.com LOCATED ON NORTH WEST POINT RD, WEST BAY Brac Reef owners to buy Cobalt Coast James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The popular Cobalt Coast dive resort in Grand Cayman will be sold to JEM Holdings Ltd., the owner of two similar resorts on the Sister Islands. The company, which owns Reef Divers as well as the Little Cayman Beach Resort and the Cayman Brac Beach Resort, will complete the purchase on Dec. 1. Cobalt Coast owner Arie Barendrecht said he would stay on to assist the new owners until July next year, when he plans to retire. It was announced in September that Divetech was being replaced by Reef Divers as the dive operator at the resort. Mr. Barendrecht con- firmed Wednesday that the entire business, including 20 guest rooms and a restaurant, was being sold to the Sister Islands-based business. “They were a good match because they offer the same type of resort experi- ence,” he said. “I feel good about them coming in and continuing what we have built here.” Mr. Barendrecht, who opened the resort in the Boatswains Bay area of West Bay in 2000, said he would miss greeting his guests, but at the age of 71 it was “time to smell the roses.” He said he was confident that the new owners would continue his style of per- sonal service. Mr. Barendrecht made a habit of welcoming every guest personally and car- rying their bags to their room himself. “From brewing a fresh pot of coffee for early risers, to chatting with guests over lunch and dinner, and sharing stories at night by the bar, Mr. Barendrecht has been devoted to en- suring an exceptional guest experience,” according to press statement JEM Holdings, currently in the midst of an expan- sion of its dive resort on the Brac, now has a presence on all three islands. The statement continued, “JEM Holdings, Ltd. is the ideal successor to this trea- sured resort due to their ex- pertise operating the finest diving resorts throughout the Cayman Islands. To de- liver the best diving experi- ence at all three resorts, each resort has partnered with Reef Divers, which is famed for its guided scuba diving boat trips and snorkeling ex- cursions featuring concierge ‘valet diving’ service. JEM Holdings, Ltd. is proud to bring these outstanding is- land experiences to all of its international guests.”Cobalt Coast dive resort in Grand Cayman will be sold to JEM Holdings Ltd. – Photo: Jewel levy Mr. Barendrecht, who opened the resort in the Boatswains Bay area of West Bay in 2000, said he would miss greeting his guests but at the age of 71 it was “time to smell the roses.” Mr. Barendrecht6 LOCAL NEWS Thursday OcTOber 22, 2015 • Cayman Compass Big crowd hears GT plans Chamber calls for more industry input James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Government plans to buy out some landowners and de- molish buildings to make way for a new road layout in cen- tral George Town. Kenneth Ebanks, the former planning director who has been hired as a consul- tant to lead the process, told more than 100 people at a public meeting Tuesday that the draft plan will involve new roads and sidewalks as well as some pedestrian-only zones in the city. “Government’s role will be to put in the infra- structure, sidewalks, sewer system, street lighting and streetscaping,” he said. “What we are hoping … is that enabling [an] encouraging environment will then attract new business to come and be located in our capital.” Mr. Ebanks said the new layout, including extending Godfrey Nixon Road west as far as Da Fish Shack and linking a number of con- nector roads within the cap- ital, would create a grid struc- ture that would make the town more accessible to pedestrians. He said government is in discussion with a number of private developers to create parking garages on the edges of town and is also consid- ering a public trolley system to shuttle people around. He said some buildings could be relocated, but other property owners would have to be bought out. “There are some existing buildings where some of the roads have been proposed. Some of those will have to be demolished. “The longer we wait, the more diffi- cult and more costly it is going to become. “Government is prepared to purchase those properties that there really isn’t any way around being demolished.” Other ideas presented by Mr. Ebanks included pedestri- anizing Cardinall Avenue, po- tentially making North Church Street one-way and widening sidewalks and adding trees. The old government building, known as the Glass House, will be demolished to make way for a park. Architect Eddie Thompson, speaking during the question- and-answer session, likened some of the ideas expressed to “creating another Camana Bay in George Town.” He said he welcomed the presentation as a first step but felt industry professionals should have a greater role in the planning process. He said, “Is the government adverse to holding a char- rette [with] industry profes- sionals as opposed to a couple of individuals putting together some proposals?” The Chamber of Commerce made a similar recommenda- tion in a letter to Planning Minister Kurt Tibbetts, also calling for a charrette – an in- tense, collaborative design process, spanning several days and involving professionals with relevant expertise. Tristan Hydes, deputy chief officer in the planning ministry, said meetings were planned with all stakeholders to get input. Several residents at the meeting highlighted lack of parking and pedestrian ac- cessibility as key problems to be addressed. One resident, Aston Ebanks, said he was concerned that the plans would marginalize lower-income families. He said he feared the re- vitalization could have an ad- verse impact on areas like Rock Hole if buildings were demolished to make way for new roads and parking ga- rages. He said there was a risk that people living in those areas would end up being displaced. “I came here expecting to see new concessions to get business back in so people want to come out and go shop- ping or have ice cream. What this seems to me is the gentri- fication of George Town.” Lawsuit cLaims student hit teacher with chair Brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A former teacher in the Cayman Islands Education Department who alleges she was hit in the face with a chair by a student has filed a lawsuit against the Ministry of Education and the government. The writ filed on Oct. 5 seeks unspecified damages against the government for negligence in “not providing a safe place of work.” According to the writ: “[That negligence] man- ifested itself when the plaintiff [named in the writ as Cecile Miller-White] was hit in the face with a chair by a student.” The lawsuit further claims that the defendants, the Minister of Education and the government, were aware of the incident and “continuously displayed dis- ruptive, threatening and dis- respectful behavior to [Ms. Miller-White] and generally.” Ms. Miller-White’s at- torney, Dennis Brady, con- firmed Wednesday that she has left the island since the incident, which oc- curred in 2013. Mr. Brady said the incident was re- ported to the school sys- tem’s incident management team, but he was unsure whether the matter was re- ported to police. School violence involving incidents where students have attacked teachers have made headlines over the past two years, most re- cently when a 15-year-old John Gray student was ar- rested in March on suspi- cion of assaulting a teacher in the classroom. The as- sault occurred following a dispute over a cellphone. The teen was charged with assault causing actual bodily harm, disorderly conduct and damage to property. She has since ap- peared before the Cayman Islands Youth Court. In April 2014, another John Gray student was ar- rested and charged after he allegedly kicked and punched a teacher during a classroom attack. A 2014 government con- sultant report noted major concerns regarding the management of student misbehavior generally. The report stated that some teaching staff were fearful of physical and verbal vi- olence that was largely being fueled by a minority of students. Students’ violent be- havior was also a concern of teachers leaving the school system following the end of their contracts, according to transcripts of exit interviews conducted with the Department of Education Services that were examined by the Cayman Compass. Seniors enjoy a night of fellowship JeWel levy jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com More than 200 seniors en- joyed a night of fellowship at the Bodden Town Civic Centre Tuesday night. The Eastern District Day was part of the ongoing celebrations of older persons during October, which was hosted by the Department of Children and Family Services. Under the theme “60 plus – we all matter,” se- niors attending the event en- joyed a number of presenta- tions, such as dancing with the Swanky band, story- telling with Twyla Vargas, a musical performance by Wesley Howell and prizes and surprises. Osbourne Bodden, MLA for Bodden Town, praised seniors for their outstanding contributions to Caymanian society, and Debbie Webb- Sibblies, deputy director for strategic and programing at Children and Family Services told the seniors to think positive every day and enjoy the things that would keep them young at heart. She also encouraged them to practice patience with younger members of society who are still strug- gling to achieve their life knowledge and experiences, and to give forgiveness as they allow their hearts to be softened by compassion and grace. The Bodden Town Heritage Committee was thanked for preparing Caymanian dishes and the Lions Club of Grand Cayman was thanked for as- sisting with the food. Tristan Hydes, deputy chief officer in the planning ministry, answers questions at Tuesday’s meeting. – PhOtO: James whittaKer Seniors enjoy a bash put on by the Department of Children and Family Services at the Bodden Town Civic Centre. – PhOtO: JeweL Levy School violence involving incidents where students have attacked teachers have made headlines over the past two years.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 Cayman Compass • Thursday OcTOber 22, 2015 Honda HR-V starting at $25,900 Call 949-0440 for more information. Car City, Durham Dr. Industrial Park, PO Box 10440 APO, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands Including 3 years licensing, 3 years warranty and 3 years free oil changes. 5 Year Warranty | 3 Years Licensing | 3 Years Free Oil Changes Features- Back up Camera Back up sensors Keyless Entry Push Button Start 1.4L – good fuel economy 2015 Suzuki Ciaz Blow Out Sale His defense in the crim- inal trial, and the basis for the civil litigation, rely on evidence that there was no policy at the time against ministers using their credit cards for personal expenses, providing they paid it back. The writ alleges that police failed to secure accurate wit- ness statements that would have revealed the “absence of a case” against Mr. Bush. It states that neither the commissioner nor the gov- ernor honestly believed the allegations against Mr. Bush had any merit and suggests police resources were de- voted to a “fishing expedition” to find a plausible criminal charge that could be brought against him prior to the elec- tion. Accusing Mr. Taylor of interfering with the demo- cratic process in the Cayman Islands, the writ alleges that he: ■■ Ordered an acceler- ated police investiga- tion including the ar- rest of Mr. Bush, timed to cause maximum political damage ■■ Leaked confidential in- formation on the inves- tigation to journalists ■■ Arranged for the media to be present during a search of Mr. Bush’s premises ■■ Pressured the director of Public Prosecutions to bring charges be- fore the election ■■ Pressured legislators to bring a vote of no con- fidence in the Premier ■■ Secretly agreed with then- Leader of Opposition Alden McLaughlin on a plan of events up to the general election to ensure the permanent removal of Mr. Bush as Premier. Alleging an agreement between Mr. Taylor and Mr. Baines, the lawsuit states that it was “no mere coinci- dence” that actions taken by Mr. Bush three years earlier became the focus of a crim- inal investigation in the run up to the election. The filing states that po- lice either withheld informa- tion or “deliberately shut their eyes” to evidence that would have exonerated Mr. Bush. “The evidential justifica- tion for the charge against the plaintiff was subordinate to the main purpose of pro- curing his removal from of- fice as Premier and his loss at the general election.” It adds that the defen- dants conspired to “destroy” Mr. Bush politically, ensuring his arrest was conducted in a “blaze of publicity.” Mr. Bush lost his long-standing banking relationships, including mort- gage arrangements, as a re- sult, and his family business also suffered, it states. The court documents give the defendants 14 days to ac- knowledge service of the writ at which point they have the opportunity to outline their defense. Neither the gover- nor’s office nor the police commissioner was prepared to comment Wednesday. The conspiracy theory was first raised by Mr. Bush’s legal team during the crim- inal trial last year. During the trial, prosecu- tors alleged that Mr. Bush had lost nearly $300,000 in casino slot machines during 11 trips to the U.S. and the Bahamas. During this time he had withdrawn nearly $50,000 in cash in casinos on his government credit card. Mr. Bush’s defense team, led by QC Geoffrey Cox, cited testimony from civil service witnesses that there was no policy against using credit cards for personal use. Mr. Cox, who produced a se- ries of emails sent by former Governor Taylor during the investigation, said the former Premier was the victim of a disgraceful and cynical plot led by Mr. Taylor to remove him from office. procurement and there are currently no documented plans to commission the software.” Government officials, in- cluding the deputy gov- ernor, the chief officer for the Ministry of Home Affairs and representatives from the Immigration Department, would not comment on the matter. Instead, the govern- ment officials sent any ques- tions to the acting chief im- migration officer, who is off island this week and did not reply to requests for comment. The fingerprint plan was first approved in the 2008 amendments to the Immigration Bill. The amend- ment, approved seven years ago this month, tasked im- migration officials with elec- tronically fingerprinting work permit applicants as a con- dition of employment. There was discussion several years ago over how to fingerprint the 20,000 people who held work permits at the time and the possibility of expanding the system to foreign-born government workers, foreign students and non-Caymanian permanent residents. Government budgeted $900,000 for fingerprinting systems for police and im- migration in the 2010-2011 fiscal year, and awarded the contract to Cogent Systems in December 2010. U.S.-based Cogent works with a number of governments and compa- nies around the world, in- cluding the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. In his June 2010 Throne Speech, then-governor Duncan Taylor said, “The fingerprinting of all work- permit holders will begin in late 2010.” In January 2011, John Jones, then-chief superinten- dent with the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, told a Chamber of Commerce forum that the fingerprinting system would begin in June 2011. According to an article in The Observer on Sunday, Mr. Jones said, “The plan is that everybody coming into the country in the future, as soon as they arrive at the air- port – this is permit holders, not general visitors I might add – they will go into a machine called a live scan where their fingerprints will be recorded.” A year later, in March 2012, Deputy Governor Franz Manderson said the finger- printing equipment was in place and “ready to go” but required several additional changes to the Immigration Law, according to a Cayman Compass story. The article quoted Mr. Manderson as saying, “Once we had a de- tailed examination of the equipment, it was found that we required some slight change in the legislation.” As recently as June 2014, Premier Alden McLaughlin told members of the Legislative Assembly, as re- corded by the Hansard, “Consideration is also being given to enhancing finger- printing requirements inclu- sive of the collection [and] the management of finger- prints in immigration leg- islation which will signifi- cantly aid in the effective border security.” appellant’s application by reference to certain materials that were either not provided to [Mr. Buchanan] … or were unauthorized materials …” the Oct. 2 writ alleges. Mr. Buchanan’s applica- tion essentially claims that the board erred in law by not correctly determining how many “points” he should have been awarded on his PR application for his salary and occupa- tion. The appeal was filed under the former version of the Immigration Law, prior to major amendments the government approved in October 2013. “[The tribunal] failed to have regard to the fact that the Caymanian Status and Permanent Residency Board [was] using a point calcula- tion chart which was un- lawful even though they were aware of this unlawful application,” the writ states, seeking a decision by the Grand Court for a rehearing of the permanent residence application. The second writ, filed Oct. 19 on behalf of Cherine Amanda Rochester by the law firm Travers, Thorp Alberga alleges that Ms. Rochester “was never person- ally served with the reasons” why the Caymanian Status and Permanent Residency Board denied her PR applica- tion last year. This failure to pro- vide information “de- prived” Ms. Rochester of the ability to formulate proper grounds for an appeal, the lawsuit alleges. The advent of the Cayman Islands Bill of Rights, which came into effect in November 2012, and in particular sec- tion 19 of the bill, ap- pears to have significantly changed the game with re- gard to the processing and hearing of immigration-re- lated applications. The issues identified in an Aug. 28 court judgment from Justice Smellie dealt with two major areas: The issue of primary concern in the above cases involved the actions of the Immigration Appeals Tribunal in judging two ear- lier cases where non-Cayma- nians had applied for perma- nent residence – the right to remain in the territory for the rest of their lives – in which the tribunal’s actions were determined to be a “miscar- riage of justice.” Those applications were also made under a former version of the Immigration Law. The Immigration Appeals Tribunal was or- dered to re-hear the applica- tions of the two workers, one of whom had applied for res- idency status in 2006. Essentially, the court judgment involving the two non-Caymanian workers stated that the decision by the Immigration Appeals Tribunal to deny their per- manent residence applica- tions was “irrational” because the tribunal could not prop- erly explain or identify the criteria it used to rule on the applications. Justice Smellie ruled that in both cases the Immigration Appeals Tribunal “impeded the course of justice” by using materials to judge the permanent resi- dence applications without allowing either applicant to speak to that material. The tribunal also failed to show the applicants, or even the court, how it had used those materials in judging the applications, so the court could not deter- mine the legal “reasonable- ness” of the appointed body’s decision-making. That is essentially the same claim made in Mr. Buchanan’s Oct. 2 lawsuit, which remains to be deter- mined by a court. More human rights claims filed against immigration boards $663K wasted on abandoned immigration fingerprint system Government officials, including the deputy governor, the chief officer for the Ministry of Home Affairs and representatives from the Immigration Department, would not comment on the matter. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Opposition Leader Bush sues former governor, police chief CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Community Calendar ■ Community Calendar is published Tuesdays and Thursdays. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. Thursday OcTOber 22, 2015 • Cayman Compass THURSDAY, OCT. 22 Exhibit opEning: The National Museum in conjunction with the Department Of Children and Family Services celebrate Older Persons Month and the opening of a new exhibit, “Georgette Ebanks,” based on the life of one of the last living signatories of the 1948 petition for female suffrage. Local crafts will be on sale; music by Blake Hurlstone and his band. 10 a.m.-noon at the National Museum, Harbour Drive, George Town. EnERgY EfficiEncY talk: Hear from experts on energy-saving technologies and practices. Hosted by the Cayman Islands Facility Management Association at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Guests welcome. Coffee, water and juices provided. RSVP to dave.johnston@ corporate-electric.com. tuRtlE consERvation public mEEting: Presenters will discuss a report on turtle conservation in the Cayman Islands conducted at the request of the Department of Environment by the University of Exeter. 6 p.m., George Town Town Hall. For more information on the report or the meeting, email doe@gov.ky. lEaDERship caYman oRiEntation: Chamber of Commerce office in Governors Square. 5:30-6:30 p.m. Applications are being accepted until Oct. 30. Free. Register online for this and all other Chamber courses and workshops at www. caymanchamber.ky/events. bRac couRt: Aston Rutty Centre today and tomorrow from 10 a.m. pop concERt: Triple C School Music Department presents a concert featuring Erica Assai and Yung Fusion. The public is invited. Triple C School Multipurpose Hall, 6:30 p.m. Free admission. Refreshments on sale. For more information, contact the school office, 949-6022. bingo & minglE: At Craft Food & Beverage. Tickets $15 each. Includes welcome drink and complimentary raffle ticket. Tickets available at Craft or through Business and Professional Women’s Club members. Adults only. Bingo cards sold separately, $5 per card, 5-pack for $20, 15-pack $50. Prizes from Cayman’s best restaurants, hotels and more. For more information, email info@bpwgcm.org. FRIDAY, OCT. 23 ‘octobER oDYssEY’: Festival of music, dance, poetry readings and more to raise money for Nurse Leila’s House, presented by the National Trust West Bay District Committee. Doors open at 6 p.m., show starts 7 p.m. Performers include Rico Rolando, Nasaria Suckoo Chollette, Curtis Barnett, Anika Conolly, Rupert Ackermon and Xhalecia Grayson as they tell Nurse Leila Yates’s life story through contemporary song and poetry. Adults $25, children 17 and under $15. For more information, email marketing@nationaltrust. org.ky/amcoe@candw.ky or call 749-1121/925-2482. SATURDAY, OCT. 24 islanD Roast: Feed our Future’s annual culinary fundraiser. Help connect hungry kids in Cayman’s community with nutritious meals. Caribbean fare is served by local chefs and leading restaurants. Shoes are optional. Coral Beach, Camana Bay (Next to Royal Palms). 6:30 p.m. to midnight. Tickets, $150, include all food and drink for the evening. Visit feedourfuturecayman. org or contact info@ feedourfuturecayman.org for more information. fish fRY: Central Scranton Community Park breakfast. 6 a.m. All meals include breadfruit, plantain and fritters. $10 and $12. Call 914-4862 or 916-7633. DEals on WhEEls: The Red Cross mobile thrift shop will be in Bodden Town from 6-10 a.m. at the Rubis Gas Station compound. Great deals on linens, clothing and shoes for men, women and children, ladies’ accessories, and much more. filipino cElEbRation: Cayman Outreach Association dinner concert. Triple C School Auditorium, 7:15 p.m. Admission $15. For details, call Raphael Bodden at 925-7798. monstER Dash fun Run: Start Halloween early at the Save Our Youth Foundation inaugural Monster Dash 5K, Camana Bay Town Center. Register online at www.caymanactive. com/monsterdash or onsite beginning at 6:15 a.m. Walkers start at 6:45 a.m. and runners start at 7 a.m. All participants are encouraged to wear costumes for the family friendly event; the race is open to all, with strollers and kids welcome. Register online at www.caymanactive. com/registrations, $20 for adults/$15 students ages 10-18. Registration on the day of the event will cost $25 for adults and $20 for students. In addition to a prize for the best costume, random spot prizes will be handed out. All proceeds benefit Save Our Youth programs. funDRaisER bbQ: St. Ignatius Church’s confirmation group fundraiser. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. School canteen. Tickets $10. Phone 949-6797 for information. ncvo RaDio/tElEthon: Fundraiser for National Council of Voluntary Organisations, 7 p.m.- midnight at Prospect Playhouse. Live entertainment. Come by or call in to make a donation. To donate prior to the event, contact Janice Wilson at ncvo@ncvo.org.ky or 949-2124. bRac fEstival: Miss Cayman Brac Festival Queen, 7 p.m., Aston Rutty Civic Centre. Contact bracpiratesweek@gmail.com. SUNDAY, OCT. 25 pink sunDaY: Boatswain Bay Presbyterian Church service in support of Breast Cancer Month. 11 a.m. All are invited and asked to dress in pink. Yogathon: Get Your Pink On. Community yoga class overlooking The Harbour, taught by the experts from Bliss Living Cayman and Anytime Fitness Grand Cayman. 10 a.m.-noon. $25, and all proceeds will be donated to the Cayman Islands Breast Cancer Foundation. cut-a-thon: Eclipze Hair Design & Day Spa hosts its annual event for breast cancer awareness at the salon, 2-6 p.m. Volunteers from several salons and spas on island will provide services such as wet cuts for men, women and children, eyebrow threading and mini-manicures at discounted prices, and massages at $1 per minute. Some volunteers will be shaving their heads or cutting off at least 10 inches of hair and donating to Locks of Love. All proceeds go to the Lions Club of Tropical Gardens’ Breast Cancer Awareness Fund. olDER pERsons month: On Little Cayman, a church service and luncheon at the Little Cayman Baptist Church at 11 a.m. MONDAY, OCT. 26 miD-tERm RugbY camp: Hosted by Cayman Rugby Football Union, for children ages 8-16, Oct. 26-30, 8 a.m.-noon, $125 per child for the week. Coaching by members of the Cayman national rugby team. Skills, strength and conditioning, and games. Contact Edward Westin at 927-1337 or cme_westin@hotmail.com. haRvEst camp: Oct. 26-30, 8 a.m.-3 p.m., Starfish Village, Camana Bay. Kids ages 3-12. Halloween and fall-themed arts and crafts, games, fountain play and much more. Full day 8 a.m.-3 p.m. for $80/day, or half- days 8 a.m.-noon for the week for $175, or full days, for the week for $325. For more details and to register, email info@starfish.ky. TUESDAY, OCT. 27 moonlight & moviEs: Halloween Series runs Oct. 27-31 at 7 p.m., Gardenia Court, Camana Bay. First feature is “Men in Black II” (2002, PG-13). Free. bRac sEnioRs: An island tour takes place 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. WEDNESDAY, OCT. 28 moonlight & moviEs: Lemony Snicket’s “A Series of Unfortunate Events” (2004, PG). 7 p.m. Gardenia Court, Camana Bay. Free. bRac sEnioRs: A social for Brac seniors will be at the Aston Rutty Civic Centre 10 a.m.-2 p.m. THURSDAY, OCT. 29 moonlight & moviEs: “Casper” (1995, PG). 7 p.m. Gardenia Court, Camana Bay. Free. ucci commEncEmEnt cEREmonY: Commencement speaker will be Dr. Greg Weisenstein, president of West Chester University in Pennsylvania. bRac thatch plaiting: 7-9 p.m., Heritage House. Cost $5. Contact simones@candw.ky. olDER pERsons month: The Seniors Bash takes place at the Westin Casuarina Resort 6:30-10 p.m. FRIDAY, OCT. 30 moonlight & moviEs: “The Mummy” (1999, PG-13). Gardenia Court, Camana Bay. Free. QuEEn’s biRthDaY honouRs: Today is the deadline for submitting nominations for Her Majesty the Queen’s Birthday Honors for 2016. Nominations must be supported by a persuasive account of the outstanding, innovative or self-sacrificing services and achievements Yaz Muratagic presents Janice Wilson, NCVO chairman, with a check for $5,000 to the delight of Butterfield Bank volunteers at a previous NCVO Telethon. This year’s popular fundraiser is at 7 p.m. on Saturday. - Photo: Ash sAnds PhotogrAPhy9 Community Calendar Cayman Compass • Thursday OcTOber 22, 2015 of the nominee, whether paid or unpaid, in one field or several, and what has raised them above others performing similar services. For details visit www.gov. uk/honors or contact the Governor’s Office at staffoff@candw.ky. OLDER PERSONS MONTH: Cayman National Cultural Foundation invites seniors to a special performance 8 p.m. at the Harquail Theatre. Limited spaces available. For more information, contact 949-0290. CAYSHOP: Noon-8 p.m. today, and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 31 at the Arts & Recreation Centre, Camana Bay. The expo showcases a broad range of businesses on island. SATURDAY, OcT. 31: RUN2ZERO 5K & 10K: Cayman AIDS Foundation walk/run, Holiday Inn Resort, SafeHaven. Registration $30. Free breakfast and post-run prizes. Register online at www.cayamanactive.com/ run2zero. HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR: Camana Bay Town Centre, 4-7 p.m. Kids, don your best costume and get ready to trick or treat throughout the Town Centre, get creative with Creepy Crafts, guess what’s inside the Mad Lab, watch a Spooky Creature Triple Feature, take a picture in a charity Pumpkin Patch and dance the night away at the Monster Mash Bash. Free. COCONUT fEST: Exhibitors from Cayman and abroad showcase the incredibly versatile coconut. The Bodden Town Cultural Committee brings demonstrations on crafts, cooking, baking and a marketplace for all things cocount. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Nurse Josie’s Seniors Centre, Gun Square. Call 929-5600/929-7356/925- 4193 for more information. MOONLIGHT & MOVIES: Spooky Creature Triple Feature Showings: “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” (1966, G). 6 p.m., “The Boxtrolls” (2014, PG), 6:30 p.m., “Jaws” (1975, PG), 8 p.m. Movie titles subject to change. SUnDAY, nOv. 1 CATbOAT RACE: Cayman Catboat Club Race. 9 a.m. Garvin Park, Morgan’s Harbor. GEnERAL InTEREST bUSINESS LICENSING: The Department of Commerce and Investment has extended its Business Licensing Counter hours in Grand Cayman from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mondays to Fridays, for people to submit trade and business, liquor, tobacco, and Special Economic Zone license applications. SPECIAL OLYMPICS: Volunteers are needed. Tuesdays at the Truman Bodden Complex at 5:30 p.m. for Track/Field, football and bocce. No experience necessary, just a smile and patience. Wednesdays at Lions Pool 10:15–11 a.m. You do not have to swim, just be able to walk in water chest-deep. Thursdays at First Baptist Church for basketball, 5:30–7 p.m. Saturdays, volunteers needed for Adult Special Olympic swim conditioning at CIS pool 9:30–10:30 a.m. Deck support and in-water swimming assistance needed. For more information, contact Penny McDowall 516-2578 or pjmcdowall@gmail.com. LOST DOGS: The Department of Agriculture and veterinary students of St. Matthew’s University provide an online list of dogs housed at the Department of Agriculture Animal Rescue Shelter in Lower Valley. Anyone missing a dog can check www.smustudents.webs.com. HUMANE SOCIETY bOOK LOfT: North Sound Road. Open Monday 12:30-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday 5:30-7:30 p.m. Volunteers needed for front desk a few hours per week. Contact humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards etc. in good condition always needed. RED CROSS THRIfT SHOP: Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5–7 p.m. Saturday, 7:30 a.m.- 1:30 p.m. at Red Cross headquarters on Thomas Russell Way. Book bargain every Thursday and Friday, a bagful for $5. REEf RESTORATION: Certified divers are invited to work on the Cayman Magic Reef restoration in George Town. A schedule of work dates and times is posted on Facebook under Cayman Magic Reef Recovery. Dates and times are listed under Events, for volunteers to check and sign up. NCVO VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: Volunteers needed for the National Council of Voluntary Organisations Children Services programs. Contact Alta Solomon at 949-2124 or ncvocoordinator@ncvo.org.ky. bETHESDA COUNSELLING CENTRE: Caters to all who seek help. Open Monday to Friday 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at 68 Mary St. Appointments available Saturdays and late evenings. Center is owned and operated by the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. Call 946-6575. PERIPHERAL SPACES: Tuesday to Saturday. Noon to 8 p.m. (closed by 3 p.m. on Saturdays). Market Street across from Bay Market. Pop-up working studio/art gallery with local artists’ works displayed for sale. Art classes Tuesday and Thursday, 6-8 p.m., plus other special events. For more information, email marymccallum@candw.ky. ARTISANS MARKET: Camana Bay Artisans Market every Wednesday. Visual Arts Society artists display arts, crafts, paintings, prints, hand-crafted jewelry and ceramics for sale between noon and 8 p.m. near KARoo restaurant. For more information on displaying your work, email info@visualartcayman.com. MUSEUM TOURS: The National Museum provides guided tours for students and school groups free of cost. Students will gain an understanding of Cayman’s geological formation, flora and fauna, seafaring and rope-making heritage, political history and more. Contact the museum to book a tour in advance at 949-8368 or email info@museum.ky. PINK LADIES: Coffee Shop at Cayman Islands Hospital is open Monday-Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for breakfast, lunch, drinks, snacks. Takeout orders welcome, call 244-2661. Funds are donated back to the community. Contact pinkladiescayman@ gmail.com. DEMENTIA/ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT GROUP: This group meets on the last Wednesday of each month at the Catboat Club clubhouse, North Church Street. All are invited to attend. For more information, call 924-4170 or email info@adacayman.com. cLUBS, ORGAnIZATIOnS ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: Meets daily to help with drinking problems. For more information, call 926-9044 or visit www.caymanaa.org. NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS: Is available for substance abuse help. Call the info line at 929–NANA (6262). AL-ANON GROUP MEETING: Are you troubled by someone’s drinking? Al-Anon Family Groups can help. Call 928-8843 or email caymanalanon@gmail.com for meeting times. OVERCOMERS OUTREACH: A Christ-centered 12-Step Recovery Group addresses addictions and those affected by them. Meetings at CI Baptist Church, Pedro Castle Road, Mondays, 7 p.m. For details, contact Virginia Castillo at 946-2422, or visit www. overcomersoutreach.org. GRAND CAYMAN TOASTMASTERS CLUb: meets at George Town Public Library 6-7:15 p.m. every Thursday. This is a chapter of Toastmaster’s International, geared toward development of public speaking and leadership skills. Contact George R. Ebanks, 916-0687/322-9369 or georger.ebanks@gmail.com for more information. ROTARACT bLUE Of CAYMAN: Meets Wednesdays 6 p.m., at Full of Beans Cafe, Pasadora Place on Smith Road. Contact rotaractblue@gmail.com or check www.rotaractblue.org. LEO CLUb Of GRAND CAYMAN: Meets first and third Wednesdays of the month, 6:30 p.m. at the Lions Community Centre. For more information, contact Secretary Letisha Allen 924-2819. THE LIONS CLUb Of GRAND CAYMAN: Meets every first and third Thursday 7:30 p.m. at the Lions Community Centre. For more information, email LionsClubGCM@hotmail.com. THE LIONS CLUb Of TROPICAL GARDENS: meets every first and third Tuesday of the month at the Lions Centre 7:30 p.m. Members of the public are invited to attend. ROTARY CLUb Of GRAND CAYMAN SUNRISE: Service club meetings 7 a.m. every Wednesday at George Town Yacht Club, 612 North Sound Road. For more information, check website at www.rotarysunrise.ky or contact info@rotarysunrise.ky. KIWANIS CLUb Of GRAND CAYMAN: Meets first and third Wednesdays of the month, 12:30 p.m., at Britannia Golf Course Restaurant. Projects include promoting well- being of children in the community and schools. For more information, email president@kiwanis.ky or view www.kiwanis.ky. OPTIMIST CLUb: Meets first and third Thursdays at the Hibiscus Conference Room, George Town Hospital at 6:30 p.m. Email optimistcayman@yahoo. com. THE MODEL AIRPLANE fLYING CLUb: Meets Sundays 2 p.m. at the J. Bodden Marlpit/Old Raceway. Call 916–2327 for more information. PARENT AND TODDLER PLAY GROUP: For children from 2 weeks to 4 years. Meets Mondays 9:30-11:30 a.m. in the South Sound Community Centre. Children must be accompanied by parent or helper. Toys, activities, light refreshments provided. $6 per session per family. For information, email sspg@foxwood.ky. HEARTS THROUGH HANDS: Meets Wednesdays 9:30 a.m. to noon at The Family Life Centre, Room 10, Academy Way. Women make crafts for charity and missions. For information, call 946–3067 or 947–1863. THE WOMEN’S HEALTH CENTRE: Breastfeeding Clinics every Thursday 10 a.m.-noon in the Women’s Health Centre. No appointments, no fees. Phone 244–2649. CAYMAN bRIDGE CLUb: Meets Tuesdays 7:15 p.m. at Comfort Suites, West Bay Road. For further information, contact Helen Haines at 947-3217 or Jane Bird at 947-1903. bUSINESS AND PROfESSIONAL WOMEN’S CLUb: Meets third Wednesday of every month, Governors Square Boardroom at 5:30 p.m. Visit www.facebook.com/ BPWGrandCayman. bREASTfEEDING SUPPORT GROUP: MothertoMother meetings first Tuesday of every month, 3-4 p.m. outside Women’s Health Centre at the Cayman Islands Hospital. Children welcome. Contact Women’s Health Centre at 244-2649. LIfE UNDERWRITERS ASSOCIATION: Advises all members that the monthly meeting luncheon is held on the last Thursday of each month. YbPW: Meets every third Monday of each month at the Woman’s Resource Centre. SERvIcES ST. GEORGE’S ANGLICAN CHURCH: Service times have changed. As of July 5, for the months of July and August, there will be only one service at 8 a.m. In Newlands, 10:30 a.m. EL MINISTERIO HISPANO: de la Iglesia Bautista Cayman Islands te hace una cordial invitación a nuestro culto en español cada Domingo, 6:30 p.m., Pedro Castle Road, Savannah. Para transporte, llamar al teléfono no. 946-2422, email: cibaptist@candw.ky. HARbOUR LUTHERAN CHURCH: Meets for Divine Worship and Fellowship at South Sound Community Centre, South Sound, Sundays at 10 a.m. www.safeharborlc.com. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.compasscayman. com/caycompass/portal/ community-calendar. The annual Island Roast on Saturday benefits the Feed Our Future charity.Next >